Analysis of HIV using a high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay: automation of HRM data analysis enhances the utility of the assay for analysis of HIV incidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Cousins, Matthew M; Swan, David; Magaret, Craig A; Hoover, Donald R; Eshleman, Susan H

2012-01-01

HIV diversity may be a useful biomarker for discriminating between recent and non-recent HIV infection. The high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay was developed to quantify HIV diversity in viral populations without sequencing. In this assay, HIV diversity is expressed as a single numeric HRM score that represents the width of a melting peak. HRM scores are highly associated with diversity measures obtained with next generation sequencing. In this report, a software package, the HRM Diversity Assay Analysis Tool (DivMelt), was developed to automate calculation of HRM scores from melting curve data. DivMelt uses computational algorithms to calculate HRM scores by identifying the start (T1) and end (T2) melting temperatures for a DNA sample and subtracting them (T2 - T1 =  HRM score). DivMelt contains many user-supplied analysis parameters to allow analyses to be tailored to different contexts. DivMelt analysis options were optimized to discriminate between recent and non-recent HIV infection and to maximize HRM score reproducibility. HRM scores calculated using DivMelt were compared to HRM scores obtained using a manual method that is based on visual inspection of DNA melting curves. HRM scores generated with DivMelt agreed with manually generated HRM scores obtained from the same DNA melting data. Optimal parameters for discriminating between recent and non-recent HIV infection were identified. DivMelt provided greater discrimination between recent and non-recent HIV infection than the manual method. DivMelt provides a rapid, accurate method of determining HRM scores from melting curve data, facilitating use of the HRM diversity assay for large-scale studies.

The Impact of Narcoterrorism on HRM Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramirez, Jacobo; Madero, Sergio; Muñiz, Carlos

2016-01-01

in narcoterrorism environments. Identifying the similarities of objects and issues in the narcoterrorism context can help develop an understanding of this local phenomenon, with implications for the HRM and terrorism literatures on a global scale. Our findings highlight the importance of reinforcing values......This paper presents a study on the emergence of human resource management (HRM) systems in a narcoterrorism context based on a mixed-method approach. We conducted 40 interviews at 24 firms in Mexico to explore emerging HRM systems in narcoterrorism environments. The interviews were complemented...... with a quantitative content analysis of 204 news stories to explore the direct and indirect impacts of narcoterrorism on firms. Our analysis of firms’ responses with respect to HRM systems, which is supported by our quantitative analysis on the impacts of narcoterrorism, indicates that trust appears to shape HRM...

HRM - that's in the other department!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandl, Julia; Madsen, Mona Toft; Madsen, Henning

2006-01-01

HRM scholars have widely acknowledged that realizing HRM requires involvement of all managers; in the context of involving line management with HRM we need to understand how they perceive the importance of HRM and what relevance HRM related activities have in their daily business. In this paper we...... contribute to that literature by examining what importance managers give to HRM related activities in contrast to their other managerial activities and how male and female managers differ in their perception. Based on our analysis of 1.500 Danish managers we find that female managers show relatively higher...... relevance for HRM related activities. Finally, we discuss potential explanations for managers' perception of HRM compared with other activities....

HRM bij Burgerzaken: Een empirisch onderzoek naar de effecten van HRM op de kostendoelmatigheid

OpenAIRE

Van Hulst, B.L.; De Groot, H.

2012-01-01

HRM bij Burgerzaken is een studie naar de effecten van HRM op de kostendoelmatigheid. In de studie zijn ingezette HRM-instrumenten gerelateerd aan de kostendoelmatigheid van de afdeling Burgerzaken. De studie geeft allereerst inzicht in de stand van zaken ten aanzien van HRM. Vervolgens is de kostendoelmatigheid in kaart gebracht, de gemiddelde doelmatigheidsscore in 2010 is 86,3%. Wel bestaan er duidelijke verschillen in kostendoelmatigheid tussen gemeenten die deels verklaard worden door de...

HRM Implementation by Multiple HRM Actors : A Social Exchange Perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos-Nehles, Anna Christina; Meijerink, Jeroen Gerard

2018-01-01

In this study, we understand HRM implementation as a social process that depends on the social exchange relationships between line managers and both HR professionals and employees. As such, we offer a fresh approach to understanding HRM implementation by concentrating on the social exchange among

HRM Cd-ROM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

drs. C.A.G. Huijsmans; ir. R.B. Opsteeg; drs. H.J.J.L. Seegers

2006-01-01

De cd-rom HRM biedt een compleet en actueel overzicht van het totale HRM-gebied. Het bevat een unieke verzameling informatie over personeelsmanagement en sociaal beleid. Deze cd-rom geeft richtlijnen, maatregelen en handige tips op het gebied van personeelsmanagement. Het is samen met het zakboek de

Diversity Management and Its Impact on HRM Practices: Evidence from Kuwaiti Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oualid ABID

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Diversity Management implementation in Kuwaiti context and try to reveal its effects on human resource management practices. Data was collected through questionnaires from a variety of companies in the service sector in Kuwait. Convenient sampling method is applied. Among the questionnaires distributed 354 useful ones from 87 different companies were considered. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA with varimax rotation is used to determine the underlying dimensions of HRM and DM. Furthermore, a regression analysis is used to measure the effects of diversity management on HRM. The major findings of this study are as follows: first, there is a positive significant relationship between Diversity Management policies and Human Resources Management practices. The “ability to manage people from different backgrounds” have the most significant effect on HRM practices, followed by “Ability to work in harmony with people from different cultures” component, then “Avoidance of discrimination” component.

High resolution melting analysis (HRM) for the assessment of clonality in feline B-cell lymphomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Henrich, Manfred; Scheffold, Svenja; Hecht, Werner; Reinacher, Manfred

2018-06-01

Analysis of clonality is gaining importance in diagnosing lymphomas in veterinary medicine. Usually, PCR for the analysis of antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) is followed by electrophoretic separation of the PCR products. Aim of this study was to test the feasibility of HRM for the assessment of clonality in B-cell lymphomas of cats. High resolution melting analysis differentiates PCR products by their different melting point using the decrease in fluorescence of an intercalating dye during melting of the PCR product. Additionally, the method is easy to use with no post-PCR manipulation of the samples. Forty-seven feline B-cell lymphomas and 31 reactive lymphatic proliferations of cats were investigated by PARR followed either by capillary electrophoresis or an HRM assay. To objectify the interpretation of the HRM results a recently published mathematical approach was applied to the melting curve. To overcome discrepancies between the visual interpretation and the mathematical approach, the latter was modified to include testing of reproducibility and recognition of pseudoclonality. In 11 of 47 lymphoma cases clonal populations were detectable by HRM assay compared to 14 of 47 lymphomas in which clonal populations were detected by capillary electrophoresis assay. Neither of the methods showed a clonal pattern in any of the reactive samples. However, the HRM assay showed a unique pattern in cases of follicular lymphatic hyperplasia that had no corresponding pattern in capillary electrophoresis. The capillary electrophoresis assay could identify 3 lymphomas that were not detected by the HRM assay and is therefore regarded superior to the HRM assay. The comparison however, was hampered by the overall bad performance of the PARR, that might be the consequence of insufficient primer binding due to somatic hypermutation of the binding sites during antigen stimulated proliferation of the B lymphocytes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vooral inhoud e-HRM toolbox verhoogt HR-effectiviteit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Bondarouk, Tatiana

2006-01-01

Aanbieders van web-based HRM-applicaties claimen dat invoering van hun oplossingen HRM-processen efficiënter maakt, dus geld bespaart, medewerkers en management meer tevreden maakt over HRM-diensten en de HRM-afdeling meer tijd geeft voor strategische activiteiten. Kortom, HRM zou effectiever

High-resolution melting (HRM) re-analysis of a polyposis patients cohort reveals previously undetected heterozygous and mosaic APC gene mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Out, Astrid A; van Minderhout, Ivonne J H M; van der Stoep, Nienke; van Bommel, Lysette S R; Kluijt, Irma; Aalfs, Cora; Voorendt, Marsha; Vossen, Rolf H A M; Nielsen, Maartje; Vasen, Hans F A; Morreau, Hans; Devilee, Peter; Tops, Carli M J; Hes, Frederik J

2015-06-01

Familial adenomatous polyposis is most frequently caused by pathogenic variants in either the APC gene or the MUTYH gene. The detection rate of pathogenic variants depends on the severity of the phenotype and sensitivity of the screening method, including sensitivity for mosaic variants. For 171 patients with multiple colorectal polyps without previously detectable pathogenic variant, APC was reanalyzed in leukocyte DNA by one uniform technique: high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Serial dilution of heterozygous DNA resulted in a lowest detectable allelic fraction of 6% for the majority of variants. HRM analysis and subsequent sequencing detected pathogenic fully heterozygous APC variants in 10 (6%) of the patients and pathogenic mosaic variants in 2 (1%). All these variants were previously missed by various conventional scanning methods. In parallel, HRM APC scanning was applied to DNA isolated from polyp tissue of two additional patients with apparently sporadic polyposis and without detectable pathogenic APC variant in leukocyte DNA. In both patients a pathogenic mosaic APC variant was present in multiple polyps. The detection of pathogenic APC variants in 7% of the patients, including mosaics, illustrates the usefulness of a complete APC gene reanalysis of previously tested patients, by a supplementary scanning method. HRM is a sensitive and fast pre-screening method for reliable detection of heterozygous and mosaic variants, which can be applied to leukocyte and polyp derived DNA.

HRM Research in the Mainland China

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cao, Dayou; Li, Peter Ping; Li, Yuanling

2013-01-01

as the emerging research trends by reviewing the literature in HRM research in the Mainland China. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a geocentric perspective of HRM theory development to analyze the status quo as well as the emerging trends of the future HRM research in the Mainland China. Findings......Purpose – The purpose of this perspective article is to identify the developmental trajectory of human resource management (HRM) research in the Mainland China as well as the major research gaps to be filled in the future. In particular, the paper focuses on the current challenges as well...... – HRM research in the Mainland China exhibited an obvious tendency of adopting an etic approach at the early stage of research, but displaying an emerging trend toward an emic approach at a later stage. However, the current HRM research in the Mainland China, including both etic and the emic approaches...

High resolution melting (HRM) analysis of DNA--its role and potential in food analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Druml, Barbara; Cichna-Markl, Margit

2014-09-01

DNA based methods play an increasing role in food safety control and food adulteration detection. Recent papers show that high resolution melting (HRM) analysis is an interesting approach. It involves amplification of the target of interest in the presence of a saturation dye by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent melting of the amplicons by gradually increasing the temperature. Since the melting profile depends on the GC content, length, sequence and strand complementarity of the product, HRM analysis is highly suitable for the detection of single-base variants and small insertions or deletions. The review gives an introduction into HRM analysis, covers important aspects in the development of an HRM analysis method and describes how HRM data are analysed and interpreted. Then we discuss the potential of HRM analysis based methods in food analysis, i.e. for the identification of closely related species and cultivars and the identification of pathogenic microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-HRM: Innovation or irritation. An explorative empirical study in five large companies on web-based HRM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Looise, Jan C.

2004-01-01

Technological optimistic voices assume that, from a technical perspective, the IT possibilities for HRM are endless: in principal all HR processes can be supported by IT. E-HRM is the relatively new term for this IT supported HRM, especially through the use of web technology. This paper aims at

The strategic value of e-HRM: results from an exploratory study in a governmental organization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarouk, Tatiana; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria

2013-01-01

This paper presents results from an exploratory study in a governmental organization on the strategic value of electronic human resource management (e-HRM). By applying the organizational capabilities approach, and by means of mixed research methods, data were collected on two generally acclaimed

HRM og innovation i vidensintensive virksomheder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Becker, Karen; Matthews, Judith

2010-01-01

Formålet med denne artikel er at identificere de HRM-praksisser, der understøtter innovation. Artiklen gennemgår kort den internationale litteratur, der er relevant for HRM og innovation i videnstunge virksomheder og bringer endvidere erfaringer fra fire case studier fra videnstunge virksomheder i...... Danmark og Australien, der alle er anerkendte for deres innovationskapacitet. Resultaterne fra dette studium indikerer, at mens der er fællestræk mellem HRM praksisser inden for traditionelle produktionsvirksomheder og videnstunge virksomheder, er der også vigtige forskelle især med hensyn til...... fremgangsmåder omkring bemanding. Artiklen bringer endvidere anbefalinger til HRM-ledelse i innovative videnstunge virksomheder og skitserer mulige veje for forskning for yderligere at udvikle vores forståelse for, hvordan HRM kan støtte innovation i videnstunge virksomheder....

The contribution of e-HRM to HRM effectiveness. Results from a quantitative study in a Dutch Ministry.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Bondarouk, Tatiana; van der Velde, Mandy

2007-01-01

Purpose – Both for-profit and not-for-profit organisations have been replacing face-to-face HRM activities with web-based HRM tools, e-HRM for short, for employees and managers since the 1990s. This paper aims to look at whether this is of benefit to an organisation. Design/methodology/approach –

The Impact of 'Narco-terrorism' on HRM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramirez, Jacobo; Madero, Sergio; Muñiz, Carlos

This paper presents a mixed-method study that explores the configuration of human resource management (HRM) systems in “narco-terrorism” environments. The quantitative analysis focuses on 204 news stories. In addition, 25 interviews were conducted with managers and HR professionals at 20 firms...... in Mexico to explore the direct and indirect impacts of narco-terrorism on firms. Our analysis of firms’ responses in terms of HRM systems indicate that trust of formal and informal institutions seems to shape HRM system in the focal firms. More specifically, a combination of strict employee control......, an emphasis on soft-skills training and development, and a flexible work schedule seems to facilitate the building of trust in narco-terrorism contexts. It seems that the role of firms as social institutions integrate strategies, which seems to aim at avoid and manipulate the institutional constraints. Our...

Uncovering configurations of HRM service provider intellectual capital and worker human capital for creating high HRM service value using fsQCA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijerink, Jeroen Gerard; Bondarouk, Tatiana

Although traditionally applied independently, this study combines two theoretical perspectives – the intellectual capital theory and the consumer perspective – to uncover value-creating configurations of human resource management (HRM) service providers' and workers' knowledge resources. We examined

Exploiting HRM in support of lean manufacturing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Matthiesen, Rikke

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ways in HRM practices are-and could potentially be-exploited to support lean manufacturing in practice. First, a review of the pertinent literature regarding HRM, SHRM, and lean manufacturing is presented to provide an understanding of the mechanisms...... by which HRM practices could, theoretically, be used to support a lean implementation. Data presented in the paper are derived from 1) a longitudinal case study on lean implementation and 2) from managers currently involved with lean manufacturing in a second company. The relevant literature and the data...... depicting the potential role in supporting HRM/lean integrated practices. The analysis of the model with respect to the theoretical background emphasizes a number of areas in which HRM could be more fully exploited in order to more successfully support lean implementation, for example, by stressing HRM...

HRM-Earth.dk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjalager, Anne-Mette; Holt Larsen, Henrik; Znaider, Ruth

Undersøgelsen tager temperaturen på Human Resource Management i Danmark. Der ses på brugen af HRM-redskaber og virkemidler, som generelt bliver bredere. HRM bliver i stigende grad et strategisk indsatsområde for virksomhederne. Undersøgelsen kortlægger endvidere faktorer omkring outsourcing af HR......-funktionen, incitamenter og personalegoder, etik, performance samt kønsproblematikker i HR-arbejdet. Cranet er en internationalt koordineret analyse, som afvikles parallelt i 40 lande....

e-HRM kan bibringe organisationen værdi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anna

2009-01-01

Elektronisk HRM (e-HRM), der tit også kaldes virtuel HRM, er i stigende grad en del af større organisationer, men der mangler ofte en klar difinition af begrebet. I denne artikel får du styr på begreber som e-HRM, IKT og TMS....

The dynamic nature of HRM implementation: a structuration perspective

OpenAIRE

van Mierlo, Jorrit; Bondarouk, Tanya; Sanders, Karin

2018-01-01

Over the past decades, scholars have dedicated substantial attention to the process of HRM implementation. Most progress has been made with debates on HRM system strength, roles of organisational actors in HRM implementation, and intended, actual and perceived HRM. In this paper, we challenge the current view on HRM implementation as being too static and one-directional. By building on structuration theory, we show that the process of HRM implementation is less straightforward than has been p...

The Potential Power of Bar-HRM Technology in Herbal Medicine Identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wei; Li, Jing-Jian; Xiong, Chao; Zhao, Bo; Chen, Shi-Lin

2016-01-01

The substitution of low-cost or adulterated herbal products for high-priced herbs makes it important to be able to identify and trace herbal plant species and their processed products in the drug supply chain. PCR-based methods play an increasing role in monitoring the safety of herbal medicines by detecting adulteration. Recent studies have shown the potential of DNA barcoding combined with high resolution melting (Bar-HRM) analysis in herbal medicine identification. This method involves precisely monitoring the change in fluorescence caused by the release of an intercalating DNA dye from a DNA duplex as it is denatured by a gradual increase in temperature. Since the melting profile depends on the GC content, length, and strand complementarity of the amplification product, Bar-HRM analysis opens up the possibility of detecting single-base variants or species-specific differences in a short region of DNA. This review summarizes key factors affecting Bar-HRM analysis and describes how Bar-HRM is performed. We then discuss advances in Bar-HRM analysis of medicinal plant ingredients (herbal materia medica) as a contribution toward safe and effective herbal medicines.

De kern van HRM. - 2e dr.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verburg, R.; den Hartog, D.

2008-01-01

In dit boek staat de kern van HRM centraal. Op basis van praktijkvoorbeelden, toonaangevende internationale publicaties en onderzoek in Nederland worden essentiële thema's van HRM belicht. Zo komen de volgende onderwerpen aan de orde: - De oorsprong van HRM - De veranderende relatie tussen werkgever

HRM i Danmark efter krisen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bévort, Frans; Holt Larsen, Henrik; Hjalager, Anne-Mette

Kortlægning af praksis for Human Resource Management (HRM) i alle organisationer i Danmark med mere end 100 ansatte.......Kortlægning af praksis for Human Resource Management (HRM) i alle organisationer i Danmark med mere end 100 ansatte....

Can HRM make a difference?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bramming, Pia

2004-01-01

This article is about how a constructivist observation of development within Human Resource Management (HRM) opens the possibility for communicating about development in the language of possibility, seen in contrast to a language of deficiency. HRM is discussed as a paradoxical development concep...

Molecular differentiation of three canine and feline hookworms in South China through HRM analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, M W; Yan, X X; Hang, J X; Shi, X L; Fu, Y Q; Zhang, P; Yang, F; Pan, W D; Li, G Q

2018-02-05

To investigate the prevalence of canine and feline hookworms in South China, and to assess the risk of zoonotic hookworms to humans, one pair of primers (HRM-F/HRM-R) was designed to establish a high-resolution melting (HRM) method based on internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) rDNA for the detection of Ancylostoma ceylanicum, A. caninum and A. tubaeforme infection. The results showed that the HRM for the three hookworms produced different melting-curve profiles, where melting temperature (T m) values were 84.50°C for A. ceylanicum, 82.25°C for A. caninum and 81.73°C for A. tubaeforme, respectively. The reproducibility of intra- and inter-assay melting curves was almost perfect. The lowest concentration detected was about 5.69 ×10-4 g/μl. The HRM detection results from 18 canine and feline hookworm samples were in complete accordance with their sequencing results. The HRM method was more sensitive than the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique in the detection of 98 clinical samples. It is concluded that the HRM method can differentiate between A. ceylanicum, A. caninum, A. tubaeforme and their mixed infections, which may provide important technical support for the zoonotic risk assessment and molecular epidemiological survey of canine and feline hookworms.

The dynamic nature of HRM implementation : a structuration perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Mierlo, Jorrit; Bondarouk, Tanya; Sanders, Karin

2018-01-01

Over the past decades, scholars have dedicated substantial attention to the process of HRM implementation. Most progress has been made with debates on HRM system strength, roles of organisational actors in HRM implementation, and intended, actual and perceived HRM. In this paper, we challenge the

A Novel Multiplex HRM Assay to Detect Clopidogrel Resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lichen; Ma, Xiaowei; You, Guoling; Zhang, Xiaoqing; Fu, Qihua

2017-11-22

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medicine used to prevent blood clots in patients who have had a heart attack, stroke, or other symptoms. Variability in the clinical response to clopidogrel treatment has been attributed to genetic factors. In particular, five SNPs of rs4244285, rs4986893, rs12248560, rs662 and rs1045642 have been associated with resistance to clopidogrel therapy in Chinese population. This work involves the development of a multiplex high-resolution melting (HRM) assay to genotype all five of these loci in 2 tubes. Amplicons corresponding to distinct SNPs in a common tube were designed with the aid of uMelt prediction software to have different melting temperatures Tm by addition of a GC-rich tail to the 5' end of the certain primers. Two kinds of commercial methods, Digital Fluorescence Molecular Hybridization (DFMH) and Sanger sequencing, were used as a control. Three hundred sixteen DFMH pretested samples from consecutive acute coronary syndrome patients were used for a blinded study of multiplex HRM. The sensitivity of HRM was 100% and the specificity was 99.93% reflecting detection of variants other than the known resistance SNPs. Multiplex HRM is an effective closed-tube, highly accurate, fast, and inexpensive method for genotyping the 5 clopidogrel resistance associated SNPs.

The impact of HRM practices on supply chain management success in SME

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naveed R. Khan

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Management practices are being carried out by most of the small and medium sized enterprises (SME which substantially switched to sophisticated manner. This study aims to determine the relationship between human resource management (HRM and supply chain management (SCM in SME. Methods: the data from 195 manufacturing and service sectors SME were collected.  The Pearson's correlation and multiple regression were employed to examine the relationship and measure the overall impact of IV on DV respectively. This study found that SME performed moderate level of HRM and SCM practices and there is a correlation between HRM practices that proactively contributes in supply chain success. Lastly, training contributed greater to SCM success as compared to other HRM factors. Results and conclusions: Results suggest that SCM success is activated by HRM practices.  SME owners/managers should focus on enhancing the SCM success by implementing sophisticated HRM practices. This integration will allow mapping unique strategies to gain an edge over competitors. Appropriate approaches should be considered at national level to boost the national economy through SME sector.

e-HRM Research and Practice: Facing the Challenges Ahead

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Martinez-Lopez, Francisco J.

2014-01-01

The history of e-HRM research extends back about 4 decades. In that time, researchers have provided a rich foundation for a better understanding of issues such as e-HRM implementation, e-HRM usage, and e-HRM outcomes. The past decade in particular saw an impressive growth of publications, but more

UOP HRM 300 Final Exam Guide (New, 2017) NEW

OpenAIRE

ADMIN

2018-01-01

UOP HRM 300 Final Exam Guide (New, 2017) NEW Check this A+ tutorial guideline at http://www.hrm300assignment.com/hrm-300-uop/hrm-300-final-exam-guide-latest For more classes visit http://www.hrm300assignment.com True and False: Please mark either T or F in the appropriate space before the question 1. ____A strategic plan is the company’s plan for how it will match its internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats in or...

Using SSR-HRM to Identify Closely Related Species in Herbal Medicine Products: A Case Study on Licorice.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingjian; Xiong, Chao; He, Xia; Lu, Zhaocen; Zhang, Xin; Chen, Xiaoyang; Sun, Wei

2018-01-01

Traditional herbal medicines have played important roles in the ways of life of people around the world since ancient times. Despite the advanced medical technology of the modern world, herbal medicines are still used as popular alternatives to synthetic drugs. Due to the increasing demand for herbal medicines, plant species identification has become an important tool to prevent substitution and adulteration. Here we propose a method for biological assessment of the quality of prescribed species in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia by use of high resolution melting (HRM) analysis of microsatellite loci. We tested this method on licorice, a traditional herbal medicine with a long history. Results showed that nine simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers produced distinct melting curve profiles for the five licorice species investigated using HRM analysis. These results were validated by capillary electrophoresis. We applied this protocol to commercially available licorice products, thus enabling the consistent identification of 11 labels with non-declared Glycyrrhiza species. This novel strategy may thus facilitate DNA barcoding as a method of identification of closely related species in herbal medicine products. Based on this study, a brief operating procedure for using the SSR-HRM protocol for herbal authentication is provided.

Developing Critical Understanding in HRM Students: Using Innovative Teaching Methods to Encourage Deep Approaches to Study

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Michael J. R.; Reddy, Peter

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to focus on developing critical understanding in human resource management (HRM) students in Aston Business School, UK. The paper reveals that innovative teaching methods encourage deep approaches to study, an indicator of students reaching their own understanding of material and ideas. This improves student employability…

The HRM practices of innovative knowledge-intensive firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Becker, Karen; Matthews, Judy

2011-01-01

, is the basis of this research. The study investigates the HRM practices being used by four innovative firms: two KIFs and two traditional production companies. The findings suggest that there are some similarities between the HRM practices of the case firms, but there are also important differences......There is little research on HRM practices in knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs), especially in comparison to that conducted in traditional production environments. Whether such HRM practices are appropriate for KIFs, particularly ones that differentiate themselves on their ability to innovate...

[Novel Approaches in DNA Methylation Studies - MS-HRM Analysis and Electrochemistry].

Science.gov (United States)

Bartošík, M; Ondroušková, E

Cytosine methylation in DNA is an epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression and plays a vital role in cell differentiation or proliferation. Tumor cells often exhibit aberrant DNA methylation, e.g. hypermethylation of tumor suppressor gene promoters. New methods, capable of determining methylation status of specific DNA sequences, are thus being developed. Among them, MS-HRM (methylation-specific high resolution melting) and electrochemistry offer relatively inexpensive instrumentation, fast assay times and possibility of screening multiple samples/DNA regions simultaneously. MS-HRM is due to its sensitivity and simplicity an interesting alternative to already established techniques, including methylation-specific PCR or bisulfite sequencing. Electrochemistry, when combined with suitable electroactive labels and electrode surfaces, has been applied in several unique strategies for discrimination of cytosines and methylcytosines. Both techniques were successfully tested in analysis of DNA methylation within promoters of important tumor suppressor genes and could thus help in achieving more precise diagnostics and prognostics of cancer. Aberrant methylation of promoters has already been described in hundreds of genes associated with tumorigenesis and could serve as important biomarker if new methods applicable into clinical practice are sufficiently advanced.Key words: DNA methylation - 5-methylcytosine - HRM analysis - melting temperature - DNA duplex - electrochemistry - nucleic acid hybridizationThis work was supported by MEYS - NPS I - LO1413.The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 6. 5. 2016Accepted: 16. 5. 2016.

HRM OPTIMIZATION FOR ECHOBIKE

OpenAIRE

Pan, Shiyuan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this thesis was to help a Chinese manufacturing factory Echobike to in crease its current productivity and offer guidance for its future expansion. Through the study of Chinese HRM in SMEs, it provided a general overview of advantages and dif ficulties of external economy condition and could be seen as the preparation for Echobike to implement a HRM system. On the other hand, the results of the qualitative research interview with its employees revealed the shortness of Echobike...

HRM in private and public organizations in Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berber Nemanja

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Human resource management (HRM is a management concept which obtains many practices and activities. Although there is a substantial literature on HRM in the private sector, the practice of HRM in the public sector is still scarce. In the private sector, HRM is found as a factor for gaining competitive advantage, especially if HR practices are implemented in the way of high-performing working practice (HPWP. In the public sector, HRM is seen as paternalistic management, with the standardization of employment practices, collective bargaining and working practices that emphasize equal opportunities for employees. The goal of this research is to explore the characteristics and differences between HRM practice in organizations from the private and public sector. The subject of the research is HRM practice (staffing, training and development, compensation and benefits, and industrial relation and communication in the private and public organizations in the Republic of Serbia. The methodology of the paper includes exploration of the available literature on the theme and statistical analysis of the differences between HR practices in organizations from the private and public sector. The research is based on the HR data gathered in the second CRANET research round in Serbia, performed in 2015.

Identification of six New World Leishmania species through the implementation of a High-Resolution Melting (HRM) genotyping assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Carolina; Alvarez, Catalina; González, Camila; Ayala, Martha Stella; León, Cielo Maritza; Ramírez, Juan David

2014-11-14

Leishmaniases are tropical zoonotic diseases, caused by parasites from the genus Leishmania. New World (NW) species are related to sylvatic cycles although urbanization processes have been reported in some South American Countries such as Colombia. This eco-epidemiological complexity imposes a challenge to the detection of circulating parasite species, not only related to human cases but also infecting vectors and reservoirs. Currently, no harmonized methods have been deployed to discriminate the NW Leishmania species. Herein, we conducted a systematic and mechanistic High-Resolution Melting (HRM) assay targeted to HSP70 and ITS1. Specific primers were designed that coupled with a HRM analyses permitted to discriminate six NW Leishmania species. In order to validate the herein described algorithm, we included 35 natural isolates obtained from human cases, insect vectors and mammals. Our genotyping assay allowed the correct assignment of the six NW Leishmania species (L. mexicana, L. infantum (chagasi), L. amazonensis, L. panamensis, L. guyanensis and L. braziliensis) based on reference strains. When the algorithm was applied to a set of well-characterized strains by means of PCR-RFLP, MLEE and monoclonal antibodies (MA) we observed a tailored concordance between the HRM and PCR-RFLP/MLEE/MA (KI = 1.0). Additionally, we tested the limit of detection for the HRM method showing that this is able to detect at least 10 equivalent-parasites per mL. This is a rapid and reliable method to conduct molecular epidemiology and host-parasite association studies in endemic areas.

The Effect of Blending HRM Transformational Leadership Style with HRM ICT Expertise Leadership Style on Creating New HRM Strategy That Enable National Companies to Go Global. Evidence from Jordan: Sayegh Group and Hikma Pharmaceutical Corporation

Science.gov (United States)

Khudeir, Hamzeh

2016-01-01

There is no single HRM strategy that can cure all HRM problems and complicated issues. Thus, most companies go by the book in this regard; however, the majorities have their own policies and strategies they use to achieve their objectives in general and competitive advantage in particular. One of the strategies used in HRM is blending HRM…

Developing HRM in Foreign Chinese Jount Ventures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verburg, R.M.

1996-01-01

Human Resource Management (HRM) has become established as an alternative perspective on personnel management. HRM takes many forms, but its basis is the link between personnel practices and business strategy leading to overall organizational effectiveness by encouraging strong commitment among

HRM - what is next?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neisig, Margit

2015-01-01

New managerialism is challenged as higher ordered reflection is needed to cope with com-plexity and uncertainty. A literature gap exists in how HRM and NPM co-evolves from new managerialism towards new governance, and how to cope with distrust in the highly polycentric and multilayered transition...... and aspects of what is needed in addressing distrust as part of this change process. The analysis combines three sub-analyzes synthesized in this paper: • a meta-analysis of four contributions on HRM future-concepts • a comparison of the evolvement of performance management mo¬dels of four Danish muni...

In-House vs. Off-the-Shelf e-HRM Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Al-Ibraheem, Nawaf; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Guiderdoni-Jourdain, Karine; Oiry, Ewan

2009-01-01

Companies new to the e-HRM technologies are overwhelmed by the dilemma of choosing either the ready-made, off-the-shelf e-HRM systems, or develop their own e-HRM systems in house in order to implement the e-HR transformation. Therefore, this research was done to shed some light on the differences

Identification of Uvaria sp by barcoding coupled with high-resolution melting analysis (Bar-HRM).

Science.gov (United States)

Osathanunkul, M; Madesis, P; Ounjai, S; Pumiputavon, K; Somboonchai, R; Lithanatudom, P; Chaowasku, T; Wipasa, J; Suwannapoom, C

2016-01-13

DNA barcoding, which was developed about a decade ago, relies on short, standardized regions of the genome to identify plant and animal species. This method can be used to not only identify known species but also to discover novel ones. Numerous sequences are stored in online databases worldwide. One of the ways to save cost and time (by omitting the sequencing step) in species identification is to use available barcode data to design optimized primers for further analysis, such as high-resolution melting analysis (HRM). This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the hybrid method Bar-HRM (DNA barcoding combined with HRM) to identify species that share similar external morphological features, rather than conduct traditional taxonomic identification that require major parts (leaf, flower, fruit) of the specimens. The specimens used for testing were those, which could not be identified at the species level and could either be Uvaria longipes or Uvaria wrayias, indicated by morphological identification. Primer pairs derived from chloroplast regions (matK, psbA-trnH, rbcL, and trnL) were used in the Bar-HRM. The results obtained from psbA-trnH primers were good enough to help in identifying the specimen while the rest were not. Bar-HRM analysis was proven to be a fast and cost-effective method for plant species identification.

Employees as Active Consumers of HRM: Linking Employees’ HRM Competences with Their Perceptions of HRM Service Value

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijerink, Jeroen Gerard; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Lepak, David P.

2016-01-01

Recognizing the importance for companies of having high-quality employment relationships with employees, previous studies have sought to explain the variability in employees’ perceptions of HRM service value. However, most of these studies view employees as inactive in employment relationships and,

The Transfer of HRM Policies and Practices in American Multinational Hotels in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Hatem Alkhaldi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Global competition in the international business environment has pushed companies to achieve competitive advantage through mergers, acquisitions and through locating their subsidiaries in less developed counties for cost effectiveness. Consequently, the competitive pressure has increased the significance of human resource management (HRM in multinational companies (MNCs, and MNCs have recognised the significance of the transfer HRM process across borders. This study examines the transfer of HRM policies and practices of US MNCs to their subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study is to determine the extent to which US MNCs transfer HRM policies and practices from their Headquarters to their subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia; and identify the factors that facilitate and inhibit HRM transfer. The paper is based on an investigation of the interaction between home-country and host-country effects in determining HRM policies and practices in MNCs in the context of the Middle East. The study adopts a mixed methods approach of documentary analysis, focus group interviews of employees and in depth interviews of key informants in four subsidiaries of US owned international hotel chains located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Competitiveness and sustainability of HRM activities in Croatia –CRANET survey results

OpenAIRE

Nina Pološki Vokić

2015-01-01

The aim of the paper is to assess whether HRM practices in Croatia, as the newest European Union (EU) member country with only cca 20 years of free market economy which implies the change in the HRM philosophy, is heading towards more competitive or more sustainable HRM. In the theoretical part of the paper the characteristics of competitive HRM and sustainable HRM are provided. In the empirical part of the paper, using CRANET methodology, the survey of HRM practices in Croatia has been condu...

Developing and Evaluating the HRM Technique for Identifying Cytochrome P450 2D6 Polymorphisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hsiu-Chin; Chang, Ya-Sian; Chang, Chun-Chi; Lin, Ching-Hsiung; Chang, Jan-Gowth

2015-05-01

Cytochrome P450 2D6 is one of the important enzymes involved in the metabolism of many widely used drugs. Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2D6 can affect its activity. Therefore, an efficient method for identifying CYP2D6 polymorphisms is clinically important. We developed a high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis to investigate CYP2D6 polymorphisms. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from 71 healthy individuals. All nine exons of the CYP2D6 gene were sequenced before screening by HRM analysis. This method can detect the most genotypes (*1, *2, *4, *10, *14, *21 *39, and *41) of CYP2D6 in Chinese. All samples were successfully genotyped. The four most common mutant CYP2D6 alleles (*1, *2, *10, and *41) can be genotyped. The single nucleotides polymorphism (SNP) frequencies of 100C > T (rs1065852), 1039C > T (rs1081003), 1661G > C (rs1058164), 2663G > A (rs28371722), 2850C > T (rs16947), 2988G > A (rs28371725), 3181A > G, and 4180G > C (rs1135840) were 58%, 61%, 73%, 1%, 13%, 3%, 1%, 73%, respectively. We identified 100% of all heterozygotes without any errors. The two homozygous genotypes (1661G > C and 4180G > C) can be distinguished by mixing with a known genotype sample to generate an artificial heterozygote for HRM analysis. Therefore, all samples could be identified using our HRM method, and the results of HRM analysis are identical to those obtained by sequencing. Our method achieved 100% sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value and negative prediction value. HRM analysis is a nongel resolution method that is faster and less expensive than direct sequencing. Our study shows that it is an efficient tool for typing CYP2D6 polymorphisms. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

HRM implementation in multinational companies : the dynamics of multifaceted scenarios

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos-Nehles, Anna; Bondarouk, Tanya; Labrenz, Soren

2017-01-01

This study explores why the subsidiary line managers of multinational companies (MNCs) implement HRM practices differently than intended by headquarters. HRM implementation is understood as a process in which one has to differentiate between a range of multifaceted HRM implementation scenarios. We

Organizational Structure and Firms' Demand for HRM Practices

OpenAIRE

Eriksson, Tor; Ortega, Jaime

2014-01-01

A question largely left unanswered in previous studies of firms’ use of HRM practices, and the consequences thereof, is why some firms adopt these practices while others do not. We examine empirically the determinants of firms’ demand for HRM pay, work and training practices with a special focus on the role of differences in the organizational structure of firms. For this purpose we merge data from a detailed questionnaire study of Danish private sector firms’ use of HRM practices with workfo...

Identification case of evidence in timber tracing of Pinus radiate, using high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Solano, Jaime; Anabalón, Leonardo; Encina, Francisco

2016-03-01

Fast, accurate detection of plant species and their hybrids using molecular tools will facilitate assessment and monitoring of timber tracing evidence. In this study the origin of unknown pine samples is determined for a case of timber theft in the region of Araucania southern Chile. We evaluate the utility of the trnL marker region for species identification applied to pine wood based on High Resolution Melting. This efficient tracing methods can be incorporated into forestry applications such as certification of origin. The object of this work was genotype identification using high-resolution melting (HRM) and trnL approaches for Pinus radiata (Don) in timber tracing evidence. Our results indicate that trnL is a very sensitive marker for delimiting species and HRM analysis was used successfully for genotyping Pinus samples for timber tracing purposes. Genotyping samples by HRM analysis with the trnL1 approach allowed us to differentiate two wood samples from the Pinaceae family: Pinus radiata (Don) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. The same approach with Pinus trnL wood was not able to discriminate between samples of Pinus radiata, indicating that the samples were genetically indistinguishable, possibly because they have the same genotype at this locus. Timber tracing with HRM analysis is expected to contribute to future forest certification schemes, control of illegal trading, and molecular traceability of Pinus spp. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

HRM and Fit: Survival of the fittest!?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.T. Boon (Corine)

2008-01-01

textabstractWhat is the nature of ‘fit’ in strategic HRM? This is the question guiding this thesis. Although the idea of fit is theoretically convincing, empirical evidence to support the role of fit is limited. Previous studies on fit have mainly focused on the alignment between HRM and strategy

HRM, climate and employee well-being : comparing an optimistic and critical perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veld, M.F.A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/341254282; Alfes, Kerstin

2017-01-01

A growing number of studies investigating the linkage between HRM and employee well-being largely supports a positive perspective on HRM (HRM positively affects employee well-being). There is only a limited body of empirical evidence that supports a critical perspective (HRM negatively affects

[GSTP1, APC and RASSF1 gene methylation in prostate cancer samples: comparative analysis of MS-HRM method and Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip beadchiparray diagnostic value].

Science.gov (United States)

Skorodumova, L O; Babalyan, K A; Sultanov, R; Vasiliev, A O; Govorov, A V; Pushkar, D Y; Prilepskaya, E A; Danilenko, S A; Generozov, E V; Larin, A K; Kostryukova, E S; Sharova, E I

2016-11-01

There is a clear need in molecular markers for prostate cancer (PC) risk stratification. Alteration of DNA methylation is one of processes that occur during ÐÑ progression. Methylation-sensitive PCR with high resolution melting curve analysis (MS-HRM) can be used for gene methylation analysis in routine laboratory practice. This method requires very small amounts of DNA for analysis. Numerous results have been accumulated on DNA methylation in PC samples analyzed by the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (HM450). However, the consistency of MS-HRM results with chip hybridization results has not been examined yet. The aim of this study was to assess the consistency of results of GSTP1, APC and RASSF1 gene methylation analysis in ÐÑ biopsy samples obtained by MS-HRM and chip hybridization. The methylation levels of each gene determined by MS-HRM were statistically different in the group of PC tissue samples and the samples without signs of tumor growth. Chip hybridization data analysis confirmed the results obtained with the MS-HRM. Differences in methylation levels between tumor tissue and histologically intact tissue of each sample determined by MS-HRM and chip hybridization, were consistent with each other. Thus, we showed that the assessment of GSTP1, APC and RASSF1 gene methylation analysis using MS-HRM is suitable for the design of laboratory assays that will differentiate the PC tissue from the tissue without signs of tumor growth.

Detection of somatic mutations by high-resolution DNA melting (HRM) analysis in multiple cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Bosquet, Jesus; Calcei, Jacob; Wei, Jun S; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Sherman, Mark E; Hewitt, Stephen; Vockley, Joseph; Lissowska, Jolanta; Yang, Hannah P; Khan, Javed; Chanock, Stephen

2011-01-17

Identification of somatic mutations in cancer is a major goal for understanding and monitoring the events related to cancer initiation and progression. High resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis represents a fast, post-PCR high-throughput method for scanning somatic sequence alterations in target genes. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of HRM analysis for tumor mutation screening in a range of tumor samples, which included 216 frozen pediatric small rounded blue-cell tumors as well as 180 paraffin-embedded tumors from breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers (60 of each). HRM analysis was performed in exons of the following candidate genes known to harbor established commonly observed mutations: PIK3CA, ERBB2, KRAS, TP53, EGFR, BRAF, GATA3, and FGFR3. Bi-directional sequencing analysis was used to determine the accuracy of the HRM analysis. For the 39 mutations observed in frozen samples, the sensitivity and specificity of HRM analysis were 97% and 87%, respectively. There were 67 mutation/variants in the paraffin-embedded samples, and the sensitivity and specificity for the HRM analysis were 88% and 80%, respectively. Paraffin-embedded samples require higher quantity of purified DNA for high performance. In summary, HRM analysis is a promising moderate-throughput screening test for mutations among known candidate genomic regions. Although the overall accuracy appears to be better in frozen specimens, somatic alterations were detected in DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded samples.

Detection of somatic mutations by high-resolution DNA melting (HRM analysis in multiple cancers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesus Gonzalez-Bosquet

Full Text Available Identification of somatic mutations in cancer is a major goal for understanding and monitoring the events related to cancer initiation and progression. High resolution melting (HRM curve analysis represents a fast, post-PCR high-throughput method for scanning somatic sequence alterations in target genes. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of HRM analysis for tumor mutation screening in a range of tumor samples, which included 216 frozen pediatric small rounded blue-cell tumors as well as 180 paraffin-embedded tumors from breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers (60 of each. HRM analysis was performed in exons of the following candidate genes known to harbor established commonly observed mutations: PIK3CA, ERBB2, KRAS, TP53, EGFR, BRAF, GATA3, and FGFR3. Bi-directional sequencing analysis was used to determine the accuracy of the HRM analysis. For the 39 mutations observed in frozen samples, the sensitivity and specificity of HRM analysis were 97% and 87%, respectively. There were 67 mutation/variants in the paraffin-embedded samples, and the sensitivity and specificity for the HRM analysis were 88% and 80%, respectively. Paraffin-embedded samples require higher quantity of purified DNA for high performance. In summary, HRM analysis is a promising moderate-throughput screening test for mutations among known candidate genomic regions. Although the overall accuracy appears to be better in frozen specimens, somatic alterations were detected in DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded samples.

The spa typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates by High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fasihi, Yasser; Fooladi, Saba; Mohammadi, Mohammad Ali; Emaneini, Mohammad; Kalantar-Neyestanaki, Davood

2017-09-06

Molecular typing is an important tool for control and prevention of infection. A suitable molecular typing method for epidemiological investigation must be easy to perform, highly reproducible, inexpensive, rapid and easy to interpret. In this study, two molecular typing methods including the conventional PCR-sequencing method and high resolution melting (HRM) analysis were used for staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing of 30 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates recovered from clinical samples. Based on PCR-sequencing method results, 16 different spa types were identified among the 30 MRSA isolates. Among the 16 different spa types, 14 spa types separated by HRM method. Two spa types including t4718 and t2894 were not separated from each other. According to our results, spa typing based on HRM analysis method is very rapid, easy to perform and cost-effective, but this method must be standardized for different regions, spa types, and real-time machinery.

Electronic Human Resources Management (e-HRM Adoption Studies: Past and Future Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winarto Winarto

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Electronic human resource management (e-HRM systems become more widely used by profit and non-profit organization. However, the field currently lacks sound theoretical frameworks that can be useful in addressing a key issue concerning the implementation of e-HRM systems, in particular to obtain a better understanding of the factors influencing the adoption of e-HRM systems. The objective of this paper is to provide a foundation towards the development of a theoretical framework for the implementation of e-HRM systems and develop a conceptual model that would reflect the nature of e-HRM systems’ adoption through systematic literature review. Adopting Crossan and Apaydin’s procedure of systematic review, this paper investigated 21 empirical papers of electronics human resources management, then categorized them into 4 characteristics which influence the adoption; System and technology characteristics; Organizational characteristics; User/individual characteristics, and Environmental and contextual characteristics. Finally, the e-HRM adoption research framework is drawn and based on the framework; avenues for future research are discussed.   Bahasa Indonesia Abstrak: Manajemen sumber daya manusia elektronik (selanjutnya disebut dengan e-HRM semakin banyak digunakan oleh organisasi profit dan nonprofit. Namun, bidang dan topik ini belum memiliki kerangka teori yang mapan, yang dapat digunakan untuk menganalisis isu-isu terkait penerapan e-HRM, terutama mengenai faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi adopsi sistem e-HRM. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memberikan landasan bagi pengembangan kerangka teoritis untuk implementasi sistem e-HRM dan mengembangkan model konseptual yang akan menggambarkan adopsi sistem e-HRM melalui tinjauan literatur sistematis. Mengadopsi prosedur dan metode Crossan dan Apaydin untuk melakukan telaah literatur secara sistematis, paper ini menyelidiki 21 publikasi empiris manajemen sumber daya manusia elektronik dari 2

E-HRM effectiveness in a Dutch ministry: results of survey and discursive exploration combined

OpenAIRE

Bondarouk, Tanya; Ruel, Huub

2006-01-01

E-HRM is coming to a more full-grown stage within organisational life. Much is assumed and expressed about the advantages of e-HRM, however scientific proof of these advantages is scarce. No clarity exists about the answer to the question whether e-HRM contributes to HRM effectiveness. In this paper we present results from the first quantitative study on the contribution of e-HRM to HRM effectiveness. The data is collected in a Dutch ministry. Results show that actual use of the e-HRM applica...

High-Resolution Melting (HRM) of Hypervariable Mitochondrial DNA Regions for Forensic Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Dos Santos Rocha, Alípio; de Amorim, Isis Salviano Soares; Simão, Tatiana de Almeida; da Fonseca, Adenilson de Souza; Garrido, Rodrigo Grazinoli; Mencalha, Andre Luiz

2018-03-01

Forensic strategies commonly are proceeding by analysis of short tandem repeats (STRs); however, new additional strategies have been proposed for forensic science. Thus, this article standardized the high-resolution melting (HRM) of DNA for forensic analyzes. For HRM, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from eight individuals were extracted from mucosa swabs by DNAzol reagent, samples were amplified by PCR and submitted to HRM analysis to identify differences in hypervariable (HV) regions I and II. To confirm HRM, all PCR products were DNA sequencing. The data suggest that is possible discriminate DNA from different samples by HRM curves. Also, uncommon dual-dissociation was identified in a single PCR product, increasing HRM analyzes by evaluation of melting peaks. Thus, HRM is accurate and useful to screening small differences in HVI and HVII regions from mtDNA and increase the efficiency of laboratory routines based on forensic genetics. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

E-HRM usage and value creation: Does a facilitating context matter?

OpenAIRE

Ruël, Huub; van der Kaap, Harry

2012-01-01

Electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM) is assumed to be a driving force behind HRM value creation. However, the issue remains of whether empirical evidence supports this assumption. Moreover, is the relationship straightforward and direct or is it conditional, and do contextual factors intervene? This paper presents a study on this issue. Data was collected through a survey conducted in three international firms using e-HRM applications. The findings suggest that e-HRM usage in line wit...

Measuring the impact of HRM on organizational performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia A. Katou

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 21 false false false ES ZH-CN X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabla normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language:ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} The purpose of this paper is to measure the impact of HRM on organisational performance in the context of Greece. Data were collected from 178 organisations using a questionnaire survey in the Greek manufacturing sector, and analysed using the ‘structural equation modelling’ methodology. The results indicated that the relationship between HRM policies (resourcing and development, compensation and incentives, involvement and job design and organisational performance is partially mediated through HRM outcomes (skills, attitudes, behaviour, and it is influenced by business strategies (cost, quality, innovation. Thus, the contribution of this study for academics and practitioners is that HRM policies associated with business strategies will affect organisational performance through HRM outcomes.

Is HRM a New Approach in the Employment Scene in Developing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper attempts to discuss whether HRM represents a new approach to managing employment relationships in developing countries. It defines with brief descriptions the main key terminologies namely employment relationships, HRM and PM. The basic philosophy and values enshrined in the HRM model are explored.

Er HRM andet end en sten i skoen?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holt Larsen, Henrik

2015-01-01

Ledelse. Arbejdet med virksomheders menneskelige ressourcer kræver, at ledelsen tror på det. Ellers kan det gå ud over HRM-indsatsen.......Ledelse. Arbejdet med virksomheders menneskelige ressourcer kræver, at ledelsen tror på det. Ellers kan det gå ud over HRM-indsatsen....

Using Social Network Research in HRM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaše, Robert; King, Zella; Minbaeva, Dana

2013-01-01

; the impact of social networking sites on perceptions of relationships; and ethical issues in organizational network analysis, we propose specific suggestions to bring social network perspectives closer to HRM researchers and practitioners and rebalance our attention to people and to their relationships.......The article features a conversation between Rob Cross and Martin Kilduff about organizational network analysis in research and practice. It demonstrates the value of using social network perspectives in HRM. Drawing on the discussion about managing personal networks; managing the networks of others...

