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  1. Group Work in the MBA Classroom: Improving Pedagogical Practice and Maximizing Positive Outcomes with Part-Time MBA Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rafferty, Patricia D.

    2013-01-01

    This article forms part of an exploration into how graduate students experience group work. A single case, embedded study was completed in 2011, which reveals insight and understanding into the manner in which part-time MBA students experience group work assignments and how these experiences contribute to their perception of positive group work…

  2. The Impact of MBA Programme Attributes on Post-MBA Salaries

    OpenAIRE

    Elliott, Caroline; Soo, Kwok Tong

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the impact of various MBA programme attributes on the average post-MBA salary of graduates, contributing to the literature on the returns to an MBA degree, which to date has instead focused predominantly on the impact of individual student traits. The analysis uses a new panel dataset, comprising MBA programmes from across the world. Results indicate that pre-MBA salary and quality rank of programme are key determinants of post-MBA salary.

  3. Traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) versus the MBA with Specialization: A Disconnection between What Business Schools Offer and What Employers Seek

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Pola B.; Saunders, Paula M.; Smith, Jeremy

    2007-01-01

    A trend in master of business administration (MBA) programs has been to offer more specializations beyond the traditional broad MBA. In this article, the authors explore the recruitment practices of business and the curricula of MBA programs comparing general MBA degrees with MBA degrees with specialization. The authors empirically examine whether…

  4. Effects of MBA Training in Managerial Success.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orpen, Christopher

    1982-01-01

    This study compares the effects of MBA versus non-MBA training on job success. Results were determined by answers to a questionnaire concerning salary, position in the company hierarchy, and job satisfaction. Results show that having an MBA helped with salary and position, but not necessarily with job satisfaction. (CT)

  5. An Efficiency Comparison of MBA Programs: Top 10 versus Non-Top 10

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Maxwell K.; James, Marcia L.; Chao, Gary H.

    2009-01-01

    The authors compared the cohort group of the top-10 MBA programs in the United States with their lower-ranking counterparts on their value-added efficiency. The findings reveal that the top-10 MBA programs in the United States are associated with statistically higher average "technical and scale efficiency" and "scale efficiency", but not with a…

  6. To MBA or Not to MBA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baruch, Yehuda

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically reflect on the value of the MBA--a Master in Business Administration, considered the flagship of business and management education. The author aims to bridge the gap in the understanding of the possible added value of the MBA. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper is enriched by…

  7. The Impact of MBA Programme Attributes on Post-MBA Salaries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Caroline; Soo, Kwok Tong

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the impact of various Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme attributes on the average post-MBA salary of graduates, contributing to the literature on the returns to an MBA degree, which to date has instead focused predominantly on the impact of individual student traits. The analysis uses a new panel dataset,…

  8. Histologic and histomorphometric evaluation of two grafting materials Cenobone and ITB-MBA in open sinus lift surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amoian, Babak; Seyedmajidi, Maryam; Safipor, Hamidreza; Ebrahimipour, Sediqe

    2016-01-01

    Alveolar ridge reduction caused after tooth extraction can be minimized through ridge preservation and application of graft materials. The aim of this study was to compare the histologic and histomorphometric aspects of bone particulated allografts, Cenobone and ITB-MBA, in the reconstruction of vertical alveolar ridge after maxillary sinus augmentation. This clinical trial was performed among 20 patients. The participants were randomly divided into two groups of 10 participants. The first group received Cenobone and the second group received ITB-MBA. Tissue samples were prepared 6 months later at the time of implant installation and after successful maxillary sinus floor augmentation. Tissue sections were examined under a light microscope. The data were analyzed by Chi-square and t -test. The mean trabecular thickness of the samples in the Cenobone group was 13.61 ± 7.47 μm compared to 13.73 ± 7.37 μm in the ITB-MBA group ( P = 0.93). A mild inflammation process (Grade 1) was detected in both the groups. The amount of remaining biomaterial in the Cenobone group was estimated to be 8 ± 19% vs. 7 ± 12% in the ITB-MBA group ( P = 0.30). Bone formation was reported 49.71% in the Cenobone group vs. 40.76% in the ITB-MBA group ( P = 0.68). The mean newly formed vessel in the Cenobone group was 0.64 ± 0.7 vs. 1.5 ± 2.3 in the ITB-MBA group ( P = 0.14). There was no significant difference between the two groups of patients regarding trabecular thickness, remaining biomaterial allograft, and the density of blood vessels after sinus floor elevation; hence, there was no difference between the two groups regarding implant outcome. More designed studies as randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials, which evaluate the long-term implant outcome; comparing the different bone graft materials is also required to improve evidence on survival and success rate.

  9. Web-Based vs. Face-to-Face MBA Classes: A Comparative Assessment Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brownstein, Barry; Brownstein, Deborah; Gerlowski, Daniel A.

    2008-01-01

    The challenges of online learning include ensuring that the learning outcomes are at least as robust as in the face-to-face sections of the same course. At the University of Baltimore, both online sections and face-to-face sections of core MBA courses are offered. Once admitted to the MBA, students are free to enroll in any combination of…

  10. Graduates: Perceptions of MBA Value

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bledsoe, Maynard T.; Oatsvall, Rebecca

    2009-01-01

    MBA worth--who decides? Much of the current assessment comes from market driven and/or institutional perspectives. This research examines responses from Meredith College MBA graduates to determine their perceptions of the worth and value of their MBA experience.

  11. Examining the Perceptions of Brand Images Regarding Competing MBA Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinds, Timothee; Falgoust, Dexter; Thomas, Kerry, Jr.; Budden, Michael C.

    2010-01-01

    In today's economic environment, it is crucial to create a strong, consistent brand image within a graduate business program. This study examines the perceptions that students at Southeastern Louisiana University hold about its MBA program and the MBA programs of its main competitors. A focus group was conducted to identify competitors and factors…

  12. Important Characteristics in an MBA Program: The Perceptions of Online MBA Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rydzewski, Danielle N.; Eastman, Jacqueline K.; Bocchi, Joseph

    2010-01-01

    This study examines characteristics important to online MBA students and alumni. The study looks at what characteristics are important in an online MBA Program and if the level of importance of these characteristics varies by demographic variables. The study focuses on availability, program quality, program length, cost, and courses in the…

  13. Cultural Intelligence (CQ) in MBA Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Mark J.; Ettner, Larry

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of cultural intelligence in MBA curricula. Shaping global corporate culture that manifests itself in powerful-shared values, group behavior, and persists despite changes in-group membership is decisive to organizational performance. In turn, cultural intelligence (CQ), defined, as an…

  14. Covalently linked multimers of gold nanoclusters Au102(p-MBA)44 and Au∼250(p-MBA)n.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahtinen, Tanja; Hulkko, Eero; Sokołowska, Karolina; Tero, Tiia-Riikka; Saarnio, Ville; Lindgren, Johan; Pettersson, Mika; Häkkinen, Hannu; Lehtovaara, Lauri

    2016-11-10

    We present the synthesis, separation, and characterization of covalently-bound multimers of para-mercaptobenzoic acid (p-MBA) protected gold nanoclusters. The multimers were synthesized by performing a ligand-exchange reaction of a pre-characterized Au 102 (p-MBA) 44 nanocluster with biphenyl-4,4'-dithiol (BPDT). The reaction products were separated using gel electrophoresis yielding several distinct bands. The bands were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealing monomer, dimer, and trimer fractions of the nanocluster. TEM analysis of dimers in combination with molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the nanoclusters are covalently bound via a disulfide bridge between BPDT molecules. The linking chemistry is not specific to Au 102 (p-MBA) 44 . The same approach yields multimers also for a larger monodisperse p-MBA-protected cluster of approximately 250 gold atoms, Au ∼250 (p-MBA) n . While the Au 102 (p-MBA) 44 is not plasmonic, the Au ∼250 (p-MBA) n nanocluster supports localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at 530 nm. Multimers of the Au ∼250 (p-MBA) n exhibit additional transitions in their UV-vis spectrum at 630 nm and 810 nm, indicating the presence of hybridized LSPR modes. Well-defined structures and relatively small sizes make these systems excellent candidates for connecting ab initio theoretical studies and experimental quantum plasmonics. Moreover, our work opens new possibilities in the controlled synthesis of advanced monodisperse nanocluster superstructures.

  15. The Purpose of the MBA Degree: The Opportunity for a Confucian MBA to Overcome Neoliberalism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Robert Keith

    2017-01-01

    This paper is a prolegomena to discussions about a differentiated Confucian MBA curriculum. We draw upon Kant's notion of individual autonomy and our observations of practice to argue that there are three models extant for the MBA degree. One of these, that which emphasizes leadership, holds considerable potential if it develops in the context of…

  16. Delivering an MBA Management Consulting Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeMaire, Ryan; Fisher, Kirk; Watson, Edward F., III

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on an innovative MBA elective consulting course that attempts to address how to better prepare inexperienced MBA students for a competitive job market. This article is a best practice paper designed to provide insights and encouragement to educators.

  17. Today's MBA: A Lot to Learn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, William F., Jr.

    1989-01-01

    Cultural skills and a systems perspective are critical to the success of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) graduates. Many employers recommend that students take a job before continuing graduate study; they also advocate the teaching of cultural skills and the development ethic in MBA programs. (SK)

  18. Assessing Emphasis Gaps among MBA Alumni: A Model Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Auken, Stuart; Chrysler, Earl; Wells, Ludmilla Gricenko

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to focus on Master of Business Administration (MBA) alumni and their ability to provide institution-specific insights into MBA program delivery. Given desired MBA positioning dimensions, a case exemplar is used to reveal gaps between "should have" program emphases and "actual" emphases. Departures from…

  19. A comparative study for PSP toxins quantification by using MBA and HPLC official methods in shellfish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Gigirey, B; Rodríguez-Velasco, M L; Otero, A; Vieites, J M; Cabado, A G

    2012-10-01

    Commission Regulation (EC) N° 2074/2005 recognises the biological method as the reference method for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins detection in molluscs. It was amended by Commission Regulation (EC) N° 1664/2006 that accepted the so-called Lawrence method as an alternative to the reference method. The goal of this study was to compare AOAC Official Methods of Analysis 959.08 (Biological method) and 2005.06 (Prechromatographic Oxidation and Liquid Chromatography with fluorescence detection) in samples with different toxin profiles. The influence of extraction solvent in the total samples toxicity was also evaluated. A total of 40 samples including mussels, clams, scallops, razor-clams, cockles, oysters and barnacles were analysed by both official methods. Samples were selected with Alexandrium and Gymnodinium toxic profiles, from different origin and including several presentations: fresh, frozen, canned and boiled. Acetic and hydrochloric acid extractions were performed in all samples and the extracts were simultaneously analysed by both methods. Most samples were naturally contaminated and two samples were spiked. Comparison of both official methods, mouse bioassay (MBA) with HCl extraction and Liquid Chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) with acetic acid extraction, led to an 85% of consistent results regarding compliance with legal limit, including samples below and above it. The linear correlation coefficient was r² = 0.69 and the paired t test (two tails, α = 0.05) indicated that there were not significant differences among both sets of data. Nevertheless, toxicity differences were found in several samples. In 15 out of 18 shellfish with a Gymnodinium toxic profile, higher toxicity levels were obtained by MBA. This fact was more evident in 7 samples, partially related to the lack of standards and the impossibility of analysing dc-NEO, C1, 2 and GTX6 at the beginning of the study. However, other factors concerning the extraction

  20. Exploring the Value of MBA Degrees: Students' Experiences in Full-Time, Part-Time, and Executive MBA Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Grady D.

    2010-01-01

    Critics of the overall value of the MBA have not systematically considered the attitudes of MBA students about the value of their degree. The author used data from a large sample of graduates (N = 16,268) to do so, and to explore predictors of overall degree value. The author developed separate regression models for full-time, part-time, and…

  1. Concrescent Conversation as a Group Communication Tool in a Chinese University MBA Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akan, Obasi Haki; Andres, Hayward; Medley, Barbara C.

    2014-01-01

    In order to be more competitive in the global marketplace, China has adopted a long-term plan to reform their higher education system. One specific aim of this plan is to facilitate the achievement of China's goal of building a world-class market-driven economy through the development of an adequate supply of MBA-trained professional managers to…

  2. Measuring the Economic Value of Pre-MBA Work Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeaple, Ronald N.; Johnston, Mark W.; Whittingham, Keith L.

    2010-01-01

    Pre-MBA work experience is required for admission to many graduate schools of business. In the present study, MBA graduates with a wide range of pre-MBA work experience were surveyed to assess the economic value of such work experience. No evidence was found of a systematic financial advantage to students from working for several years before…

  3. Technology and optical characterization of luminophore coordination compounds Eu(o-MBA)3Phen and NC PEPC/Eu(o-MBA)3Phen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bordian, Olga; Verlan, Victor; Culeac, Ion; Iovu, Mihail; Zubareva, Vera

    2016-12-01

    Were obtained a new nanocomposite (NC) based on poly N-epoxy prolyl carbazol (PEPC) and the coordination compound luminophore Eu(o-MBA)3Phen, where o-MBA is o- methylbenzoic acid and Phen - phenanthroline. Nanocrystals of Eu(o-MBA)3Phen with the dimensions 50 nm were uniformly incorporated into the PEPC polymer matrix with various concentrations. The absorption spectra of coordination compounds and thin layers of NC PEPC/Eu(o-MBA)3Phen revealed 1 intensive absorption bands at 2.02 eV. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed an intense red luminescence at 578 - 699 nm, which is assigned to the transitions 4D0->7Fi (i= 0,1,2 3 4) in the 4f-shell of the Eu3+ ion.

  4. Exploring the branding and marketing communications strategies of Nottingham MBA in China

    OpenAIRE

    Jiang, Baitao

    2011-01-01

    Background The MBA education becomes more popular nowadays. The competition amongst MBA programmes in different countries is being increasingly fierce. In order to diversifies the source of students and expend the market, MBA programmes pursue to entry overseas markets. As a result, the competition of the MBA market is changing from nationally to internationally. MBA programme managers start to apply marketing knowledge to competing for the students globally. As a high level and expensive,...

  5. Internationalization of China's MBA Education: Failing to Walk the Talk?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Shaozhuang; Trigo, Virginia

    2011-01-01

    This article presents an overview of the internationalization of MBA education in Mainland China, exposes the main challenges this education is facing and proposes strategies to overcome them. Results reveal two main findings: 1) Chinese MBA educators show a growing interest and awareness in the internationalization of their MBA education, but…

  6. Human Capital Augmentation versus the Signaling Value of MBA Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussey, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    Panel data on MBA graduates is used in an attempt to empirically distinguish between human capital and signaling models of education. The existence of employment observations prior to MBA enrollment allows for the control of unobserved ability or selection into MBA programs (through the use of individual fixed effects). In addition, variation in…

  7. Empirical Investigation of Predictors of Success in an MBA Programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Atul; Turek, Joseph

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The twofold purpose of this study was to determine if selected variables were predictors of: student performance in the MBA programme; and student performance on the MBA MFT exam. Design/methodology/approach: This study focuses on MBA graduates at a US university who have successfully completed the entire programme requirements. Real…

  8. Attitudes and Perceptions of Dual PharmD/MBA Degree Program Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, David M; Daly, Christopher J; Tierney, Sarah-Elizabeth L; O'Brien, Erin; Fiebelkorn, Karl D

    2017-05-01

    Objectives. To understand pharmacy students' reasons for pursuing a dual PharmD/MBA degree and their perceptions of the impact a dual degree will have on their careers. Methods. This was a cross-sectional survey of registered students in the University at Buffalo PharmD/MBA program. An electronic survey was developed through collaboration with the UB School of Management and administered in January 2015. Results. A total of 23/24 (96% response rate) students who were enrolled in the PharmD/MBA curriculum responded to the survey. Respondents identified employment opportunities following graduation and career advancement as the most influential determinants in deciding to pursue an MBA degree. All respondents (100%) felt the job marketplace for pharmacy graduates is becoming increasingly difficult, 96% believe they will earn a higher midpoint salary with a PharmD/MBA, and 82% would recommend a PharmD/MBA to first year pharmacy students. Conclusion. Students are increasingly perceptive of the challenges in the current job marketplace and are taking advantage of a dual PharmD/MBA degree.

  9. Cross-Disciplinary Ethics Education in MBA Programs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasche, Andreas; Gilbert, Dirk Ulrich; Schedel, Ingo

    2013-01-01

    This research-based essay offers a cross-disciplinary examination of ethics education in MBA programs. Based on data underlying the Beyond Grey Pinstripes (BGP) survey we find: that business schools doubled the number of ethics-related courses in different disciplines between 2005 and 2009......: business schools increasingly risk creating a gap between their upbeat rhetoric around ethics education and their actual MBA curriculum. Such decoupling is likely to emerge because schools face a tension between increasing institutional pressures to legitimize their MBA programs and internal impediments...... to fully integrate ethics into the curriculum. We suggest that more effective ethics education requires structural changes to the curriculum, in particular more mandatory ethics courses and a stronger integration of ethics-related debates into disciplines like finance and accounting....

  10. Cross-Disciplinary Ethics Education in MBA Programs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasche, Andreas; Gilbert, Dirk Ulrich; Schedel, Ingo

    This research-based essay offers a cross-disciplinary examination of ethics education in MBA programs. Based on data underlying the Beyond Grey Pinstripes (BGP) survey we find: that business schools doubled the number of ethics-related courses in different disciplines between 2005 and 2009......: business schools increasingly risk creating a gap between their upbeat rhetoric around ethics education and their actual MBA curriculum. Such decoupling is likely to emerge because schools face a tension between increasing institutional pressures to legitimize their MBA programs and internal impediments...... to fully integrate ethics into the curriculum. We suggest that more effective ethics education requires structural changes to the curriculum, in particular more mandatory ethics courses and a stronger integration of ethics-related debates into disciplines like finance and accounting....

  11. Electronic and vibrational signatures of the Au102(p-MBA)44 cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulkko, Eero; Lopez-Acevedo, Olga; Koivisto, Jaakko; Levi-Kalisman, Yael; Kornberg, Roger D; Pettersson, Mika; Häkkinen, Hannu

    2011-03-23

    Optical absorption of a gold nanocluster of 102 Au atoms protected by 44 para-mercaptobenzoic acid (p-MBA) ligands is measured in the range of 0.05-6.2 eV (mid-IR to UV) by a combination of several techniques for purified samples in solid and solution phases. The results are compared to calculations for a model cluster Au(102)(SMe)(44) based on the time-dependent density functional theory in the linear-response regime and using the known structure of Au(102)(p-MBA)(44). The measured and calculated molar absorption coefficients in the NIR-vis region are comparable, within a factor of 2, in the absolute scale. Several characteristic features are observed in the absorption in the range of 1.5-3.5 eV. The onset of the electronic transitions in the mid-IR region is experimentally observed at 0.45 ± 0.05 eV which compares well with the lowest calculated transition at 0.55 eV. Vibrations in the ligand layer give rise to fingerprint IR features below the onset of low-energy metal-to-metal electronic transitions. Partial exchange of the p-MBA ligand to glutathione does not affect the onset of the electronic transitions, which indicates that the metal core of the cluster is not affected by the ligand exchange. The full spectroscopic characterization of the Au(102)(p-MBA)(44) reported here for the first time gives benchmarks for further studies of manipulation and functionalization of this nanocluster to various applications.

  12. What Do Online MBA Professors Have to Say about Online Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shijuan; Kim, Kyong-Jee; Bonk, Curtis J.; Magjuka, Richard

    2007-01-01

    Online MBA programs have grown exponentially in recent years. Yet, the prevailing literature indicates that research on online MBA education remains extremely limited. This article summarizes 28 instructor interviews from those teaching online courses in an online MBA program at a Midwestern public university. Instructors were interviewed…

  13. Designing a Holistic Experiential MBA Course for 21st Century Leaders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Deirdre

    2014-01-01

    With the plethora of MBA leadership courses, schools are examining ways to differentiate their programs and to provide tangible learning outcomes. MBA graduates want the knowledge skills and ability to make them successful in their chosen fields of endeavor. This paper outlines one holistic experiential MBA leadership course that challenges the…

  14. The Regional MBA: Distinct Segments, Wants, and Needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passyn, Kirsten; Diriker, Memo

    2011-01-01

    MBA Programs in top-tier school differ greatly from those in regional schools. A survey that aimed at assessing segmentation, pedagogy, and satisfaction in regional MBA programs was developed and administered in three universities of the Mid Atlantic, Midwest, and Southern regions. The results show four clearly distinguished segments that…

  15. Physicians with MBA degrees: change agents for healthcare improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazarus, Arthur

    2010-01-01

    Increasingly, physicians gravitating toward the fields of quality improvement and healthcare management are seeking MBA degrees to supplement their medical training. Approximately half of all U.S. medical schools offer combined MD-MBA degrees, and numerous executive MBA programs exist for physicians in practice. Physicians who enter management are considered change agents for healthcare improvement, yet they receive little support and encouragement from their medical teachers and practicing colleagues. This situation can be rectified by placing greater value on the role of business-trained physicians and subsidizing their tuition for business school.

  16. Knowledge and Skills Transfer between MBA and Workplace

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prince, Melvin; Burns, David; Lu, Xinyi; Winsor, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to use goal-setting theory to explain the transfer of knowledge and skills between master of business administration (MBA) and the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: Data were obtained by an online survey of MBA students enrolled in at four US graduate business schools. These were a public and private institution in…

  17. Adding Value: Open Online Learning and the MBA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, Rachel; Anderson, Maggie; Thompson, Ross

    2015-01-01

    Evidence suggests that MOOCs are being used as a strategic tool to explore alternative models of course delivery (Allen & Seaman, 2013) and this paper shares insight into an example of such innovation for Business School Education. Gateway MBA draws on examples of open learning worldwide to create a MOOC to extend the MBA distance learning…

  18. Academic Performance in MBA Programs: Do Prerequisites Really Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Donald Gene; Nance, William R.; White, Darin W.

    2012-01-01

    Many researchers have examined criteria used in Master of Business Administration (MBA) admissions decisions. However, prior research has not examined predictive ability of undergraduate prerequisite courses in core business disciplines. The authors investigated whether undergraduate prerequisite courses predicted MBA success by analyzing the…

  19. The Gender Difference: Validity of Standardized Admission Tests in Predicting MBA Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hancock, Terence

    1999-01-01

    Of 120 female and 149 male master of business administration (MBA) students, women performed significantly less well on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). There were no differences in overall MBA grade point average, indicating no strong correlation between the GMAT and MBA performance. (SK)

  20. Do Specialized MBA Programs Cultivate Alumni Relationships and Donations?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Jennifer Wiggins; Thomas, Veronica; Peck, Joann

    2010-01-01

    A recent trend among universities shifts from traditional MBA programs to specialized MBA offerings. Specialized programs are believed to cultivate stronger relationships with students, which lead to stronger alumni relationships and increased donations. This research tests this empirically by examining relationship perceptions and donation…

  1. GPS-MBA: computational analysis of MHC class II epitopes in type 1 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Ruikun; Liu, Zexian; Ren, Jian; Ma, Chuang; Gao, Tianshun; Zhou, Yanhong; Yang, Qing; Xue, Yu

    2012-01-01

    As a severe chronic metabolic disease and autoimmune disorder, type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects millions of people world-wide. Recent advances in antigen-based immunotherapy have provided a great opportunity for further treating T1D with a high degree of selectivity. It is reported that MHC class II I-A(g7) in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse and human HLA-DQ8 are strongly linked to susceptibility to T1D. Thus, the identification of new I-A(g7) and HLA-DQ8 epitopes would be of great help to further experimental and biomedical manipulation efforts. In this study, a novel GPS-MBA (MHC Binding Analyzer) software package was developed for the prediction of I-A(g7) and HLA-DQ8 epitopes. Using experimentally identified epitopes as the training data sets, a previously developed GPS (Group-based Prediction System) algorithm was adopted and improved. By extensive evaluation and comparison, the GPS-MBA performance was found to be much better than other tools of this type. With this powerful tool, we predicted a number of potentially new I-A(g7) and HLA-DQ8 epitopes. Furthermore, we designed a T1D epitope database (TEDB) for all of the experimentally identified and predicted T1D-associated epitopes. Taken together, this computational prediction result and analysis provides a starting point for further experimental considerations, and GPS-MBA is demonstrated to be a useful tool for generating starting information for experimentalists. The GPS-MBA is freely accessible for academic researchers at: http://mba.biocuckoo.org.

  2. Post-MBA Industry Shifts: An Investigation of Career, Educational and Demographic Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Alvin; Bento, Regina; Arbaugh, J. B.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine factors that predict industry-level career change among MBA graduates. Design/methodology/approach: The study analyzed longitudinal data from the Management Education Research Institute (MERI)'s Global MBA Graduate Survey Dataset and MBA Alumni Perspectives Survey Datasets, using principal component…

  3. MBA Curriculum: The Role of an Introductory "Toolkit" Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carson, Charles M.; Jones, Steven T.; Dance, Jeffrey W.; Finch, James H.; Holloway, Betsy B.; Reburn, James P.; Belski, William H.

    2013-01-01

    Graduate business students enter MBA programs intent on completing their degrees to open new professional opportunities and enhance their prospective career earnings potential. Because of the diversity of backgrounds new students bring into their MBA programs, large variations exist among their academic and professional backgrounds. Curriculums…

  4. Attitudial Belief on Adoption of E-MBA Program in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Hasmi Abu Hassan ASAARI

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Attitudial Belief on Adoption of E-MBA Program in Malaysia Noornina DAHLANT. RAMAYAHRamzah MAHMODNoorliza KARIAMuhammad Hasmi Abu Hassan ASAARIUniversiti Sains Malaysia PENANG , MALAYSIA ABSTRACT E-learning describes the use of information communications technology for learning beyond the boundaries of the conventional classroom. The objective of this paper is to determine what are the factors that are significant in explaining intention towards e-learning, particularly e-MBA adoption in Malaysia . Results indicated that trialability and image were significant influencing behavior intention towards e-MBA adoption.

  5. A Conjoint Analysis to Determine the Preferences for Some Selected MBA Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İlknur Özmen

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper reviews the Conjoint Analysis Method (CAM, which is a multivariate marketing research technique used to determine consumer behaviours and preferences for products or services. One aim of this study is to demonstrate that the CAM can be used in “Service Sector” as well as in “Product Sector” and the other aim is to utilize CBC Sawtooth Software Program, which is a special program for CAM. A usage of CBC Sawtooth Software Program is demonstrated in the analysis of Management Business Administration (MBA program preferences of Başkent University students. This study includes those MBA programs that require substantial tuition and fee payments. According to the results of the study, “University Name” plays the most important role in MBA preferences. The Conjoint Analysis found that, most preferred university is the Boğaziçi University and the most preferred type of MBA program is the “Executive MBA Program”. Another important finding is that “Higher Tuition and Fees” makes the MBA less attractive.. Este trabajo examina el método de análisis conjunto (CAM, que es una técnica multivariante de investigación de mercados utilizada para determinar los comportamientos y preferencias del consumidor por productos o servicios. Un objetivo de este estudio es demostrar que el CAM puede ser aplicado en el "sector servicios" al igual que en el "sector de producción". El otro objetivo principal es utilizar programa informático CBC de Sawtooth, que es un programa especial para CAM. El CBC de Sawtooth se aplica a las preferencias de estudiantes por los programas de Administración y Dirección de Empresas de (MBA de la universidad de Baskent. Este estudio incluye sólo los programas de MBA que requieren una cuota de matrícula cuantiosa y pago de honorarios. Los resultados del estudio muestran que la variable "nombre de la universidad" es la más importante en las preferencias que los alumnos tienen por los MBA. El An

  6. Research on the Internationalization and the Localization of China's MBA Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jie; Ma, Haiyong

    2012-01-01

    This article started with a brief review of the history and current situation of Chinese MBA education and its internationalization and localization. Then, the author presented the opportunities faced of China's MBA education. Furthermore, the challenges faced by Chinese MBA education in the globalization process together with their implications…

  7. A Case Study of the MBA Market in Western Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett, James E.; Armstrong, Robert W.

    1993-01-01

    The Western Australia market for master's-level business administration education (MBA) is examined, particularly relating to the University of Western Australia. An overview of current Australian MBA market conditions is given; and the history, competitive environment, structure, admission policy, tuition, and student financial aid of the…

  8. A preliminary model to identify low-risk MBA applicants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CA Bisschoff

    2014-08-01

    The reliability of the discriminant function rates favourably with 71% (MBA in 3 years, 62% (MBA in 4 years and 83% (dropping out of the programme being categorised correctly by the respective discriminant functions. Being a preliminary model, its predictive capabilities need to be verified in practice before it can  be implemented as tool to render assistance in MBA admissions.  The value of this research lies  in the fact that it constitutes a model that could be employed and improved as a predictive tool in an environment where very limited predictive tools exist.  Therefore, although it is by no means a tried and tested model, it sets the scene by supplying a scientific base from which incremental improvements could result.

  9. Improving the sensitivity of immunoassay based on MBA-embedded Au@SiO2 nanoparticles and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chao; Xu, Min-Min; Fang, Cong-Wei; Jin, Qi; Yuan, Ya-Xian; Yao, Jian-Lin

    2017-03-01

    Traditional "sandwich" structure immunoassay is mainly based on the self-assembly of "antibody on solid substrate-antigen-antibody with nanotags" architectures, and the sensitivity of this strategy is critically depended on the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activities and stability of nanotags. Therefore, the rational design and fabrication on the SERS nanotags attracts the common interests to the bio-related detecting and imaging. Herein, silica encapsulated Au with mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) core-shell nanoparticles (Au-MBA@SiO2) are fabricated instead of the traditional naked Au or Ag nanoparticles for the SERS-based immunoassay on human and mouse IgG antigens. The MBA molecules facilitate the formation of continuous pinhole-free silica shell and are also used as SERS labels. The silica shell is employed to protect MBA labels and to isolate Au core from the ambient solution for blocking the aggregation. This shell also played the similar role to BSA in inhibiting the nonspecific bindings, which allowed the procedures for constructing "sandwich" structures to be simplified. All of these merits of the Au-MBA@SiO2 brought the high performance in the related immunoassay. Benefiting from the introduction of silica shell to encapsulate MBA labels, the detection sensitivity was improved by about 1- 2 orders of magnitude by comparing with the traditional approach based on naked Au-MBA nanoparticles. This kind of label-embedded core-shell nanoparticles could be developed as the versatile nanotags for the bioanalysis and bioimaging.

  10. Minimum emittance in TBA and MBA lattices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Gang; Peng, Yue-Mei

    2015-03-01

    For reaching a small emittance in a modern light source, triple bend achromats (TBA), theoretical minimum emittance (TME) and even multiple bend achromats (MBA) have been considered. This paper derived the necessary condition for achieving minimum emittance in TBA and MBA theoretically, where the bending angle of inner dipoles has a factor of 31/3 bigger than that of the outer dipoles. Here, we also calculated the conditions attaining the minimum emittance of TBA related to phase advance in some special cases with a pure mathematics method. These results may give some directions on lattice design.

  11. Minimum emittance in TBA and MBA lattices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Gang; Peng Yuemei

    2015-01-01

    For reaching a small emittance in a modern light source, triple bend achromats (TBA), theoretical minimum emittance (TME) and even multiple bend achromats (MBA) have been considered. This paper derived the necessary condition for achieving minimum emittance in TBA and MBA theoretically, where the bending angle of inner dipoles has a factor of 3 1/3 bigger than that of the outer dipoles. Here, we also calculated the conditions attaining the minimum emittance of TBA related to phase advance in some special cases with a pure mathematics method. These results may give some directions on lattice design. (authors)

  12. MBA Effectiveness in Non-OECD Countries: Perceptions of Leadership and Managerial Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Douglas J.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this quantitative comparative methods research was to compare the perceptions relative to 12 Master of Business Administration (MBA) skill sets of respondents situated in non-member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the findings of a prior study of United States situated respondents.…

  13. Library Services Online: Introducing Library Services for Online MBA Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavin, Laura C.