Fast and reliable detection of toxic Crotalaria spectabilis Roth. in Thunbergia laurifolia Lindl. herbal products using DNA barcoding coupled with HRM analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Singtonat, Sahachat; Osathanunkul, Maslin

2015-05-30

Nowadays, medicinal plants are used as a popular alternative to synthetic drugs. Many medicinal plant products have now been commercialized throughout various markets. These products are commonly sold in processed or modified forms such as powders, dried material and capsules, making it almost impossible to accurately identify the constituent species. The herbal plant known as 'Rang Chuet' in Thai has been widely used as remedies for various ailments. However, two medicinal plants species, Thunbergia laurifolia and Crotalaria spectabilis share this name. Duo to the similarity in nomenclature, the commercial products labeled as 'Rang Chuet' could be any of them. Recently, the evidence of hepatotoxic effects linked to use of C. spectabilis were reported and is now seriously concern. There is a need to find an approach that could help with species identification of these herbal products to ensure the safety and efficacy of the herbal drug. Here DNA barcoding was used in combination with High Resolution Melting analysis (Bar-HRM) to authenticate T. laurifolia species. Four DNA barcodes including matK, rbcL, rpoC and trnL were selected for use in primers design for HRM analysis to produce standard melting profiles of the selected species. Commercial products labeled as 'Rang Chuet' were purchased from Thai markets and authentication by HRM analyses. Melting data from the HRM assay using the designed primers showed that the two 'Rang Chuet' species could easily be distinguished from each other. The melting profiles of the all four region amplicons of each species are clearly separated in all three replicates. The method was then applied to authenticate products in powdered form. HRM curves of all ten test samples indicated that three of the tested products did not only contain the T. laurifolia species. The herbal drugs derived from different plants must be distinguished from each other even they share the same vernacular name. The Bar-HRM method developed here proved

The Signalling Effect of HRM on Psychological Contracts of Employees: A Multi-Level Perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Sonnenberg

2006-01-01

textabstractWat bepaalt de effectiviteit van HRM? Zowel in wetenschappelijk HRM onderzoek als in de HRM praktijk is de relatie tussen HRM en organisatie prestaties de afgelopen jaren uitgegroeid tot het belangrijkste aandachtsgebied. Centraal in deze relatie staat de verhouding tussen werknemers en

A novel dNTP-limited PCR and HRM assay to detect Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lichen; Zhang, Xiaoqing; You, Guoling; Yu, Yongguo; Fu, Qihua

2018-06-01

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is caused by a microdeletion of chromosome arm 7q11.23. A rapid and inexpensive genotyping method to detect microdeletion on 7q11.23 needs to be developed for the diagnosis of WBS. This study describes the development of a new type of molecular diagnosis method to detect microdeletion on 7q11.23 based upon high-resolution melting (HRM). Four genes on 7q11.23 were selected as the target genes for the deletion genotyping. dNTP-limited duplex PCR was used to amplify the reference gene, CFTR, and one of the four genes respectively on 7q11.23. An HRM assay was performed on the PCR products, and the height ratio of the negative derivative peaks between the target gene and reference gene was employed to analyze the copy number variation of the target region. A new genotyping method for detecting 7q11.23 deletion was developed based upon dNTP-limited PCR and HRM, which cost only 96 min. Samples from 15 WBS patients and 12 healthy individuals were genotyped by this method in a blinded fashion, and the sensitivity and specificity was 100% (95% CI, 0.80-1, and 95% CI, 0.75-1, respectively) which was proved by CytoScan HD array. The HRM assay we developed is an rapid, inexpensive, and highly accurate method for genotyping 7q11.23 deletion. It is potentially useful in the clinical diagnosis of WBS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HRM, company performance and employee well-being

OpenAIRE

Vanhala, Sinikka; Tuomi, Kaija

2006-01-01

This paper is dealing with the relationships between HRM, company performance and employee well-being. The relationship between S/HRM and company performance has received much attention in prior literature, while the employee perspective has been widely neglected in this research tradition. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: first, to identify and evaluate how company performance and employee well-being are related, and, secondly, to evaluate the possibilities of HR policies and practices...

E-HRM effectiveness in a public sector organization: a multi-stakeholder perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarouk, Tatiana; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; van der Heijden, Beatrice

2009-01-01

Electronic HRM is increasingly gaining importance within working organizations and many of its adherents assume and express its advantages. Scientific support, however, is scarce and there is a lack of clarity regarding the contribution of e-HRM to HRM effectiveness. This article presents results

Limited copy number-high resolution melting (LCN-HRM) enables the detection and identification by sequencing of low level mutations in cancer biopsies.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Hongdo; Dobrovic, Alexander

2009-10-08

Mutation detection in clinical tumour samples is challenging when the proportion of tumour cells, and thus mutant alleles, is low. The limited sensitivity of conventional sequencing necessitates the adoption of more sensitive approaches. High resolution melting (HRM) is more sensitive than sequencing but identification of the mutation is desirable, particularly when it is important to discriminate false positives due to PCR errors or template degradation from true mutations.We thus developed limited copy number - high resolution melting (LCN-HRM) which applies limiting dilution to HRM. Multiple replicate reactions with a limited number of target sequences per reaction allow low level mutations to be detected. The dilutions used (based on Ct values) are chosen such that mutations, if present, can be detected by the direct sequencing of amplicons with aberrant melting patterns. Using cell lines heterozygous for mutations, we found that the mutations were not readily detected when they comprised 10% of total alleles (20% tumour cells) by sequencing, whereas they were readily detectable at 5% total alleles by standard HRM. LCN-HRM allowed these mutations to be identified by direct sequencing of those positive reactions.LCN-HRM was then used to review formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) clinical samples showing discordant findings between sequencing and HRM for KRAS exon 2 and EGFR exons 19 and 21. Both true mutations present at low levels and sequence changes due to artefacts were detected by LCN-HRM. The use of high fidelity polymerases showed that the majority of the artefacts were derived from the damaged template rather than replication errors during amplification. LCN-HRM bridges the sensitivity gap between HRM and sequencing and is effective in distinguishing between artefacts and true mutations.

E-HRM effectiveness in a Dutch ministry : results of survey and discursive exploration combined

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarouk, Tanya; Ruel, Huub

2006-01-01

E-HRM is coming to a more full-grown stage within organisational life. Much is assumed and expressed about the advantages of e-HRM, however scientific proof of these advantages is scarce. No clarity exists about the answer to the question whether e-HRM contributes to HRM effectiveness. In this paper

A comparison of PCR assays for beak and feather disease virus and high resolution melt (HRM) curve analysis of replicase associated protein and capsid genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Shubhagata; Sarker, Subir; Ghorashi, Seyed Ali; Forwood, Jade K; Raidal, Shane R

2016-11-01

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) threatens a wide range of endangered psittacine birds worldwide. In this study, we assessed a novel PCR assay and genetic screening method using high-resolution melt (HRM) curve analysis for BFDV targeting the capsid (Cap) gene (HRM-Cap) alongside conventional PCR detection as well as a PCR method that targets a much smaller fragment of the virus genome in the replicase initiator protein (Rep) gene (HRM-Rep). Limits of detection, sensitivity, specificity and discriminatory power for differentiating BFDV sequences were compared. HRM-Cap had a high positive predictive value and could readily differentiate between a reference genotype and 17 other diverse BFDV genomes with more discriminatory power (genotype confidence percentage) than HRM-Rep. Melt curve profiles generated by HRM-Cap correlated with unique DNA sequence profiles for each individual test genome. The limit of detection of HRM-Cap was lower (2×10 -5 ng/reaction or 48 viral copies) than that for both HRM-Rep and conventional BFDV PCR which had similar sensitivity (2×10 -6 ng or 13 viral copies/reaction). However, when used in a diagnostic setting with 348 clinical samples there was strong agreement between HRM-Cap and conventional PCR (kappa=0.87, PHRM-Cap demonstrated higher specificity (99.9%) than HRM-Rep (80.3%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-resolution melting (HRM) assay for the detection of recurrent BRCA1/BRCA2 germline mutations in Tunisian breast/ovarian cancer families.

Science.gov (United States)

Riahi, Aouatef; Kharrat, Maher; Lariani, Imen; Chaabouni-Bouhamed, Habiba

2014-12-01

Germline deleterious mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 genes are associated with an increased risk for the development of breast and ovarian cancer. Given the large size of these genes the detection of such mutations represents a considerable technical challenge. Therefore, the development of cost-effective and rapid methods to identify these mutations became a necessity. High resolution melting analysis (HRM) is a rapid and efficient technique extensively employed as high-throughput mutation scanning method. The purpose of our study was to assess the specificity and sensitivity of HRM for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes scanning. As a first step we estimate the ability of HRM for detection mutations in a set of 21 heterozygous samples harboring 8 different known BRCA1/BRCA2 variations, all samples had been preliminarily investigated by direct sequencing, and then we performed a blinded analysis by HRM in a set of 68 further sporadic samples of unknown genotype. All tested heterozygous BRCA1/BRCA2 variants were easily identified. However the HRM assay revealed further alteration that we initially had not searched (one unclassified variant). Furthermore, sequencing confirmed all the HRM detected mutations in the set of unknown samples, including homozygous changes, indicating that in this cohort, with the optimized assays, the mutations detections sensitivity and specificity were 100 %. HRM is a simple, rapid and efficient scanning method for known and unknown BRCA1/BRCA2 germline mutations. Consequently the method will allow for the economical screening of recurrent mutations in Tunisian population.

HRM in foreign-owned agricultural and food processing companies in Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratković Tatjana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper was aimed at analysing the degree to which foreign-owned agricultural and food processing companies in Serbia implement key human resource management (HRM processes, determining whether these processes are performed in-house or outsourced, and identifying the variables which influence the decision on performing these processes within the company or outsourcing. The analysis of data collected through a survey conducted in 42 companies has confirmed the expectations that the surveyed companies mainly perform most of HRM activities The conclusion drawn from the study is that all examined HRM activities are mainly performed in-house, rather than outsourced, while the mode of performing key HRM processes mainly depends on the size of the company and the number of employees in HR department, implying that foreign-owned companies operating in agricultural and food processing sector in this transition country need to take these variables into consideration when deciding whether to perform crucial HRM activities by themselves or outsource.

Strategic HRM in Building Micro-Foundations of Organizational Knowledge-Based Performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minbaeva, Dana

2013-01-01

Strategic HRM research has a strong potential to further our understanding of how organizational knowledge processes influence performance at various analytical levels. Drawing on ability–motivation–opportunity research and linking it to knowledge sharing behaviors, we discuss the micro......-foundations in the link between strategic HRM practices and knowledge-based organizational performance. We thus describe a research agenda for future micro-foundational research that links strategic HRM and knowledge-based performance....

Detection and quantification of Spirocerca lupi by HRM qPCR in fecal samples from dogs with spirocercosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas, Alicia; Segev, Gilad; Markovics, Alex; Aroch, Itamar; Baneth, Gad

2017-09-19

Spirocerca lupi, the dog oesophageal nematode, causes a potentially fatal disease in domestic dogs, and is currently clinically diagnosed by coproscopy and oesophagoscopy. To date, a single molecular method, a semi-nested PCR, targeting the cox1 gene, has been developed to aid in the diagnosis of spirocercosis. The present study describes three novel high-resolution melt (HRM) quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays targeting fragments of the ITS1, 18S and cytb loci of S. lupi. The performance of these molecular assays in feces was compared to fecal flotation and to the previously described cox1 gene semi-nested PCR in 18 fecal samples from dogs with clinical oesophageal spirocercosis diagnosed by oesophagoscopy. The HRM qPCR for ITS1 and 18S were both able to detect 0.2 S. lupi eggs per gram (epg), while the HRM qPCR for the cytb and the semi-nested PCR for the cox1 detected 6 epg and 526 epg, respectively. Spirocerca lupi was detected in 61.1%, 44.4%, 27.8%, 11.1% and 5.6% of the fecal samples of dogs diagnosed with spirocercosis by using the ITS1 and 18S HRM qPCR assays, fecal flotation, cytb HRM qPCR and cox1 semi-nested PCR, respectively. All dogs positive by fecal flotation were also positive by ITS1 and 18S HRM qPCRs. Quantification of S. lupi eggs was successfully achieved in the HRM qPCRs and compared to the fecal flotation with no significant difference in the calculated concentrations between the HRM qPCRs that detected the 18S and ITS1 loci and the fecal flotation. The HRM qPCR for the 18S cross-amplified DNA from Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina. In contrast, the HRM qPCR for ITS1 did not cross-amplify DNA from other canine gastrointestinal parasites. This study presents two new molecular assays with significantly increased sensitivity for confirming and quantifying fecal S. lupi eggs. Of these, the HRM qPCR for ITS1 showed the best performance in terms of the limit of detection and absence of cross-amplification with other parasites. These assays will be

Beyond the line: exploring the HRM responsibilities of line managers, project managers and the HRM department in four project-oriented companies in the Netherlands, Austria, the UK and the USA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keegan, A.; Huemann, M.; Turner, J.R.

2012-01-01

The topic of what human resource management (HRM) responsibilities are devolved from the HRM department to line managers has attracted much interest in recent years. We report findings from a study on the devolution of HRM practices in four project-oriented companies (POCs) and argue that although

Når HRM sparker døren ind til fremtiden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holt Larsen, Henrik

2016-01-01

Vi er alt for beskedne of uambitiøse, når vi siger, hvad HRM kan bidrage med i fremtidens virksomheder. Mange af de generelle udfordringer, som virksomhederne står overfor, har nemlig en karakter, der gør det naturligt eller nødvendigt at sætte ind med HRM-professionalisme. Bolden ligger for vores...... fødder, så nu gælder det bare om at sparke. Artiklen beskriver nogle af de vigtigste udfordringer - og hvorfor HRM er et svar herpå....

eHRM adoption in emerging economies: The case of subsidiaries of multinational corporations in Indonesia.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarouk, Tatiana; Schilling, Dustin; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria

2016-01-01

Electronic HRM (eHRM) is assumed to strengthen the position of HRM as a business partner by promising strategic benefits. Empirical support for this assumption, however, mostly comes from studies conducted in developed economies. Yet eHRM adoption in the emerging economy context remains poorly

High Resolution Melting (HRM for High-Throughput Genotyping—Limitations and Caveats in Practical Case Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Słomka

2017-11-01

Full Text Available High resolution melting (HRM is a convenient method for gene scanning as well as genotyping of individual and multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. This rapid, simple, closed-tube, homogenous, and cost-efficient approach has the capacity for high specificity and sensitivity, while allowing easy transition to high-throughput scale. In this paper, we provide examples from our laboratory practice of some problematic issues which can affect the performance and data analysis of HRM results, especially with regard to reference curve-based targeted genotyping. We present those examples in order of the typical experimental workflow, and discuss the crucial significance of the respective experimental errors and limitations for the quality and analysis of results. The experimental details which have a decisive impact on correct execution of a HRM genotyping experiment include type and quality of DNA source material, reproducibility of isolation method and template DNA preparation, primer and amplicon design, automation-derived preparation and pipetting inconsistencies, as well as physical limitations in melting curve distinction for alternative variants and careful selection of samples for validation by sequencing. We provide a case-by-case analysis and discussion of actual problems we encountered and solutions that should be taken into account by researchers newly attempting HRM genotyping, especially in a high-throughput setup.

High Resolution Melting (HRM) for High-Throughput Genotyping—Limitations and Caveats in Practical Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Słomka, Marcin; Sobalska-Kwapis, Marta; Wachulec, Monika; Bartosz, Grzegorz

2017-01-01

High resolution melting (HRM) is a convenient method for gene scanning as well as genotyping of individual and multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This rapid, simple, closed-tube, homogenous, and cost-efficient approach has the capacity for high specificity and sensitivity, while allowing easy transition to high-throughput scale. In this paper, we provide examples from our laboratory practice of some problematic issues which can affect the performance and data analysis of HRM results, especially with regard to reference curve-based targeted genotyping. We present those examples in order of the typical experimental workflow, and discuss the crucial significance of the respective experimental errors and limitations for the quality and analysis of results. The experimental details which have a decisive impact on correct execution of a HRM genotyping experiment include type and quality of DNA source material, reproducibility of isolation method and template DNA preparation, primer and amplicon design, automation-derived preparation and pipetting inconsistencies, as well as physical limitations in melting curve distinction for alternative variants and careful selection of samples for validation by sequencing. We provide a case-by-case analysis and discussion of actual problems we encountered and solutions that should be taken into account by researchers newly attempting HRM genotyping, especially in a high-throughput setup. PMID:29099791

High Resolution Melting (HRM) for High-Throughput Genotyping-Limitations and Caveats in Practical Case Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Słomka, Marcin; Sobalska-Kwapis, Marta; Wachulec, Monika; Bartosz, Grzegorz; Strapagiel, Dominik

2017-11-03

High resolution melting (HRM) is a convenient method for gene scanning as well as genotyping of individual and multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This rapid, simple, closed-tube, homogenous, and cost-efficient approach has the capacity for high specificity and sensitivity, while allowing easy transition to high-throughput scale. In this paper, we provide examples from our laboratory practice of some problematic issues which can affect the performance and data analysis of HRM results, especially with regard to reference curve-based targeted genotyping. We present those examples in order of the typical experimental workflow, and discuss the crucial significance of the respective experimental errors and limitations for the quality and analysis of results. The experimental details which have a decisive impact on correct execution of a HRM genotyping experiment include type and quality of DNA source material, reproducibility of isolation method and template DNA preparation, primer and amplicon design, automation-derived preparation and pipetting inconsistencies, as well as physical limitations in melting curve distinction for alternative variants and careful selection of samples for validation by sequencing. We provide a case-by-case analysis and discussion of actual problems we encountered and solutions that should be taken into account by researchers newly attempting HRM genotyping, especially in a high-throughput setup.

How strategic considerations influence decision making on e-HRM applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schalk, R.; Timmerman, V.; van den Heuvel, S.R.H.

2013-01-01

Although numerous studies indicate that the added value of human resource management is strongest when HRM decisions are linked to the organizational strategy, practical knowledge about how strategic considerations influence decision-making processes relating to e-HRM is limited. Therefore, the

Exploring the Best HRM Practices-Performance Relationship: An Empirical Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Theriou, George N.; Chatzoglou, Prodromos D.

2009-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to empirically examine the linkages between best human resource (HRM) practices, knowledge management, organisational learning, organisational capabilities and organisational performance. The proposed framework and findings intend to add to the understanding of the specific processes that mediate between best HRM practices…

Rapid Detection and Identification of Human Hookworm Infections through High Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ngui, Romano; Lim, Yvonne A. L.; Chua, Kek Heng

2012-01-01

Background Hookworm infections are still endemic in low and middle income tropical countries with greater impact on the socioeconomic and public health of the bottom billion of the world's poorest people. In this study, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with high resolution melting-curve (HRM) analysis was evaluated for an accurate, rapid and sensitive tool for species identification focusing on the five human hookworm species. Methods Real-time PCR coupled with HRM analysis targeting the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA as the genetic marker was used to identify and distinguish hookworm species in human samples. Unique and distinct characteristics of HRM patterns were produced for each of the five hookworm species. The melting curves were characterized by peaks of 79.24±0.05°C and 83.00±0.04°C for Necator americanus, 79.12±0.10°C for Ancylostoma duodenale, 79.40±0.10°C for Ancylostoma ceylanicum, 79.63±0.05°C for Ancylostoma caninum and 79.70±0.14°C for Ancylostoma braziliense. An evaluation of the method's sensitivity and specificity revealed that this assay was able to detect as low as 0.01 ng/µl hookworm DNA and amplification was only recorded for hookworm positive samples. Conclusion The HRM assay developed in this study is a rapid and straightforward method for the diagnosis, identification and discrimination of five human hookworms. This assay is simple compared to other probe-based genotyping methods as it does not require multiplexing, DNA sequencing or post-PCR processing. Therefore, this method offers a new alternative for rapid detection of human hookworm species. PMID:22844538

Rapid detection and identification of human hookworm infections through high resolution melting (HRM analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romano Ngui

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Hookworm infections are still endemic in low and middle income tropical countries with greater impact on the socioeconomic and public health of the bottom billion of the world's poorest people. In this study, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR coupled with high resolution melting-curve (HRM analysis was evaluated for an accurate, rapid and sensitive tool for species identification focusing on the five human hookworm species. METHODS: Real-time PCR coupled with HRM analysis targeting the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2 of nuclear ribosomal DNA as the genetic marker was used to identify and distinguish hookworm species in human samples. Unique and distinct characteristics of HRM patterns were produced for each of the five hookworm species. The melting curves were characterized by peaks of 79.24±0.05°C and 83.00±0.04°C for Necator americanus, 79.12±0.10°C for Ancylostoma duodenale, 79.40±0.10°C for Ancylostoma ceylanicum, 79.63±0.05°C for Ancylostoma caninum and 79.70±0.14°C for Ancylostoma braziliense. An evaluation of the method's sensitivity and specificity revealed that this assay was able to detect as low as 0.01 ng/µl hookworm DNA and amplification was only recorded for hookworm positive samples. CONCLUSION: The HRM assay developed in this study is a rapid and straightforward method for the diagnosis, identification and discrimination of five human hookworms. This assay is simple compared to other probe-based genotyping methods as it does not require multiplexing, DNA sequencing or post-PCR processing. Therefore, this method offers a new alternative for rapid detection of human hookworm species.

MGMT promoter methylation determined by HRM in comparison to MSP and pyrosequencing for predicting high-grade glioma response.

Science.gov (United States)

Switzeny, Olivier J; Christmann, Markus; Renovanz, Mirjam; Giese, Alf; Sommer, Clemens; Kaina, Bernd

2016-01-01

The DNA repair protein O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) causes resistance of cancer cells to alkylating agents and, therefore, is a well-established predictive marker for high-grade gliomas that are routinely treated with alkylating drugs. Since MGMT is highly epigenetically regulated, the MGMT promoter methylation status is taken as an indicator of MGMT silencing, predicting the outcome of glioma therapy. MGMT promoter methylation is usually determined by methylation specific PCR (MSP), which is a labor intensive and error-prone method often used semi-quantitatively. Searching for alternatives, we used closed-tube high resolution melt (HRM) analysis, which is a quantitative method, and compared it with MSP and pyrosequencing regarding its predictive value. We analyzed glioblastoma cell lines with known MGMT activity and formalin-fixed samples from IDH1 wild-type high-grade glioma patients (WHO grade III/IV) treated with radiation and temozolomide by HRM, MSP, and pyrosequencing. The data were compared as to progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients exhibiting the methylated and unmethylated MGMT status. A promoter methylation cut-off level relevant for PFS and OS was determined. In a multivariate Cox regression model, methylation of MGMT promoter of high-grade gliomas analyzed by HRM, but not MSP, was found to be an independent predictive marker for OS. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed for PFS and OS a significant and better discrimination between methylated and unmethylated tumors when quantitative HRM was used instead of MSP. Compared to MSP and pyrosequencing, the HRM method is simple, cost effective, highly accurate and fast. HRM is at least equivalent to pyrosequencing in quantifying the methylation level. It is superior in predicting PFS and OS of high-grade glioma patients compared to MSP and, therefore, can be recommended being used routinely for determination of the MGMT status of gliomas.

The Transfer of HRM Policies and Practices in American Multinational Hotels in Saudi Arabia (P.155-164

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Amal Hatem Alkhaldi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Global   competition   in   the   international   business   environment has   pushed companies to achieve competitive advantage through mergers, acquisitions and through locating their subsidiaries in less developed counties for cost effectiveness. Consequently, the competitive pressure has increased the significance of human resource management (HRM in multinational companies (MNCs, and MNCs have recognised the significance of the transfer HRM process across borders. This study examines the transfer of HRM policies and practices of US MNCs to their subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study is to determine the extent to which US MNCs transfer HRM policies and practices from their Headquarters to their subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia; and identify the factors that facilitate and inhibit HRM transfer. The paper is based on an investigation of the interaction between home-country and host-country effects in determining HRM policies and practices in MNCs in the context of the Middle East. The study adopts a mixed methods approach of documentary analysis, focus group interviews of employees and in depth interviews of key informants in four subsidiaries of US owned international hotel chains located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Keywords: Home  country, host  country, human  resource  managem transfer,Institutional theory, culture conditions.

HRM and innovation: Themes, contingencies and directions for future research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Florén, H.; Rundquist, J.; Schuler, R.S.; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria

2014-01-01

The purposes of this special issue were to connect Human Resource Management (HRM) research and innovation research and to contribute towards a better understanding of how HRM can be deployed to support organisations in their innovation efforts. In this commentary, we review the results from the

Pride, prejudice and performance: relations between diversity, HRM and performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benschop, Y.W.M.

2001-01-01

Today, managing diversity is considered one of the main challenges for HRM in modern organizations. In this article, a framework is developed to suggest that the design and implementation of HRM activities should be influenced by strategic choices on the management of diversity which are themselves

Lack of correlation between HRM metrics and symptoms during the manometric protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Yinglian; Kahrilas, Peter J; Nicodème, Frédéric; Lin, Zhiyue; Roman, Sabine; Pandolfino, John E

2014-04-01

Although esophageal motor disorders are associated with chest pain and dysphagia, minimal data support a direct relationship between abnormal motor function and symptoms. This study investigated whether high-resolution manometry (HRM) metrics correlate with symptoms. Consecutive HRM patients without previous surgery were enrolled. HRM studies included 10 supine liquid, 5 upright liquid, 2 upright viscous, and 2 upright solid swallows. All patients evaluated their esophageal symptom for each upright swallow. Symptoms were graded on a 4-point likert score (0, none; 1, mild; 2, moderate; 3, severe). The individual liquid, viscous or solid upright swallow with the maximal symptom score was selected for analysis in each patient. HRM metrics were compared between groups with and without symptoms during the upright liquid protocol and the provocative protocols separately. A total of 269 patients recorded symptoms during the upright liquid swallows and 72 patients had a swallow symptom score of 1 or greater. Of the 269 patients, 116 recorded symptoms during viscous or solid swallows. HRM metrics were similar between swallows with and without associated symptoms in the upright, viscous, and solid swallows. No correlation was noted between HRM metrics and symptom scores among swallow types. Esophageal symptoms are not related to abnormal motor function defined by HRM during liquid, viscous or solid bolus swallows in the upright position. Other factors beyond circular muscle contraction patterns should be explored as possible causes of symptom generation.

Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A using COLD-PCR combined with HRM genotyping analysis from maternal serum.

Science.gov (United States)

Macher, Hada C; Martinez-Broca, Maria A; Rubio-Calvo, Amalia; Leon-Garcia, Cristina; Conde-Sanchez, Manuel; Costa, Alzenira; Navarro, Elena; Guerrero, Juan M

2012-01-01

The multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is a monogenic disorder characterized by an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance which is characterized by high risk of medullary thyroid carcinoma in all mutation carriers. Although this disorder is classified as a rare disease, the patients affected have a low life quality and a very expensive and continuous treatment. At present, MEN2A is diagnosed by gene sequencing after birth, thus trying to start an early treatment and by reduction of morbidity and mortality. We first evaluated the presence of MEN2A mutation (C634Y) in serum of 25 patients, previously diagnosed by sequencing in peripheral blood leucocytes, using HRM genotyping analysis. In a second step, we used a COLD-PCR approach followed by HRM genotyping analysis for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of a pregnant woman carrying a fetus with a C634Y mutation. HRM analysis revealed differences in melting curve shapes that correlated with patients diagnosed for MEN2A by gene sequencing analysis with 100% accuracy. Moreover, the pregnant woman carrying the fetus with the C634Y mutation revealed a melting curve shape in agreement with the positive controls in the COLD-PCR study. The mutation was confirmed by sequencing of the COLD-PCR amplification product. In conclusion, we have established a HRM analysis in serum samples as a new primary diagnosis method suitable for the detection of C634Y mutations in MEN2A patients. Simultaneously, we have applied the increase of sensitivity of COLD-PCR assay approach combined with HRM analysis for the non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of C634Y fetal mutations using pregnant women serum.

HRM Practices and knowledge transfer in MNCS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minbaeva, Dana

their        motivation. Temporary and permanent types of international assignments        respectively influence the ability and motivation of expatriate managers        to share their knowledge.Keywords: Human Resources; Personnel; Human        Resource Management; MultinationalCorporations; Organizational...... and        receivers.HRM practices relevant for absorptive capacity of subsidiary        employees form two groups - cognitive (job analysis, recruitment,        selection, international rotation, career management, training and        performance appraisal) and stimulative (promotion, performance......-based        compensation, internal transfer, orientation programs, job design and        flexible working practices). The application of cognitive HRM practices        enhances the ability of knowledge receivers to absorb transferred        knowledge, while the use of stimulative HRM practices increases...

Scratching below the surface to uncover HRM practices in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Ulhøi, John Parm

2010-01-01

Is HRM in Denmark behind the times and only now beginning to be prioritized by Danish firms? Or is it possible that managers are successfully capitalizing on characteristics of the Danish society and the Danish workforce? We propose quite adamantly that HRM practices indeed are alive in Danish...

Use of a high resolution melting (HRM) assay to compare gag, pol, and env diversity in adults with different stages of HIV infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Cousins, Matthew M; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Beauchamp, Geetha; Brookmeyer, Ronald; Towler, William I; Hudelson, Sarah E; Khaki, Leila; Koblin, Beryl; Chesney, Margaret; Moore, Richard D; Kelen, Gabor D; Coates, Thomas; Celum, Connie; Buchbinder, Susan P; Seage, George R; Quinn, Thomas C; Donnell, Deborah; Eshleman, Susan H

2011-01-01

Cross-sectional assessment of HIV incidence relies on laboratory methods to discriminate between recent and non-recent HIV infection. Because HIV diversifies over time in infected individuals, HIV diversity may serve as a biomarker for assessing HIV incidence. We used a high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay to compare HIV diversity in adults with different stages of HIV infection. This assay provides a single numeric HRM score that reflects the level of genetic diversity of HIV in a sample from an infected individual. HIV diversity was measured in 203 adults: 20 with acute HIV infection (RNA positive, antibody negative), 116 with recent HIV infection (tested a median of 189 days after a previous negative HIV test, range 14-540 days), and 67 with non-recent HIV infection (HIV infected >2 years). HRM scores were generated for two regions in gag, one region in pol, and three regions in env. Median HRM scores were higher in non-recent infection than in recent infection for all six regions tested. In multivariate models, higher HRM scores in three of the six regions were independently associated with non-recent HIV infection. The HRM diversity assay provides a simple, scalable method for measuring HIV diversity. HRM scores, which reflect the genetic diversity in a viral population, may be useful biomarkers for evaluation of HIV incidence, particularly if multiple regions of the HIV genome are examined.

A Comparative Study of Cognitive Schemas of HRM During Economic Crisis in Two Slovenian Sectors

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Ana Arzenšek

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this article is to present a qualitative studyof HRM schemas in the recent economic crisis in Slovenia. Cognitiveschemas influence perception and behavior and serve aspowerful sense-making frameworks. In-depth interviews with 16ceos, HR executives and trade unionists from the production andservice sectors and analyses of annual reports were conducted tofind the content of their HRM schemas. In addition, a comparisonbetween schemas from companies from both sectors was made.Results reveal that HRM schemas in companies from the financialsector include more ‘HRM is bureaucratic’ attributes, whereas incompanies from the automotive sector ‘HRM is strategic’ attributesprevail. In companies’ annual reports, the socially responsiblerole of HRM toward employees is only moderately present. Whilethe crisis in 1990s was an influential factor for the sense-makingand ‘flexibility is crucial’ attribution in companies in the automotivesector, the current HRM schema in selected companies fromthe financial sector was influenced by the occurrence of conjuncture.

Bar-HRM for Authentication of Plant-Based Medicines: Evaluation of Three Medicinal Products Derived from Acanthaceae Species.

Science.gov (United States)

Osathanunkul, Maslin; Madesis, Panagiotis; de Boer, Hugo

2015-01-01

Medicinal plants are used as a popular alternative to synthetic drugs, both in developed and developing countries. The economic importance of the herbal and natural supplement industry is increasing every year. As the herbal industry grows, consumer safety is one issue that cannot be overlooked. Herbal products in Thai local markets are commonly sold without packaging or labels. Plant powders are stored in large bags or boxes, and therefore buying local herbal products poses a high risk of acquiring counterfeited, substituted and/or adulterated products. Due to these issues, a reliable method to authenticate products is needed. Here DNA barcoding was used in combination with High Resolution Melting analysis (Bar-HRM) to authenticate three medicinal Acanthaceae species (Acanthus ebracteatus, Andrographis paniculata and Rhinacanthus nasutus) commonly used in Thailand. The rbcL barcode was selected for use in primers design for HRM analysis to produce standard melting profiles of the selected species. Melting data from the HRM assay using the designed rbcL primers showed that the three chosen species could be distinguished from each other. HRM curves of all fifteen test samples indicated that three of tested products did not contain the indicated species. Two closely related species (A. paniculata and R. nasutus), which have a high level of morphological similarity, were interchanged with one another in three tested products. Incorrect information on packaging and labels of the tested herbal products was the cause of the results shown here. Morphological similarity among the species of interest also hindered the collection process. The Bar-HRM method developed here proved useful in aiding in the identification and authentication of herbal species in processed samples. In the future, species authentication through Bar-HRM could be used to promote consumer trust, as well as raising the quality of herbal products.

The Process of Implementing HRM Practices : A Case Study in the Dutch Federal Government

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Mierlo, Jorrit; Bondarouk, Tatiana

2018-01-01

Yearly, organisations create and implemented new HRM practices. To make those HRM practices work in an effective way, their implementation is of great importance. The goal of this paper is to uncover the mechanisms in which new HRM practices develop in federal governmental organisations. We do so by

Off the mark : Response to Kaufman's evolution of strategic HRM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wright, Patrick M.; Guest, David; Paauwe, Jaap

2015-01-01

Professor Bruce Kaufman's look back at two seminal books published at the beginning of the strategic HRM field and examination of two recent books to trace the evolution of the field identifies some issues, but ones with which the field has dealt for a number of years. His choice of our book HRM and

E-HRM Usage and Value Creation. Does a Facilitating Context Matter?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; van der Kaap, Harm G.

2012-01-01

Electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM) is assumed to be a driving force behind HRM value creation. However, the issue remains of whether empirical evidence supports this assumption. Moreover, is the relationship straightforward and direct or is it conditional, and do contextual factors

MNC Knowledge Transfer, Subsidiary Absorptive Capacity and HRM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minbaeva, Dana; Pedersen, Torben; Björkman, Ingmar

2014-01-01

Based on a sample of 169 subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in the USA, Russia, and Finland, this paper investigates the relationship between MNC subsidiary HRM practices, absorptive capacity and knowledge transfer. First, we examine the relationship between the application...... of specific HRM practices and the level of the absorptive capacity. Second, we suggest that absorptive capacity should be conceptualized as being comprised of both employees’ ability and motivation. Further, results indicate that both ability and motivation (absorptive capacity) are needed to facilitate...

DNA barcoding coupled to HRM analysis as a new and simple tool for the authentication of Gadidae fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Telmo J R; Costa, Joana; Oliveira, M Beatriz P P; Mafra, Isabel

2017-09-01

This work aimed to exploit the use of DNA mini-barcodes combined with high resolution melting (HRM) for the authentication of gadoid species: Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and saithe (Pollachius virens). Two DNA barcode regions, namely cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (cytb), were analysed in silico to identify genetic variability among the four species and used, subsequently, to develop a real-time PCR method coupled with HRM analysis. The cytb mini-barcode enabled best discrimination of the target species with a high level of confidence (99.3%). The approach was applied successfully to identify gadoid species in 30 fish-containing foods, 30% of which were not as declared on the label. Herein, a novel approach for rapid, simple and cost-effective discrimination/clustering, as a tool to authenticate Gadidae fish species, according to their genetic relationship, is proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison Study of MS-HRM and Pyrosequencing Techniques for Quantification of APC and CDKN2A Gene Methylation

Science.gov (United States)

Migheli, Francesca; Stoccoro, Andrea; Coppedè, Fabio; Wan Omar, Wan Adnan; Failli, Alessandra; Consolini, Rita; Seccia, Massimo; Spisni, Roberto; Miccoli, Paolo; Mathers, John C.; Migliore, Lucia

2013-01-01

There is increasing interest in the development of cost-effective techniques for the quantification of DNA methylation biomarkers. We analyzed 90 samples of surgically resected colorectal cancer tissues for APC and CDKN2A promoter methylation using methylation sensitive-high resolution melting (MS-HRM) and pyrosequencing. MS-HRM is a less expensive technique compared with pyrosequencing but is usually more limited because it gives a range of methylation estimates rather than a single value. Here, we developed a method for deriving single estimates, rather than a range, of methylation using MS-HRM and compared the values obtained in this way with those obtained using the gold standard quantitative method of pyrosequencing. We derived an interpolation curve using standards of known methylated/unmethylated ratio (0%, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of methylation) to obtain the best estimate of the extent of methylation for each of our samples. We observed similar profiles of methylation and a high correlation coefficient between the two techniques. Overall, our new approach allows MS-HRM to be used as a quantitative assay which provides results which are comparable with those obtained by pyrosequencing. PMID:23326336

A new method for simultaneous detection and discrimination of Bovine herpesvirus types 1 (BoHV-1) and 5 (BoHV-5) using real time PCR with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Marin, M S; Quintana, S; Leunda, M R; Recavarren, M; Pagnuco, I; Späth, E; Pérez, S; Odeón, A

2016-01-01

Bovine herpesvirus types 1 (BoHV-1) and 5 (BoHV-5) are antigenically and genetically similar. The aim of this study was to develop a simple and reliable one-step real time PCR assay with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of BoHV-1 and BoHV-5. Optimization of assay conditions was performed with DNA from reference strains. Then, DNA from field isolates, clinical samples and tissue samples of experimentally infected animals were studied by real time PCR-HRM. An efficient amplification of real time PCR products was obtained, and a clear melting curve and appropriate melting peaks for both viruses were achieved in the HRM curve analysis for BoHV type identification. BoHV was identified in all of the isolates and clinical samples, and BoHV types were properly differentiated. Furthermore, viral DNA was detected in 12/18 and 7/18 samples from BoHV-1- and BoHV-5-infected calves, respectively. Real time PCR-HRM achieved a higher sensitivity compared with virus isolation or conventional PCR. In this study, HRM was used as a novel procedure. This method provides rapid, sensitive, specific and simultaneous detection of bovine alpha-herpesviruses DNA. Thus, this technique is an excellent tool for diagnosis, research and epidemiological studies of these viruses in cattle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A using COLD-PCR combined with HRM genotyping analysis from maternal serum.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hada C Macher

Full Text Available The multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A is a monogenic disorder characterized by an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance which is characterized by high risk of medullary thyroid carcinoma in all mutation carriers. Although this disorder is classified as a rare disease, the patients affected have a low life quality and a very expensive and continuous treatment. At present, MEN2A is diagnosed by gene sequencing after birth, thus trying to start an early treatment and by reduction of morbidity and mortality. We first evaluated the presence of MEN2A mutation (C634Y in serum of 25 patients, previously diagnosed by sequencing in peripheral blood leucocytes, using HRM genotyping analysis. In a second step, we used a COLD-PCR approach followed by HRM genotyping analysis for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of a pregnant woman carrying a fetus with a C634Y mutation. HRM analysis revealed differences in melting curve shapes that correlated with patients diagnosed for MEN2A by gene sequencing analysis with 100% accuracy. Moreover, the pregnant woman carrying the fetus with the C634Y mutation revealed a melting curve shape in agreement with the positive controls in the COLD-PCR study. The mutation was confirmed by sequencing of the COLD-PCR amplification product. In conclusion, we have established a HRM analysis in serum samples as a new primary diagnosis method suitable for the detection of C634Y mutations in MEN2A patients. Simultaneously, we have applied the increase of sensitivity of COLD-PCR assay approach combined with HRM analysis for the non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of C634Y fetal mutations using pregnant women serum.

Examining the link between HRM Practices and Employees’ performance in Nigerian public sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abubakar Tabiu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Improving employee and organizational performance has been the main concern of many organizations for decades and several factors have also been studied as predictors of employee performance in organizations. However, studies that comprehensively measured all the dimensions of employee performance that enhance organizational effectiveness are limited. This paper explored the influence of HRM practices on the employee performance in the Nigerian public sector. Using cross sectional method on 265 participants from local government areas, the findings revealed that HRM practices such as job rotation, job autonomy and career planning had a significant and positive influence on all the three dimensions of employee performance (task, contextual and adaptive performance.

Use of a high resolution melting (HRM assay to compare gag, pol, and env diversity in adults with different stages of HIV infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew M Cousins

Full Text Available Cross-sectional assessment of HIV incidence relies on laboratory methods to discriminate between recent and non-recent HIV infection. Because HIV diversifies over time in infected individuals, HIV diversity may serve as a biomarker for assessing HIV incidence. We used a high resolution melting (HRM diversity assay to compare HIV diversity in adults with different stages of HIV infection. This assay provides a single numeric HRM score that reflects the level of genetic diversity of HIV in a sample from an infected individual.HIV diversity was measured in 203 adults: 20 with acute HIV infection (RNA positive, antibody negative, 116 with recent HIV infection (tested a median of 189 days after a previous negative HIV test, range 14-540 days, and 67 with non-recent HIV infection (HIV infected >2 years. HRM scores were generated for two regions in gag, one region in pol, and three regions in env.Median HRM scores were higher in non-recent infection than in recent infection for all six regions tested. In multivariate models, higher HRM scores in three of the six regions were independently associated with non-recent HIV infection.The HRM diversity assay provides a simple, scalable method for measuring HIV diversity. HRM scores, which reflect the genetic diversity in a viral population, may be useful biomarkers for evaluation of HIV incidence, particularly if multiple regions of the HIV genome are examined.

Authenticity analyses of Rhizoma Paridis using barcoding coupled with high resolution melting (Bar-HRM) analysis to control its quality for medicinal plant product.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Bao-Zhong; Wang, Ya-Ping; Fang, Hai-Lan; Xiong, Chao; Li, Xi-Wen; Wang, Ping; Chen, Shi-Lin

2018-01-01

Rhizoma Paridis (Chonglou) is a commonly used and precious traditional Chinese medicine. Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand. -Mazz. and Paris polyphylla Smith var . chinensis (Franch.) Hara are the two main sources of Chonglou under the monograph of Rhizoma Paridis in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. In the local marketplace, however, this medicine is prone to be accidentally contaminated, deliberately substituted or admixed with other species that are similar to Rhizoma Paridis in shape and color. Consequently, these adulterations might compromise quality control and result in considerable health concerns for consumers. This study aims to develop a rapid and sensitive method for accurate identification of Rhizoma Paridis and its common adulterants. DNA barcoding coupled with high resolution melting analysis was applied in this research to distinguish Rhizoma Paridis from its adulteration. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) barcode was selected for HRM analysis to produce standard melting profile of the selected species. DNA of the tested herbal medicines was isolated and their melting profiles were generated and compared with the standard melting profile of P. polyphylla var. chinensis . The results indicate that the ITS2 molecular regions coupled with HRM analysis can effectively differentiate nine herbal species, including two authentic origins of Chonglou and their seven common adulterants. Ten herbal medicines labeled "Chonglou" obtained from a local market were collected and identified with our methods, and their sequence information was analyzed to validate the accuracy of HRM analysis. DNA barcoding coupled with HRM analysis is a accurate, reliable, rapid, cost-effective and robust tool, which could contribute to the quality control of Rhizoma Paridis in the supply chain of the natural health product industry (NHP).

Alternative SNP detection platforms, HRM and biosensors, for varietal identification in Vitis vinifera L. using F3H and LDOX genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Sónia; Castro, Cláudia; Barrias, Sara; Pereira, Leonor; Jorge, Pedro; Fernandes, José R; Martins-Lopes, Paula

2018-04-11

The wine sector requires quick and reliable methods for Vitis vinifera L. varietal identification. The number of V. vinifera varieties is estimated in about 5,000 worldwide. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) represent the most basic and abundant form of genetic sequence variation, being adequate for varietal discrimination. The aim of this work was to develop DNA-based assays suitable to detect SNP variation in V. vinifera, allowing varietal discrimination. Genotyping by sequencing allowed the detection of eleven SNPs on two genes of the anthocyanin pathway, the flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H, EC: 1.14.11.9), and the leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX, EC 1.14.11.19; synonym anthocyanidin synthase, ANS) in twenty V. vinifera varieties. Three High Resolution Melting (HRM) assays were designed based on the sequencing information, discriminating five of the 20 varieties: Alicante Bouschet, Donzelinho Tinto, Merlot, Moscatel Galego and Tinta Roriz. Sanger sequencing of the HRM assay products confirmed the HRM profiles. Three probes, with different lengths and sequences, were used as bio-recognition elements in an optical biosensor platform based on a long period grating (LPG) fiber optic sensor. The label free platform detected a difference of a single SNP using genomic DNA samples. The two different platforms were successfully applied for grapevine varietal identification.

Genetic high throughput screening in Retinitis Pigmentosa based on high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Anasagasti, Ander; Barandika, Olatz; Irigoyen, Cristina; Benitez, Bruno A; Cooper, Breanna; Cruchaga, Carlos; López de Munain, Adolfo; Ruiz-Ederra, Javier

2013-11-01

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) involves a group of genetically determined retinal diseases caused by a large number of mutations that result in rod photoreceptor cell death followed by gradual death of cone cells. Most cases of RP are monogenic, with more than 80 associated genes identified so far. The high number of genes and variants involved in RP, among other factors, is making the molecular characterization of RP a real challenge for many patients. Although HRM has been used for the analysis of isolated variants or single RP genes, as far as we are concerned, this is the first study that uses HRM analysis for a high-throughput screening of several RP genes. Our main goal was to test the suitability of HRM analysis as a genetic screening technique in RP, and to compare its performance with two of the most widely used NGS platforms, Illumina and PGM-Ion Torrent technologies. RP patients (n = 96) were clinically diagnosed at the Ophthalmology Department of Donostia University Hospital, Spain. We analyzed a total of 16 RP genes that meet the following inclusion criteria: 1) size: genes with transcripts of less than 4 kb; 2) number of exons: genes with up to 22 exons; and 3) prevalence: genes reported to account for, at least, 0.4% of total RP cases worldwide. For comparison purposes, RHO gene was also sequenced with Illumina (GAII; Illumina), Ion semiconductor technologies (PGM; Life Technologies) and Sanger sequencing (ABI 3130xl platform; Applied Biosystems). Detected variants were confirmed in all cases by Sanger sequencing and tested for co-segregation in the family of affected probands. We identified a total of 65 genetic variants, 15 of which (23%) were novel, in 49 out of 96 patients. Among them, 14 (4 novel) are probable disease-causing genetic variants in 7 RP genes, affecting 15 patients. Our HRM analysis-based study, proved to be a cost-effective and rapid method that provides an accurate identification of genetic RP variants. This approach is effective for

High-resolution melting analysis (HRM) for differentiation of four major Taeniidae species in dogs Taenia hydatigena, Taenia multiceps, Taenia ovis, and Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto.

Science.gov (United States)

Dehghani, Mansoureh; Mohammadi, Mohammad Ali; Rostami, Sima; Shamsaddini, Saeedeh; Mirbadie, Seyed Reza; Harandi, Majid Fasihi

2016-07-01

Tapeworms of the genus Taenia include several species of important parasites with considerable medical and veterinary significance. Accurate identification of these species in dogs is the prerequisite of any prevention and control program. Here, we have applied an efficient method for differentiating four major Taeniid species in dogs, i.e., Taenia hydatigena, T. multiceps, T. ovis, and Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto. High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis is simpler, less expensive, and faster technique than conventional DNA-based assays and enables us to detect PCR amplicons in a closed system. Metacestode samples were collected from local abattoirs from sheep. All the isolates had already been identified by PCR-sequencing, and their sequence data were deposited in the GenBank. Real-time PCR coupled with HRM analysis targeting mitochondrial cox1 and ITS1 genes was used to differentiate taeniid species. Distinct melting curves were obtained from ITS1 region enabling accurate differentiation of three Taenia species and E. granulosus in dogs. The HRM curves of Taenia species and E .granulosus were clearly separated at Tm of 85 to 87 °C. In addition, double-pick melting curves were produced in mixed infections. Cox1 melting curves were not decisive enough to distinguish four taeniids. In this work, the efficiency of HRM analysis to differentiate four major taeniid species in dogs has been demonstrated using ITS1 gene.

Framing the implementation of HRM innovation HR professionals vs line managers in a construction company

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarouk, Tatiana; Looise, Jan C.; Lempsink, Bart

2009-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the concept of human resource management (HRM) frames, to identify frame domains, and to explore their role in implementing HRM innovation. HRM innovation implementation is considered through the theoretical lens of social cognitive theory, and

IMPACT OF HRM PRACTICES ON EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION IN BANKING SECTOR IN CHITTOOR DISTRICT

OpenAIRE

P.Suresh; Dr.T.Narayana Reddy

2017-01-01

Employee satisfaction plays a key role on both the individual and organisation. Employee satisfaction will result in improving organisation productivity. The present study is carried out to comprehend the effect of HRM Practices in banking sector. This study is based on both primary and secondary data, reviewing the literatures related to HRM Practices, employee satisfaction, in banks of chittoor district. The objective of the study focuses on understanding Effect of HRM practices on Employee...

Rapid Identification of Echinococcus granulosus and E. canadensis Using High-Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis by Focusing on a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism.

Science.gov (United States)

Safa, Ahmad Hosseini; Harandi, Majid Fasihi; Tajaddini, Mohammadhasan; Rostami-Nejad, Mohammad; Mohtashami-Pour, Mehdi; Pestehchian, Nader

2016-07-22

High-resolution melting (HRM) is a reliable and sensitive scanning method to detect variation in DNA sequences. We used this method to better understand the epidemiology and transmission of Echinococcus granulosus. We tested the use of HRM to discriminate the genotypes of E. granulosus and E. canadensis. One hundred forty-one hydatid cysts were collected from slaughtered animals in different parts of Isfahan-Iran in 2013. After DNA extraction, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was amplified using PCR coupled with the HRM curve. The result of HRM analysis using partial the sequences of cox1 gene revealed that 93, 35, and 2 isolates were identified as G1, G3, and G6 genotypes, respectively. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was found in locus 9867 of the cox1 gene. This is a critical locus for the differentiation between the G6 and G7 genotypes. In the phylogenic tree, the sample with a SNP was located between the G6 and G7 genotypes, which suggest that this isolate has a G6/G7 genotype. The HRM analysis developed in the present study provides a powerful technique for molecular and epidemiological studies on echinococcosis in humans and animals.

Why Complementary HRM Practices Impact Performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foss, Nicolai Juul; Pedersen, Torben; Reinholt, Mia

2015-01-01

the influence of single practices on individual-level knowledge sharing, but fails to include the influence of combinations of practices. We link the idea of fit between practices to employee motivation for knowledge sharing by arguing that rewards may be ambiguous and difficult to interpret...... in the form of a three-way interaction among these variables with respect to their impact on knowledge-sharing motivation. Our analysis of 1,523 employees in five knowledge-intensive firms shows that employees who are exposed to knowledge-sharing rewards experience higher levels of autonomous motivation......, but that such ambiguity may be reduced if rewards are combined with other aligned HRM practices, notably job design and work climate. Thus, fit is established through the ambiguity-reducing effect of combining specific HRM practices. Accordingly, we test for complementarities among rewards, job design, and work climate...

The Research in e-HRM: Relevance and Implications in the Knowledge Society

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Sofia TOTOLICI

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This article aims to review current empirical research on electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM and discusses some implications for future research, which will be focused on comparative analysis of how social and cultural factors might influence the implementation and development of e-HRM systems in different E.U. countries. Based on a definition and an initial framework, we analyzed the surveys conducted in this field as well as the case studies focused on practical e-HRM applications, the examined topics and the relevant findings. Another goal of this study is to highlight the gaps between e-HRM and HRIS (Human resource information system, which refers to ICT systems used within HR departments We are also interested in assessing the opportunities provided by Web 2.0 technologies for e-recruitment, the first field of human resource management to make extensive use of web-based technology.

Comparison of HRM practices between Chinese and Czech companies

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Jun Li

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Both China and the Czech Republic have embarked on the transition from centrally planned economy to market-based economy since the early 1990s. Human resource management (HRM played a very important role in the success of companies’ economic transformation, and its role has been increasing since the period of stabilization and development of the market economy in both countries. Authors from both countries have been cooperating on the mutual comparative study on HRM practices in these two countries since the year 2009 until now and found out certain differences that were partially introduced in the doctoral thesis by Jun Li in 2011 after processing data from the first period of data collection. This paper briefly highlights some of the most obvious differences confirmed by the following mutual research. The areas where the HRM practices of both countries were compared more carefully are recruitment and selection process, training and development, performance appraisal and compensation.

Coordinated vs. liberal market HRM: the impact of institutionalisation on multinational firms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Farndale, E.; Brewster, C.; Poutsma, F.

2008-01-01

The impact of institutionalized contexts on the HRM activities of multinational firms has become a focus of increasing attention in recent literature. However, theories of how different types of business systems or market economies may influence HRM, and the impact of context on multinational

A high resolution melting (HRM) technology-based assay for cost-efficient clinical detection and genotyping of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and HSV-2.

Science.gov (United States)

Lieveld, M; Carregosa, A; Benoy, I; Redzic, N; Berth, M; Vanden Broeck, D

2017-10-01

Genital herpes can be caused by two very similar viruses, herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 or HSV-2. These two HSV types cannot be distinguished clinically, but genotyping is recommended in the first-episodes of genital herpes to guide counselling and management. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the preferred diagnostic method for HSV typing. However, commercial qPCR methods use expensive fluorescent labeled probes for detection. Furthermore, most low-cost methods are not able to differentiate between HSV-1 and -2. The aim of this study was to develop a high resolution melting (HRM) technology-based assay for sensitive HSV-1 and HSV-2 detection and genotyping. Using a panel of 46 clinical specimens, the performance of the HRM assay was compared to two commercial HSV tests: the HRM assay detected HSV in all 23 positive samples, with no false positive results (100% concordance with HSV I/II Real-TM assay). Additionally, the HRM assay correctly genotyped both HSV types in a subset of these clinical samples, as determined by the Realstar HSV PCR Kit. The HSV HRM assay provides a cost-effective alternative method to conventional more expensive assays and can be used in routine clinical specimens, in cases where it is particularly necessary to detect and distinguish HSV-1 from -2. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Successful Models of Implementation of e-HRM Systems in the Private Sector in Romania

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Aurel TOTOLICI

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The essential condition for attaining excellence in the informatized administration of the Human Resources Management (HRM activities is the development and implementation of high-performance e-HRM systems. For this reason, any organization, regardless of her nature and dimensions, needs to make use of the implementation of an e-HRM IT system adapted to its specific needs, because the performances of the HR activities largely depend on the correlation of the software tools with the employees’ abilities. The identification of the benefits of the e-HRM systems and the impact of these systems on the managerial and, implicitly, organizational performances have become highly interesting subjects, both among the theorists and among the practitioners worldwide. In order to detail the effects and the benefits of the implementation of the e-HRM system, we considered it useful to present a case study focused on a private firm of Romania: Arcelor Mittal Company of Galaţi, namely a Steel Mill.

Genotyping of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from poultry carcasses using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakaridis, Ioannis; Ganopoulos, Ioannis; Madesis, Panagiotis; Tsaftaris, Athanasios; Argiriou, Anagnostis

2014-01-02

An outbreak situation of human listeriosis requires a fast and accurate protocol for typing Listeria monocytogenes . Existing techniques are either characterized by low discriminatory power or are laborious and require several days to give a final result. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis was investigated in this study as an alternative tool for a rapid and precise genotyping of L. monocytogenes isolates. Fifty-five isolates of L. monocytogenes isolated from poultry carcasses and the environment of four slaughterhouses were typed by HRM analysis using two specific markers, internalin B and ssrA genes. The analysis of genotype confidence percentage of L. monocytogenes isolates produced by HRM analysis generated dendrograms with two major groups and several subgroups. Furthermore, the analysis of the HRM curves revealed that all L. monocytogenes isolates could easily be distinguished. In conclusion, HRM was proven to be a fast and powerful tool for genotyping isolates of L. monocytogenes .

The Impact of Organized Violence and Crime on HRM and Work Practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramirez, Jacobo; Madero, Sergio

of organized violence and crime on HRM and work practices. The results made it possible to observe a complex configuration between HRM policies and practices and managerial style, in the context of organized crime and violence in Mexico. A combination of strict employees’ control, emphasis on soft...

Optimizing the high-resolution manometry (HRM) study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, A; Ding, A; Mirza, F; Gyawali, C P

2015-02-01

Intolerance of the esophageal manometry catheter may prolong high-resolution manometry (HRM) studies and increase patient distress. We assessed the impact of obtaining the landmark phase at the end of the study when the patient has acclimatized to the HRM catheter. 366 patients (mean age 55.4 ± 0.8 years, 62.0% female) undergoing esophageal HRM over a 1-year period were studied. The standard protocol consisted of the landmark phase, 10 5 mL water swallows 20-30 s apart, and multiple rapid swallows where 4-6 2 mL swallows were administered in rapid succession. The modified protocol consisted of the landmark phase at the end of the study after test swallows. Study duration, technical characteristics, indications, and motor findings were compared between standard and modified protocols. Of the 366 patients, 89.6% underwent the standard protocol (study duration 12.9 ± 0.3 min). In 10.4% with poor catheter tolerance undergoing the modified protocol, study duration was significantly longer (15.6 ± 1.0 min, p = 0.004) despite similar duration of study maneuvers. Only elevated upper esophageal sphincter basal pressures at the beginning of the study segregated modified protocol patients. The 95th percentile time to landmark phase in the standard protocol patients was 6.1 min; as many as 31.4% of modified protocol patients could not obtain their first study maneuver within this period (p = 0.0003). Interpretation was not impacted by shifting the landmark phase to the end of the study. Modification of the HRM study protocol with the landmark phase obtained at the end of the study optimizes study duration without compromising quality. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

E-HRM: innovation or irritation? An exploration of web-based human resource management in large companies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Looise, Jan C.

2004-01-01

Human Resource Management (HRM of HR) executives are feeling pressured by the threat of a new development in recent years: Electronic Human Resource Management systems, also known as E-HRM. Consultants and other experts purport that this phenomenon will decrease the number of HRM employees, reduce

High-resolution melting-curve (HRM) analysis for C. meleagridis identification in stool samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Chelbi, Hanen; Essid, Rym; Jelassi, Refka; Bouzekri, Nesrine; Zidi, Ines; Ben Salah, Hamza; Mrad, Ilhem; Ben Sghaier, Ines; Abdelmalek, Rym; Aissa, Sameh; Bouratbine, Aida; Aoun, Karim

2018-02-01

Cryptosporidiosis represents a major public health problem. This infection, caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Cryptosporidium, has been reported worldwide as a frequent cause of diarrhoea. In the immunocompetent host, the typical watery diarrhea can be self-limiting. However, it is severe and chronic, in the immunocompromised host and may cause death. Cryptosporidium spp. are coccidians, which complete their life cycle in both humans and animals. The two species C. hominis and C. parvum are the major cause of human infection. Compared to studies on C. hominis and C. parvum, only a few studies have developed methods to identify C. meleagridis. To develop a new real time PCR-coupled High resolution melting assay allowing the detection for C. meleagridis, in addition of the other dominant species (C. hominis and C. parvum). The polymorphic sequence on the dihydrofolate reductase gene (DHFR) of three species was sequenced to design primers pair and establish a sensitive real-time PCR coupled to a high-resolution melting-curve (HRM) analysis method, allowing the detection of Cryptosporidium sp. and discrimination between three prevalent species in Tunisia. We analyzed a collection of 42 archived human isolates of the three studied species. Real-time PCR coupled to HRM assay allowed detection of Cryptosporidium, using the new designed primers, and basing on melting profile, we can distinguish C. meleagridis species in addition to C. parvum and C. hominis. We developed a qPCR-HRM assay that allows Cryptosporidium genotyping. This method is sensitive and able to distinguish three Cryptosporidium species. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Candidate DNA Barcode Tags Combined With High Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM) Curve Analysis for Authentication of Senna alexandrina Mill. With Validation in Crude Drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Priyanka; Shukla, Ashutosh K; Sundaresan, Velusamy

2018-01-01

Senna alexandrina (Fabaceae) is a globally recognized medicinal plant for its laxative properties as well as the only source of sennosides, and is highly exported bulk herb from India. Its major procurement is exclusively from limited cultivation, which leads to risks of deliberate or unintended adulteration. The market raw materials are in powdered or finished product form, which lead to difficulties in authentication. Here, DNA barcode tags based on chloroplast genes ( rbcL and matK ) and intergenic spacers ( psbA-trnH and ITS ) were developed for S. alexandrina along with the allied species. The ability and performance of the ITS1 region to discriminate among the Senna species resulted in the present proposal of the ITS1 tags as successful barcode. Further, these tags were coupled with high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis in a real-time PCR genotyping method to derive Bar-HRM (Barcoding-HRM) assays. Suitable HRM primer sets were designed through SNP detection and mutation scanning in genomic signatures of Senna species. The melting profiles of S. alexandrina and S . italica subsp. micrantha were almost identical and the remaining five species were clearly separated so that they can be differentiated by HRM method. The sensitivity of the method was utilized to authenticate market samples [Herbal Sample Assays (HSAs)]. HSA01 ( S. alexandrina crude drug sample from Bangalore) and HSA06 ( S. alexandrina crude drug sample from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India) were found to be highly contaminated with S . italica subsp. micrantha . Species admixture samples mixed in varying percentage was identified sensitively with detection of contamination as low as 1%. The melting profiles of PCR amplicons are clearly distinct, which enables the authentic differentiation of species by the HRM method. This study reveals that DNA barcoding coupled with HRM is an efficient molecular tool to authenticate Senna herbal products in the market for quality control in the drug supply

Candidate DNA Barcode Tags Combined With High Resolution Melting (Bar-HRM Curve Analysis for Authentication of Senna alexandrina Mill. With Validation in Crude Drugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priyanka Mishra

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Senna alexandrina (Fabaceae is a globally recognized medicinal plant for its laxative properties as well as the only source of sennosides, and is highly exported bulk herb from India. Its major procurement is exclusively from limited cultivation, which leads to risks of deliberate or unintended adulteration. The market raw materials are in powdered or finished product form, which lead to difficulties in authentication. Here, DNA barcode tags based on chloroplast genes (rbcL and matK and intergenic spacers (psbA-trnH and ITS were developed for S. alexandrina along with the allied species. The ability and performance of the ITS1 region to discriminate among the Senna species resulted in the present proposal of the ITS1 tags as successful barcode. Further, these tags were coupled with high-resolution melting (HRM curve analysis in a real-time PCR genotyping method to derive Bar-HRM (Barcoding-HRM assays. Suitable HRM primer sets were designed through SNP detection and mutation scanning in genomic signatures of Senna species. The melting profiles of S. alexandrina and S. italica subsp. micrantha were almost identical and the remaining five species were clearly separated so that they can be differentiated by HRM method. The sensitivity of the method was utilized to authenticate market samples [Herbal Sample Assays (HSAs]. HSA01 (S. alexandrina crude drug sample from Bangalore and HSA06 (S. alexandrina crude drug sample from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India were found to be highly contaminated with S. italica subsp. micrantha. Species admixture samples mixed in varying percentage was identified sensitively with detection of contamination as low as 1%. The melting profiles of PCR amplicons are clearly distinct, which enables the authentic differentiation of species by the HRM method. This study reveals that DNA barcoding coupled with HRM is an efficient molecular tool to authenticate Senna herbal products in the market for quality control in the drug

CI in the work place: does involving the HRM function make any difference?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyland, Paul; Becker, Karen; Sload, Terry

2008-01-01

benefit the organisation's performance. The HRM function is often given the task of championing cultural change and managing aspects of training and learning, and it would appear that involvement of HRM professionals would enhance CI efforts and assist in the timely solution of issues within the CI......People are central to successful Continuous Improvement (CI), and in larger organisations a Human Resource Management (HRM) function is responsible for people related issues. Central to CI is learning and a culture that supports CI. Learning needs to be both individual and organisational, and must...

High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis is an efficient tool to genotype EMS mutants in complex crop genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lochlainn, Seosamh Ó; Amoah, Stephen; Graham, Neil S; Alamer, Khalid; Rios, Juan J; Kurup, Smita; Stoute, Andrew; Hammond, John P; Østergaard, Lars; King, Graham J; White, Phillip J; Broadley, Martin R

2011-12-08

Targeted Induced Loci Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING) is increasingly being used to generate and identify mutations in target genes of crop genomes. TILLING populations of several thousand lines have been generated in a number of crop species including Brassica rapa. Genetic analysis of mutants identified by TILLING requires an efficient, high-throughput and cost effective genotyping method to track the mutations through numerous generations. High resolution melt (HRM) analysis has been used in a number of systems to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion/deletions (IN/DELs) enabling the genotyping of different types of samples. HRM is ideally suited to high-throughput genotyping of multiple TILLING mutants in complex crop genomes. To date it has been used to identify mutants and genotype single mutations. The aim of this study was to determine if HRM can facilitate downstream analysis of multiple mutant lines identified by TILLING in order to characterise allelic series of EMS induced mutations in target genes across a number of generations in complex crop genomes. We demonstrate that HRM can be used to genotype allelic series of mutations in two genes, BraA.CAX1a and BraA.MET1.a in Brassica rapa. We analysed 12 mutations in BraA.CAX1.a and five in BraA.MET1.a over two generations including a back-cross to the wild-type. Using a commercially available HRM kit and the Lightscanner™ system we were able to detect mutations in heterozygous and homozygous states for both genes. Using HRM genotyping on TILLING derived mutants, it is possible to generate an allelic series of mutations within multiple target genes rapidly. Lines suitable for phenotypic analysis can be isolated approximately 8-9 months (3 generations) from receiving M3 seed of Brassica rapa from the RevGenUK TILLING service.

High Resolution Melt (HRM analysis is an efficient tool to genotype EMS mutants in complex crop genomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lochlainn Seosamh Ó

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Targeted Induced Loci Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING is increasingly being used to generate and identify mutations in target genes of crop genomes. TILLING populations of several thousand lines have been generated in a number of crop species including Brassica rapa. Genetic analysis of mutants identified by TILLING requires an efficient, high-throughput and cost effective genotyping method to track the mutations through numerous generations. High resolution melt (HRM analysis has been used in a number of systems to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and insertion/deletions (IN/DELs enabling the genotyping of different types of samples. HRM is ideally suited to high-throughput genotyping of multiple TILLING mutants in complex crop genomes. To date it has been used to identify mutants and genotype single mutations. The aim of this study was to determine if HRM can facilitate downstream analysis of multiple mutant lines identified by TILLING in order to characterise allelic series of EMS induced mutations in target genes across a number of generations in complex crop genomes. Results We demonstrate that HRM can be used to genotype allelic series of mutations in two genes, BraA.CAX1a and BraA.MET1.a in Brassica rapa. We analysed 12 mutations in BraA.CAX1.a and five in BraA.MET1.a over two generations including a back-cross to the wild-type. Using a commercially available HRM kit and the Lightscanner™ system we were able to detect mutations in heterozygous and homozygous states for both genes. Conclusions Using HRM genotyping on TILLING derived mutants, it is possible to generate an allelic series of mutations within multiple target genes rapidly. Lines suitable for phenotypic analysis can be isolated approximately 8-9 months (3 generations from receiving M3 seed of Brassica rapa from the RevGenUK TILLING service.

The effect of HRM on the relationship between quality management techniques and performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

do Nascimento Gambi, Lillian; Jørgensen, Frances; Cecílio Gerolamo, Mateus

2014-01-01

. The study shows that the relationship between quality management techniques and performance is influenced by HRM approaches, but provides counterevidence to the prevailing assumption that commitment-oriented HRM is generally more appropriate to increase performance than a control-oriented approach. Rather...

The Value of e-HRM in Recruitment Strategies of Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anna B.

2014-01-01

Although the online hiring process is regarded as being more cost efficient, and the fastest route to finding the right candidates, i.e. more effective than traditional paper-based recruitment, little is known how e-HRM in general and e-recruitment in particular impact the outcome of various...... the organization’s perspective, and then, drawing on existing literatures and previous research, to propose which consequences the integration of e-HRM and e-recruitment might have for the those strategies....

Region of interest methylation analysis: a comparison of MSP with MS-HRM and direct BSP.

Science.gov (United States)

Akika, Reem; Awada, Zainab; Mogharbil, Nahed; Zgheib, Nathalie K

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare and contrast three DNA methylation methods of a specific region of interest (ROI): methylation-specific PCR (MSP), methylation-sensitive high resolution melting (MS-HRM) and direct bisulfite sequencing (BSP). The methylation of a CpG area in the promoter region of Estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) was evaluated by these three methods with samples and standards of different methylation percentages. MSP data were neither reproducible nor sensitive, and the assay was not specific due to non-specific binding of primers. MS-HRM was highly reproducible and a step forward into categorizing the methylation status of the samples as percent ranges. Direct BSP was the most informative method regarding methylation percentage of each CpG site. Though not perfect, it was reproducible and sensitive. We recommend the use of either method depending on the research question and target amplicon, and provided that the designed primers and expected amplicons are within recommendations. If the research question targets a limited number of CpG sites and simple yes/no results are enough, MSP may be attempted. For short amplicons that are crowded with CpG sites and of single melting domain, MS-HRM may be the method of choice though it only indicates the overall methylation percentage of the entire amplicon. Although the assay is highly reproducible, being semi-quantitative makes it of lesser interest to study ROI methylation of samples with little methylation differences. Direct BSP is a step forward as it gives information about the methylation percentage at each CpG site.

CURRENT TRENDS IN HRM

OpenAIRE

Otilia ALBU; Lucia MOROŞAN-DĂNILĂ

2009-01-01

The goal of this article is to establish the importance of human resource management (HRM) and how it emerged, to provide some evidence of its context, to discuss its potential and future development. Many specialists underlined the fact that human resource requires more attention and careful management then any other resource of an organization. The role of the HR manager must parallel the needs of the changing organization. Successful organizations are becoming more adaptable, resilient, qu...

Buffers or Boosters? The Role of HRM Practices in Older Workers' Experience of Stereotype Threat.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Eduardo André da Silva; Cabral-Cardoso, Carlos José

2018-01-02

Building on the social identity approach and the HRM literature, this two-wave cross-sectional study examined the effects of negative age-based metastereotypes on the age-based stereotype threat experience of older workers and on organizational disidentification. The moderator role of HRM practices in the relationship between negative age-based metastereotypes and age-based stereotype threat was also investigated. Older workers survey results (n = 469) from 14 manufacturing companies indicated that negative age-based metastereotypes correlate positively with stereotype threat. Moderation results showed that age-awareness HRM practices (training for older workers) reinforced age-based stereotype threat, whereas general HRM practices (recognition and respect) impaired it. The article suggests that the combination of age-based metastereotypes with a stereotype threat framework contributes to further understand older workers' beliefs and attitudes. It also indicates that to be effective, HRM practices should emphasize positive social identities older workers share with their colleagues, rather than giving older workers special treatment that may, after all, reinforce stigmatization.

Rapid and inexpensive body fluid identification by RNA profiling-based multiplex High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Erin K; Ballantyne, Jack

2013-01-01

Positive identification of the nature of biological material present on evidentiary items can be crucial for understanding the circumstances surrounding a crime. However, traditional protein-based methods do not permit the identification of all body fluids and tissues, and thus molecular based strategies for the conclusive identification of all forensically relevant biological fluids and tissues need to be developed. Messenger RNA (mRNA) profiling is an example of such a molecular-based approach. Current mRNA body fluid identification assays involve capillary electrophoresis (CE) or quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) platforms, each with its own limitations. Both platforms require the use of expensive fluorescently labeled primers or probes. CE-based assays require separate amplification and detection steps thus increasing the analysis time. For qRT-PCR assays, only 3-4 markers can be included in a single reaction since each requires a different fluorescent dye. To simplify mRNA profiling assays, and reduce the time and cost of analysis, we have developed single- and multiplex body fluid High Resolution Melt (HRM) assays for the identification of common forensically relevant biological fluids and tissues. The incorporated biomarkers include IL19 (vaginal secretions), IL1F7 (skin), ALAS2 (blood), MMP10 (menstrual blood), HTN3 (saliva) and TGM4 (semen).  The HRM assays require only unlabeled PCR primers and a single saturating intercalating fluorescent dye (Eva Green). Each body-fluid-specific marker can easily be identified by the presence of a distinct melt peak. Usually, HRM assays are used to detect variants or isoforms for a single gene target. However, we have uniquely developed duplex and triplex HRM assays to permit the simultaneous detection of multiple targets per reaction. Here we describe the development and initial performance evaluation of the developed HRM assays. The results demonstrate the potential use of HRM assays for rapid, and relatively inexpensive

Validation of methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) for the detection of stool DNA methylation in colorectal neoplasms.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Zhujun; Li, Bingsheng; Wang, Guozhen; Zhu, Weisi; Wang, Zhongqiu; Lin, Jinfeng; Xu, Angao; Wang, Xinying

2014-04-20

Methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) is a new technique for assaying DNA methylation, but its feasibility for assaying stool in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is unknown. First, the MS-HRM and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) detection limits were tested. Second, the methylation statuses of SFRP2 and VIM were analyzed in stool samples by MS-HRM, and in matching tumor and normal colon tissues via bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). Third, a case-control study evaluated the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of MS-HRM relative to results obtained with MSP and the fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Finally, the linearity and reproducibility of MS-HRM were assessed. The detection limits of MS-HRM and MSP were 1% and 5%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivities of MS-HRM (87.3%, 55/63) in stool and BSP in matching tumor tissue (92.1%, 58/63) were highly consistent (κ=0.744). The MS-HRM assay detected 92.5% (37/40) methylation in CRCs, 94.4% (34/36) in advanced adenomas, and 8.8% (5/57) in normal controls. The results of MS-HRM analysis were stable and reliable and showed fairly good linearity for both SFRP2 (PHRM shows potential for CRC screening. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of allelic discrimination by dHPLC, HRM, and TaqMan in the detection of BRAF mutation V600E.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonell, Pablo; Turpin, María C; Torres-Moreno, Daniel; Molina-Martínez, Irene; García-Solano, José; Perez-Guillermo, Miguel; Conesa-Zamora, Pablo

2011-09-01

The V600E mutation in the BRAF oncogene is associated with colorectal carcinomas, with mismatch-repair deficiency and, recently, with nonresponse to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor therapy. The use of reliable techniques for its detection is important. The aim of our study was to compare the performance characteristics in V600E detection of denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC) and high-resolution melting (HRM) with TaqMan allelic discrimination as well as direct-sequencing methods in a series of 195 colorectal paraffin-embedded specimens up to the age of 15 years. The effectiveness for obtaining results on mutation status was best using TaqMan (96.9%), followed by dHPLC (93.3%), HRM (88.7%), and sequencing (88.2%). In general, TaqMan was best for analyzing older tissues, whereas sequencing was the least efficient. Heterozygotic V600E was detected in 11.6%, 9.9%, 11.6%, and 9.9% of tissues using TaqMan, dHPLC, HRM, and sequencing, respectively. Result concordances between dHPLC and TaqMan or sequencing were excellent (κ = 0.9411 and κ = 0.8988, respectively); for HRM, the concordances were good (κ = 0.7973 and κ = 0.7488, respectively). By using DNA dilutions from tumor tissue, a minimum of 10% of V600E harboring cancer content was required for the analysis by dHPLC and HRM. dHPLC could detect four non-V600E mutations, whereas HRM detected one. Our results indicate that dHPLC and HRM are techniques that can be reliably used for the detection of the BRAFV600E mutation in archival paraffin-embedded tissues. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in HRM in Europe: A Longitudinal Comparative Study among 18 European Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Nikandrou, Irene; Apospori, Eleni; Papalexandris, Nancy

2005-01-01

Purpose: To examine HRM strategies and practices and HRM position within organizations in various cultural, economic and sociopolitical contexts from a longitudinal perspective. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses the 1995 and 1999 Cranet data in a longitudinal methodological framework to explore the changes and trends in 18 European…

Work-Life Balance Practices Among Irish Hotel Employees:Implications for HRM

OpenAIRE

Farrell, Kathleen

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to examine work-life balance in the Irish hotel sector from an employee perspective with implications for HRM. 246 questionnaires from employees were returned which was a 22% response rate. Company benefits were not associated with numerical flexibility, but company benefits were associated with functional flexibility and work-life balance supports. This would suggest an integrated approach to human resource management (HRM), whereby some companies engage in a contemp...

Highly Relevant Mentoring (HRM as a Faculty Development Model for Web-Based Instruction / Highly Relevant Mentoring (HRM (mentorat haute efficacité, un modèle de formation du corps professoral à l’enseignement en réseau

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorraine Carter

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a faculty development model called the highly relevant mentoring (HRM model; the model includes a framework as well as some practical strategies for meeting the professional development needs of faculty who teach web-based courses. The paper further emphasizes the need for faculty and administrative buy-in for HRM and examines relevant theories that may be used to guide HRM in web-based teaching environments. Of note is that HRM was conceived by the instructional design staff who contributed to this paper before the concept of high impact mentoring appeared in the recent literature (2009. While the model is appropriate in various disciplines and professions, the examples and scenarios provided are drawn from a Canadian university’s experience of using HRM, in conjunction with a pedagogical approach called ICARE, in a variety of nursing courses and programs. Cet article décrit un modèle de formation du personnel enseignant intitulé « highly relevant mentoring (HRM » (mentorat haute efficacité; ce modèle comprend une structure et des stratégies pratiques visant à combler les besoins en formation du corps professoral d’une faculté offrant des cours en réseau. L’article souligne la nécessité d’un appui facultaire et administratif au HRM et étudie les théories pertinentes pouvant servir à guider le HRM dans des milieux d’enseignement en réseau. On notera que le HRM a été conçu par l’équipe de conception de matériel pédagogique qui a contribué à cet article avant l’apparition, dans les publications récentes (2009, du concept de « high impact mentoring » (mentorat à haut rendement. Bien que ce dernier modèle convienne à diverses disciplines et professions, les exemples et les scénarios fournis ici sont tirés de l’expérience d’utilisation du HRM dans une université canadienne, conjointement à une approche pédagogique appelée ICARE, dans une variété de cours et de programmes

Employee Perceptions of HRM and TQM and the Effects on Satisfaction and INtention to Leave

OpenAIRE

Boselie, J.P.P.E.F.; van der Wiele, A.

2001-01-01

textabstractThere is a growing interest in theory and in practice with regard to the relationship between human resource management [HRM] and total quality management [TQM] as well as the relationship between these two perspectives and business performances. Empirical research suggests significant effects of HRM/TQM on the performances of an organisation. The majority of research in this area is focused on the effects of HRM/TQM at the organisational level. Research on the perceptions of indi...

Learning to work with interdependencies effectively: the case of the HRM forum of the suppliers teams at Volvo Cars Gent

OpenAIRE

LAMBRECHTS, Frank; Taillieu, Tharsi; Sips, Koen

2010-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to profile the way in which Volvo Cars Gent (VCG) Belgium and its suppliers succeed in managing their interdependencies on HRM issues through a shared HRM collaborative, called the Suppliers Team Volvo Cars HRM forum (STVC-HRM). Design/methodology/approach - A case study approach is used to develop understanding of the critical factors that contribute to the forum's success. Findings - It was found that the critical success factors concern the way STVC-HRM...

Highly Relevant Mentoring (HRM) as a Faculty Development Model for Web-Based Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Lorraine; Salyers, Vincent; Page, Aroha; Williams, Lynda; Albl, Liz; Hofsink, Clarence

2012-01-01

This paper describes a faculty development model called the highly relevant mentoring (HRM) model; the model includes a framework as well as some practical strategies for meeting the professional development needs of faculty who teach web-based courses. The paper further emphasizes the need for faculty and administrative buy-in for HRM and…

Franchised and Small, the Most Beautiful of All; HRM and Performance in Plural Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brand, M.J.; Croonen, E.P.M.

2010-01-01

Franchising is particularly present in industries in which human resources play a vital role. However, little is known about human resource management (HRM) in a franchising context. This study investigates HRM behavior and performance using a sample of 171 units within one plural retailing system.

Quality assessment of DNA derived from up to 30 years old formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue for PCR-based methylation analysis using SMART-MSP and MS-HRM.

Science.gov (United States)

Kristensen, Lasse S; Wojdacz, Tomasz K; Thestrup, Britta B; Wiuf, Carsten; Hager, Henrik; Hansen, Lise Lotte

2009-12-21

The High Resolution Melting (HRM) technology has recently been introduced as a rapid and robust analysis tool for the detection of DNA methylation. The methylation status of multiple tumor suppressor genes may serve as biomarkers for early cancer diagnostics, for prediction of prognosis and for prediction of response to treatment. Therefore, it is important that methodologies for detection of DNA methylation continue to evolve. Sensitive Melting Analysis after Real Time - Methylation Specific PCR (SMART-MSP) and Methylation Sensitive - High Resolution Melting (MS-HRM) are two methods for single locus DNA methylation detection based on HRM. Here, we have assessed the quality of DNA extracted from up to 30 years old Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) tissue for DNA methylation analysis using SMART-MSP and MS-HRM. The quality assessment was performed on DNA extracted from 54 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) samples derived from FFPE tissue, collected over 30 years and grouped into five years intervals. For each sample, the methylation levels of the CDKN2A (p16) and RARB promoters were estimated using SMART-MSP and MS-HRM assays designed to assess the methylation status of the same CpG positions. This allowed for a direct comparison of the methylation levels estimated by the two methods for each sample. CDKN2A promoter methylation levels were successfully determined by SMART-MSP and MS-HRM in all 54 samples. Identical methylation estimates were obtained by the two methods in 46 of the samples. The methylation levels of the RARB promoter were successfully determined by SMART-MSP in all samples. When using MS-HRM to assess RARB methylation five samples failed to amplify and 15 samples showed a melting profile characteristic for heterogeneous methylation. Twenty-seven of the remaining 34 samples, for which the methylation level could be estimated, gave the same result as observed when using SMART-MSP. MS-HRM and SMART-MSP can be successfully used for single locus

How do developmental and accommodative HRM enhance employee engagement and commitment? : The role of psychological contract and SOC-strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bal, P.M.; Kooij, T.A.M.; de Jong, S.B.

2013-01-01

In the context of the changing workforce, this study introduced two perspectives on HRM and distinguished universalistic developmental HRM from contingent accommodative HRM. We predicted two separate pathways for the effects on two employee outcomes: work engagement and affective commitment. We

A refined, rapid and reproducible high resolution melt (HRM-based method suitable for quantification of global LINE-1 repetitive element methylation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tse M Yat

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The methylation of DNA is recognized as a key mechanism in the regulation of genomic stability and evidence for its role in the development of cancer is accumulating. LINE-1 methylation status represents a surrogate measure of genome-wide methylation. Findings Using high resolution melt (HRM curve analysis technology, we have established an in-tube assay that is linear (r > 0.9986 with a high amplification efficiency (90-105%, capable of discriminating between partcipant samples with small differences in methylation, and suitable for quantifying a wide range of LINE-1 methylation levels (0-100%--including the biologically relevant range of 50-90% expected in human DNA. We have optimized this procedure to perform using 2 μg of starting DNA and 2 ng of bisulfite-converted DNA for each PCR reaction. Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 1.44% and 0.49%, respectively, supporting the high reproducibility and precision of this approach. Conclusions In summary, this is a completely linear, quantitative HRM PCR method developed for the measurement of LINE-1 methylation. This cost-efficient, refined and reproducible assay can be performed using minimal amounts of starting DNA. These features make our assay suitable for high throughput analysis of multiple samples from large population-based studies.

The impact of demographical variables on HRM practices in Saudi Telecom Company: An empirical exploration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasser S. Al-Kahtani

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Fair HRM practices are indispensable for the success of any company, especially the growing companies. The aim of this exploration is to understand the impact of certain personal characteris-tics of the employees of Telecommunication Company on HRM practices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A booklet consisted of HRM practices questionnaires along with personal characteristics blank sheet were used to gather the information of the respondents. A total of 210 sample collected from public and private sector Telecommunication Company existing in the Kingdom. The collected data was analyzed by inferential and descriptive statistics and the results were analyzed. The results revealed that married & unmarried, public & private sector, younger & older, high & low income and high & low experienced group of employees differ but in a varied degree on HRM practices in terms of performance appraisal, training and development, security and health, recruitment and se-lection, intention to stay in the company communication, working conditions, compensation and benefits, job analysis and co-worker relationships. The findings’ significances and implications were also elaborated at length and few suggestions were provided that could enhance the fair HRM practices in the telecommunication company in the Kingdom.

Implementing Human Resources Management (HRM) within Dutch VET schools: Examining the fostering and hindering factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Runhaar, P.R.; Sanders, K.

2013-01-01

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Institutions face serious challenges, like the implementation of competence-based education and upcoming teacher shortages, which urge them to implement Human Resources Management policy and practices (HRM). The implementation of HRM, however, often stagnates.

Identification of Brucella spp. isolated from human brucellosis in Malaysia using high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed Zahidi, Jama'ayah; Bee Yong, Tay; Hashim, Rohaidah; Mohd Noor, Azura; Hamzah, Siti Hawa; Ahmad, Norazah

2015-04-01

Molecular approaches have been investigated to overcome difficulties in identification and differentiation of Brucella spp. using conventional phenotypic methods. In this study, high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis was used for rapid identification and differentiation of members of Brucella genus. A total of 41 Brucella spp. isolates from human brucellosis were subjected to HRM analysis using 4 sets of primers, which identified 40 isolates as Brucella melitensis and 1 as Brucella canis. The technique utilized low DNA concentration and was highly reproducible. The assay is shown to be a useful diagnostic tool, which can rapidly differentiate Brucella up to species level. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human resource practices and organisational performance: Can the HRM-performance linkage be explained by the cooperative behaviours of employees?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lambooij, Mattijs; Sanders, Karin; Koster, Ferry; Zwiers, Marieke

2006-01-01

This paper addresses the question as to whether the linkage between HRM and organisational performance can be explained by the effect of the internal and strategic fit of HRM on the cooperative behaviours of employees. We expect that the more HRM practices are aligned within themselves (internal

ITS2 barcoding DNA region combined with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis of Hyoscyami Semen, the mature seed of Hyoscyamus niger.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Chao; Hu, Zhi-Gang; Tu, Yuan; Liu, He-Gang; Wang, Ping; Zhao, Ming-Ming; SHIi, Yu-Hua; Wu, Lan; Sun, Wei; Chen, Shi-Lin

2016-12-01

Hyoscyami Semen, the mature dried seed of Hyoscyamus niger L., has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat human diseases. Hyoscyami Semen is found in local markets in China. In markets, sellers and buyers commonly inadvertently mix the seeds of H. niger with the seeds of related species such as Hygrophila salicifolia (Vahl) Nees, Astragalus complanatus R. Br., Cuscuta australis R. Br., Cuscuta chinensis Lam., and Impatiens balsamina L. because of their similar morphologies or similar names. Thus, developing a reliable method for discriminating H. niger seeds from its adulterants is necessary to reduce confusion and ensure the safe use of Hyoscyami Semen. The present study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of high-resolution melting analysis combined with DNA barcoding (Bar-HRM) with internal transcribed spacer 2 to discriminate H. niger. Our results show that Bar-HRM successfully identified the adulterants and detected the proportion of H. niger DNA extract within an admixture. In particular, HRM detected H. niger DNA extract in A. complanatus DNA extract at concentrations as low as 1%. In conclusion, the Bar-HRM method developed in the present study for authenticating H. niger is rapid and cost-effective. It can be used in the future to guarantee the purity of Hyoscyami Semen for the clinical use. Copyright © 2016 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF E-HRM SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION IN DEDEMAN COMPANY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia Totolici

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Due to the situation in recent times and the latest global economic trends, an idea presented decades ago was reiterated: the most important resource of any organization is its human capital. As a direct consequence of this known idea, many specialists have treated in recent years, subjects which were related in one way or another with the field of Human Resources, since Human Resources sector will survive in the new economy only if it has a computer technology. As a result, the essential condition for achieving excellence in the computerized management of human resources management is the development and implementation of performant e-HRM systems. For this reason, any organization, regardless of its size and nature, must resort to the implementation of an e-HRM information system adapted to its specific needs, because the performance of the human resources activities (HR depend to a large extent on the correlation between software instruments and employees’ skills. In order to identify the effects and benefits of implementing e-HRM systems, we presented a case study focused on Dedeman Company – retailer of construction materials and interior design.

How Do Employee Perceptions of HRM Relate to Performance? : A Meta-Analysis of Mediating Mechanisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijerink, Jeroen; Beijer, Susanne; Bos-Nehles, Anna C.

2017-01-01

A substantial body of research has examined how employee perceptions of HRM systems relate to employee performance. Although relying on a variety of measures to examine perceived HRM systems, existing studies are unclear to what extent these measures differ in their relationships with important

Linking HRM and Knowledge Transfer via Individual-level Mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minbaeva, Dana; Mäkelä, Kristiina; Rabbiosi, Larissa

2012-01-01

In response to recent calls for more research on micro-foundations, we seek to link human resource management (HRM) and knowledge transfer through individual-level mechanisms, arguing that individual-level conditions of action influence the extent to which employees engage in knowledge exchange. We...... examine four such conditions empirically using data from 811 employees in three Danish multinational corporations (MNCs). Our findings suggest that individual-level perceptions of organizational commitment to knowledge sharing, and extrinsic motivation, directly influence the extent to which employees...... engage in firm-internal knowledge exchange. We also find that intrinsic motivation and engagement in social interaction significantly mediate the relationship between perceived organizational commitment and knowledge exchange. Given that HRM can influence such conditions through an overall signaling...

Professional HRM practices in family owned-managed enterprises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.M.P. de Kok (Jan); L.M. Uhlaner (Lorraine); A.R. Thurik (Roy)

2003-01-01

textabstractHuman resource management (HRM) has been defined as the “process of attracting, developing and maintaining a talented and energetic workforce to support organizational mission, objectives, and strategies” (Schermerhorn, 2001, p. 2400). Audretsch and Thurik (2000, 2001) argue that

Implementing Human Resources Management (HRM) within Dutch VET Institutions: Examining the Fostering and Hindering Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Runhaar, Piety; Sanders, Karin

2013-01-01

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Institutions face serious challenges, like the implementation of competence-based education and upcoming teacher shortages, which urge them to implement Human Resources Management policy and practices (HRM). The implementation of HRM, however, often stagnates. This paper describes a qualitative study--in…

Is there Something as an Ex-Yugoslavian HRM Model? – Sticking to the Socialist Heritage or Converging With Neoliberal Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pološki Vokić Nina

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The question of this paper is whether there is an ex-Yugoslavia HRM model drawing upon Western imported features fused with ethno open-socialistic and self-management elements? In the empirical part Cranet data for 341 companies from Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia are analysed. Main characteristics of HRM systems in ex-Yugoslavia are: the HRM strategic partner role is still neglected, the mind-set of taking care for everybody is omnipresent, the value of performance management is not fully entrusted, the full-time employment still predominates, and the trade unions retained their barging power. Although 30 indicators revealed specifics of ex-Yugoslavia HRM model, the theorized hybrid HRM system was not disclosed.

Internationale virksomhedsopkøb - hvilken rolle spiller HRM?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neergaard, Helle

1999-01-01

The article focuses on the importance of cultural differences in international acquisitions. It illustrates how experience and knowledge about target companies determine how the acquiring firm handles HRM-issues and how a cultural due-diligence in the pre-acquisition phases will ease integration....

Authenticity analyses of Phyllanthus amarus using barcoding coupled with HRM analysis to control its quality for medicinal plant product.

Science.gov (United States)

Buddhachat, Kittisak; Osathanunkul, Maslin; Madesis, Panagiotis; Chomdej, Siriwadee; Ongchai, Siriwan

2015-11-15

The Phyllanthus genus, a plant used in traditional Thai medicine, has according to several pharmacopeias hepatoprotective properties. Not only is the anatomical morphology of these species relatively similar but they also share the Thai common names Look-Tai-Bai (ลูกใต้ใบ) and Yah-Tai-Bai (หญ้าใต้ใบ), which might cause confusion for laypersons. This study attempted to develop a method for accurate identification of Phyllanthus species, especially Phyllanthus amarus, and to detect contaminants in P. amarus products by using DNA barcoding coupled with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis (bar-HRM). Two plastid loci (rbcL and trnL) were chosen for DNA barcoding to generate a suitable primer for distinguishing Phyllanthus species by HRM analysis. The five species of Phyllanthus were subjected to amplification for testing the specificity and discrimination power of the designed primers derived from rbcL and trnL regions. Sensitivity of the method (DNA barcoding conjugated with HRM) to detect adulterant in P. amarus samples was evaluated. The commercial P. amarus products obtained from a local market were authenticated. The primer pair derived from trnL DNA barcoding (PhylltrnL) had more specificity and power of discrimination for Phyllanthus species than that derived from rbcL DNA barcoding (PhyllrbcL). The result showed that Tm of P. amarus, Phyllanthus urinaria, Phyllanthus debilis, Phyllanthus airy-shawii, and Phyllanthus virgatus was 74.3±0.08, 73.04±0.07, 73.36±0.05, 72.21±0.06, 72.77±0.15°C, respectively. This method proved to be a very sensitive tool that can be used for rapid detection of contamination as low as 1% of other Phyllanthus species in P. amarus admixtures. All commercial products of P. amarus obtained from a local market in Thailand were found to contain pure raw materials of P. amarus without any substitution or contamination. Our results indicated that the use of DNA barcoding coupled with HRM was an

In search of balance – managing the dualities of HRM: an overview of the issues

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boselie, J.P.P.E.F.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/177012277; Brewster, C.; Paauwe, J.

2009-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the human resource management (HRM) literature that builds up to our current concern with dualities, paradoxes, ambiguities, and balance issues; and to introduce the six papers in this special issue on managing the dualities in HRM.

Identification and Differentiation of Monilinia Species Causing Brown Rot of Pome and Stone Fruit using High-Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Papavasileiou, Antonios; Madesis, Panagiotis B; Karaoglanidis, George S

2016-09-01

Brown rot is a devastating disease of stone fruit caused by Monilinia spp. Among these species, Monilinia fructicola is a quarantine pathogen in Europe but has recently been detected in several European countries. Identification of brown rot agents relies on morphological differences or use of molecular methods requiring fungal isolation. The current study was initiated to develop and validate a high-resolution melting (HRM) method for the identification of the Monilinia spp. and for the detection of M. fructicola among other brown rot pathogens. Based on the sequence of the cytb intron from M. laxa, M. fructicola, M. fructigena, M. mumecola, M. linhartiana, and M. yunnanensis isolates originating from several countries, a pair of universal primers for species identification and a pair of primers specific to M. fructicola were designed. The specificity of the primers was verified to ensure against cross-reaction with other fungal species. The melting curve analysis using the universal primers generated six different HRM curve profiles, each one specific for each species. Τhe HRM analysis primers specific to M. fructicola amplified a 120-bp region with a distinct melt profile corresponding to the presence of M. fructicola, regardless of the presence of other species. HRM analysis can be a useful tool for rapid identification and differentiation of the six Monilinia spp. using a single primer pair. This novel assay has the potential for simultaneous identification and differentiation of the closely related Monilinia spp. as well as for the differentiation of M. fructicola from other common pathogens or saprophytes that may occur on the diseased fruit.

Esophagogastric Junction pressure morphology: comparison between a station pull-through and real-time 3D-HRM representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicodème, F; Lin, Z; Pandolfino, J E; Kahrilas, P J

2013-09-01

Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) competence is the fundamental defense against reflux making it of great clinical significance. However, characterizing EGJ competence with conventional manometric methodologies has been confounded by its anatomic and physiological complexity. Recent technological advances in miniaturization and electronics have led to the development of a novel device that may overcome these challenges. Nine volunteer subjects were studied with a novel 3D-HRM device providing 7.5 mm axial and 45° radial pressure resolution within the EGJ. Real-time measurements were made at rest and compared to simulations of a conventional pull-through made with the same device. Moreover, 3D-HRM recordings were analyzed to differentiate contributing pressure signals within the EGJ attributable to lower esophageal sphincter (LES), diaphragm, and vasculature. 3D-HRM recordings suggested that sphincter length assessed by a pull-through method greatly exaggerated the estimate of LES length by failing to discriminate among circumferential contractile pressure and asymmetric extrinsic pressure signals attributable to diaphragmatic and vascular structures. Real-time 3D EGJ recordings found that the dominant constituents of EGJ pressure at rest were attributable to the diaphragm. 3D-HRM permits real-time recording of EGJ pressure morphology facilitating analysis of the EGJ constituents responsible for its function as a reflux barrier making it a promising tool in the study of GERD pathophysiology. The enhanced axial and radial recording resolution of the device should facilitate further studies to explore perturbations in the physiological constituents of EGJ pressure in health and disease. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How can schools and teachers benefit from Human Resources Management? Conceptualising HRM from content and process perspectives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Runhaar, P.R.

2017-01-01

The necessity for schools to implement human resources management (HRM) is increasingly acknowledged. Specifically, HRM holds the potential of increasing student outcomes through the increased involvement, empowerment and motivation of teachers. In educational literature, however, little empirical

The role of HRM practices in building intellectual capital in knowledge-based teams

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Becker, Karen

2013-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the ways HRM systems support development of intellectual capital in teams in three case studies of knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs) in Denmark. By focusing on team composition and structure, findings build on the rapidly growing body of literature on HRM’s role....... The findings also have managerial implications regarding the need to align team composition and structure, HRM systems, and intellectual capital focus to support development of team-based intellectual capital....

High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis for mutation screening of RGSL1,RGS16 and RGS8 in breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wiechec, Emilia; Wiuf, Carsten Henrik; Overgaard, Jens

2011-01-01

coding exons of RGSL1, RGS16, and RGS8 in tumors from 200 breast cancer patients. All sequence variants detected by HRM resulted in abnormal shape of the melting curves. The identified mutations and known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were subsequently confirmed by sequencing, and distribution...... cancer patients. In addition, a total of seven known SNPs were identified in this study. Genotype distributions were not significantly different between breast cancer patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPACT: Identification of novel mutations within RGSL1 provides a new insight...... into the pathophysiology of breast cancer. Moreover, the HRM analysis represents a reliable and highly sensitive method for mutation scanning of multiple exons....

High-resolution melt-curve analysis of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-HRM) for the characterisation of pathogenic leptospires: intra-serovar divergence, inter-serovar convergence, and evidence of attenuation in Leptospira reference collections.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulsiani, S M; Craig, S B; Graham, G C; Cobbold, R C; Dohnt, M F; Burns, M-A; Jansen, C C; Leung, L K-P; Field, H E; Smythe, L D

2010-07-01

High-resolution melt-curve analysis of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-HRM) is a novel technology that has emerged as a possible method to characterise leptospires to serovar level. RAPD-HRM has recently been used to measure intra-serovar convergence between strains of the same serovar as well as inter-serovar divergence between strains of different serovars. The results indicate that intra-serovar heterogeneity and inter-serovar homogeneity may limit the application of RAPD-HRM in routine diagnostics. They also indicate that genetic attenuation of aged, high-passage-number isolates could undermine the use of RAPD-HRM or any other molecular technology. Such genetic attenuation may account for a general decrease seen in titres of rabbit hyperimmune antibodies over time. Before RAPD-HRM can be further advanced as a routine diagnostic tool, strains more representative of the wild-type serovars of a given region need to be identified. Further, RAPD-HRM analysis of reference strains indicates that the routine renewal of reference collections, with new isolates, may be needed to maintain the genetic integrity of the collections.

MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN RELATIONSHIP TO POST-SELECTION HRM PRACTICES AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aftab Tariq Dar

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the meditating role of employee motivation in the relationship between post-selection Human Resource Management (HRM practices and perceived performance of Islamic Banks operating in Pakistan. This study was based on primary data collected from 200-employees of different Islamic banks in Pakistan by distributing structured and reliable questionnaires. The demographic profile of respondents was diversified in terms of their grade, age, experience and education. Results of correlation analysis revealed that training & development(r = .829, performance evaluation system(r = .752, career development system(r = .666, extrinsic rewards(r = .921, intrinsic rewards (r = .852 and employee motivation(r =.722 have strong positive association with perceived performance of Islamic banks in Pakistan. Results of hierarchical regression analysis supported that post-selection HRM practices have positive impact on perceived organizational performance and employee motivation acts as mediator in the relationship between post-selection HRM practices and perceived organizational performance. Proper implementation of post-selection HRM practices makes employee motivated that resulted in improved organizational performance. Management of Islamic banks desiring optimum performance should pay special attention to need-based training programs, merit-based performance appraisal system, development of progressive career paths, performance-based extrinsic and intrinsic rewards management. While making HRM policies, employee motivation should be given paramount importance as the results of contemporary studies supported that it is the major contributing factor of higher organizational performance.

Affecting innovation through HRM: the role of creative capital

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veenendaal, Andre; van Velzen, Martijn; Looise, Jan C.

2014-01-01

This paper provides a new and integrated approach to understanding, through creative capital, the relationship between human resource management (HRM) and innovation. The conceptual framework presented, building on insights from social capital research and the field of regional economic development,

Improvements in Sensible Heat-Flux Parametrization in the High-Resolution Regional Model (HRM) Through the Modified Treatment of the Roughness Length for Heat

Science.gov (United States)

Anurose, T. J.; Subrahamanyam, D. Bala

2013-06-01

We discuss the impact of the differential treatment of the roughness lengths for momentum and heat (z_{0m} and z_{0h}) in the flux parametrization scheme of the high-resolution regional model (HRM) for a heterogeneous terrain centred around Thiruvananthapuram, India (8.5°N, 76.9°E). The magnitudes of sensible heat flux ( H) obtained from HRM simulations using the original parametrization scheme differed drastically from the concurrent in situ observations. With a view to improving the performance of this parametrization scheme, two distinct modifications are incorporated: (1) In the first method, a constant value of 100 is assigned to the z_{0m}/z_{0h} ratio; (2) and in the second approach, this ratio is treated as a function of time. Both these modifications in the HRM model showed significant improvements in the H simulations for Thiruvananthapuram and its adjoining regions. Results obtained from the present study provide a first-ever comparison of H simulations using the modified parametrization scheme in the HRM model with in situ observations for the Indian coastal region, and suggest a differential treatment of z_{0m} and z_{0h} in the flux parametrization scheme.

Quantitative PCR high-resolution melting (qPCR-HRM) curve analysis, a new approach to simultaneously screen point mutations and large rearrangements: application to MLH1 germline mutations in Lynch syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Rouleau, Etienne; Lefol, Cédrick; Bourdon, Violaine; Coulet, Florence; Noguchi, Tetsuro; Soubrier, Florent; Bièche, Ivan; Olschwang, Sylviane; Sobol, Hagay; Lidereau, Rosette

2009-06-01

Several techniques have been developed to screen mismatch repair (MMR) genes for deleterious mutations. Until now, two different techniques were required to screen for both point mutations and large rearrangements. For the first time, we propose a new approach, called "quantitative PCR (qPCR) high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis (qPCR-HRM)," which combines qPCR and HRM to obtain a rapid and cost-effective method suitable for testing a large series of samples. We designed PCR amplicons to scan the MLH1 gene using qPCR HRM. Seventy-six patients were fully scanned in replicate, including 14 wild-type patients and 62 patients with known mutations (57 point mutations and five rearrangements). To validate the detected mutations, we used sequencing and/or hybridization on a dedicated MLH1 array-comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH). All point mutations and rearrangements detected by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC)+multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were successfully detected by qPCR HRM. Three large rearrangements were characterized with the dedicated MLH1 array-CGH. One variant was detected with qPCR HRM in a wild-type patient and was located within the reverse primer. One variant was not detected with qPCR HRM or with dHPLC due to its proximity to a T-stretch. With qPCR HRM, prescreening for point mutations and large rearrangements are performed in one tube and in one step with a single machine, without the need for any automated sequencer in the prescreening process. In replicate, its reagent cost, sensitivity, and specificity are comparable to those of dHPLC+MLPA techniques. However, qPCR HRM outperformed the other techniques in terms of its rapidity and amount of data provided.

Development of a Causal Framework linking High Perofrmance HRM Practices, Positive Psychological Capital, Creative Behaviours

OpenAIRE

Gupta, Vishal

2013-01-01

Synthesizing the ideas of high-performance Human Resource Management (HRM), positive psychological capital, and componential theory of creativity, the present study develops a multi-level causal framework linking high-performance work practices (HPWP), positive psychological capital, employee creative performance behaviors and creative performance. The paper argues that to provide a convincing explanation of the association between HRM practices and creativity, we need to improve our theoreti...