    2015-01-01

    In this article, a librarian at Lincoln Memorial University creates library services for an MBA program offered entirely online that is in the early stages of development. The library services include a subject guide and 4 tutorials that will be added to the MBA online orientation. Other services include offering online office hours and…

  14. Investigating MBA Degrees Earned by Women: A Decade of Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConnell, Cheryl; Rush, Douglas; Gartland, Myles

    2016-01-01

    The authors examined master of business administration (MBA) degrees earned by women at U.S. higher education institutions at three specific years spanning a decade: 2003, 2008, and 2013 to determine whether there was a significant difference in the percentage of MBA degrees earned by women based on the independent variables of institutional type,…

  15. MBA acceptance test procedures, software Version 1.4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mullaney, J.E.; Russell, V.K.

    1994-01-01

    The Mass Balance Program (MBA) is an adjunct to the Materials Accounting database system, Version 3.4. MBA was written to equip the personnel performing K-Basin encapsulation tasks with a conservative estimate of accumulated sludge during the processing of canisters into and out of the chute. The K Basins Materials Balance programs had some minor improvements made to it to feedback the chute processing status to the operator better. This ATP describes how the code was to be tested to verify its correctness

  16. A Value-Added Approach to Selecting the Best Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Dorothy M.; Kiang, Melody; Fisher, Steven A.

    2007-01-01

    Although numerous studies rank master of business administration (MBA) programs, prospective students' selection of the best MBA program is a formidable task. In this study, the authors used a linear-programming-based model called data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate MBA programs. The DEA model connects costs to benefits to evaluate the…

  17. Empirical angle-dependent Biot and MBA models for acoustic anisotropy in cancellous bone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kang ll; Hughes, E R; Humphrey, V F; Leighton, T G; Choi, Min Joo

    2007-01-01

    The Biot and the modified Biot-Attenborough (MBA) models have been found useful to understand ultrasonic wave propagation in cancellous bone. However, neither of the models, as previously applied to cancellous bone, allows for the angular dependence of acoustic properties with direction. The present study aims to account for the acoustic anisotropy in cancellous bone, by introducing empirical angle-dependent input parameters, as defined for a highly oriented structure, into the Biot and the MBA models. The anisotropy of the angle-dependent Biot model is attributed to the variation in the elastic moduli of the skeletal frame with respect to the trabecular alignment. The angle-dependent MBA model employs a simple empirical way of using the parametric fit for the fast and the slow wave speeds. The angle-dependent models were used to predict both the fast and slow wave velocities as a function of propagation angle with respect to the trabecular alignment of cancellous bone. The predictions were compared with those of the Schoenberg model for anisotropy in cancellous bone and in vitro experimental measurements from the literature. The angle-dependent models successfully predicted the angular dependence of phase velocity of the fast wave with direction. The root-mean-square errors of the measured versus predicted fast wave velocities were 79.2 m s -1 (angle-dependent Biot model) and 36.1 m s -1 (angle-dependent MBA model). They also predicted the fact that the slow wave is nearly independent of propagation angle for angles about 50 0 , but consistently underestimated the slow wave velocity with the root-mean-square errors of 187.2 m s -1 (angle-dependent Biot model) and 240.8 m s -1 (angle-dependent MBA model). The study indicates that the angle-dependent models reasonably replicate the acoustic anisotropy in cancellous bone

  18. MAC Version 3.2, MBA Version 1.3 acceptance test summary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, V.K.

    1994-01-01

    The K Basins Materials Accounting (MAC) and Materials Balance (MBA) programs had the Paradox Conversion to 4.0 ATP run to check out the systems. This report describes the results of the test and provides the signoff sheets associated with the testing. The test primarily concentrated on verifying that MAC and MBA software would run properly in the Paradox 4.0 environment. Changes in the MAC and MBA programs were basically limited to superficial items needed to accommodate the enhanced method of execution

  19. Attitudial Belief on Adoption of E-MBA Program in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Razmah MAHMOD

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available E-learning describes the use of information communications technology for learning beyond the boundaries of the conventional classroom. The objective of this paper is to determine what are the factors that are significant in explaining intention towards e-learning, particularly e-MBA adoption in Malaysia . Results indicated that trialability and image were significant influencing behavior intention towards e-MBA adoption.

  20. Admission Criteria for MBA Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvana Dakduk

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports a review of studies on admission criteria for MBA programs. The method consisted in a literary review based on a systematic search in international databases (Emerald, ABI/INFORM Global, ProQuest Education Journals, ProQuest European Business, ProQuest Science Journal, ProQuest Research Library, ProQuest Psychology Journals, ProQuest Social Science Journals and Business Source Complete of studies published from January 1990 to December 2013, which explore the academic performance of students or graduates of MBA programs. A quantitative review was performed. Results show that most researchers studied relations between GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test and UGPA (Undergraduate Grade Point Average as predictors of GGPA (Graduate Grade Point Average. On the other hand, work experience and personal traits (such as personality, motivation, learning strategies, self-efficacy beliefs and achievement expectations and their relation with GGPA had been less studied, and results are not consistent enough to consider them valid predictors of student performance at this time.

  1. Delivering MBA Programs in Emerging Markets: The Challenge of National Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Stephanie

    2013-01-01

    Increasingly, Western-style MBA programs are being delivered in emerging markets, as the developed countries become more and more saturated with MBAs and related offerings. This article, based on the global experience of the author in teaching and assessing MBA modules including thesis and dissertation research and writing, suggests approaches to…

  2. BPM STABILTIY STUDIES FOR THE APS MBA UPGRADE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lill, R.; Sereno, N.; Yang, B.

    2017-03-25

    The Advanced Photon Source (APS) is currently in the preliminary design phase for the multi-bend achromat (MBA) lattice upgrade. Beam stability is critical for the MBA and will require long term drift defined as beam mo-tion over a seven-day timescale to be no more than 1 mi-cron at the insertion device locations and beam angle change no more than 0.25 micro-radian. Mechanical stabil-ity of beam position monitor (BPM) pickup electrodes mounted on insertion device vacuum chambers place a fun-damental limitation on long-term beam stability for inser-tion device beamlines. We present the design and imple-mentation of prototype mechanical motion system (MMS) instrumentation for quantifying this type of motion specif-ically in the APS accelerator tunnel and experiment hall floor under normal operating conditions. The MMS pres-ently provides critical position information on the vacuum chamber and BPM support systems. Initial results of the R&D prototype systems have demonstrated that the cham-ber movements far exceed the long-term drift tolerance specified for the APS Upgrade MBA storage ring.

  3. Fødevareindustrien får sin egen MBA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stacey, Julia

    2004-01-01

    To internationale universiteter? Handelshøjskolen i Århus og Wageningen Business School udbyder til årsskiftet en unik international MBA, konkret målrettet fødevareindustrien. 'International MBA for the Food Business' skal sætte gang i kompetenceudviklingen i internationale fødevarevirksomheder og...... engelsk. Deltagerne i uddannelsen forventes at være fast tilknyttet en virksomhed under uddannelsesforløbet, idet en væsentlig del af uddannelsen er løsning af konkrete opgaver i egen virksomhed. Deltagerne skal i alt løse fire opgaver i egen virksomhed. Der igangsættes herved en udviklingsproces i...

  4. An Examination of Program Selection Criteria for Part-Time MBA Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colburn, Michael; Fox, Daniel E.; Westerfelt, Debra Kay

    2011-01-01

    Prospective graduate students select a graduate program as a result of a multifaceted decision-making process. This study examines the selection criteria that part-time MBA students used in selecting a program at a private university. Further, it analyzes the methods by which the students first learned of the MBA program. The authors posed the…

  5. Does the MBA Experience Support Diversity? Demographic Effects on Program Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbaugh, J. B.; Bento, Regina; Hwang, Alvin

    2010-01-01

    Using data provided by graduates from 128 MBA programs, we examined the extent to which age, gender, and ethnicity predicted student perceptions of the MBA experience. We found that women and minorities were more likely to see program costs and the availability of financial support as significant factors in their program enrollment decisions than…

  6. Studies on preparing and adsorption property of grafting terpolymer microbeads of PEI-GMA/AM/MBA for bilirubin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Baojiao; Lei, Haibo; Jiang, Liding; Zhu, Yong

    2007-06-15

    Crosslinking copolymer microbeads with a diameter range of 100-150 microm were synthesized by suspension copolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), acrylamide (AM) and N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA). Subsequently, polyethyleneimine (PEI) was grafted on the surfaces of the terpolymer microbeads GMA/AM/MBA via the ring-opening reaction of the epoxy groups, and the grafting microbeads PEI-GMA/AM/MBA were prepared. In this paper, the adsorption property of the grafting microbeads for bilirubin was mainly investigated, and the effects of various factors, such as pH value, ionic strength and grafting degree of PEI on the surface of grafting microbeads and the adsorption capacity of the grafting microbeads for bilirubin were examined. The batch adsorption experiment results show that by right of the action of grafted polyamine macromolecules PEI, the grafting microbeads PEI-GMA/AM/MBA have quite strong adsorption ability for bilirubin; the isotherm adsorption conforms to Freundlich equation. The pH value of the medium affects the adsorption capacity greatly, As in the nearly neutral solutions with pH 6, the grafting microbeads have the strongest adsorption ability for bilirubin, whereas in acidic and basic solutions their adsorption ability is weak. The ionic strength hardly affects the adsorption ability of the grafting microbeads. The grafting degree of PEI on the surfaces of the grafting microbeads also has a great effect on the adsorption capacity, and higher the grafting degree of PEI on the surface of the microbead PEI-GMA/AM/MBA, the stronger is the adsorption ability of the microbeads.

  7. Leadership Training in an MBA Program Using Peer-Led Team Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobson, Gregory; Frye, Robin; Mantena, Ravi

    2013-01-01

    Leadership training is an important part of any MBA program, but is often difficult to provide in an effective way. Over the last three years, we implemented a program of Peer-Led Team Learning in two core courses of our MBA curriculum, which we believe provides a good solution. The program combines leadership training with practical hands-on…

  8. Impact of a dual PharmD/MBA degree on graduates' academic performance, career opportunities, and earning potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chumney, Elinor C G; Ragucci, Kelly R; Jones, Kathy J

    2008-04-15

    To evaluate the academic experience and satisfaction of students who completed a dual PharmD/MBA degree program and the program's long-term impact on the students' career choice and earning potential. GPAs, job placement, and starting job salaries were compared between graduates who completed the dual PharmD/MBA program and those who completed only the PharmD program. A satisfaction survey instrument was administered to 17 students who completed the dual PharmD/MBA degree program in May 2007. Data from a standardized job placement and starting salary survey instrument completed by all PharmD graduates were also obtained, as well as all students' final grade point averages (GPAs). GPAs, job placement, and starting job salaries were compared between graduates who had completed the dual PharmD/MBA program and those who had completed only the PharmD program. The graduating GPAs of dual-degree students were higher than those of both pharmacy (3.52 vs 3.41, p > 0.10) and business (3.82 vs. 3.68, p = 0.018) students not enrolled in the dual-degree program. Dual-degree students were slightly less likely to enter a residency (17% vs. 27%, p = 0.44) than other pharmacy graduates. Among those who elected not to pursue a residency, both mean starting salaries ($111,090 vs. $101,965) and mean total first-year compensation ($127,290 vs. $110,388) were significantly higher for dual-degree graduates compared to the PharmD graduates. Students enrolled in the dual-degree program did slightly better academically than students who completed only the MBA or PharmD programs and indicated a high level of satisfaction with the program. Dual-degree graduates reported increased career opportunities and were slated to earn significantly more during their first year in the workforce. These results affirm continuation of our program and make the case for support of similar programs across the nation.

  9. Transports of acetate and haloacetate in Burkholderia species MBA4 are operated by distinct systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su Xianbin

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Acetate is a commonly used substrate for biosynthesis while monochloroacetate is a structurally similar compound but toxic and inhibits cell metabolism by blocking the citric acid cycle. In Burkholderia species MBA4 haloacetate was utilized as a carbon and energy source for growth. The degradation of haloacid was mediated by the production of an inducible dehalogenase. Recent studies have identified the presence of a concomitantly induced haloacetate-uptake activity in MBA4. This uptake activity has also been found to transport acetate. Since acetate transporters are commonly found in bacteria it is likely that haloacetate was transported by such a system in MBA4. Results The haloacetate-uptake activity of MBA4 was found to be induced by monochloroacetate (MCA and monobromoacetate (MBA. While the acetate-uptake activity was also induced by MCA and MBA, other alkanoates: acetate, propionate and 2-monochloropropionate (2MCPA were also inducers. Competing solute analysis showed that acetate and propionate interrupted the acetate- and MCA- induced acetate-uptake activities. While MCA, MBA, 2MCPA, and butyrate have no effect on acetate uptake they could significantly quenched the MCA-induced MCA-uptake activity. Transmembrane electrochemical potential was shown to be a driving force for both acetate- and MCA- transport systems. Conclusions Here we showed that acetate- and MCA- uptake in Burkholderia species MBA4 are two transport systems that have different induction patterns and substrate specificities. It is envisaged that the shapes and the three dimensional structures of the solutes determine their recognition or exclusion by the two transport systems.

  10. MBA: a literature mining system for extracting biomedical abbreviations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yun; Wang, ZhiHao; Lei, YiMing; Zhao, YuZhong; Xue, Yu

    2009-01-09

    The exploding growth of the biomedical literature presents many challenges for biological researchers. One such challenge is from the use of a great deal of abbreviations. Extracting abbreviations and their definitions accurately is very helpful to biologists and also facilitates biomedical text analysis. Existing approaches fall into four broad categories: rule based, machine learning based, text alignment based and statistically based. State of the art methods either focus exclusively on acronym-type abbreviations, or could not recognize rare abbreviations. We propose a systematic method to extract abbreviations effectively. At first a scoring method is used to classify the abbreviations into acronym-type and non-acronym-type abbreviations, and then their corresponding definitions are identified by two different methods: text alignment algorithm for the former, statistical method for the latter. A literature mining system MBA was constructed to extract both acronym-type and non-acronym-type abbreviations. An abbreviation-tagged literature corpus, called Medstract gold standard corpus, was used to evaluate the system. MBA achieved a recall of 88% at the precision of 91% on the Medstract gold-standard EVALUATION Corpus. We present a new literature mining system MBA for extracting biomedical abbreviations. Our evaluation demonstrates that the MBA system performs better than the others. It can identify the definition of not only acronym-type abbreviations including a little irregular acronym-type abbreviations (e.g., ), but also non-acronym-type abbreviations (e.g., ).

  11. Faculty Salary as a Predictor of Student Outgoing Salaries from MBA Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamlen, Karla R.; Hamlen, William A.

    2016-01-01

    The authors' purpose was to investigate the predictive value of faculty salaries on outgoing salaries of master of business administration (MBA) students when controlling for other student and program variables. Data were collected on 976 MBA programs using Barron's "Guide to Graduate Business Schools" over the years 1988-2005 and the…

  12. Why MBA Education...? An Examination of the Reasons for Pursuing a Management Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhar, Rajib Lochan

    2011-01-01

    This study tries to examine the causes which have led to the rise in the number of students pursuing an MBA in India. Qualitative methods have been used to collect the data. Data were collected via six focused group discussions with 60 postgraduate students associated with different management institutes in western India. In addition, data were…

  13. An Industry Analysis of the MBA Market and the Competitive Positioning of the GSBPP

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hager, Garrett W; King, Thomas T

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this Master of Eusiness Administration (MBA) project is to perform an industry analysis of the MBA market utilizing the principles of industry analysis noted in Michael Porter's "Five Forces Analysis" model...

  14. Reinventing the MBA as a Rite of Passage for a Boundaryless Era

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelan, Elisabeth; Jones, Rachel Dunkley

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to explore whether the rite of passage is still a useful model with which to conceptualise the MBA in the era of the boundaryless career. Design/methodology/approach: The paper examines the formative experiences of full-time MBA students at an elite business school, using in-depth qualitative interviews. Through a…

  15. Efficacy of MBA: On the Role of Network Effects in Influencing the Selection of Elective Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Vivek; Parsad, Chandan

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline the importance of social network effects in influencing the elective (courses) selection among masters of business administration (MBA) students and its role in influencing the efficacy of MBA. As such, given the enormous time and investment required for students to pursue an MBA and the role of…

  16. An Industry Analysis of the MBA Market and the Competitive Positioning of the GSBPP

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hager, Garrett W; King, Thomas T

    2007-01-01

    .... The intent of this project is to create an awareness of how these competitive forces: shape the MBA market, define the relationships hetween stakeholders within the market, and affect the overall attractiveness of the MBA market...

  17. Career Progression of the Pharmacy/MBA Professional: Characterization and Perceptions of the Combined Degree.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daly, Christopher J; Tierney, Sarah-Elizabeth L; O'Brien, Erin; Fiebelkorn, Karl D; Jacobs, David M

    2017-05-01

    Objectives. To characterize pharmacy/MBA professionals during their entry-level and current positions and to describe their attitudes and perceptions toward their combined degree. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of University at Buffalo (UB) alumni who obtained both pharmacy and MBA degrees was used. An electronic survey was developed through collaboration with the UB School of Management and administered in winter 2015. Results. A total of 68/115 (59% response rate) pharmacy/MBA professionals responded to the survey. Post-graduate training was completed by 24% of respondents, and most commonly it was a residency program. After adjusting for inflation to 2014 dollars, the median entry-level salary for pharmacy/MBA professionals was $140,123 (mean = $144,327) and this increased to $179,947 (mean = $205,623) for those in their current position. Practice settings for entry-level professionals included pharmaceutical industry (25%) and chain pharmacies (18%). Most respondents believed that a combined degree helped in career advancement (85%) and made them more competitive in the job market (90%). Conclusion. Pharmacy/MBA professionals are well-compensated, work in a wide-range of professional settings, and have a high-level of satisfaction with their combined degree.

  18. MBA - WHAT STUDENTS AND ALUMNI THINK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHED COURSE, THEIR LEARNING, AND THE IMPACT ON THEIR CAREERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia Teixeira Maggi da Silva

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The MBA is one of the most popular programs in management education today. Research conducted by accreditors organizations and specialized and internationally recognized journals regularly publish rankings of courses and schools to evaluate objective aspects related to MBA, including: salary increases, promotions, career and employability. The MBA also has been criticized, especially the lack of aligning of its curriculum to the needs of the business world and the real contribution to the development of managers able to deal with the challenges and the complexity of the contemporary business environment. In an effort to increase the understanding of the MBA, this article aims to describe, analyze and synthesize what students think about the MBA, highlighting how they evaluate the course, their learning and the impact on their careers. Empirically, we carried out a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with 13 students of MBA with specialization of an institution of higher education in the city of São Paulo. The results indicate positive reviews about the course and the learning and the MBA alone does not guarantee rise of career and employability.

  19. MBA Internships: More Important than Ever

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dillon, Michael; McCaskey, Pat; Blazer, Eric

    2011-01-01

    Twenty years ago, in response to an existing vacuum in the literature, a national study of MBA internships at programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) was published (P. H. McCaskey, 1988). The descriptive article was written to aid educators and administrators in their decision making…

  20. Competitive Advantage of MBA for Physician Executives: A Systematic Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Anthony D; Stawicki, Stanislaw P; Guo, Weidun Alan

    2018-06-01

    In response to systemic challenges facing the US healthcare system, many medical students, residents and practicing physicians are pursuing a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree. The value of such proposition remains poorly defined. The aim of this review is to analyze current literature pertaining to the added value of MBA training for physician executives (PEs). We hypothesized that physicians who supplement their clinical expertise with business education gain a significant competitive advantage. A detailed literature search of four electronic databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase and ERIC) was performed. Included were studies published between Jan 2000 and June 2017, focusing specifically on PEs. Among 1580 non-duplicative titles, we identified 23 relevant articles. Attributes which were found to add value to one's competitiveness as PE were recorded. A quality index score was assigned to each article in order to minimize bias. Results were tabulated by attributes and by publication. We found that competitive domains deemed to be most important for PEs in the context of MBA training were leadership (n = 17), career advancement opportunities (n = 12), understanding of financial aspects of medicine (n = 9) and team-building skills (n = 10). Among other prominent factors associated with the desire to engage in an MBA were higher compensation, awareness of public health issues/strategy, increased negotiation skills and enhanced work-life balance. Of interest, the learning of strategies for reducing malpractice litigation was less important than the other drivers. This comprehensive systemic review supports our hypothesis that a business degree confers a competitive advantage for PEs. Physician executives equipped with an MBA degree appear to be better equipped to face the challenge of the dynamically evolving healthcare landscape. This information may be beneficial to medical schools designing or implementing combined dual-degree curricula.

  1. The International Research Experience: Executive MBA Distinctiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrose, David M.; Pol, Louis G.

    1995-01-01

    The University of Nebraska's Executive Master's in Business Administration (MBA) program has integrated international research activities into the curriculum. The university contracted with domestic corporations to conduct studies on prospects for international business. Research assignments include assessment of competitors, economic evaluations,…

  2. Student satisfaction and academic performance in a dual PharmD/MBA degree program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chumney, Elinor C G; Ragucci, Kelly R

    2006-04-15

    Evaluate the academic experience and satisfaction of students enrolled in the dual PharmD/MBA degree program between the South Carolina College of Pharmacy and The Citadel's School of Business Administration. Compare grade point averages of students enrolled in the dual degree program with those of traditional student colleagues. A standardized satisfaction survey instrument was administered to 32 students currently enrolled in the dual PharmD/MBA degree program. Grade point averages (GPAs) in both pharmacy and business coursework were also collected for analysis. There were slightly higher percentages of both female and minority students in the dual degree program compared to the pharmacy class as a whole. Eighteen (56%) of students completed the survey, and responses were generally positive. The mean GPA of students in the dual degree program was higher than that of both pharmacy (3.37 vs 3.08, p vs 3.64, not statistically significant) students not enrolled in the dual degree program. Students enrolled in the dual degree program did better academically than their counterparts and indicated an overall high level of satisfaction with the program.

  3. FIRST BEAM TESTS OF THE APS MBA UPGRADE ORBIT FEEDBACK CONTROLLER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sereno, N. S.; Arnold, N.; Brill, A.; Bui, H.; Carwardine, J.; Decker, G.; Deriy, B.; Emery, L.; Farnsworth, R.; Fors, T.; Keane, R.; Lenkszus, F.; Lill, R.; Paskvan, D.; Pietryla, A.; Shang, H.; Shoaf, S.; Veseli, S.; Wang, J.; Xu, S.; Yang, B.X.

    2017-03-25

    The new orbit feedback system required for the APS multi-bend acromat (MBA) ring must meet challenging beam stability requirements. The AC stability requirement is to correct rms beam motion to 10 % the rms beam size at the insertion device source points from 0.01 to 1000 Hz. The vertical plane represents the biggest challenge for AC stability which is required to be 400 nm rms for a 4 micron vertical beam size. In addition long term drift over a period of 7 days is required to be 1 micron or less at insertion de- vice BPMs and 2 microns for arc bpms. We present test re- sults of theMBA prototype orbit feedback controller (FBC) in the APS storage ring. In this test, four insertion device BPMs were configured to send data to the FBC for process- ing into four fast corrector setpoints. The configuration of four bpms and four fast correctors creates a 4-bump and the configuration of fast correctors is similar to what will be implemented in the MBA ring. We report on performance benefits of increasing the sampling rate by a factor of 15 to 22.6 kHz over the existing APS orbit feedback system, lim- itations due to existing storage ring hardware and extrapo- lation to theMBA orbit feedback design. FBC architecture, signal flow and processing design will also be discussed.

  4. Teaching MBA Students Teamwork and Team Leadership Skills: An Empirical Evaluation of a Classroom Educational Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobson, Charles J.; Strupeck, David; Griffin, Andrea; Szostek, Jana; Rominger, Anna S.

    2014-01-01

    A comprehensive educational program for teaching behavioral teamwork and team leadership skills was rigorously evaluated with 148 MBA students enrolled at an urban regional campus of a Midwestern public university. Major program components included (1) videotaped student teams in leaderless group discussion (LGD) exercises at the course beginning…

  5. Cultural Values and Communication Online: Chinese and Southeast Asian Students in a Taiwan International MBA Class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warden, Clyde A.; Chen, Judy F.; Caskey, D'Arcy

    2005-01-01

    Whereas many researchers have examined differences in values and behavior between Westerners and Asians, fewer have investigated differences within Asian cultural groups. A recent government initiative in Taiwan to encourage international education has led to the development of an international MBA program at the National Cheng Kung University in…

  6. Branding MBA Programs: The Use of Target Market Desired Outcomes for Effective Brand Positioning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heslop, Louise A.; Nadeau, John

    2010-01-01

    Branding is about delivering on desired outcomes. The importance of positioning program offerings on the basis of outcomes sought in the education market is illustrated in this study of choice of an MBA program by prospective students. MBA fair attendees were surveyed and multiple methods were employed to determine the importance of desired…

  7. REVISITING SCHEIN (1965 STUDY ON THE MANAGERIAL VALUES AND ATTITUDES OF MBA STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Gonul Demirel

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available As schools are organized networks of socializing experiences which prepare individuals to act in society, MBA programs are the socializing media to prepare the future managers. Our study is “a partial replication” of the study done by Schein (1965. The same constructs are used in the questionnaire of the present study. Assuming that what is valued by managers influences how those individuals make business decisions, we aim to find out the managerial values and attitudes of MBA students. We also aim to draw the attention of the faculty members to think about what attitudes, beliefs, and values MBA students are learning and what might the faculty contributions be to the transfer of managerial values. Therefore, the main question of our study is “What are the major managerial values and attitudes of our MBA students?” A second intended contribution of this study is the validation of the scales. The goal of science is empirical generalization, or knowledge development. Systematically conducted replications with extensions facilitate this goal. Keeping this in mind our reconsidering the original constructs of the Schein (1965 study contributes to the validation of at least some of these original constructs.

  8. MD/MBA programs in the United States: evidence of a change in health care leadership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, David B; Chandler, Maria; Forman, Howard P

    2003-03-01

    Managerial sciences are playing an increasingly prominent role in the organization and delivery of health care. Despite popular media reports that a rising number of physicians are acquiring a background in this discipline through MD/MBA (medical and master of business administration) programs, no recent study has verified this. This study measured changes in the number and nature of the affiliations between management and medicine in the form of MD/MBA programs in the United States. Surveys of admission officers of 125 U.S. allopathic medical schools and of the overseers of each joint MD/MBA degree program were administered in May-October 2001. Main outcome measures included program growth, curriculum and degree requirements, application and admission requirements, and program leadership and organization. The number of MD/MBA programs grew from six to 33 between 1993 and 2001, and 17 more medical schools were considering establishing the joint-degree program. Ten, 15, and 20 programs produced 27, 42, and 61 graduates in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively, and over 100 students were expected to graduate per year when all 33 programs matured. Program structures and oversight indicate a spectrum of philosophies regarding the appropriate level of integration of the two degrees. MD/MBA programs apparently attempt to complement medical education with management education rather than the converse. The growth in the numbers of MD/MBA programs and participants indicates rising cooperation between medical and business schools and increasing interest in management education early in the careers of graduating physicians.

  9. A Study on the Application of STP Marketing Strategy in the MBA Education Program of Universities in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hongyi

    2008-01-01

    The MBA education has begun in America and now it has become mature after nearly one hundred years' development. Although China's MBA merely has a history of 17 years, it has already gained great achievements. In 1991, 9 universities in China had MBA program and 86 students enrolled in. In 2007, the two numbers were 127 and 59,776 respectively.…

  10. A comparative study on the magnetic and electrical properties of MFe12O19 (M=Ba and Sr)/BiFeO3 nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, M. A.; Mansour, S. F.; Ismael, H.

    2015-03-01

    M-type hexaferrite (MFe12O19), M=Ba or Sr nanoparticles with hexagonal crystal structure have been successfully synthesized by a citrate auto-combustion method. BiFeO3 (BFO) was prepared by the flash auto-combustion technique. Different nanocomposites were prepared according to the formula [(1-X) MFe12O19+XBiFeO3; M=Ba or Sr, X=0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6]. The structure and morphology of the obtained nanocomposites have been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). From the results, it is observed that the value of saturation magnetization decreases with increasing BFO content, which was mainly due to the contribution of the volume of the weak-magnetic BFO to the total sample volume.

  11. MAC Version 3.3, MBA Version 1.3 acceptance test summary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, V.K.

    1994-01-01

    The K Basins Materials Accounting (MAC) and Materials Balance (MBA) programs had the Paradox Code Cleanup ATP run to check out the systems. This report describes the results of the test and provides the signoff sheets associated with the testing. The Acceptance Test results indicate that the MAC and MBA systems are ready for operation using the cleaned up code. The final codes were removed to the production space on the customer server on April 15th

  12. Factors Affecting Career Progress of MBA Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivien T. Supangco

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper explored the factors that affect career progress of students in the MBA program of the University of the Philippines.To understand career progression, four measures of career progress were used in this study, namely: number of promotions, number of years in between promotions, total cash compensation, and number of administrative levels from the company president. On the other hand, the factors used to explain career progess included human capital, organizational, interpersonal and demographic variables.The results showed that the different measures of career progress had distinct determinants implying different dynamics. It appeared that measures of career progress that are sensitive to the value employers attach to the individual (Whitely, Dougherty, & Dreher, 1991 such as total compensation, total number of promotion and years per promotion were related with human capital factors such as work experience and number of companies worked for. On the other hand, measures that relate to centrality if the position, in which market forces have less impact, were associated with organizational variables such as organization size and the demographic variable gender.While gender did not explain variation in total compensation, number of promotions and number of uears between promotions, these null results are important for two reasons. First, it implies that the female MBA students were at par with their male counterparts as fas as these measures of career progress are concerned. Second, it challenges the generalizability of the finding of gender segregation at the organizational level-where men receive significantly higher wages that women-which is a common finding among studies done in the United States. The results using the MBA students as sample show that income and promotion parity may indeed be achievable and this brings hope to women in general.However, the statistical significance of gender in explaining career progress as centrality

  13. MBA1 encodes a mitochondrial membrane-associated protein required for biogenesis of the respiratory chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rep, M; Grivell, L A

    1996-06-17

    The yeast MBA 1 gene (Multi-copy Bypass of AFG3) is one of three genes whose overexpression suppresses afg3-null and rca1-null mutations. Bypass of AFG3 and RCA1, whose products are essential for assembly of mitochondrial inner membrane enzyme complexes, suggests a related role for MBA1. The predicted translation product is a 30 kDa hydrophilic protein with a putative mitochondrial targeting sequence and no homology to any sequence in protein or EST databases. Gene disruption leads to a partial respiratory growth defect, which is more pronounced at temperatures above 30 degrees C. Concomitantly, amounts of cytochromes b and aa3 are reduced. A C-terminal c-myc-tagged MBA1 gene product is functional and is found associated with the mitochondrial inner membrane, from which it can he extracted by carbonate, but not by high salt. These observations give further support to a role of MBA1 in assembly of the respiratory chain.

  14. Ureaplasma Species Multiple Banded Antigen (MBA) Variation Is Associated with the Severity of Inflammation In vivo and In vitro in Human Placentae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweeney, Emma L; Kallapur, Suhas G; Meawad, Simone; Gisslen, Tate; Stephenson, Sally-Anne; Jobe, Alan H; Knox, Christine L

    2017-01-01

    Background: The multiple banded antigen (MBA), a surface-exposed lipoprotein, is a proposed virulence factor of Ureaplasma spp. We previously demonstrated that the number of Ureaplasma parvum MBA size variants in amniotic fluid was inversely proportional to the severity of chorioamnionitis in experimentally infected pregnant sheep. However, the effect of ureaplasma MBA size variation on inflammation in human pregnancies has not been reported. Methods: Ureaplasmas isolated from the chorioamnion of pregnant women from a previous study ( n = 42) were speciated/serotyped and MBA size variation was demonstrated by PCR and western blot. Results were correlated with the severity of chorioamnionitis and cord blood cytokines. In vitro , THP-1-derived macrophages were exposed to recombinant-MBA proteins of differing sizes and NF-κB activation and cytokine responses were determined. Results: MBA size variation was identified in 21/32 (65.6%) clinical isolates (in 10 clinical isolates MBA size variation was unable to be determined). Any size variation (increase/decrease) of the MBA (regardless of Ureaplasma species or serovar) was associated with mild or absent chorioamnionitis ( P = 0.023) and lower concentrations of cord blood cytokines IL-8 ( P = 0.04) and G-CSF ( P = 0.008). In vitro , recombinant-MBA variants elicited different cytokine responses and altered expression of NF-κB p65. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that size variation of the ureaplasma MBA protein modulates the host immune response in vivo and in vitro .