Competence and Employment Forum: Linking HRD and HRM

Science.gov (United States)

Siikaniemi, Lena

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to find a model for the individual employee, the employer, the supervisors and the personnel at HR to manage organizational and individual changes. The objective of the model is to manage the changes in parallel with the competence (HRD) and employment (HRM) aspects. Design/methodology/approach: The research…

High-resolution melt-curve analysis of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-HRM) for the characterisation of pathogenic leptospires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tulsiani, Suhella; Craig, S B; Graham, G C

2010-01-01

as well as inter-serovar divergence between strains of different serovars. The results indicate that intra-serovar heterogeneity and inter-serovar homogeneity may limit the application of RAPD-HRM in routine diagnostics. They also indicate that genetic attenuation of aged, high-passage-number isolates...... could undermine the use of RAPD-HRM or any other molecular technology. Such genetic attenuation may account for a general decrease seen in titres of rabbit hyperimmune antibodies over time. Before RAPD-HRM can be further advanced as a routine diagnostic tool, strains more representative of the wild...

Discovery and validation of DNA hypomethylation biomarkers for liver cancer using HRM-specific probes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Stefanska

Full Text Available Poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC associated with late diagnosis necessitates the development of early diagnostic biomarkers. We have previously delineated the landscape of DNA methylation in HCC patients unraveling the importance of promoter hypomethylation in activation of cancer- and metastasis-driving genes. The purpose of the present study was to test the feasibility that genes that are hypomethylated in HCC could serve as candidate diagnostic markers. We use high resolution melting analysis (HRM as a simple translatable PCR-based method to define methylation states in clinical samples. We tested seven regions selected from the shortlist of genes hypomethylated in HCC and showed that HRM analysis of several of them distinguishes methylation states in liver cancer specimens from normal adjacent liver and chronic hepatitis in the Shanghai area. Such regions were identified within promoters of neuronal membrane glycoprotein M6-B (GPM6B and melanoma antigen family A12 (MAGEA12 genes. Differences in HRM in the immunoglobulin superfamily Fc receptor (FCRL1 separated invasive tumors from less invasive HCC. The identified biomarkers differentiated HCC from chronic hepatitis in another set of samples from Dhaka. Although the main thrust in DNA methylation diagnostics in cancer is on hypermethylated genes, our study for the first time illustrates the potential use of hypomethylated genes as markers for solid tumors. After further validation in a larger cohort, the identified DNA hypomethylated regions can become important candidate biomarkers for liver cancer diagnosis and prognosis, especially in populations with high risk for HCC development.

Rapid detection and identification of four major Schistosoma species by high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Juan; Zhao, Guang-Hui; Lin, RuiQing; Blair, David; Sugiyama, Hiromu; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2015-11-01

Schistosomiasis, caused by blood flukes belonging to several species of the genus Schistosoma, is a serious and widespread parasitic disease. Accurate and rapid differentiation of these etiological agents of animal and human schistosomiasis to species level can be difficult. We report a real-time PCR assay coupled with a high-resolution melt (HRM) assay targeting a portion of the nuclear 18S rDNA to detect, identify, and distinguish between four major blood fluke species (Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium, and Schistosoma mekongi). Using this system, the Schistosoma spp. was accurately identified and could also be distinguished from all other trematode species with which they were compared. As little as 10(-5) ng genomic DNA from a Schistosoma sp. could be detected. This process is inexpensive, easy, and can be completed within 3 h. Examination of 21 representative Schistosoma samples from 15 geographical localities in seven endemic countries validated the value of the HRM detection assay and proved its reliability. The melting curves were characterized by peaks of 83.65 °C for S. japonicum and S. mekongi, 85.65 °C for S. mansoni, and 85.85 °C for S. haematobium. The present study developed a real-time PCR coupled with HRM analysis assay for detection and differential identification of S. mansoni, S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mekongi. This method is rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive. It has important implications for epidemiological studies of Schistosoma.

Firm-level innovation activity, employee turnover and HRM practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, Tor; Qin, Zhihua; Wang, Wenjing

2014-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between employee turnover, HRM practices and innovation in Chinese firms in five high technology sectors. We estimate hurdle negative binomial models for count data on survey data allowing for analyses of the extensive as well as intensive margins of firms' in...

Examining the relationship between HRM and innovative work behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veenendaal, Andre; Bos-Nehles, Anna Christina; van Velzen, Martijn; Looise, Jan C.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to study how HRM is related to individual innovation. As an operationalization of individual innovation, we will study the construct of innovative work behaviour (IWB). IWB is about the behaviour of an individual to intentionally introduce new ideas, processes or

Assessment method for analyzing and developing human resource management practices in nuclear power industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeki, E.; Pahkin, K.; Lindstroem, S.; Kurki, A-L.

2014-01-01

Implementation of HRM practices is often devolved from the HRM unit to front line managers and supervisors. However, the implementation of these practices by line managers and supervisors may vary significantly. They may, for example, be unaware of how to implement HRM practices or skeptical towards the effectiveness of the intended practices. Based on the literature, interviews and workshops in the nuclear power industry, a self-assessment method of HRM practices for intra-organizational use was developed. The assessment method was piloted in four nuclear power organizations. The assessment method seems to be a good tool for generating fruitful discussion on HRM practices, finding areas of HRM practices that need to be developed, and triggering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and learning on HRM practices. (authors)

Connecting empowerment-focused HRM and labor productivity to work engagement : The mediating role of job demands and resources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Voorde, F.C.; Veld, M.; van Veldhoven, M.J.P.M.

2016-01-01

Integrating the strategic HRM literature with key aspects of the job demands-resources (JDR) model, we propose in this study that empowerment-focused HRM and labour productivity influence work engagement of employees by shaping task-related resources and demands. A total of 311 employees nested

Connecting empowerment-focused HRM and labour productivity to work engagement: the mediating role of job demands and resources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Voorde, Karina; Veld, M.F.A.; van Veldhoven, Marc

2016-01-01

Integrating the strategic HRM literature with key aspects of the job demands-resources (JDR) model, we propose in this study that empowerment-focused HRM and labour productivity influence work engagement of employees by shaping task-related resources and demands. A total of 311 employees nested

A Systems Model Comparing Australian and Chinese HRM Education

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Paul; Tsakissiris, Jane; Guo, Yuanyuan

2017-01-01

This paper explores the implications for learning design in HRM education in the 21st century. An open systems perspective is used to argue the importance of establishing productive relationships between academia, professional associations, regulators and industry (resource inputs) to support the creation of optimal learning environments (the…

Linking HRM and small business performance : An examination of the impact of HRM intensity on the productivity and financial performance of small businesses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sels, L; De Winne, S; Delmotte, J; Maes, J; Faems, D; Forrier, A

Attempts to explore empirically the link between HRM and firm performance are numerous. Yet, research on this link remains restricted to large companies. Little is known about the extent to which the existing results extend to small businesses. The purpose of the present study is to develop and test

The high resolution melting analysis (HRM) as a molecular tool for monitoring parasites of the wildlife.

Science.gov (United States)

Héritier, Laurent; Verneau, Olivier; Breuil, Gregory; Meistertzheim, Anne-Leila

2017-04-01

In an interconnected world, the international pet trade on wild animals is becoming increasingly important. As a consequence, non-native parasite species are introduced, which affect the health of wildlife and contribute to the loss of biodiversity. Because the investigation of parasite diversity within vulnerable host species implies the molecular identification of large samples of parasite eggs, the sequencing of DNA barcodes is time-consuming and costly. Thereby, the objectives of our study were to apply the high resolution melting (HRM) approach for species determination from pools of parasite eggs. Molecular assays were validated on flatworm parasites (polystomes) infecting the Mediterranean pond turtle Mauremys leprosa and the invasive red-eared slider Trachemys scripta elegans in French natural environments. HRM analysis results indicated that double or multiple parasitic infections could be detected from wild animal populations. They also showed that the cycle of parasite eggs production was not regular over time and may depend on several factors, among which the ecological niche and the target species. Thereby, monitoring parasites from wild endangered animals implies periodic parasitological surveys to avoid false negative diagnostics, based solely on eggs production.

Assessment method for analyzing and developing human resource management practices in the nuclear power industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeki, Eerikki; Pahkin, Krista; Lindstroem, S.; Kurki, Anna-Leena

2015-01-01

Implementation of HRM practices is often devolved from the HRM unit to front line managers and supervisors. However, the implementation of these practices by line managers and supervisors may vary significantly. They may, for example, be unaware of how to implement HRM practices or sceptical towards the effectiveness of the intended practices. Based on the literature, interviews and workshops in the nuclear power industry, a self-assessment method of HRM practices for intra-organizational use was developed. The assessment method was piloted in four nuclear power organizations. The assessment method seems to be a good tool for generating fruitful discussion on HRM practices, finding areas of HRM practices that need to be developed, and triggering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and learning on HRM practices.

Assessment method for analyzing and developing human resource management practices in the nuclear power industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maeki, Eerikki [Aalto Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Industrial Engineering and Management; Pahkin, Krista; Lindstroem, S.; Kurki, Anna-Leena [Finnish Institue of Occupational Health, Helsinki (Finland). Centre of Expertise for the Development of Work and Organizations

2015-04-15

Implementation of HRM practices is often devolved from the HRM unit to front line managers and supervisors. However, the implementation of these practices by line managers and supervisors may vary significantly. They may, for example, be unaware of how to implement HRM practices or sceptical towards the effectiveness of the intended practices. Based on the literature, interviews and workshops in the nuclear power industry, a self-assessment method of HRM practices for intra-organizational use was developed. The assessment method was piloted in four nuclear power organizations. The assessment method seems to be a good tool for generating fruitful discussion on HRM practices, finding areas of HRM practices that need to be developed, and triggering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and learning on HRM practices.

Strategic HRM for SMEs: Implications for Firms and Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Maryse J.; Bax, Erik H.

2002-01-01

This paper is on the growing importance of strategic human resource management (SHRM) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Many small firms encounter serious human resource problems, while at the same time these human resources play a vital role in developing and sustaining their competitive advantages. In (S)HRM literature specific…

Development of a two-step high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for screening sequence variants associated with resistance to the QoIs, benzimidazoles and dicarboximides in airborne inoculum of Botrytis cinerea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatzidimopoulos, Michael; Ganopoulos, Ioannis; Vellios, Evangelos; Madesis, Panagiotis; Tsaftaris, Athanasios; Pappas, Athanassios C

2014-11-01

A rapid, high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis protocol was developed to detect sequence variations associated with resistance to the QoIs, benzimidazoles and dicarboximides in Botrytis cinerea airborne inoculum. HRM analysis was applied directly in fungal DNA collected from air samplers with selective medium. Three and five different genotypes were detected and classified according to their melting profiles in BenA and bos1 genes associated with resistance to benzimidazoles and dicarboximides, respectively. The sensitivity of the methodology was evident in the case of the QoIs, where genotypes varying either by a single nucleotide polymorphism or an additional 1205-bp intron were separated accurately with a single pair of primers. The developed two-step protocol was completed in 82 min and showed reduced variation in the melting curves' formation. HRM analysis rapidly detected the major mutations found in greenhouse strains providing accurate data for successfully controlling grey mould. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of the Garmin 920 XT HRM to perform HRV analysis.

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Cassirame, Johan; Vanhaesebrouck, Romain; Chevrolat, Simon; Mourot, Laurent

2017-12-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is widely used to investigate autonomous cardiac drive. This method requires periodogram measurement, which can be obtained by an electrocardiogram (ECG) or from a heart rate monitor (HRM), e.g. the Garmin 920 XT device. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the accuracy of RR time series measurements from a Garmin 920 XT HRM as compared to a standard ECG, and to verify whether the measurements thus obtained are suitable for HRV analysis. RR time series were collected simultaneously with an ECG (Powerlab system, AD Instruments, Castell Hill, Australia) and a Garmin XT 920 in 11 healthy subjects during three conditions, namely in the supine position, the standing position and during moderate exercise. In a first step, we compared RR time series obtained with both tools using the Bland and Altman method to obtain the limits of agreement in all three conditions. In a second step, we compared the results of HRV analysis between the ECG RR time series and Garmin 920 XT series. Results show that the accuracy of this system is in accordance with the literature in terms of the limits of agreement. In the supine position, bias was 0.01, - 2.24, + 2.26 ms; in the standing position, - 0.01, - 3.12, + 3.11 ms respectively, and during exercise, - 0.01, - 4.43 and + 4.40 ms. Regarding HRV analysis, we did not find any difference for HRV analysis in the supine position, but the standing and exercise conditions both showed small modifications.

UGT1A1 (TA)n genotyping in sickle-cell disease: high resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis or direct sequencing, what is the best way?

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Thomas, Vincent; Mazard, Blandine; Garcia, Caroline; Lacan, Philippe; Gagnieu, Marie-Claude; Joly, Philippe

2013-09-23

Minucci et al. have proposed in 2010 a rapid, simple and cost-effective HRM method on the LightCycler 480® apparatus (Roche) for the determination of the 6/6, 6/7 and 7/7 genotypes of the (TA)n UGT1A1 promoter polymorphism. However, they have not studied the n=5 and n=8 alleles which can be quite frequent in sickle-cell disease patients. The aim of our study was to test this HRM protocol to all the 10 possible (TA)n UGT1A1 genotypes (i.e. 5/5, 5/6, 5/7, 5/8, 6/6, 6/7, 6/8, 7/7, 7/8 and 8/8) by using our SCD cohort of patients. All genotypes could be unambiguously identified except 6/7 and 6/8 which give a similar HRM profile. For those two genotypes, the differentiation necessitates either a direct Sanger sequencing or a second PCR protocol followed by a 3% agarose gel migration. For the (TA)n UGT1A1 promoter genotyping of African patients, each lab has to wonder what is the best way between (i) direct Sanger sequencing of all patients and (ii) HRM protocol for all patients followed by a complementary analysis to differentiate the 6/7 and 6/8 genotypes. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High resolution melting (HRM) analysis as a new tool for rapid identification of Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovars Pullorum and Gallinarum.

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Ren, Xingxing; Fu, Ying; Xu, Chenggang; Feng, Zhou; Li, Miao; Zhang, Lina; Zhang, Jianmin; Liao, Ming

2017-05-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovars Pullorum and Gallinarum represent the most common causative agents of chicken salmonellosis, which result in high mortality and morbidity throughout the world. It is difficult and laborious to discriminate these diseases based on biochemical or phenotypic methods. Herein, we report the development of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) PCR-high resolution melt (PCR-HRM) assay for the detection and discrimination of both S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarun. The gene rfbS, which encodes a factor involved in the biosynthesis of ADP paratose in serogroup D of Salmonella, has been identified as a robust genetic marker for the identification of S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarun based on polymorphisms at positions 237 and 598. Therefore, PCR-HRM analyses were used to characterize this gene. A total of 15 reference and 33 clinical isolates of Salmonella and related Gram-negative bacteria were detected using 2 sets of primers. Our PCR-HRM assay could distinguish S. Pullorum from S. Gallinarun and other strains using the primer pair SP-237F/237R. Similarly, S. Gallinarun could be distinguished from S. Pullorum and other strains using primer set SG-598F/598R. These 2 assays showed high specificity (100%) for both S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarun; the sensitivity of these 2 assays was at least 100-fold greater than that of the allele-specific PCR assay. This present study demonstrated that HRM analysis represents a potent, simple, and economic tool for the rapid, specific, and sensitive detection of S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarun. Our approach also may aid efforts for purification of Avian Salmonella disease. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Mutation spectrum of 122 hemophilia A families from Taiwanese population by LD-PCR, DHPLC, multiplex PCR and evaluating the clinical application of HRM

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Chang Chieh-Ting

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hemophilia A represents the most common and severe inherited hemorrhagic disorder. It is caused by mutations in the F8 gene, which leads to a deficiency or dysfunctional factor VIII protein, an essential cofactor in the factor X activation complex. Methods We used long-distance polymerase chain reaction and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography for mutation scanning of the F8 gene. We designed the competitive multiplex PCR to identify the carrier with exonal deletions. In order to facilitate throughput and minimize the cost of mutation scanning, we also evaluated a new mutation scanning technique, high resolution melting analysis (HRM, as an alternative screening method. Results We presented the results of detailed screening of 122 Taiwanese families with hemophilia A and reported twenty-nine novel mutations. There was one family identified with whole exons deletion, and the carriers were successfully recognized by multiplex PCR. By HRM, the different melting curve patterns were easily identified in 25 out of 28 cases (89% and 15 out of 15 (100% carriers. The sensitivity was 93 % (40/43. The overall mutation detection rate of hemophilia A was 100% in this study. Conclusion We proposed a diagnostic strategy for hemophilia A genetic diagnosis. We consider HRM as a powerful screening tool that would provide us with a more cost-effective protocol for hemophilia A mutation identification.

Strategic Role of HRM in Turkey: A Three-Country Comparative Analysis

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Ozcelik, Ayse Oya; Aydinli, Fulya

2006-01-01

Purpose: To explore the strategic role of human resource management (HRM) in Turkey by comparing Turkish companies to Spanish and German companies. Design/methodology/approach: The questionnaire form of the Cranet-G 1999-2000 Survey (Cranfield Network on Strategic International Human Resource Management) has been used to collect the data. The…

[Application of three heat pulse technique-based methods to determine the stem sap flow].

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Wang, Sheng; Fan, Jun

2015-08-01

It is of critical importance to acquire tree transpiration characters through sap flow methodology to understand tree water physiology, forest ecology and ecosystem water exchange. Tri-probe heat pulse sensors, which are widely utilized in soil thermal parameters and soil evaporation measurement, were applied to implement Salix matsudana sap flow density (Vs) measurements via heat-ratio method (HRM), T-Max method (T-Max) and single-probe heat pulse probe (SHPP) method, and comparative analysis was conducted with additional Grainer's thermal diffusion probes (TDP) measured results. The results showed that, it took about five weeks to reach a stable measurement stage after TPHP installation, Vs measured with three methods in the early stage after installation was 135%-220% higher than Vs in the stable measurement stage, and Vs estimated via HRM, T-Max and SHPP methods were significantly linearly correlated with Vs estimated via TDP method, with R2 of 0.93, 0.73 and 0.91, respectively, and R2 for Vs measured by SHPP and HRM reached 0.94. HRM had relatively higher precision in measuring low rates and reverse sap flow. SHPP method seemed to be very promising to measure sap flow for configuration simplicity and high measuring accuracy, whereas it couldn' t distinguish directions of flow. T-Max method had relatively higher error in sap flow measurement, and it couldn' t measure sap flow below 5 cm3 · cm(-2) · h(-1), thus this method could not be used alone, however it could measure thermal diffusivity for calculating sap flow when other methods were imposed. It was recommended to choose a proper method or a combination of several methods to measure stem sap flow, based on specific research purpose.

Rapid detection of pathological mutations and deletions of the haemoglobin beta gene (HBB) by High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis and Gene Ratio Analysis Copy Enumeration PCR (GRACE-PCR).

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Turner, Andrew; Sasse, Jurgen; Varadi, Aniko

2016-10-19

Inherited disorders of haemoglobin are the world's most common genetic diseases, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The large number of mutations associated with the haemoglobin beta gene (HBB) makes gene scanning by High Resolution Melting (HRM) PCR an attractive diagnostic approach. However, existing HRM-PCR assays are not able to detect all common point mutations and have only a very limited ability to detect larger gene rearrangements. The aim of the current study was to develop a HBB assay, which can be used as a screening test in highly heterogeneous populations, for detection of both point mutations and larger gene rearrangements. The assay is based on a combination of conventional HRM-PCR and a novel Gene Ratio Analysis Copy Enumeration (GRACE) PCR method. HRM-PCR was extensively optimised, which included the use of an unlabelled probe and incorporation of universal bases into primers to prevent interference from common non-pathological polymorphisms. GRACE-PCR was employed to determine HBB gene copy numbers relative to a reference gene using melt curve analysis to detect rearrangements in the HBB gene. The performance of the assay was evaluated by analysing 410 samples. A total of 44 distinct pathological genotypes were detected. In comparison with reference methods, the assay has a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 98 %. We have developed an assay that detects both point mutations and larger rearrangements of the HBB gene. This assay is quick, sensitive, specific and cost effective making it suitable as an initial screening test that can be used for highly heterogeneous cohorts.

Detection of sdhB Gene Mutations in SDHI-Resistant Isolates of Botrytis cinerea Using High Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis.

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Samaras, Anastasios; Madesis, Panagiotis; Karaoglanidis, George S

2016-01-01

Botrytis cinerea , is a high risk pathogen for fungicide resistance development. Pathogen' resistance to SDHIs is associated with several mutations in sdh gene. The diversity of mutations and their differential effect on cross-resistance patterns among SDHIs and the fitness of resistant strains necessitate the availability of a tool for their rapid identification. This study was initiated to develop and validate a high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for the identification of P225H/F/L//T, N230I, and H272L/R/Y mutations. Based on the sequence of sdh B subunit of resistant and sensitive isolates, a universal primer pair was designed. The specificity of the HRM analysis primers was verified to ensure against the cross-reaction with other fungal species and its sensitivity was evaluated using concentrations of known amounts of mutant's DNA. The melting curve analysis generated nine distinct curve profiles, enabling the discrimination of all the four mutations located at codon 225, the N230I mutation, the three mutations located in codon 272, and the non-mutated isolates (isolates of wild-type sensitivity). Similar results were obtained when DNA was extracted directly from artificially inoculated strawberry fruit. The method was validated by monitoring the presence of sdh B mutations in samples of naturally infected strawberry fruits and stone fruit rootstock seedling plants showing damping-off symptoms. HRM analysis data were compared with a standard PIRA-PCR technique and an absolute agreement was observed suggesting that in both populations the H272R mutation was the predominant one, while H272Y, N230I, and P225H were detected in lower frequencies. The results of the study suggest that HRM analysis can be a useful tool for sensate, accurate, and rapid identification of several sdh B mutations in B. cinerea and it is expected to contribute in routine fungicide resistance monitoring or assessments of the effectiveness of anti-resistance strategies implemented in

Detection of sdhB gene mutations in SDHI-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea using high resolution melting (HRM analysis

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Anastasios Samaras

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Botrytis cinerea, is a high-risk pathogen for fungicide resistance development. Pathogen` resistance to SDHIs is associated with several mutations in sdh gene. The diversity of mutations and their differential effect on cross-resistance patterns among SDHIs and the fitness of resistant strains necessitate the availability of a tool for their rapid identification. This study was initiated to develop and validate a high-resolution melting (HRM analysis for the identification of P225H/F/L//T, N230I and H272L/R/Y mutations. Based on the sequence of sdhB subunit of resistant and sensitive isolates, a universal primer pair was designed. The specificity of the HRM analysis primers was verified to ensure against the cross-reaction with other fungal species and its sensitivity was evaluated using concentrations of known amounts of mutant`s DNA. The melting curve analysis generated nine distinct curve profiles, enabling the discrimination of all the 4 mutations located at codon 225, the N230I mutation, the 3 mutations located in codon 272 and the non mutated isolates (isolates of wild type sensitivity. Similar results were obtained when DNA was extracted directly from artificially inoculated strawberry fruit. The method was validated by monitoring the presence of sdhB mutations in samples of naturally infected strawberry fruits and stone fruit rootstock seedling plants showing damping off symptoms. HRM analysis data were compared with a standard PIRA-PCR technique and an absolute agreement was observed suggesting that in both populations the H272R mutation was the predominant one, while H272Y, N230I and P225H were detected in lower frequencies. The results of the study suggest that HRM analysis can be a useful tool for sensate, accurate and rapid identification of several sdhB mutations in B. cinerea and it is expected to contribute in routine fungicide resistance monitoring or assessments of the effectiveness of antiresistance strategies implemented in

PAX1 methylation analysis by MS-HRM is useful in triage of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions.

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Wang, Zhen-Ming

2014-01-01

This study is aimed to investigate the role of paired boxed gene 1 (PAX1) methylation analysis by methylation- sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) in the detection of high grade lesions in atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H) and compared its performance with the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) human papillomavirus (HPV) test. In our study, 130 cases with a diagnosis of ASC-H from the cervical cytological screening by Thinprep cytologic test (TCT) technique were selected for triage. Their cervical scrapings were collected and evaluated by using PAX1 methylation analysis (MS-HRM) and high-risk HPV DNA test (HC2), followed by colposcopy and cervical biopsy. Chi-square test were used to test the differences of PAX1 methylation or HPV infection between groups. In the detection of CIN2+, the sensitivity, specificity, the PPV, NPV and the accuracy of PAX1 MS-HRM assay and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) tests were respectively 80.6% vs 67.7%, 94.9% vs 54.5%, 83.3%, vs 31.8%, 94.0% vs 84.4%, and 91.5% vs 57.7%. The PAX1 MS-HRM assay proved superior to HR-HPV testing in the detection of high grade lesions (CIN2+) in ASC-H. This approach could screen out the majority of high grade lesion cases of ASC-H, and thus could reduce the referral rate to colposcopy.

Development of cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) and high-resolution melting (HRM) markers from the chloroplast genome of Glycyrrhiza species.

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Jo, Ick-Hyun; Sung, Jwakyung; Hong, Chi-Eun; Raveendar, Sebastin; Bang, Kyong-Hwan; Chung, Jong-Wook

2018-05-01

Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ) is an important medicinal crop often used as health foods or medicine worldwide. The molecular genetics of licorice is under scarce owing to lack of molecular markers. Here, we have developed cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) and high-resolution melting (HRM) markers based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) by comparing the chloroplast genomes of two Glycyrrhiza species ( G. glabra and G. lepidota ). The CAPS and HRM markers were tested for diversity analysis with 24 Glycyrrhiza accessions. The restriction profiles generated with CAPS markers classified the accessions (2-4 genotypes) and melting curves (2-3) were obtained from the HRM markers. The number of alleles and major allele frequency were 2-6 and 0.31-0.92, respectively. The genetic distance and polymorphism information content values were 0.16-0.76 and 0.15-0.72, respectively. The phylogenetic relationships among the 24 accessions were estimated using a dendrogram, which classified them into four clades. Except clade III, the remaining three clades included the same species, confirming interspecies genetic correlation. These 18 CAPS and HRM markers might be helpful for genetic diversity assessment and rapid identification of licorice species.

Understanding the Indigenous Chinese Concept of Suzhi (素质) from an HRM Perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Greg; Lamond, David; Worm, Verner

2014-01-01

and multidimensional frameworks, suzhi criteria may form different gestalts in different organizations and industries. Research limitations/implications - From a sociocultural and historical perspective, HRM research that incorporates a combination of indigenous and indigenized suzhi characteristics may receive better...

Which HRM practices enhance employee outcomes at work across the life-span?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veth, Klaske; Korzilius, Hubert P.L.M.; van der Heijden, Beatrice I.J.M.; Emans, Ben; de Lange, Annet H.

Based on the social exchange theory and on ageing and life-span theories, this paper aims to examine: (1) the relationships between perceived availability and use of HRM practices, and employee outcomes (i.e. work engagement and employability); and (2) how employee age moderates these relationships.

Which HRM practices enhance employee outcomes at work across the life-span?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veth, K.N.; Korzilius, H.P.L.M.; Heijden, B.I.J.M. van der; Lange, A.H. de; Emans, B.J.M.

2017-01-01

Based on the social exchange theory and on ageing and life-span theories, this paper aims to examine: (1) the relationships between perceived availability and use of HRM practices, and employee outcomes (i.e. work engagement and employability); and (2) how employee age moderates these relationships.

Personeelsmanagement in China: een snelle transformatie van staatsgereguleerde personeelszorg naar modern HRM?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, S.J.; Looise, Jan C.; Plomp, D.

2003-01-01

Personnel management in China: a rapid transformation from government controlled personnel care to modern HRM?China is one of few countries in the world that has been maintaining high economic growth rates even in current times economic decline. This has not gone unnoticed to Dutch business, whose

Rapid and inexpensive body fluid identification by RNA profiling-based multiplex High Resolution Melt (HRM analysis [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/2hj

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Erin K. Hanson

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Positive identification of the nature of biological material present on evidentiary items can be crucial for understanding the circumstances surrounding a crime. However, traditional protein-based methods do not permit the identification of all body fluids and tissues, and thus molecular based strategies for the conclusive identification of all forensically relevant biological fluids and tissues need to be developed. Messenger RNA (mRNA profiling is an example of such a molecular-based approach. Current mRNA body fluid identification assays involve capillary electrophoresis (CE or quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR platforms, each with its own limitations. Both platforms require the use of expensive fluorescently labeled primers or probes. CE-based assays require separate amplification and detection steps thus increasing the analysis time. For qRT-PCR assays, only 3-4 markers can be included in a single reaction since each requires a different fluorescent dye. To simplify mRNA profiling assays, and reduce the time and cost of analysis, we have developed single- and multiplex body fluid High Resolution Melt (HRM assays for the identification of common forensically relevant biological fluids and tissues. The incorporated biomarkers include IL19 (vaginal secretions, IL1F7 (skin, ALAS2 (blood, MMP10 (menstrual blood, HTN3 (saliva and TGM4 (semen.  The HRM assays require only unlabeled PCR primers and a single saturating intercalating fluorescent dye (Eva Green. Each body-fluid-specific marker can easily be identified by the presence of a distinct melt peak. Usually, HRM assays are used to detect variants or isoforms for a single gene target. However, we have uniquely developed duplex and triplex HRM assays to permit the simultaneous detection of multiple targets per reaction. Here we describe the development and initial performance evaluation of the developed HRM assays. The results demonstrate the potential use of HRM assays for rapid, and relatively

HRM, POWER and possible spaces of becoming human

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bramming, Pia

2003-01-01

What has power to do with Human Resource Management (HRM)? Perusing HRMtextbooksone will find, that power as a concept, only seldom is approached explicitly.When the subject of power is addressed directly, it is primarily as a question ofbargaining power between organisation and labour market...... institutions, the power of aleader or person in terms of the right to execute punishment and the duty to obedienceor empowerment, as a countermove to the effects of bureaucratic workplace routines`... where initiative is stifled and workers become alienated'1. Indirectly one canidentify power as interesting...... through technologies of theself....

Strategic HR? A Study of the Perceived Role of HRM Departments in Brazil and Peru

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Roberto Coda

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This study discusses the perceived role of the Human Resource Management Department and its perceived capacity of outstanding performance by comparing data collected in Brazil and Peru from employees of large organizations as well as participants in MBA programs at renowned schools. The non-probabilistic sample was composed of 416 Brazilian and 90 Peruvian respondents. The results point out that both in Brazil and Peru, the relevance attached to the HRM Department role for contributing to the future success of organizations does not correspond to its current capacity of performance. As such, in these realities the HRM Department has not yet made the qualitative leap that would enable its strategic role in organizations.

Identificação de SNPs para conteúdo de ácidos graxos em soja pela técnica HRM

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Maria Fernanda Antunes da Cruz

2013-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar SNPs em genes associados ao conteúdo de ácidos graxos em soja e implementar a metodologia "high resolution melting" (HRM para genotipagem desses SNPs. Os iniciadores HRM foram desenhados para discriminar os alelos SNPs em duas populações de mapeamento (RILs e F2 e seguiram o padrão esperado de segregação. Os SNPs do gene ABI associaram-se significativamente ao conteúdo de ácido esteárico (R² = 12,14, e os do gene FAD3B, aos conteúdos de ácido oleico (R² = 14,69 e linolênico (R² = 10,62. A técnica de genotipagem dos SNPs por HRM é eficiente na discriminação das classes genotípicas.

HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes in health care organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeeren, Brenda; Steijn, Bram; Tummers, Lars; Lankhaar, Marcel; Poerstamper, Robbert-Jan; van Beek, Sandra

2014-06-17

One of the main goals of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to increase the performance of organizations. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the multidimensional character of performance and linked HR practices to various outcome dimensions. This study therefore adds to the literature by relating HR practices to three outcome dimensions: financial, organizational and employee (HR) outcomes. Furthermore, we will analyze how HR practices influence these outcome dimensions, focusing on the mediating role of job satisfaction. This study uses a unique dataset, based on the 'ActiZ Benchmark in Healthcare', a benchmark study conducted in Dutch home care, nursing care and care homes. Data from autumn 2010 to autumn 2011 were analyzed. In total, 162 organizations participated during this period (approximately 35% of all Dutch care organizations). Employee data were collected using a questionnaire (61,061 individuals, response rate 42%). Clients were surveyed using the Client Quality Index for long-term care, via stratified sampling. Financial outcomes were collected using annual reports. SEM analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. It was found that HR practices are - directly or indirectly - linked to all three outcomes. The use of HR practices is related to improved financial outcomes (measure: net margin), organizational outcomes (measure: client satisfaction) and HR outcomes (measure: sickness absence). The impact of HR practices on HR outcomes and organizational outcomes proved substantially larger than their impact on financial outcomes. Furthermore, with respect to HR and organizational outcomes, the hypotheses concerning the full mediating effect of job satisfaction are confirmed. This is in line with the view that employee attitudes are an important element in the 'black box' between HRM and performance. The results underscore the importance of HRM in the health care sector, especially for HR and organizational outcomes. Further analyses of HRM

First report of Tasmanian sheep strain (G2) genotype isolated from Iranian goat using the high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

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Hosseini-Safa, Ahmad; Mohag Hegh, Mohammad Ali; Pestechian, Nader; Ganji, Maryam; Mohammadi, Rasoul; Mahmoudi Lamouki, Reza; Rostami-Nejad, Mohammad

2016-12-01

The present study was aimed to evaluate E. granulosus genotypes isolated from goats using HRM analysis in Isfahan province. Cystic echincoccosis, so-called hydatidosis, is widespread infection caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus . This is an important zoonotic disease worldwide, especially in the developing countries such as Iran. To date, molecular studies mainly based on the mitochondrial DNA sequences have identified distinct genotypes termed G1-G10 which can differ in some characteristics such as the growth and infectivity to different intermediate hosts or the survival rate in the definitive hosts that are important for the development of control strategies. From August to December 2014, 1341 goats were investigated and hydatid cysts were collected from the liver and lungs of 43 infected goats in Isfahan province abattoirs, Isfahan, Iran. Total genomic DNA was extracted from each sample, amplified for the presence of polymorphism of mitochondrial gene coding for cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), using high resolution melting curve (HRM) method. the results of HRM analysis using the sequence of CO1 gene for 43 Echinococcus granulosus isolates from goats showed 31, 2 and 10 isolates were identified as G1, G2, and G3 genotypes, respectively. G1 is the predominant genotype in the isolated goat samples in Isfahan province, and the presence of G2 strain was reported for the first time in goat in Iran.

Detection of Dirofilaria immitis and other arthropod-borne filarioids by an HRM real-time qPCR, blood-concentrating techniques and a serological assay in dogs from Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas, Alicia; Rojas, Diana; Montenegro, Víctor M; Baneth, Gad

2015-03-23

Canine filarioids are important nematodes transmitted to dogs by arthropods. Diagnosis of canine filariosis is accomplished by the microscopic identification of microfilariae, serology or PCR for filarial-DNA. The aim of this study was to evaluate a molecular assay for the detection of canine filariae in dog blood, to compare its performance to other diagnostic techniques, and to determine the relationship between microfilarial concentration and infection with other vector-borne pathogens. Blood samples from 146 dogs from Costa Rica were subjected to the detection of canine filarioids by four different methods: the microhematocrit tube test (MCT), Knott's modified test, serology and a high resolution melt and quantitative real-time PCR (HRM-qPCR). Co-infection with other vector-borne pathogens was also evaluated. Fifteen percent of the dogs were positive to Dirofilaria immitis by at least one of the methods. The HRM-qPCR produced distinctive melting plots for the different filarial worms and revealed that 11.6% of dogs were infected with Acanthocheilonema reconditum. The latter assay had a limit of detection of 2.4x10⁻⁴ mf/μl and detected infections with lower microfilarial concentrations in comparison to the microscopic techniques and the serological assay. The MCT and Knott's test only detected dogs with D. immitis microfilaremias above 0.7 mf/μl. Nevertheless, there was a strong correlation between the microfilarial concentration obtained by the Knott's modified test and the HRM-qPCR (r = 0.906, p HRM-qPCR showed the most sensitive and reliable performance in the detection of blood filaroids in comparison to the Knott's modified test, the MCT test and a serological assay.

HRM Practices in Public and Private Universities of Pakistan: A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Muhammad Zafar; Arif, Muhammad Irfan; Abbas, Furrakh

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the HRM practices of public and private universities in Punjab province of Pakistan. The data for the study was collected through a questionnaire comprising 30 items mainly related to job definition, training and development, compensation, team work, employee's participation and performance appraisal. The…

Value of PAX1 Methylation Analysis by MS-HRM in the Triage of Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shi-Rong; Wang, Zhen-Ming; Wang, Yu-Hui; Wang, Xi-Bo; Zhao, Jian-Qiang; Xue, Hai-Bin; Jiang, Fu-Guo

2015-01-01

Detection of cervical high grade lesions in patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) is still a challenge. Our study tested the efficacy of the paired boxed gene 1 (PAX1) methylation analysis by methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) in the detection of high grade lesions in ASCUS and compared performance with the hybrid capture 2 (HC2) human papillomavirus (HPV) test. A total of 463 consecutive ASCUS women from primary screening were selected. Their cervical scrapings were collected and assessed by PAX1 methylation analysis (MS-HRM) and high-risk HPV-DNA test (HC2). All patients with ASCUS were admitted to colposcopy and cervical biopsies. The Chi- square test was used to test the differences of PAX1 methylation or HPV infection between groups. The specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy for detecting CIN2 + lesions were: 95.6%, 82.4%, and 94.6%, respectively, for the PAX1 MS-HRM test; and 59.7%, 64.7%, and 60.0% for the HC2 HPV test. The PAX1 methylation analysis by MS-HRM demonstrated a better performance than the high-risk HPV-DNA test for the detection of high grade lesions (CIN2 +) in ASCUS cases. This approach could screen out the majority of low grade cases of ASCUS, and thus reduce the referral rate to colposcopy.

Genome Survey Sequencing of Luffa Cylindrica L. and Microsatellite High Resolution Melting (SSR-HRM) Analysis for Genetic Relationship of Luffa Genotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Jianyu; Yin, Mengqi; Zhang, Qin; Gong, Dongting; Jia, Xiaowen; Guan, Yajing; Hu, Jin

2017-09-11

Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. is an economically important vegetable crop in China. However, the genomic information on this species is currently unknown. In this study, for the first time, a genome survey of L. cylindrica was carried out using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. In total, 43.40 Gb sequence data of L. cylindrica , about 54.94× coverage of the estimated genome size of 789.97 Mb, were obtained from HiSeq 2500 sequencing, in which the guanine plus cytosine (GC) content was calculated to be 37.90%. The heterozygosity of genome sequences was only 0.24%. In total, 1,913,731 contigs (>200 bp) with 525 bp N 50 length and 1,410,117 scaffolds (>200 bp) with 885.01 Mb total length were obtained. From the initial assembled L. cylindrica genome, 431,234 microsatellites (SSRs) (≥5 repeats) were identified. The motif types of SSR repeats included 62.88% di-nucleotide, 31.03% tri-nucleotide, 4.59% tetra-nucleotide, 0.96% penta-nucleotide and 0.54% hexa-nucleotide. Eighty genomic SSR markers were developed, and 51/80 primers could be used in both "Zheda 23" and "Zheda 83". Nineteen SSRs were used to investigate the genetic diversity among 32 accessions through SSR-HRM analysis. The unweighted pair group method analysis (UPGMA) dendrogram tree was built by calculating the SSR-HRM raw data. SSR-HRM could be effectively used for genotype relationship analysis of Luffa species.

Detection of plant oil DNA using high resolution melting (HRM) post PCR analysis: a tool for disclosure of olive oil adulteration.

Science.gov (United States)

Vietina, Michelangelo; Agrimonti, Caterina; Marmiroli, Nelson

2013-12-15

Extra virgin olive oil is frequently subjected to adulterations with addition of oils obtained from plants other than olive. DNA analysis is a fast and economic tool to identify plant components in oils. Extraction and amplification of DNA by PCR was tested in olives, in milled seeds and in oils, to investigate its use in olive oil traceability. DNA was extracted from different oils made of hazelnut, maize, sunflower, peanut, sesame, soybean, rice and pumpkin. Comparing the DNA melting profiles in reference plant materials and in the oils, it was possible to identify any plant components in oils and mixtures of oils. Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) platform has been added of the new methodology of high resolution melting (HRM), both were used to analyse olive oils mixed with different percentage of other oils. Results showed HRM a cost effective method for efficient detection of adulterations in olive oils. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes in health care organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

B. Vermeeren (Brenda); A.J. Steijn (Bram); L.G. Tummers (Lars); M. Lankhaar (Marcel); R.-J. Poerstamper (Robbert-Jan); S. van Beek (Sandra)

2014-01-01

markdownabstractBackground: One of the main goals of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to increase the performance of organizations. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the multidimensional character of performance and linked HR practices to various outcome dimensions. This study

Taxonomic Identification of Mediterranean Pines and Their Hybrids Based on the High Resolution Melting (HRM) and trnL Approaches: From Cytoplasmic Inheritance to Timber Tracing

Science.gov (United States)

Ganopoulos, Ioannis; Aravanopoulos, Filippos; Madesis, Panagiotis; Pasentsis, Konstantinos; Bosmali, Irene; Ouzounis, Christos; Tsaftaris, Athanasios

2013-01-01

Fast and accurate detection of plant species and their hybrids using molecular tools will facilitate the assessment and monitoring of local biodiversity in an era of climate and environmental change. Herein, we evaluate the utility of the plastid trnL marker for species identification applied to Mediterranean pines (Pinus spp.). Our results indicate that trnL is a very sensitive marker for delimiting species biodiversity. Furthermore, High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis was exploited as a molecular fingerprint for fast and accurate discrimination of Pinus spp. DNA sequence variants. The trnL approach and the HRM analyses were extended to wood samples of two species (Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris) with excellent results, congruent to those obtained using leaf tissue. Both analyses demonstrate that hybrids from the P. brutia (maternal parent) × P. halepensis (paternal parent) cross, exhibit the P. halepensis profile, confirming paternal plastid inheritance in Group Halepensis pines. Our study indicates that a single one-step reaction method and DNA marker are sufficient for the identification of Mediterranean pines, their hybrids and the origin of pine wood. Furthermore, our results underline the potential for certain DNA regions to be used as novel biological information markers combined with existing morphological characters and suggest a relatively reliable and open taxonomic system that can link DNA variation to phenotype-based species or hybrid assignment status and direct taxa identification from recalcitrant tissues such as wood samples. PMID:23577179

Leadership, knowledge and people in knowledge-intensive organisations : implications for HRM theory and practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Millar-Schijf, Carla C.J.M.; Chen, Stephen; Waller, Lee

2017-01-01

In order to offer insights into the management of HR challenges in Knowledge Intensive Firms/Organisations (KIO’s), this Special Issue explores three strands of research: International HRM, leadership and the knowledge-intensive firm/organisation. In this introduction against the background of

HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes in health care organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeeren, B.; Steijn, A.J.; Tummers, L.G.; Lankhaar, M.; Poerstamper, R.J.; van Beek, S.

2014-01-01

Background One of the main goals of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to increase the performance of organizations. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the multidimensional character of performance and linked HR practices to various outcome dimensions. This study therefore adds to the

Ribo HRM--detection of inter- and intra-species polymorphisms within ribosomal DNA by high resolution melting analysis supported by application of artificial allelic standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Masny, Aleksander; Jagiełło, Agata; Płucienniczak, Grażyna; Golab, Elzbieta

2012-09-01

Ribo HRM, a single-tube PCR and high resolution melting (HRM) assay for detection of polymorphisms in the large subunit ribosomal DNA expansion segment V, was developed on a Trichinella model. Four Trichinella species: T. spiralis (isolates ISS3 and ISS160), T. nativa (isolates ISS10 and ISS70), T. britovi (isolates ISS2 and ISS392) and T. pseudospiralis (isolates ISS13 and ISS1348) were genotyped. Cloned allelic variants of the expansion segment V were used as standards to prepare reference HRM curves characteristic for single sequences and mixtures of several cloned sequences imitating allelic composition detected in Trichinella isolates. Using the primer pair Tsr1 and Trich1bi, it was possible to amplify a fragment of the ESV and detect PCR products obtained from the genomic DNA of pools of larvae belonging to the four investigated species: T. pseudospiralis, T. spiralis, T. britovi and T. nativa, in a single tube Real-Time PCR reaction. Differences in the shape of the HRM curves of Trichinella isolates suggested the presence of differences between examined isolates of T. nativa, T. britovi and T. pseudospiralis species. No differences were observed between T. spiralis isolates. The presence of polymorphisms within the amplified ESV sequence fragment of T. nativa T. britovi and T. pseudospiralis was confirmed by sequencing of the cloned PCR products. Novel sequences were discovered and deposited in GenBank (GenBank IDs: JN971020-JN971027, JN120902.1, JN120903.1, JN120904.1, JN120906.1, JN120905.1). Screening the ESV region of Trichinella for polymorphism is possible using the genotyping assay Ribo HRM at the current state of its development. The Ribo HRM assay could be useful in phylogenetic studies of the Trichinella genus. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of HRM Practices on Organizational Commitment: A Study among Software Professionals in India

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, A. K.; Anantharaman, R. N.

2004-01-01

Although organizational commitment has been discussed frequently in organizational psychology for almost four decades, few studies have involved software professionals. A study in India reveals that HRM practices such as employee-friendly work environment, career development, development oriented appraisal, and comprehensive training show a…

Development of COS-SNP and HRM markers for high-throughput and reliable haplotype-based detection of Lr14a in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.).

Science.gov (United States)

Terracciano, Irma; Maccaferri, Marco; Bassi, Filippo; Mantovani, Paola; Sanguineti, Maria C; Salvi, Silvio; Simková, Hana; Doležel, Jaroslav; Massi, Andrea; Ammar, Karim; Kolmer, James; Tuberosa, Roberto

2013-04-01

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks. & Henn.) is a major disease affecting durum wheat production. The Lr14a-resistant gene present in the durum wheat cv. Creso and its derivative cv. Colosseo is one of the best characterized leaf-rust resistance sources deployed in durum wheat breeding. Lr14a has been mapped close to the simple sequence repeat markers gwm146, gwm344 and wmc10 in the distal portion of the chromosome arm 7BL, a gene-dense region. The objectives of this study were: (1) to enrich the Lr14a region with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and high-resolution melting (HRM)-based markers developed from conserved ortholog set (COS) genes and from sequenced Diversity Array Technology (DArT(®)) markers; (2) to further investigate the gene content and colinearity of this region with the Brachypodium and rice genomes. Ten new COS-SNP and five HRM markers were mapped within an 8.0 cM interval spanning Lr14a. Two HRM markers pinpointed the locus in an interval of HRM designed for agarose gel electrophoresis/KASPar(®) assays and high-resolution melting analysis, respectively, as well as the double-marker combinations ubw14/ubw18, ubw14/ubw35 and wPt-4038-HRM-ubw35 will be useful for germplasm haplotyping and for molecular-assisted breeding.

Devolving HRM and HRD to Line managers: The Case of Hilton International's UK Hotels

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, Gillian; Watson, Sandra

2004-01-01

This paper explores line manager responsibility for human resource management (HRM) and human resource development (HRD) in an international hotel organisation. The results identify a strong support system for line managers in relation to training and good relations with HR specialists. However, less evident is senior management support coupled…

When health care workers perceive high-commitment HRM will they be motivated to continue working in health care? It may depend on their supervisor and intrinsic motivation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

drs Limke Schopman; dr Corine Boon; dr Karianne Kalshoven

2015-01-01

In this health care field study, we examined the link between human resource management (HRM), transformational leadership, intrinsic motivation and motivation to continue to work. Based on the social exchange theory, we proposed a mediation model linking HRM to motivation to continue to work in

When health care workers perceive high-commitment HRM will they be motivated to continue working in health care? It may depend on their supervisor and intrinsic motivation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schopman, L.M.; Kalshoven, K.; Boon, C.

2017-01-01

In this health care field study, we examined the link between human resource management (HRM), transformational leadership, intrinsic motivation and motivation to continue to work. Based on the social exchange theory, we proposed a mediation model linking HRM to motivation to continue to work in

Employee Perceptions of HRM and TQM and the Effects on Satisfaction and INtention to Leave

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.P.P.E.F. Boselie (Paul); A. van der Wiele (Ton)

2001-01-01

textabstractThere is a growing interest in theory and in practice with regard to the relationship between human resource management [HRM] and total quality management [TQM] as well as the relationship between these two perspectives and business performances. Empirical research suggests significant

Quantifying esophagogastric junction contractility with a novel HRM topographic metric, the EGJ-Contractile Integral: normative values and preliminary evaluation in PPI non-responders.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicodème, F; Pipa-Muniz, M; Khanna, K; Kahrilas, P J; Pandolfino, J E

2014-03-01

Despite its obvious pathophysiological relevance, the clinical utility of measures of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) contractility is unsubstantiated. High-resolution manometry (HRM) may improve upon this with its inherent ability to integrate the magnitude of contractility over time and length of the EGJ. This study aimed to develop a novel HRM metric summarizing EGJ contractility and test its ability distinguish among subgroups of proton pump inhibitor non-responders (PPI-NRs). 75 normal controls and 88 PPI-NRs were studied. All underwent HRM. PPI-NRs underwent pH-impedance monitoring on PPI therapy scored in terms of acid exposure, number of reflux events, and reflux-symptom correlation and grouped as meeting all criteria, some criteria, or no criteria of abnormality. Control HRM studies were used to establish normal values for candidate EGJ contractility metrics, which were then compared in their ability to differentiate among PPI-NR subgroups. The EGJ contractile integral (EGJ-CI), a metric integrating contractility across the EGJ for three respiratory cycles, best distinguished the All Criteria PPI-NR subgroup from controls and other PPI-NR subgroups. Normal values (median, [IQR]) for this measure were 39 mmHg-cm [25-55 mmHg-cm]. The correlation between the EGJ-CI and a previously proposed metric, the lower esophageal sphincter-pressure integral, that used a fixed 10 s time frame and an atmospheric as opposed to gastric pressure reference was weak. Among HRM metrics tested, the EGJ-CI was best in distinguishing PPI-NRs meeting all criteria of abnormality on pH-impedance testing. Future prospective studies are required to explore its utility in management of broader groups of gastroesophageal reflux disease patients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Inclusive HRM and employment security for disabled people: An interdisciplinary approach

OpenAIRE

Borghouts - van de Pas, Irmgard; Freese, Charissa

2017-01-01

Many countries struggle with non-participation of vulnerable groups. Countries give priority to Active Labour Market Policies (ALMP) to help unemployed and disabled people get back to work, preferably in regular employment. In recent years, some innovative policies have tried to involve employers. There seems to be a paradox between desired social policy outcomes, such as getting people out of social security into regular jobs, and preferred Strategic HRM outcomes, such as being a highly prod...

Metabolic pathways of lung inflammation revealed by high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) of H1N1 influenza virus infection in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandler, Joshua D; Hu, Xin; Ko, Eun-Ju; Park, Soojin; Lee, Young-Tae; Orr, Michael; Fernandes, Jolyn; Uppal, Karan; Kang, Sang-Moo; Jones, Dean P; Go, Young-Mi

2016-11-01

Influenza is a significant health concern worldwide. Viral infection induces local and systemic activation of the immune system causing attendant changes in metabolism. High-resolution metabolomics (HRM) uses advanced mass spectrometry and computational methods to measure thousands of metabolites inclusive of most metabolic pathways. We used HRM to identify metabolic pathways and clusters of association related to inflammatory cytokines in lungs of mice with H1N1 influenza virus infection. Infected mice showed progressive weight loss, decreased lung function, and severe lung inflammation with elevated cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ] and increased oxidative stress via cysteine oxidation. HRM showed prominent effects of influenza virus infection on tryptophan and other amino acids, and widespread effects on pathways including purines, pyrimidines, fatty acids, and glycerophospholipids. A metabolome-wide association study (MWAS) of the aforementioned inflammatory cytokines was used to determine the relationship of metabolic responses to inflammation during infection. This cytokine-MWAS (cMWAS) showed that metabolic associations consisted of distinct and shared clusters of 396 metabolites highly correlated with inflammatory cytokines. Strong negative associations of selected glycosphingolipid, linoleate, and tryptophan metabolites with IFN-γ contrasted strong positive associations of glycosphingolipid and bile acid metabolites with IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-10. Anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 had strong positive associations with vitamin D, purine, and vitamin E metabolism. The detailed metabolic interactions with cytokines indicate that targeted metabolic interventions may be useful during life-threatening crises related to severe acute infection and inflammation. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

HRM and strategic climates in hospitals: does the message come accross at the ward level?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veld, M.; Paauwe, J.; Boselie, J.P.P.E.F.