  15. Ureaplasma antigenic variation beyond MBA phase variation: DNA inversions generating chimeric structures and switching in expression of the MBA N-terminal paralogue UU172.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, Carl-Ulrich R; Rosengarten, Renate; Spergser, Joachim

    2011-02-01

    Phase variation of the major ureaplasma surface membrane protein, the multiple-banded antigen (MBA), with its counterpart, the UU376 protein, was recently discussed as a result of DNA inversion occurring at specific inverted repeats. Two similar inverted repeats to the ones within the mba locus were found in the genome of Ureaplasma parvum serovar 3; one within the MBA N-terminal paralogue UU172 and another in the adjacent intergenic spacer region. In this report, we demonstrate on both genomic and protein level that DNA inversion at these inverted repeats leads to alternating expression between UU172 and the neighbouring conserved hypothetical ORF UU171. Sequence analysis of this phase-variable 'UU172 element' from both U. parvum and U. urealyticum strains revealed that it is highly conserved among both species and that it also includes the orthologue of UU144. A third inverted repeat region in UU144 is proposed to serve as an additional potential inversion site from which chimeric genes can evolve. Our results indicate that site-specific recombination events in the genome of U. parvum serovar 3 are dynamic and frequent, leading to a broad spectrum of antigenic variation by which the organism may evade host immune responses. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Ureaplasma antigenic variation beyond MBA phase variation: DNA inversions generating chimeric structures and switching in expression of the MBA N-terminal paralogue UU172

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, Carl-Ulrich R; Rosengarten, Renate; Spergser, Joachim

    2011-01-01

    Phase variation of the major ureaplasma surface membrane protein, the multiple-banded antigen (MBA), with its counterpart, the UU376 protein, was recently discussed as a result of DNA inversion occurring at specific inverted repeats. Two similar inverted repeats to the ones within the mba locus were found in the genome of Ureaplasma parvum serovar 3; one within the MBA N-terminal paralogue UU172 and another in the adjacent intergenic spacer region. In this report, we demonstrate on both genomic and protein level that DNA inversion at these inverted repeats leads to alternating expression between UU172 and the neighbouring conserved hypothetical ORF UU171. Sequence analysis of this phase-variable ‘UU172 element’ from both U. parvum and U. urealyticum strains revealed that it is highly conserved among both species and that it also includes the orthologue of UU144. A third inverted repeat region in UU144 is proposed to serve as an additional potential inversion site from which chimeric genes can evolve. Our results indicate that site-specific recombination events in the genome of U. parvum serovar 3 are dynamic and frequent, leading to a broad spectrum of antigenic variation by which the organism may evade host immune responses. PMID:21255110

  17. Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 suppresses apoptosis of mouse bone marrow stromal cell line MBA-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, L-J; Luo, X-H; Xie, H; Zhou, H-D; Yuan, L-Q; Wang, M; Liao, E-Y

    2006-05-01

    We investigated the action of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) on apoptosis and differentiation of mouse bone marrow stromal cell line MBA-1. TIMP-1 did not affect alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, suggesting that it is not involved in osteoblastic differentiation in MBA-1 cells. However, TIMP-1 inhibited MBA-1 apoptosis induced by serum deprivation in a dose-dependent manner. Our study also showed increased Bcl-2 protein expression and decreased Bax protein expression with TIMP-1 treatment. TIMP-1 decreased cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation in MBA-1 cells. TIMP-1 activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and the PI3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 or the JNK inhibitor SP600125 abolished its antiapoptotic activity. To investigate whether antiapoptotic action of TIMP-1 was mediated through its inhibition on MMP activities, we constructed mutant TIMP-1 by side-directed mutagenesis, which abolished the inhibitory activity of MMPs by deletion of Cys1 to Ala4. Wild-type TIMP-1 and mutant TIMP-1 expression plasmids were transfected in MBA-1 cells, and results showed that mutant TIMP-1 still protected the induced MBA-1 cell against apoptosis. These data suggest that TIMP-1 antiapoptotic actions are mediated via the PI3-kinase and JNK signaling pathways and independent of TIMP-1 inhibition of MMP activities.

  18. Competitive Intelligence for MBA Students: Credit Courses

    OpenAIRE

    Kirkwood, Hal P, Jr

    2016-01-01

    Poster was presented at the Business & Finance Division Poster Session at the Special Libraries Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA, 2016. Focus of the poster is on the credit-level courses taught by Prof Hal Kirkwood to MBA students in the Krannert Graduate School of Management on the topics of international business research and an introduction to competitive intelligence.

  19. The Effects of Part-Time MBA Programs on Students: The Relationships between Students and Their Employers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prince, Melvin; Burns, David J.; Manolis, Chris

    2014-01-01

    The authors explore how the relationship between part-time master of business administration (MBA) students and their employers changes as students proceed through their MBA program by examining the degree to which students are integrated into their employer organizations. Significant positive relationships observed between students' progress…

  20. mba.com Prospective Students Survey. 2015 Survey Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenfeld, Gregg

    2015-01-01

    This 2015 "mba.com Prospective Students Survey Report" explores the motivations, career goals, preferred program types, financial choices, decision time lines, and intended study destinations of individuals interested in pursuing a graduate management education. Findings analyzed in the report represent responses from nearly 12,000…

  1. MBA Attitudes toward Business: What We Don't Know Can Hurt Us or Help Us

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundstrom, William J.

    2011-01-01

    MBA students are often treated as a blank sheet of paper on which the MBA program and its faculty etch and imprint the knowledge and philosophy of business success. Implicit in this thinking is that students are willing neophytes in this ritualistic process without a perceptual screen shaping and molding the content being espoused by legions of…

  2. Evaluating Market Orientation of an Executive MBA Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubas, Khalid M.; Ghani, Waqar I.; Davis, Stanley; Strong, James T.

    1998-01-01

    A study assessed the market orientation of the executive Master's in Business Administration (MBA) program at Saint Joseph's University (Pennsylvania) in terms of 12 skills and knowledge areas that reflect effective managerial performance and the student-executives' perceptions of program strengths and weaknesses in delivering these skills.…

  3. Factors Affecting Perceived Learning, Satisfaction, and Quality in the Online MBA: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebastianelli, Rose; Swift, Caroline; Tamimi, Nabil

    2015-01-01

    The authors examined how six factors related to content and interaction affect students' perceptions of learning, satisfaction, and quality in online master of business administration (MBA) courses. They developed three scale items to measure each factor. Using survey data from MBA students at a private university, the authors estimated structural…

  4. Developing Content for an M.B.A. Communications Class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelby, Annette N.

    1983-01-01

    Outlines an M.B.A. communications course which includes source materials and content development frameworks for four different topic areas: (1) company, industry, and organization data; (2) management theory and organizational design; (3) crisis communication; and (4) issues management. (RAE)

  5. The liquid scintillation counting efficiency for 137mCs+137mBa and ''129 I; 'Eficiencias de recuento por centelleo liquido para el Cs+13 mBa y ''129 I

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grau CarLes, A.; Grau Malonda, A.

    1995-07-01

    We compute the liquid scintillation counting efficiency for 137Cs+137mBa and ''129 I taking into account the scintillator chemical composition. We consider the beta transition shape factors for the for bidden beta transitions of these nuclides, and the effects of 137mBa and 129mXe half-lives on the total counting efficiency. (Author) 8 refs.

  6. Electronic structure of thiolate-covered gold nanoparticles: Au102(MBA)44.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yan; Galli, Giulia; Gygi, François

    2008-09-23

    We present first principles, density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the structural and electronic properties of thiolate-protected gold nanoparticles [Au(102)(MBA)(44) ] that have been recently crystallized and measured by X-ray diffraction. Our calculations yield structural properties in very good agreement with experiment and reveal the impact of thiolate adsorption on both the surface geometry and the electronic structure of the gold core; in particular, within DFT we observe the emergence of an energy gap of about 0.5 eV, upon MBA adsorption. Using a localized orbital analysis, we characterize the electron distribution in the nanoparticle and provide insight into the bonding of thiolates on curved gold surfaces.

  7. The Convergence of Business and Medicine: A Study of MD/MBA Programs in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keogh, Timothy J.; Martin, William Marty

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to identify the convergence of business and medical education and describe the curricula of MD/MBA (Medical Doctor/Master of Business Administration) programs in the US. The focus of this study is to provide a guide to dual MD/MBA programs for physicians, aspiring physicians, policy makers and healthcare organizations.…

  8. An Analysis of Multinational Corporations' Perception of Their Requirements for International M.B.A. Degree Holders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colquitt, J.; And Others

    This study was undertaken to assess: (1) the U.S. corporate demand for Americans holding an MBA degree with a concentration in International Management, (2) the U.S. corporate demand for foreign nationals holding a similar American MBA degree, and (3) the corporate perception of the value of foreign languages in such an international curriculum. A…

  9. An Industry Analysis of the MBA Market and the Competitive Positioning of the GSBPP

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-03-01

    appropriations and make up the rest through philanthropy .” (MBA.com, 2005a) GMAC’s Selections recently studied the naming gifts that business schools 23...ranked programs. Although the Top 20 are considered the elite , making the Top 50 is still an accomplishment. Below the ranked schools are the non...control to ever gain access into the upper echelon 141 of the MBA elite , at least in terms of rankings. The accreditation serves more to validate its

  10. A comparative study on the magnetic and electrical properties of MFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} (M=Ba and Sr)/BiFeO{sub 3} nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmed, M.A., E-mail: moala47@hotmail.com [Materials Science Lab (1), Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt); Mansour, S.F. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University (Egypt); Ismael, H. [Materials Science Lab (1), Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt)

    2015-03-15

    M-type hexaferrite (MFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}), M=Ba or Sr nanoparticles with hexagonal crystal structure have been successfully synthesized by a citrate auto-combustion method. BiFeO{sub 3} (BFO) was prepared by the flash auto-combustion technique. Different nanocomposites were prepared according to the formula [(1−X) MFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}+XBiFeO{sub 3}; M=Ba or Sr, X=0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6]. The structure and morphology of the obtained nanocomposites have been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). From the results, it is observed that the value of saturation magnetization decreases with increasing BFO content, which was mainly due to the contribution of the volume of the weak-magnetic BFO to the total sample volume. - Highlights: • M-type nanohexaferrite (MFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}) as M=Ba and Sr powders were synthesized by the citrate autocombustion method. • The lattice parameters of composite were negligibly smaller than those of M-type. • FESEM showed that the samples were hexagonal plate-like shape. • M{sub s}, M{sub r}, μ{sub eff.} and H{sub C} were improved to be suitable for perpendicular high density recording media. • ε′ increased with BFO ratio which is useful in microwave devices.

  11. Kinetic investigation and lifetime prediction of Cs-NIPAM-MBA-based thermo-responsive hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, Muhammad Bisyrul Hafi; Khan, Abbas; Ahmad, Zulkifli; Zakaria, Muhammad Razlan; Ullah, Faheem; Akil, Hazizan Md

    2016-01-20

    This study attempted to clarify the influence of a cross-linker, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) on the non-isothermal kinetic degradation, solid state and lifetime of hydrogels using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (F-W-O), Kissinger, and Coats-Redfern (C-Red) methods. The series of dual-responsive Cs-PNIPAM-MBA microgels were synthesized by soapless-emulsion free radical copolymerization in an aqueous medium at 70 °C. The thermal properties were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under nitrogen atmosphere. The apparent activation energy using the chosen Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Kissinger methods showed that they fitted each other. Meanwhile, the type of solid state mechanism was determined using the Coats-Redfern method proposed for F1 (pure Cs) and F2 (Cs-PNIPAM-MBA hydrogel series) types, which comprise random nucleation with one nucleus reacting on individual particles, and random nucleation with two nuclei reacting on individual particles, respectively. On average, a higher Ea was attributed to the greater cross-linking density of the Cs hydrogel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. TEACHING METHODS IN MBA AND LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMMES FOR MANAGERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarošová, Eva

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Teaching methods in MBA and Lifelong Learning Programmes (LLP for managers should be topically relevant in terms of content as well as the teaching methods used. In terms of the content, the integral part of MBA and Lifelong Learning Programmes for managers should be the development of participants’ leadership competencies and their understanding of current leadership concepts. The teaching methods in educational programmes for managers as adult learners should correspond to the strategy of learner-centred teaching that focuses on the participants’ learning process and their active involvement in class. The focus on the participants’ learning process also raises questions about whether the programme’s participants perceive the teaching methods used as useful and relevant for their development as leaders. The paper presents the results of the analysis of the responses to these questions in a sample of 54 Czech participants in the MBA programme and of lifelong learning programmes at the University of Economics, Prague. The data was acquired based on written or electronically submitted questionnaires. The data was analysed in relation to the usefulness of the teaching methods for understanding the concepts of leadership, leadership skills development as well as respondents’ personal growth. The results show that the respondents most valued the methods that enabled them to get feedback, activated them throughout the programme and got them involved in discussions with others in class. Implications for managerial education practices are discussed.

  13. Alternate phase variation in expression of two major surface membrane proteins (MBA and UU376) of Ureaplasma parvum serovar 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, Carl-Ulrich R; Stiedl, Thomas; Rosengarten, Renate; Spergser, Joachim

    2009-03-01

    Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum are commensals and pathogens of the human urogenital tract and of newborn infants. There are four distinct U. parvum serovars and 10 distinct U. urealyticum serovars. Both species possess a distinct immunodominant variable surface protein, the multiple banded antigen (MBA), which shows size variability among isolates as a result of changes in the number of C-terminal repeating units. Adjacent to the MBA gene (UU375) lies UU376, which was annotated as 'Ureaplasma-specific conserved hypothetical gene'. In four different strains of U. parvum serovar 3, we demonstrated expression of UU376 by Western blot analysis and phase variation between UU376, here designated Upvmp376 (Ureaplasma phase-variable membrane protein 376), and MBA after application of selective pressure with hyperimmune antisera directed against either protein. By Southern blot analysis, we found that the switch between MBA and Upvmp376 expression is associated with a DNA inversion event in which the nonrepetitive region of the MBA gene and its putative promoter region are opposed to either the repetitive region of MBA or UU376. We propose that in U. parvum serovar 3, and presumably in all U. parvum and U. urealyticum, an inversion event at specific sites effects an alternate ON/OFF switching of the genes UU375 and UU376.

  14. Meeting the specifications for mechanical-biological waste treament and dumping; Umsetzung der Ablagerungsanforderungen im MBA- und Deponiebetrieb

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ketelsen, K. [IBA Ingenieurbuero fuer Abfallwirtschaft und Entsorgung GmbH, Hannover (Germany)

    2001-07-01

    The new German ordinances will have a dramatic influence on the waste treatment processes and air/exhaust management in mechanical-biological waste treatment plants. The potentials of process control and optimization should be fully utilized. The extensive in-service inspections and specifications will change the requirements on the process and staff qualification. The additional cost must be balanced by technically and economically feasible projecting and solutions. The need to keep up with thermal processes will lead to the construction of plants with a size of 50,000 Mg/a and more as these have higher economic efficiency, i.e. small regional utilities will have to co-operate. In mechanical-biological waste treatment plants, about 40-50% of the total cost is accounted for by the waste treatment process, i.e. economic efficiency will depend on the cost of dumping of the stabilized fine-grained fraction(about 20%) and the cost of utilization of the high-calorific waste (about 30%). In view of the high fixed cost, mechanical-biological waste treatment concepts will be economically efficient only if the plant capacity is fully utilized. [German] Mit Verabschiedung der Verordnungen ist die MBA 'gesellschaftsfaehiger' geworden. Die Verordnungen werden einen nachhaltigen Einfluss auf die Verfahrenstechnik und das gesamte Luft-/Abgasmanagement haben. Die Entwicklungspotentiale in der Prozesssteuerung und -optimierung muessen verstaerkt ausgeschoepft werden. Durch die geforderten umfangreichen Untersuchungs- und Nachweispflichten werden sich die Anforderungen an die Betriebsfuehrung und Personalqualifikation veraendern. Die aus den hoeheren Anforderungen resultierenden Mehrkosten muessen durch technisch und wirtschftlich sinnvolle Planungen und Loesungen in vertretbaren Grenzen gehalten werden. Die Notwendigkeit zur Wirtschaftlichkeit im Wettbewerb mit rein thermischen Verfahren wird auch bei den MBA zur Realisierung wirtschaftlicher Anlagengroessen von groesser

  15. Career Expectations and Perceptions of Part-Time MBA Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fish, Lynn A.; Fish, Lauren A.

    2010-01-01

    In the U.S., part-time MBA students regard work/life balance as the critical factor that drives career expectations and perceptions. Job aspects and benefits/compensation closely follow in importance, while employee relations are valued less. Within work/life balance, students value job location, travel time, and telecommuting. Promotional…

  16. Ethics Training and Workplace Ethical Decisions of MBA Professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romious, Tamar S.; Thompson, Randall; Thompson, Elizabeth

    2016-01-01

    We recruited 15 MBA professionals in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area to explore experiences and perceptions of classroom ethics training and ethical experiences in the workplace. Telephone interviews were conducted using open-ended questions to collect data that were uploaded to NVivo 10 for qualitative analysis. As a result of the data…

  17. The Challenges of Globalisation: Delivering an MBA Programme in Eritrea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dence, Roger; O'Toole, John

    1999-01-01

    Describes the experiences of delivering an MBA (Master in Business Administration) program in Eritrea (North East Africa) through the United Kingdom's Open University. Discusses tutoring teams that travel to Eritrea, localizing case examples and assignments, sensitivity to local cultural contexts, writing assignments, student assessment, and…

  18. Preparation and characterization of nanosized P(NIPAM-MBA) hydrogel particles and adsorption of bovine serum albumin on their surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaoli; Gu, Xiangling; Zhang, Lina; Kong, Xiang-Zheng

    2012-09-24

    Thermosensitive polymer hydrogel particles with size varying from 480 to 620 nm were prepared through precipitation copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) in water with ammonium persulfate as the initiator. Only polymer hydrogels without any coagula were obtained when MBA concentration in the monomer mixture was kept between 2.5 and 10.0 wt%; with increased MBA concentration, the monomer conversion was enhanced, the size of the hydrogels was increased, and their shrinking was lessened when heated from 25°C to 40°C. Bovine serum albumin adsorption on the surface of the hydrogels of different MBA content was measured at different pH levels and under different temperatures. The results demonstrated that the adsorption of the protein on the hydrogels could be controlled by adjusting the pH, the temperature of adsorption, and the crosslinking in the hydrogels. The results were interpreted, and the mechanisms of the polymerization were proposed.

  19. Lessons Jesuit Business Programs Can Learn from Chinese MBA Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Ann Pauline McGrath

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available North American Schools of Business have been “going global” by transplanting pedagogy and content to Asia and Africa for several centuries. From a teaching perspective, our western schools look to these regions as contexts to provide richness to our students’ educational experience, to prepare Americans for dealings in the global business marketplace, and often to increase our own enrollments and revenues. To date we have served as “exporters” of our own Western brand of MBA education. Using an ethnographic approach of participant observation gained through two years of teaching and living in China supplemented with interviews with Chinese students studying in the U.S., this paper suggests an alternative view. China in particular and Asia in general present a different viewpoint of leadership, motivation, team-work and MBA education in general. The paper suggests an alternative viewpoint to higher education and a series of concepts and ideas that can be “imported” into western business education from the Middle Kingdom.

  20. Estudo do impacto de um curso MBA Gestão em Saúde na modernidade organizacional de clínicas oftalmológicas Study of the impact of a MBA Administration in Health course on the organizational modernity of ophthalmologic clinics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Meireles

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Pesquisa no campo da aprendizagem de competências que busca investigar o impacto da aquisição de novas competências individuais dos responsáveis de clínicas oftalmológicas, por meio de um curso MBA Gestão em Saúde, na modernidade organizacional de clínicas oftalmológicas. MÉTODOS: Levantamento utilizando questionários aplicados a alunos e ex-alunos do curso e a gestores de clínicas oftalmológicas não vinculados ao curso (n=30 cada um. A análise foi feita por meio de métodos estatísticos: r de Pearson e Q de Yule; testes t de Student, da soma de séries, da mediana e teste U de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Observou-se correlação linear e positiva entre a excelência do MBA Gestão em Saúde e o desenvolvimento de capacidades dos alunos veteranos (correlação rho de Spearman em nível de 0,01; há diferença significativa (0,0364, pelo teste de Mann-Whitney, entre alunos veteranos e alunos calouros, quanto à necessidade de se ampliar as capacidades individuais que o curso MBA Gestão em Saúde fornece, aos demais funcionários operacionais das clínica oftalmológicas; e há diferença significativa (0,0057, pelo teste de Mann-Whitney, entre alunos veteranos do curso MBA Gestão em Saúde e alunos calouros quanto à importância da modernidade organizacional para as clínicas oftalmológicas. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados obtidos são consistentes, de forma geral, com o modelo proposto: a excelência do MBA Gestão em Saúde contribui significativamente para a modernidade organizacional, para o desenvolvimento de competências dos alunos egressos e ainda de forma substancial para a percepção de hiatos organizacionais.PURPOSE: Investigations in the field of the learning competence that investigate the impact of the acquisition of new individual competence of those responsible for ophthalmologic clinics, by means of a MBA Administration in Health course, on the organizational modernity of ophthalmologic clinics. METHODS

  1. MBA theory and application of business and management principles

    CERN Document Server

    Davim, J

    2016-01-01

    This book focuses on the relevant subjects in the curriculum of an MBA program. Covering many different fields within business, this book is ideal for readers who want to prepare for a Master of Business Administration degree. It provides discussions and exchanges of information on principles, strategies, models, techniques, methodologies and applications in the business area.

  2. A Portrait of the Early 21st Century MBA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Robert J.

    2012-01-01

    Students invest a great deal of time, effort, and capital to obtain the MBA credential that they believe will provide them with the skills necessary to succeed in business. They expect such skills to position them for better job opportunities, salary increases, and a faster track to promotion up the corporate ladder. It is an investment that…

  3. „Knowledge is power“: Studium MBA v perspektivě Bourdieuho teorie kapitálů/ “Knowledge is power”: MBA study program in Bourdieu’s perspective of capitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jana Dvořáčková

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Cílem této empirické studie, která vychází z ročního etnografického výzkumu na soukromé vysoké škole, je analyzovat, jaký význam má studijní program MBA v reprodukci sociálních diferencí. V první části je představeno teoretické pozadí studie, jímž jsou Bourdieuho koncepty kulturního, ekonomického, symbolického a sociálního kapitálu a jeho pojetí mechanismu sociální reprodukce skrze školské instituce. Druhá část příspěvku přibližuje klíčové rysy soukromé vysoké školy, kde se výzkum realizoval. Třetí část je věnována analýze manifestních cílů MBA programu, jímž je posílit kulturní a ekonomický kapitál studujících – rozvíjet jejich znalosti, kariérní perspektivy i úspěchy v podnikání. Vedle toho se zabývá MBA studiem coby zdrojem symbolického i sociálního kapitálu. Jak text ukazuje, MBA program je vedle prostředku získávání znalostí a dovedností současně prostorem konverze ekonomického kapitálu do kapitálu symbolického a sociálního. Ty následně zvyšují objem ekonomického kapitálu studujících, čímž dále upevňují jejich sociální pozici.

  4. Integration and Exchange: How Executive MBA Students Envision Ethics Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Verena; Schlegelmilch, Bodo B.

    2013-01-01

    Ethics education provided by universities in general, and MBA programs aimed at future business leaders in particular, has come under intense public scrutiny because of corporate scandals and ethical dilemmas. To date, academic research has been mainly devoted to the characteristics of instruction formats and their effectiveness, characteristics…

  5. Operations Management in the Design and Execution of MBA Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busing, Michael E.; Palocsay, Susan W.

    2016-01-01

    Master of business administration (MBA) programs are under intense pressure to improve efficiencies, lower tuition, and offer refreshed curriculum that is of high quality and regarded as relevant by the marketplace. In light of this environment, the authors propose a conceptual framework for effectively employing operations management (OM)…

  6. Standardization of 137mCs+137mBa by Liquid Scintillation; Calibracion de 137Cs+137mBa por Centelleo Liquido

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez, L.; Los Arcos, J.M.; Grau, A.

    1995-07-01

    A procedure for the preparation of a stable, homogeneous solution of 137Cs+''137mBa, for use in liquid scintillation measurements, is described. Its count rate stability and spectral time evolution has been followed for several weeks. The solution has been standardised by the CIEMAT/NIST method in both Ultima-Gold and Insta-Gel, to a combined uncertainty lower than 0,51 % (k=l). (Author) 5 refs.

  7. Leadership training for radiologists: a survey of opportunities and participants in MBA and MPH programs by medical students, residents, and current chairpersons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Stephen; Daginawala, Naznin

    2011-08-01

    The aim of this study was to determine opportunities for students and trainees to obtain an MPH or MBA degree during either medical school or radiology residency and to determine the prevalence of such degree possession by chairpersons in radiology. All allopathic medical schools in the United States were surveyed to chart the number of MD/MPH and MD/MBA degree programs available to students. Program directors were contacted to assess the number of MPH or MBA courses of study administratively related to their residencies. Also, an e-mail survey was sent to all members of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments inquiring whether each chairperson had earned an additional degree. Currently, 81 allopathic medical schools in the United States offer MD/MPH degrees, and 52 offer MD/MBA degrees. Six residencies provide access to MPH programs, and 3 residencies provide the opportunity to pursue an MBA in conjunction with residency. Of these, only 1 MPH program and no MBA programs had trainees enrolled at present. Twenty-six percent of the chairpersons surveyed possessed advanced degrees other than MDs. There has been rapid growth in the number of MD/MPH and MD/MBA programs available to medical students. However, there is a scarcity of similar programs accessible to trainees during or just after residency training. To assist motivated radiologists interested in leading our profession, opportunities should expand both in formal degree-granting programs and through certificate-sanctioned course series to address relevant issues of leadership and management pertinent to our specialty. Copyright © 2011 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Attitudinal Belief on Adoption of e-MBA Program in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmod, Razmah; Dahlan, Noornina; Ramayah, T.; Karia, Noorliza; Asaari, Muhammad Hasmi Abu Hassan

    2005-01-01

    E-learning describes the use of information communications technology for learning beyond the boundaries of the conventional classroom. The objective of this paper is to determine what are the factors that are significant in explaining intention towards e-learning, particularly e-MBA adoption in Malaysia. Results indicated that trialability and…

  9. Understanding MBA Consumer Needs and the Development of Marketing Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dailey, Lynn; Anderson, Murphy; Ingenito, Cristina; Duffy, David; Krimm, Paul; Thomson, Scott

    2006-01-01

    The need to develop marketing strategies in higher education is evident. In order to develop effective strategies, marketers must understand the basic needs that their product fulfills. Exploratory research was utilized to identify and better understand the needs that motivate consumers to pursue an MBA degree. This paper emphasizes the importance…

  10. [Study of the impact of a MBA Administration in Health course on the organizational modernity of ophthalmologic clinics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meireles, Manuel; Scarpi, Marinho Jorge

    2005-01-01

    Investigations in the field of the learning competence that investigate the impact of the acquisition of new individual competence of those responsible for ophthalmologic clinics, by means of a MBA Administration in Health course, on the organizational modernity of ophthalmologic clinics. Survey using questionnaires applied to students and former students of the course and to managers of ophthalmologic clinics not linked to the course (n=30 each one). The analysis was made by means of statistical methods: r of Pearson and Q of Yule; Student's t test, sum of series test, median test and U test of Mann-Whitney. Linear and positive correlation was observed between excellency of MBA Administration in Health and the development of the veteran students' capacities (rho correlation of Spearman at the level of 0.01); there is a significant difference (0.0364, by the Mann-Whitney test), between veteran students and freshmen regarding the need to extend the individual capacities provided by the MBA Administration in Health course, to the other operational employees of the ophthalmologic clinics; and there is a significant difference (0.0057, for the Mann-Whitney test), among veteran students of the MBA Administration in Health course and freshmen regarding the importance of the organizational modernity for the ophthalmologic clinics. The obtained results are consistent, in a general way, with the proposed model: MBA Administration's excellence in Health contributes significantly to the organizational modernity, to the development of competence of the veteran students, and, also in substantial way to the perception of organizational hiatuses.

  11. Proposal for Supply Chain Concentration in the Traditional MBA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramaswamy, K. V.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this proposal is to develop and implement a concentration in Supply Chain Management in the existing traditional MBA program effective fall 2012. Houston is the hub for many multinational oil and energy companies, large healthcare systems, wholesale/retail businesses, engineering and construction companies, and is a major city along…

  12. Self-Reporting MBA Key Experience Assessment: Evidence from Lincoln University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tailab, Mohamed; Guerra, Michael

    2017-01-01

    This paper empirically provides an innovative way of thinking about the MBA program at Lincoln University (hereafter LU) by giving students an opportunity to rate their work experience based on how they currently see themselves. This manuscript develops the instrument prepared by McMillan & Hearn (2004) by creating a questionnaire including 21…

  13. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management

    CERN Document Server

    Verzuh, Eric

    2011-01-01

    An updated and revised edition of the bestselling guide to managing projects For any professional responsible for coordinating projects among different departments, across executive levels, or with technical complexity, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management offers comprehensive instruction on how to deliver on time and on budget. Get the step-by-step advice you need to find the right sponsor, clarify objectives, and set realistic schedules and budget projections. This Fourth Edition of the 200,000-copy bestseller now covers critical new topics including: software and IT projects, agile te

  14. Deep Learning through Reusable Learning Objects in an MBA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rufer, Rosalyn; Adams, Ruifang Hope

    2013-01-01

    It has well been established that it is important to be able to leverage any organization's processes and core competencies to sustain its competitive advantage. Thus, one learning objective of an online MBA is to teach students how to apply the VRIO (value, rarity, inimitable, operationalized) model, developed by Barney and Hesterly (2006), in…

  15. An Exploratory Study on the Application of Multiple Intelligences to MBA Andragogy with Particular Reference to ERP-Controlling Configuration Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaikwad, Sophia S.; Bharathi, S. Vijayakumar

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to elicit the application of Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory to a course taught in the MBA Andragogy. Administered to a sample of 47 students of the first year MBA Information Technology Business Management (ITBM) program at a private university in India the study brought out certain interesting implications.…

  16. Poly(AAc-co-MBA) hydrogel films: adhesive and mechanical properties in aqueous medium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arunbabu, Dhamodaran; Shahsavan, Hamed; Zhang, Wei; Zhao, Boxin

    2013-01-10

    Poly(acrylic acid-co-N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide) hydrogel films were synthesized by copolymerizing acrylic acid (AAc) with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a cross-linker via photo polymerization in the spacing confined between two glass plates. NMR spectroscopy was utilized to determine the cross-linking density. We found that the cross-linking density determined by NMR is higher than that expected from the feed concentrations of cross-linkers, suggesting that MBA is more reactive than AAc and the heterogeneous nature of the cross-linking. In addition to the swelling tests, indentation tests were performed on the hydrogel films under water to investigate effects of the cross-linking density on the adhesion and mechanical properties of the hydrogel films in terms of adhesive pull-off force and Hertz-type elastic modulus. As the cross-linker concentration increased, the effective elastic modulus of the hydrogel films increased dramatically at low cross-linking densities and reached a high steady-state value at higher cross-linking densities. The pull-off force decreased with increasing cross-linker concentration and reached a lower force plateau at high cross-linking densities. An optimal "trade-off" cross-linking density was determined to be 0.02 mol fraction of MBA in the hydrogel, where balanced elastic modulus and adhesive pull-off force can be obtained.

  17. Interpersonal Skills in MBA Admissions: How Are They Conceptualized and Assessed?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beenen, Gerard; Pichler, Shaun; Davoudpour, Shahin

    2018-01-01

    Employers and students concur that soft skills or interpersonal skills are critical to managerial success, yet we know little about how MBA program admissions professionals conceptualize and assess these skills in the context of global management education. Such practices have key implications for interpersonal skills curriculum and training in…

  18. MicroED Structure of Au146(p-MBA)57 at Subatomic Resolution Reveals a Twinned FCC Cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vergara, Sandra; Lukes, Dylan A; Martynowycz, Michael W; Santiago, Ulises; Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Weiss, Simon C; de la Cruz, M Jason; Black, David M; Alvarez, Marcos M; López-Lozano, Xochitl; Barnes, Christopher O; Lin, Guowu; Weissker, Hans-Christian; Whetten, Robert L; Gonen, Tamir; Yacaman, Miguel Jose; Calero, Guillermo

    2017-11-16

    Solving the atomic structure of metallic clusters is fundamental to understanding their optical, electronic, and chemical properties. Herein we present the structure of the largest aqueous gold cluster, Au 146 (p-MBA) 57 (p-MBA: para-mercaptobenzoic acid), solved by electron micro-diffraction (MicroED) to subatomic resolution (0.85 Å) and by X-ray diffraction at atomic resolution (1.3 Å). The 146 gold atoms may be decomposed into two constituent sets consisting of 119 core and 27 peripheral atoms. The core atoms are organized in a twinned FCC structure, whereas the surface gold atoms follow a C 2 rotational symmetry about an axis bisecting the twinning plane. The protective layer of 57 p-MBAs fully encloses the cluster and comprises bridging, monomeric, and dimeric staple motifs. Au 146 (p-MBA) 57 is the largest cluster observed exhibiting a bulk-like FCC structure as well as the smallest gold particle exhibiting a stacking fault.

  19. Evaluation of inventory change report (ICR) in 2008/2009 - 2012/2013 in MBA.RI-B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agustinus Suprijanto; Suratno; Sigit Pramana

    2013-01-01

    Evaluation has been performed for Inventory Change Report (ICR) in 2008/2009 - 2012/2013 in MBA.RI-B (MBA = Material Balance Area) (RI-B = Center for Accelerator and Material Process Technology). The evaluation performed on the inventory change report of nuclear material document. Changes in inventories occur when there is acceptance or shipment of nuclear materials outside nuclear facilities. Successive reports changes in inventory of nuclear material in 2008/2009 comprised 3 sheets ICR document numbers (153, 154 and 155), in 2009/2010 comprised 1 sheet ICR document number (159), in 2010/2011 comprised 3 sheets ICR document numbers (164, 165 and 166), and in 2012/2013 comprised 2 sheets ICR document numbers (175 and 176). From these data report changes in inventory of nuclear material can be concluded that in MBA.RI-B has been the displacement of nuclear material activities includes receipt of nuclear material from other nuclear facilities and shipments of nuclear materials out of facilities for research and development includes receipt 4 times from RI-E and 1 times from RI-A and 3 times shipment to RI-E. (author)

  20. The effect of charged groups on hydrophilic monolithic stationary phases on their chromatographic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Haibin; Liu, Chusheng; Wang, Qiqin; Zhou, Haibo; Jiang, Zhengjin

    2016-10-21

    In order to investigate the effect of charged groups present in hydrophilic monolithic stationary phases on their chromatographic properties, three charged hydrophilic monomers, i.e. N,N-dimethyl-N-acryloyloxyethyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium betaine (SPDA), [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (AETA), and 3-sulfopropyl acrylate potassium salt (SPA) were co-polymerized with the crosslinker N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), respectively. The physicochemical properties of the three resulting charged hydrophilic monolithic columns were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, ζ-potential analysis and micro-HPLC. High column efficiency was obtained on the three monolithic columns at a linear velocity of 1mm/s using thiourea as test compound. Comparative characterization of the three charged HILIC phases was then carried out using a set of model compounds, including nucleobases, nucleosides, benzoic acid derivatives, phenols, β-blockers and small peptides. Depending on the combination of stationary phase/mobile phase/solute, both hydrophilic interaction and other potential secondary interactions, including electrostatic interaction, hydrogen-bonding interaction, molecular shape selectivity, could contribute to the over-all retention of the analytes. Because of the strong electrostatic interaction provided by the quaternary ammonium groups in the poly (AETA-co-MBA) monolith, this cationic HILIC monolith exhibited the strongest retention for benzoic acid derivatives and small peptides with distorted peak shapes and the weakest retention for basic β-blockers. The sulfonyl groups on the poly (SPA-co-MBA) hydrophilic monolith could provide strong electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding for positively charged analytes and hydrogen-donor/acceptor containing analytes, respectively. Therefore, basic drugs, nucleobases and nucleotides exhibited the strongest retention on this anionic monolith. Because of the weak but distinct cation exchange properties of

  1. Designing and Using Projects with Real World Application in a MBA Managerial Accounting Class: The Case of The Balanced Scorecard

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houke, Charlotte

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the purpose of designing and using projects with real world application in a M.B.A. managerial accounting class. Included is a discussion of how and why the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) Project has been used in classes to link theory with practice by providing real world application of the BSC framework. M.B.A. students represent a…

  2. 'Food for thought': New MBA with focus on the food sector at Aarhus School of Business

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stacey, Julia; Brunsø, Karen; Andersen, Lone Schreiber

    2002-01-01

    During the autumn of 2002, Aarhus School of Business decided to launch a new international MBA - with focus on the food sector. Prior to this decision lay thorough groundwork in the shape of a positive demand study among the largest food companies in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The concl......During the autumn of 2002, Aarhus School of Business decided to launch a new international MBA - with focus on the food sector. Prior to this decision lay thorough groundwork in the shape of a positive demand study among the largest food companies in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland...

  3. Concrete Steps for Assessing the "Soft Skills" in an MBA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingols, Cynthia; Shapiro, Mary

    2014-01-01

    In 2006, our School of Management began the serious path of assessing both the "hard skills" (such as accounting, finance, and strategy) and the "soft skills" (such as leadership, team work, and ethics) of our MBA Program. The data generated from examining the "soft skills" that we want students to learn within our…

  4. MBA Students' Workplace Writing: Implications for Business Writing Pedagogy and Workplace Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lentz, Paula

    2013-01-01

    Employers frequently complain about the state of their employees' writing skills. Much of the current research on this subject explores workplace writing skills from the employer's perspective. However, this article examines workplace writing from the employees' perspective. Specifically, it analyzes MBA students' responses to a course assignment…

  5. Synthesis, in vitro pharmacologic characterization, and preclinical evaluation of N-[2-(1'-piperidinyl)ethyl]-3-[125I]iodo-4-methoxybenzamide (P[125I]MBA) for imaging breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    John, Christy S.; Bowen, Wayne D.; Fisher, Susan J.; Lim, Benjamin B.; Geyer, Brian C.; Vilner, Bertold J.; Wahl, Richard L.

    1999-01-01

    human breast cancer histology. At 1 h postinjection, tumor uptake for P[ 125 I]MBA and Tc-99m sestamibi were found to be 0.35±0.01 and 0.32±0.01 % injected dose/organ (%ID/g), respectively. The %ID/g for liver, kidneys, and heart were 2, 11, and 20 times lower, respectively, for P[ 125 I]MBA as compared with Tc-sestamibi. Slightly higher uptake of P[ 125 I]MBA in tumors (than Tc-sestamibi) and a low nontarget organ uptake warrants further studies of this and other sigma receptor ligands for their use as breast cancer imaging agents

  6. Aspects of Intercultural Awareness through an MBA Study Abroad Program: Going "Backstage"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuleja, Elizabeth A.

    2008-01-01

    Understanding the globalization of business practices is an important area of learning for students studying in master of business administration (MBA) programs today, and many graduate business programs offer study tour programs for experiential learning. This article examines the instructional design of one program and makes recommendations for…

  7. The Use of a Well-Designed Instructional Guideline in Online MBA Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duesing, Robert J.; Ling, Juan; Yang, Jiaqin

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the positive impact of a teaching practice on student learning outcomes in an online MBA program. An instructional project guideline was developed to help online students enhance their achieving required learning objectives corresponding to five categories of Bloom's Taxonomy. The course learning objectives are based on…

  8. What Do We Teach in Organizational Behavior? An Analysis of MBA Syllabi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Kenneth G.; Charlier, Steven D.; Rynes, Sara L.; Hosmanek, Andrew

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the syllabi of 241 required organizational behavior (OB) related classes in full-time U.S. MBA programs. Syllabi were coded for information about course title, topics, readings, cases, teaching methods, and learning assessment methods. Results revealed that the most frequent topics listed across courses are leadership and…

  9. MBA Program Trends and Best Practices in Teaching Sustainability: Live Project Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sroufe, Robert; Ramos, Diane

    2011-01-01

    This study offers a model for incorporating live sustainability consulting projects in an MBA curriculum to nurture cross-functional faculty collaboration while offering students proving ground for solving contemporary challenges related to ethical management of all forms of capital. We attempt to first lay a foundation for the recent evolution of…

  10. Experiential, Collaborative and Team Projects: Communication Audits in the MBA Communication Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Claudia; Vroman, Margo; Stulz, Karin

    2015-01-01

    In this paper the authors discuss the challenges and rewards of building a graduate level Managerial Communication course around an experiential communication audit project. The purpose of the project was to provide MBA (Master of Business Administration) students with exposure to the real world responsibilities and demands of working in a complex…

  11. A Comparative Study of Job Satisfaction among Management Teachers of MBA Colleges in South Rajasthan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anil K. Bhatt

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Management teaching is a noble profession, a continuous process and indicator of economic and social development. The management teachers are the pre-requisite of the success of management programmes, their role in society has been increasing with the rapid growth of trade and finance in the whole world. Society is continuously observing Management teachers while there are various concerns in their role and their satisfaction. Only satisfied and well-adjusted management teacher can think of the wellbeing of the future managers. The major source of satisfaction for the management teachers comes from their own institution, also known as hygiene factors. In the light of this background, the aim of this study is to analyze the job satisfaction level among the MBA teachers in selected management colleges of south Rajasthan. For this purpose, the Job related hygiene factors were identified and then the satisfactions of 220 management teachers were sought on various dimensions. The data were analysed by using multiple regression and ANOVA analysis with SPSS-19 software to identify the factors responsible for satisfaction. The analysis revealed that three factors Physical Teaching condition, Flexible working hours and Environment providing hint of Job Security revealed the job satisfaction in Management teachers of South Rajasthan.

  12. "One-Size-Does-Not-Fit-All": Teaching MBA Students Different ERP Implementation Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkatesh, Viswanath

    2008-01-01

    This teaching tip discusses an approach to educating MBA students regarding strategies to select, design, and implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The teaching approach presented here discusses how to teach students about different strategies based success stories from three different organizations, namely Cisco, Tektronix, and…

  13. Auditing Communication Effectiveness in Higher Education: A Team-Based Study by MBA Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Claudia; Plemmons, Tony; Stulz, Karin; Vroman, Margo

    2017-01-01

    A regional University in the United States implemented an AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Program) Action Project with a goal of developing processes for effective leadership communication. An MBA (Masters of Business Administration) class conducted a university-wide communication audit to assist with the AQIP project. Quantitative and…

  14. Reflective Learning in a Chinese MBA Programme: Scale Assessment and Future Recommendations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Qian; Zhu, Pinghui; Hsu, Maxwell K.; Zhuang, Weiling; Peltier, James

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to use Chinese MBA students to validate the expanded reflective learning continuum and address the concerns raised in this regard in business education; (2) to determine whether the continuum concept holds true in a non-western culture and whether the reflective learning continuum remains a powerful force…

  15. A New Higher Education Marketing Mix: The 7Ps for MBA Marketing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivy, Jonathan

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a new marketing mix based on MBA students' attitudes and opinions towards the marketing initiatives of business schools in South Africa. The post-graduate business education market is, and increasingly, getting more aggressive in their efforts to attract students on to their flagship degree, the…

  16. A Test of the Teaching-Learning Style Mesh Hypothesis in a Chinese MBA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andres, Hayward P.; Akan, Obasi H.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine if "fit" and "non-fit" between authoritarian versus demonstrator teaching and visual versus verbal learning preferences differ in impact on Chinese MBA student academic performance in a large local urban Chinese university setting. In addition, the role of Chinese cultural…

  17. MBA in Education Leadership: A Model for Developing an Interdisciplinary Principal Preparation Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Rachel A.; Somers, John

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a model for developing an interdisciplinary principal preparation program, an MBA in Education Leadership, which integrates best practices in both education and business within an educational context. The paper addresses gaps that exist in many traditional principal preparation programs and provides an alternative model, which…

  18. Using Media Articles about Company Strategies to Teach Economics to MBA Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Indranil K.

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, the author expands on the idea of using up-to-date examples to teach applications of economic concepts. In the MBA Managerial Economics class, the author use profiles of two companies' decision-making strategies and their successes to show the applications of economic concepts used by the companies. This provides an even clearer…

  19. Management Communication in Non-U.S. MBA Programs: Current Trends and Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Melinda

    2005-01-01

    A study of top-ranked, full-time, global MBA programs suggests that management communication is indeed both an important focus and component in the curriculum. The methods of delivery, however, do not seem to follow any particular model, such as the common U.S. practice of a separate program or department. Required courses are found at 10 of the…

  20. A Process for Assessing and Improving Business Writing at the MBA Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Gary L.; Thompson, Margaret A.; Hebblethwaite, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    Assurance of learning continues to be a hot topic in higher education. Both accreditation agencies and employers are asking a key question: Are we graduating students who actually have the knowledge and skills that we promise? This case study focuses on business writing in an MBA program and presents a prescriptive, five-step program to improve…

  1. A Study of Distress, Wellness and Organisational Role Stress among MBA Professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Rajender

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to study Distress, Wellness and Organisational role stress of MBA professionals in the area of various companies and industries of Haryana. The effect of sex and age on the above variables were examined. Total 101 professionals (60 men and 41 women) were administered for the study. General Health Questionnaire-28…

  2. Synthesis, in vitro pharmacologic characterization, and preclinical evaluation of N-[2-(1'-piperidinyl)ethyl]-3-[{sup 125}I]iodo-4-methoxybenzamide (P[{sup 125}I]MBA) for imaging breast cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    John, Christy S. E-mail: radcsj@gwumc.edu; Bowen, Wayne D.; Fisher, Susan J.; Lim, Benjamin B.; Geyer, Brian C.; Vilner, Bertold J.; Wahl, Richard L

    1999-05-01

    evaluated in Lewis rats bearing syngeneic RMT breast cancers, a cancer that closely mimics human breast cancer histology. At 1 h postinjection, tumor uptake for P[{sup 125}I]MBA and Tc-99m sestamibi were found to be 0.35{+-}0.01 and 0.32{+-}0.01 % injected dose/organ (%ID/g), respectively. The %ID/g for liver, kidneys, and heart were 2, 11, and 20 times lower, respectively, for P[{sup 125}I]MBA as compared with Tc-sestamibi. Slightly higher uptake of P[{sup 125}I]MBA in tumors (than Tc-sestamibi) and a low nontarget organ uptake warrants further studies of this and other sigma receptor ligands for their use as breast cancer imaging agents.

  3. The International Market for MBA Qualifications: The Relationship between Tuition Fees and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Caroline; Soo, Kwok Tong

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the relationship between tuition fees charged by MBA programmes and the number of applications to these programmes, using a panel dataset comprising universities from countries across the world. Using Three-Stage-Least-Squares methods for simultaneous equations, we find a two-way relationship between tuition fees and…

  4. Standardization of 137mCs+137mBa by Liquid Scintillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez, L.; Los Arcos, J.M.; Grau, A.

    1995-01-01

    A procedure for the preparation of a stable, homogeneous solution of 137Cs+''137mBa, for use in liquid scintillation measurements, is described. Its count rate stability and spectral time evolution has been followed for several weeks. The solution has been standardised by the CIEMAT/NIST method in both Ultima-Gold and Insta-Gel, to a combined uncertainty lower than 0,51 % (k=l). (Author) 5 refs

  5. Innovating in health care management education: development of an accelerated MBA and MPH degree program at Yale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pettigrew, Melinda M; Forman, Howard P; Pistell, Anne F; Nembhard, Ingrid M

    2015-03-01

    Increasingly, there is recognition of the need for individuals with expertise in both management and public health to help health care organizations deliver high-quality and cost-effective care. The Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Management began offering an accelerated Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Public Health (MPH) joint degree program in the summer of 2014. This new program enables students to earn MBA and MPH degrees simultaneously from 2 fully accredited schools in 22 months. Students will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to become innovative leaders of health care organizations. We discuss the rationale for the program, the developmental process, the curriculum, benefits of the program, and potential challenges.

  6. A Business Communication Module for an MBA "Managerial Accounting" Course: A Teaching Note

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stout, David E.

    2014-01-01

    This Teaching Note describes a two-hour-and-40-minute "Business Communication" module developed and used by the author over the past six years in an MBA "Managerial Accounting" course at a university in the USA. The module has two modest but important goals: to sensitize graduate accounting students to the importance of…

  7. An Alternative Approach for MBA Mentor Programs: Empower the Protégé

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artis, Andrew B.

    2013-01-01

    A new approach is proposed to maximize the benefits of mentor relationships between master of business administration (MBA) students and executives by empowering students to select and recruit their own mentors, and then be responsible for managing those relationships. This mentor program is designed to be short but intensive. First-year MBA…

  8. Challenges Faced by Graduate Business Education in Southern Africa: Perceptions of MBA Participants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Temtime, Zelealem T.; Mmereki, Rebana N.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the degree of satisfaction and perceived relevance of the Graduate Business Education (GBE) programme at the University of Botswana. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered questionnaire and face to face interviews were used to collect data from Master of Business Administration (MBA)…

  9. Using Student Input to Develop a Marketing Strategy for an Executive MBA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geissler, Gary L.

    2011-01-01

    Despite continued growth in the number of Executive MBA (EMBA) Programs in the U. S. and worldwide, previous research concerning the marketing of EMBA Programs has been very limited. Here, the author investigates ways to successfully market an EMBA Program at a southern U. S. university. Extensive exploratory research was conducted among current…

  10. MD/MBA Students: An Analysis of Medical Student Career Choice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Windsor Westbrook Sherrill, Ph.D., MBA

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: An increasing number of medical schools are offering dual degree MD/MBA programs. Career choices and factors influencing students to enter these programs provide an indicator of the roles in which dual degree students will serve in health care as well as the future of dual degree programs. Purpose: Using career choice theory as a conceptual framework, career goals and factors influencing decisions to enter dual degree programs were assessed among dual degree medical students. Methods: Students enrolled at dual degree programs at six medical schools were surveyed and interviewed. A control group of traditional medical students was also surveyed. Results: Factors influencing students to seek both medical and business training are varied but are often related to a desire for leadership opportunities, concerns about change in medicine and job security and personal career goals. Most students expect to combine clinical and administrative roles. Conclusions: Students entering these programs do so for a variety of reasons and plan diverse careers. These findings can provide guidance for program development and recruitment for dual degree medical education programs

  11. MD/MBA Students: An Analysis of Medical Student Career Choice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Windsor Westbrook Sherrill, Ph.D., MBA

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: An increasing number of medical schools are offering dual degree MD/MBA programs. Career choices and factors influencing students to enter these programs provide an indicator of the roles in which dual degree students will serve in health care as well as the future of dual degree programs. Purpose: Using career choice theory as a conceptual framework, career goals and factors influencing decisions to enter dual degree programs were assessed among dual degree medical students. Methods: Students enrolled at dual degree programs at six medical schools were surveyed and interviewed. A control group of traditional medical students was also surveyed. Results: Factors influencing students to seek both medical and business training are varied but are often related to a desire for leadership opportunities, concerns about change in medicine and job security and personal career goals. Most students expect to combine clinical and administrative roles. Conclusions: Students entering these programs do so for a variety of reasons and plan diverse careers. These findings can provide guidance for program development and recruitment for dual degree medical education program

  12. MD/MBA Students: An Analysis of Medical Student Career Choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrill, Windsor Westbrook

    2004-12-01

    An increasing number of medical schools are offering dual degree MD/MBA programs. Career choices and factors influencing students to enter these programs provide an indicator of the roles in which dual degree students will serve in health care as well as the future of dual degree programs. Using career choice theory as a conceptual framework, career goals and factors influencing decisions to enter dual degree programs were assessed among dual degree medical students. Students enrolled at dual degree programs at six medical schools were surveyed and interviewed. A control group of traditional medical students was also surveyed. Factors influencing students to seek both medical and business training are varied but are often related to a desire for leadership opportunities, concerns about change in medicine and job security and personal career goals. Most students expect to combine clinical and administrative roles. Students entering these programs do so for a variety of reasons and plan diverse careers. These findings can provide guidance for program development and recruitment for dual degree medical education programs.

  13. The GMAT as a Predictor of MBA Performance: Less Success than Meets the Eye

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass, Darrin; Grandzol, Christian; Bommer, William

    2012-01-01

    Consistent with previous research, the authors found that the combined use of undergraduate grade point average and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) verbal and quantitative sections successfully predicted performance in a master of business administration (MBA) program. However, these measures did not successfully predict the…

  14. An Assessment of Demand for a Combined PharmD-MBA Program at the University of Saskatchewan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansell, Kerry; Bruneau-Bouchard, Antoine; Bruni-Bossio, Vincent

    2016-05-13

    (1) Background: Combined MBA programs are becoming increasingly popular, and it is anticipated that there will be 60 combined pharmacy-MBA programs across North America in 2015. We aimed to see if there would be support for a combined PharmD-MBA program at the University of Saskatchewan. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year pharmacy students at the University of Saskatchewan. A separate questionnaire was developed and all practicing pharmacists in Saskatchewan were emailed a link to SurveyMonkey ® (Palo Alto, CA, USA) to fill it out online. In-person and phone interviews were conducted with pharmacy stakeholders in Saskatchewan and across the country. (3) Results: Of the 265 students, 193 (72.8%) were present on the days the questionnaires were distributed, and they all completed the questionnaires. When asked if they would have pursued a combined degree if the U of S had offered it when they entered the pharmacy program, 16.6% (32/193) and 37.3% (72/193) either strongly agreed or agreed and 29.0% (56/193) were unsure. When pharmacists were asked if an MBA would be valuable or applicable in their current job, 42.2% (128/303) agreed and 13.9% (42/303) strongly agreed. When asked if they felt students graduating with a combined degree would be at an advantage for certain job opportunities upon graduation, 33.6% (100/298) strongly agreed and 55.4% (165/298) agreed. A total of 8 interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from across Canada. Of these 8 stakeholders, only 2 were aware that other combined programs were offered. All of the stakeholders were in favour of the idea of a combined degree. Some felt it was important for the program to have a clear value proposition and healthcare related content would be desirable. (4) Conclusions: Overall, pharmacist, pharmacy student, and stakeholder input indicate that a combined program could be supported at the University of Saskatchewan.

  15. An Assessment of Demand for a Combined PharmD–MBA Program at the University of Saskatchewan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansell, Kerry; Bruneau-Bouchard, Antoine; Bruni-Bossio, Vincent

    2016-01-01

    (1) Background: Combined MBA programs are becoming increasingly popular, and it is anticipated that there will be 60 combined pharmacy–MBA programs across North America in 2015. We aimed to see if there would be support for a combined PharmD–MBA program at the University of Saskatchewan. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year pharmacy students at the University of Saskatchewan. A separate questionnaire was developed and all practicing pharmacists in Saskatchewan were emailed a link to SurveyMonkey® (Palo Alto, CA, USA) to fill it out online. In-person and phone interviews were conducted with pharmacy stakeholders in Saskatchewan and across the country. (3) Results: Of the 265 students, 193 (72.8%) were present on the days the questionnaires were distributed, and they all completed the questionnaires. When asked if they would have pursued a combined degree if the U of S had offered it when they entered the pharmacy program, 16.6% (32/193) and 37.3% (72/193) either strongly agreed or agreed and 29.0% (56/193) were unsure. When pharmacists were asked if an MBA would be valuable or applicable in their current job, 42.2% (128/303) agreed and 13.9% (42/303) strongly agreed. When asked if they felt students graduating with a combined degree would be at an advantage for certain job opportunities upon graduation, 33.6% (100/298) strongly agreed and 55.4% (165/298) agreed. A total of 8 interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from across Canada. Of these 8 stakeholders, only 2 were aware that other combined programs were offered. All of the stakeholders were in favour of the idea of a combined degree. Some felt it was important for the program to have a clear value proposition and healthcare related content would be desirable. (4) Conclusions: Overall, pharmacist, pharmacy student, and stakeholder input indicate that a combined program could be supported at the University of Saskatchewan. PMID:28970393

  16. Strategic Communication and Social Media: An MBA Course from a Business Communication Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meredith, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    Social media offers an exciting new area for our discipline to produce research and pedagogy that is in high demand by students, industry constituents, and other disciplines. This article discusses why business communication scholars should focus on social media as an important stream of study and outlines an MBA course in social media strategy…

  17. Introducing a Writing Coach into an MBA Course: Perspectives of Students and Coaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice-Bailey, Tammy; Baker, Kimberly S.

    2017-01-01

    This article describes an interdisciplinary partnership that resulted in the introduction of a writing coach into an MBA class on critical and analytical thinking. By examining the response to this role by the writing coaches themselves and by the students enrolled in three sections of this new course, this exploratory study endeavors to answer…

  18. Synthesis and characterization of Au102(p-MBA)44 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levi-Kalisman, Yael; Jadzinsky, Pablo D; Kalisman, Nir; Tsunoyama, Hironori; Tsukuda, Tatsuya; Bushnell, David A; Kornberg, Roger D

    2011-03-09

    The synthesis of Au(102)(p-MBA)(44) nanoparticles on a preparative scale in high yield is described. Various analytical methods are shown to give results consistent with the composition and known structure of the particles, showing the preparation is essentially homogeneous, and attesting to the validity of the methods as well. Derivatization of the particles with proteins and DNA is demonstrated, and conditions are described for imaging individual particles by cryo-EM at low electron dose, close to focus, conditions optimal for recording high-resolution details.

  19. Innovating in Health Care Management Education: Development of an Accelerated MBA and MPH Degree Program at Yale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forman, Howard P.; Pistell, Anne F.; Nembhard, Ingrid M.

    2015-01-01

    Increasingly, there is recognition of the need for individuals with expertise in both management and public health to help health care organizations deliver high-quality and cost-effective care. The Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Management began offering an accelerated Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Public Health (MPH) joint degree program in the summer of 2014. This new program enables students to earn MBA and MPH degrees simultaneously from 2 fully accredited schools in 22 months. Students will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to become innovative leaders of health care organizations. We discuss the rationale for the program, the developmental process, the curriculum, benefits of the program, and potential challenges. PMID:25706023

  20. Conversion of a MBA to the treatment of biological wastes; Umnutzung einer MBA zur Bioabfallbehandlung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deubig, Jan B. [Zentrale Abfallwirtschaft Kaiserslautern (ZAK) AoeR Kapiteltal, Kaiserslautern (Germany); Stadtmueller, Gregor [Zentrale Abfallwirtschaft Kaiserslautern (ZAK) AoeR Kapiteltal, Kaiserslautern (Germany). Abt. Technik; Greuel, Michael [Schirmer Umwelttechnik GmbH, Mainz (Germany); Deubig, Isabel [Zentrale Abfallwirtschaft Kaiserslautern (ZAK) AoeR Kapiteltal, Kaiserslautern (Germany). Abt. Stoffstrommanagement

    2013-03-01

    The Zentrale Abfallwirtschaft Kaiserslautern (ZAK) - gemeinsame kommunale Anstalt der Stadt und des Landkreises Kaiserslautern (Kaiserslautern, Federal Republic of Germany) is a public waste management authority being responsible for 250,000 inhabitants with respect to the utilization of municipal waste and with respect to the collection of problematic waste materials and electric appliances. Due to the changing framework conditions in the waste management, ZAK looks for solutions which facilitate the handling with increasing specific costs at simultaneously preservation of created values and compliance with social and ecologic standards. The change of the utilization of the cluster of plants to a mechanical-biological biowaste treatment plant within a regional cooperation project with formation of clusters in the waste management is an alternative to the unchanged continuation of the status quo or to a shutdown. Within the project transformation, existing power plants have been partly subject to a utilization conversion for the second time. ZAK increases its profile as a biomass competence centre. The MBA technology demonstrates its process-technical determined enhanced flexibility of mass flow.

  1. Lessons from the Sea: A Case Study of an Experiential MBA International Management Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaves, Wanda V.; Yacovelli, Steven R.

    2008-01-01

    This article describes the design and implementation of a unique course developed to deeply engage MBA students in the complexities of the field of international management. This experiential course was designed around an integrative project based on the cruise industry. The professor worked with the leadership team of a major cruise line to…

  2. MBA sudents' satisfaction and loyality: state vs. private universities in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nihat Kamil Anil

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to explore the construct of student satisfaction and analyze its relationship with student loyalty in the context of state and private universities. A 45-item Turkish questionnaire adapted from literature, to which the authors added several items, was administered to MBA students of state- and private, foundation-owned universities located in Istanbul, as the largest city of Turkey. In this study, a two-step confirmative modeling strategy was chosen to test the hypotheses of the theoretical model by using LISREL 8. As the first step of the mentioned approach, a congruent and congeneric measurement model was established for each type of universities; then, in the second stage, hypotheses were tested by analyzing structural models. Research findings show a positive correlation between satisfaction and loyalty. The most important factors of satisfaction for the students attending state-owned universities are academic quality, teaching quality, and appropriateness of career opportunities; however, at private universities teaching quality and supportive services and appropriateness of career opportunities are the most significant factors. Administrative and the quality of library services turned out to be unimportant factors for MBA students both at state and private universities in this study. The distinguishing point of this study, which enhances its originality, was examining the difference between state and private universities separately.

  3. Does a plant for mechanical-biological waste treatment require a sanitary landfill?; Braucht die MBA eine Deponie?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schulte, Burkart [GVoA mbH und Co. KG, Hille (Germany)

    2012-11-01

    In mechanical-biological waste treatment, an interesting recyclable fraction is dumped in landfill together with other treatment residues. This may be 10-20% depending on the energy content of the initial material. Some operators of mechanical-biological waste treatment plants are currently working on modifying their waste treatment processes. Results so far have shown that this may also reduce the cost. (orig.) [German] Bei der bisherigen Abfallentsorgung mittels einer MBA (mechanisch-biologische Abfallbehandlung) wird immer noch ein interessanter Wertstoffanteil mit dem Deponat auf der Deponie abgelagert. Je nach Qualitaet der Vorbehandlung sind dies alleine vom Energieinhalt des Eingangsmaterials ca. 10-20%. Um auch diesen Anteil zu verwerten, sind aktuell einige MBA-Betreiber dabei, ihre Verfahren entsprechend umzustellen. Erste Ergebnisse zeigen, dass dies auch noch zu Kosteneinsparungen fuehren kann. (orig.)

  4. How Are Task Reflexivity and Intercultural Sensitivity Related to the Academic Performance of MBA Students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyubovnikova, Joanne; Napiersky, Uwe; Vlachopoulos, Panos

    2015-01-01

    Higher education in business school environments is increasingly focused on how to best equip students with the skills necessary for leadership in the global workplace. This paper examines the impact of two particularly important cognitive capabilities--task reflexivity and intercultural sensitivity, on academic performance in an MBA programme. It…

  5. MARKET BASKET ANALYSIS (MBA PADA SITUS WEB E-COMMERCE ZAKIYAH COLLECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ari Muzakir

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available E-commerce menghubungkan antara produsen dengan produsen, produsen dengan konsumen, konsumen dengan produsen, konsumen dengan konsumen. Untuk mengimplementasi e-commerce dalam mendukung bisnis organisasi perlu di perhatikan 5 komponen utama yaitu ; pengembangan produk, promosi, transaksi online, product delivery dan after sales support. Hal ini yang tengah diterapkan pada Zakiyah Collection. Zakiyah Collection bergerak dibidang penjualan aneka macam kain khas Palembang seperti songket, blongket,tanjung, dan lain sebagainya. Untuk melakukan analisis terhadap pangsa pasar yang ada agar dapat bersaing dengan toko online lainnya dilakukan dengan strategi pemasaran dengan menggunakan pendekatan market basket analysis (MBA. MBA merupakan salah satu teknik dari data mining yang digunakan untuk menentukan produk-produk manakah yang akan dibeli oleh pelanggan secara bersamaan dengan melakukan analisa terhadap daftar transaksi pelanggan. Dengan mengetahui produk-produk tersebut, maka sebuah sistem e-commerce dapat membuat maupun mengembangkan sebuah sistem customer profiles dan dapat menentukan layout katalog pelanggannya sendiri. Model pengembangan sistem yang dilakukan menggunakan prototype dimana pelanggan dan pengguna akan dilibatkan secara langsung dalam proses ini. Hasil akhir dalam penelitian ini adalah berupa analisis data transaksi menggunakan market basket analysis dengan dilakukan 4 kali kombinasi produk yang berdasarkan nilai support x confidence terbesar dengan hasil berupa angka-angka kemungkinan transasksi yang berkaitan dengan produk yang dijual. Jika dengan menggunakan 1 kali kombinasi, maka didapatkan blongket dengan nilai support sebesar 0.5625. Jika dilakukan 2 kali kombinasi diperoleh kombinasi blongket dan songket dengan nilai support 0.375. Kata kunci: e-commerce, market basket analysis, association rules.