2010-01-01

This study examined how employees perceive intended strategic goals and HRM at the ward level, and if these perceptions generate the desired effects. The qualitative part of the research reveals that the hospital pursues two strategic goals (i.e. quality and safety). Analysis of the questionnaire

Linking HRM Practices and Institutional Setting to Collective Turnover: An Empirical Exploration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dirk Van Dierendonck

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The present study addresses the relationship between human resources management (HRM practices and employee turnover by taking into account the influence of socioeconomic environment. Data was collected at company level with an international sample of 830 companies from 12 countries (Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, Brazil, Switzerland, China, France, Italy, Poland, Germany, South Africa, and Spain. A division into four bundles of human resources (HR practices is introduced: remunerative, communication, developmental, and well-being practices. The influence of the socioeconomic environment was factored in by including the institutional setting in terms of the level of coordination as a country-level variable. The results showed that collective turnover is related to both a country’s institutional determinants and to company HR practices. Remunerative HR practices may have a negative influence in terms of enhancing turnover, particularly within countries high in coordination. HR well-being practices are the most beneficial practices in terms of reducing employee turnover. Our study adds to our knowledge on the relation between HR practices and turnover from an international perspective. It complements the empirical knowledge on the effectiveness of HRM practices in a cross-national setting and supports the notion that the institutional context should be given more attention when studying HR effectiveness.

How leader-member exchange, work engagement and HRM consistency explain Chinese luxury hotel employees’ job performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, X.; Sanders, Karin; Frenkel, S.

2012-01-01

This paper provides insights into the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and employee job performance. An integrative model that includes work engagement and human resource management (HRM) consistency, defined as the extent to which various HR practices are viewed as consistent with

The influence of DNA degradation in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue on locus-specific methylation assessment by MS-HRM.

Science.gov (United States)

Daugaard, Iben; Kjeldsen, Tina E; Hager, Henrik; Hansen, Lise Lotte; Wojdacz, Tomasz K

2015-12-01

Readily accessible formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues are a highly valuable source of genetic material for molecular analyses in both research and in vitro diagnostics but frequently genetic material in those samples is highly degraded. With locus-specific methylation changes being widely investigated for use as biomarkers in various aspects of clinical disease management, we aimed to evaluate to what extent standard laboratory procedures can approximate the quality of the DNA extracted from FFPE samples prior to methylation analyses. DNA quality in 107 FFPE non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples was evaluated using spectrophotometry and gel electrophoresis. Subsequently, the quality assessment results were correlated with the results of locus specific methylation assessment with methylation sensitive high resolution melting (MS-HRM). The correlation of template quality with PCR amplification performance and HRM based methylation detection indicated a significant influence of DNA quality on PCR amplification but not on methylation assessment. In conclusion, standard laboratory procedures fairly well approximate DNA degradation of FFPE samples and DNA degradation does not seem to considerably affect locus-specific methylation assessment by MS-HRM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A high-resolution melting (HRM) assay for the differentiation between Israeli field and Neethling vaccine lumpy skin disease viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Menasherow, Sophia; Erster, Oran; Rubinstein-Giuni, Marisol; Kovtunenko, Anita; Eyngor, Evgeny; Gelman, Boris; Khinich, Evgeny; Stram, Yehuda

2016-06-01

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a constant threat to the Middle East including the State of Israel. During vaccination programs it is essential for veterinary services and farmers to be able to distinguish between animals affected by the cattle-borne virulent viruses and vaccinated animals, subsequently affected by the vaccine strain. This study describes an improved high resolution-melting (HRM) test that exploits a 27 base pair (bp) fragment of the LSDV126 extracellular enveloped virion (EEV) gene that is present in field viruses but is absent from the Neethling vaccine strain. This difference leads to ∼0.5 °C melting point change in the HRM assay, when testing the quantitative PCR (qPCR) products generated from the virulent field viruses compared to the attenuated vaccine. By exploiting this difference, it could be shown using the newly developed HRM assay that virus isolated from vaccinated cattle that developed disease symptoms behave similarly to vaccine virus control, indicating that the vaccine virus can induce disease symptoms. This assay is not only in full agreement with the previously published PCR gradient and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) tests but it is faster with, fewer steps, cheaper and dependable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In the eyes of Janus : The intellectual structure of HRM-performance debate and its future prospects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaše, R.; Paauwe, J.; Batistič, S.

2014-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer a perspective on the future of the human resource management (HRM)-performance debate and its prospects for interaction with practice by evaluating the debate's intellectual structure. Design/methodology/approach With co-citation analysis the paper

Employee commitment in MNCs: impacts of organizational culture, HRM and top management orientations

OpenAIRE

Taylor, Sully; Levy, Orly; Beechler, Schon; Boyacıgiller, Nakiye Avdan; Boyacigiller, Nakiye Avdan

2006-01-01

This paper examines the impact of organizational culture and HRM system on employee commitment of core employees in multinational companies (MNCs). In addition, it identifies two top management team orientations global orientation and geocentric orientation that are seen as contributing uniquely to employee commitment in international firms. We found strong overall support for the model. The results also suggest that High Performance Work Practices have a positive impact on commitment r...

Age-related differences in the relations between individualised HRM and organisational performance: a large-scale employer survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bal, P.M.; Dorenbosch, L.

2015-01-01

The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between individualised HRM practices and several measures of organisational performance, including the moderating role of employee age in these relationships. A large-scale representative study among 4,591 organisations in the Netherlands

High resolution melting analysis: a rapid and accurate method to detect CALR mutations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Bilbao-Sieyro

Full Text Available The recent discovery of CALR mutations in essential thrombocythemia (ET and primary myelofibrosis (PMF patients without JAK2/MPL mutations has emerged as a relevant finding for the molecular diagnosis of these myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN. We tested the feasibility of high-resolution melting (HRM as a screening method for rapid detection of CALR mutations.CALR was studied in wild-type JAK2/MPL patients including 34 ET, 21 persistent thrombocytosis suggestive of MPN and 98 suspected secondary thrombocytosis. CALR mutation analysis was performed through HRM and Sanger sequencing. We compared clinical features of CALR-mutated versus 45 JAK2/MPL-mutated subjects in ET.Nineteen samples showed distinct HRM patterns from wild-type. Of them, 18 were mutations and one a polymorphism as confirmed by direct sequencing. CALR mutations were present in 44% of ET (15/34, 14% of persistent thrombocytosis suggestive of MPN (3/21 and none of the secondary thrombocytosis (0/98. Of the 18 mutants, 9 were 52 bp deletions, 8 were 5 bp insertions and other was a complex mutation with insertion/deletion. No mutations were found after sequencing analysis of 45 samples displaying wild-type HRM curves. HRM technique was reproducible, no false positive or negative were detected and the limit of detection was of 3%.This study establishes a sensitive, reliable and rapid HRM method to screen for the presence of CALR mutations.

Ability of High-Resolution Manometry to Determine Feeding Method and to Predict Aspiration Pneumonia in Patients With Dysphagia.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Chul-Hyun; Lee, Yong-Taek; Yi, Youbin; Lee, Jung-Sang; Park, Jung Ho; Yoon, Kyung Jae

2017-07-01

The introduction of high-resolution manometry (HRM) offered an improved method to objectively analyze the status of pharynx and esophagus. At present, HRM for patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia has been poorly studied. We aimed to determine feeding method and predict the development of aspiration pneumonia in patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia using HRM. We recruited 120 patients with dysphagia who underwent both HRM and videofluoroscopic swallow study. HRM was used to estimate pressure events from velopharynx (VP) to upper esophageal sphincter (UES). Feeding methods were determined to non-oral or oral feeding according to dysphagia severity. We prospectively followed patients to assess the development of aspiration pneumonia. VP maximal pressure and UES relaxation duration were independently associated with non-oral feeding. Non-oral feeding was determined based on optimal cutoff value of 105.0 mm Hg for VP maximal pressure (95.0% sensitivity and 70.0% specificity) and 0.45 s for UES relaxation duration (76.3% sensitivity and 57.5% specificity), respectively. During a mean follow-up of 18.8 months, 15.8% of patients developed aspiration pneumonia. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, VP maximal pressure (Pdysphagia.

Work-life Balance Practices Among Irish Hotel Employees and Implications for HRM

OpenAIRE

Farrell, Kathleen

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to examine work-life balance in the Irish hotel sector from an employee perspective with implications for HRM. This particular article presents part of a larger study on work flexibility and work-family balance (Farrell, 2012). The study included a survey of managers and employees. Two-hundred and forty-six questionnaires from employees were returned which was a 22% response rate from the original sample group. The research data show that company benefits were not ...

Human Value Management : The influence of contemporary developments of corporate social responsibility and social capital on HRM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoemaker, M.; Nijhof, A.H.J.; Jonker, J.

2006-01-01

In both practice-oriented and academic discourses the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human resource management (HRM) are often treated separately. It is argued here that this is an outdated approach. Starting from the observation that organisations develop towards open

PENGEMBANGAN SISTEM HRM TERINTEGRASI DENGAN PENDEKATAN ERP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine Regilia Suwu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Human Resources Management merupakan salah satu instrumen yang penting bagi perusahaan dalam pencapaian tujuannya. Penggunaan sistem informasi yang terintegrasi merupakan salah satu unsur penting untuk mengelola bisnis proses dalam manajemen perusahaan. ERP merupakan sistem informasi terintegrasi yang dimaksud dalam upaya peningkatan kualitas perusahaan. Khususnya untuk perusahaan distributor, pengelolaan proses bisnis secara konvensional dapat berpengaruh pada kualitas performa dari perusahaan itu sendiri. Berfokus pada HRM perusahaan distributor, penelitian membahas mengenai implementasi bisnis proses human resource management menggunakan software ERP yaitu Odoo. Penelitian dilakukan dengan menganalisa bisnis proses yang ada kemudian merancang sistem usulan yang terintegrasi lalu diimplementasikan ke dalam Odoo. Pemodelan sistem dirancang untuk mengoptimalkan pengelolaan data yang masih diproses secara konvensional. Optimalisasi dalam setiap proses bisnis meningkatkan kualitas keamanan dengan adanya pengaturan hak akses user dan keakuratan data yang didapat dengan transaksi data yang real time, serta efisiensi waktu yaitu memperkecil durasi waktu yang diperlukan untuk pencatatan dan penyimpanan dokumen dibanding secara manual. Kata Kunci: Sistem Informasi, Human Resources Management, ERP, Bussines Process Management

Using qualitative repertory grid interviews to gather shared perspectives in a sequential mixed methods research design

OpenAIRE

Rojon, C; Saunders, M.N.K.; McDowall, Almuth

2016-01-01

In this chapter, we consider a specific example of applying mixed methods designs combining both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis approaches, giving particular attention to issues including reliability and validity. Human resource management (HRM) researchers, like others setting out to examine a novel or insufficiently defined research topic, frequently favour qualitative approaches to gather data during initial stages, to facilitate an in-depth exploration of indivi...

HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes in health care organizations

OpenAIRE

Vermeeren, Brenda; Steijn, Bram; Tummers, Lars; Lankhaar, Marcel; Poerstamper, Robbert-Jan; Beek, Sandra

2014-01-01

markdownabstractBackground: One of the main goals of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to increase the performance of organizations. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the multidimensional character of performance and linked HR practices to various outcome dimensions. This study therefore adds to the literature by relating HR practices to three outcome dimensions: financial, organizational and employee (HR) outcomes. Furthermore, we will analyze how HR practices influence these o...

Human Value Management. The Influence of the Contemporary Developments of Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Capital on HRM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoemaker, Michiel; Nijhof, A.H.J.; Jonker, Jan

2006-01-01

In both practice-oriented and academic discourses the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human resource management (HRM) are often treated separately. It is argued here that this is an outdated approach. Starting from the observation that organisations develop towards open

The relationship between line manager behavior, perceived HRM practices and individual performance : Examining the mediating role of engagement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alfes, K.; Truss, C.; Soane, E.; Rees, C.; Gatenby, M.

2013-01-01

This article examines the role played by line managers in the link between HRM practices and individual performance outcomes. Drawing on social exchange theory, the authors test a mediated model linking perceived line manager behavior and perceived human resource management practices with employee

Smart Industry Research in the Field of HRM : Resetting Job Design as an Example of Upcoming Challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Habraken, Milou Maria Petronella; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Bondarouk, Tanya; Ruel, Huub; Parry, Emma

2017-01-01

Purpose – This chapter aims to encourage and guide Smart Industry HRM-related research by addressing upcoming challenges developed using a Job Design lens. Methodology/approach – The challenges are constructed based on a developed overview of the existing body of work related to Job Design and a

Exploring the ideological undercurrents of HRM: Workplace values and beliefs in Ireland & New Zealand

OpenAIRE

Geare, Alan; Edgar, Fiona; Harney, Brian; Cafferkey, Kenneth; Dundon, Tony

2014-01-01

Despite hints of more pluralist undercurrents, workplace values and beliefs have rarely been surfaced to inform our understanding of HRM. This paper examines management and employee workplace values and beliefs in the national contexts of Ireland and New Zealand. The findings indicate a) a divergence of managerial beliefs at the level of society and the level of their own workplace, b) an overall pluralist orientation amongst employees. These findings highlight the importance of greater sensi...

An investigation of the effects of technology readiness on technology acceptance in e-HRM

OpenAIRE

Erdoğmuş, Nihat; Esen, Murat

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of technology readiness on technology acceptance in e-HRM field. The data for this study were collected from 65 Human Resource (HR) managers representing top 500 largest private sector companies in Turkey. The research model based on two theories: Parasuraman's technology readiness and Davis’ technology acceptance model. The results of the study showed that optimism and innovativeness dimensions of technology readiness positively influenced ...

Special issue of International journal of human resource management: Conceptual and empirical discoveries in successful HRM implementation

OpenAIRE

Mireia Valverde; Tanya Bondarouk; Jordi Trullen

2016-01-01

Special issue of International journal of human resource management: Conceptual and empirical discoveries in successful HRM implementation DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2016.1154378 URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09585192.2016.1154378 Filiació URV: SI Inclòs a la memòria: SI Paraules clau en blanc [No abstract available

The Impact of Different HRM Regimes on Labour Productivity: National Results and a Regional Perspective

OpenAIRE

Hodgkinson, Ann

2002-01-01

This paper uses AWIRS 95 and IRWIRS 96-7 data to test whether workplaces which used ‘soft’ versus ‘hard’ Human Resource Management (HRM) policies and practices experienced significant differences in labour productivity improvements. Generally, the results support the proposition that management attitudes, policies and practices which aim to develop workforce skills, commitment and motivation were positively associated with improvements in labour productivity. Very few ‘hard’ practices other t...

Intra- and interrater reliability of the Chicago Classification of achalasia subtypes in pediatric high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) recordings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Singendonk, M. M. J.; Rosen, R.; Oors, J.; Rommel, N.; van Wijk, M. P.; Benninga, M. A.; Nurko, S.; Omari, T. I.

2017-01-01

BackgroundSubtyping achalasia by high-resolution manometry (HRM) is clinically relevant as response to therapy and prognosis have shown to vary accordingly. The aim of this study was to assess inter- and intrarater reliability of diagnosing achalasia and achalasia subtyping in children using the

Unlocking the black box: line managers and HRM performance in a call centre context

OpenAIRE

Harney, Brian; Jordan, Claire

2008-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show the way to unlock the black box of HRM and performance linkages by exploring one of the key variables that mediates the link, namely whether line managers can stimulate improvements in firm performance by eliciting appropriate employee outcomes in a call centre context. Design/methodology/approach – The research draws on Purcell's "People-Performance Model" as a sensitising framework to inform an in-depth case study of a call centre. This pro...

HRM Challenges in the Age of Globalisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sugandha Agarwal

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Globalization has caused blurred international boundaries. On one hand, there is an open market for companies to seek talent on the other hand for employees a wide array of choices to work with, all because of globalization. But such types of open and globalized market exposes the firms to the challenges occurring in the prominent field of human resource. This paper is an attempt in understanding and analyzing the challenges existing and affecting the functioning of HRM while a company operates on global platform. The major encounters and worries of HR team, and the responses that HR managers need to make to such challenges with their increasing responsibilities in the globalized environment, have also been discussed in this paper. This is a communication and cross-sectional study based on descriptive arguments and analytical logic developed through the responses received from HR teams of companies belonging to different sectors. Effective leadership, managing diverse workforce, role of technology in HR functions like recruitment and selection, legal and political aspects, skill management, global mindset are some of the jostling issues encountered by human resource function in the retro of globalization.

Genus-Specific Real-Time PCR and HRM Assays to Distinguish Liriope from Ophiopogon Samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Masiero, Eva; Banik, Dipanwita; Abson, John; Greene, Paul; Slater, Adrian; Sgamma, Tiziana

2017-10-26

Liriope and Ophiopogon species have a long history of use as traditional medicines across East Asia. They have also become widely used around the world for ornamental and landscaping purposes. The morphological similarities between Liriope and Ophiopogon taxa have made the taxonomy of the two genera problematic and caused confusion about the identification of individual specimens. Molecular approaches could be a useful tool for the discrimination of these two genera in combination with traditional methods. Seventy-five Liriope and Ophiopogon samples from the UK National Plant Collections of Ophiopogon and Liriope were analyzed. The 5' end of the DNA barcode region of the gene for the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase ( rbcLa ) was used for the discrimination of the two genera. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) between the two genera allowed the development of discriminatory tests for genus-level identification based on specific PCR and high-resolution melt curve (HRM) assays. The study highlights the advantage of incorporating DNA barcoding methods into plant identification protocols and provides simple assays that could be used for the quality assurance of commercially traded plants and herbal drugs.

The heterogeneous response method applied to couple the average pin cell and bulk moderator in cluster geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lerner, A.M.

1986-01-01

The first step towards evaluation of the neutron flux throughout a fuel cluster usually consists of obtaining the multigroup flux distribution in the average pin cell and in the circular outside system of shroud and bulk moderator. Here, an application of the so-called heterogeneous response method (HRM) is described to find this multigroup flux. The rather complex geometry is reduced to a microsystem, the average pin cell, and the outside or macrosystem of shroud and bulk moderator. In each of these systems, collision probabilities are used to obtain their response fluxes caused by sources and in-currents. The two systems are then coupled by cosine currents across that fraction of the average pin-cell boundary, called 'window', that represents the average common boundary between pin cells and the outside system. (author)

High-resolution melting-curve analysis of ligation-mediated real-time PCR for rapid evaluation of an epidemiological outbreak of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Woksepp, Hanna; Jernberg, Cecilia; Tärnberg, Maria; Ryberg, Anna; Brolund, Alma; Nordvall, Michaela; Olsson-Liljequist, Barbro; Wisell, Karin Tegmark; Monstein, Hans-Jürg; Nilsson, Lennart E; Schön, Thomas

2011-12-01

Methods for the confirmation of nosocomial outbreaks of bacterial pathogens are complex, expensive, and time-consuming. Recently, a method based on ligation-mediated PCR (LM/PCR) using a low denaturation temperature which produces specific melting-profile patterns of DNA products has been described. Our objective was to further develop this method for real-time PCR and high-resolution melting analysis (HRM) in a single-tube system optimized in order to achieve results within 1 day. Following the optimization of LM/PCR for real-time PCR and HRM (LM/HRM), the method was applied for a nosocomial outbreak of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing and ST131-associated Escherichia coli isolates (n = 15) and control isolates (n = 29), including four previous clusters. The results from LM/HRM were compared to results from pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), which served as the gold standard. All isolates from the nosocomial outbreak clustered by LM/HRM, which was confirmed by gel electrophoresis of the LM/PCR products and PFGE. Control isolates that clustered by LM/PCR (n = 4) but not by PFGE were resolved by confirmatory gel electrophoresis. We conclude that LM/HRM is a rapid method for the detection of nosocomial outbreaks of bacterial infections caused by ESBL-producing E. coli strains. It allows the analysis of isolates in a single-tube system within a day, and the discriminatory power is comparable to that of PFGE.

High-Resolution Melting-Curve Analysis of Ligation-Mediated Real-Time PCR for Rapid Evaluation of an Epidemiological Outbreak of Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Woksepp, Hanna; Jernberg, Cecilia; Tärnberg, Maria; Ryberg, Anna; Brolund, Alma; Nordvall, Michaela; Olsson-Liljequist, Barbro; Wisell, Karin Tegmark; Monstein, Hans-Jürg; Nilsson, Lennart E.; Schön, Thomas

2011-01-01

Methods for the confirmation of nosocomial outbreaks of bacterial pathogens are complex, expensive, and time-consuming. Recently, a method based on ligation-mediated PCR (LM/PCR) using a low denaturation temperature which produces specific melting-profile patterns of DNA products has been described. Our objective was to further develop this method for real-time PCR and high-resolution melting analysis (HRM) in a single-tube system optimized in order to achieve results within 1 day. Following the optimization of LM/PCR for real-time PCR and HRM (LM/HRM), the method was applied for a nosocomial outbreak of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing and ST131-associated Escherichia coli isolates (n = 15) and control isolates (n = 29), including four previous clusters. The results from LM/HRM were compared to results from pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), which served as the gold standard. All isolates from the nosocomial outbreak clustered by LM/HRM, which was confirmed by gel electrophoresis of the LM/PCR products and PFGE. Control isolates that clustered by LM/PCR (n = 4) but not by PFGE were resolved by confirmatory gel electrophoresis. We conclude that LM/HRM is a rapid method for the detection of nosocomial outbreaks of bacterial infections caused by ESBL-producing E. coli strains. It allows the analysis of isolates in a single-tube system within a day, and the discriminatory power is comparable to that of PFGE. PMID:21956981

Intra- and interrater reliability of the Chicago Classification of achalasia subtypes in pediatric high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) recordings.

Science.gov (United States)

Singendonk, M M J; Rosen, R; Oors, J; Rommel, N; van Wijk, M P; Benninga, M A; Nurko, S; Omari, T I

2017-11-01

Subtyping achalasia by high-resolution manometry (HRM) is clinically relevant as response to therapy and prognosis have shown to vary accordingly. The aim of this study was to assess inter- and intrarater reliability of diagnosing achalasia and achalasia subtyping in children using the Chicago Classification (CC) V3.0. Six observers analyzed 40 pediatric HRM recordings (22 achalasia and 18 non-achalasia) twice by using dedicated analysis software (ManoView 3.0, Given Imaging, Los Angeles, CA, USA). Integrated relaxation pressure (IRP4s), distal contractile integral (DCI), intrabolus pressurization pattern (IBP), and distal latency (DL) were extracted and analyzed hierarchically. Cohen's κ (2 raters) and Fleiss' κ (>2 raters) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used for categorical and ordinal data, respectively. Based on the results of dedicated analysis software only, intra- and interrater reliability was excellent and moderate (κ=0.89 and κ=0.52, respectively) for differentiating achalasia from non-achalasia. For subtyping achalasia, reliability decreased to substantial and fair (κ=0.72 and κ=0.28, respectively). When observers were allowed to change the software-driven diagnosis according to their own interpretation of the manometric patterns, intra- and interrater reliability increased for diagnosing achalasia (κ=0.98 and κ=0.92, respectively) and for subtyping achalasia (κ=0.79 and κ=0.58, respectively). Intra- and interrater agreement for diagnosing achalasia when using HRM and the CC was very good to excellent when results of automated analysis software were interpreted by experienced observers. More variability was seen when relying solely on the software-driven diagnosis and for subtyping achalasia. Therefore, diagnosing and subtyping achalasia should be performed in pediatric motility centers with significant expertise. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of a New High Resolution Melting Method for Genotyping Pathogenic Leptospira spp.

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Florence Naze

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis that is endemic in tropical areas, such as Reunion Island. The species Leptospira interrogans is the primary agent in human infections, but other pathogenic species, such as L. kirschner and L. borgpetersenii, are also associated with human leptospirosis.In this study, a melting curve analysis of the products that were amplified with the primer pairs lfb1 F/R and G1/G2 facilitated an accurate species classification of Leptospira reference strains. Next, we combined an unsupervised high resolution melting (HRM method with a new statistical approach using primers to amplify a two variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR for typing at the subspecies level. The HRM analysis, which was performed with ScreenClust Software, enabled the identification of genotypes at the serovar level with high resolution power (Hunter-Gaston index 0.984. This method was also applied to Leptospira DNA from blood samples that were obtained from Reunion Island after 1998. We were able to identify a unique genotype that is identical to that of the L. interrogans serovars Copenhageni and Icterohaemorrhagiae, suggesting that this genotype is the major cause of leptospirosis on Reunion Island.Our simple, rapid, and robust genotyping method enables the identification of Leptospira strains at the species and subspecies levels and supports the direct genotyping of Leptospira in biological samples without requiring cultures.

Effects of the Use of Electronic Human Resource Management (EHRM Within Human Resource Management (HRM Functions at Universities

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Chux Gervase Iwu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study set out to examine the effect of e-hrm systems in assisting human resource practitioners to execute their duties and responsibilities. In comparison to developed economies of the world, information technology adoption in sub-Saharan Africa has not been without certain glitches. Some of the factors that are responsible for these include poor need identification, sustainable funding, and insufficient skills. Besides these factors, there is also the issue of change management and users sticking to what they already know. Although, the above factors seem negative, there is strong evidence that information systems such as electronic human resource management present benefits to an organization. To achieve this, a dual research approach was utilized. Literature assisted immensely in both the development of the conceptual framework upon which the study hinged as well as in the development of the questionnaire items. The study also made use of an interview checklist to guide the participants. The findings reveal a mix of responses that indicate that while there are gains in adopting e-hrm systems, it is wiser to consider supporting resources as well as articulate the needs of the university better before any investment is made.

Simplifying the detection of MUTYH mutations by high resolution melting analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López-Villar, Isabel; Martínez-López, Joaquín; Ayala, Rosa; Wesselink, Jan; Morillas, Juan Diego; López, Elena; Marín, José Carlos; Díaz-Tasende, José; González, Sara; Robles, Luis

2010-01-01

MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP) is a disorder caused by bi-allelic germline MUTYH mutation, characterized by multiple colorectal adenomas. In order to identify mutations in MUTYH gene we applied High Resolution Melting (HRM) genotyping. HRM analysis is extensively employed as a scanning method for the detection of heterozygous mutations. Therefore, we applied HRM to show effectiveness in detecting homozygous mutations for these clinically important and frequent patients. In this study, we analyzed phenotype and genotype data from 82 patients, with multiple (>= 10) synchronous (19/82) or metachronous (63/82) adenomas and negative APC study (except one case). Analysis was performed by HRM-PCR and direct sequencing, in order to identify mutations in MUTYH exons 7, 12 and 13, where the most prevalent mutations are located. In monoallelic mutation carriers, we evaluated entire MUTYH gene in search of another possible alteration. HRM-PCR was performed with strict conditions in several rounds: the first one to discriminate the heteroduplex patterns and homoduplex patterns and the next ones, in order to refine and confirm parameters. The genotypes obtained were correlated to phenotypic features (number of adenomas (synchronous or metachronous), colorectal cancer (CRC) and family history). MUTYH germline mutations were found in 15.8% (13/82) of patients. The hot spots, Y179C (exon 7) and G396D (exon 13), were readily identified and other mutations were also detected. Each mutation had a reproducible melting profile by HRM, both heterozygous mutations and homozygous mutations. In our study of 82 patients, biallelic mutation is associated with being a carrier of ≥10 synchronous polyps (p = 0.05) and there is no association between biallelic mutation and CRC (p = 0.39) nor family history (p = 0.63). G338H non-pathogenic polymorphism (exon 12) was found in 23.1% (19/82) of patients. In all cases there was concordance between HRM (first and subsequent rounds) and sequencing

Towards a conceptual framework for exploring multilevel relationships between Lean Management and Six Sigma, enabling HRM, strategic climate and outcomes in healthcare

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koeijer, R.; Paauwe, J.; Huijsman, R.

2014-01-01

This article provides a theory-driven framework simultaneously linking Lean Management and Six Sigma (LM&SS), enabling HRM and strategic climate to outcomes in health care. This framework contributes toward our understanding of direct and indirect (moderating and mediating) effects related to LM&SS

A process of developing an HRM framework based on qualitative study in Technology companies in Bangladesh and Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarnima Warda Andalib

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the corporate world, humans are treated as ‘manpower’ or ‘resources that utilize other resources, however, this cannot be the only identity of humans or employees of the company. Rather, it must be considered that these employees are humans and humans have got certain rights those are to be fulfilled irrespective of every situation. Humans are beings not just mere resources. This is the time to understand this truth. Technological change has triggered and increased the standard of living but at the same time has deteriorated the humane values and inspired a profligate life style; therefore, the Standardized Human Rights policies like Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR & International Labour Organization (ILO need to be implemented in the organization culture by understanding the attitudes, attributes of human resources. The purpose of this Study is to investigate the HRM policies of the Technology Companies of Malaysia & of Bangladesh and to identify all the components and integrate all those components with the standardized Human Rights platforms, which are UDHR, ILO etc. To look for the behavior, attitude and analytical option of humans working inside the company due to technological advancements, changes and implemented HRM policies in the organization.

A process of developing an HRM framework based on qualitative study in Technology companies in Bangladesh and Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarnima Warda Andalib

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In the corporate world, humans are treated as ‘manpower’ or ‘resources that utilize other resources, however, this cannot be the only identity of humans or employees of the company. Rather, it must be considered that these employees are humans and humans have got certain rights those are to be fulfilled irrespective of every situation. Humans are beings not just mere resources. This is the time to understand this truth. Technological change has triggered and increased the standard of living but at the same time has deteriorated the humane values and inspired a profligate life style; therefore, the Standardized Human Rights policies like Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR & International Labour Organization (ILO need to be implemented in the organization culture by understanding the attitudes, attributes of human resources. The purpose of this Study is to investigate the HRM policies of the Technology Companies of Malaysia & of Bangladesh and to identify all the components and integrate all those components with the standardized Human Rights platforms, which are UDHR, ILO etc. To look for the behavior, attitude and analytical option of humans working inside the company due to technological advancements, changes and implemented HRM policies in the organization.  

HRM in a highly uncertain strategic situation: The case of the electronuclear industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corbel, P. [University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, LAREQUOI, Management Research Centre, 47 boulevard Vauban, F-78047 Guyancourt (France)]. E-mail: Pascal.Corbel@quoi.uvsq.fr

2004-07-01

The nuclear industry has some specific strategic features that result in a very high level of uncertainty. The demand for new reactors has been declining for more than twenty years, and gains in performance have slowed down during the same period. As a result, at first sight, this technology should be classified as declining in terms of demand and maturing in terms of technological life cycle. This situation has important consequences on HRM inside this industry. In particular, power plant constructors have had to considerably reduce their personnel numbers. However, this industry also expects a strong revival of demand, which means that it has to preserve its key competences. This paper deals with the management of this paradoxical situation. (author)

HRM in a highly uncertain strategic situation: The case of the electronuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corbel, P.

2004-01-01

The nuclear industry has some specific strategic features that result in a very high level of uncertainty. The demand for new reactors has been declining for more than twenty years, and gains in performance have slowed down during the same period. As a result, at first sight, this technology should be classified as declining in terms of demand and maturing in terms of technological life cycle. This situation has important consequences on HRM inside this industry. In particular, power plant constructors have had to considerably reduce their personnel numbers. However, this industry also expects a strong revival of demand, which means that it has to preserve its key competences. This paper deals with the management of this paradoxical situation. (author)

Species identification in meat products: A new screening method based on high resolution melting analysis of cyt b gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Oceja, A; Nuñez, C; Baeta, M; Gamarra, D; de Pancorbo, M M

2017-12-15

Meat adulteration by substitution with lower value products and/or mislabeling involves economic, health, quality and socio-religious issues. Therefore, identification and traceability of meat species has become an important subject to detect possible fraudulent practices. In the present study the development of a high resolution melt (HRM) screening method for the identification of eight common meat species is reported. Samples from Bos taurus, Ovis aries, Sus scrofa domestica, Equus caballus, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Gallus gallus domesticus, Meleagris gallopavo and Coturnix coturnix were analyzed through the amplification of a 148 bp fragment from the cyt b gene with a universal primer pair in HRM analyses. Melting profiles from each species, as well as from several DNA mixtures of these species and blind samples, allowed a successful species differentiation. The results demonstrated that the HRM method here proposed is a fast, reliable, and low-cost screening technique. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflections on Mixing Methods in Applied Linguistics Research

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi, Mohammad R.

2012-01-01

This commentary advocates the use of mixed methods research--that is the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study--in applied linguistics. Based on preliminary findings from a research project in progress, some reflections on the current practice of mixing methods as a new trend in applied linguistics are put forward.…

Evaluation of a DNA-based method for spice/herb authentication, so you do not have to worry about what is in your curry, buon appetito!

Science.gov (United States)

Osathanunkul, Maslin; Ounjai, Sarawut; Osathanunkul, Rossarin; Madesis, Panagiotis

2017-01-01

It is long believed that some spices may help protect against certain chronic conditions. Spices are usually parts of plants that have been powdered into small pieces. Have you ever wondered what the curry powder in your dish is made of? The aim of this work was to develop an appropriate DNA-based method for assessment of spice identity. Selecting the best marker for species recognition in the Zingiberaceae family. Six DNA regions were investigated in silico, including ITS, matK, rbcL, rpoC, trnH-psbA and trnL. Then, only four regions (ITS, matK, rbcL and trnH-psbA) were included in the simulated HRM (High-resolution Melting) analysis as the results from previous analysis showed that rpoC and trnL may not be suitable to be used to identify Zingiberaceae species in HRM analysis based on both the percentage of nucleotide variation and GC content. Simulated HRM analysis was performed to test the feasibility of Bar-HRM. We found that ITS2 is the most effective region to be used for identification of the studied species and thus was used in laboratory HRM analysis. All seven tested Zingiberaceae plants were then able to be distinguished using the ITS2 primers in laboratory HRM. Most importantly the melting curves gained from fresh and dried tissue overlapped, which is a crucial outcome for the applicability of the analysis. The method could be used in an authentication test for dried products. In the authentication test, only one of seven store-sold Zingiberaceae products that were tested contained the species listed on their labels, while we found substitution/contamination of the tested purchased products in the rest.

Evaluation of a DNA-based method for spice/herb authentication, so you do not have to worry about what is in your curry, buon appetito!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maslin Osathanunkul

Full Text Available It is long believed that some spices may help protect against certain chronic conditions. Spices are usually parts of plants that have been powdered into small pieces. Have you ever wondered what the curry powder in your dish is made of? The aim of this work was to develop an appropriate DNA-based method for assessment of spice identity. Selecting the best marker for species recognition in the Zingiberaceae family. Six DNA regions were investigated in silico, including ITS, matK, rbcL, rpoC, trnH-psbA and trnL. Then, only four regions (ITS, matK, rbcL and trnH-psbA were included in the simulated HRM (High-resolution Melting analysis as the results from previous analysis showed that rpoC and trnL may not be suitable to be used to identify Zingiberaceae species in HRM analysis based on both the percentage of nucleotide variation and GC content. Simulated HRM analysis was performed to test the feasibility of Bar-HRM. We found that ITS2 is the most effective region to be used for identification of the studied species and thus was used in laboratory HRM analysis. All seven tested Zingiberaceae plants were then able to be distinguished using the ITS2 primers in laboratory HRM. Most importantly the melting curves gained from fresh and dried tissue overlapped, which is a crucial outcome for the applicability of the analysis. The method could be used in an authentication test for dried products. In the authentication test, only one of seven store-sold Zingiberaceae products that were tested contained the species listed on their labels, while we found substitution/contamination of the tested purchased products in the rest.

The development of harmonic rejection mirror on XAFS beamline at SSRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Yuan; Xue Song; Wei Xiangjun; Jiang Zheng; Gu Songqi; Chen Ming; Huang Yuying; Yu Xiaohan

2009-01-01

This article discusses the development of harmonic rejection mirror (HRM) on the XAFS beamline at Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF). The HRM can apply pure spectrum for XAFS experiment. The HRM mechanism includes mirror holding system, horizontal switch system and three-points adjustment system. We make analysis and calculation in mechanism design. At last we evaluate the HRM capability based on the rocking curve got in test. (authors)

Analysis of RET promoter CpG island methylation using methylation-specific PCR (MSP), pyrosequencing, and methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM): impact on stage II colon cancer patient outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Draht, Muriel X G; Smits, Kim M; Jooste, Valérie; Tournier, Benjamin; Vervoort, Martijn; Ramaekers, Chantal; Chapusot, Caroline; Weijenberg, Matty P; van Engeland, Manon; Melotte, Veerle

2016-01-01

Already since the 1990s, promoter CpG island methylation markers have been considered promising diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive cancer biomarkers. However, so far, only a limited number of DNA methylation markers have been introduced into clinical practice. One reason why the vast majority of methylation markers do not translate into clinical applications is lack of independent validation of methylation markers, often caused by differences in methylation analysis techniques. We recently described RET promoter CpG island methylation as a potential prognostic marker in stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) patients of two independent series. In the current study, we analyzed the RET promoter CpG island methylation of 241 stage II colon cancer patients by direct methylation-specific PCR (MSP), nested-MSP, pyrosequencing, and methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM). All primers were designed as close as possible to the same genomic region. In order to investigate the effect of different DNA methylation assays on patient outcome, we assessed the clinical sensitivity and specificity as well as the association of RET methylation with overall survival for three and five years of follow-up. Using direct-MSP and nested-MSP, 12.0 % (25/209) and 29.6 % (71/240) of the patients showed RET promoter CpG island methylation. Methylation frequencies detected by pyrosequencing were related to the threshold for positivity that defined RET methylation. Methylation frequencies obtained by pyrosequencing (threshold for positivity at 20 %) and MS-HRM were 13.3 % (32/240) and 13.8 % (33/239), respectively. The pyrosequencing threshold for positivity of 20 % showed the best correlation with MS-HRM and direct-MSP results. Nested-MSP detected RET promoter CpG island methylation in deceased patients with a higher sensitivity (33.1 %) compared to direct-MSP (10.7 %), pyrosequencing (14.4 %), and MS-HRM (15.4 %). While RET methylation frequencies detected by nested

Real-time Continuous Esophageal High-resolution Manometry (HRM) During Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy and Dor Fundoplication for the Treatment of Achalasia. A Promising Novelty in Regards of Perfecting Surgical Technique: Could It Guide Surgical Technique Toward Excellent Results?

Science.gov (United States)

Triantafyllou, Tania; Doulami, Georgia; Papailiou, Joanna; Mantides, Apostolos; Zografos, Georgios; Theodorou, Dimitrios

2016-12-01

High-resolution manometry (HRM) is the gold-standard diagnostic tool for achalasia of the esophagus. Laparoscopic Heller-Dor technique is the preferred surgical approach with success rate estimated 90%. The use of intraoperative HRM provides real-time estimation of intraluminal esophageal pressures and identifies the exact points of esophageal luminal pressure during laparoscopy. Ten patients with achalasia underwent surgery. All patients preoperatively completed 1 manometric study and Quality of Life questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0) with Eckardt scores. We collected intraoperative manometry data and repeated manometric studies, EORTC QLQ-C30, and Eckardt scores postoperatively. Median Eckardt score was decreased from 7.5 to 0.5, mean resting pressure decreased from 51.4 to 11.9 mm Hg, whereas mean residual pressure diminished from 45.9 to 9.5 mm Hg postoperatively. The simultaneous use of HRM during the Heller-Dor technique may lead to an individualized management of the disease.

High resolution melting curve analysis, a rapid and affordable method for mutation analysis in childhood acute myeloid leukemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin eLiu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Molecular genetic alterations with prognostic significance have been described in childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML. The aim of this study was to establish cost-effective techniques to detect mutations of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3, Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1, and a partial tandem duplication within the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL-PTD genes in childhood AML. Procedure: Ninety-nine children with newly diagnosed AML were included in this study. We developed a fluoresent dye SYTO-82 based high resolution melting curve (HRM anaylsis to detect FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD, FLT3 tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3-TKD and NPM1 mutations. MLL-PTD was screened by real-time quantitative PCR. Results: The HRM methodology correlated well with gold standard Sanger sequencing with less cost. Among the 99 patients studied, the FLT3-ITD mutation was associated with significantly worse event free survival (EFS. Patients with the NPM1 mutation had significantly better EFS and overall survival. However, HRM was not sensitive enough for minimal residual disease monitoring. Conclusions: HRM was a rapid and efficient method for screening of FLT3 and NPM1 gene mutations. It was both affordable and accurate, especially in resource underprivileged regions. Our results indicated that HRM could be a useful clinical tool for rapid and cost effective screening of the FLT3 and NPM1 mutations in AML patients.

Applying Organization Development to Coast Guard Affirmative Action for Black Officers.

Science.gov (United States)

1979-12-01

systems approach in the HRM area which includes significant attention to equal opportunity and affirmative action issues. Its present affirmative action...cI C) E- - 0-4 U) 1 O-4 r-4 (i ) 4c -4 4 -4 -4 1-4 r44 0 1-4 4 U) to ( 0 CoCAu. I toif CoD U) 00 (D r- C.) £r 147 t d _______ ____WK. 41b -. APPENDIX...currently employed by the U.S. Navy, under the heading "Human Resources Management", involving some 1800 full-time HRM Specialists, trained in the

[Montessori method applied to dementia - literature review].

Science.gov (United States)

Brandão, Daniela Filipa Soares; Martín, José Ignacio

2012-06-01

The Montessori method was initially applied to children, but now it has also been applied to people with dementia. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the research on the effectiveness of this method using Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline) with the keywords dementia and Montessori method. We selected lo studies, in which there were significant improvements in participation and constructive engagement, and reduction of negative affects and passive engagement. Nevertheless, systematic reviews about this non-pharmacological intervention in dementia rate this method as weak in terms of effectiveness. This apparent discrepancy can be explained because the Montessori method may have, in fact, a small influence on dimensions such as behavioral problems, or because there is no research about this method with high levels of control, such as the presence of several control groups or a double-blind study.

Validation of High Resolution Melting Analysis (HRM of the Amplified ITS2 Region for the Detection and Identification of Yeasts from Clinical Samples: Comparison with Culture and MALDI-TOF Based Identification.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans Duyvejonck

Full Text Available Candida species are known as opportunistic pathogens, and a possible cause of invasive infections. Because of their species-specific antimycotic resistance patterns, reliable techniques for their detection, quantification and identification are needed. We validated a DNA amplification method for direct detection of Candida spp. from clinical samples, namely the ITS2-High Resolution Melting Analysis (direct method, by comparing it with a culture and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry based method (indirect method to establish the presence of Candida species in three different types of clinical samples.A total of 347 clinical samples, i.e. throat swabs, rectal swabs and vaginal swabs, were collected from the gynaecology/obstetrics, intensive care and haematology wards at the Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. For the direct method, ITS2-HRM was preceded by NucliSENS easyMAG DNA extraction, directly on the clinical samples. For the indirect method, clinical samples were cultured on Candida ID and individual colonies were identified by MALDI-TOF.For 83.9% of the samples there was complete concordance between both techniques, i.e. the same Candida species were detected in 31.1% of the samples or no Candida species were detected in 52.8% of the samples. In 16.1% of the clinical samples, discrepant results were obtained, of which only 6.01% were considered as major discrepancies. Discrepancies occurred mostly when overall numbers of Candida cells in the samples were low and/or when multiple species were present in the sample.Most of the discrepancies could be decided in the advantage of the direct method. This is due to samples in which no yeast could be cultured whereas low amounts could be detected by the direct method and to samples in which high quantities of Candida robusta according to ITS2-HRM were missed by culture on Candida ID agar. It remains to be decided whether the diagnostic advantages of the direct method compensate for its disadvantages.

Management en levensbeschouwing in Nederland : een onderzoek naar opvattingen van managers in Nederland over de stijl van leidinggeven en HRM-beleid in relatie tot hun levensbeschouwing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Belt, Th. van den; Moret, J.P.

2010-01-01

This is a research about the effect that a managers ideology may have on his management-opinons, especially about leadership and HRM. In an extended quantitative research have the researchers analyzed the opinions of about five hundred managers. They have therefore used a two-dimensional model for

Human Resource Management in the Enhancement Processes of Knowledge Management

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Didi Sundiman

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This research explored Human Resource Management (HRM in enhancement processes of knowledge management. This research explored how HRM practice enhanced the operational of knowledge management. Data were collected by a survey by interviewing 12 informants from Small and Medium Enterprise (SME. The results show that HRM practice gives initiative in the enhancement process of the knowledge management strategy applied to the company. It can be concluded that each sub-component of HRM affects the components of knowledge management, and HRM is highly influential and has a positive effect on quality management processes and vice versa in the work environment.

Applying homotopy analysis method for solving differential-difference equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhen; Zou Li; Zhang Hongqing

2007-01-01

In this Letter, we apply the homotopy analysis method to solving the differential-difference equations. A simple but typical example is applied to illustrate the validity and the great potential of the generalized homotopy analysis method in solving differential-difference equation. Comparisons are made between the results of the proposed method and exact solutions. The results show that the homotopy analysis method is an attractive method in solving the differential-difference equations

Human Resource Management (HRM) strategies and the impact on well-being of employees in Danish private and public firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kjeld; Nielsen, Peter

2014-01-01

that management give employees discretion in the work organization (human resources are seen as an investment), that motivate and involve employees and create well-being among employees. So, management practices commitment strategies shape well-being among employees. This idea of management challenges the ability...... of the organization to persist, especially when organizational and technical changes have to be implemented by employees. So, the question is: How do HRM strategies connect to the employee’s well-being? The analytical results presented shortly in the paper build on data from project Meadow (Employee and Employer...

Benchmarking of human resources management

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David M. Akinnusi

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the role of human resource management (HRM which, today, plays a strategic partnership role in management. The focus of the paper is on HRM in the public sector, where much hope rests on HRM as a means of transforming the public service and achieving much needed service delivery. However, a critical evaluation of HRM practices in the public sector reveals that these services leave much to be desired. The paper suggests the adoption of benchmarking as a process to revamp HRM in the public sector so that it is able to deliver on its promises. It describes the nature and process of benchmarking and highlights the inherent difficulties in applying benchmarking in HRM. It concludes with some suggestions for a plan of action. The process of identifying “best” practices in HRM requires the best collaborative efforts of HRM practitioners and academicians. If used creatively, benchmarking has the potential to bring about radical and positive changes in HRM in the public sector. The adoption of the benchmarking process is, in itself, a litmus test of the extent to which HRM in the public sector has grown professionally.

Entropy viscosity method applied to Euler equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delchini, M. O.; Ragusa, J. C.; Berry, R. A.

2013-01-01

The entropy viscosity method [4] has been successfully applied to hyperbolic systems of equations such as Burgers equation and Euler equations. The method consists in adding dissipative terms to the governing equations, where a viscosity coefficient modulates the amount of dissipation. The entropy viscosity method has been applied to the 1-D Euler equations with variable area using a continuous finite element discretization in the MOOSE framework and our results show that it has the ability to efficiently smooth out oscillations and accurately resolve shocks. Two equations of state are considered: Ideal Gas and Stiffened Gas Equations Of State. Results are provided for a second-order time implicit schemes (BDF2). Some typical Riemann problems are run with the entropy viscosity method to demonstrate some of its features. Then, a 1-D convergent-divergent nozzle is considered with open boundary conditions. The correct steady-state is reached for the liquid and gas phases with a time implicit scheme. The entropy viscosity method correctly behaves in every problem run. For each test problem, results are shown for both equations of state considered here. (authors)

Minim Typing – A Rapid and Low Cost MLST Based Typing Tool for Klebsiella pneumoniae

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Patiyan; Tong, Steven Y. C.; Bell, Jan M.; Turnidge, John D.; Giffard, Philip M.

2012-01-01

Here we report a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based genotyping method for Klebsiella pneumoniae utilising high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis of fragments within the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) loci. The approach is termed mini-MLST or Minim typing and it has previously been applied to Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. Six SNPs were derived from concatenated MLST sequences on the basis of maximisation of the Simpsons Index of Diversity (D). DNA fragments incorporating these SNPs and predicted to be suitable for HRM analysis were designed. Using the assumption that HRM alleles are defined by G+C content, Minim typing using six fragments was predicted to provide a D = 0.979 against known STs. The method was tested against 202 K. pneumoniae using a blinded approach in which the MLST analyses were performed after the HRM analyses. The HRM-based alleles were indeed in accordance with G+C content, and the Minim typing identified known STs and flagged new STs. The tonB MLST locus was determined to be very diverse, and the two Minim fragments located herein contribute greatly to the resolving power. However these fragments are refractory to amplification in a minority of isolates. Therefore, we assessed the performance of two additional formats: one using only the four fragments located outside the tonB gene (D = 0.929), and the other using HRM data from these four fragments in conjunction with sequencing of the tonB MLST fragment (D = 0.995). The HRM assays were developed on the Rotorgene 6000, and the method was shown to also be robust on the LightCycler 480, allowing a 384-well high through-put format. The assay provides rapid, robust and low-cost typing with fully portable results that can directly be related to current MLST data. Minim typing in combination with molecular screening for antibiotic resistance markers can be a powerful surveillance tool kit. PMID:22428067

Minim typing--a rapid and low cost MLST based typing tool for Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Patiyan; Tong, Steven Y C; Bell, Jan M; Turnidge, John D; Giffard, Philip M

2012-01-01

Here we report a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based genotyping method for Klebsiella pneumoniae utilising high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis of fragments within the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) loci. The approach is termed mini-MLST or Minim typing and it has previously been applied to Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. Six SNPs were derived from concatenated MLST sequences on the basis of maximisation of the Simpsons Index of Diversity (D). DNA fragments incorporating these SNPs and predicted to be suitable for HRM analysis were designed. Using the assumption that HRM alleles are defined by G+C content, Minim typing using six fragments was predicted to provide a D = 0.979 against known STs. The method was tested against 202 K. pneumoniae using a blinded approach in which the MLST analyses were performed after the HRM analyses. The HRM-based alleles were indeed in accordance with G+C content, and the Minim typing identified known STs and flagged new STs. The tonB MLST locus was determined to be very diverse, and the two Minim fragments located herein contribute greatly to the resolving power. However these fragments are refractory to amplification in a minority of isolates. Therefore, we assessed the performance of two additional formats: one using only the four fragments located outside the tonB gene (D = 0.929), and the other using HRM data from these four fragments in conjunction with sequencing of the tonB MLST fragment (D = 0.995). The HRM assays were developed on the Rotorgene 6000, and the method was shown to also be robust on the LightCycler 480, allowing a 384-well high through-put format. The assay provides rapid, robust and low-cost typing with fully portable results that can directly be related to current MLST data. Minim typing in combination with molecular screening for antibiotic resistance markers can be a powerful surveillance tool kit.

Minim typing--a rapid and low cost MLST based typing tool for Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patiyan Andersson

Full Text Available Here we report a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP based genotyping method for Klebsiella pneumoniae utilising high-resolution melting (HRM analysis of fragments within the multilocus sequence typing (MLST loci. The approach is termed mini-MLST or Minim typing and it has previously been applied to Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. Six SNPs were derived from concatenated MLST sequences on the basis of maximisation of the Simpsons Index of Diversity (D. DNA fragments incorporating these SNPs and predicted to be suitable for HRM analysis were designed. Using the assumption that HRM alleles are defined by G+C content, Minim typing using six fragments was predicted to provide a D = 0.979 against known STs. The method was tested against 202 K. pneumoniae using a blinded approach in which the MLST analyses were performed after the HRM analyses. The HRM-based alleles were indeed in accordance with G+C content, and the Minim typing identified known STs and flagged new STs. The tonB MLST locus was determined to be very diverse, and the two Minim fragments located herein contribute greatly to the resolving power. However these fragments are refractory to amplification in a minority of isolates. Therefore, we assessed the performance of two additional formats: one using only the four fragments located outside the tonB gene (D = 0.929, and the other using HRM data from these four fragments in conjunction with sequencing of the tonB MLST fragment (D = 0.995. The HRM assays were developed on the Rotorgene 6000, and the method was shown to also be robust on the LightCycler 480, allowing a 384-well high through-put format. The assay provides rapid, robust and low-cost typing with fully portable results that can directly be related to current MLST data. Minim typing in combination with molecular screening for antibiotic resistance markers can be a powerful surveillance tool kit.

Identification and Evaluation of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Allotetraploid Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Based on Amplicon Sequencing Combined with High Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Yanbin; Pandey, Manish K; Liu, Ying; Chen, Xiaoping; Liu, Hong; Varshney, Rajeev K; Liang, Xuanqiang; Huang, Shangzhi

2015-01-01

The cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an allotetraploid (AABB) species derived from the A-genome (Arachis duranensis) and B-genome (Arachis ipaensis) progenitors. Presence of two versions of a DNA sequence based on the two progenitor genomes poses a serious technical and analytical problem during single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker identification and analysis. In this context, we have analyzed 200 amplicons derived from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and genome survey sequences (GSS) to identify SNPs in a panel of genotypes consisting of 12 cultivated peanut varieties and two diploid progenitors representing the ancestral genomes. A total of 18 EST-SNPs and 44 genomic-SNPs were identified in 12 peanut varieties by aligning the sequence of A. hypogaea with diploid progenitors. The average frequency of sequence polymorphism was higher for genomic-SNPs than the EST-SNPs with one genomic-SNP every 1011 bp as compared to one EST-SNP every 2557 bp. In order to estimate the potential and further applicability of these identified SNPs, 96 peanut varieties were genotyped using high resolution melting (HRM) method. Polymorphism information content (PIC) values for EST-SNPs ranged between 0.021 and 0.413 with a mean of 0.172 in the set of peanut varieties, while genomic-SNPs ranged between 0.080 and 0.478 with a mean of 0.249. Total 33 SNPs were used for polymorphism detection among the parents and 10 selected lines from mapping population Y13Zh (Zhenzhuhei × Yueyou13). Of the total 33 SNPs, nine SNPs showed polymorphism in the mapping population Y13Zh, and seven SNPs were successfully mapped into five linkage groups. Our results showed that SNPs can be identified in allotetraploid peanut with high accuracy through amplicon sequencing and HRM assay. The identified SNPs were very informative and can be used for different genetic and breeding applications in peanut.

HRM Practices and it Impact on Employee Satisfaction: A Case of Pharmaceutical Companies in Bangladesh

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Mostafizur Rahman

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to investigate the impact of HRMpractices on employee satisfaction in the pharmaceutical companies ofBangladesh. A structured questionnaire was developed and distributed amoung 108employees of four pharmaceuticals companies, whereas 96 employees answeredrightly. Statistical tools like z test, mean and proportion analysis was usedto assess the impact of HRM practices on employee satisfaction. The study revealsthat employees in pharmaceutical companies are satisfied with the recruitment andselection, and training and development policy and practices of pharmaceutical companies.On the other hand, employees are dissatisfied with the human resource planning,working environment, compensation policy, performance appraisal, and industrialrelations. The study suggests that the pharmaceutical companies should developproper human resource policy and given emphasis on proper human resourcepractices to enhance the satisfaction of their employees and build them effectivehuman resources.

The heterogeneous response method in slab geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villarino, E.A.; Stamm'ler, R.J.J.

1984-01-01

The heterogeneous response method (HRM) has been developed to calculate the multigroup flux in a heterogeneous system, e.g. a fuel assembly, without having to resort to dubious homogenization recipes. Here, the method is described in slab geometry in a manner that facilitates its computerization. By dividing the system into subsystems or nodes, say pin cells, two levels of calculation are created, which define a set of local problems and a global problem, respectively. In the local problem, collision probabilities are used to obtain for a node in vacuum, its response fluxes caused by sources and in-currents. They preserve the heterogeneous character of the node. In the global problem, the nodes are coupled by cosine currents. A suitable transformation reduces the number of two unknown currents per interface to one unknown per node, its total transmitted in-current. The global equation system thus becomes a set of three-point relations, which can be solved efficiently. In cases typical of fuel-assembly situations, the HRM produces fluxes that compare very well with the direct solution of the entire system by collision probabilities, though at a fraction of the computer cost. Extension of the method to 2- and 3-D systems is discussed. (author)

Electronic-projecting Moire method applying CBR-technology

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzyakov, O. N.; Lapteva, U. V.; Andreeva, M. A.

2018-01-01

Electronic-projecting method based on Moire effect for examining surface topology is suggested. Conditions of forming Moire fringes and their parameters’ dependence on reference parameters of object and virtual grids are analyzed. Control system structure and decision-making subsystem are elaborated. Subsystem execution includes CBR-technology, based on applying case base. The approach related to analysing and forming decision for each separate local area with consequent formation of common topology map is applied.

Striving to achieve it all: men and work-family-life balance in Sweden and the UK - implications for well-being and HRM

OpenAIRE

Raidén, A; Räisänen, C

2014-01-01

Our research paper investigates how men voice their experiences of the three dimensions of well-being: happiness, health and relationships (after Van de Voorde et al., 2012) in balancing their work and non-work lives. We discuss how their perceptions and practice relate to human resource management (HRM) in the workplace, and identify the key tensions in managing their engagement and well-being. This paper builds on research published in Construction Management and Economics in August 2013 (V...

Analytical methods applied to water pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baudin, G.

1977-01-01

A comparison of different methods applied to water analysis is given. The discussion is limited to the problems presented by inorganic elements, accessible to nuclear activation analysis methods. The following methods were compared: activation analysis: with gamma-ray spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, fluorimetry, emission spectrometry, colorimetry or spectrophotometry, X-ray fluorescence, mass spectrometry, voltametry, polarography or other electrochemical methods, activation analysis-beta measurements. Drinking-water, irrigation waters, sea waters, industrial wastes and very pure waters are the subjects of the investigations. The comparative evaluation is made on the basis of storage of samples, in situ analysis, treatment and concentration, specificity and interference, monoelement or multielement analysis, analysis time and accuracy. The significance of the neutron analysis is shown. (T.G.)

The Role of Work-Related Factors in the Development of Psychological Distress and Associated Mental Disorders: Differential Views of Human Resource Managers, Occupational Physicians, Primary Care Physicians and Psychotherapists in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Junne, Florian; Michaelis, Martina; Rothermund, Eva; Stuber, Felicitas; Gündel, Harald; Zipfel, Stephan; Rieger, Monika A

2018-03-20

Objectives : This study analyses the perceived relevance of stress-dimensions in work-settings from the differential views of Human Resource Managers (HRM), Occupational Physicians (OP), Primary Care Physicians (PCP) and Psychotherapists (PT) in Germany. Methods : Cross-sectional study design, using a self-report questionnaire. Descriptive measures and explorative bivariate methods were applied for group-comparisons. Results are presented as rankings of perceived importance and as polarity profiles of contrasting views. Results: N = 627 participants completed the questionnaires (HRM: n = 172; OP: n = 133; PCP: n = 136; PT: n = 186). The stress dimensions with the highest mean ratings across all four professions were: 'social relationships in the work place' ( M = 3.55, SD = 0.62) and 'superiors´ leadership style' ( M = 3.54, SD = 0.64). Mean ratings of perceived relevance of stress dimensions differed most between HRM and the three medical professions. Conclusions : The perceived importance of work-related stress-dimensions seems to be higher in the medical disciplines (OP, PCP, PT) than in the group from the management sector (HRM). However, no fundamental disagreement on the role of work-related stress-dimensions seems to hinder e.g., intensified efforts of cooperation across sectors in tackling the "stress-pandemic" and improving the (mental) health of employees.

The Role of Work-Related Factors in the Development of Psychological Distress and Associated Mental Disorders: Differential Views of Human Resource Managers, Occupational Physicians, Primary Care Physicians and Psychotherapists in Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Junne, Florian; Michaelis, Martina; Stuber, Felicitas; Gündel, Harald; Zipfel, Stephan

2018-01-01

Objectives: This study analyses the perceived relevance of stress-dimensions in work-settings from the differential views of Human Resource Managers (HRM), Occupational Physicians (OP), Primary Care Physicians (PCP) and Psychotherapists (PT) in Germany. Methods: Cross-sectional study design, using a self-report questionnaire. Descriptive measures and explorative bivariate methods were applied for group-comparisons. Results are presented as rankings of perceived importance and as polarity profiles of contrasting views. Results: N = 627 participants completed the questionnaires (HRM: n = 172; OP: n = 133; PCP: n = 136; PT: n = 186). The stress dimensions with the highest mean ratings across all four professions were: ‘social relationships in the work place’ (M = 3.55, SD = 0.62) and ‘superiors´ leadership style’ (M = 3.54, SD = 0.64). Mean ratings of perceived relevance of stress dimensions differed most between HRM and the three medical professions. Conclusions: The perceived importance of work-related stress-dimensions seems to be higher in the medical disciplines (OP, PCP, PT) than in the group from the management sector (HRM). However, no fundamental disagreement on the role of work-related stress-dimensions seems to hinder e.g., intensified efforts of cooperation across sectors in tackling the “stress-pandemic” and improving the (mental) health of employees. PMID:29558427

Building "Applied Linguistic Historiography": Rationale, Scope, and Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Richard

2016-01-01

In this article I argue for the establishment of "Applied Linguistic Historiography" (ALH), that is, a new domain of enquiry within applied linguistics involving a rigorous, scholarly, and self-reflexive approach to historical research. Considering issues of rationale, scope, and methods in turn, I provide reasons why ALH is needed and…

Single-Case Designs and Qualitative Methods: Applying a Mixed Methods Research Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Hitchcock, John H.; Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Summerville, Meredith

2010-01-01

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe a design that mixes single-case (sometimes referred to as single-subject) and qualitative methods, hereafter referred to as a single-case mixed methods design (SCD-MM). Minimal attention has been given to the topic of applying qualitative methods to SCD work in the literature. These two…

Quantitative EEG Applying the Statistical Recognition Pattern Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engedal, Knut; Snaedal, Jon; Hoegh, Peter

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the discriminatory power of quantitative EEG (qEEG) applying the statistical pattern recognition (SPR) method to separate Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients from elderly individuals without dementia and from other dementia patients. METHODS...

High-resolution melting curve analysis for rapid detection of mutations in a Medaka TILLING library

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Deguchi Tomonori

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background During the last two decades, DNA sequencing has led to the identification of numerous genes in key species; however, in most cases, their functions are still unknown. In this situation, reverse genetics is the most suitable method to assign function to a gene. TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes is a reverse-genetic strategy that combines random chemical mutagenesis with high-throughput discovery of the induced mutations in target genes. The method has been applied to a variety of plant and animal species. Screening of the induced mutations is the most important step in TILLING. Currently, direct sequencing or nuclease-mediated screening of heteroduplexes is widely used for detection of mutations in TILLING. Both methods are useful, but the costs are substantial and turnaround times are relatively long. Thus, there is a need for an alternative method that is of higher throughput and more cost effective. Results In this study, we developed a high resolution melting (HRM assay and evaluated its effectiveness for screening ENU-induced mutations in a medaka TILLING library. We had previously screened mutations in the p53 gene by direct sequencing. Therefore, we first tested the efficiency of the HRM assay by screening mutations in p53, which indicated that the HRM assay is as useful as direct sequencing. Next, we screened mutations in the atr and atm genes with the HRM assay. Nonsense mutations were identified in each gene, and the phenotypes of these nonsense mutants confirmed their loss-of-function nature. Conclusions These results demonstrate that the HRM assay is useful for screening mutations in TILLING. Furthermore, the phenotype of the obtained mutants indicates that medaka is an excellent animal model for investigating genome stability and gene function, especially when combined with TILLING.

A HRM assay for identification of low level BRAF V600E and V600K mutations using the CADMA principle in FFPE specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Huebner, Claudia; Weber, Remeny; Lloydd, Richard

2017-12-01

Melanoma patients with BRAF V600E and V600K mutations show complete or partial response to vemurafenib. Detection assays often scan for the common V600E mutation rather than the rare V600K variant, although this mutation can be found in a high proportion of melanoma patients in the South Pacific. Herein, we describe a BRAF high resolution melting (HRM) assay that can differentiate low level of V600E and V600K mutations using formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) reference standards for assay validation. The assay is based on the competitive amplification of differentially melting amplicons (CADMA principle) and has a limit of detection of 0.8% mutant allele for V600K and 1.4% mutant allele for V600E. A differentiation between the two mutations based on the melting profile is possible even at low mutation level. Sixty FFPE specimens were scanned and mutations could be scored correctly as confirmed by castPCR. In summary, the developed HRM assay is suitable for detection of V600K and V600E mutations and proved to be reliable and cost effective in a diagnostic environment. Copyright © 2017 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of high-resolution DNA melting for genotyping in lepidopteran non-model species: Ostrinia furnacalis (Crambidae.

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FengBo Li

Full Text Available Development of an ideal marker system facilitates a better understanding of the genetic diversity in lepidopteran non-model organisms, which have abundant species, but relatively limited genomic resources. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs discovered within single-copy genes have proved to be desired markers, but SNP genotyping by current techniques remain laborious and expensive. High resolution melting (HRM curve analysis represents a simple, rapid and inexpensive genotyping method that is primarily confined to clinical and diagnostic studies. In this study, we evaluated the potential of HRM analysis for SNP genotyping in the lepidopteran non-model species Ostrinia furnacalis (Crambidae. Small amplicon and unlabeled probe assays were developed for the SNPs, which were identified in 30 females of O. furnacalis from 3 different populations by our direct sequencing. Both assays were then applied to genotype 90 unknown female DNA by prior mixing with known wild-type DNA. The genotyping results were compared with those that were obtained using bi-directional sequencing analysis. Our results demonstrated the efficiency and reliability of the HRM assays. HRM has the potential to provide simple, cost-effective genotyping assays and facilitates genotyping studies in any non-model lepidopteran species of interest.

The Standardized Extract of Juniperus communis Alleviates Hyperpigmentation in Vivo HRM-2 Hairless Mice and in Vitro Murine B16 Melanoma Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jegal, Jonghwan; Chung, Ki Wung; Chung, Hae Young; Jeong, Eun Ju; Yang, Min Hye

2017-01-01

In European folk medicine, the fruits of Juniperus communis are used in the treatment of skin-related disorders such as skin infection, itching, and psoriasis. Previously, we reported that the EtOAc fraction of J. communis (EAJC) contained tyrosinase inhibition properties in vitro non-cellular experiment. The aim of this study was to evaluate anti-melanogenic effect of standardized EAJC on a hyperpigmentation animal model. Therapeutic effects of EAJC toward skin hyperpigmentation were confirmed by both in vivo experiment and in vitro cell-based assay. Skin depigmenting effect was detected by topical treatment of EAJC for 11 d to HRM-2 melanin-possessing hairless mice. Histologic findings including significantly decreased melanin depositions could be observed in dorsal skin samples of EAJC-treated group. In addition, the EAJC (50 µg/mL) attenuated melanin production through down-regulation of tyrosinase activity and protein expression in B16 murine melanoma cells. According to the phytochemical analysis, EAJC was found to contain hypolaetin-7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside and isoscutellarein-7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside as main components. Hypolaetin-7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside was responsible for the skin-lightening effect of EAJC by reducing the number of melanocytes in dorsal skins of HRM-2 mice. The present study provided direct experimental evidence for skin-lightening effect of EAJC in UV-irradiated hairless mouse model. Therapeutic attempts with the J. communis might be useful in the management of skin pigmentation-related diseases.

Geostatistical methods applied to field model residuals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maule, Fox; Mosegaard, K.; Olsen, Nils

consists of measurement errors and unmodelled signal), and is typically assumed to be uncorrelated and Gaussian distributed. We have applied geostatistical methods to analyse the residuals of the Oersted(09d/04) field model [http://www.dsri.dk/Oersted/Field_models/IGRF_2005_candidates/], which is based...

Aircraft operability methods applied to space launch vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Douglas

1997-01-01

The commercial space launch market requirement for low vehicle operations costs necessitates the application of methods and technologies developed and proven for complex aircraft systems. The ``building in'' of reliability and maintainability, which is applied extensively in the aircraft industry, has yet to be applied to the maximum extent possible on launch vehicles. Use of vehicle system and structural health monitoring, automated ground systems and diagnostic design methods derived from aircraft applications support the goal of achieving low cost launch vehicle operations. Transforming these operability techniques to space applications where diagnostic effectiveness has significantly different metrics is critical to the success of future launch systems. These concepts will be discussed with reference to broad launch vehicle applicability. Lessons learned and techniques used in the adaptation of these methods will be outlined drawing from recent aircraft programs and implementation on phase 1 of the X-33/RLV technology development program.

Calreticulin mutation analysis in non-mutated Janus kinase 2 essential thrombocythemia patients in Chiang Mai University: analysis of three methods and clinical correlations.

Science.gov (United States)

Rattarittamrong, Ekarat; Tantiworawit, Adisak; Kumpunya, Noppamas; Wongtagan, Ornkamon; Tongphung, Ratchanoo; Phusua, Arunee; Chai-Adisaksopha, Chatree; Hantrakool, Sasinee; Rattanathammethee, Thanawat; Norasetthada, Lalita; Charoenkwan, Pimlak; Lekawanvijit, Suree

2018-03-09

The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of calreticulin (CALR) mutation in patients with non-JAK2V617F mutated essential thrombocythemia (ET). The secondary objectives were to evaluate the accuracy of CALR mutation analysis by high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) compared with DNA sequencing and to compare clinical characteristics of CALR mutated and JAK2V617F mutated ET. This was a prospective cohort study involving ET patients registered at Chiang Mai University in the period September 2015-September 2017 who were aged more than 2 years, and did not harbor JAK2V617F mutation. The presence of CALR mutation was established by DNA sequencing, HRM, and real-time PCR for type 1 and type 2 mutation. Clinical data were compared with that from ET patients with mutated JAK2V617F. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled onto the study. CALR mutations were found in 10 patients (35.7%). Three patients had type 1 mutation, 5 patients had type 2 mutation, 1 patient had type 18 mutation, and 1 patients had novel mutations (c.1093 C-G, c.1098_1131 del, c.1135 G-A). HRM could differentiate between the types of mutation in complete agreement with DNA sequencing. Patients with a CALR mutation showed a significantly greater male predominance and had a higher platelet count when compared with 42 JAK2V617F patients. The prevalence of CALR mutation in JAK2V617F-negative ET in this study is 35.7%. HRM is an effective method of detecting CALR mutation and is a more advantageous method of screening for CALR mutation.

Development of a rapid HRM qPCR for the diagnosis of the four most prevalent Plasmodium lineages in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoener, E R; Hunter, S; Howe, L

2017-07-01

Although wildlife rehabilitation and translocations are important tools in wildlife conservation in New Zealand, disease screening of birds has not been standardized. Additionally, the results of the screening programmes are often difficult to interpret due to missing disease data in resident or translocating avian populations. Molecular methods have become the most widespread method for diagnosing avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) infections. However, these methods can be time-consuming, expensive and are less specific in diagnosing mixed infections. Thus, this study developed a new real-time PCR (qPCR) method that was able to detect and specifically identify infections of the three most common lineages of avian malaria in New Zealand (Plasmodium (Novyella) sp. SYAT05, Plasmodium elongatum GRW6 and Plasmodium spp. LINN1) as well as a less common, pathogenic Plasmodium relictum GRW4 lineage. The assay was also able to discern combinations of these parasites in the same sample and had a detection limit of five parasites per microlitre. Due to concerns relating to the presence of the potentially highly pathogenic P. relictum GRW4 lineage in avian populations, an additional confirmatory high resolution (HRM) qPCR was developed to distinguish between commonly identified P. elongatum GRW6 from P. relictum GRW4. The new qPCR assays were tested using tissue samples containing Plasmodium schizonts from three naturally infected dead birds resulting in the identified infection of P. elongatum GRW6. Thus, these rapid qPCR assays have shown to be cost-effective and rapid screening tools for the detection of Plasmodium infection in New Zealand native birds.

The Importance of Strategic Competence in HRM: Evidence from Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Covarrubias Venegas

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM is vital in order to gain competitive advantage for organisations. Although there is extant literature on SHRM from academia and practitioners alike, looking closer at HR activities in today’s organisations, resource allocation is still inclined towards more operational, day-to-day activities. The main objective of this paper is to give a deeper understanding about how the importance of strategic competence in HR might vary depending on the country, the work experience of HR managers and whether it differs between HR and stakeholders HR (namely, middle and top management, or if company size and the organisational life cycle play a role. A quantitative study of HR managers and stakeholders HR using telephone interviews was conducted in Austria and three CEE countries. Findings on the perceived importance of the strategic competence of HRM are presented in detail and suggestions for further research are presented.

High-resolution melting (HRM) for genotyping bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV).

Science.gov (United States)

Erster, Oran; Stram, Rotem; Menasherow, Shopia; Rubistein-Giuni, Marisol; Sharir, Binyamin; Kchinich, Evgeni; Stram, Yehuda

2017-02-02

In recent years there have been several major outbreaks of bovine ephemeral disease in the Middle East, including Israel. Such occurrences raise the need for quick identification of the viruses responsible for the outbreaks, in order to rapidly identify the entry of viruses that do not belong to the Middle-East BEFV lineage. This challenge was met by the development of a high-resolution melt (HRM) assay. The assay is based on the viral G gene sequence and generation of an algorithm that calculates and evaluates the GC content of various fragments. The algorithm was designed to scan 50- to 200-base-long segments in a sliding-window manner, compare and rank them using an Order of Technique of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution technique, according to the differences in GC content of homologous fragments. Two fragments were selected, based on a match to the analysis criteria, in terms of size and GC content. These fragments were successfully used in the analysis to differentiate between different virus lineages, thus facilitating assignment of the viruses' geographical origins. Moreover, the assay could be used for differentiating infected from vaccinated animales (DIVA). The new algorithm may therefore be useful for development of improved genotyping studies for other viruses and possibly other microorganisms. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Applied mathematical methods in nuclear thermal hydraulics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ransom, V.H.; Trapp, J.A.

1983-01-01

Applied mathematical methods are used extensively in modeling of nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulic behavior. This application has required significant extension to the state-of-the-art. The problems encountered in modeling of two-phase fluid transients and the development of associated numerical solution methods are reviewed and quantified using results from a numerical study of an analogous linear system of differential equations. In particular, some possible approaches for formulating a well-posed numerical problem for an ill-posed differential model are investigated and discussed. The need for closer attention to numerical fidelity is indicated

Use of Case Study Methods in Human Resource Management, Development, and Training Courses: Strategies and Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, James R.; Gilberti, Anthony F.; Mupinga, Davison M.

2006-01-01

This paper will study some of the problems associated with case studies and make recommendations using standard and innovative methodologies effectively. Human resource management (HRM) and resource development cases provide context for analysis and decision-making designs in different industries. In most HRM development and training courses…

The use of real-time polymerase chain reaction with high resolution melting (real-time PCR-HRM) analysis for the detection and discrimination of nematodes Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Bursaphelenchus mucronatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Filipiak, Anna; Hasiów-Jaroszewska, Beata

2016-04-01

The real-time PCR-HRM analysis was developed for the detection and discrimination of the quarantine nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Bursaphelenchus mucronatus. A set of primers was designed to target the ITS region of rDNA. The results have demonstrated that this analysis is a valuable tool for differentiation of these both species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discrimination symbol applying method for sintered nuclear fuel product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizaki, Jin

1998-01-01

The present invention provides a symbol applying method for applying discrimination information such as an enrichment degree on the end face of a sintered nuclear product. Namely, discrimination symbols of information of powders are applied by a sintering aid to the end face of a molded member formed by molding nuclear fuel powders under pressure. Then, the molded product is sintered. The sintering aid comprises aluminum oxide, a mixture of aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide, aluminum hydride or aluminum stearate alone or in admixture. As an applying means of the sintering aid, discrimination symbols of information of powders are drawn by an isostearic acid on the end face of the molded product, and the sintering aid is sprayed thereto, or the sintering aid is applied directly, or the sintering aid is suspended in isostearic acid, and the suspension is applied with a brush. As a result, visible discrimination information can be applied to the sintered member easily. (N.H.)

Rapid detection of SMARCB1 sequence variation using high resolution melting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashley David M

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rhabdoid tumors are rare cancers of early childhood arising in the kidney, central nervous system and other organs. The majority are caused by somatic inactivating mutations or deletions affecting the tumor suppressor locus SMARCB1 [OMIM 601607]. Germ-line SMARCB1 inactivation has been reported in association with rhabdoid tumor, epitheloid sarcoma and familial schwannomatosis, underscoring the importance of accurate mutation screening to ascertain recurrence and transmission risks. We describe a rapid and sensitive diagnostic screening method, using high resolution melting (HRM, for detecting sequence variations in SMARCB1. Methods Amplicons, encompassing the nine coding exons of SMARCB1, flanking splice site sequences and the 5' and 3' UTR, were screened by both HRM and direct DNA sequencing to establish the reliability of HRM as a primary mutation screening tool. Reaction conditions were optimized with commercially available HRM mixes. Results The false negative rate for detecting sequence variants by HRM in our sample series was zero. Nine amplicons out of a total of 140 (6.4% showed variant melt profiles that were subsequently shown to be false positive. Overall nine distinct pathogenic SMARCB1 mutations were identified in a total of 19 possible rhabdoid tumors. Two tumors had two distinct mutations and two harbored SMARCB1 deletion. Other mutations were nonsense or frame-shifts. The detection sensitivity of the HRM screening method was influenced by both sequence context and specific nucleotide change and varied from 1: 4 to 1:1000 (variant to wild-type DNA. A novel method involving digital HRM, followed by re-sequencing, was used to confirm mutations in tumor specimens containing associated normal tissue. Conclusions This is the first report describing SMARCB1 mutation screening using HRM. HRM is a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive screening technology that is likely to be widely adopted in diagnostic laboratories to

Classification of Specialized Farms Applying Multivariate Statistical Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuzana Hloušková

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Classification of specialized farms applying multivariate statistical methods The paper is aimed at application of advanced multivariate statistical methods when classifying cattle breeding farming enterprises by their economic size. Advantage of the model is its ability to use a few selected indicators compared to the complex methodology of current classification model that requires knowledge of detailed structure of the herd turnover and structure of cultivated crops. Output of the paper is intended to be applied within farm structure research focused on future development of Czech agriculture. As data source, the farming enterprises database for 2014 has been used, from the FADN CZ system. The predictive model proposed exploits knowledge of actual size classes of the farms tested. Outcomes of the linear discriminatory analysis multifactor classification method have supported the chance of filing farming enterprises in the group of Small farms (98 % filed correctly, and the Large and Very Large enterprises (100 % filed correctly. The Medium Size farms have been correctly filed at 58.11 % only. Partial shortages of the process presented have been found when discriminating Medium and Small farms.

Determination of activity of I-125 applying sum-peak methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arbelo Penna, Y.; Hernandez Rivero, A.T.; Oropesa Verdecia, P.; Serra Aguila, R.; Moreno Leon, Y.

2011-01-01

The determination of activity of I-125 in radioactive solutions, applying sum-peak methods, by using an n-type HPGe detector of extended range is described. Two procedures were used for obtaining I-125 specific activity in solutions: a) an absolute method, which is independent of nuclear parameters and detector efficiency, and b) an option which consider constant the efficiency in the region of interest and involves calculations using nuclear parameters. The measurement geometries studied are specifically solid point sources. The relative deviations between specific activities, obtained by these different procedures are not higher than 1 %. Moreover, the activity of the radioactive solution was obtained by measuring it in NIST ampoule using a CAPINTEC CRC 35R dose calibrator. The consistency of obtained results, confirm the feasibility of applying direct methods of measurement for I-125 activity determinations, which allow us to achieve lower uncertainties in comparison with the relative methods of measurement. The establishment of these methods is aimed to be applied for the calibration of equipment and radionuclide dose calibrators used currently in clinical RIA/IRMA assays and Nuclear medicine practice respectively. (Author)

Near-infrared radiation curable multilayer coating systems and methods for applying same

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Mark P; Verdun, Shelley D; Post, Gordon L

2015-04-28

Multilayer coating systems, methods of applying and related substrates are disclosed. The coating system may comprise a first coating comprising a near-IR absorber, and a second coating deposited on a least a portion of the first coating. Methods of applying a multilayer coating composition to a substrate may comprise applying a first coating comprising a near-IR absorber, applying a second coating over at least a portion of the first coating and curing the coating with near infrared radiation.

Cluster detection methods applied to the Upper Cape Cod cancer data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozonoff David

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A variety of statistical methods have been suggested to assess the degree and/or the location of spatial clustering of disease cases. However, there is relatively little in the literature devoted to comparison and critique of different methods. Most of the available comparative studies rely on simulated data rather than real data sets. Methods We have chosen three methods currently used for examining spatial disease patterns: the M-statistic of Bonetti and Pagano; the Generalized Additive Model (GAM method as applied by Webster; and Kulldorff's spatial scan statistic. We apply these statistics to analyze breast cancer data from the Upper Cape Cancer Incidence Study using three different latency assumptions. Results The three different latency assumptions produced three different spatial patterns of cases and controls. For 20 year latency, all three methods generally concur. However, for 15 year latency and no latency assumptions, the methods produce different results when testing for global clustering. Conclusion The comparative analyses of real data sets by different statistical methods provides insight into directions for further research. We suggest a research program designed around examining real data sets to guide focused investigation of relevant features using simulated data, for the purpose of understanding how to interpret statistical methods applied to epidemiological data with a spatial component.

Methods for model selection in applied science and engineering.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field, Richard V., Jr.

2004-10-01

Mathematical models are developed and used to study the properties of complex systems and/or modify these systems to satisfy some performance requirements in just about every area of applied science and engineering. A particular reason for developing a model, e.g., performance assessment or design, is referred to as the model use. Our objective is the development of a methodology for selecting a model that is sufficiently accurate for an intended use. Information on the system being modeled is, in general, incomplete, so that there may be two or more models consistent with the available information. The collection of these models is called the class of candidate models. Methods are developed for selecting the optimal member from a class of candidate models for the system. The optimal model depends on the available information, the selected class of candidate models, and the model use. Classical methods for model selection, including the method of maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods, as well as a method employing a decision-theoretic approach, are formulated to select the optimal model for numerous applications. There is no requirement that the candidate models be random. Classical methods for model selection ignore model use and require data to be available. Examples are used to show that these methods can be unreliable when data is limited. The decision-theoretic approach to model selection does not have these limitations, and model use is included through an appropriate utility function. This is especially important when modeling high risk systems, where the consequences of using an inappropriate model for the system can be disastrous. The decision-theoretic method for model selection is developed and applied for a series of complex and diverse applications. These include the selection of the: (1) optimal order of the polynomial chaos approximation for non-Gaussian random variables and stationary stochastic processes, (2) optimal pressure load model to be

A method to couple HEM and HRM two-phase flow models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herard, J.M.; Hurisse, O. [Elect France, Div Rech and Dev, Dept Mecan Fluides Energies and Environm, F-78401 Chatou (France); Hurisse, O. [Univ Aix Marseille 1, Ctr Math and Informat, Lab Anal Topol and Probabil, CNRS, UMR 6632, F-13453 Marseille 13 (France); Ambroso, A. [CEA Saclay, DEN, DM2S, SFME, LETR, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France)

2009-04-15

We present a method for the unsteady coupling of two distinct two-phase flow models (namely the Homogeneous Relaxation Model, and the Homogeneous Equilibrium Model) through a thin interface. The basic approach relies on recent works devoted to the interfacial coupling of CFD models, and thus requires to introduce an interface model. Many numerical test cases enable to investigate the stability of the coupling method. (authors)

A method to couple HEM and HRM two-phase flow models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herard, J.M.; Hurisse, O.; Hurisse, O.; Ambroso, A.

2009-01-01

We present a method for the unsteady coupling of two distinct two-phase flow models (namely the Homogeneous Relaxation Model, and the Homogeneous Equilibrium Model) through a thin interface. The basic approach relies on recent works devoted to the interfacial coupling of CFD models, and thus requires to introduce an interface model. Many numerical test cases enable to investigate the stability of the coupling method. (authors)

Newton-Krylov methods applied to nonequilibrium radiation diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knoll, D.A.; Rider, W.J.; Olsen, G.L.

1998-01-01

The authors present results of applying a matrix-free Newton-Krylov method to a nonequilibrium radiation diffusion problem. Here, there is no use of operator splitting, and Newton's method is used to convert the nonlinearities within a time step. Since the nonlinear residual is formed, it is used to monitor convergence. It is demonstrated that a simple Picard-based linearization produces a sufficient preconditioning matrix for the Krylov method, thus elevating the need to form or store a Jacobian matrix for Newton's method. They discuss the possibility that the Newton-Krylov approach may allow larger time steps, without loss of accuracy, as compared to an operator split approach where nonlinearities are not converged within a time step

The Role of HRM Practices in Predicting Faculty Turnover Intention: Empirical Evidence from Private Universities in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd H.R. Joarder

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The present study was designed to examine the relationship between human resource management practices and turnover intention among the faculty members of private universities in Bangladesh. The prime objective of this study was to understand whether the institution’s HRM practices can influence faculty turnover decision. A total of 317 faculty members of different private universities located in Dhaka Metropolitan Area(DMA participated in the survey and returned the questionnaire to the researchers which represented 57% response rate of the study. Multiple regression analyses were used to test thehypotheses of the study. The study found faculty compensation, supervisory support and job security as statistically significant predictors of faculty turnover intention. Therefore, privateuniversity management should pay much attention to this area of human resource practices (compensation, supervisory support, job security to retain the potential faculty, thus reducing turnover intention. Limitations and suggestions for latest news headline are forwarded.

Rapid detection of SMARCB1 sequence variation using high resolution melting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dagar, Vinod; Chow, Chung-Wo; Ashley, David M; Algar, Elizabeth M

2009-01-01

Rhabdoid tumors are rare cancers of early childhood arising in the kidney, central nervous system and other organs. The majority are caused by somatic inactivating mutations or deletions affecting the tumor suppressor locus SMARCB1 [OMIM 601607]. Germ-line SMARCB1 inactivation has been reported in association with rhabdoid tumor, epitheloid sarcoma and familial schwannomatosis, underscoring the importance of accurate mutation screening to ascertain recurrence and transmission risks. We describe a rapid and sensitive diagnostic screening method, using high resolution melting (HRM), for detecting sequence variations in SMARCB1. Amplicons, encompassing the nine coding exons of SMARCB1, flanking splice site sequences and the 5' and 3' UTR, were screened by both HRM and direct DNA sequencing to establish the reliability of HRM as a primary mutation screening tool. Reaction conditions were optimized with commercially available HRM mixes. The false negative rate for detecting sequence variants by HRM in our sample series was zero. Nine amplicons out of a total of 140 (6.4%) showed variant melt profiles that were subsequently shown to be false positive. Overall nine distinct pathogenic SMARCB1 mutations were identified in a total of 19 possible rhabdoid tumors. Two tumors had two distinct mutations and two harbored SMARCB1 deletion. Other mutations were nonsense or frame-shifts. The detection sensitivity of the HRM screening method was influenced by both sequence context and specific nucleotide change and varied from 1: 4 to 1:1000 (variant to wild-type DNA). A novel method involving digital HRM, followed by re-sequencing, was used to confirm mutations in tumor specimens containing associated normal tissue. This is the first report describing SMARCB1 mutation screening using HRM. HRM is a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive screening technology that is likely to be widely adopted in diagnostic laboratories to facilitate whole gene mutation screening

Filling up the HRM ‘Black Box’; do creativity and management philosophy matter?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdussalaam Iyanda Ismail

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Although mediating variables are of importance in the HPWS-Performance nexus, identification of the fitting intervening variable(s that mediates between the nexuses is a crucial issue, and the number of the mediating variable(s which would unravel the so called “black box” remains un-resolved and the most burning theoretical and empirical challenge in the Strategic HRM research field. Likewise, moderating variables do have impacts on the HPWS-Performance nexus since the context within which firm operates and the strategic orientations of firms have bearing on the application of HR practices and its effect on the firm’s performance. Given this, this work pro-posed a model which is theorized based on the far-reaching survey of the extant literature. The model theorizes the mediating role of employee creativity and potential moderating role of man-agement philosophy in the HPWS-performance nexus via extensive theoretical and logical argu-ment and exposition. Also, as established by the extant research, HPWS measurement in the context of SME should be employee-oriented, therefore, this work measured HPWS with eight employee-oriented HR architectures, and performance is measured with financial and non-financial performance, for being a widespread adopted measurement in many fields of study.

La gestion des gestionnaires de projets: Le cas de l'industrie aerospatiale au Quebec

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, Marie-Claude

This research focuses on the management of project managers (PMs) working in high technology organizations. In particular, it examines how these professionals are taken charge of from a human resources management (HRM) standpoint in firms within the aerospace industry in Quebec. The literature in the field of project management generally depicts PMs as entrepreneurs and resource managers, managing human resources (e.g. project team members) among other things. It also defines them as single-handedly responsible for managing their own career, stress and motivation. This profile suggests that once selected and assigned to projects, PMs receive little attention in terms of HRM from the organization. It is hardly conceivable, however, that PMs would move about completely on their own within the organization, let alone that they wouldn't represent any special challenge in terms of HRM, as the ones the literature so clearly underlines for project team members. The review of the literature also reveals that the subject of HRM as applied to PMs is poorly documented empirically, especially on the topic of what particular challenges the project context might bring up for the HRM of PMs. There is also little told about the actors involved in supporting and contributing to meet the challenges that arise out of managing PMs. This study sought to discern those challenges and the means put forth to address them. Also, it wanted to identify the actors of the HRM of PMs, their roles, their skills, and their relationships, among themselves and with the PMs, in order to efficiently take charge of them. This study also wanted to demonstrate the logic that ties the means put forth by the identified actors with the objectives PM-employing organizations want to reach. Finally, the study wanted to identify the impact of the HRM of PMs as it is occurring in organizations. The Quebec aerospace sector was chosen as the field of research primarily because the success of projects in

A Lagrangian meshfree method applied to linear and nonlinear elasticity.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Wade A

2017-01-01

The repeated replacement method (RRM) is a Lagrangian meshfree method which we have previously applied to the Euler equations for compressible fluid flow. In this paper we present new enhancements to RRM, and we apply the enhanced method to both linear and nonlinear elasticity. We compare the results of ten test problems to those of analytic solvers, to demonstrate that RRM can successfully simulate these elastic systems without many of the requirements of traditional numerical methods such as numerical derivatives, equation system solvers, or Riemann solvers. We also show the relationship between error and computational effort for RRM on these systems, and compare RRM to other methods to highlight its strengths and weaknesses. And to further explain the two elastic equations used in the paper, we demonstrate the mathematical procedure used to create Riemann and Sedov-Taylor solvers for them, and detail the numerical techniques needed to embody those solvers in code.

Stimulation of Efficient Employee Performance through Human Resource Management Practices: A Study on the Health Care Sector of Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatema Nusrat

2018-01-01

Full Text Available As the world is becoming more competitive and unstable than ever before; health care sector, especially in a developing country like Bangladesh, is seeking to gain competitive advantage through the performance of its employees and is turning to be more innovative in this perspective through human resource management (HRM practices. Experts view HRM practices as a set of internally consistent policies and practices designed and implemented to ensure that the human capital of the organization contributes to the achievement of its objectives. This paper examined the effects of human resource management (HRM practices on stimulating or enhancing efficient employee performance in the health care sector of Bangladesh. Ten dimensions and 43 item statements of human resource management (HRM practices and efficient employee performance have been adopted to undertake this study. Data have been gathered following a quantitative survey by a structured questionnaire conducted among a diverse group of employees (N = 240 working in 20 different health care service providing organizations of Bangladesh following simple random sampling method. Several statistical techniques consisting of descriptive analysis, Pearson correlations, ANOVA, Coefficient and regression analysis have been applied using SPSS software to analyze the collected data for taking decisions regarding the hypotheses. The results of the statistical analysis reveal that human resource management (HRM practices positively stimulates efficient employee performance. This study therefore recommends among others: enhancement of motivation among employees, improvement in the reward system, establishment of strong organizational culture, training and re-training of employees,  and employees participation in decision making.

Methods of applied mathematics with a software overview

CERN Document Server

Davis, Jon H

2016-01-01

This textbook, now in its second edition, provides students with a firm grasp of the fundamental notions and techniques of applied mathematics as well as the software skills to implement them. The text emphasizes the computational aspects of problem solving as well as the limitations and implicit assumptions inherent in the formal methods. Readers are also given a sense of the wide variety of problems in which the presented techniques are useful. Broadly organized around the theme of applied Fourier analysis, the treatment covers classical applications in partial differential equations and boundary value problems, and a substantial number of topics associated with Laplace, Fourier, and discrete transform theories. Some advanced topics are explored in the final chapters such as short-time Fourier analysis and geometrically based transforms applicable to boundary value problems. The topics covered are useful in a variety of applied fields such as continuum mechanics, mathematical physics, control theory, and si...

Linear algebraic methods applied to intensity modulated radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Crooks, S M; Xing, L

2001-10-01

Methods of linear algebra are applied to the choice of beam weights for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). It is shown that the physical interpretation of the beam weights, target homogeneity and ratios of deposited energy can be given in terms of matrix equations and quadratic forms. The methodology of fitting using linear algebra as applied to IMRT is examined. Results are compared with IMRT plans that had been prepared using a commercially available IMRT treatment planning system and previously delivered to cancer patients.

Reactor calculation in coarse mesh by finite element method applied to matrix response method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.

1982-01-01

The finite element method is applied to the solution of the modified formulation of the matrix-response method aiming to do reactor calculations in coarse mesh. Good results are obtained with a short running time. The method is applicable to problems where the heterogeneity is predominant and to problems of evolution in coarse meshes where the burnup is variable in one same coarse mesh, making the cross section vary spatially with the evolution. (E.G.) [pt

Systematic review of the links between human resource management practices and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, M; Rick, J; Wood, S; Carroll, C; Balain, S; Booth, A

2010-10-01

In recent years human resource management (HRM) has been seen as an important factor in the successful realisation of organisational change programmes. The UK NHS is undergoing substantial organisational change and there is a need to establish which human resource (HR) initiatives may be most effective. To assess the results from a wide-ranging series of systematic reviews of the evidence on HRM and performance. The first part assesses evidence on use of HRM in the UK and fidelity of practice implemented. The second part considers evidence for the impact of HRM practices on intermediate outcomes, which can impact on final outcomes, such as organisational performance or patient care. The following databases were searched: Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), British Nursing Index (BNI), Business Source Premier, Campbell Collaboration, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), DH-Data, EMBASE, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), King's Fund database, MEDLINE, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), National Research Register (NRR), PREMEDLINE, PsycINFO, ReFeR, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index (SCI). The searches were conducted in May/June 2006. Broad categories of HRM interventions and intermediate outcomes were generated: 10 HRM categories and 12 intermediate outcome categories. Seven patient final outcomes were derived from the NHS Performance Indicators and the NHS Improvement Plan. The quality criteria used to select papers incorporated a longitudinal study design filter to provide evidence of the causal direction of relationships between HRM and relevant outcomes. Single HRM practices were considered. Within the health-specific literature, focus was on the

Analysis of concrete beams using applied element method

Science.gov (United States)

Lincy Christy, D.; Madhavan Pillai, T. M.; Nagarajan, Praveen

2018-03-01

The Applied Element Method (AEM) is a displacement based method of structural analysis. Some of its features are similar to that of Finite Element Method (FEM). In AEM, the structure is analysed by dividing it into several elements similar to FEM. But, in AEM, elements are connected by springs instead of nodes as in the case of FEM. In this paper, background to AEM is discussed and necessary equations are derived. For illustrating the application of AEM, it has been used to analyse plain concrete beam of fixed support condition. The analysis is limited to the analysis of 2-dimensional structures. It was found that the number of springs has no much influence on the results. AEM could predict deflection and reactions with reasonable degree of accuracy.

Relationship between esophageal contraction patterns and clearance of swallowed liquid and solid boluses in healthy controls and patients with dysphagia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bogte, A.; Bredenoord, A. J.; Oors, J.; Siersema, P. D.; Smout, A. J. P. M.

2012-01-01

Background Non-obstructive dysphagia patients prove to be a difficult category for clinical management. Esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM) is a novel method, used to analyze dysphagia. However, it is not yet clear how findings on HRM relate to bolus transport through the esophagus. Methods

Accurate simulation of MPPT methods performance when applied to commercial photovoltaic panels.

Science.gov (United States)

Cubas, Javier; Pindado, Santiago; Sanz-Andrés, Ángel

2015-01-01

A new, simple, and quick-calculation methodology to obtain a solar panel model, based on the manufacturers' datasheet, to perform MPPT simulations, is described. The method takes into account variations on the ambient conditions (sun irradiation and solar cells temperature) and allows fast MPPT methods comparison or their performance prediction when applied to a particular solar panel. The feasibility of the described methodology is checked with four different MPPT methods applied to a commercial solar panel, within a day, and under realistic ambient conditions.

Accurate Simulation of MPPT Methods Performance When Applied to Commercial Photovoltaic Panels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Cubas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A new, simple, and quick-calculation methodology to obtain a solar panel model, based on the manufacturers’ datasheet, to perform MPPT simulations, is described. The method takes into account variations on the ambient conditions (sun irradiation and solar cells temperature and allows fast MPPT methods comparison or their performance prediction when applied to a particular solar panel. The feasibility of the described methodology is checked with four different MPPT methods applied to a commercial solar panel, within a day, and under realistic ambient conditions.

Applying the Taguchi method for optimized fabrication of bovine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SERVER

2008-02-19

Feb 19, 2008 ... Nanobiotechnology Research Lab., School of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology, Po.Box: 484, ... nanoparticle by applying the Taguchi method with characterization of the ... of BSA/ethanol and organic solvent adding rate. ... Sodium aside and all other chemicals were purchased from.

Advanced methods for image registration applied to JET videos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Craciunescu, Teddy, E-mail: teddy.craciunescu@jet.uk [EURATOM-MEdC Association, NILPRP, Bucharest (Romania); Murari, Andrea [Consorzio RFX, Associazione EURATOM-ENEA per la Fusione, Padova (Italy); Gelfusa, Michela [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA – University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Roma (Italy); Tiseanu, Ion; Zoita, Vasile [EURATOM-MEdC Association, NILPRP, Bucharest (Romania); Arnoux, Gilles [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon (United Kingdom)

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Development of an image registration method for JET IR and fast visible cameras. • Method based on SIFT descriptors and coherent point drift points set registration technique. • Method able to deal with extremely noisy images and very low luminosity images. • Computation time compatible with the inter-shot analysis. - Abstract: The last years have witnessed a significant increase in the use of digital cameras on JET. They are routinely applied for imaging in the IR and visible spectral regions. One of the main technical difficulties in interpreting the data of camera based diagnostics is the presence of movements of the field of view. Small movements occur due to machine shaking during normal pulses while large ones may arise during disruptions. Some cameras show a correlation of image movement with change of magnetic field strength. For deriving unaltered information from the videos and for allowing correct interpretation an image registration method, based on highly distinctive scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptors and on the coherent point drift (CPD) points set registration technique, has been developed. The algorithm incorporates a complex procedure for rejecting outliers. The method has been applied for vibrations correction to videos collected by the JET wide angle infrared camera and for the correction of spurious rotations in the case of the JET fast visible camera (which is equipped with an image intensifier). The method has proved to be able to deal with the images provided by this camera frequently characterized by low contrast and a high level of blurring and noise.

High Resolution Manometry - an underappreciated tool for examination of dysphagia in a surgical setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jonas Sanberg

Introduction Examination of dysphagia in Danish surgical departments, rely primarily on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. When no visible or histological cause can be detected, esophageal motility disorders are important differential diagnosis. In examining these disorders and in evaluating...... gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), High Resolution Esophageal Manometry (HRM), provide valuable insights. The purpose of this study was to examine referrals and final diagnosis from HRM in a surgical center specializing in esophageal disorders. Methods and Procedures All patients referred to HRM at our.......1% based on 10419 endoscopies. Conclusion HRM is an important diagnostic tool and supplements upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in examination of dysphagia as well as GERD, with significant differences in patterns of motility disorders. Knowledge and availability of HRM increases use at a surgical center...

High-resolution melting analysis for detection of a single-nucleotide polymorphism and the genotype of the myostatin gene in warmblood horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Serpa, Priscila B S; Garbade, Petra; Natalini, Cláudio C; Pires, Ananda R; Tisotti, Tainor M

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE To develop a high-resolution melting (HRM) assay to detect the g.66493737C>T polymorphism in the myostatin gene (MSTN) and determine the frequency of 3 previously defined g.66493737 genotypes (T/T, T/C, and C/C) in warmblood horses. SAMPLES Blood samples from 23 horses. PROCEDURES From each blood sample, DNA was extracted and analyzed by standard PCR methods and an HRM assay to determine the MSTN genotype. Three protocols (standard protocol, protocol in which a high-salt solution was added to the reaction mixture before the first melting cycle, and protocol in which an unlabeled probe was added to the reaction mixture before analysis) for the HRM assay were designed and compared. Genotype results determined by the HRM protocol that generated the most consistent melting curves were compared with those determined by sequencing. RESULTS The HRM protocol in which an unlabeled probe was added to the reaction mixture generated the most consistent melting curves. The genotypes of the g.66493737C>T polymorphism were determined for 22 horses (16 by HRM analysis and 20 by sequencing); 14, 7, and 1 had the T/T, T/C, and C/C genotypes, respectively. The genotype determined by HRM analysis agreed with that determined by sequencing for 14 of 16 horses. The frequency of alleles T and C was 79.5% and 20.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that HRM analysis may be a faster and more economical alternative than PCR methods for genotyping. Genotyping results might be useful as predictors of athletic performance for horses.

Naval Leadership: A Study of Views on Leadership Competencies and Methods to Reinforce Leadership Skills

Science.gov (United States)

1990-12-01

stated these problems -- racism , sexism , drug and alcohol abuse -- were a result of the poor leadership ability in Navymiddle management [Ref. 3... The HRM program instituted a formal course of instruction to teach leadership theories . The leadership training of the Human Resource Management...management practices based on the guidelines developed by W. E. Demming [Ref. 14]. The TQL practice involves integrating management and statistical methods to

Determination methods for plutonium as applied in the field of reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-07-01

The papers presented report on Pu-determination methods, which are routinely applied in process control, and also on new developments which could supercede current methods either because they are more accurate or because they are simpler and faster. (orig./DG) [de

APPLYING SPECTROSCOPIC METHODS ON ANALYSES OF HAZARDOUS WASTE

OpenAIRE

Dobrinić, Julijan; Kunić, Marija; Ciganj, Zlatko

2000-01-01

Abstract The paper presents results of measuring the content of heavy and other metals in waste samples from the hazardous waste disposal site of Sovjak near Rijeka. The preliminary design elaboration and the choice of the waste disposal sanification technology were preceded by the sampling and physico-chemical analyses of disposed waste, enabling its categorization. The following spectroscopic methods were applied on metal content analysis: Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and plas...