  6. Fostering group identification and creativity in diverse groups: the role of individuation and self-verification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swann, William B; Kwan, Virginia S Y; Polzer, Jeffrey T; Milton, Laurie P

    2003-11-01

    A longitudinal study examined the interplay of identity negotiation processes and diversity in small groups of master's of business administration (MBA) students. When perceivers formed relatively positive impressions of other group members, higher diversity predicted more individuation of targets. When perceivers formed relatively neutral impressions of other group members, however, higher diversity predicted less individuation of targets. Individuation at the outset of the semester predicted self-verification effects several weeks later, and self-verification, in turn, predicted group identification and creative task performance. The authors conclude that contrary to self-categorization theory, fostering individuation and self-verification in diverse groups may maximize group identification and productivity.

  7. An MBA Cohort's Use of an Enterprise Social Network for Collaborative Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Glen D.

    2016-01-01

    The rapid pace of social media means that our understanding of the way in which it facilitates the learning process continues to lag. The findings of a longitudinal study of an executive MBA cohort over a period of eight months in their use of the social media application Yammer is presented. Student interaction data was analysed using a form of…

  8. Estudo do impacto de um curso MBA em controladoria na evolução de seus egressos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Frezatti

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available O ensino de pós-graduação tem evoluído de maneira muito acentuada a partir da premissa que traz conseqüências práticas em termos de benefícios aos participantes e às empresas. A grande busca tem se concentrado nos Master of Business Administration, criação norte-americana do início do século passado, que se expandiu para praticamente todas as partes do mundo. O estudo dos impactos dos cursos tem sido feito nos ambientes profissional e acadêmico. Abordando a evolução dos salários pré e pós MBA, o alcance de novos níveis na carreira e até mesmo a postura e aquisição de competências, os estudos buscam detectar os fatores que determinam o sucesso dos egressos dos cursos. A presente pesquisa examina a população de um programa brasileiro que foi implantado em 1994 e conta hoje com 17 turmas já formadas. Através de um questionário foram examinados o impacto do curso conforme percebido pelos egressos e sua evolução na carreira pós-MBA. Essas informações foram cruzadas com o perfil dos alunos e com seu desempenho acadêmico, buscando determinar os fatores que implicam no sucesso dos alunos após o curso. Para tanto, a pesquisa valeu-se da estatística descritiva e da Análise por Tabela de Contingência. Ao final, são apresentadas algumas conclusões iniciais e questões para aprofundamento.Post-graduate education has evolved in a very accentuated way on the basis of the premise that brings about practical consequences in terms of benefits to participants and companies. Demand has paramountly been concentrated in Master of Business Administration programs, a North-American creation from the beginning of the last century that has practically expanded all over the world.The impact of these courses has been studied in the professional and academic spheres. Dealing with salary evolution before and after the MBA, the achievement of new career levels and even the acquisition and attitude towards competencies, studies try to

  9. Online Academic Integrity: An Examination of MBA Students' Behavioral Intent of Engaging in Plagiarism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Rashad A.

    2017-01-01

    With the proliferation of online graduate enrollment by 35.7% from 2003 to 2014, the literature indicates the number of reported academic integrity cases is on the rise. A quantitative correlational study was used to determine which determinants, if any, had a relationship to the behavioral intent to engage in plagiarism among MBA students…

  10. Evaluating the Value-Added Impact of Outdoor Management Training for Leadership Development in an MBA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass, Darrin; Grandzol, Christian

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the benefits of Outdoor Management Training for the leadership development of students enrolled in an MBA-level Organizational Behavior course. Students enrolled in one of two experiential courses. Both were identical, except one included an intensive outdoor training component called Leadership on the Edge. The…

  11. The Coming Right-Brain Economy: Daniel H. Pink Says the MFA Is the New MBA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connection: The Journal of the New England Board of Higher Education, 2005

    2005-01-01

    According to a recent "Harvard Business Review" piece by author Daniel H. Pink, MBA graduates are, in many ways, becoming this century's blue-collar workers--people who entered a workforce that was full of promise only to see their jobs move overseas. At the same time, businesses are realizing that the only way to differentiate their goods and…

  12. Explaining the Relationship between the Identification of Academics with Self-Leadership: A Study of MBA Graduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, Matthew Jack

    2016-01-01

    How master of business administration (MBA) graduates influence themselves to achieve their objectives in their careers can be linked to how well they identified with academics throughout their education. It is important that scholars understand this relationship between academic and career performance. The ability to self-regulate, self-motivate,…

  13. Master of Business Administration (MBA) Student Outcomes in Vietnam: Graduate Student Insights from a Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ly, Chau Thi Minh; Vickers, Margaret H.; Fernandez, Santha

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Exploratory insights into the graduate student experiences of offshore MBA programmes in Vietnam are presented. Students are considered key stakeholders in the higher education (HE) debate, and their views were sought in light of recent shifts in HE worldwide, associated business education changes, nagging questions around the quality of…

  14. COLLECTIVE EFFECTS AT INJECTION FOR THE APS-U MBA LATTICE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lindberg, R.; Borland, M.; Blednykh, A.

    2017-06-25

    The Advanced Photon Source has proposed an upgrade to a multi-bend achromat (MBA) with a proposed timing mode calls for 48 bunches of 15 nC each. In this mode of operation we find that phase space mismatch from the booster can drive large wakefields that in turn may limit the current below that of the nominal collective instability threshold. We show that collective effects at injection lead to emittance growth that makes usual off-axis accumulation very challenging. On-axis injection ameliorates many of these issues, but we find that transverse feedback is still required. We explore the role of impedance, feedback, and phase-space mismatch on transverse instabilities at injection.

  15. Enzyme-free colorimetric determination of EV71 virus using a 3D-MnO2-PEG nanoflower and 4-MBA-MA-AgNPs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Chengchao; Ge, Shengxiang; Zhang, Jing; Lin, Huirong; Liu, Gang; Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2016-09-15

    We present a simple colorimetric assay for EV71 virus detection based on the aggregation of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) and melamine (MA) modified silver nanoparticles (4-MBA-MA-AgNPs) in the presence of Mn 2+ . The EV71-Ab 1 was incubated on a 96-well plate and the EV71-Ab 2 was labeled on the surface of three-dimensional nanoflower-like MnO 2 -PEG (3D-MnO 2 -PEG). After layer-by-layer immunoreactions, the EV71 virus and the corresponding 3D-MnO 2 -PEG-Ab 2 were captured on the plate. With the addition of Vitamin C (Vc), Mn 2+ was released from the 3D-MnO 2 -PEG and then the aggregation of the 4-MBA-MA-AgNPs was induced, allowing a naked-eye detection limit of EV71 virus to be as low as 5 × 10 4 particles per mL, which is about three orders of magnitude lower than the conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This enzyme-free immunoassay based on a hybrid 3D-MnO 2 features signal amplification strategies via a simple reduction reaction.

  16. Food for thought: New international MBA focusing on the food sector at Aarhus School of Business in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stacey, Julia

    2003-01-01

    The Aarhus School of Business in Denmark now launches a new international MBA Programme focussing on the food sector. The programme is designed to provide managers in the food sector with knowledge and managerial skills enabling them to rise to challenges that will face tomorrow's food sector....

  17. Understanding the MBA Gender Gap: Women Respond to Gender Norms by Reducing Public Assertiveness but Not Private Effort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallen, Aaron S; Morris, Michael W; Devine, Beth A; Lu, Jackson G

    2017-08-01

    Women's underperformance in MBA programs has been the subject of recent debate and policy interventions, despite a lack of rigorous evidence documenting when and why it occurs. The current studies document a performance gap, specifying its contours and contributing factors. Two behaviors by female students that may factor into the gap are public conformity and private internalization. We predicted that women conform to the norm associating maleness with technical prowess by minimizing their public assertiveness in class discussions and meetings, but that they do not internalize the norm by reducing private effort. Data from multiple cohorts of a top-ranked MBA program reveal female underperformance occurred in technical subjects (e.g., accounting), but not social subjects (e.g., marketing). As predicted, the gender effect ran not through private effort but through public assertiveness, even controlling for gender differences in interests and aptitudes. These findings support some current policy interventions while casting doubt on others.

  18. The role of MD and MBA training in the professional development of a physician: a survey of 30 years of graduates from the Wharton Health Care Management Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Mitesh S; Arora, Vishal; Patel, Mamta S; Kinney, June M; Pauly, Mark V; Asch, David A

    2014-09-01

    The number of medical schools offering MD and MBA training has increased fivefold in the last two decades. The authors evaluated graduates' perceptions of the role of such training on their career and professional development. In 2011, the authors surveyed physician graduates from the Wharton School MBA Program in Heath Care Management at the University of Pennsylvania from 1981 to 2010. Survey responses were analyzed and evaluated using grounded theory. Among 247 eligible graduates, 59.9% (148/247) completed the questionnaire and 89.9% (133/148) of them provided free-text responses. Approximately 85.1% (126/148) of respondents were male and 79.7% (118/148) entered residency training; however, both rates declined slightly over time. Among respondents within their first decade after graduation, 46.2% (24/52) reported clinical practice as their primary work sector compared with 39.5% (15/38) among respondents 11 to 20 years after graduation and 19.2% (5/26) of respondents 21 to 30 years after graduation. Overall, graduates reported mostly positive attitudes and often noted the benefits of career acceleration, professional flexibility, and credibility in multidisciplinary domains. The few negative remarks were focused on the opportunity cost of time and how peers in one discipline may negatively perceive the role of the other discipline's degree. Graduates with an MD and MBA report mostly positive attitudes towards their training, and many are pursuing leadership and primarily nonclinical roles later in their careers. These findings reveal new insights for policies affecting physician workforce. Further study is necessary to evaluate whether similar trends exist more broadly.

  19. Prison Field Trips: Can White-Collar Criminals Positively Affect the Ethical and Legal Behavior of Marketing and MBA Students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castleberry, Stephen B.

    2007-01-01

    Marketing educators bear some responsibility for teaching ethics and legal issues to their students. Visits to white-collar criminals in a federal prison camp are one method of achieving this task. This article develops and empirically assesses ten objectives for such a visit by MBA and undergraduate marketing classes. Undergraduates rated the…

  20. Motivational and Behavioral Activation as an Adjunct to Psychiatric Rehabilitation for Mild to Moderate Negative Symptoms in Individuals with Schizophrenia: A Proof-of-Concept Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kee-Hong Choi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Few psychosocial approaches address the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, which shares common features with depression and anxiety. Behavioral activation (BA is effective for addressing depression and anxiety in adults with various mental disorders. Motivational Interviewing (MI has been successfully applied to address ambivalence or lack of motivation towards treatment. Motivational and behavioral activation (mBA has been developed by incorporating the core principles from BA and MI with recent findings on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In this study, we aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of mBA in a non-randomized controlled pilot study that included individuals with schizophrenia with mild to moderate negative symptoms receiving psychiatric rehabilitation. A total of 73 individuals with schizophrenia were recruited. Forty-seven of the participants who met the study inclusion and exclusion criteria were assigned to either an mBA + usual psychiatric rehabilitation group (mBA or a usual psychiatric rehabilitation only group (treatment as usual, TAU. Administering mBA to individuals with schizophrenia with mild to moderate negative symptoms was feasible in a community mental health setting. Relative to TAU, mBA was associated with large effects in reducing negative symptoms measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS and the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS. However, after considering PANSS cognitive deficits and marital status as covariates due to significant differences in their baseline levels, the treatment effects on the BNSS were partially observed. In addition, participants in the mBA group showed improved verbal learning and memory compared with those in the TAU group. In individuals with schizophrenia receiving the usual forms of psychiatric rehabilitation in a community mental health setting, mBA appears to offer a promising adjunctive approach for addressing mild to moderate

  1. "Let's get down to business: a validation study of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory among a sample of MBA students.".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinze, Peter; Allen, Rhianon; Magai, Carol; Ritzler, Barry

    2010-08-01

    While the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) has gained increasing attention as a measure of noncriminal psychopathy, absent has been research involving samples including business people. This study investigated the validity of the PPI with such a population by examining the association between psychopathic traits and moral decision-making among MBA students. Sixty-six MBA students were assessed using the PPI, the MACH-IV (a measure of Machiavellianism), the Ethical Position Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Defining Issues Test (DIT-2). Only PPI Machiavellian Egocentricity was associated with level of post-conventional moral reasoning. MACH-IV Machiavellianism was a stronger predictor of the Subjectivist ethical position than were PPI subscales. However, a combination of MACH-IV Machiavellianism and four PPI scales accounted for 46% of the variance in Subjectivism. Results suggested that Machiavellian Egocentricity and Machiavellianism are distinct constructs. Benning, Patrick, Hicks, Blonigen, & Krueger (2003)'s two factor model of the PPI was also supported. In general, the findings provided further validation for the PPI as a tool for assessing psychopathic traits among "mainstream" individuals, including business people.

  2. Is the largest aqueous gold cluster a superatom complex? Electronic structure & optical response of the structurally determined Au146(p-MBA)57.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Lozano, Xóchitl; Plascencia-Villa, G; Calero, G; Whetten, R L; Weissker, Hans-Christian

    2017-12-07

    The new water-soluble gold cluster Au 146 (p-MBA) 57 , the structure of which has been recently determined at sub-atomic resolution by Vergara et al., is the largest aqueous gold cluster ever structurally determined and likewise the smallest cluster with a stacking fault. The core presents a twinned truncated octahedron, while additional peripheral gold atoms follow a C 2 rotational symmetry. According to the usual counting rules of the superatom complex (SAC) model, the compound attains a number of 92 SAC electrons if the overall net charge is 3- (three additional electrons). As this is the number of electrons required for a major shell closing, the question arises of whether Au 146 (p-MBA) 57 should be regarded as a superatom complex. Starting from the experimental coordinates we have analyzed the structure using density-functional theory. The optimized (relaxed) structure retains all the connectivity of the experimental coordinates, while removing much of its irregularities in interatomic distances, thereby enhancing the C 2 -symmetry feature. On analyzing the angular-momentum-projected states, we show that, despite a small gap, the electronic structure does not exhibit SAC model character. In addition, optical absorption spectra are found to be relatively smooth compared to the example of the Au 144 (SR) 60 cluster. The Au 146 (SR) 57 does not derive its stability from SAC character; it cannot be considered as a superatom complex.

  3. Using Existing Teams to Teach about Teams: How an MBA Course in Managing Teams Helps Students and the Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isabella, Lynn A.

    2005-01-01

    This article chronicles the unique manner in which a second-year MBA elective course in managing teams has been crafted using existing first-year learning teams as its core. The design and orchestration of this course are detailed, as are the challenges posed, in delivering a course that not only teaches about teams and team dynamics but does so…

  4. Creating and Implementing an Offshore Graduate Program: A Case Study of Leadership and Development of the Global Executive MBA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Marisa L.

    2013-01-01

    This study applies the literature on leadership framing to the globalization of higher education to understand the development of the Global Executive MBA program at a large university. The purpose of the study was to provide administrators, educators and university leaders an understanding as to how to respond to globalization and, secondly, to…

  5. Medical Students Who Pursue a Joint MD/MBA Degree: Who Are They and Where Are They Heading?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupat, Edward; Dienstag, Jules L; Kester, W Carl; Finkelstein, Stan N

    2016-01-21

    Increasingly, health care is being delivered in large, complex organizations, and physicians must learn to function effectively in them. As a result, several medical and business schools have developed joint programs to train physician leaders who receive both medical degree (MD) and master of business administration (MBA) degrees. We examined several themes in relation to these programs, revolving around concerns about who is attracted to them and whether exposure to the differing cultures of medicine and business have an impact on the professional identities of their graduates as manifested in their motivations, aspirations, and careers. We addressed these issues by studying students in the joint MD/MBA program at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Harvard Business School (HBS). Our data came from several internal sources and a survey of all students enrolled in the joint program in spring 2013. We found relatively few differences between joint program students and equivalent cohorts of HMS students in terms of personal characteristics, preadmission performance, and performance at HMS and HBS. Contrary to the concerns that such programs may draw students away from medicine, the vast majority embraced careers involving extensive postgraduate medical training, with long-term plans that leveraged their new perspectives and skills to improve health care delivery. © The Author(s) 2016.

  6. Oral Communication Skills Assessment in a Synchronous Hybrid MBA Programme: Does Attending Face-to-Face Matter for US and International Students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butz, Nikolaus T.; Askim-Lovseth, Mary K.

    2015-01-01

    The ability to communicate effectively is an essential skill for graduates of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programmes; however, as synchronous hybrid learning becomes more common, business schools may find it challenging to assess students' proficiency in this core area. An additional layer of complexity is added by the burgeoning…

  7. Réexaminer le modèle des «cinq forces de Porter»: La fusion des écoles et la formation de MBA jointe en tant que contrepartie du modèle d’avantage concurrentiel

    OpenAIRE

    Thi Thu Tra Nguyen

    2015-01-01

    In the scope of our doctoral research, business education is considered as an industry where business schools act as firms. Our thesis focuses on the strategic management field, with aims to explore how schools revisit their MBA curricula. Within this framework, joint and merged MBA programmes have been analysed as a counter point of Porter’s five forces (1980): rivalry among competitors, entry barriers, substitutions’ threats, buyers’ and suppliers’ bargaining power. The objective of this co...

  8. "I Understood the Words but I Didn't Know What They Meant": Japanese Online MBA Students' Experiences of British Assessment Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenton-O'Creevy, Mark; van Mourik, Carien

    2016-01-01

    We report on a case study of high Japanese student failure rates in an online MBA programme. Drawing on interviews, and reviews of exam and assignment scripts we frame the problems faced by these students in terms of a "language as social practice" approach and highlight the students' failure to understand the specific language games…

  9. Teamwork Orientation, Group Cohesiveness, and Student Learning: A Study of the Use of Teams in Online Distance Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Ethlyn A.; Duray, Rebecca; Reddy, Venkateshwar

    2006-01-01

    This research examines computer-supported collaborative learning. Master's of business administration (MBA) students in an online program were surveyed to examine the extent to which an orientation toward teamwork and the development of group cohesiveness affect overall student learning and the learning that results specifically from team…

  10. Roles of participation and feedback in group potency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamero, Nuria; Peiró, José M; Zornoza, Ana; Picazo, Carmen

    2009-08-01

    The roles of group participation and group performance feedback were examined as antecedents of group potency, i.e., beliefs shared among a work group's members about the general effectiveness of the work group. Also examined were how group participation and the congruence of the feedback received from different sources about performance predicted convergence in members' beliefs about group effectiveness. The sample comprised 61 work groups of professionals involved in Master in Business Administration (MBA) programs (284 participants). Mean group size was 4.6 members (SD = .58). 65% of participants were male, and 51% were between 30 and 40 years of age. Data were gathered at two measurement times. Increases in group participation were positively related to increases in group potency and the convergence in beliefs about group effectiveness among group members over time. Results supported the premise that group performance feedback is an antecedent of changes in group potency over time.

  11. MBA Students' Quality Improvement: The Correlation Analysis of Students' Personal Traits and Attitudes towards Teaching Methods at a Chinese University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Rui; Gao, Xiaowei; Zhong, Wanxing; Zhou, Xiaoling

    2015-01-01

    MBA education has become the fastest growing segment of education in China in recent years and a segment that can now be considered indispensable. However, how best to teach it has long been a source of debate. One of the key issues is how to match student traits with teaching methods. While engaged as teachers of marketing management, the authors…

  12. A Psychometric Assessment of the "Businessweek," "U.S. News & World Report," and "Financial Times" Rankings of Business Schools' MBA Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iacobucci, Dawn

    2013-01-01

    This research investigates the reliability and validity of three major publications' rankings of MBA programs. Each set of rankings showed reasonable consistency over time, both at the level of the overall rankings and for most of the facets from which the rankings are derived. Each set of rankings also showed some levels of convergent and…

  13. MBA 教育项目的营销策略组合研究——以华侨大学为例%Study on the Marketing Strategy Combination of the MBA Education Project——Taking the Huaqiao University as an Example

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    戴敏敏

    2012-01-01

      Marketing strategy of Chinese MBA education project at the University of studies mainly includes part 3 of the combination of content, that is submitted by market segmentation, market positioning and marketing strategies. This three-part time with a close logical relationship among the most prominent is that marketing mix strategy based on market segmentation and market position that contains basic marketing strategies and strengthening of the class based on the 4P class 4C-based marketing strategies.%  华侨大学 MBA 教育项目的营销策略组合的研究主要包括三部分内容,即市场细分、市场定位和提出营销策略组合。这三部分内容具有紧密的时间逻辑关系,其中最为突出之处在于营销组合策略基于市场细分和市场定位包含基础类基于4P 的营销策略组合和加强类基于4C 营销策略组合。

  14. Do, but Don't Tell: The Search for Social Responsibility and Sustainability in the Websites of the Top-100 US MBA Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Timothy A.; Fox, Corey J.; Ede, Kenneth F.; Korstad, John

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree to which business schools, in particular MBA programs, have developed academic programs and centers specifically focused on corporate social responsibility and sustainability (CSRS) and, for those that have, promote them on their Web sites. The instruction of CSRS in institutions of…

  15. Payer Perspectives on PCSK9 Inhibitors: A Conversation with Stephen Gorshow, MD, and James T. Kenney, RPh, MBA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehr, Stanton R

    2016-02-01

    The new proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors can have significant budget effects, depending on the breadth of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s approved labeling. American Health & Drug Benefits asked Stephen Gorshow, MD, Regional Medical Director, UnitedHealthcare, and James T. Kenney, RPh, MBA, Manager, Specialty and Pharmacy Contracts, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, to participate in a teleconference to better understand how payers are approaching the management of these agents.

  16. Porter’s five forces reconsideration: Model of joint MBA programmes and schools’ fusion in the industry of Management Education as a counter point of competitive environment model : COMMUNICATION POUR LA BIENNALE 2015 « COOPERER » Identifiant : N° 448

    OpenAIRE

    NGUYEN , Thi Thu Tra

    2015-01-01

    International audience; In the scope of our doctoral research, business education is considered as an industry where business schools act as firms. Our thesis focuses on the strategic management field, with aims to explore how schools revisit their MBA curricula. Within this framework, joint and merged MBA programmes have been analysed as a counter point of Porter’s five forces (1980): rivalry among competitors, entry barriers, substitutions’ threats, buyers’ and suppliers’ bargaining power. ...

  17. MaMBA - a functional Moon and Mars Base Analog

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinicke, C.; Foing, B.

    2017-09-01

    Despite impressive progress in robotic exploration of celestial bodies, robots are believed to never reach the effectiveness and efficiency of a trained human. Consequently, ESA proposes to build an international Moon Village in roughly 15 years and NASA plans for the first manned mission to Mars shortly after. One of the challenges still remaining is the need for a shelter, a habitat which allows human spacefarers to safely live and work on the surface of a celestial body. Although a number of prototype habitats has been built during the last decades and inhabited for various durations (e.g. MDRS, FMARS, HI-SEAS, M.A.R.S.), these habitats are typically equipped for studies on human factors and would not function in an extraterrestrial environment. Project MaMBA (Moon and Mars Base Analog) aims to build the first functional habitat based on the lessons learned from intermediate and long duration missions at the mentioned habitats. The habitat will serve for testing technologies like life support, power systems, and interplanetary communi­cation. Special attention will be given to the develop­ment of the geoscience laboratory module. Crews will live and work inside the habitat to ensure its functionality.

  18. The Strength of Weak Ties in MBA Job Search: A Within–Person Test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason Greenberg

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Whether and how social ties create value has inspired substantial research in organizational theory, sociology, and economics. Scholars generally believe that social ties impact labor market outcomes. Two explanatory mechanisms have been identified, emphasizing access to better job offers in pecuniary terms and the efficacy of non-redundant information. The evidence informing each theory, however, has been inconsistent and circumstantial. We test predictions from both models using a rich set of job search data collected from an MBA student population, including detailed information about search channels and characteristics of job offers. Importantly, we can compare offers made to the same student derived via different search channels while accounting for industry, function, and non-pecuniary characteristics. We find that contrary to conventional wisdom, search through social networks typically results in job offers with lower total compensation (-17 percent for referrals through strong ties and -16 percent for referrals via weak ties vs. formal search. However, our models also show that students are considerably more likely to accept offers derived via weak ties. They do so because they are perceived to have greater growth potential and other non-pecuniary value. On balance, our tests are consistent with Granovetter’s argument that networks provide value by facilitating access to information that is otherwise difficult to obtain, rather than providing greater pecuniary compensation.

  19. Life in the fast lane: Settled pastoralism in the Central Eurasian Steppe during the Middle Bronze Age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judd, Margaret A; Walker, Jessica L; Ventresca Miller, Alicia; Razhev, Dmitry; Epimakhov, Andrey V; Hanks, Bryan K

    2018-04-19

    We tested the hypothesis that the purported unstable climate in the South Urals region during the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) resulted in health instability and social stress as evidenced by skeletal response. The skeletal sample (n = 99) derived from Kamennyi Ambar 5 (KA-5), a MBA kurgan cemetery (2040-1730 cal. BCE, 2 sigma) associated with the Sintashta culture. Skeletal stress indicators assessed included cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, dental enamel hypoplasia, and tibia periosteal new bone growth. Dental disease (caries, abscess, calculus, and periodontitis) and trauma were scored. Results were compared to regional data from the nearby Samara Valley, spanning the Early to Late Bronze Age (EBA, LBA). Lesions were minimal for the KA-5 and MBA-LBA groups except for periodontitis and dental calculus. No unambiguous weapon injuries or injuries associated with violence were observed for the KA-5 group; few injuries occurred at other sites. Subadults (age. Skeletal stress markers and injuries were uncommon among the KA-5 and regional groups, but a MBA-LBA high subadult mortality indicates elevated frailty levels and inability to survive acute illnesses. Following an optimal weaning program, subadults were at risk for physiological insult and many succumbed. Only a small number of individuals attained biological maturity during the MBA, suggesting that a fast life history was an adaptive regional response to a less hospitable and perhaps unstable environment. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Medical equipment management through the use of radio frequency identification (RFID)

    OpenAIRE

    Sanchez, Joaquin A.; Nixon, Richard A.; Chávez, Sergio

    2004-01-01

    MBA Professional Report Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited The purpose of this MBA project is to identify the potential value of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) use in the management of medical equipment at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD). In doing so, our project seeks to derive potential benefits through the use of RFID technology by comparing a group of medical equipment items that are tracked within NMCSD. The project includes a discussion of additio...

  1. GENDER AND THE MBA: Differences in Career Trajectories, Institutional Support, and Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Sarah E; Damaske, Sarah; Sheroff, Christen

    2017-06-01

    This study asks how men's and women's careers diverge following MBA graduation from an elite university, using qualitative interview data from 74 respondents. We discover men and women follow three career pathways post-graduation: lockstep (stable employment), transitory (3 or more employers), and exit (left workforce). While similar proportions of men and women followed the lockstep pathways and launched accelerated careers, sizable gender differences emerged on the transitory pathway; men's careers soared as women's faltered on this path-the modal category for both. On the transitory path, men fared much better than women when moving to new organizations, suggesting that gender may become more salient when people have a shorter work history with a company. Our findings suggest that clear building blocks to promotions reduce gender bias and ambiguity in the promotion process, but multiple external moves hamper women, putting them at a clear disadvantage to men whose forward progress is less likely to be stalled by such moves.

  2. Fundraising Strategies Developed by MBA students in Project-Based Learning Courses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joao Alberto Arantes do Amaral

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The ability to raise funds is a skill that most modern project managers need. While a good deal of literature exists on the strategies NGOs employ to raise funds for their operations, less attention has been paid to the strategies used by students involved in Project-Based Learning courses that often partner with NGOs. Fundraising is an important skill that not only provides students with opportunities for creativity, but also helps them develop the communication skills they will need in the work they do after they graduate.In this paper, we discuss the fundraising strategies developed by MBA students in 204 social projects completed between 2002 and 2014. The projects were done in partnership with 39 community partners in Sao Paulo, Brazil (NGOs and Public Institutions. In our study, we followed quantitative and qualitative research methods, analyzing data and documents from the projects’ databases. We identified six different fundraising strategies: organizing raffles, soliciting donations from private corporations, organizing paying events, utilizing online social networks developing crowdfunding, and soliciting individual donations.

  3. Characterization of A Am/MBA hydrogels prepared by radiation induced polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahmudi, N.; Rendevski, S.

    2012-01-01

    In this research the network structure of polyacrylamide hydrogels prepared by gamma radiation-induced polymerization has been investigated. The average molecular weight between cross-link junctions ‾M c and effective cross-link density of hydrogels were calculated from swelling data as well as shear modulus data. The mechanical tests showed that by increasing the amount of the cross linker methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) into hydrogels, the value of shear modulus G and cross-link density ν e increased, but the average molecular weight between cross-link junctions ‾M c , decreased. The ‾M c and the effective cross-link density ν e obtained from the mechanical characterization were significantly different than the values obtained from swelling experiments. These differences were attributed to the uncertainty on the value of the χ parameter used in the Flory-Rehner equations. The results have shown that simple compression analyses can be used for the determination of ν e without any need of polymer-solvent interaction parameter for its calculations from the swelling analysis. (Author)

  4. The prosthetic implant of MBA Optetrak in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: 5 years of experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedrazzini, A; Pogliacomi, F; Scaravella, E; Pompili, M; Ceccarelli, F

    2014-09-24

    In this study the authors report their experience in treating knee osteoarthritis with MBA Optetrak prosthetic implant, designed to minimize the stress of high density polyethylene. In all patients, we implanted two different Optetrak prosthesis according to the validity or not of the posterior cruciate ligament. At follow-up visit, which was performed after an average follow-up of 3.6 years, we analyzed 53 patients radiographically and clinically using the Knee Society Score (KSS). Depending on our experience, we consider mandatory to have a precise selection of the patients as well as to perform an accurate capsular and ligamentous balance during operation. Furthermore, the use of prosthesis models which are similar to the normal knee allows to obtain good and durable results.

  5. Chemical bond properties and Mossbauer spectroscopy in (La1-xMx)2CuO4 (M=Ba, Sr)

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2002-01-01

    By using the average band-gap model, the chemical bond properties of (La1-x Mx)2CuO4(M=Ba, Sr) were calculated . The calculated covalencies for Cu(O and La(O bond in the compounds are 0.3 and 0.03 respectively. M?ssbauer isomer shifts of 57Fe doped in La2CuO4 and 119Sn doped in La2CuO4 were calculated by using the chemical surrounding factor defined by covalency and electronic polarizability. Four valence state tin and three valence iron sites were identified in 57Fe and 119Sn doped La2CuO4.

  6. Sexual behavior in pregnancy: comparing between sexual education group and nonsexual education group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wannakosit, Salakjit; Phupong, Vorapong

    2010-10-01

    Sexuality usually decreases during pregnancy. To evaluate sexual behavior during pregnancy, comparing two groups. One had sexual education and the other had none. After randomizing two groups of pregnant women, they completed self-administered questionnaires regarding attitudes and sexual behavior before and during pregnancy. Sexual education was provided in one group and a second self-administered questionnaire was completed 12 weeks later. Responses were summarized using descriptive statistics. Comparison of change of sexual behavior between two groups was analyzed using chi-square and student t-tests. The change in frequency of coitus during pregnancy was compared between the sexual education group and the noneducation group. There was no statistically difference in changes of sexual behavior between the two groups. There was a reduction in frequency of coitus (90.6% vs. 94.9%, P>0.05) between the nonsexual education group and the sexual education group and no statistically significant change in mean reduction of sexual desire (8.9 vs. 4.4, P>0.05), sexual arousal (14.3 vs. 13.1, P>0.05), satisfaction from coitus (15.4 vs. 7.2, P>0.05), and orgasm from coitus (12.3 vs. 12.3, P>0.05). The change of sexual behavior during pregnancy in the sexual education group was not different from that in the nonsexual education group. © 2010 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  7. Biostatistics Series Module 3: Comparing Groups: Numerical Variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazra, Avijit; Gogtay, Nithya

    2016-01-01

    Numerical data that are normally distributed can be analyzed with parametric tests, that is, tests which are based on the parameters that define a normal distribution curve. If the distribution is uncertain, the data can be plotted as a normal probability plot and visually inspected, or tested for normality using one of a number of goodness of fit tests, such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The widely used Student's t-test has three variants. The one-sample t-test is used to assess if a sample mean (as an estimate of the population mean) differs significantly from a given population mean. The means of two independent samples may be compared for a statistically significant difference by the unpaired or independent samples t-test. If the data sets are related in some way, their means may be compared by the paired or dependent samples t-test. The t-test should not be used to compare the means of more than two groups. Although it is possible to compare groups in pairs, when there are more than two groups, this will increase the probability of a Type I error. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed to compare the means of three or more independent data sets that are normally distributed. Multiple measurements from the same set of subjects cannot be treated as separate, unrelated data sets. Comparison of means in such a situation requires repeated measures ANOVA. It is to be noted that while a multiple group comparison test such as ANOVA can point to a significant difference, it does not identify exactly between which two groups the difference lies. To do this, multiple group comparison needs to be followed up by an appropriate post hoc test. An example is the Tukey's honestly significant difference test following ANOVA. If the assumptions for parametric tests are not met, there are nonparametric alternatives for comparing data sets. These include Mann-Whitney U-test as the nonparametric counterpart of the unpaired Student's t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test

  8. High-heat-load monochromator options for the RIXS beamline at the APS with the MBA lattice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Zunping, E-mail: zpliu@anl.gov; Gog, Thomas, E-mail: gog@aps.anl.gov; Stoupin, Stanislav A.; Upton, Mary H.; Ding, Yang; Kim, Jung-Ho; Casa, Diego M.; Said, Ayman H.; Carter, Jason A.; Navrotski, Gary [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States)

    2016-07-27

    With the MBA lattice for APS-Upgrade, tuning curves of 2.6 cm period undulators meet the source requirements for the RIXS beamline. The high-heat-load monochromator (HHLM) is the first optical white beam component. There are four options for the HHLM such as diamond monochromators with refrigerant of either water or liquid nitrogen (LN{sub 2}), and silicon monochromators of either direct or indirect cooling system. Their performances are evaluated at energy 11.215 keV (Ir L-III edge). The cryo-cooled diamond monochromator has similar performance as the water-cooled diamond monochromator because GaIn of the Cu-GaIn-diamond interface becomes solid. The cryo-cooled silicon monochromators perform better, not only in terms of surface slope error due to thermal deformation, but also in terms of thermal capacity.

  9. Building Bivariate Tables: The compareGroups Package for R

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isaac Subirana

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The R package compareGroups provides functions meant to facilitate the construction of bivariate tables (descriptives of several variables for comparison between groups and generates reports in several formats (LATEX, HTML or plain text CSV. Moreover, bivariate tables can be viewed directly on the R console in a nice format. A graphical user interface (GUI has been implemented to build the bivariate tables more easily for those users who are not familiar with the R software. Some new functions and methods have been incorporated in the newest version of the compareGroups package (version 1.x to deal with time-to-event variables, stratifying tables, merging several tables, and revising the statistical methods used. The GUI interface also has been improved, making it much easier and more intuitive to set the inputs for building the bivariate tables. The ?rst version (version 0.x and this version were presented at the 2010 useR! conference (Sanz, Subirana, and Vila 2010 and the 2011 useR! conference (Sanz, Subirana, and Vila 2011, respectively. Package compareGroups is available from the Comprehensive R Archive Network at http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=compareGroups.

  10. Comparing linear probability model coefficients across groups

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, Anders; Ejrnæs, Mette; Karlson, Kristian Bernt

    2015-01-01

    of the following three components: outcome truncation, scale parameters and distributional shape of the predictor variable. These results point to limitations in using linear probability model coefficients for group comparisons. We also provide Monte Carlo simulations and real examples to illustrate......This article offers a formal identification analysis of the problem in comparing coefficients from linear probability models between groups. We show that differences in coefficients from these models can result not only from genuine differences in effects, but also from differences in one or more...... these limitations, and we suggest a restricted approach to using linear probability model coefficients in group comparisons....

  11. Availability and Perceived Value of Masters of Business Administration Degree Programs in Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clauson, Kevin A.; Latif, David A.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives. To examine pharmacist-targeted master of business administration (MBA) degree programs and investigate pharmacists’ perceptions regarding them. Methods. Specialized MBA programs in pharmaceutical marketing and management offered at US colleges and schools of pharmacy were identified in the literature and compared. Pharmacists’ perceptions of MBA programs were evaluated through a survey of clinical preceptors affiliated with a school of pharmacy. Results. Seven US universities that offer an MBA program in pharmaceutical marketing and management were identified. Thirty-three percent of the 57 pharmacist preceptors who responded to the survey reported plans to pursue an MBA degree program. Respondents preferred MBA programs related to healthcare or pharmacy (66%) over general MBA programs (33%). Conclusion. An MBA in pharmaceutical marketing and management could provide pharmacists with advanced knowledge of the operational and strategic business aspects of pharmacy practice and give pharmacy graduates an advantage in an increasingly competitive job market. PMID:22611273

  12. Availability and perceived value of masters of business administration degree programs in pharmaceutical marketing and management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkhateeb, Fadi M; Clauson, Kevin A; Latif, David A

    2012-05-10

    To examine pharmacist-targeted master of business administration (MBA) degree programs and investigate pharmacists' perceptions regarding them. Specialized MBA programs in pharmaceutical marketing and management offered at US colleges and schools of pharmacy were identified in the literature and compared. Pharmacists' perceptions of MBA programs were evaluated through a survey of clinical preceptors affiliated with a school of pharmacy. Seven US universities that offer an MBA program in pharmaceutical marketing and management were identified. Thirty-three percent of the 57 pharmacist preceptors who responded to the survey reported plans to pursue an MBA degree program. Respondents preferred MBA programs related to healthcare or pharmacy (66%) over general MBA programs (33%). An MBA in pharmaceutical marketing and management could provide pharmacists with advanced knowledge of the operational and strategic business aspects of pharmacy practice and give pharmacy graduates an advantage in an increasingly competitive job market.

  13. Comparing EU hospital efficiency using diagnosis-related groups

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rhodes, G.; Wiley, M.; Tomas, R.; Casas, M.; Leidl, R.

    1997-01-01

    This article considers the feasibility of comparing the differences in efficiency and price in the provision of hospital products defined on the basis of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). Two measures of resource use are compared, the length of stay and the administrative price, both independently

  14. Comparative genome analysis of 19 Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paralanov, Vanya; Lu, Jin; Duffy, Lynn B; Crabb, Donna M; Shrivastava, Susmita; Methé, Barbara A; Inman, Jason; Yooseph, Shibu; Xiao, Li; Cassell, Gail H; Waites, Ken B; Glass, John I

    2012-05-30

    Ureaplasma urealyticum (UUR) and Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) are sexually transmitted bacteria among humans implicated in a variety of disease states including but not limited to: nongonococcal urethritis, infertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, chorioamnionitis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates. There are 10 distinct serotypes of UUR and 4 of UPA. Efforts to determine whether difference in pathogenic potential exists at the ureaplasma serovar level have been hampered by limitations of antibody-based typing methods, multiple cross-reactions and poor discriminating capacity in clinical samples containing two or more serovars. We determined the genome sequences of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) type strains of all UUR and UPA serovars as well as four clinical isolates of UUR for which we were not able to determine serovar designation. UPA serovars had 0.75-0.78 Mbp genomes and UUR serovars were 0.84-0.95 Mbp. The original classification of ureaplasma isolates into distinct serovars was largely based on differences in the major ureaplasma surface antigen called the multiple banded antigen (MBA) and reactions of human and animal sera to the organisms. Whole genome analysis of the 14 serovars and the 4 clinical isolates showed the mba gene was part of a large superfamily, which is a phase variable gene system, and that some serovars have identical sets of mba genes. Most of the differences among serovars are hypothetical genes, and in general the two species and 14 serovars are extremely similar at the genome level. Comparative genome analysis suggests UUR is more capable of acquiring genes horizontally, which may contribute to its greater virulence for some conditions. The overwhelming evidence of extensive horizontal gene transfer among these organisms from our previous studies combined with our comparative analysis indicates that ureaplasmas exist as quasi-species rather than as stable serovars in their native environment. Therefore, differential

  15. Group therapy compared with individual desensitization for dental anxiety

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moore, R.; Brødsgaard, I.

    1994-01-01

    Results of group therapy (GT) for extreme dental anxiety were compared with individual treatment (IT). Scales used measured dental anxiety, beliefs or trust in dentists, and fear of the next dentist after specialist treatment which showed reduced dental anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared...... with a static control group of 45 patients. The 30 GT patients showed no significant difference in dropouts during training compared with the 68 IT patients, but for patients who completed treatment, GT (n = 24) had greater dental anxiety reduction than IT subjects (n = 60). GT patients required fewer therapist...

  16. The Role of the Multiple Banded Antigen of Ureaplasma parvum in Intra-Amniotic Infection: Major Virulence Factor or Decoy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dando, Samantha J.; Nitsos, Ilias; Kallapur, Suhas G.; Newnham, John P.; Polglase, Graeme R.; Pillow, J. Jane; Jobe, Alan H.; Timms, Peter; Knox, Christine L.

    2012-01-01

    The multiple banded antigen (MBA) is a predicted virulence factor of Ureaplasma species. Antigenic variation of the MBA is a potential mechanism by which ureaplasmas avoid immune recognition and cause chronic infections of the upper genital tract of pregnant women. We tested whether the MBA is involved in the pathogenesis of intra-amniotic infection and chorioamnionitis by injecting virulent or avirulent-derived ureaplasma clones (expressing single MBA variants) into the amniotic fluid of pregnant sheep. At 55 days of gestation pregnant ewes (n = 20) received intra-amniotic injections of virulent-derived or avirulent-derived U. parvum serovar 6 strains (2×104 CFU), or 10B medium (n = 5). Amniotic fluid was collected every two weeks post-infection and fetal tissues were collected at the time of surgical delivery of the fetus (140 days of gestation). Whilst chronic colonisation was established in the amniotic fluid of animals infected with avirulent-derived and virulent-derived ureaplasmas, the severity of chorioamnionitis and fetal inflammation was not different between these groups (p>0.05). MBA size variants (32–170 kDa) were generated in vivo in amniotic fluid samples from both the avirulent and virulent groups, whereas in vitro antibody selection experiments led to the emergence of MBA-negative escape variants in both strains. Anti-ureaplasma IgG antibodies were detected in the maternal serum of animals from the avirulent (40%) and virulent (55%) groups, and these antibodies correlated with increased IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 expression in chorioamnion tissue (pureaplasmas are capable of MBA phase variation in vitro; however, ureaplasmas undergo MBA size variation in vivo, to potentially prevent eradication by the immune response. Size variation of the MBA did not correlate with the severity of chorioamnionitis. Nonetheless, the correlation between a maternal humoral response and the expression of chorioamnion cytokines is a novel finding. This host

  17. Group therapy compared with individual desensitization for dental anxiety

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moore, R.; Brødsgaard, I.

    1994-01-01

    Results of group therapy (GT) for extreme dental anxiety were compared with individual treatment (IT). Scales used measured dental anxiety, beliefs or trust in dentists, and fear of the next dentist after specialist treatment which showed reduced dental anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared...... with a static control group of 45 patients. The 30 GT patients showed no significant difference in dropouts during training compared with the 68 IT patients, but for patients who completed treatment, GT (n = 24) had greater dental anxiety reduction than IT subjects (n = 60). GT patients required fewer therapist...... hours per patients than did either of the two IT methods, but time saved in GT did not reach significance over clinical rehearsal IT. Results at 1- yr follow-up after specialist treatment indicated that dropouts were significantly greater in group therapy. Rehearsal IT performed best for sustained...

  18. Photophysical studies of highly luminescent europium(III) and terbium(III) complexes functionalized with amino and mercapto groups

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Souza, E.R.; Monteiro, J.H.S.K.; Mazali, I.O.; Sigoli, F.A., E-mail: fsigoli@iqm.unicam.br

    2016-02-15

    This work proposes the replacement of coordinated-water molecules from the precursor complexes [Ln(aba){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O)] and [Ln(tta){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}], (Ln=Eu{sup 3+}, Gd{sup 3+} or Tb{sup 3+}, aba{sup −}=aminobenzoate, tta{sup −}=thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) by the ligands mercaptobenzoate (mba{sup −}), mercaptopropionate (mpa{sup −}), phenanthroline (phen), dimethylformamide (dmf) and acetoacetanilide (aaa{sup −}), leading to anionic or neutral amino (–NH{sub 2}) or mercapto (–SH) functionalized-lantanides (III) complexes with reasonable emission quantum yields for potential application on fluorescence microscopy of biological moieties. The complexes photophysical properties were studied using luminescence spectroscopy and theoretical models to determine the transfer and back energy transfer rates and quantum yields, that were compared with experimental ones. The anionic complexes [Eu(tta){sub 3}(L)]{sup −} showed high quantum yield values and their sensitization efficiency are in the range of 39–81%. The overlay of the ground state geometries, obtained from the Sparkle/PM3 model, of the complexes [Eu(tta){sub 3}(aba)]{sup −}, [Eu(tta){sub 3}(mba)]{sup −} and [Eu(tta){sub 3}(mpa)]{sup −}, suggest similar coordination polyhedrons occupied by the europium(III). The highest transfer rates T→{sup 5}D{sub 1,0} were obtained for the anionic complexes [Eu(tta){sub 3}(L)]{sup −} which might be a result of the low triplet level energies and R{sub L} values. - Highlights: • Lanthanides functionalized-complexes. • Free mercapto and amino groups. • Covalence degree of Eu-ligands. • Energy transfer rates. • Intrinsic and absolute quantum yields and sensitization.

  19. Comparison of TGFbR2 down-regulation in expanded HSCs on MBA/DBM scaffolds coated by UCB stromal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemi, Zahra Sadat; Moghadam, Mehdi Forouzandeh; Soleimani, Masoud

    2015-05-01

    Bone marrow transplants (BMTs) are mainly limited by a low number of CD34(+) cells. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathway downregulation is a key factor that increases cell self-renewal. In nature, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are in a microenvironment, surrounded by cells in a three-dimensional (3D) configuration. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between a 3D culture and the delivery ratio of downregulation. Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and mineralized bone allograft (MBA) scaffolds were coated using unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) as the feeder layer. Umbilical cord blood (UCB)-CD34(+) cells were then ex vivo expanded in them and transfected by small interfering RNA (siRNA) against TGFbR2, a type 2 receptor in the TGF-β pathway. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR, flow cytometry, and clonogenic assay were performed. In a global comparison, we observed that the highest expansion ratio, lowest expression level, and the highest CD34 marker belonged to the simple 2D culture transfected group. This suggests that TGFbR2 downregulation in a 2D culture can be done more effectively. The siRNA delivery system and the transfection ratio in an ex vivo environment, which mimicks in vivo conditions, have low efficiency. Genetic modification of the cells needs free 3D spaces to enable better transfection.

  20. Electric conductivity of solid solutions the Cs3-2xMxPO4 (M=Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burmakin, E.I.; Stroev, S.S.; Shekhtman, G.Sh.; Antonov, B.D.

    2003-01-01

    The solid solutions in the Cs 3-2x M x PO 4 (M=Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) system are synthesized and their thermal behavior and electric conductivity are studied. The introduction of the alkaline earth metal cations into cesium orthophosphates is accompanied by the shift of the phase transition occurring in the pure Cs 3 PO 4 at 450-620 Deg C into the low-temperature area as well as by increase in the cesium-cation conductivity at low temperatures. The electric conductivity in the area of existence of the Cs 3 PO 4 high-temperature modification slightly depends on the availability and concentration of the modifying additions, which make it possible to suppose the calcium sublattice structural disordering [ru

  1. El modelo de servicio de un MBA con enfoque humanístico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernesto Barrera Duque

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Este artículo de investigación tiene como objetivo establecer los elementos fundamentales de la experiencia del estudiante MBA en el programa de una institución educativa colombiana. Mediante la combinación del análisis narrativo y la teoría fundamentada, ambos dentro de la modalidad de metodología cualitativa, se hallaron categorías fundamentales en la experiencia de servicio. La interacción con los profesores, la interacción con los directores de estudio, el contexto organizacional de la institución educativa, la interacción con otros participantes y el diseño del programa centrado en el participante, fueron los inductores de la experiencia. Además, se encontró que el método del caso era un mediador importante para verter una experiencia de carácter práctico. Finalmente, los elementos de impacto en el estudiante fueron el desarrollo de habilidades directivas y la transformación personal integral. El enfoque humanístico, imbuido en todas las categorías, sirvió de pliegue entre ellas, indicando que este elemento es consistente y potencia la formación orientada a mejorar el desempeño laboral y personal de los participantes. Además, este enfoque, que es evidente en la experiencia, es valorado por los estudiantes.

  2. Comparison of the Ex Vivo Expansion of UCB-Derived CD34+ in 3D DBM/MBA Scaffolds with USSC as a Feeder Layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadat Hashemi, Zahra; Forouzandeh Moghadam, Mahdi; Soleimani, Masoud

    2013-10-01

    Ex vivo expansion of hematopoitic stem cells is an alternative way to increase umbilical cord blood (UCB)-CD34+ cells for bone marrow transplantation. For this purpose demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and mineralized bone allograft (MBA) as two scaffolds based on bone matrix and stem cell niche, were simultaneously used to enhance the effect of human mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) - unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) - as a feeder layer. USSCs were isolated and characterized by morphological and immunological analysis then seeded on both scaffolds as a feeder layer. UCB-CD34(+) were isolated by MACS method and were co-culture expanded by USSC in 3D and 2D environments. After 3 weeks expansion, cells were counted and were assessed by karyotype, flow cytometry, clonogenic activity, and long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC). Co-culture expansion in DBM and MBA was 29.22-fold and 27.77-fold, no significant differences in colony and LTC-IC were obtained. Maximum number of colonies belonged to the day 14 with the 73% CFU-GM (Colony Forming Unit- Granulocyte/Macrophage) in contrast to the day 0 which was BFU-E/CFU-E (Burst/Colony Forming Unit-Erythroid). Flow cytometry indicated that the percentage of CD34+ marker was decreased in USSC co-culture and the highest percentage was observed in simple 2D culture. Because of acid extraction in the DBM production process, mineral materials were removed and the protein background that was more flexible was presented. Therefore these results suggest that USSC-DBM can be a suitable ex vivo mimicry niche by intensifying of surface/volume ratio and supporting the stem cell differentiation and expansion.

  3. Social Spirals through Everyday Group Life: Settings and Group Styles in a Comparative Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastiano Citroni

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Everyday group life is generally neglected in the study of the ongoing shifts affecting voluntary associations. This paper is grounded on a comparative ethnography of three Milanese associations affected by transformations in forms of voluntary participation, repertoires of action, and in their relations with public institutions. The study focuses on group styles and settings to ascertain the role played by everyday group life in shaping the implications of these transformations for the production of inclusive outcomes by the observed associations. The author introduces three different results produced by the studied associations and account for them with the same overall argument, which focus on practices and spaces shaping everyday group life. The main findings illustrate that everyday group life works both as a filter through which transformations produce consequences and also as a site of autonomous elaboration through which associations’ outcomes are made and unmade.

  4. Safeguards Accountability Network accountability and materials management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carnival, G.J.; Meredith, E.M.

    1985-01-01

    The Safeguards Accountability Network (SAN) is a computerized on-line accountability system for the safeguards accountability control of nuclear materials inventories at Rocky Flats Plant. SAN is a dedicated accountability system utilizing source documents filled out on the shop floor as its base. The system incorporates double entry accounting and is developed around the Material Balance Area (MBA) concept. MBA custodians enter transaction information from source documents prepared by personnel in the process areas directly into the SAN system. This provides a somewhat near-real time perpetual inventory system which has limited interaction with MBA custodians. MBA custodians are permitted to inquire into the system and status items on inventory. They are also responsible for the accuracy of the accountability information used as input to the system for their MBA. Monthly audits by the Nuclear Materials Control group assure the timeliness and accuracy of SAN accountability information

  5. Comparative emergency department resource utilisation across age groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burkett, Ellen; Martin-Khan, Melinda G; Gray, Leonard C

    2017-12-11

    Objectives The aim of the present study was to assess comparative emergency department (ED) resource utilisation across age groups. Methods A retrospective analysis of data collected in the National Non-admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database was undertaken to assess comparative ED resource utilisation across six age groups (0-14, 15-35, 36-64, 65-74, 75-84 and ≥85 years) with previously used surrogate markers of ED resource utilisation. Results Older people had significantly higher resource utilisation for their individual ED episodes of care than younger people, with the effect increasing with advancing age. Conclusion With ED care of older people demonstrated to be more resource intensive than care for younger people, the projected increase in older person presentations anticipated with population aging will have a magnified effect on ED services. These predicted changes in demand for ED care will only be able to be optimally managed if Australian health policy, ED funding instruments and ED models of care are adjusted to take into account the specific care and resource needs of older people. What is known about the topic? Current Australian ED funding models do not adjust for patient age. Several regional studies have suggested higher resource utilisation of ED patients aged ≥65 years. Anticipated rapid population aging mandates that contribution of age to ED visit resource utilisation be further explored. What does this paper add? The present study of national Australian ED presentations compared ED resource utilisation across age groups using surrogate markers of ED cost. Older people were found to have significantly higher resource utilisation in the ED, with the effect increasing further with advancing age. What are the implications for practitioners? The higher resource utilisation of older people in the ED warrants a review of current ED funding models to ensure that they will continue to meet the needs of an aging population.

  6. Principais indicadores e ferramentas utilizados pelos gestores: uma análise estatística da percepção dos alunos de MBA da Fundação Getúlio Vargas Management indicators and tools: perceptions of MBA students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Cauduro de Castro

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar a relevância de indicadores e ferramentas de gestão na percepção dos alunos de MBA da Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV. Para isso, utilizou-se um questionário com 26 quesitos definidos a partir de pesquisas anteriores e uma escala de variação de importância do tipo Likert. A amostra foi composta de um total de 425 alunos. Desses, 97 entrevistados não selecionaram nenhum indicador ou ferramenta de gestão. Assim, 328 respostas foram analisadas e interpretadas. Os resultados demonstraram que o Fluxo de Caixa Projetado é o indicador de gestão mais relevante, seguido da Margem Líquida de Vendas. Os dados também apontaram, entre as cinco primeiras posições, indicadores considerados mais sofisticados, como, por exemplo, o Balanced Scorcard (BSC, o Earnings before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA e o Economic Value Added (EVA®. Verificou-se também que as exigências relativas à informação contábil variavam de acordo com o perfil dos respondentes. Os resultados demonstram também que não existe um indicador ou ferramenta de gestão que seja considerado ótimo. Finalmente, há indícios apontados pela pesquisa de que, apesar de a contabilidade gerencial ser considerada uma disciplina global, suas especificidades e características podem ser locais ou regionais.The relevance of management indicators and tools, according to perception of 425 MBA students of the Fundação Getulio Vargas, was identified using a questionnaire with 26 queries based on previous surveys. Results from only 328 respondents were analyzed because 97 did not select any management indicator or tool. Project Cash Flow was the most relevant indicator followed by Net Revenues. In addition the three more sophisticated indicators of Balanced Scorecard (BSC, Earnings before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA and Economic Value Added (EVA® were among the first five ranked. Since it was noted

  7. Solubility studies of inorganic–organic hybrid nanoparticle photoresists with different surface functional groups

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Li; Chakrabarty, Souvik; Jiang, Jing; Zhang, Ben; Ober, Christopher; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

    2016-01-01

    . The nanoparticles regardless of core or ligand chemistry have a hydrodynamic diameter of 2-3 nm and a very narrow size distribution in organic solvents. The Hansen solubility parameters for nanoparticles functionalized with IBA and 2MBA have the highest contribution

  8. Comparing the NPS MBA Resident and Distance Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-01

    at both the course and program levels . In particular students in the DL programs appear to be at a disadvantage in their math intensive courses...A student with a minimum grade of “C” in at least one upper- level Math course, including Linear Algebra, receives a “4.” A student with a minimum...grade of “C” in at least one lower level Calculus course, or a combined minimum “B” average in at least two college level Math courses also receives a

  9. The comparative effects of group prenatal care on psychosocial outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heberlein, Emily C; Picklesimer, Amy H; Billings, Deborah L; Covington-Kolb, Sarah; Farber, Naomi; Frongillo, Edward A

    2016-04-01

    To compare the psychosocial outcomes of the CenteringPregnancy (CP) model of group prenatal care to individual prenatal care, we conducted a prospective cohort study of women who chose CP group (N = 124) or individual prenatal care (N = 124). Study participants completed the first survey at study recruitment (mean gestational age 12.5 weeks), with 89% completing the second survey (mean gestational age 32.7 weeks) and 84% completing the third survey (6 weeks' postpartum). Multiple linear regression models compared changes by prenatal care model in pregnancy-specific distress, prenatal planning-preparation and avoidance coping, perceived stress, affect and depressive symptoms, pregnancy-related empowerment, and postpartum maternal-infant attachment and maternal functioning. Using intention-to-treat models, group prenatal care participants demonstrated a 3.2 point greater increase (p prenatal planning-preparation coping strategies. While group participants did not demonstrate significantly greater positive outcomes in other measures, women who were at greater psychosocial risk benefitted from participation in group prenatal care. Among women reporting inadequate social support in early pregnancy, group participants demonstrated a 2.9 point greater decrease (p = 0.03) in pregnancy-specific distress in late pregnancy and 5.6 point higher mean maternal functioning scores postpartum (p = 0.03). Among women with high pregnancy-specific distress in early pregnancy, group participants had an 8.3 point greater increase (p prenatal planning-preparation coping strategies in late pregnancy and a 4.9 point greater decrease (p = 0.02) in postpartum depressive symptom scores. This study provides further evidence that group prenatal care positively impacts the psychosocial well-being of women with greater stress or lower personal coping resources. Large randomized studies are needed to establish conclusively the biological and psychosocial benefits of group

  10. The impact of gender composition on team performance and decision-making: Evidence from the field

    OpenAIRE

    Apesteguia, Jose; Azmat, Ghazala; Iriberri, Nagore

    2010-01-01

    We investigate whether the gender composition of teams affects their economic performance. We study a large business game, played in groups of three, in which each group takes the role of a general manager. There are two parallel competitions, one involving undergraduates and the other involving MBA students. Our analysis shows that teams formed by three women are significantly outperformed by all other gender combinations, both at the undergraduate and MBA levels. Looking across the performa...

  11. A permutation testing framework to compare groups of brain networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Sean L; Lyday, Robert G; Hayasaka, Satoru; Marsh, Anthony P; Laurienti, Paul J

    2013-01-01

    Brain network analyses have moved to the forefront of neuroimaging research over the last decade. However, methods for statistically comparing groups of networks have lagged behind. These comparisons have great appeal for researchers interested in gaining further insight into complex brain function and how it changes across different mental states and disease conditions. Current comparison approaches generally either rely on a summary metric or on mass-univariate nodal or edge-based comparisons that ignore the inherent topological properties of the network, yielding little power and failing to make network level comparisons. Gleaning deeper insights into normal and abnormal changes in complex brain function demands methods that take advantage of the wealth of data present in an entire brain network. Here we propose a permutation testing framework that allows comparing groups of networks while incorporating topological features inherent in each individual network. We validate our approach using simulated data with known group differences. We then apply the method to functional brain networks derived from fMRI data.

  12. Hypnosis compared with group therapy and individual desensitization for dental anxiety

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moore, Rod; Abrahamsen, Randi; Brødsgaard, I

    1996-01-01

    Effects of hypnotherapy (HT) and self-hypnosis training on extreme dental anxiety in adults aged 19-65 years were compared with group therapy (GT) and individual desensitization (SD) using scales of dental anxiety, dental beliefs, and fear of a next dentist (after specialist treatment). All...... experimental groups were demographically comparable and showed reduced anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared with 51 control patients. The 25 HT patients did not differ significantly in numbers of dropouts during training compared with the 30 GT patients or 68 SD patients. For patients completing...... (8/32), but not GT (15/30). Hypnotizability was found to vary from patient to patient, with a direct relationship to time saved. But hypnotizability had an inverse relationship to STAI general anxiety level for those who went on to dentists after 1 year. Transference effects were noted for most HT...

  13. Energy policy: Comparative effects on minority population groups

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poyer, D.A.; Henderson, L.

    1995-06-01

    For a number of years, analyses of minority household energy demand have been supported by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (formerly the Office of Minority Economic Impact). The intention of these analyses has been to characterize patterns of energy demand by various demographic, regional and socioeconomic groups and to develop analytical tools to assess the distributive impact of energy prices and policy on these groups. The model supports strategic objectives outlined by the Department of Energy to explicitly recognize and promote equity in state public utility commission decisions and to assess the potential impact of federal and state energy policy on demographically diverse groups as reported in the Department`s Annual Energy Outlook and the upcoming National Energy Policy Plan. The legislation mandating the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity had been premised on the assumption that patterns of energy demand for minority households are different from the population as a whole. Determining the validity of this premise and its potential economic impact on different population groups has been a major objective of these analyses. Consequently, the recripriocal impacts of energy policy on demographic groups and energy consumption and expenditure dynamics on policy formulation and strategy is a central objective of these studies. Residential energy demand research has been substantial in the past twenty years. Insightful and useful research has been done in this area. However, none of this research has addressed the potential differences in the residential energy demand structure among various population groups. Recent work does compare energy and electricity demand elasticities for non-Latino Whites, with the demand elasticities for Latinos and Blacks. This research is particularly important for examination of questions related to the economic welfare implications of national energy policy.

  14. Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Studies of a New Mannich Base N-[Morpholino(phenylmethyl]acetamide and Its Cobalt(II, Nickel(II and Copper(II Metal Complexes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Muruganandam

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A new Mannich base N-[morpholino(phenylmethyl]acetamide (MBA, was synthesized and characterized by spectral studies. Chelates of MBA with cobalt(II, nickel(II and copper(II ions were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR and UV spectral studies. MBA was found to act as a bidentate ligand, bonding through the carbonyl oxygen of acetamide group and CNC nitrogen of morpholine moiety in all the complexes. Based on the magnetic moment values and UV-Visible spectral data, tetracoordinate geometry for nitrato complexes and hexacoordinate geometry for sulphato complexes were assigned. The antimicrobial studies show that the Co(II nitrato complex is more active than the other complexes.

  15. Comparing groups randomization and bootstrap methods using R

    CERN Document Server

    Zieffler, Andrew S; Long, Jeffrey D

    2011-01-01

    A hands-on guide to using R to carry out key statistical practices in educational and behavioral sciences research Computing has become an essential part of the day-to-day practice of statistical work, broadening the types of questions that can now be addressed by research scientists applying newly derived data analytic techniques. Comparing Groups: Randomization and Bootstrap Methods Using R emphasizes the direct link between scientific research questions and data analysis. Rather than relying on mathematical calculations, this book focus on conceptual explanations and

  16. Comparing a telephone- and a group-delivered diabetes prevention program

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    S, Lim; Dunbar, James; Versace, Vin

    2017-01-01

    Aims To explore the acceptability of a telephone- or a group-delivered diabetes prevention program for women with previous gestational diabetes and to compare the characteristics associated with program engagement. Methods Postpartum women participated in a lifestyle modification program delivere...

  17. Accounting for Heterogeneity in Hedging Behavior: Comparing & Evaluating Grouping Methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pennings, J.M.E.; Garcia, P.; Irwin, S.H.

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Heterogeneity, i.e., the notion that individuals respond differently to economic stimuli, can have profound consequences for the interpretation of behavior and the formulation of agricultural policy. This paper compares and evaluates three grouping techniques that can be used to account for

  18. Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Compared to the Usual Opioid Dependence Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imani, Saeed; Atef Vahid, Mohammad Kazem; Gharraee, Banafsheh; Noroozi, Alireza; Habibi, Mojtaba; Bowen, Sarah

    2015-06-01

    This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) compared to the usual opioid dependence treatment (TAU).Thirty outpatients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for opioid dependence from Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS) were randomly assigned into experimental (Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy) and control groups (the Usual Treatment).The experimental group undertook eight weeks of intervention, but the control group received the usual treatment according to the INCAS program. The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Addiction Sevier Index (ASI) were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment periods. Thirteen patients from the experimental group and 15 from the control group completed post-test assessments. The results of MANCOVA revealed an increase in mean scores in observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reacting, and decrease in mean scores of alcohol and opium in MBGT patient group. The effectiveness of MBGT, compared to the usual treatment, was discussed in this paper as a selective protocol in the health care setting for substance use disorders.