Greek PDO saffron authentication studies using species specific molecular markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosmali, I; Ordoudi, S A; Tsimidou, M Z; Madesis, P

2017-10-01

Saffron, the spice produced from the red stigmas of the flower of Crocus sativus L. is a frequent target of fraud and mislabeling practices that cannot be fully traced using the ISO 3632 trade standard specifications and test methods. A molecular approach is proposed herein as a promising branding strategy for the authentication of highly esteemed saffron brands such as the Greek Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) "Krokos Kozanis". Specific ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) markers were used to assess for the first time, the within species variability of several populations of C. sativus L. from the cultivation area of "Krokos Kozanis" as well as the potential differences with the band pattern produced by other Crocus species. Then, species-specific markers were developed taking advantage of an advanced molecular technique such as the HRM analysis coupled with universal DNA barcoding regions (trnL) (Bar-HRM) and applied to saffron admixtures with some of the most common plant adulterants (Calendula officinalis, Carthamus tinctorius, Gardenia jasminoides, Zea mays and Curcuma longa). The sensitivity of the procedure was tested for turmeric as a case study whereas HPLC-fluorescence determination of secondary metabolites was also employed for comparison. The overall results indicated that the Bar-HRM approach is quite effective in terms of specificity and sensitivity. Its effectiveness regarding the detection of turmeric was comparable to that of a conventional HPLC method (0.5% vs 1.0%, w/w). Yet, the proposed DNA-based method is much faster, cost-effective and can be used even by non-geneticists, in any laboratory having access to an HRM-capable real-time PCR instrumentation. It can be, thus, regarded as a strong analytical tool in saffron authentication studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Analysis of Swallowing Function Between Dysphagia Patients and Healthy Subjects Using High-Resolution Manometry

OpenAIRE

Park, Chul-Hyun; Kim, Don-Kyu; Lee, Yong-Taek; Yi, Youbin; Lee, Jung-Sang; Kim, Kunwoo; Park, Jung Ho; Yoon, Kyung Jae

2017-01-01

Objective To compare swallowing function between healthy subjects and patients with pharyngeal dysphagia using high resolution manometry (HRM) and to evaluate the usefulness of HRM for detecting pharyngeal dysphagia. Methods Seventy-five patients with dysphagia and 28 healthy subjects were included in this study. Diagnosis of dysphagia was confirmed by a videofluoroscopy. HRM was performed to measure pressure and timing information at the velopharynx (VP), tongue base (TB), and upper esophage...

High-Resolution Esophageal Manometry: A Time Motion Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel C Sadowski

2008-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: High-resolution manometry (HRM of the esophagus is a new technique that provides a more precise assessment of esophageal motility than conventional techniques. Because HRM measures pressure events along the entire length of the esophagus simultaneously, clinical procedure time should be shorter because less catheter manipulation is required. According to manufacturer advertising, the new HRM system is more accurate and up to 50% faster than conventional methods.

The Lattice Boltzmann Method applied to neutron transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erasmus, B.; Van Heerden, F. A.

2013-01-01

In this paper the applicability of the Lattice Boltzmann Method to neutron transport is investigated. One of the main features of the Lattice Boltzmann method is the simultaneous discretization of the phase space of the problem, whereby particles are restricted to move on a lattice. An iterative solution of the operator form of the neutron transport equation is presented here, with the first collision source as the starting point of the iteration scheme. A full description of the discretization scheme is given, along with the quadrature set used for the angular discretization. An angular refinement scheme is introduced to increase the angular coverage of the problem phase space and to mitigate lattice ray effects. The method is applied to a model problem to investigate its applicability to neutron transport and the results are compared to a reference solution calculated, using MCNP. (authors)

GPS surveying method applied to terminal area navigation flight experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murata, M; Shingu, H; Satsushima, K; Tsuji, T; Ishikawa, K; Miyazawa, Y; Uchida, T [National Aerospace Laboratory, Tokyo (Japan)

1993-03-01

With an objective of evaluating accuracy of new landing and navigation systems such as microwave landing guidance system and global positioning satellite (GPS) system, flight experiments are being carried out using experimental aircraft. This aircraft mounts a GPS and evaluates its accuracy by comparing the standard orbits spotted by a Kalman filter from the laser tracing data on the aircraft with the navigation results. The GPS outputs position and speed information from an earth-centered-earth-fixed system called the World Geodetic System, 1984 (WGS84). However, in order to compare the navigation results with output from a reference orbit sensor or other navigation sensor, it is necessary to structure a high-precision reference coordinates system based on the WGS84. A method that applies the GPS phase interference measurement for this problem was proposed, and used actually in analyzing a flight experiment data. As referred to a case of the method having been applied to evaluating an independent navigation accuracy, the method was verified sufficiently effective and reliable not only in navigation method analysis, but also in the aspect of navigational operations. 12 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs.

Applying Qualitative Research Methods to Narrative Knowledge Engineering

OpenAIRE

O'Neill, Brian; Riedl, Mark

2014-01-01

We propose a methodology for knowledge engineering for narrative intelligence systems, based on techniques used to elicit themes in qualitative methods research. Our methodology uses coding techniques to identify actions in natural language corpora, and uses these actions to create planning operators and procedural knowledge, such as scripts. In an iterative process, coders create a taxonomy of codes relevant to the corpus, and apply those codes to each element of that corpus. These codes can...

High-resolution melting analysis for prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia in northern Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Charoenkwan, Pimlak; Sirichotiyakul, Supatra; Phusua, Arunee; Suanta, Sudjai; Fanhchaksai, Kanda; Sae-Tung, Rattika; Sanguansermsri, Torpong

2017-12-01

High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis is a rapid mutation analysis which assesses the pattern of reduction of fluorescence signal after subjecting the amplified PCR product with saturated fluorescence dye to an increasing temperature. We used HRM analysis for prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia disease in northern Thailand. Five PCR-HRM protocols were used to detect point mutations in five different segments of the beta-globin gene, and one protocol to detect the 3.4 kb beta-globin deletion. We sought to characterize the mutations in carriers and to enable prenatal diagnosis in 126 couples at risk of having a fetus with beta-thalassemia disease. The protocols identified 18 common mutations causing beta-thalassemia, including the rare codon 132 (A-T) mutation. Each mutation showed a specific HRM pattern and all results were in concordance with those from direct DNA sequencing or gap-PCR methods. In cases of beta-thalassemia disease resulting from homozygosity for a mutation or compound heterozygosity for two mutations on the same amplified segment, the HRM patterns were different to those of a single mutation and were specific for each combination. HRM analysis is a simple and useful method for mutation identification in beta-thalassemia carriers and prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia in northern Thailand.

Factors Affecting Human Resource Management Practices of Foreign Subsidiaries: Acase study of Japanese Multinational Companies in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Iberahim, Hadijah

2008-01-01

This study investigates how firm-level human resources management (HRM) practices are transformed to fit the organization's needs of developing skilled workers as core competence, in a changing environment where resources are scarce. This paper deals with the issue of factors influencing HRM practices in the development of competent workforce at two Japanese multinational companies (JMNCs)of Malaysian electric and electrical industry. This qualitative study applied longitudinal and comparat...

Hybrid analysis (barcode-high resolution melting) for authentication of Thai herbal products, Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall.ex Nees.

Science.gov (United States)

Osathanunkul, Maslin; Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon; Khamyong, Nuttaluck; Pintakum, Danupol; Lamphun, Santisuk Na; Triwitayakorn, Kanokporn; Osathanunkul, Kitisak; Madesis, Panagiotis

2016-01-01

Andrographis paniculata Nees is a medicinal plant with multiple pharmacological properties. It has been used over many centuries as a household remedy. A. paniculata products sold on the markets are in processed forms so it is difficult to authenticate. Therefore buying the herbal products poses a high-risk of acquiring counterfeited, substituted and/or adulterated products. Due to these issues, a reliable method to authenticate products is needed. High resolution melting analysis coupled with DNA barcoding (Bar-HRM) was applied to detect adulteration in commercial herbal products. The rbcL barcode was selected to use in primers design for HRM analysis to produce standard melting profile of A. paniculata species. DNA of the tested commercial products was isolated and their melting profiles were then generated and compared with the standard A. paniculata. The melting profiles of the rbcL amplicons of the three closely related herbal species (A. paniculata, Acanthus ebracteatus and Rhinacanthus nasutus) are clearly separated so that they can be distinguished by the developed method. The method was then used to authenticate commercial herbal products. HRM curves of all 10 samples tested are similar to A. paniculata which indicated that all tested products were contained the correct species as labeled. The method described in this study has been proved to be useful in aiding identification and/or authenticating A. paniculata. This Bar-HRM analysis has allowed us easily to determine the A. paniculata species in herbal products on the markets even they are in processed forms. We propose the use of DNA barcoding combined with High Resolution Melting analysis for authenticating of Andrographis paniculata products.The developed method can be used regardless of the type of the DNA template (fresh or dried tissue, leaf, and stem).rbcL region was chosen for the analysis and work well with our samplesWe can easily determine the A. paniculata species in herbal products tested

Magnetic stirring welding method applied to nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, Kenji; Watando, Masayuki; Morishige, Norio; Enoo, Kazuhide; Yasuda, Yuuji

2002-01-01

In construction of a new nuclear power plant, carbon steel and stainless steel are used as base materials for the bottom linear plate of Reinforced Concrete Containment Vessel (RCCV) to achieve maintenance-free requirement, securing sufficient strength of structure. However, welding such different metals is difficult by ordinary method. To overcome the difficulty, the automated Magnetic Stirring Welding (MSW) method that can demonstrate good welding performance was studied for practical use, and weldability tests showed the good results. Based on the study, a new welding device for the MSW method was developed to apply it weld joints of different materials, and it practically used in part of a nuclear power plant. (author)

Applying Mixed Methods Research at the Synthesis Level: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Heyvaert, Mieke; Maes, Bea; Onghena, Patrick

2011-01-01

Historically, qualitative and quantitative approaches have been applied relatively separately in synthesizing qualitative and quantitative evidence, respectively, in several research domains. However, mixed methods approaches are becoming increasingly popular nowadays, and practices of combining qualitative and quantitative research components at…

An Aural Learning Project: Assimilating Jazz Education Methods for Traditional Applied Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Gamso, Nancy M.

2011-01-01

The Aural Learning Project (ALP) was developed to incorporate jazz method components into the author's classical practice and her applied woodwind lesson curriculum. The primary objective was to place a more focused pedagogical emphasis on listening and hearing than is traditionally used in the classical applied curriculum. The components of the…

A new clamp method for firing bricks | Obeng | Journal of Applied ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A new clamp method for firing bricks. ... Journal of Applied Science and Technology ... To overcome this operational deficiencies, a new method of firing bricks that uses brick clamp technique that incorporates a clamp wall of 60 cm thickness, a six tier approach of sealing the top of the clamp (by combination of green bricks) ...

Evaluation of High Resolution Melting for MTHFR C677T Genotyping in Congenital Heart Disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wang

Full Text Available High resolution melting (HRM is a simple, flexible and low-cost mutation screening technique. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR gene encoding a critical enzyme, potentially affects susceptibility to some congenital defects like congenital heart disease (CHD. We evaluate the performance of HRM for genotyping of the MTHFR gene C677T locus in CHD cases and healthy controls of Chinese Han population.A total of 315 blood samples from 147 CHD patients (male72, female 75 and 168 healthy controls (male 92, female 76 were enrolled in the study. HRM was utilized to genotype MTHFR C677T locus of all the samples. The results were compared to that of PCR-RFLP and Sanger sequencing. The association of the MTHFR C677T genotypes and the risk of CHD was analyzed using odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval (CIs from unconditional logistic regression.All the samples were successfully genotyped by HRM within 1 hour and 30 minutes while at least 6 hours were needed for PCR-RFLP and sequencing. The genotypes of MTHFR C677T CC, CT, and TT were 9.52%, 49.66%, and 40.82% in CHD group but 29.17%, 50% and 20.83% in control group, which were identical using both methods of HRM and PCR-RFLP, demonstrating the sensitivity and specificity of HRM were all 100%.MTHFR C677T is a potential risk factor for CHD in our local residents of Shandong province in China. HRM is a fast, sensitive, specific and reliable method for clinical application of genotyping.

Health worker motivation in Africa: the role of non-financial incentives and human resource management tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imhoff Ingo

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a serious human resource crisis in the health sector in developing countries, particularly in Africa. One of the challenges is the low motivation of health workers. Experience and the evidence suggest that any comprehensive strategy to maximize health worker motivation in a developing country context has to involve a mix of financial and non-financial incentives. This study assesses the role of non-financial incentives for motivation in two cases, in Benin and Kenya. Methods The study design entailed semi-structured qualitative interviews with doctors and nurses from public, private and NGO facilities in rural areas. The selection of health professionals was the result of a layered sampling process. In Benin 62 interviews with health professionals were carried out; in Kenya 37 were obtained. Results from individual interviews were backed up with information from focus group discussions. For further contextual information, interviews with civil servants in the Ministry of Health and at the district level were carried out. The interview material was coded and quantitative data was analysed with SPSS software. Results and discussion The study shows that health workers overall are strongly guided by their professional conscience and similar aspects related to professional ethos. In fact, many health workers are demotivated and frustrated precisely because they are unable to satisfy their professional conscience and impeded in pursuing their vocation due to lack of means and supplies and due to inadequate or inappropriately applied human resources management (HRM tools. The paper also indicates that even some HRM tools that are applied may adversely affect the motivation of health workers. Conclusion The findings confirm the starting hypothesis that non-financial incentives and HRM tools play an important role with respect to increasing motivation of health professionals. Adequate HRM tools can uphold and strengthen the

Hybrid electrokinetic method applied to mix contaminated soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mansour, H.; Maria, E. [Dept. of Building Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia Univ., Montreal (Canada)

2001-07-01

Several industrials and municipal areas in North America are contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum products. This mix contamination presents a particularly difficult task for remediation when is exposed in clayey soil. The objective of this research was to find a method to cleanup mix contaminated clayey soils. Finally, a multifunctional hybrid electrokinetic method was investigated. Clayey soil was contaminated with lead and nickel (heavy metals) at the level of 1000 ppm and phenanthrene (PAH) of 600 ppm. Electrokinetic surfactant supply system was applied to mobilize, transport and removal of phenanthrene. A chelation agent (EDTA) was also electrokinetically supplied to mobilize heavy metals. The studies were performed on 8 lab scale electrokinetic cells. The mix contaminated clayey soil was subjected to DC total voltage gradient of 0.3 V/cm. Supplied liquids (surfactant and EDTA) were introduced in different periods of time (22 days, 42 days) in order to optimize the most excessive removal of contaminants. The ph, electrical parameters, volume supplied, and volume discharged was monitored continuously during each experiment. At the end of these tests soil and cathalyte were subjected to physico-chemical analysis. The paper discusses results of experiments including the optimal energy use, removal efficiency of phenanthrene, as well, transport and removal of heavy metals. The results of this study can be applied for in-situ hybrid electrokinetic technology to remediate clayey sites contaminated with petroleum product mixed with heavy metals (e.g. manufacture Gas Plant Sites). (orig.)

Further Insight and Additional Inference Methods for Polynomial Regression Applied to the Analysis of Congruence

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Ayala; Nahum-Shani, Inbal; Doveh, Etti

2010-01-01

In their seminal paper, Edwards and Parry (1993) presented the polynomial regression as a better alternative to applying difference score in the study of congruence. Although this method is increasingly applied in congruence research, its complexity relative to other methods for assessing congruence (e.g., difference score methods) was one of the…

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of BLAD in Cattle Population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Elena Ilie

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD is an autosomal recessive disorder with negative impact on dairy cattle breeding. The molecular basis of BLAD is a single point mutation (A→G, resulting in a single amino acid substitution (aspartic acid → glycine at amino acid 128 in the adhesion molecule CD18. The object of this study was to establish a fast and sensitive molecular genotyping assay to detect BLAD carriers using high-resolution melting (HRM curve analysis. We tested animals with known genotypes for BLAD that were previously confirmed by PCR-RFLP method, and then examined the sensitivity of mutation detection using PCR followed by HRM curve analysis. BLAD carriers were readily detectable using HRM assay. Thus, the PCR-HRM genotyping method is a rapid, easily interpretable, reliable and cost-effective assay for BLAD mutant allele detection. This assay can be useful in cattle genotyping and genetic selection.

Non-invasive imaging methods applied to neo- and paleo-ontological cephalopod research

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, R.; Schultz, J. A.; Schellhorn, R.; Rybacki, E.; Keupp, H.; Gerden, S. R.; Lemanis, R.; Zachow, S.

2014-05-01

Several non-invasive methods are common practice in natural sciences today. Here we present how they can be applied and contribute to current topics in cephalopod (paleo-) biology. Different methods will be compared in terms of time necessary to acquire the data, amount of data, accuracy/resolution, minimum/maximum size of objects that can be studied, the degree of post-processing needed and availability. The main application of the methods is seen in morphometry and volumetry of cephalopod shells. In particular we present a method for precise buoyancy calculation. Therefore, cephalopod shells were scanned together with different reference bodies, an approach developed in medical sciences. It is necessary to know the volume of the reference bodies, which should have similar absorption properties like the object of interest. Exact volumes can be obtained from surface scanning. Depending on the dimensions of the study object different computed tomography techniques were applied.

Applied systems ecology: models, data, and statistical methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eberhardt, L L

1976-01-01

In this report, systems ecology is largely equated to mathematical or computer simulation modelling. The need for models in ecology stems from the necessity to have an integrative device for the diversity of ecological data, much of which is observational, rather than experimental, as well as from the present lack of a theoretical structure for ecology. Different objectives in applied studies require specialized methods. The best predictive devices may be regression equations, often non-linear in form, extracted from much more detailed models. A variety of statistical aspects of modelling, including sampling, are discussed. Several aspects of population dynamics and food-chain kinetics are described, and it is suggested that the two presently separated approaches should be combined into a single theoretical framework. It is concluded that future efforts in systems ecology should emphasize actual data and statistical methods, as well as modelling.

Human Resource Predictive Analytics HRPA For HR Management In Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sujeet N. Mishra

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Human resource predictive analytics is an evolving application field of analytics for HRM purposes. The purpose of HRM is measuring employee performance and engagement studying workforce collaboration patterns analyzing employee churn and turnover and modelling employee lifetime value. The motive of applying HRPA is to optimize performances and produce better return on investment for organizations through decision making based on data collection HR metrics and predictive models. The paper is divided into three sections to understand the emergence of HR predictive analytics for HRM. Firstly the paper introduces the concept of HRPA. Secondly the paper discusses three aspects of HRPA a Need b Approach amp Application c Impact. Lastly the paper leads to the conclusion on HRPA.

Classification of esophageal motor findings in gastro-esophageal reflux disease: Conclusions from an international consensus group

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gyawali, C. P.; Roman, S.; Bredenoord, A. J.; Fox, M.; Keller, J.; Pandolfino, J. E.; Sifrim, D.; Tatum, R.; Yadlapati, R.; Savarino, E.; Azpiroz, Fernando; Babaei, Arash; Bhatia, Shobna; Boeckxstaens, Guy; Bor, Serhat; Carlson, Dustin; Castell, Donald; Cicala, Michele; Clarke, John; de Bortoli, Nicola; Drug, Vasile; Frazzoni, Marzio; Holloway, Richard; Kahrilas, Peter; Kandulski, Arne; Katz, Phil; Katzka, David; Mittal, Ravinder; Mion, Francois; Novais, Luis; Patel, Amit; Penagini, Roberto; Ribolsi, Mentore; Richter, Joel; Salvador, Renato; Savarino, Vincenzo; Serra, Jordi; Schnoll-Sussman, Felice; Smout, Andre; Soffer, Edy; Sweis, Rami; Tack, Jan; Tolone, Salvatore; Tutuian, Radu; Vaezi, Michael; Vela, Marcelo; Woodland, Philip; Wu, Justin; Xiao, Yinglian; Zerbib, Frank

2017-01-01

BackgroundHigh-resolution manometry (HRM) has resulted in new revelations regarding the pathophysiology of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). The impact of new HRM motor paradigms on reflux burden needs further definition, leading to a modern approach to motor testing in GERD. MethodsFocused

EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR ESTIMATING FATIGUE PROPERTIES APPLIED TO STAINLESS STEELS AND ALUMINUM ALLOYS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taylor Mac Intyer Fonseca Junior

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This work evaluate seven estimation methods of fatigue properties applied to stainless steels and aluminum alloys. Experimental strain-life curves are compared to the estimations obtained by each method. After applying seven different estimation methods at 14 material conditions, it was found that fatigue life can be estimated with good accuracy only by the Bäumel-Seeger method for the martensitic stainless steel tempered between 300°C and 500°C. The differences between mechanical behavior during monotonic and cyclic loading are probably the reason for the absence of a reliable method for estimation of fatigue behavior from monotonic properties for a group of materials.

Novel biodosimetry methods applied to victims of the Goiania accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Straume, T.; Langlois, R.G.; Lucas, J.; Jensen, R.H.; Bigbee, W.L.; Ramalho, A.T.; Brandao-Mello, C.E.

1991-01-01

Two biodosimetric methods under development at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory were applied to five persons accidentally exposed to a 137Cs source in Goiania, Brazil. The methods used were somatic null mutations at the glycophorin A locus detected as missing proteins on the surface of blood erythrocytes and chromosome translocations in blood lymphocytes detected using fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Biodosimetric results obtained approximately 1 y after the accident using these new and largely unvalidated methods are in general agreement with results obtained immediately after the accident using dicentric chromosome aberrations. Additional follow-up of Goiania accident victims will (1) help provide the information needed to validate these new methods for use in biodosimetry and (2) provide independent estimates of dose

Facilitating job retention for chronically ill employees: perspectives of line managers and human resource managers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meerman Martha GM

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic diseases are a leading contributor to work disability and job loss in Europe. Recent EU policies aim to improve job retention among chronically ill employees. Disability and occupational health researchers argue that this requires a coordinated and pro-active approach at the workplace by occupational health professionals, line managers (LMs and human resource managers (HRM. Little is known about the perspectives of LMs an HRM on what is needed to facilitate job retention among chronically ill employees. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and compare the perspectives of Dutch LMs and HRM on this issue. Methods Concept mapping methodology was used to elicit and map statements (ideas from 10 LMs and 17 HRM about what is needed to ensure continued employment for chronically ill employees. Study participants were recruited through a higher education and an occupational health services organization. Results Participants generated 35 statements. Each group (LMs and HRM sorted these statements into six thematic clusters. LMs and HRM identified four similar clusters: LMs and HRM must be knowledgeable about the impact of chronic disease on the employee; employees must accept responsibility for work retention; work adaptations must be implemented; and clear company policy. Thematic clusters identified only by LMs were: good manager/employee cooperation and knowledge transfer within the company. Unique clusters identified by HRM were: company culture and organizational support. Conclusions There were both similarities and differences between the views of LMs and HRM on what may facilitate job retention for chronically ill employees. LMs perceived manager/employee cooperation as the most important mechanism for enabling continued employment for these employees. HRM perceived organizational policy and culture as the most important mechanism. The findings provide information about topics that occupational health

Rapid detection of the H275Y oseltamivir resistance mutation in influenza A/H1N1 2009 by single base pair RT-PCR and high-resolution melting.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven Y C Tong

Full Text Available We aimed to design a real-time reverse-transcriptase-PCR (rRT-PCR, high-resolution melting (HRM assay to detect the H275Y mutation that confers oseltamivir resistance in influenza A/H1N1 2009 viruses.A novel strategy of amplifying a single base pair, the relevant SNP at position 823 of the neuraminidase gene, was chosen to maintain specificity of the assay. Wildtype and mutant virus were differentiated when using known reference samples of cell-cultured virus. However, when dilutions of these reference samples were assayed, amplification of non-specific primer-dimer was evident and affected the overall melting temperature (T(m of the amplified products. Due to primer-dimer appearance at >30 cycles we found that if the cycle threshold (C(T for a dilution was >30, the HRM assay did not consistently discriminate mutant from wildtype. Where the C(T was 32.98 would have an H275Y assay C(T>30. Analysis of the TaqMan C(T values for 609 consecutive clinical samples predicted that 207 (34% of the samples would result in an HRM assay C(T>30 and therefore not be amenable to the HRM assay.The use of single base pair PCR and HRM can be useful for specifically interrogating SNPs. When applied to H1N1 09, the constraints this placed on primer design resulted in amplification of primer-dimer products. The impact primer-dimer had on HRM curves was adjusted for by plotting T(m against C(T. Although less sensitive than TaqMan assays, the HRM assay can rapidly, and at low cost, screen samples with moderate viral concentrations.

[Rapid detection of hot spot mutations of FGFR3 gene with PCR-high resolution melting assay].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shan; Wang, Han; Su, Hua; Gao, Jinsong; Zhao, Xiuli

2017-08-10

To identify the causative mutations in five individuals affected with dyschondroplasia and develop an efficient procedure for detecting hot spot mutations of the FGFR3 gene. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples with a standard phenol/chloroform method. PCR-Sanger sequencing was used to analyze the causative mutations in the five probands. PCR-high resolution melting (HRM) was developed to detect the identified mutations. A c.1138G>A mutation in exon 8 was found in 4 probands, while a c.1620C>G mutation was found in exon 11 of proband 5 whom had a mild phenotype. All patients were successfully distinguished from healthy controls with the PCR-HRM method. The results of HRM analysis were highly consistent with that of Sanger sequencing. The Gly380Arg and Asn540Lys are hot spot mutations of the FGFR3 gene among patients with ACH/HCH. PCR-HRM analysis is more efficient for detecting hot spot mutations of the FGFR3 gene.

Should methods of correction for multiple comparisons be applied in pharmacovigilance?

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Lorenza Scotti

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. In pharmacovigilance, spontaneous reporting databases are devoted to the early detection of adverse event ‘signals’ of marketed drugs. A common limitation of these systems is the wide number of concurrently investigated associations, implying a high probability of generating positive signals simply by chance. However it is not clear if the application of methods aimed to adjust for the multiple testing problems are needed when at least some of the drug-outcome relationship under study are known. To this aim we applied a robust estimation method for the FDR (rFDR particularly suitable in the pharmacovigilance context. Methods. We exploited the data available for the SAFEGUARD project to apply the rFDR estimation methods to detect potential false positive signals of adverse reactions attributable to the use of non-insulin blood glucose lowering drugs. Specifically, the number of signals generated from the conventional disproportionality measures and after the application of the rFDR adjustment method was compared. Results. Among the 311 evaluable pairs (i.e., drug-event pairs with at least one adverse event report, 106 (34% signals were considered as significant from the conventional analysis. Among them 1 resulted in false positive signals according to rFDR method. Conclusions. The results of this study seem to suggest that when a restricted number of drug-outcome pairs is considered and warnings about some of them are known, multiple comparisons methods for recognizing false positive signals are not so useful as suggested by theoretical considerations.

High-resolution melting genotyping of Enterococcus faecium based on multilocus sequence typing derived single nucleotide polymorphisms.

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Steven Y C Tong

Full Text Available We have developed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP nucleated high-resolution melting (HRM technique to genotype Enterococcus faecium. Eight SNPs were derived from the E. faecium multilocus sequence typing (MLST database and amplified fragments containing these SNPs were interrogated by HRM. We tested the HRM genotyping scheme on 85 E. faecium bloodstream isolates and compared the results with MLST, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and an allele specific real-time PCR (AS kinetic PCR SNP typing method. In silico analysis based on predicted HRM curves according to the G+C content of each fragment for all 567 sequence types (STs in the MLST database together with empiric data from the 85 isolates demonstrated that HRM analysis resolves E. faecium into 231 "melting types" (MelTs and provides a Simpson's Index of Diversity (D of 0.991 with respect to MLST. This is a significant improvement on the AS kinetic PCR SNP typing scheme that resolves 61 SNP types with D of 0.95. The MelTs were concordant with the known ST of the isolates. For the 85 isolates, there were 13 PFGE patterns, 17 STs, 14 MelTs and eight SNP types. There was excellent concordance between PFGE, MLST and MelTs with Adjusted Rand Indices of PFGE to MelT 0.936 and ST to MelT 0.973. In conclusion, this HRM based method appears rapid and reproducible. The results are concordant with MLST and the MLST based population structure.

Comparative international management of human resources and human resources management in Brazil: An analysis in view of the calculative and collaborative models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatiani dos Santos Zuppani

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to analyze the adoption of calculative and collaborative practices dominating comparative international human resources management, according to the different profiles of the areas of Human Resources Management (HRM of private organizations operating in Brazil. The method employed was a Survey, operated by means of an electronic questionnaire on HRM practices and organizational characteristics. A total of 326 respondents was obtained. Initially a cluster was conducted, in which respondents were clustered into four groups with different HRM profiles. The use of calculative and collaborative practices was compared in the four groups formed through the ANOVA (analysis of variance collection of statistical models. The main findings showed that the strategic group was the one with the highest average of adoption of calculative and collaborative practices. The Communicative HRM group showed a higher propensity to collaborative practices and the Formalized HRM group would adopt calculative practices, although none of the groups showed an average of adoption than the Strategic HRM group. This suggests that it is necessary to learn how to deal with different aspects of the management of people in organizations operating in Brazil.

Covariance methodology applied to 35S disintegration rate measurements by the CIEMAT/NIST method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koskinas, M.F.; Nascimento, T.S.; Yamazaki, I.M.; Dias, M.S.

2014-01-01

The Nuclear Metrology Laboratory (LMN) at IPEN is carrying out measurements in a LSC (Liquid Scintillation Counting system), applying the CIEMAT/NIST method. In this context 35 S is an important radionuclide for medical applications and it is difficult to be standardized by other primary methods due to low beta ray energy. The CIEMAT/NIST is a standard technique used by most metrology laboratories in order to improve accuracy and speed up beta emitter standardization. The focus of the present work was to apply the covariance methodology for determining the overall uncertainty in the 35 S disintegration rate. All partial uncertainties involved in the measurements were considered, taking into account all possible correlations between each pair of them. - Highlights: ► 35 S disintegration rate measured in Liquid Scintillator system using CIEMAT/NIST method. ► Covariance methodology applied to the overall uncertainty in the 35 S disintegration rate. ► Monte Carlo simulation was applied to determine 35 S activity in the 4πβ(PC)-γ coincidence system

Analysis of Brick Masonry Wall using Applied Element Method

Science.gov (United States)

Lincy Christy, D.; Madhavan Pillai, T. M.; Nagarajan, Praveen

2018-03-01

The Applied Element Method (AEM) is a versatile tool for structural analysis. Analysis is done by discretising the structure as in the case of Finite Element Method (FEM). In AEM, elements are connected by a set of normal and shear springs instead of nodes. AEM is extensively used for the analysis of brittle materials. Brick masonry wall can be effectively analyzed in the frame of AEM. The composite nature of masonry wall can be easily modelled using springs. The brick springs and mortar springs are assumed to be connected in series. The brick masonry wall is analyzed and failure load is determined for different loading cases. The results were used to find the best aspect ratio of brick to strengthen brick masonry wall.

An applied study using systems engineering methods to prioritize green systems options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sonya M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Macdonald, John M [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

For many years, there have been questions about the effectiveness of applying different green solutions. If you're building a home and wish to use green technologies, where do you start? While all technologies sound promising, which will perform the best over time? All this has to be considered within the cost and schedule of the project. The amount of information available on the topic can be overwhelming. We seek to examine if Systems Engineering methods can be used to help people choose and prioritize technologies that fit within their project and budget. Several methods are used to gain perspective into how to select the green technologies, such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Kepner-Tregoe. In our study, subjects applied these methods to analyze cost, schedule, and trade-offs. Results will document whether the experimental approach is applicable to defining system priorities for green technologies.

Boundary element methods applied to two-dimensional neutron diffusion problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itagaki, Masafumi

1985-01-01

The Boundary element method (BEM) has been applied to two-dimensional neutron diffusion problems. The boundary integral equation and its discretized form have been derived. Some numerical techniques have been developed, which can be applied to critical and fixed-source problems including multi-region ones. Two types of test programs have been developed according to whether the 'zero-determinant search' or the 'source iteration' technique is adopted for criticality search. Both programs require only the fluxes and currents on boundaries as the unknown variables. The former allows a reduction in computing time and memory in comparison with the finite element method (FEM). The latter is not always efficient in terms of computing time due to the domain integral related to the inhomogeneous source term; however, this domain integral can be replaced by the equivalent boundary integral for a region with a non-multiplying medium or with a uniform source, resulting in a significant reduction in computing time. The BEM, as well as the FEM, is well suited for solving irregular geometrical problems for which the finite difference method (FDM) is unsuited. The BEM also solves problems with infinite domains, which cannot be solved by the ordinary FEM and FDM. Some simple test calculations are made to compare the BEM with the FEM and FDM, and discussions are made concerning the relative merits of the BEM and problems requiring future solution. (author)

Rapid screening of rpoB and katG mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates by high-resolution melting curve analysis

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M Haeili

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Early detection of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB is essential to prevent its transmission in the community and initiate effective anti-TB treatment regimen. Materials and Methods: High-resolution melting curve (HRM analysis was evaluated for rapid detection of resistance conferring mutations in rpoB and katG genes. We screened 95 Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates including 20 rifampin resistant (RIF-R, 21 isoniazid resistant (INH-R and 54 fully susceptible (S isolates determined by proportion method of drug susceptibility testing. Nineteen M. tuberculosis isolates with known drug susceptibility genotypes were used as references for the assay validation. The nucleotide sequences of the target regions rpoB and katG genes were determined to investigate the frequency and type of mutations and to confirm HRM results. Results: HRM analysis of a 129-bp fragment of rpoB allowed correct identification of 19 of the 20 phenotypically RIF-R and all RIF-S isolates. All INH-S isolates generated wild-type HRM curves and 18 out of 21 INH-R isolates harboured any mutation in 109-bp fragment of katG exhibited mutant type HRM curves. However, 1 RIF-R and 3 INH-R isolates were falsely identified as susceptible which were confirmed for having no mutation in their target regions by sequencing. The main mutations involved in RIF and INH resistance were found at codons rpoB531 (60% of RIF-R isolates and katG315 (85.7% of INH-R isolates, respectively. Conclusion: HRM was found to be a reliable, rapid and low cost method to characterise drug susceptibility of clinical TB isolates in resource-limited settings.

Methods of applied mathematics

CERN Document Server

Hildebrand, Francis B

1992-01-01

This invaluable book offers engineers and physicists working knowledge of a number of mathematical facts and techniques not commonly treated in courses in advanced calculus, but nevertheless extremely useful when applied to typical problems in many different fields. It deals principally with linear algebraic equations, quadratic and Hermitian forms, operations with vectors and matrices, the calculus of variations, and the formulations and theory of linear integral equations. Annotated problems and exercises accompany each chapter.

Power secant method applied to natural frequency extraction of Timoshenko beam structures

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C.A.N. Dias

Full Text Available This work deals with an improved plane frame formulation whose exact dynamic stiffness matrix (DSM presents, uniquely, null determinant for the natural frequencies. In comparison with the classical DSM, the formulation herein presented has some major advantages: local mode shapes are preserved in the formulation so that, for any positive frequency, the DSM will never be ill-conditioned; in the absence of poles, it is possible to employ the secant method in order to have a more computationally efficient eigenvalue extraction procedure. Applying the procedure to the more general case of Timoshenko beams, we introduce a new technique, named "power deflation", that makes the secant method suitable for the transcendental nonlinear eigenvalue problems based on the improved DSM. In order to avoid overflow occurrences that can hinder the secant method iterations, limiting frequencies are formulated, with scaling also applied to the eigenvalue problem. Comparisons with results available in the literature demonstrate the strength of the proposed method. Computational efficiency is compared with solutions obtained both by FEM and by the Wittrick-Williams algorithm.

Upper esophageal sphincter (UES) metrics on high-resolution manometry (HRM) differentiate achalasia subtypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Blais, P; Patel, A; Sayuk, G S; Gyawali, C P

2017-12-01

The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) reflexively responds to bolus presence within the esophageal lumen, therefore UES metrics can vary in achalasia. Within consecutive patients undergoing esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM), 302 patients (58.2±1.0 year, 57% F) with esophageal outflow obstruction were identified, and compared to 16 asymptomatic controls (27.7±0.7 year, 56% F). Esophageal outflow obstruction was segregated into achalasia subtypes 1, 2, and 3, and esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO with intact peristalsis) using Chicago Classification v3.0. UES and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) metrics were compared between esophageal outflow obstruction and normal controls using univariate and multivariate analysis. Linear regression excluded multicollinearity of pressure metrics that demonstrated significant differences across individual subtype comparisons. LES integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) had utility in differentiating achalasia from controls (P<.0001), but no utility in segregating between subtypes (P=.27). In comparison to controls, patients collectively demonstrated univariate differences in UES mean basal pressure, relaxation time to nadir, recovery time, and residual pressure (UES-RP) (P≤.049). UES-RP was highest in type 2 achalasia (P<.0001 compared to other subtypes and controls). In multivariate analysis, only UES-RP retained significance in comparison between each of the subgroups (P≤.02 for each comparison). Intrabolus pressure was highest in type 3 achalasia; this demonstrated significant differences across some but not all subtype comparisons. Nadir UES-RP can differentiate achalasia subtypes within the esophageal outflow obstruction spectrum, with highest values in type 2 achalasia. This metric likely represents a surrogate marker for esophageal pressurization. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Non-invasive imaging methods applied to neo- and paleontological cephalopod research

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, R.; Schultz, J. A.; Schellhorn, R.; Rybacki, E.; Keupp, H.; Gerden, S. R.; Lemanis, R.; Zachow, S.

2013-11-01

Several non-invasive methods are common practice in natural sciences today. Here we present how they can be applied and contribute to current topics in cephalopod (paleo-) biology. Different methods will be compared in terms of time necessary to acquire the data, amount of data, accuracy/resolution, minimum-maximum size of objects that can be studied, of the degree of post-processing needed and availability. Main application of the methods is seen in morphometry and volumetry of cephalopod shells in order to improve our understanding of diversity and disparity, functional morphology and biology of extinct and extant cephalopods.

Lessons learned applying CASE methods/tools to Ada software development projects

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Maurice H.; Randall, Richard L.

1993-01-01

This paper describes the lessons learned from introducing CASE methods/tools into organizations and applying them to actual Ada software development projects. This paper will be useful to any organization planning to introduce a software engineering environment (SEE) or evolving an existing one. It contains management level lessons learned, as well as lessons learned in using specific SEE tools/methods. The experiences presented are from Alpha Test projects established under the STARS (Software Technology for Adaptable and Reliable Systems) project. They reflect the front end efforts by those projects to understand the tools/methods, initial experiences in their introduction and use, and later experiences in the use of specific tools/methods and the introduction of new ones.

Evaluation of esophageal motility utilizing the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP)

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Dustin A.; Kahrilas, Peter J.; Lin, Zhiyue; Hirano, Ikuo; Gonsalves, Nirmala; Listernick, Zoe; Ritter, Katherine; Tye, Michael; Ponds, Fraukje A.; Wong, Ian; Pandolfino, John E.

2016-01-01

Background Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) distensibility and distension-mediated peristalsis can be assessed with the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) during a sedated upper endoscopy. We aimed to describe esophageal motility assessment using FLIP topography in patients presenting with dysphagia. Methods 145 patients (ages 18 – 85, 54% female) with dysphagia that completed upper endoscopy with a 16-cm FLIP assembly and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were included. HRM was analyzed according to the Chicago Classification of esophageal motility disorders; major esophageal motility disorders were considered ‘abnormal’. FLIP studies were analyzed using a customized program to calculate the EGJ-distensibility index (DI) and generate FLIP topography plots to identify esophageal contractility patterns. FLIP topography was considered ‘abnormal’ if EGJ-DI was esophageal motility and 29 normal motility. 17 (50%) had abnormal FLIP topography including 13 (37%) with abnormal EGJ-DI. Conclusions FLIP topography provides a well-tolerated method for esophageal motility assessment (especially to identify achalasia) at the time of upper endoscopy. FLIP topography findings that are discordant with HRM may indicate otherwise undetected abnormalities of esophageal function, thus FLIP provides an alternative and complementary method to HRM for evaluation of non-obstructive dysphagia. PMID:27725650

The Fractional Step Method Applied to Simulations of Natural Convective Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Westra, Douglas G.; Heinrich, Juan C.; Saxon, Jeff (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper describes research done to apply the Fractional Step Method to finite-element simulations of natural convective flows in pure liquids, permeable media, and in a directionally solidified metal alloy casting. The Fractional Step Method has been applied commonly to high Reynold's number flow simulations, but is less common for low Reynold's number flows, such as natural convection in liquids and in permeable media. The Fractional Step Method offers increased speed and reduced memory requirements by allowing non-coupled solution of the pressure and the velocity components. The Fractional Step Method has particular benefits for predicting flows in a directionally solidified alloy, since other methods presently employed are not very efficient. Previously, the most suitable method for predicting flows in a directionally solidified binary alloy was the penalty method. The penalty method requires direct matrix solvers, due to the penalty term. The Fractional Step Method allows iterative solution of the finite element stiffness matrices, thereby allowing more efficient solution of the matrices. The Fractional Step Method also lends itself to parallel processing, since the velocity component stiffness matrices can be built and solved independently of each other. The finite-element simulations of a directionally solidified casting are used to predict macrosegregation in directionally solidified castings. In particular, the finite-element simulations predict the existence of 'channels' within the processing mushy zone and subsequently 'freckles' within the fully processed solid, which are known to result from macrosegregation, or what is often referred to as thermo-solutal convection. These freckles cause material property non-uniformities in directionally solidified castings; therefore many of these castings are scrapped. The phenomenon of natural convection in an alloy under-going directional solidification, or thermo-solutal convection, will be explained. The

Thermally stimulated current method applied to highly irradiated silicon diodes

CERN Document Server

Pintilie, I; Pintilie, I; Moll, Michael; Fretwurst, E; Lindström, G

2002-01-01

We propose an improved method for the analysis of Thermally Stimulated Currents (TSC) measured on highly irradiated silicon diodes. The proposed TSC formula for the evaluation of a set of TSC spectra obtained with different reverse biases leads not only to the concentration of electron and hole traps visible in the spectra but also gives an estimation for the concentration of defects which not give rise to a peak in the 30-220 K TSC temperature range (very shallow or very deep levels). The method is applied to a diode irradiated with a neutron fluence of phi sub n =1.82x10 sup 1 sup 3 n/cm sup 2.

Water Permeability of Pervious Concrete Is Dependent on the Applied Pressure and Testing Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yinghong Qin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Falling head method (FHM and constant head method (CHM are, respectively, used to test the water permeability of permeable concrete, using different water heads on the testing samples. The results indicate the apparent permeability of pervious concrete decreasing with the applied water head. The results also demonstrate the permeability measured from the FHM is lower than that from the CHM. The fundamental difference between the CHM and FHM is examined from the theory of fluid flowing through porous media. The testing results suggest that the water permeability of permeable concrete should be reported with the applied pressure and the associated testing method.

Diamond difference method with hybrid angular quadrature applied to neutron transport problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zani, Jose H.; Barros, Ricardo C.; Alves Filho, Hermes

2005-01-01

In this work we presents the results for the calculations of the disadvantage factor in thermal nuclear reactor physics. We use the one-group discrete ordinates (S N ) equations to mathematically model the flux distributions in slab lattices. We apply the diamond difference method with source iteration iterative scheme to numerically solve the discretized systems equations. We used special interface conditions to describe the method with hybrid angular quadrature. We show numerical results to illustrate the accuracy of the hybrid method. (author)

Power System Oscillation Modes Identifications: Guidelines for Applying TLS-ESPRIT Method

Science.gov (United States)

Gajjar, Gopal R.; Soman, Shreevardhan

2013-05-01

Fast measurements of power system quantities available through wide-area measurement systems enables direct observations for power system electromechanical oscillations. But the raw observations data need to be processed to obtain the quantitative measures required to make any inference regarding the power system state. A detailed discussion is presented for the theory behind the general problem of oscillatory mode indentification. This paper presents some results on oscillation mode identification applied to a wide-area frequency measurements system. Guidelines for selection of parametes for obtaining most reliable results from the applied method are provided. Finally, some results on real measurements are presented with our inference on them.

Applying the Mixed Methods Instrument Development and Construct Validation Process: the Transformative Experience Questionnaire

Science.gov (United States)

Koskey, Kristin L. K.; Sondergeld, Toni A.; Stewart, Victoria C.; Pugh, Kevin J.

2018-01-01

Onwuegbuzie and colleagues proposed the Instrument Development and Construct Validation (IDCV) process as a mixed methods framework for creating and validating measures. Examples applying IDCV are lacking. We provide an illustrative case integrating the Rasch model and cognitive interviews applied to the development of the Transformative…

Machine Learning Method Applied in Readout System of Superheated Droplet Detector

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi; Sullivan, Clair Julia; d'Errico, Francesco

2017-07-01

Direct readability is one advantage of superheated droplet detectors in neutron dosimetry. Utilizing such a distinct characteristic, an imaging readout system analyzes image of the detector for neutron dose readout. To improve the accuracy and precision of algorithms in the imaging readout system, machine learning algorithms were developed. Deep learning neural network and support vector machine algorithms are applied and compared with generally used Hough transform and curvature analysis methods. The machine learning methods showed a much higher accuracy and better precision in recognizing circular gas bubbles.

Nuclear and nuclear related analytical methods applied in environmental research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popescu, Ion V.; Gheboianu, Anca; Bancuta, Iulian; Cimpoca, G. V; Stihi, Claudia; Radulescu, Cristiana; Oros Calin; Frontasyeva, Marina; Petre, Marian; Dulama, Ioana; Vlaicu, G.

2010-01-01

Nuclear Analytical Methods can be used for research activities on environmental studies like water quality assessment, pesticide residues, global climatic change (transboundary), pollution and remediation. Heavy metal pollution is a problem associated with areas of intensive industrial activity. In this work the moss bio monitoring technique was employed to study the atmospheric deposition in Dambovita County Romania. Also, there were used complementary nuclear and atomic analytical methods: Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). These high sensitivity analysis methods were used to determine the chemical composition of some samples of mosses placed in different areas with different pollution industrial sources. The concentrations of Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn were determined. The concentration of Fe from the same samples was determined using all these methods and we obtained a very good agreement, in statistical limits, which demonstrate the capability of these analytical methods to be applied on a large spectrum of environmental samples with the same results. (authors)

Applied probabilistic methods in the field of reactor safety in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heuser, F.W.

1982-01-01

Some aspects of applied reliability and risk analysis methods in nuclear safety and the present role of both in Germany, are discussed. First, some comments on the status and applications of reliability analysis are given. Second, some conclusions that can be drawn from previous work on the German Risk Study are summarized. (orig.)

Measurement of Dynamic Urethral Pressures with a High Resolution Manometry System in Continent and Incontinent Women

Science.gov (United States)

Kirby, Anna C; Tan-Kim, Jasmine; Nager, Charles W.

2015-01-01

Objectives Female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is caused by urethral dysfunction during dynamic conditions, but current technology has limitations in measuring urethral pressures under dynamic conditions. An 8-French high resolution manometry catheter (HRM) currently in clinical use in gastroenterology may accurately measure urethral pressures under dynamic conditions because it has a 25ms response rate and circumferential pressure sensors along the length of the catheter (ManoScan® ESO, Given Imaging). We evaluated the concordance, repeatability, and tolerability of this catheter. Methods We measured resting, cough, and strain maximum urethral closure pressures (MUCPs) using HRM and measured resting MUCPs with water perfusion side-hole catheter urethral pressure profilometry (UPP) in 37 continent and 28 stress incontinent subjects. Maneuvers were repeated after moving the HRM catheter along the urethral length to evaluate whether results depend on catheter positioning. Visual analog pain scores evaluated the comfort of HRM compared to UPP. Results The correlation coefficient for resting MUCPs measured by HRM vs. UPP was high (r = 0.79, prest, cough, and strain with HRM: r= 0.92, 0.89, and 0.89. Mean MUCPs (rest, cough, strain) were higher in continent than incontinent subjects (all p continent subjects during cough and strain maneuvers compared to rest. Conclusions This preliminary study shows that HRM is concordant with standard technology, repeatable, and well tolerated in the urethra. Incontinent women have more impairment of their urethral closure pressures during cough and strain than continent women. PMID:25185595

The intellectual structure of human resource management research: a bibliometric study of the international journal of human resource management, 2000–2012

OpenAIRE

García Lillo, Francisco; Úbeda García, Mercedes; Marco-Lajara, Bartolomé

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze the existing literature on human resource management (HRM) from all the research papers published in The International Journal of Human Resource Management between 2000 and 2012. The authors apply bibliometric methods to identify the main research lines within this scientific field; in other words, its ‘intellectual structure’. Social network analysis is also used to perform a visualization of this structure. The results of the analysis allow us to defi...

Trends in Research Methods in Applied Linguistics: China and the West.

Science.gov (United States)

Yihong, Gao; Lichun, Li; Jun, Lu

2001-01-01

Examines and compares current trends in applied linguistics (AL) research methods in China and the West. Reviews AL articles in four Chinese journals, from 1978-1997, and four English journals from 1985 to 1997. Articles are categorized and subcategorized. Results show that in China, AL research is heading from non-empirical toward empirical, with…

A nodal method applied to a diffusion problem with generalized coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laazizi, A.; Guessous, N.

1999-01-01

In this paper, we consider second order neutrons diffusion problem with coefficients in L ∞ (Ω). Nodal method of the lowest order is applied to approximate the problem's solution. The approximation uses special basis functions in which the coefficients appear. The rate of convergence obtained is O(h 2 ) in L 2 (Ω), with a free rectangular triangulation. (authors)

Comparison of Heuristic Methods Applied for Optimal Operation of Water Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Borhani Dariane

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Water resources optimization problems are usually complex and hard to solve using the ordinary optimization methods, or they are at least  not economically efficient. A great number of studies have been conducted in quest of suitable methods capable of handling such problems. In recent years, some new heuristic methods such as genetic and ant algorithms have been introduced in systems engineering. Preliminary applications of these methods in water resources problems have shown that some of them are powerful tools, capable of solving complex problems. In this paper, the application of such heuristic methods as Genetic Algorithm (GA and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO have been studied for optimizing reservoir operation. The Dez Dam reservoir inIranwas chosen for a case study. The methods were applied and compared using short-term (one year and long-term models. Comparison of the results showed that GA outperforms both DP and ACO in finding true global optimum solutions and operating rules.

Criticality analysis of thermal reactors for two energy groups applying Monte Carlo and neutron Albedo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terra, Andre Miguel Barge Pontes Torres

2005-01-01

The Albedo method applied to criticality calculations to nuclear reactors is characterized by following the neutron currents, allowing to make detailed analyses of the physics phenomena about interactions of the neutrons with the core-reflector set, by the determination of the probabilities of reflection, absorption, and transmission. Then, allowing to make detailed appreciations of the variation of the effective neutron multiplication factor, keff. In the present work, motivated for excellent results presented in dissertations applied to thermal reactors and shieldings, was described the methodology to Albedo method for the analysis criticality of thermal reactors by using two energy groups admitting variable core coefficients to each re-entrant current. By using the Monte Carlo KENO IV code was analyzed relation between the total fraction of neutrons absorbed in the core reactor and the fraction of neutrons that never have stayed into the reflector but were absorbed into the core. As parameters of comparison and analysis of the results obtained by the Albedo method were used one dimensional deterministic code ANISN (ANIsotropic SN transport code) and Diffusion method. The keff results determined by the Albedo method, to the type of analyzed reactor, showed excellent agreement. Thus were obtained relative errors of keff values smaller than 0,78% between the Albedo method and code ANISN. In relation to the Diffusion method were obtained errors smaller than 0,35%, showing the effectiveness of the Albedo method applied to criticality analysis. The easiness of application, simplicity and clarity of the Albedo method constitute a valuable instrument to neutronic calculations applied to nonmultiplying and multiplying media. (author)

Which DTW Method Applied to Marine Univariate Time Series Imputation

OpenAIRE

Phan , Thi-Thu-Hong; Caillault , Émilie; Lefebvre , Alain; Bigand , André

2017-01-01

International audience; Missing data are ubiquitous in any domains of applied sciences. Processing datasets containing missing values can lead to a loss of efficiency and unreliable results, especially for large missing sub-sequence(s). Therefore, the aim of this paper is to build a framework for filling missing values in univariate time series and to perform a comparison of different similarity metrics used for the imputation task. This allows to suggest the most suitable methods for the imp...