  19. Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Compared to the Usual Opioid Dependence Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeed Imani

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available  Objective: This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT compared to the usual opioid dependence treatment (TAU.Thirty outpatients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for opioid dependence from Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS were randomly assigned into experimental (Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy and control groups (the Usual Treatment.The experimental group undertook eight weeks of intervention, but the control group received the usual treatment according to the INCAS program.  Methods:The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ and the Addiction Sevier Index (ASI were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment periods. Thirteen patients from the experimental group and 15 from the control group completed post-test assessments. Results:The results of MANCOVA revealed an increase in mean scores in observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reacting, and decrease in mean scores of alcohol and opium in MBGT patient group. Conclusion:The effectiveness of MBGT, compared to the usual treatment, was discussed in this paper as a selective protocol in the health care setting for substance use disorders.

  20. A comparative study of prelinguistic vocalizations in two groups of cleft toddlers and a non-cleft group

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willadsen, Elisabeth; Enemark, Hans

    2000-01-01

    . The results of this investigation were compared to results previously reported for 19 children with cleft palate and 19 noncleft children at the age of 13 months. The children with clefts in that study received a two-stage palatal surgery. This surgical procedure was formerly used at our center and included...... children in the comparison group. Both groups of subjects with clefts had significantly fewer plosives in their contoid inventory than the noncleft group, and there was no difference regarding place of articulation between the group that received delayed closure of the hard palate and the noncleft group.......Objective: This study examined the prelinguistic contoid (consonant-like) inventories of 14 children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (C-UCLP) at 13 months of age. The children had received primary veloplasty at 7 months of age and closure of the hard palate was performed at 3–5 years...

  1. The rudiments of an Internet-based health plan for consumers: an interview with John Danaher, MD, MBA. Interview by Richard L. Reece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danaher, J

    2000-01-01

    Richard L. Reece, MD, interviewed John Danaher, MD, MBA, on August 16, 2000, to discuss how his new company is preparing for the perfect storm--the looming convergence of demanding consumers, defined contributions, and Internet-based health plans. He describes how his firm is putting financial and clinical tools in the hands of consumers and physicians, so consumers can be more enlightened in their health care choices. Danaher says, "We're not about buying goods and services online. We are transforming the way consumers buy health care and seek insurance. We're trying to be a 401 k where people get on, knowing their risk profile and return horizons. We aim to motivate consumers to be proactive in making health care choices. How do we make consumers responsible and motivated enough to take control of managing their health care costs? How well we articulate this call to consumer action will be the key to our success."

  2. Outcomes of specific interpersonal problems for binge eating disorder: comparing group psychodynamic interpersonal psychotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tasca, Giorgio A; Balfour, Louise; Presniak, Michelle D; Bissada, Hany

    2012-04-01

    We assessed whether an attachment-based treatment, Group Psychodynamic Interpersonal Psychotherapy (GPIP) had a greater impact compared to Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (GCBT) on Cold/Distant and Intrusive/Needy interpersonal problems. Ninety-five individuals with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) were randomized to GPIP or GCBT and assessed at pre-, post-, and six months post-treatment. Both therapies resulted in a significant decrease in all eight interpersonal problem subscales except the Nonassertive subscale. GPIP resulted in a greater reduction in the Cold/Distant subscale compared to GCBT, but no differences were found for changes in the Intrusive/Needy subscale. GPIP may be most relevant for those with BED who have Cold/Distant interpersonal problems and attachment avoidance.

  3. Comparative efficacy of spirituality, cognitive, and emotional support groups for treating eating disorder inpatients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, P Scott; Berrett, Michael E; Hardman, Randy K; Eggett, Dennis L

    2006-01-01

    Spiritual interventions are rarely used in contemporary treatment programs and little empirical evidence is available concerning their effectiveness. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a spiritual group intervention for eating disorder inpatients. We compared the effectiveness of a Spirituality group with Cognitive and Emotional Support groups using a randomized, control group design. Participants were 122 women receiving inpatient eating disorder treatment. Patients in the Spirituality group tended to score significantly lower on psychological disturbance and eating disorder symptoms at the conclusion of treatment compared to patients in the other groups, and higher on spiritual well-being. On weekly outcome measures, patients in the Spirituality group improved significantly more quickly during the first four weeks of treatment. This study provides preliminary evidence that attending to eating disorder patients' spiritual growth and well-being during inpatient treatment may help reduce depression and anxiety, relationship distress, social role conflict, and eating disorder symptoms.

  4. Comparative Genomics of the Bacterial Genus Streptococcus Illuminates Evolutionary Implications of Species Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Xiao-Yang; Zhi, Xiao-Yang; Li, Hong-Wei; Klenk, Hans-Peter; Li, Wen-Jun

    2014-01-01

    Members of the genus Streptococcus within the phylum Firmicutes are among the most diverse and significant zoonotic pathogens. This genus has gone through considerable taxonomic revision due to increasing improvements of chemotaxonomic approaches, DNA hybridization and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It is proposed to place the majority of streptococci into “species groups”. However, the evolutionary implications of species groups are not clear presently. We use comparative genomic approaches to yield a better understanding of the evolution of Streptococcus through genome dynamics, population structure, phylogenies and virulence factor distribution of species groups. Genome dynamics analyses indicate that the pan-genome size increases with the addition of newly sequenced strains, while the core genome size decreases with sequential addition at the genus level and species group level. Population structure analysis reveals two distinct lineages, one including Pyogenic, Bovis, Mutans and Salivarius groups, and the other including Mitis, Anginosus and Unknown groups. Phylogenetic dendrograms show that species within the same species group cluster together, and infer two main clades in accordance with population structure analysis. Distribution of streptococcal virulence factors has no obvious patterns among the species groups; however, the evolution of some common virulence factors is congruous with the evolution of species groups, according to phylogenetic inference. We suggest that the proposed streptococcal species groups are reasonable from the viewpoints of comparative genomics; evolution of the genus is congruent with the individual evolutionary trajectories of different species groups. PMID:24977706

  5. Barroom Aggression Among Australian Men: Associations With Heavy Episodic Drinking, Conformity to Masculine Norms, and Personal and Perceived Peer Approval of Barroom Aggression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Peter; Zinkiewicz, Lucy; Hayley, Alexa; Sonderlund, Anders; Litherland, Steven; Medew-Ewen, Tess; Wells, Samantha; Graham, Kathryn

    2016-05-01

    Research suggests that heavy episodic drinking (HED), perceived peer norms, and personal approval of aggression influence male barroom aggression (MBA). Qualitative research suggests that conformity to hegemonic masculine gender norms also influences MBA; however, quantitative research on the direct and indirect influence of masculinity on MBA is limited. This study tested the relationships between HED, conformity to masculine gender norms, and personal approval and peer approval of MBA on MBA perpetration, as well as the indirect effect of masculine norms on MBA via HED. A convenience sample of Australian men (N = 322; mean age = 21.05 years, SD = 1.95; 76.9% university students) completed an online questionnaire, assessing HED and MBA over the previous year, and subscales of the Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Male Alcohol-Related Aggression Inventory and Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46. Negative binomial regression analyses found that, overall, HED, male peer approval, and personal approval of MBA directly predicted increased risk of verbal and physical MBA perpetration. Greater conformity to specific masculine norms also increased (Power Over Women) and decreased (Emotional Control, Heterosexual Self-Presentation) risk of MBA perpetration. The masculine norms Risk Taking, Playboy, and Emotional Control were found to be indirect predictors of MBA via HED. Risk of MBA perpetration is increased primarily by HED as a direct, but also mediating, predictor. Personal and male peer approval of MBA, and specific masculine norms, further increase this risk whereas other masculine norms appear protective.

  6. Comparative genome analysis of Bacillus cereus group genomes withBacillus subtilis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, Iain; Sorokin, Alexei; Kapatral, Vinayak; Reznik, Gary; Bhattacharya, Anamitra; Mikhailova, Natalia; Burd, Henry; Joukov, Victor; Kaznadzey, Denis; Walunas, Theresa; D' Souza, Mark; Larsen, Niels; Pusch,Gordon; Liolios, Konstantinos; Grechkin, Yuri; Lapidus, Alla; Goltsman,Eugene; Chu, Lien; Fonstein, Michael; Ehrlich, S. Dusko; Overbeek, Ross; Kyrpides, Nikos; Ivanova, Natalia

    2005-09-14

    Genome features of the Bacillus cereus group genomes (representative strains of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis sub spp israelensis) were analyzed and compared with the Bacillus subtilis genome. A core set of 1,381 protein families among the four Bacillus genomes, with an additional set of 933 families common to the B. cereus group, was identified. Differences in signal transduction pathways, membrane transporters, cell surface structures, cell wall, and S-layer proteins suggesting differences in their phenotype were identified. The B. cereus group has signal transduction systems including a tyrosine kinase related to two-component system histidine kinases from B. subtilis. A model for regulation of the stress responsive sigma factor sigmaB in the B. cereus group different from the well studied regulation in B. subtilis has been proposed. Despite a high degree of chromosomal synteny among these genomes, significant differences in cell wall and spore coat proteins that contribute to the survival and adaptation in specific hosts has been identified.

  7. Effects of Ureaplasma parvum lipoprotein multiple-banded antigen on pregnancy outcome in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchida, Kaoru; Nakahira, Kumiko; Mimura, Kazuya; Shimizu, Takashi; De Seta, Francesco; Wakimoto, Tetsu; Kawai, Yasuhiro; Nomiyama, Makoto; Kuwano, Koichi; Guaschino, Secondo; Yanagihara, Itaru

    2013-12-01

    Ureaplasma spp. are members of the family Mycoplasmataceae and have been considered to be associated with chorioamnionitis and preterm delivery. However, it is unclear whether Ureaplasma spp. have virulence factors related to these manifestations. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the immunogenic protein multiple-banded antigen (MBA) from Ureaplasma parvum is a virulence factor for preterm delivery. We partially purified MBA from a type strain and clinical isolates of U. parvum, and also synthesized a diacylated lipopeptide derived from U. parvum, UPM-1. Using luciferase assays, both MBA-rich fraction MRF and UPM-1 activated the NF-κB pathway via TLR2. UPM-1 upregulated IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p35, TNF-α, MIP2, LIX, and iNOS in mouse peritoneal macrophage. MRF or UPM-1 was injected into uteri on day 15 of gestation on pregnant C3H/HeN mice. The intrauterine MRF injection group had a significantly higher incidence of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD; 38.5%) than the control group (14.0%). Interestingly, intrauterine injection of UPM-1 caused preterm deliveries at high concentration (80.0%). In contrast, a low concentration of UPM-1 induced a significantly higher rate of fetal deaths (55.2%) than the control group (14.0%). The placentas of the UPM-1 injection group showed neutrophil infiltration and increased iNOS protein expression. Our data indicate that MBA from the clinical isolate of U. parvum is a potential virulence factor for IUFD and preterm delivery in mice and that the N-terminal diacylated lipopeptide is essential for the initiation of inflammation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Ureaplasma parvum serovar 3 multiple banded antigen size variation after chronic intra-amniotic infection/colonization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, James W; Dando, Samantha J; Nitsos, Ilias; Newnham, John; Polglase, Graeme R; Kallapur, Suhas G; Pillow, J Jane; Kramer, Boris W; Jobe, Alan H; Payton, Diane; Knox, Christine L

    2013-01-01

    Ureaplasma species are the microorganisms most frequently associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The multiple banded antigen (MBA), a surface-exposed lipoprotein, is a key virulence factor of ureaplasmas. The MBA demonstrates size variation, which we have shown previously to be correlated with the severity of chorioamnion inflammation. We aimed to investigate U. parvum serovar 3 pathogenesis in vivo, using a sheep model, by investigating: MBA variation after long term (chronic) and short term (acute) durations of in utero ureaplasma infections, and the severity of chorioamnionitis and inflammation in other fetal tissues. Inocula of 2 × 10(7) colony-forming-units (CFU) of U. parvum serovar 3 (Up) or media controls (C) were injected intra-amniotically into pregnant ewes at one of three time points: day 55 (69d Up, n = 8; C69, n = 4); day 117 (7d Up, n = 8; C7, n = 2); and day 121 (3d Up, n = 8; C3, n = 2) of gestation (term = 145-150d). At day 124, preterm fetuses were delivered surgically. Samples of chorioamnion, fetal lung, and umbilical cord were: (i) snap frozen for subsequent ureaplasma culture, and (ii) fixed, embedded, sectioned and stained by haematoxylin and eosin stain for histological analysis. Selected fetal lung clinical ureaplasma isolates were cloned and filtered to obtain cultures from a single CFU. Passage 1 and clone 2 ureaplasma cultures were tested by western blot to demonstrate MBA variation. In acute durations of ureaplasma infection no MBA variants (3d Up) or very few MBA variants (7d Up) were present when compared to the original inoculum. However, numerous MBA size variants were generated in vivo (alike within contiguous tissues, amniotic fluid and fetal lung, but different variants were present within chorioamnion), during chronic, 69d exposure to ureaplasma infection. For the first time we have shown that the degree of ureaplasma MBA variation in vivo increased with the duration of gestation.

  9. Ureaplasma parvum serovar 3 multiple banded antigen size variation after chronic intra-amniotic infection/colonization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James W Robinson

    Full Text Available Ureaplasma species are the microorganisms most frequently associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The multiple banded antigen (MBA, a surface-exposed lipoprotein, is a key virulence factor of ureaplasmas. The MBA demonstrates size variation, which we have shown previously to be correlated with the severity of chorioamnion inflammation. We aimed to investigate U. parvum serovar 3 pathogenesis in vivo, using a sheep model, by investigating: MBA variation after long term (chronic and short term (acute durations of in utero ureaplasma infections, and the severity of chorioamnionitis and inflammation in other fetal tissues. Inocula of 2 × 10(7 colony-forming-units (CFU of U. parvum serovar 3 (Up or media controls (C were injected intra-amniotically into pregnant ewes at one of three time points: day 55 (69d Up, n = 8; C69, n = 4; day 117 (7d Up, n = 8; C7, n = 2; and day 121 (3d Up, n = 8; C3, n = 2 of gestation (term = 145-150d. At day 124, preterm fetuses were delivered surgically. Samples of chorioamnion, fetal lung, and umbilical cord were: (i snap frozen for subsequent ureaplasma culture, and (ii fixed, embedded, sectioned and stained by haematoxylin and eosin stain for histological analysis. Selected fetal lung clinical ureaplasma isolates were cloned and filtered to obtain cultures from a single CFU. Passage 1 and clone 2 ureaplasma cultures were tested by western blot to demonstrate MBA variation. In acute durations of ureaplasma infection no MBA variants (3d Up or very few MBA variants (7d Up were present when compared to the original inoculum. However, numerous MBA size variants were generated in vivo (alike within contiguous tissues, amniotic fluid and fetal lung, but different variants were present within chorioamnion, during chronic, 69d exposure to ureaplasma infection. For the first time we have shown that the degree of ureaplasma MBA variation in vivo increased with the duration of gestation.

  10. Study on the Formation and Precipitation Mechanism of Mn5Si3 Phase in the MBA-2 Brass Alloy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hang; Jie, Jinchuan; Zhang, Pengchao; Jia, Chunxu; Wang, Tongmin; Li, Tingju

    2016-06-01

    Mn5Si3 is an attractive dispersion in the special brass, owing to its high hardness and high wear resistance. In the present study, synchrotron X-ray radiography and rapid cooling were applied to investigate the formation mechanism of Mn5Si3 phase in the MBA-2 brass alloy. The primary Mn5Si3 phase is proved to exist stably in the alloy melt and nucleate from the melt at temperatures above 1373 K (1100 °C). In addition, the precipitation mechanism of Mn5Si3 phase is addressed systematically by the isothermal heat treatment. The Mn5Si3 particles are observed to precipitate from the matrix at temperatures above 1023 K (750 °C), and a crystallographic orientation relationship is found between the precipitated Mn5Si3 particle and β phase: (110)_{β } //(1overline{1} 00)_{{{{Mn}}5 {{Si}}3 }} and [overline{1} 11]_{β } //[11overline{2} overline{2} ]_{{{{Mn}}5 {{Si}}3 }} . However, the precipitation of Mn5Si3 phase is thermodynamically inhibited at lower temperatures, which can be ascribed to the increase in the Gibbs free energy of formation of Mn5Si3 with decreasing the temperature.

  11. Comparing Web, Group and Telehealth Formats of a Military Parenting Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    materials are available upon request: • Online questionnaire for baseline data collection (9 pages) • Online parent survey for time point 1 (69 pages...web-based parenting intervention for military families with school-aged children, we expect to strengthen parenting practices in families and...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0143 TITLE: Comparing Web, Group and Telehealth Formats of a Military Parenting Program PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

  12. Delinquency and Crime Prevention: Overview of Research Comparing Treatment Foster Care and Group Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osei, Gershon K.; Gorey, Kevin M.; Jozefowicz, Debra M. Hernandez

    2016-01-01

    Background: Evidence of treatment foster care (TFC) and group care's (GC) potential to prevent delinquency and crime has been developing. Objectives: We clarified the state of comparative knowledge with a historical overview. Then we explored the hypothesis that smaller, probably better resourced group homes with smaller staff/resident ratios have…

  13. Optimizing trial design in pharmacogenetics research: comparing a fixed parallel group, group sequential, and adaptive selection design on sample size requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boessen, Ruud; van der Baan, Frederieke; Groenwold, Rolf; Egberts, Antoine; Klungel, Olaf; Grobbee, Diederick; Knol, Mirjam; Roes, Kit

    2013-01-01

    Two-stage clinical trial designs may be efficient in pharmacogenetics research when there is some but inconclusive evidence of effect modification by a genomic marker. Two-stage designs allow to stop early for efficacy or futility and can offer the additional opportunity to enrich the study population to a specific patient subgroup after an interim analysis. This study compared sample size requirements for fixed parallel group, group sequential, and adaptive selection designs with equal overall power and control of the family-wise type I error rate. The designs were evaluated across scenarios that defined the effect sizes in the marker positive and marker negative subgroups and the prevalence of marker positive patients in the overall study population. Effect sizes were chosen to reflect realistic planning scenarios, where at least some effect is present in the marker negative subgroup. In addition, scenarios were considered in which the assumed 'true' subgroup effects (i.e., the postulated effects) differed from those hypothesized at the planning stage. As expected, both two-stage designs generally required fewer patients than a fixed parallel group design, and the advantage increased as the difference between subgroups increased. The adaptive selection design added little further reduction in sample size, as compared with the group sequential design, when the postulated effect sizes were equal to those hypothesized at the planning stage. However, when the postulated effects deviated strongly in favor of enrichment, the comparative advantage of the adaptive selection design increased, which precisely reflects the adaptive nature of the design. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiryaee, Nasrin; Siadat, Zahra Dana; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Taleban, Roya

    2015-10-01

    Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5. Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups. The effect of 1) goal-setting strategy and 2) group education method on increasing physical activity was assessed and compared 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Also, the weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, and well-being were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Physical activity level increased significantly after the intervention in the goal-setting group and it was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (P goal-setting group after the intervention. In the group education method, only the well-being score improved significantly (P goal-setting strategy to boost physical activity, improving the state of well-being and decreasing BMI, waist, and hip circumference.

  15. Implementing the Bruker MALDI Biotyper in the Public Health Laboratory for C. botulinum Neurotoxin Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael J. Perry

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Currently, the gold standard method for active botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT detection is the mouse bioassay (MBA. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-developed mass spectrometry (MS-based assay that detects active BoNT was successfully validated and implemented in a public health laboratory in clinical matrices using the Bruker MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry Biotyper. For the first time, a direct comparison with the MBA was performed to determine MS-based assay sensitivity using the Bruker MALDI Biotyper. Mice were injected with BoNT/A, /B, /E, and /F at concentrations surrounding the established MS assay limit of detection (LOD and analyzed simultaneously. For BoNT/B, /E, and /F, MS assay sensitivity was equivalent or better than the MBA at 25, 0.3, and 8.8 mLD50, respectively. BoNT/A was detected by the MBA between 1.8 and 18 mLD50, somewhat more sensitive than the MS method of 18 mLD50. Studies were performed to compare assay performance in clinical specimens. For all tested specimens, the MS method rapidly detected BoNT activity and serotype in agreement with, or in the absence of, results from the MBA. We demonstrate that the MS assay can generate reliable, rapid results while eliminating the need for animal testing.

  16. The Comparative Study of Collaborative Learning and SDLC Model to develop IT Group Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sorapak Pukdesree

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The main objectives of this research were to compare the attitudes of learners between applying SDLC model with collaborative learning and typical SDLC model and to develop electronic courseware as group projects. The research was a quasi-experimental research. The populations of the research were students who took Computer Organization and Architecture course in the academic year 2015. There were 38 students who participated to the research. The participants were divided voluntary into two groups including an experimental group with 28 students using SDLC model with collaborative learning and a control group with 10 students using typical SDLC model. The research instruments were attitude questionnaire, semi-structured interview and self-assessment questionnaire. The collected data was analysed by arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and independent sample t-test. The results of the questionnaire revealed that the attitudes of the learners using collaborative learning and SDLC model were statistically significant difference between the mean score for experimental group and control group at a significance level of 0.05. The independent statistical analyses were significantly different between the two groups at a significance level of 0.05. The results of the interviewing revealed that most of the learners had the corresponding opinions that collaborative learning was very useful with highest level of their attitudes comparing with the previous methodology. Learners had left some feedbacks that collaborative learning should be applied to other courses.

  17. Toxoplasma Infection in Schizophrenia Patients: A Comparative Study with Control Group

    OpenAIRE

    Alipour, A; Shojaee, S; Mohebali, M; Tehranidoost, M; Abdi Masoleh, F; Keshavarz, H

    2011-01-01

    Background: Schizophrenia is a serious, chronic, and often debilitating neuropsychiatric disor­der. Its causes are still poorly understood. Besides genetic and non-genetic (environmental) fac­tors are thought to be important as the cause of the structural and functional deficits that character­ize schizophrenia. This study aimed to compare Toxoplasma gondii infection between schizo­phrenia patients and non-schizophrenia individuals as control group.Methods: A case-control study was designed i...

  18. Revisiting the merits of a mandatory large group classroom learning format: an MD-MBA perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shawn X; Pinto-Powell, Roshini

    2017-01-01

    The role of classroom learning in medical education is rapidly changing. To promote active learning and reduce student stress, medical schools have adopted policies such as pass/fail curriculums and recorded lectures. These policies along with the rising importance of the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) exams have made asynchronous learning popular to the detriment of classroom learning. In contrast to this model, modern day business schools employ mandatory large group classes with assigned seating and cold-calling. Despite similar student demographics, medical and business schools have adopted vastly different approaches to the classroom. When examining the classroom dynamic at business schools with mandatory classes, it is evident that there's an abundance of engaging discourse and peer learning objectives that medical schools share. Mandatory classes leverage the network effect just like social media forums such as Facebook and Twitter. That is, the value of a classroom discussion increases when more students are present to participate. At a time when students are savvy consumers of knowledge, the classroom is competing against an explosion of study aids dedicated to USMLE preparation. Certainly, the purpose of medical school is not solely about the efficient transfer of knowledge - but to train authentic, competent, and complete physicians. To accomplish this, we must promote the inimitable and deeply personal interactions amongst faculty and students. When viewed through this lens, mandatory classes might just be a way for medical schools to leverage their competitive advantage in educating the complete physician.

  19. The comparative effectiveness of a team-based versus group-based physical activity intervention for cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Cindy L; Onicescu, Georgiana; Cartmell, Kathleen B; Sterba, Katherine R; Tomsic, James; Alberg, Anthony J

    2012-08-01

    Physical activity benefits cancer survivors, but the comparative effectiveness of a team-based delivery approach remains unexplored. The hypothesis tested was that a team-based physical activity intervention delivery approach has added physical and psychological benefits compared to a group-based approach. A team-based sport accessible to survivors is dragon boating, which requires no previous experience and allows for diverse skill levels. In a non-randomized trial, cancer survivors chose between two similarly structured 8-week programs, a dragon boat paddling team (n = 68) or group-based walking program (n = 52). Three separate intervention rounds were carried out in 2007-2008. Pre-post testing measured physical and psychosocial outcomes. Compared to walkers, paddlers had significantly greater (all p team cohesion, program adherence/attendance, and increased upper-body strength. For quality-of-life outcomes, both interventions were associated with pre-post improvements, but with no clear-cut pattern of between-intervention differences. These hypothesis-generating findings suggest that a short-term, team-based physical activity program (dragon boat paddling) was associated with increased cohesion and adherence/attendance. Improvements in physical fitness and psychosocial benefits were comparable to a traditional, group-based walking program. Compared to a group-based intervention delivery format, the team-based intervention delivery format holds promise for promoting physical activity program adherence/attendance in cancer survivors.

  20. Risk factors for acute stroke among South Asians compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gezmu, Tefera; Schneider, Dona; Demissie, Kitaw; Lin, Yong; Gizzi, Martin S

    2014-01-01

    Studies of racial/ethnic variations in stroke rarely consider the South Asian population, one of the fastest growing sub-groups in the United States. This study compared risk factors for stroke among South Asians with those for whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics. Data on 3290 stroke patients were analyzed to examine risk differences among the four racial/ethnic groups. Data on 3290 patients admitted to a regional stroke center were analyzed to examine risk differences for ischemic stroke (including subtypes of small and large vessel disease) among South Asians, whites, African Americans and Hispanics. South Asians were younger and had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels than other race/ethnicities. Prevalence of diabetic and antiplatelet medication use, as well as the incidence of small-artery occlusion ischemic stroke was also higher among South Asians. South Asians were almost a decade younger and had comparable socioeconomic levels as whites; however, their stroke risk factors were comparable to that of African Americans and Hispanics. Observed differences in stroke may be explained by dietary and life style choices of South Asian-Americans, risk factors that are potentially modifiable. Future population and epidemiologic studies should consider growing ethnic minority groups in the examination of the nature, outcome, and medical care profiles of stroke.

  1. Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasrin Jiryaee

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5. Materials and Methods: Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups. The effect of 1 goal-setting strategy and 2 group education method on increasing physical activity was assessed and compared 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Also, the weight, height, body mass index (BMI, waist and hip circumference, and well-being were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Results: Physical activity level increased significantly after the intervention in the goal-setting group and it was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (P < 0.05. BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and well-being score were significantly different in the goal-setting group after the intervention. In the group education method, only the well-being score improved significantly (P < 0.05. Conclusion: Our study presented the effects of using the goal-setting strategy to boost physical activity, improving the state of well-being and decreasing BMI, waist, and hip circumference.

  2. Comparative evaluation of group constants from UKNDL and the BNAB-70 system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bobkov, Yu.G.; Kolesov, V.E.; Krivtsov, A.S.; Manokhin, V.N.; Solov'ev, N.A.; Usachev, L.N.

    1976-01-01

    The comparison is made between the 26-group constants BNAB-70 with similar constants obtained from the evaluated UNKDL data. The data are compared by the capture and fission cross-section of Pu-239, U-235, U-238, the capture cross-section of Fe-56 and absorption of B-10 within an energy range from 100 eV to 10 MeV

  3. Biostatistics series module 4: Comparing groups - categorical variables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avijit Hazra

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Categorical variables are commonly represented as counts or frequencies. For analysis, such data are conveniently arranged in contingency tables. Conventionally, such tables are designated as r × c tables, with r denoting number of rows and c denoting number of columns. The Chi-square (χ2 probability distribution is particularly useful in analyzing categorical variables. A number of tests yield test statistics that fit, at least approximately, a χ2 distribution and hence are referred to as χ2 tests. Examples include Pearson′s χ2 test (or simply the χ2 test, McNemar′s χ2 test, Mantel-Haenszel χ2 test and others. The Pearson′s χ2 test is the most commonly used test for assessing difference in distribution of a categorical variable between two or more independent groups. If the groups are ordered in some manner, the χ2 test for trend should be used. The Fisher′s exact probability test is a test of the independence between two dichotomous categorical variables. It provides a better alternative to the χ2 statistic to assess the difference between two independent proportions when numbers are small, but cannot be applied to a contingency table larger than a two-dimensional one. The McNemar′s χ2 test assesses the difference between paired proportions. It is used when the frequencies in a 2 × 2 table represent paired samples or observations. The Cochran′s Q test is a generalization of the McNemar′s test that compares more than two related proportions. The P value from the χ2 test or its counterparts does not indicate the strength of the difference or association between the categorical variables involved. This information can be obtained from the relative risk or the odds ratio statistic which is measures of dichotomous association obtained from 2 × 2 tables.

  4. The effects of physiotherapy for female urinary incontinence: individual compared with group treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, C.C.M.; Lagro-Janssen, A.L.M.; Felling, A.J.A.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To compare, in a randomized trial, the effects of individual and group physiotherapy for urinary incontinence in women referred by their general practitioner (GP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included women of all ages (mean 47.8 years) with stress, urge or mixed incontinence; 126

  5. The effects of physiotherapy for female urinary incontinence: individual compared with group treatment.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, C.C.M.; Lagro-Janssen, A.L.M.; Felling, A.J.A.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To compare, in a randomized trial, the effects of individual and group physiotherapy for urinary incontinence in women referred by their general practitioner (GP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included women of all ages (mean 47.8 years) with stress, urge or mixed incontinence; 126

  6. Risk factors for acute stroke among South Asians compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tefera Gezmu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Studies of racial/ethnic variations in stroke rarely consider the South Asian population, one of the fastest growing sub-groups in the United States. This study compared risk factors for stroke among South Asians with those for whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics. METHODS: Data on 3290 stroke patients were analyzed to examine risk differences among the four racial/ethnic groups. Data on 3290 patients admitted to a regional stroke center were analyzed to examine risk differences for ischemic stroke (including subtypes of small and large vessel disease among South Asians, whites, African Americans and Hispanics. RESULTS: South Asians were younger and had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels than other race/ethnicities. Prevalence of diabetic and antiplatelet medication use, as well as the incidence of small-artery occlusion ischemic stroke was also higher among South Asians. South Asians were almost a decade younger and had comparable socioeconomic levels as whites; however, their stroke risk factors were comparable to that of African Americans and Hispanics. DISCUSSION: Observed differences in stroke may be explained by dietary and life style choices of South Asian-Americans, risk factors that are potentially modifiable. Future population and epidemiologic studies should consider growing ethnic minority groups in the examination of the nature, outcome, and medical care profiles of stroke.

  7. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BLOOD GROUPING IN HEALTHY BLOOD DONOR USING GEL CARD TECHNIQUE AND TUBE METHOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Usman

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Blood grouping is a vital test in pre-transfusion testing. Both tube and gel agglutination assays are used for ABO grouping. The main object of this study was to compare ABO grouping and D typing on tube and gel agglutination assay in order to assess the efficacy of each technique. A total of 100 healthy blood donors irrespective of age and sex were included in this study. Results showed that there is no significant difference between these two techniques. However, in 10 samples it was detected that the reaction strength in serum ABO grouping by gel agglutination assay is varied by only one grade when compared to tube agglutination assay. Due to numerous positive effects of gel assay it is more beneficial to implement this technique in the setups where blood banks bear heavy routine work load.

  8. Comparative historical biogeography of three groups of Nearctic freshwater fishes across central Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Rodríguez, R; Domínguez-Domínguez, O; Doadrio, I; Cuevas-García, E; Pérez-Ponce de León, G

    2015-03-01

    Biogeographic patterns of the three main Nearctic groups of continental fishes inhabiting river drainages in central Mexico (livebearing goodeids, southern Mexican notropins and species of Algansea, the last two representing independent lineages of cyprinids) were obtained and compared by following two approaches: an estimate of divergence times and using a well-defined biogeographic method. Three concordant biogeographic events were identified among the three groups, showing some evidence of a partially congruent evolutionary history. The analysed groups show at least three independent colonization events into central Mexico: two western routes, followed by the Goodeinae and members of Algansea, and an early Plateau route followed by southern notropins. The most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of each of the three freshwater fish groups diversified in central Mexico in the Late Miocene. The lack of a strong congruence in their biogeographic patterns, and the differences in species richness among the three clades might be evidence for distinct patterns of diversification. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  9. Marketing Plan for the Naval Postgraduate School Master of Business Administration to the Navy Unrestricted Line Community

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Trevino, R

    2004-01-01

    .... The intent of this project is to create awareness in the Navy Unrestricted Line community about the benefits of the Defense-focused MBA and to build a brand name for the Naval Postgraduate School MBA (NPS-MBA...