A new method of AHP applied to personal credit evaluation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

JIANG Ming-hui; XIONG Qi; CAO Jing

2006-01-01

This paper presents a new negative judgment matrix that combines the advantages of the reciprocal judgment matrix and the fuzzy complementary judgment matrix, and then puts forth the properties of this new matrix. In view of these properties, this paper derives a clear sequencing formula for the new negative judgment matrix, which improves the sequencing principle of AHP. Finally, this new method is applied to personal credit evaluation to show its advantages of conciseness and swiftness.

Differentiation of five enterohepatic Helicobacter species by nested PCR with high-resolution melting curve analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Miaoli; Rao, Dan; Zhu, Yujun; Wang, Jing; Yuan, Wen; Zhang, Yu; Huang, Ren; Guo, Pengju

2017-04-01

Enterohepatic Helicobacter species (EHS) are widespread in rodent species around the world. Several studies have demonstrated that infection with EHS can interfere with the outcomes of animal experiments in cancer research and significantly influence the study results. Therefore, it is essential to establish a rapid detection and identification of EHS for biomedical research using laboratory rodents. Our study aimed to develop a rapid and sensitive method to detect and distinguish five enterohepatic Helicobacter species. Nested PCR followed by high-resolution melting curve analysis (HRM) was developed for identification of H. bilis, H. rodentium, H. muridarum, H. typhlonius, as well as H. hepaticus. To validate the accuracy of nested PCR-HRM analysis, quantitative real-time PCR methods for five different enterohepatic Helicobacter species were developed. A total of 50 cecal samples were tested using both nested PCR-HRM analysis and qPCR method. The nested PCR-HRM method could distinguish five enterohepatic Helicobacter species by different melting temperatures. The melting curve were characterized by peaks of 78.7 ± 0.12°C for H. rodentium, 80.51 ± 0.09°C for H. bilis, 81.6 ± 0.1°C for H. typhlonius, 82.11 ± 0.18°C for H. muridarum, and 82.95 ± 0.09°C for H. hepaticus. The nested PCR-HRM assay is a simple, rapid, and cost-effective assay. This assay could be a useful tool for molecular epidemiology study of enterohepatic Helicobacter infection and an attractive alternative for genotyping of enterohepatic Helicobacter species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Managing hospital doctors and their practice: what can we learn about human resource management from non-healthcare organisations?

Science.gov (United States)

Trebble, Timothy M; Heyworth, Nicola; Clarke, Nicholas; Powell, Timothy; Hockey, Peter M

2014-11-21

Improved management of clinicians' time and practice is advocated to address increasing demands on healthcare provision in the UK National Health Service (NHS). Human resource management (HRM) is associated with improvements in organisational performance and outcomes within and outside of healthcare, but with limited use in managing individual clinicians. This may reflect the absence of effective and transferrable models. The current systems of managing the performance of individual clinicians in a secondary healthcare organisation were reviewed through the study of practice in 10 successful partnership organisations, including knowledge worker predominant, within commercial, public and voluntary sector operating environments. Reciprocal visits to the secondary healthcare environment were undertaken. Six themes in performance related HRM were identified across the external organisations representing best practice and considered transferrable to managing clinicians in secondary care organisations. These included: performance measurement through defined outcomes at the team level with decision making through local data interpretation; performance improvement through empowered formal leadership with organisational support; individual performance review (IPR); and reward, recognition and talent management. The role of the executive was considered essential to support and implement effective HRM, with management of staff performance, behaviour and development integrated into organisational strategy, including through the use of universally applied values and effective communication. These approaches reflected many of the key aspects of high performance work systems and strategic HRM. There is the potential to develop systems of HRM of individual clinicians in secondary healthcare to improve practice. This should include both performance measurement and performance improvement but also engagement at an organisational level. This suggests that effective HRM and

Method of applying single higher order polynomial basis function over multiple domains

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Lysko, AA

2010-03-01

Full Text Available A novel method has been devised where one set of higher order polynomial-based basis functions can be applied over several wire segments, thus permitting to decouple the number of unknowns from the number of segments, and so from the geometrical...

Methodical basis of training of cadets for the military applied heptathlon competitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.V. Anatskyi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the research is to develop methodical bases of training of cadets for the military applied heptathlon competitions. Material and methods: Cadets of 2-3 courses at the age of 19-20 years (n=20 participated in researches. Cadets were selected by the best results of exercises performing included into the program of military applied heptathlon competitions (100 m run, 50 m freestyle swimming, Kalashnikov rifle shooting, pull-up, obstacle course, grenade throwing, 3000 m run. Preparation took place on the basis of training center. All trainings were organized and carried out according to the methodical basics: in a week preparation microcycle five days cadets had two trainings a day (on Saturday was one training, on Sunday they had rest. The selected exercises with individual loads were performed, Results : Sport scores demonstrated top results in the performance of 100 m run, 3000 m run and pull-up. The indices of performing exercise "obstacle course" were much lower than expected. Rather low results were demonstrated in swimming and shooting. Conclusions . Results of researches indicate the necessity of quality improvement: cadets’ weapons proficiency; physical readiness to perform the exercises requiring complex demonstration of all physical qualities.

Multigrid method applied to the solution of an elliptic, generalized eigenvalue problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alchalabi, R.M. [BOC Group, Murray Hill, NJ (United States); Turinsky, P.J. [North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

1996-12-31

The work presented in this paper is concerned with the development of an efficient MG algorithm for the solution of an elliptic, generalized eigenvalue problem. The application is specifically applied to the multigroup neutron diffusion equation which is discretized by utilizing the Nodal Expansion Method (NEM). The underlying relaxation method is the Power Method, also known as the (Outer-Inner Method). The inner iterations are completed using Multi-color Line SOR, and the outer iterations are accelerated using Chebyshev Semi-iterative Method. Furthermore, the MG algorithm utilizes the consistent homogenization concept to construct the restriction operator, and a form function as a prolongation operator. The MG algorithm was integrated into the reactor neutronic analysis code NESTLE, and numerical results were obtained from solving production type benchmark problems.

Applying Mathematical Optimization Methods to an ACT-R Instance-Based Learning Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Said, Nadia; Engelhart, Michael; Kirches, Christian; Körkel, Stefan; Holt, Daniel V

2016-01-01

Computational models of cognition provide an interface to connect advanced mathematical tools and methods to empirically supported theories of behavior in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. In this article, we consider a computational model of instance-based learning, implemented in the ACT-R cognitive architecture. We propose an approach for obtaining mathematical reformulations of such cognitive models that improve their computational tractability. For the well-established Sugar Factory dynamic decision making task, we conduct a simulation study to analyze central model parameters. We show how mathematical optimization techniques can be applied to efficiently identify optimal parameter values with respect to different optimization goals. Beyond these methodological contributions, our analysis reveals the sensitivity of this particular task with respect to initial settings and yields new insights into how average human performance deviates from potential optimal performance. We conclude by discussing possible extensions of our approach as well as future steps towards applying more powerful derivative-based optimization methods.

Applying Mathematical Optimization Methods to an ACT-R Instance-Based Learning Model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia Said

Full Text Available Computational models of cognition provide an interface to connect advanced mathematical tools and methods to empirically supported theories of behavior in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. In this article, we consider a computational model of instance-based learning, implemented in the ACT-R cognitive architecture. We propose an approach for obtaining mathematical reformulations of such cognitive models that improve their computational tractability. For the well-established Sugar Factory dynamic decision making task, we conduct a simulation study to analyze central model parameters. We show how mathematical optimization techniques can be applied to efficiently identify optimal parameter values with respect to different optimization goals. Beyond these methodological contributions, our analysis reveals the sensitivity of this particular task with respect to initial settings and yields new insights into how average human performance deviates from potential optimal performance. We conclude by discussing possible extensions of our approach as well as future steps towards applying more powerful derivative-based optimization methods.

Labile soil phosphorus as influenced by methods of applying radioactive phosphorus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvaratnam, V.V.; Andersen, A.J.; Thomsen, J.D.; Gissel-Nielsen, G.

1980-03-01

The influence of different methods of applying radioactive phosphorus on the E- and L-values was studied in four foil types using barley, buckwheat, and rye grass for the L-value determination. The four soils differed greatly in their E- and L-values. The experiment was carried out both with and without carrier-P. The presence of carrier-P had no influence on the E-values, while carrier-P in some cases gave a lower L-value. Both E- and L-values dependent on the method of application. When the 32 P was applied on a small soil or sand sample and dried before mixing with the total amount of soil, the E-values were higher than at direct application most likely because of a stronger fixation to the soil/sand particles. This was not the case for the L-values that are based on a much longer equilibrium time. On the contrary, the direct application of the 32 p-solution to the whole amount of soil gave higher L-values of a non-homogeneous distribution of the 32 p in the soil. (author)

Quantitative Analysis of Swallowing Function Between Dysphagia Patients and Healthy Subjects Using High-Resolution Manometry

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Objective To compare swallowing function between healthy subjects and patients with pharyngeal dysphagia using high resolution manometry (HRM) and to evaluate the usefulness of HRM for detecting pharyngeal dysphagia. Methods Seventy-five patients with dysphagia and 28 healthy subjects were included in this study. Diagnosis of dysphagia was confirmed by a videofluoroscopy. HRM was performed to measure pressure and timing information at the velopharynx (VP), tongue base (TB), and upper esophageal sphincter (UES). HRM parameters were compared between dysphagia and healthy groups. Optimal threshold values of significant HRM parameters for dysphagia were determined. Results VP maximal pressure, TB maximal pressure, UES relaxation duration, and UES resting pressure were lower in the dysphagia group than those in healthy group. UES minimal pressure was higher in dysphagia group than in the healthy group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to validate optimal threshold values for significant HRM parameters to identify patients with pharyngeal dysphagia. With maximal VP pressure at a threshold value of 144.0 mmHg, dysphagia was identified with 96.4% sensitivity and 74.7% specificity. With maximal TB pressure at a threshold value of 158.0 mmHg, dysphagia was identified with 96.4% sensitivity and 77.3% specificity. At a threshold value of 2.0 mmHg for UES minimal pressure, dysphagia was diagnosed at 74.7% sensitivity and 60.7% specificity. Lastly, UES relaxation duration of dysphagia. Conclusion We present evidence that HRM could be a useful evaluation tool for detecting pharyngeal dysphagia. PMID:29201816

Data Mining Methods Applied to Flight Operations Quality Assurance Data: A Comparison to Standard Statistical Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Stolzer, Alan J.; Halford, Carl

2007-01-01

In a previous study, multiple regression techniques were applied to Flight Operations Quality Assurance-derived data to develop parsimonious model(s) for fuel consumption on the Boeing 757 airplane. The present study examined several data mining algorithms, including neural networks, on the fuel consumption problem and compared them to the multiple regression results obtained earlier. Using regression methods, parsimonious models were obtained that explained approximately 85% of the variation in fuel flow. In general data mining methods were more effective in predicting fuel consumption. Classification and Regression Tree methods reported correlation coefficients of .91 to .92, and General Linear Models and Multilayer Perceptron neural networks reported correlation coefficients of about .99. These data mining models show great promise for use in further examining large FOQA databases for operational and safety improvements.

Local regression type methods applied to the study of geophysics and high frequency financial data

Science.gov (United States)

Mariani, M. C.; Basu, K.

2014-09-01

In this work we applied locally weighted scatterplot smoothing techniques (Lowess/Loess) to Geophysical and high frequency financial data. We first analyze and apply this technique to the California earthquake geological data. A spatial analysis was performed to show that the estimation of the earthquake magnitude at a fixed location is very accurate up to the relative error of 0.01%. We also applied the same method to a high frequency data set arising in the financial sector and obtained similar satisfactory results. The application of this approach to the two different data sets demonstrates that the overall method is accurate and efficient, and the Lowess approach is much more desirable than the Loess method. The previous works studied the time series analysis; in this paper our local regression models perform a spatial analysis for the geophysics data providing different information. For the high frequency data, our models estimate the curve of best fit where data are dependent on time.

High resolution melting for mutation scanning of TP53 exons 5–8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krypuy, Michael; Dobrovic, Alexander; Ahmed, Ahmed Ashour; Etemadmoghadam, Dariush; Hyland, Sarah J; Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group; Fazio, Anna de; Fox, Stephen B; Brenton, James D; Bowtell, David D

2007-01-01

p53 is commonly inactivated by mutations in the DNA-binding domain in a wide range of cancers. As mutant p53 often influences response to therapy, effective and rapid methods to scan for mutations in TP53 are likely to be of clinical value. We therefore evaluated the use of high resolution melting (HRM) as a rapid mutation scanning tool for TP53 in tumour samples. We designed PCR amplicons for HRM mutation scanning of TP53 exons 5 to 8 and tested them with DNA from cell lines hemizygous or homozygous for known mutations. We assessed the sensitivity of each PCR amplicon using dilutions of cell line DNA in normal wild-type DNA. We then performed a blinded assessment on ovarian tumour DNA samples that had been previously sequenced for mutations in TP53 to assess the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the HRM technique. We also performed HRM analysis on breast tumour DNA samples with unknown TP53 mutation status. One cell line mutation was not readily observed when exon 5 was amplified. As exon 5 contained multiple melting domains, we divided the exon into two amplicons for further screening. Sequence changes were also introduced into some of the primers to improve the melting characteristics of the amplicon. Aberrant HRM curves indicative of TP53 mutations were observed for each of the samples in the ovarian tumour DNA panel. Comparison of the HRM results with the sequencing results revealed that each mutation was detected by HRM in the correct exon. For the breast tumour panel, we detected seven aberrant melt profiles by HRM and subsequent sequencing confirmed the presence of these and no other mutations in the predicted exons. HRM is an effective technique for simple and rapid scanning of TP53 mutations that can markedly reduce the amount of sequencing required in mutational studies of TP53

Human resource management interventions to improve health workers' performance in low and middle income countries: a realist review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van der Wilt Gert Jan

2009-04-01

interventions might improve performance, under which circumstances, and for which groups of health workers. To be better able to contribute to an understanding of how HRM interventions could improve health workers' performance, a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods would be needed and the use of common indicators for evaluation and a common reporting format would be required.

Understanding human resource management practices in Botswana's public health sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Seitio-Kgokgwe, Onalenna Stannie; Gauld, Robin; Hill, Philip C; Barnett, Pauline

2016-11-21

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the management of the public sector health workforce in Botswana. Using institutional frameworks it aims to document and analyse human resource management (HRM) practices, and make recommendations to improve employee and health system outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws from a large study that used a mixed methods approach to assess performance of Botswana's Ministry of Health (MOH). It uses data collected through document analysis and in-depth interviews of 54 key informants comprising policy makers, senior staff of the MOH and its stakeholder organizations. Findings Public health sector HRM in Botswana has experienced inadequate planning, poor deployment and underutilization of staff. Lack of comprehensive retention strategies and poor working conditions contributed to the failure to attract and retain skilled personnel. Relationships with both formal and informal environments affected HRM performance. Research limitations/implications While document review was a major source of data for this paper, the weaknesses in the human resource information system limited availability of data. Practical implications This paper presents an argument for the need for consideration of formal and informal environments in developing effective HRM strategies. Originality/value This research provides a rare system-wide approach to health HRM in a Sub-Saharan African country. It contributes to the literature and evidence needed to guide HRM policy decisions and practices.

Translation Methods Applied in Translating Quotations in “the Secret” by Rhonda

OpenAIRE

FEBRIANTI, VICKY

2014-01-01

Keywords: Translation Methods, The Secret, Quotations.Translation helps human to get information written in any language evenwhen it is written in foreign languages. Therefore translation happens in printed media. Books have been popular printed media. The Secret written by Rhonda Byrne is a popular self-help book which has been translated into 50 languages including Indonesian (“The Secret”, n.d., para.5-6).This study is meant to find out the translation methods applied in The Secret. The wr...

Evaluation of Esophageal Motility Utilizing the Functional Lumen Imaging Probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Dustin A; Kahrilas, Peter J; Lin, Zhiyue; Hirano, Ikuo; Gonsalves, Nirmala; Listernick, Zoe; Ritter, Katherine; Tye, Michael; Ponds, Fraukje A; Wong, Ian; Pandolfino, John E

2016-12-01

Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) distensibility and distension-mediated peristalsis can be assessed with the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) during a sedated upper endoscopy. We aimed to describe esophageal motility assessment using FLIP topography in patients presenting with dysphagia. In all, 145 patients (aged 18-85 years, 54% female) with dysphagia that completed upper endoscopy with a 16-cm FLIP assembly and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were included. HRM was analyzed according to the Chicago Classification of esophageal motility disorders; major esophageal motility disorders were considered "abnormal". FLIP studies were analyzed using a customized program to calculate the EGJ-distensibility index (DI) and generate FLIP topography plots to identify esophageal contractility patterns. FLIP topography was considered "abnormal" if EGJ-DI was esophageal motility and 29 normal motility. In all, 17 (50%) had abnormal FLIP topography including 13 (37%) with abnormal EGJ-DI. FLIP topography provides a well-tolerated method for esophageal motility assessment (especially to identify achalasia) at the time of upper endoscopy. FLIP topography findings that are discordant with HRM may indicate otherwise undetected abnormalities of esophageal function, thus FLIP provides an alternative and complementary method to HRM for evaluation of non-obstructive dysphagia.

Processing method for high resolution monochromator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiriyama, Koji; Mitsui, Takaya

2006-12-01

A processing method for high resolution monochromator (HRM) has been developed at Japanese Atomic Energy Agency/Quantum Beam Science Directorate/Synchrotron Radiation Research unit at SPring-8. For manufacturing a HRM, a sophisticated slicing machine and X-ray diffractometer have been installed for shaping a crystal ingot and orienting precisely the surface of a crystal ingot, respectively. The specification of the slicing machine is following; Maximum size of a diamond blade is φ 350mm in diameter, φ 38.1mm in the spindle diameter, and 2mm in thickness. A large crystal such as an ingot with 100mm in diameter, 200mm in length can be cut. Thin crystal samples such as a wafer can be also cut using by another sample holder. Working distance of a main shaft with the direction perpendicular to working table in the machine is 350mm at maximum. Smallest resolution of the main shaft with directions of front-and-back and top-and-bottom are 0.001mm read by a digital encoder. 2mm/min can set for cutting samples in the forward direction. For orienting crystal faces relative to the blade direction adjustment, a one-circle goniometer and 2-circle segment are equipped on the working table in the machine. A rotation and a tilt of the stage can be done by manual operation. Digital encoder in a turn stage is furnished and has angle resolution of less than 0.01 degrees. In addition, a hand drill as a supporting device for detailed processing of crystal is prepared. Then, an ideal crystal face can be cut from crystal samples within an accuracy of about 0.01 degrees. By installation of these devices, a high energy resolution monochromator crystal for inelastic x-ray scattering and a beam collimator are got in hand and are expected to be used for nanotechnology studies. (author)

A new sub-equation method applied to obtain exact travelling wave solutions of some complex nonlinear equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Huiqun

2009-01-01

By using a new coupled Riccati equations, a direct algebraic method, which was applied to obtain exact travelling wave solutions of some complex nonlinear equations, is improved. And the exact travelling wave solutions of the complex KdV equation, Boussinesq equation and Klein-Gordon equation are investigated using the improved method. The method presented in this paper can also be applied to construct exact travelling wave solutions for other nonlinear complex equations.

Method of levelized discounted costs applied in economic evaluation of nuclear power plant project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Li; Wang Yongqing; Liu Jingquan; Guo Jilin; Liu Wei

2000-01-01

The main methods of economic evaluation of bid which are in common use are introduced. The characteristics of levelized discounted cost method and its application are presented. The method of levelized discounted cost is applied to the cost calculation of a 200 MW nuclear heating reactor economic evaluation. The results indicate that the method of levelized discounted costs is simple, feasible and which is considered most suitable for the economic evaluation of various case. The method is suggested which is used in the national economic evaluation

Metrological evaluation of characterization methods applied to nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faeda, Kelly Cristina Martins; Lameiras, Fernando Soares; Camarano, Denise das Merces; Ferreira, Ricardo Alberto Neto; Migliorini, Fabricio Lima; Carneiro, Luciana Capanema Silva; Silva, Egonn Hendrigo Carvalho

2010-01-01

In manufacturing the nuclear fuel, characterizations are performed in order to assure the minimization of harmful effects. The uranium dioxide is the most used substance as nuclear reactor fuel because of many advantages, such as: high stability even when it is in contact with water at high temperatures, high fusion point, and high capacity to retain fission products. Several methods are used for characterization of nuclear fuels, such as thermogravimetric analysis for the ratio O / U, penetration-immersion method, helium pycnometer and mercury porosimetry for the density and porosity, BET method for the specific surface, chemical analyses for relevant impurities, and the laser flash method for thermophysical properties. Specific tools are needed to control the diameter and the sphericity of the microspheres and the properties of the coating layers (thickness, density, and degree of anisotropy). Other methods can also give information, such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microanalysis, and mass spectroscopy of secondary ions for chemical analysis. The accuracy of measurement and level of uncertainty of the resulting data are important. This work describes a general metrological characterization of some techniques applied to the characterization of nuclear fuel. Sources of measurement uncertainty were analyzed. The purpose is to summarize selected properties of UO 2 that have been studied by CDTN in a program of fuel development for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). The selected properties are crucial for thermalhydraulic codes to study basic design accidents. The thermal characterization (thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity) and the penetration immersion method (density and open porosity) of UO 2 samples were focused. The thermal characterization of UO 2 samples was determined by the laser flash method between room temperature and 448 K. The adaptive Monte Carlo Method was used to obtain the endpoints of the

Metrological evaluation of characterization methods applied to nuclear fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faeda, Kelly Cristina Martins; Lameiras, Fernando Soares; Camarano, Denise das Merces; Ferreira, Ricardo Alberto Neto; Migliorini, Fabricio Lima; Carneiro, Luciana Capanema Silva; Silva, Egonn Hendrigo Carvalho, E-mail: kellyfisica@gmail.co, E-mail: fernando.lameiras@pq.cnpq.b, E-mail: dmc@cdtn.b, E-mail: ranf@cdtn.b, E-mail: flmigliorini@hotmail.co, E-mail: lucsc@hotmail.co, E-mail: egonn@ufmg.b [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2010-07-01

In manufacturing the nuclear fuel, characterizations are performed in order to assure the minimization of harmful effects. The uranium dioxide is the most used substance as nuclear reactor fuel because of many advantages, such as: high stability even when it is in contact with water at high temperatures, high fusion point, and high capacity to retain fission products. Several methods are used for characterization of nuclear fuels, such as thermogravimetric analysis for the ratio O / U, penetration-immersion method, helium pycnometer and mercury porosimetry for the density and porosity, BET method for the specific surface, chemical analyses for relevant impurities, and the laser flash method for thermophysical properties. Specific tools are needed to control the diameter and the sphericity of the microspheres and the properties of the coating layers (thickness, density, and degree of anisotropy). Other methods can also give information, such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microanalysis, and mass spectroscopy of secondary ions for chemical analysis. The accuracy of measurement and level of uncertainty of the resulting data are important. This work describes a general metrological characterization of some techniques applied to the characterization of nuclear fuel. Sources of measurement uncertainty were analyzed. The purpose is to summarize selected properties of UO{sub 2} that have been studied by CDTN in a program of fuel development for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). The selected properties are crucial for thermalhydraulic codes to study basic design accidents. The thermal characterization (thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity) and the penetration immersion method (density and open porosity) of UO{sub 2} samples were focused. The thermal characterization of UO{sub 2} samples was determined by the laser flash method between room temperature and 448 K. The adaptive Monte Carlo Method was used to obtain the endpoints of

Applying Activity Based Costing (ABC) Method to Calculate Cost Price in Hospital and Remedy Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajabi, A; Dabiri, A

2012-01-01

Activity Based Costing (ABC) is one of the new methods began appearing as a costing methodology in the 1990's. It calculates cost price by determining the usage of resources. In this study, ABC method was used for calculating cost price of remedial services in hospitals. To apply ABC method, Shahid Faghihi Hospital was selected. First, hospital units were divided into three main departments: administrative, diagnostic, and hospitalized. Second, activity centers were defined by the activity analysis method. Third, costs of administrative activity centers were allocated into diagnostic and operational departments based on the cost driver. Finally, with regard to the usage of cost objectives from services of activity centers, the cost price of medical services was calculated. The cost price from ABC method significantly differs from tariff method. In addition, high amount of indirect costs in the hospital indicates that capacities of resources are not used properly. Cost price of remedial services with tariff method is not properly calculated when compared with ABC method. ABC calculates cost price by applying suitable mechanisms but tariff method is based on the fixed price. In addition, ABC represents useful information about the amount and combination of cost price services.

Intestinal colic in newborn babies: incidence and methods of proceeding applied by parents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Lewandowska

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Intestinal colic is one of the more frequent complaints that a general practitioner and paediatrician deal with in their work. 10-40% of babies formula fed and 10-20% breast fed are stricken by this complaint. A colic attack appears suddenly and very quickly causes energetic, squeaky cry or even scream. Colic attacks last for a few minutes and appear every 2-3 hours usually in the evenings. Specialist literature provides numerous definitions of intestinal colic. The concept was introduced for the first time to paediatric textbooks over 250 years ago. One of the most accurate definitions describe colic as recurring attacks of intensive cry and anxiety lasting for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week within 3 weeks. Care of a baby suffering from an intestinal colic causes numerous problems and anxiety among parents, therefore knowledge of effective methods to combat this complaint is a challenge for contemporary neonatology and paediatrics. The aim of the study is to estimate the incidence of intestinal colic in newborn babies formula and breast fed as well as to assess methods of proceeding applied by parents and analyze their effectiveness. Material and methods: The research involved 100 newborn babies breast fed and 100 formula fed, and their parents. The research method applied in the study was a diagnostic survey conducted by use of a questionnaire method. Results: Among examined newborn babies that were breast fed, 43% have experienced intestinal colic, while among those formula fed 30% have suffered from it. The study involved 44% new born female babies and 56% male babies. 52% of mothers were 30-34 years old, 30% 35-59 years old, and 17% 25-59 years old. When it comes to families, the most numerous was a group in good financial situation (60%. The second numerous group was that in average financial situation (40%. All the respondents claimed that they had the knowledge on intestinal colic and the main source of knowledge

Applied Electromagnetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamashita, H; Marinova, I; Cingoski, V [eds.

2002-07-01

These proceedings contain papers relating to the 3rd Japanese-Bulgarian-Macedonian Joint Seminar on Applied Electromagnetics. Included are the following groups: Numerical Methods I; Electrical and Mechanical System Analysis and Simulations; Inverse Problems and Optimizations; Software Methodology; Numerical Methods II; Applied Electromagnetics.

Applied Electromagnetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, H.; Marinova, I.; Cingoski, V.

2002-01-01

These proceedings contain papers relating to the 3rd Japanese-Bulgarian-Macedonian Joint Seminar on Applied Electromagnetics. Included are the following groups: Numerical Methods I; Electrical and Mechanical System Analysis and Simulations; Inverse Problems and Optimizations; Software Methodology; Numerical Methods II; Applied Electromagnetics

Electronic human resource management: Enhancing or entrancing?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Poisat

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Orientation: This article provides an investigation into the current level of development of the body of knowledge related to electronic human resource management (e-HRM by means of a qualitative content analysis. Several aspects of e-HRM, namely definitions of e-HRM, the theoretical perspectives around e-HRM, the role of e-HRM, the various types of e-HRM and the requirements for successful e-HRM, are examined. Research purpose: The purpose of the article was to determine the status of e-HRM and examine the studies that report on the link between e-HRM and organisational productivity. Motivation for the study: e-HRM has the capacity to improve organisational efficiency and leverage the role of human resources (HR as a strategic business partner. Main findings: The notion that the implementation of e-HRM will lead to improved organisational productivity is commonly assumed; however, empirical evidence in this regard was found to be limited. Practical/managerial implications: From the results of this investigation it is evident that more research is required to gain a greater understanding of the influence of e-HRM on organisational productivity, as well as to develop measures for assessing this influence. Contribution: This article proposes additional areas to research and measure when investigating the effectiveness of e-HRM. It provides a different lens from which to view e-HRM assessment whilst keeping it within recognised HR measurement parameters (the HR value chain. In addition, it not only provides areas for measuring e-HRM’s influence but also provides important clues as to how the measurements may be approached.

Artificial intelligence methods applied for quantitative analysis of natural radioactive sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medhat, M.E.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Basic description of artificial neural networks. ► Natural gamma ray sources and problem of detections. ► Application of neural network for peak detection and activity determination. - Abstract: Artificial neural network (ANN) represents one of artificial intelligence methods in the field of modeling and uncertainty in different applications. The objective of the proposed work was focused to apply ANN to identify isotopes and to predict uncertainties of their activities of some natural radioactive sources. The method was tested for analyzing gamma-ray spectra emitted from natural radionuclides in soil samples detected by a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry based on HPGe (high purity germanium). The principle of the suggested method is described, including, relevant input parameters definition, input data scaling and networks training. It is clear that there is satisfactory agreement between obtained and predicted results using neural network.

Relativistic convergent close-coupling method applied to electron scattering from mercury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bostock, Christopher J.; Fursa, Dmitry V.; Bray, Igor

2010-01-01

We report on the extension of the recently formulated relativistic convergent close-coupling (RCCC) method to accommodate two-electron and quasi-two-electron targets. We apply the theory to electron scattering from mercury and obtain differential and integrated cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering. We compared with previous nonrelativistic convergent close-coupling (CCC) calculations and for a number of transitions obtained significantly better agreement with the experiment. The RCCC method is able to resolve structure in the integrated cross sections for the energy regime in the vicinity of the excitation thresholds for the (6s6p) 3 P 0,1,2 states. These cross sections are associated with the formation of negative ion (Hg - ) resonances that could not be resolved with the nonrelativistic CCC method. The RCCC results are compared with the experiment and other relativistic theories.

Nutrient Runoff Losses from Liquid Dairy Manure Applied with Low-Disturbance Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Jokela, William; Sherman, Jessica; Cavadini, Jason

2016-09-01

Manure applied to cropland is a source of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in surface runoff and can contribute to impairment of surface waters. Tillage immediately after application incorporates manure into the soil, which may reduce nutrient loss in runoff as well as N loss via NH volatilization. However, tillage also incorporates crop residue, which reduces surface cover and may increase erosion potential. We applied liquid dairy manure in a silage corn ( L.)-cereal rye ( L.) cover crop system in late October using methods designed to incorporate manure with minimal soil and residue disturbance. These include strip-till injection and tine aerator-band manure application, which were compared with standard broadcast application, either incorporated with a disk or left on the surface. Runoff was generated with a portable rainfall simulator (42 mm h for 30 min) three separate times: (i) 2 to 5 d after the October manure application, (ii) in early spring, and (iii) after tillage and planting. In the postmanure application runoff, the highest losses of total P and dissolved reactive P were from surface-applied manure. Dissolved P loss was reduced 98% by strip-till injection; this result was not statistically different from the no-manure control. Reductions from the aerator band method and disk incorporation were 53 and 80%, respectively. Total P losses followed a similar pattern, with 87% reduction from injected manure. Runoff losses of N had generally similar patterns to those of P. Losses of P and N were, in most cases, lower in the spring rain simulations with fewer significant treatment effects. Overall, results show that low-disturbance manure application methods can significantly reduce nutrient runoff losses compared with surface application while maintaining residue cover better than incorporation by tillage. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Teaching organization theory for healthcare management: three applied learning methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Olden, Peter C

2006-01-01

Organization theory (OT) provides a way of seeing, describing, analyzing, understanding, and improving organizations based on patterns of organizational design and behavior (Daft 2004). It gives managers models, principles, and methods with which to diagnose and fix organization structure, design, and process problems. Health care organizations (HCOs) face serious problems such as fatal medical errors, harmful treatment delays, misuse of scarce nurses, costly inefficiency, and service failures. Some of health care managers' most critical work involves designing and structuring their organizations so their missions, visions, and goals can be achieved-and in some cases so their organizations can survive. Thus, it is imperative that graduate healthcare management programs develop effective approaches for teaching OT to students who will manage HCOs. Guided by principles of education, three applied teaching/learning activities/assignments were created to teach OT in a graduate healthcare management program. These educationalmethods develop students' competency with OT applied to HCOs. The teaching techniques in this article may be useful to faculty teaching graduate courses in organization theory and related subjects such as leadership, quality, and operation management.

An Ultrasonic Guided Wave Method to Estimate Applied Biaxial Loads (Preprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

VALIDATION A fatigue test was performed with an array of six surface-bonded PZT transducers on a 6061 aluminum plate as shown in Figure 4. The specimen...direct paths of propagation are oriented at different angles. This method is applied to experimental sparse array data recorded during a fatigue test...and the additional complication of the resulting fatigue cracks interfering with some of the direct arrivals is addressed via proper selection of

Research trends in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management

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Charlotte Pietersen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Orientation: A comprehensive framework for research in human resource management (HRM in terms of fundamental knowledge orientations was found lacking. Research purpose: The aim was to perform a typological review of research trends in the field of HRM, specifically of publications in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management (SAJHRM. Motivation for the study: No previous research in the field of HRM in South Africa adopted a fundamental theory of knowledge. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative design was followed, consisting of a documentary analysis of articles that were published in the SAJHRM for the period from 2003 to 2015. A detailed content analysis of published articles was performed in terms of a number of criteria, namely knowledge type, race, gender, authorship, author contribution and representation according to author institution and country of origin. Main findings: An analysis of a final selection of 289 articles indicated that research in the SAJHRM was mostly on the following lines: research was mostly of the hypothesis-testing (Type II knowledge type; involved multiple authorship; and was conducted by mostly white, male researchers, based at a relatively few South African academic institutions. Practical and managerial implications: The SAJHRM should, in partnership with the HRM profession, promote and publish research that more prominently addresses the gap between academic HRM and HRM practice, especially in terms of the participatory or action research (Type IV mode of knowledge generation. Contribution: The present analysis of research trends in the SAJHRM provides a broader and more nuanced perspective on forms of research required for the HRM field in South Africa.

Flood Hazard Mapping by Applying Fuzzy TOPSIS Method

Science.gov (United States)

Han, K. Y.; Lee, J. Y.; Keum, H.; Kim, B. J.; Kim, T. H.

2017-12-01

There are lots of technical methods to integrate various factors for flood hazard mapping. The purpose of this study is to suggest the methodology of integrated flood hazard mapping using MCDM(Multi Criteria Decision Making). MCDM problems involve a set of alternatives that are evaluated on the basis of conflicting and incommensurate criteria. In this study, to apply MCDM to assessing flood risk, maximum flood depth, maximum velocity, and maximum travel time are considered as criterion, and each applied elements are considered as alternatives. The scheme to find the efficient alternative closest to a ideal value is appropriate way to assess flood risk of a lot of element units(alternatives) based on various flood indices. Therefore, TOPSIS which is most commonly used MCDM scheme is adopted to create flood hazard map. The indices for flood hazard mapping(maximum flood depth, maximum velocity, and maximum travel time) have uncertainty concerning simulation results due to various values according to flood scenario and topographical condition. These kind of ambiguity of indices can cause uncertainty of flood hazard map. To consider ambiguity and uncertainty of criterion, fuzzy logic is introduced which is able to handle ambiguous expression. In this paper, we made Flood Hazard Map according to levee breach overflow using the Fuzzy TOPSIS Technique. We confirmed the areas where the highest grade of hazard was recorded through the drawn-up integrated flood hazard map, and then produced flood hazard map can be compared them with those indicated in the existing flood risk maps. Also, we expect that if we can apply the flood hazard map methodology suggested in this paper even to manufacturing the current flood risk maps, we will be able to make a new flood hazard map to even consider the priorities for hazard areas, including more varied and important information than ever before. Keywords : Flood hazard map; levee break analysis; 2D analysis; MCDM; Fuzzy TOPSIS

Proposal and Evaluation of Management Method for College Mechatronics Education Applying the Project Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, Yoshinobu; Eguchi, Yuya; Mizukawa, Makoto

In this research, we proposed and evaluated a management method of college mechatronics education. We applied the project management to college mechatronics education. We practiced our management method to the seminar “Microcomputer Seminar” for 3rd grade students who belong to Department of Electrical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology. We succeeded in management of Microcomputer Seminar in 2006. We obtained the good evaluation for our management method by means of questionnaire.

Perspective for applying traditional and inovative teaching and learning methods to nurses continuing education

OpenAIRE

Bendinskaitė, Irmina

2015-01-01

Bendinskaitė I. Perspective for applying traditional and innovative teaching and learning methods to nurse’s continuing education, magister thesis / supervisor Assoc. Prof. O. Riklikienė; Departament of Nursing and Care, Faculty of Nursing, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. – Kaunas, 2015, – p. 92 The purpose of this study was to investigate traditional and innovative teaching and learning methods perspective to nurse’s continuing education. Material and methods. In a period fro...

Apparatus and method for applying an end plug to a fuel rod tube end

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rieben, S.L.; Wylie, M.E.

1987-01-01

An apparatus is described for applying an end plug to a hollow end of a nuclear fuel rod tube, comprising: support means mounted for reciprocal movement between remote and adjacent positions relative to a nuclear fuel rod tube end to which an end plug is to be applied; guide means supported on the support means for movement; and drive means coupled to the support means and being actuatable for movement between retracted and extended positions for reciprocally moving the support means between its respective remote and adjacent positions. A method for applying an end plug to a hollow end of a nuclear fuel rod tube is also described

Analytical methods applied to diverse types of Brazilian propolis

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Marcucci Maria

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Propolis is a bee product, composed mainly of plant resins and beeswax, therefore its chemical composition varies due to the geographic and plant origins of these resins, as well as the species of bee. Brazil is an important supplier of propolis on the world market and, although green colored propolis from the southeast is the most known and studied, several other types of propolis from Apis mellifera and native stingless bees (also called cerumen can be found. Propolis is usually consumed as an extract, so the type of solvent and extractive procedures employed further affect its composition. Methods used for the extraction; analysis the percentage of resins, wax and insoluble material in crude propolis; determination of phenolic, flavonoid, amino acid and heavy metal contents are reviewed herein. Different chromatographic methods applied to the separation, identification and quantification of Brazilian propolis components and their relative strengths are discussed; as well as direct insertion mass spectrometry fingerprinting. Propolis has been used as a popular remedy for several centuries for a wide array of ailments. Its antimicrobial properties, present in propolis from different origins, have been extensively studied. But, more recently, anti-parasitic, anti-viral/immune stimulating, healing, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic activities of diverse types of Brazilian propolis have been evaluated. The most common methods employed and overviews of their relative results are presented.

Applying some methods to process the data coming from the nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suleymanov, M.K.; Abdinov, O.B.; Belashev, B.Z.

2010-01-01

Full text : The methods of a posterior increasing the resolution of the spectral lines are offered to process the data coming from the nuclear reactions. The methods have applied to process the data coming from the nuclear reactions at high energies. They give possibilities to get more detail information on a structure of the spectra of particles emitted in the nuclear reactions. The nuclear reactions are main source of the information on the structure and physics of the atomic nuclei. Usually the spectrums of the fragments of the reactions are complex ones. Apparently it is not simple to extract the necessary for investigation information. In the talk we discuss the methods of a posterior increasing the resolution of the spectral lines. The methods could be useful to process the complex data coming from the nuclear reactions. We consider the Fourier transformation method and maximum entropy one. The complex structures were identified by the method. One can see that at lest two selected points are indicated by the method. Recent we presented a talk where we shown that the results of the analyzing the structure of the pseudorapidity spectra of charged relativistic particles with ≥ 0.7 measured in Au+Em and Pb+Em at AGS and SPS energies using the Fourier transformation method and maximum entropy one. The dependences of these spectra on the number of fast target protons were studied. These distribution shown visually some plateau and shoulder that was at least three selected points on the distributions. The plateaus become wider in PbEm reactions. The existing of plateau is necessary for the parton models. The maximum entropy method could confirm the existing of the plateau and the shoulder on the distributions. The figure shows the results of applying the maximum entropy method. One can see that the method indicates several clean selected points. Some of them same with observed visually ones. We would like to note that the Fourier transformation method could not

Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Elicited "Jackhammer Esophagus": A New Complication Due to Vagal Nerve Stimulation?

Science.gov (United States)

Tolone, Salvatore; Savarino, Edoardo; Docimo, Ludovico

2015-10-01

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a potentially curative method for treatment of highly symptomatic and drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). However, this technique can provoke esophageal and nerve lesion, due to thermal injury. To our knowledge, there have been no reported cases of a newly described motor disorder, the Jackhammer esophagus (JE) after RFCA, independently of GERD. We report a case of JE diagnosed by high-resolution manometry (HRM), in whom esophageal symptoms developed 2 weeks after RFCA, in absence of objective evidence of GERD. A 65-year-old male with highly symptomatic, drug-refractory paroxysmal AF was candidate to complete electrical pulmonary vein isolation with RFCA. Prior the procedure, the patient underwent HRM and impedance-pH to rule out GERD or hiatal hernia presence. All HRM parameters, according to Chicago classification, were within normal limits. No significant gastroesophageal reflux was documented at impedance pH monitoring. Patient underwent RFCA with electrical disconnection of pulmonary vein. After two weeks, patient started to complain of dysphagia for solids, with acute chest-pain. The patient repeated HRM and impedance-pH monitoring 8 weeks after RFCA. HRM showed in all liquid swallows the typical spastic hypercontractile contractions consistent with the diagnosis of JE, whereas impedance-pH monitoring resulted again negative for GERD. Esophageal dysmotility can represent a possible complication of RFCA for AF, probably due to a vagal nerve injury, and dysphagia appearance after this procedure must be timely investigated by HRM.

Right place of human resource management in the reform of health sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassani, Seyed Abas; Mobaraki, Hossein; Bayat, Maboubeh; Mafimoradi, Shiva

2013-01-01

In this paper the real role and place of human resource (HR) in health system reform will be discussed and determined within the whole system through the comprehensive Human Resource Management (HRM) model. Delphi survey and a questionnaire were used to 1) collect HR manager ideas and comments and 2) identify the main challenges of HRM. Then the results were discussed in an expert panel after being analyzed by content analysis method. Also, a deep focus study of recorded documents related to Health Human Resource Management was done. Then based on all achieved results, a rich picture was drawn to illustrate the right place of HRM in health sector. Finally, the authors revitalize the missed function of HRM within the health sector by drawing a holistic conceptual model. The most percentage of frequency about HR belongs to "Lack of reliable HR information system" (91%) and the least percentage of frequency belongs to "Low responsibility of HR" (28%). The most percentage of frequency about HR manager belongs to "Inattention to HR managers as key managers and consider them in background" (80%) and the least percentage of frequency belongs to "Lack of coordination between universities' policies" (30%). According to the conceptual framework, human resources employed in health system are viewed from two comprehensive approaches: instrumental approach and institutional. Unlike the common belief that looks HRM through the supportive approach, it is discussed that HRM not only has an instrumental role, but also do have a driver role.

Zoltàn Dörnyei, Research Methods in Applied Linguistics

OpenAIRE

Marie-Françoise Narcy-Combes

2012-01-01

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics est un ouvrage pratique et accessible qui s’adresse en priorité au chercheur débutant et au doctorant en linguistique appliquée et en didactique des langues pour lesquels il représente un accompagnement fort utile. Son style clair et son organisation sans surprise en font une lecture facile et agréable et rendent les différents concepts aisément compréhensibles pour tous. Il présente un bilan de la méthodologie de la recherche en linguistique appliquée,...

Methods of the professional-applied physical preparation of students of higher educational establishments of economic type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maliar E.I.

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Is considered the directions of professionally-applied physical preparation of students with the prevailing use of facilities of football. Are presented the methods of professionally-applied physical preparation of students. It is indicated that application of method of the circular training is rendered by an assistance development of discipline, honesty, honesty, rational use of time. Underline, that in teaching it is necessary to provide a short cut to mastering of the planned knowledge, abilities and skills, improvement of physical qualities.

Applied ecosystem analysis - a primer; the ecosystem diagnosis and treatment method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lestelle, L.C.; Mobrand, L.E.; Lichatowich, J.A.; Vogel, T.S.

1996-05-01

The aim of this document is to inform and instruct the reader about an approach to ecosystem management that is based upon salmon as an indicator species. It is intended to provide natural resource management professionals with the background information needed to answer questions about why and how to apply the approach. The methods and tools the authors describe are continually updated and refined, so this primer should be treated as a first iteration of a sequentially revised manual

Accuracy of the Adomian decomposition method applied to the Lorenz system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashim, I.; Noorani, M.S.M.; Ahmad, R.; Bakar, S.A.; Ismail, E.S.; Zakaria, A.M.

2006-01-01

In this paper, the Adomian decomposition method (ADM) is applied to the famous Lorenz system. The ADM yields an analytical solution in terms of a rapidly convergent infinite power series with easily computable terms. Comparisons between the decomposition solutions and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK4) numerical solutions are made for various time steps. In particular we look at the accuracy of the ADM as the Lorenz system changes from a non-chaotic system to a chaotic one

Uncertainty analysis and design optimization of hybrid rocket motor powered vehicle for suborbital flight

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Zhu Hao

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose an uncertainty analysis and design optimization method and its applications on a hybrid rocket motor (HRM powered vehicle. The multidisciplinary design model of the rocket system is established and the design uncertainties are quantified. The sensitivity analysis of the uncertainties shows that the uncertainty generated from the error of fuel regression rate model has the most significant effect on the system performances. Then the differences between deterministic design optimization (DDO and uncertainty-based design optimization (UDO are discussed. Two newly formed uncertainty analysis methods, including the Kriging-based Monte Carlo simulation (KMCS and Kriging-based Taylor series approximation (KTSA, are carried out using a global approximation Kriging modeling method. Based on the system design model and the results of design uncertainty analysis, the design optimization of an HRM powered vehicle for suborbital flight is implemented using three design optimization methods: DDO, KMCS and KTSA. The comparisons indicate that the two UDO methods can enhance the design reliability and robustness. The researches and methods proposed in this paper can provide a better way for the general design of HRM powered vehicles.

An IMU-to-Body Alignment Method Applied to Human Gait Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Susana Vargas-Valencia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel calibration procedure as a simple, yet powerful, method to place and align inertial sensors with body segments. The calibration can be easily replicated without the need of any additional tools. The proposed method is validated in three different applications: a computer mathematical simulation; a simplified joint composed of two semi-spheres interconnected by a universal goniometer; and a real gait test with five able-bodied subjects. Simulation results demonstrate that, after the calibration method is applied, the joint angles are correctly measured independently of previous sensor placement on the joint, thus validating the proposed procedure. In the cases of a simplified joint and a real gait test with human volunteers, the method also performs correctly, although secondary plane errors appear when compared with the simulation results. We believe that such errors are caused by limitations of the current inertial measurement unit (IMU technology and fusion algorithms. In conclusion, the presented calibration procedure is an interesting option to solve the alignment problem when using IMUs for gait analysis.

The level of the usage of the human resource information system and electronic recruitment in Croatian companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Snježana Pivac

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Performing business according to contemporary requirements influences companies for continuous usage of modern managerial tools, such as a human resource information system (HRIS and electronic recruitment (ER. Human resources have been recognised as curtail resources and the main source of a competitive advantage in creation of successful business performance. In order to attract and select the top employees, companies use quality information software for attracting internal ones, and electronic recruitment for attracting the best possible external candidates. The main aim of this paper is to research the level of the usage of HRIS and ER within medium-size and large Croatian companies. Moreover, the additional aim of this paper is to evaluate the relationship among the usage of these modern managerial tools and the overall success of human resource management within these companies. For the purpose of this paper, primary and secondary research has been conducted in order to reveal the level of the usage of HRIS and ER as well as the overall success of human resource management in Croatian companies. The companies’ classification (HRIS and ER is done by using the non-hierarchical k-means cluster method as well as the nonparametric Kruskal Wallis test. Further, the companies are ranked by the multicriteria PROMETHEE method. Relevant nonparametric tests are used for testing the overall companies’ HRM. Finally, binary logistic regression is estimated, relating binary variable HRM and HRIS development. After detailed research, it can be concluded that large Croatian companies apply HRIS in majority (with a positive relation to HRM performance, but still require certain degrees of its development.

Economic consequences assessment for scenarios and actual accidents do the same methods apply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenot, J.

1991-01-01

Methods for estimating the economic consequences of major technological accidents, and their corresponding computer codes, are briefly presented with emphasis on the basic choices. When applied to hypothetic scenarios, those methods give results that are of interest for risk managers with a decision aiding perspective. Simultaneously the various costs, and the procedures for their estimation are reviewed for some actual accidents (Three Mile Island, Chernobyl,..). These costs are used in a perspective of litigation and compensation. The comparison of the methods used and cost estimates obtained for scenarios and actual accidents shows the points of convergence and discrepancies that are discussed

Applying multi-resolution numerical methods to geodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, David Rhodri

Computational models yield inaccurate results if the underlying numerical grid fails to provide the necessary resolution to capture a simulation's important features. For the large-scale problems regularly encountered in geodynamics, inadequate grid resolution is a major concern. The majority of models involve multi-scale dynamics, being characterized by fine-scale upwelling and downwelling activity in a more passive, large-scale background flow. Such configurations, when coupled to the complex geometries involved, present a serious challenge for computational methods. Current techniques are unable to resolve localized features and, hence, such models cannot be solved efficiently. This thesis demonstrates, through a series of papers and closely-coupled appendices, how multi-resolution finite-element methods from the forefront of computational engineering can provide a means to address these issues. The problems examined achieve multi-resolution through one of two methods. In two-dimensions (2-D), automatic, unstructured mesh refinement procedures are utilized. Such methods improve the solution quality of convection dominated problems by adapting the grid automatically around regions of high solution gradient, yielding enhanced resolution of the associated flow features. Thermal and thermo-chemical validation tests illustrate that the technique is robust and highly successful, improving solution accuracy whilst increasing computational efficiency. These points are reinforced when the technique is applied to geophysical simulations of mid-ocean ridge and subduction zone magmatism. To date, successful goal-orientated/error-guided grid adaptation techniques have not been utilized within the field of geodynamics. The work included herein is therefore the first geodynamical application of such methods. In view of the existing three-dimensional (3-D) spherical mantle dynamics codes, which are built upon a quasi-uniform discretization of the sphere and closely coupled

The reduction method of statistic scale applied to study of climatic change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernal Suarez, Nestor Ricardo; Molina Lizcano, Alicia; Martinez Collantes, Jorge; Pabon Jose Daniel

2000-01-01

In climate change studies the global circulation models of the atmosphere (GCMAs) enable one to simulate the global climate, with the field variables being represented on a grid points 300 km apart. One particular interest concerns the simulation of possible changes in rainfall and surface air temperature due to an assumed increase of greenhouse gases. However, the models yield the climatic projections on grid points that in most cases do not correspond to the sites of major interest. To achieve local estimates of the climatological variables, methods like the one known as statistical down scaling are applied. In this article we show a case in point by applying canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to the Guajira Region in the northeast of Colombia