  10. Comparing Linear Discriminant Function with Logistic Regression for the Two-Group Classification Problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Xitao; Wang, Lin

    The Monte Carlo study compared the performance of predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) and that of logistic regression (LR) for the two-group classification problem. Prior probabilities were used for classification, but the cost of misclassification was assumed to be equal. The study used a fully crossed three-factor experimental design (with…

  11. Comparing Executive Function and Behavioral Inhibition in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Mood Disorder Type I and Normal Groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marziye Khodaee

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia and Bipolar I disorder seems to be different from the normal individuals, that these defects affect their treatment results. Therefore, this study aimed to compare executive function and behavioral inhibition within patients suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar type I as well as a normal group. Methods: In this descriptive-comparative study, out of all patients hospitalized in daily psychiatric clinic in Najafabad in 2014 due to these disorders, 20 schizophrenia and 20 bipolar type I as well as 20 normal individuals were selected via the convinience sampling. All the study participants completed the computerizing tests including Tower of London and Go-No Go. The study data were analyzed utilizing SPSS software (ver 22 via MANOVA. Results: The study findings revealed a significant difference between the two patient groups and the normal group in regard with executive function and behavioral inhibition (p<0.05, whereas no differences were detected between schizophrenics and bipolar patient groups. Furthermore, patients suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar I mood disorder demonstrated significantly poor performance in cognitive function and behavioral inhibition compared to the normal group. Conclusion: The present study results can be significantly applied in pathology and therapy of these disorders, so as recognizing the inability of such patients can be effective in developing cognitive rehabilitation programs in these patients.

  12. Cardiovascular disease by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The population in Norway has become multi-ethnic due to migration from Asia and Africa over the recent decades. The aim of the present study was to explore differences in the self-reported prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians. Methods Pooled data from three population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in Oslo between 2000 and 2002 was used. Of 54,473 invited individuals 24,749 (45.4%) participated. The participants self-reported health status, underwent a clinical examination and blood samples were drawn. A total of 17,854 individuals aged 30 to 61 years born in Norway, Sri-Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam or Turkey were included in the study. Chi-square tests, one-way ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, multiple and logistic regression were used. Results Age- and gender-standardized prevalence of self-reported CVD varied between 5.8% and 8.2% for the ethnic minority groups, compared to 2.9% among ethnic Norwegians (p Corresponding CVD prevalence rates among individuals with diabetes were 15.3% vs. 12.6% (p = 0.364). For individuals without diabetes, the odds ratio (OR) for CVD in the ethnic minority groups remained significantly higher (range 1.5-2.6) than ethnic Norwegians (p employment, and body height, except for Turkish individuals. Regardless of diabetes status, obesity and physical inactivity were prevalent in the majority of ethnic minority groups, whereas systolic- and diastolic- blood pressures were higher in Norwegians. In nearly all ethnic groups, individuals with diabetes had higher triglycerides, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index compared to individuals without diabetes. Age, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and WHR were significant predictors of CVD in both ethnic Norwegians and ethnic minorities, but significant ethnic differences were found for age, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. Conclusions Ethnic differences

  13. Analysis of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program: history, current issues and future implications

    OpenAIRE

    Callan, Patrick M.; Voogd, Michael; Schmid, Christopher M.

    2011-01-01

    MBA Professional Report The SGLI program is the military life insurance program overseen by the Veterans' Affairs (VA) but managed and administered by The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Recently, a series of news stories by Bloomberg News reported that the program might not be following the law, and that Prudential was profiting from the deaths of servicemen and women. The primary purpose of this paper was to analyze the news articles for factual content and determine whethe...

  14. Computed tomography of the brain in cases with venous vasculitis compared with an age-matched reference group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hannerz, J.; Ericson, K.; Bergstrand, G.; Berggren, B.M.; Edman, G.; Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm; Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm

    1988-01-01

    Patients with a particular, steroid-sensitive headache and often characteristic pathology at orbital phlebography, have been suggested to suffer from venous vasculitis. Fifty such patients were examined with computed tomography (CT) of the brain. The findings were compared with those of an age-matched reference group selected at random to represent normal subjects. The CT examinations were analyzed with respect to size of lateral ventricles and signs of atrophy. In both groups, there was a significant increase of atrophy with age. There was also a significantly higher degree of atrophy in the patient group as compared with the reference group. The findings indicate that the supposedly underlying venous vasculitis is related to early aging and atrophy of the brain. (orig.)

  15. Comparing the Effects of Group and Home-based Physical Activity on Mental Health in the Elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortazavi, Seyede Salehe; Shati, Mohsen; Ardebili, Hassan Eftekhar; Mohammad, Kazem; Beni, Reza Dorali; Keshteli, A H

    2013-11-01

    The present study focuses on comparing the effects of home-based (HB) and group-based (GB) physical activity on mental health in a sample of older adults in Shahr-e-kord. In this quasi-experimental study, a twice-weekly physical activity program for 2 months was provided either individually at home or in a group format for 181 people who were divided into two groups (HB and GB). The outcome, mental health, was measured with the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Mental health status improved after participation in the physical activity program. The decrease in GHQ-28 total score in GB group, 3 months after intervention, was 3.61 ± 2.28 (P effects of GB physical activity on mental health compared with HB physical activity, adjusted for related baseline variables, were significant. These findings reveal the probable effects of GB rather than HB physical activity on mental health among the elderly.

  16. Titanocene–Gold Complexes Containing N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands Inhibit Growth of Prostate, Renal, and Colon Cancers in Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    We report on the synthesis, characterization, and stability studies of new titanocene complexes containing a methyl group and a carboxylate ligand (mba = −OC(O)-p-C6H4-S−) bound to gold(I)–N-heterocyclic carbene fragments through the thiolate group: [(η5-C5H5)2TiMe(μ-mba)Au(NHC)]. The cytotoxicities of the heterometallic compounds along with those of novel monometallic gold–N-heterocyclic carbene precursors [(NHC)Au(mbaH)] have been evaluated against renal, prostate, colon, and breast cancer cell lines. The highest activity and selectivity and a synergistic effect of the resulting heterometallic species was found for the prostate and colon cancer cell lines. The colocalization of both titanium and gold metals (1:1 ratio) in PC3 prostate cancer cells was demonstrated for the selected compound 5a, indicating the robustness of the heterometallic compound in vitro. We describe here preliminary mechanistic data involving studies on the interaction of selected mono- and bimetallic compounds with plasmid (pBR322) used as a model nucleic acid and the inhibition of thioredoxin reductase in PC3 prostate cancer cells. The heterometallic compounds, which are highly apoptotic, exhibit strong antimigratory effects on the prostate cancer cell line PC3. PMID:27182101

  17. Low back pain in female elite football and handball players compared with an active control group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunås, Paula; Nilstad, Agnethe; Myklebust, Grethe

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among female elite football and handball players to a matched non-professional active control group. The participants were requested to answer a questionnaire based on standardized Nordic questionnaires for musculoskeletal symptoms to assess the prevalence of LBP. Included participants were elite female football (n = 277) and handball players (n = 190), and a randomly selected control group from the Norwegian population (n = 167). Fifty-seven percentage of the football players, 59 % of the handball players and 60 % of the control group had experienced LBP the previous year. There were no significant group differences in the prevalence of LBP ever (p = 0.62), the previous year (p = 0.85) or the previous 7 days (p = 0.63). For both sports, there was a significant increase in prevalence of LBP from the resting period to the competitive periods of the season (p ≤ 0.001). Seventy percent of the goalkeepers in both football and handball had experienced LBP the previous year. There were no difference in LBP among female elite football and handball players compared with the control group. However, female elite athletes in football and handball reported a high prevalence of LBP compared to previous studies. The variations in LBP and playing positions indicate that specific field positions, in football and handball, is a risk factor for developing LBP.

  18. Vibrotactile sense in patients with different upper limb disorders compared with a control group

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Lise Hedegaard; Jepsen, Jørgen Riis; Sjøgaard, Gisela

    2006-01-01

    diagnostic tools to reveal underlying mechanisms for specific diagnoses. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible differences in vibration perception threshold (VPT) and tolerance to suprathreshold stimulation (STS) between controls and specific diagnostic ULD patient groups with uni- and bilateral neuropathy...... patients in all diagnostic groups had significantly higher VPT (Pgroups defined with neuropathy demonstrated significantly higher VPT in the limb with diagnoses compared with the contralateral limb without...... diagnoses. The highest VPTs were found in the patient group with unilateral neuropathy and MCD, and for the radial nerve, VPT was significantly higher than that for patients with unilateral MCD alone. These findings were confirmed by almost similar findings in STS responses. CONCLUSIONS: The ULD patients...

  19. A Comparative Study of Group Behavioral Activation and Cognitive Therapy in Reducing Subsyndromal Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Soleimani

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This study compared the effectiveness of two group treatments, behavioral activation (BA and cognitive therapy (CT, in reducing subsyndromal anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of Iranian university students.Method: Twenty-seven Iranian university students who scored 18 or higher on the depression subscale and 16 or higher on the anxiety subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42 were randomly assigned into treatment groups. One group received 8 sessions of BA (n = 14, and the other received 8 sessions of group CT (n = 13.Result: Analysis of covariance revealed that the BA group had a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than the CT group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the levels of anxiety, stress symptoms or functional impairment after treatment.Conclusion: This study found evidence for the effectiveness of BA in reducing anxiety, depressive and stress symptoms and functional impairment compared to CT. BA was more effective than CT in improving depressive symptoms and was as effective as CT in decreasing anxiety, stress and functional impairment. BA is also a cost-effective intervention, particularly in group formats.

  20. Differential recognition of the multiple banded antigen isoforms across Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum species by monoclonal antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aboklaish, Ali F; Ahmed, Shatha; McAllister, Douglas; Cassell, Gail; Zheng, Xiaotian T; Spiller, Owen B

    2016-08-01

    Two separate species of Ureaplasma have been identified that infect humans: Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Most notably, these bacteria lack a cell wall and are the leading infectious organism associated with infection-related induction of preterm birth. Fourteen separate representative prototype bacterial strains, called serovars, are largely differentiated by the sequence of repeating units in the C-terminus of the major surface protein: multiple-banded antigen (MBA). Monoclonal antibodies that recognise single or small groups of serovars have been previously reported, but these reagents remain sequestered in individual research laboratories. Here we characterise a panel of commercially available monoclonal antibodies raised against the MBA and describe the first monoclonal antibody that cross-reacts by immunoblot with all serovars of U. parvum and U. urealyticum species. We also describe a recombinant MBA expressed by Escherichia coli which facilitated further characterisation by immunoblot and demonstrate immunohistochemistry of paraffin-embedded antigens. Immunoblot reactivity was validated against well characterised previously published monoclonal antibodies and individual commercial antibodies were found to recognise all U. parvum strains, only serovars 3 and 14 or only serovars 1 and 6, or all strains belonging to U. parvum and U. urealyticum. MBA mass was highly variable between strains, consistent with variation in the number of C-terminal repeats between strains. Antibody characterisation will enable future investigations to correlate severity of pathogenicity to MBA isoform number or mass, in addition to development of antibody-based diagnostics that will detect infection by all Ureaplasma species or alternately be able to differentiate between U. parvum, U. urealyticum or mixed infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Parametric analyses of summative scores may lead to conflicting inferences when comparing groups: A simulation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Asaduzzaman; Chien, Chi-Wen; Bagraith, Karl S

    2015-04-01

    To investigate whether using a parametric statistic in comparing groups leads to different conclusions when using summative scores from rating scales compared with using their corresponding Rasch-based measures. A Monte Carlo simulation study was designed to examine between-group differences in the change scores derived from summative scores from rating scales, and those derived from their corresponding Rasch-based measures, using 1-way analysis of variance. The degree of inconsistency between the 2 scoring approaches (i.e. summative and Rasch-based) was examined, using varying sample sizes, scale difficulties and person ability conditions. This simulation study revealed scaling artefacts that could arise from using summative scores rather than Rasch-based measures for determining the changes between groups. The group differences in the change scores were statistically significant for summative scores under all test conditions and sample size scenarios. However, none of the group differences in the change scores were significant when using the corresponding Rasch-based measures. This study raises questions about the validity of the inference on group differences of summative score changes in parametric analyses. Moreover, it provides a rationale for the use of Rasch-based measures, which can allow valid parametric analyses of rating scale data.

  2. Interference control in working memory: comparing groups of children with atypical development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palladino, Paola; Ferrari, Marcella

    2013-01-01

    The study aimed to test whether working memory deficits in children at risk of Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be attributed to deficits in interference control, thereby implicating prefrontal systems. Two groups of children known for showing poor working memory (i.e., children with poor comprehension and children with ADHD) were compared to a group of children with specific reading decoding problems (i.e., having severe problems in phonological rather than working memory) and to a control group. All children were tested with a verbal working memory task. Interference control of irrelevant items was examined by a lexical decision task presented immediately after the final recall in about half the trials, selected at random. The interference control measure was therefore directly related to working memory performance. Results confirmed deficient working memory performance in poor comprehenders and children at risk of ADHD + LD. More interestingly, this working memory deficit was associated with greater activation of irrelevant information than in the control group. Poor decoders showed more efficient interference control, in contrast to poor comprehenders and ADHD + LD children. These results indicated that interfering items were still highly accessible to working memory in children who fail the working memory task. In turn, these findings strengthen and clarify the role of interference control, one of the most critical prefrontal functions, in working memory.

  3. A blinded randomized controlled trial evaluating the usefulness of a novel diet (aminoprotect care) in dogs with spontaneous food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olivry, Thierry; Kurata, Keigo; Paps, Judy S; Masuda, Kenichi

    2007-10-01

    Aminoprotect Care (APC) is a novel diet composed of aminoacids, potato proteins and corn starch. The objectives of this study were to determine whether Maltese-Beagle atopic (MBA) dogs hypersensitive to corn exhibited clinical signs and changes in immunological markers after being fed APC. The study was designed as a blinded randomized controlled crossover experiment. Ten MBA dogs with signs of allergy within five days of ingesting corn were selected. Dogs were randomized to be fed either their maintenance diet with corn or APC for five days. After a washout of two weeks, diets were switched. Before and daily during each intervention, skin lesions were graded by an investigator while pruritus was assessed by another. Before and at the end of each intervention, the percentage of circulating CD4+CCR4+, corn-activated CD4+ T-lymphocytes and serum corn-specific IgE levels were measured and ratios of post:pre values calculated. During this trial, pruritus and skin lesions increased significantly in MBA dogs when ingesting corn while no such increase occurred when fed APC. Total, median and maximal pruritus values were significantly higher in MBA dogs ingesting corn compared to APC. There were no significant differences between interventions in the immunological parameters assessed. In summary, even though APC contains corn starch to which corn-sensitive MBA dogs often react, the ingestion of APC did not lead to significant increases in skin lesions or pruritus. Aminoprotect Care might prove valuable for management of food allergies. These experimental observations must be validated in large field studies.

  4. Synthesis of Cassava Waste Pulp-Acrylamide Super Absorbent: Effect of Initiator and Cross-Linker Concentration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zainal Alim Mas’ud

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Cassava waste pulp (CWP contains high carbohydrates that can be modified into super absorbent polymer (SAP through grafting and cross-linking copolymerization. Acrylamide (AM was grafted onto CWP with ammonium persulfate (APS as the initiator and N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA as the cross-linker under atmospheric nitrogen. The effect of APS and MBA concentrations on water absorption capacity of saponified SAP was studied, while the evaluation of grafting ratio (GR and grafting efficiency (GRE was conducted on unsaponified SAP. The grafting success was indicated by the occurrence of IR peaks at wave numbers of 573, 765, 858, and 1667 cm-1. In the saponified SAP, the very intense characteristic band at 1562 cm-1 is due to C=O asymmetric stretching in the carboxylate anion. Saponification increases significantly water absorption capacity compared to that of unsaponified SAP (from 39.79 g/g to 578.23 g/g. The highest water absorption capacity is reached at 0.74% APS and 0.09% MBA. The percentage of GRE and GR tends to increase with increasing APS concentration until reaching the highest value and then decreases. Effect of MBA concentration on water absorption capacity, GR, and on GRE is similar to the effect of initiator concentration on GR and GRE.

  5. Glyco-centric lectin magnetic bead array (LeMBA − proteomics dataset of human serum samples from healthy, Barrett׳s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alok K. Shah

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This data article describes serum glycoprotein biomarker discovery and qualification datasets generated using lectin magnetic bead array (LeMBA – mass spectrometry techniques, “Serum glycoprotein biomarker discovery and qualification pipeline reveals novel diagnostic biomarker candidates for esophageal adenocarcinoma” [1]. Serum samples collected from healthy, metaplastic Barrett׳s esophagus (BE and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC individuals were profiled for glycoprotein subsets via differential lectin binding. The biomarker discovery proteomics dataset consisting of 20 individual lectin pull-downs for 29 serum samples with a spiked-in internal standard chicken ovalbumin protein has been deposited in the PRIDE partner repository of the ProteomeXchange Consortium with the data set identifier PRIDE: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD002442. Annotated MS/MS spectra for the peptide identifications can be viewed using MS-Viewer (〈http://prospector2.ucsf.edu/prospector/cgi-bin/msform.cgi?form=msviewer〉 using search key “jn7qafftux”. The qualification dataset contained 6-lectin pulldown-coupled multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry (MRM-MS data for 41 protein candidates, from 60 serum samples. This dataset is available as a supplemental files with the original publication [1].

  6. Patterns of Engagement With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Online Support Groups: Comparing Posters and Lurkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coulson, Neil

    2015-01-01

    Little is known about the varying patterns of member engagement within inflammatory bowel disease online support groups. The aim of the study was, therefore, to compare posters and lurkers (i.e., those who read messages but choose not to post) in terms of engagement and motives for accessing online groups as well as to explore reasons why lurkers do not make an active contribution through posting messages. The findings revealed that those who posted messages visited groups more often and spent longer periods of time accessing them. However, there was no difference between posters and lurkers in terms of length of time as a group member. Furthermore, posters were more inclined to access online support groups to both seek and provide emotional, informational, and experiential support. Finally, four main reasons were described by lurkers for not posting messages and these focused on personal factors, illness severity, being helpful, and new member. For those healthcare professionals or patient volunteers who are involved in supporting inflammatory bowel disease online support groups, there are a number of practical strategies arising from these results which can be implemented to help integrate and encourage active participation by all members.

  7. Comparative analysis of countries in the peer-group based on economic potential and components of sustainable development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergii VOITKO

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The authors study levels of sustainable development potential and determine the positions of Ukraine and other countries in the peer-groups [4], based on individual macroeconomic indicators. The research includes a comparative analysis of absolute and relative terms of GDP, industrial production and the index of competitiveness for the countries included to the peer-groups. The authors analyse the position of countries based on the GDP per capita and components of sustainable development (Quality of Life Index and Security of Life Index. In the article, the authors suggest the methodical approach of performing the comparative analysis of peer-group countries based on their indicators values. This approach gives the possibility to investigate the country’s potential in the limits of the chosen peer-group and propose the recommendations for increase of economic potential in purpose of sustainable development achievement.

  8. Marketing Strategies Used to Promote Master of Business Administration Programs in Colleges and Universities in the Middle Atlantic Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sable, Paul F.

    Enrollments in Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs and the use and effectiveness of marketing techniques for managing MBA enrollments were investigated in 1984. A 94-item questionnaire completed by 56 MBA programs offered at colleges and universities in the Middle Atlantic States addressed administration, awareness of marketing and…

  9. Experimental density, viscosity, interfacial tension and water solubility of ethyl benzene-α-methyl benzyl alcohol–water system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barega, Esayas W.; Zondervan, Edwin; Haan, André B. de

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Properties were measured for MBA (methyl benzyl alcohol)-EB (ethyl benzene)-water. • MBA concentration was found to influence all the properties strongly. • The water solubility, density, and viscosity increased at high MBA concentration. • The interfacial tension decreased sharply at high MBA concentration. • MBA dictates the phase separation and mass transfer of the ternary system. -- Abstract: Density, viscosity, interfacial tension, and water solubility were measured for the (α-methyl benzyl alcohol (MBA) + Ethyl benzene (EB)) system at different concentrations of MBA in contact with water and sodium hydroxide solution (0.01 mol · kg −1 ) as aqueous phases. The properties were measured to identify the component which plays a governing role in changing the physical properties relevant to mass transfer and phase separation of the ternary system. The concentration of MBA was found to be the major factor influencing all the properties. The water solubility, the density, and the viscosity increased notably at higher concentrations of MBA; while, the interfacial tension decreased strongly. The use of 0.01 mol · kg −1 NaOH as an aqueous phase resulted in a decrease of the interfacial tension and a minor decrease in the water solubility. The density data were correlated using a quadratic mixing rule to describe the influence of concentration at any temperature. The viscosity data are correlated using the Nissan and Grunberg and Katti-Chaudhri equations. The Szyzkowski’s equation was used to correlate the interfacial tension data. The water solubility data were described using an exponential relationship. All the correlations described the experimental physical property data adequately

  10. Nutrient adequacy during weight loss interventions: a randomized study in women comparing the dietary intake in a meal replacement group with a traditional food group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bovee Vicki

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Safe and effective weight control strategies are needed to stem the current obesity epidemic. The objective of this one-year study was to document and compare the macronutrient and micronutrient levels in the foods chosen by women following two different weight reduction interventions. Methods Ninety-six generally healthy overweight or obese women (ages 25–50 years; BMI 25–35 kg/m2 were randomized into a Traditional Food group (TFG or a Meal Replacement Group (MRG incorporating 1–2 meal replacement drinks or bars per day. Both groups had an energy-restricted goal of 5400 kJ/day. Dietary intake data was obtained using 3-Day Food records kept by the subjects at baseline, 6 months and one-year. For more uniform comparisons between groups, each diet intervention consisted of 18 small group sessions led by the same Registered Dietitian. Results Weight loss for the 73% (n = 70 completing this one-year study was not significantly different between the groups, but was significantly different (p ≤ .05 within each group with a mean (± standard deviation weight loss of -6.1 ± 6.7 kg (TFG, n = 35 vs -5.0 ± 4.9 kg (MRG, n = 35. Both groups had macronutrient (Carbohydrate:Protein:Fat ratios that were within the ranges recommended (50:19:31, TFG vs 55:16:29, MRG. Their reported reduced energy intake was similar (5729 ± 1424 kJ, TFG vs 5993 ± 2016 kJ, MRG. There was an improved dietary intake pattern in both groups as indicated by decreased intake of saturated fat (≤ 10%, cholesterol ( Conclusion In this one-year university-based intervention, both dietitian-led groups successfully lost weight while improving overall dietary adequacy. The group incorporating fortified meal replacements tended to have a more adequate essential nutrient intake compared to the group following a more traditional food group diet. This study supports the need to incorporate fortified foods and/or dietary supplements while following an energy

  11. A comparative study of cross sections at few energy groups for thermal reactors fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Claro, L.H.; Prati, A.

    1992-01-01

    A comparative study of nuclear constant calculated with LEOPARD and WIMSD-4 codes using a typical PWR cell was done. Few groups macroscopic cross section, spectral index burnup and power distribution were analyzed. (author)

  12. Some Teaching Reform Ideas on Management Information System of Master of Business Administration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Chongjun

    2009-01-01

    Management information system (MIS) is one of the core courses of master of business administration (MBA). Based on the educational characteristics of MBA, this paper studies the teaching issues and strategies of MIS course of MBA. The discussion includes three parts: modification of educational content; improvement of educational ability; case…

  13. Formation of 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz(a)anthracene-DNA adducts from 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in mouse epidermis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DiGiovanni, J.; Nebzydoski, A.P.; Decina, P.C.

    1983-01-01

    The formation of DNA adducts from [ 3 H]-7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz(a)anthracene (7-OHM-12-MBA) and [ 3 H]-7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) in the epidermis of Sencar mice was analyzed. Comparison of Sephadex LH-20 chromatographic profiles of DNA samples isolated from mice treated with DMBA or 7-OHM-12-MBA suggested that the DMBA-treated animals contained DNA adduct(s) derived from the further metabolism of 7-OHM-12-MBA. Further analysis of DNA samples from DMBA-treated mice by high-pressure liquid chromatography demonstrated the presence of 5 DNA adducts which were chromatographically indistinguishable from the DNA adducts formed in 7-OHM-12-MBA-treated mice. Epidermal homogenates were utilized to catalyze the covalent binding of [ 3 H]DMBA and [ 3 H]-7-OHM-12-MBA to calf thymus DNA in vitro. Under conditions of limiting concentrations of [ 3 H]DMBA, the majority of the DNA adducts formed chromatographed in regions where 7-OHM-12-MBA-DNA adducts eluted. A major DMBA-DNA adduct formed in this in vitro system eluted with the same retention time as did the major 7-OHM-12-MBA-DNA adduct formed in mouse skin in vivo. These results when coupled with the in vivo data suggest that 7-OHM-12-MBA is an intermediate for at least some of the binding of DMBA to epidermal DNA in Sencar mice

  14. Enhanced degradation of haloacid by heterologous expression in related Burkholderia species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Xianbin; Deng, Liyu; Kong, Ka Fai; Tsang, Jimmy S H

    2013-10-01

    Haloacids are environmental pollutant and can be transformed to non-toxic alkanoic acids by microbial dehalogenase. Bacterium Burkholderia species MBA4 was enriched from soil for its ability to bioremediate haloacids such as mono-chloroacetate (MCA), mono-bromoacetate (MBA), 2-mono-chloropropionate, and 2-mono-bromopropionate. MBA4 produces an inducible dehalogenase Deh4a that catalyzes the dehalogenation process. The growth of MBA4 on haloacid also relies on the presence of a haloacid-uptake system. Similar dehalogenase genes can be found in the genome of many related species. However, wildtype Burkholderia caribensis MWAP64, Burkholderia phymatum STM815, and Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 were not able to grow on MCA. When a plasmid containing the regulatory and structural gene of Deh4a was transformed to these species, they were able to grow on haloacid. The specific enzyme activities in these recombinants ranges from 2- to 30-fold that of MBA4 in similar condition. Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR showed that the relative transcript levels in these recombinant strains ranges from 9 to over 1,600 times that of MBA4 in similar condition. A recombinant has produced nearly five times of dehalogenase that MBA4 could ever achieve. While the expressions of Deh4a were more relaxed in these phylogenetically related species, an MCA-uptake activity was found to be inducible. These metabolically engineered strains are better degraders than the haloacid-enriched MBA4. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Comparing group deliberation to other forms of preference aggregation in valuing ecosystem services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mackenzie B. Murphy

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Deliberative methods for valuing ecosystem services are hypothesized to yield group preferences that differ systematically from those that would be obtained through calculative aggregation of the preferences of participating individuals. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the group consensus results of structured deliberations against a variety of aggregation methods applied to individual participant preferences that were elicited both before and after the deliberations. Participants were also asked about their perceptions of the deliberative process, which we used to assess their ability to detect preference changes and identify the causes of any changes. For five of the seven groups tested, the group consensus results could not have been predicted from individual predeliberation preferences using any of the aggregation rules. However, individual postdeliberation preferences could be used to reconstruct the group preferences using consensual and rank-based aggregation rules. These results imply that the preferences of participants changed over the course of the deliberation and that the group preferences reflected a broad consensus on overall rankings rather than simply the pairwise preferences of the majority. Changes in individual preferences seem to have gone largely unnoticed by participants, as most stated that they did not believe their preferences had substantially changed. Most participants were satisfied with the outcome of the deliberation, and their degree of satisfaction was correlated with the feeling that their opinion was heard and that they had an influence on the outcome. Based on our results, group deliberation shows promise as a means of generating ecosystem service valuations that reflect a consensus opinion rather than simply a collection of personal preferences.

  16. Memory and phonological awareness in children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy compared to a matched control group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northcott, Ellen; Connolly, Anne M; Berroya, Anna; McIntyre, Jenny; Christie, Jane; Taylor, Alan; Bleasel, Andrew F; Lawson, John A; Bye, Ann M E

    2007-06-01

    In a previous study we demonstrated children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy have normal intelligence and language ability. However, difficulties in verbal and visual memory and aspects of phonological awareness were found compared to normative data. To address the methodological limitations related to the use of normative data, we compared the same cohort of children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy to a matched control group. Controls (n=40) matched on age and gender to the Benign Rolandic Epilepsy cohort underwent neuropsychological assessment. The life functioning of the control group was assessed using a modified version of the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE). The study confirmed the previous findings of memory and phonological awareness difficulties. In addition, the children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy had significantly lower IQ scores than the matched control group. Paired sample t-tests showed that on 8 of 11 QOLCE scales, children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy were rated by parents as having poorer life functioning compared to matched controls, including lower parental ratings on the subscales of memory and language. Benign Rolandic Epilepsy has an excellent seizure prognosis, but this study further emphasizes potential cognitive difficulties. Using an age and gender matched control group, the previous findings of memory and phonological awareness difficulties were validated. These problems in cognition were also identified by parents of children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy as problematic and impacting upon the child's quality of life.

  17. Student Teaching Abroad Inter-Group Outcomes: A Comparative, Country-Specific Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binbin Jiang

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available As student diversity becomes the norm in U.S. schools, future teachers must be comprehensively prepared to work with the increasingly diverse student population through application of informed instruction that enhances general and individual student learning and outcomes. Teacher Education programs increasingly promote student teaching in international settings as a substantive step to develop teachers who embody these new competencies and instructional practices. The proposed paper presentation offers a framework and analysis highlighting similarities and differences between two groups of student teachers in Belize (2005 and 2008. Findings are comparative and relate to the type and degree of (1 cultural-, professional-, and character-development influences on student teachers, and (2 emergent common intergroup patterns.

  18. Ethnicity and child health in northern Tanzania: Maasai pastoralists are disadvantaged compared to neighbouring ethnic groups.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David W Lawson

    Full Text Available The Maasai of northern Tanzania, a semi-nomadic ethnic group predominantly reliant on pastoralism, face a number of challenges anticipated to have negative impacts on child health, including marginalisation, vulnerabilities to drought, substandard service provision and on-going land grabbing conflicts. Yet, stemming from a lack of appropriate national survey data, no large-scale comparative study of Maasai child health has been conducted. Savannas Forever Tanzania surveyed the health of over 3500 children from 56 villages in northern Tanzania between 2009 and 2011. The major ethnic groups sampled were the Maasai, Sukuma, Rangi, and the Meru. Using multilevel regression we compare each ethnic group on the basis of (i measurements of child health, including anthropometric indicators of nutritional status and self-reported incidence of disease; and (ii important proximate determinants of child health, including food insecurity, diet, breastfeeding behaviour and vaccination coverage. We then (iii contrast households among the Maasai by the extent to which subsistence is reliant on livestock herding. Measures of both child nutritional status and disease confirm that the Maasai are substantially disadvantaged compared to neighbouring ethnic groups, Meru are relatively advantaged, and Rangi and Sukuma intermediate in most comparisons. However, Maasai children were less likely to report malaria and worm infections. Food insecurity was high throughout the study site, but particularly severe for the Maasai, and reflected in lower dietary intake of carbohydrate-rich staple foods, and fruits and vegetables. Breastfeeding was extended in the Maasai, despite higher reported consumption of cow's milk, a potential weaning food. Vaccination coverage was lowest in Maasai and Sukuma. Maasai who rely primarily on livestock herding showed signs of further disadvantage compared to Maasai relying primarily on agriculture. We discuss the potential ecological

  19. Determining the frequency of dry eye in computer users and comparing with control group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Hossein Davari

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To determine the frequency of dry eye in computer users and to compare them with control group. METHODS: This study was a case control research conducted in 2015 in the city of Birjand. Sample size of study was estimated to be 304 subjects(152 subjects in each group, computer user group and control group. Non-randomized method of sampling was used in both groups. Schirmer test was used to evaluate dry eye of subjects. Then, subjects completed questionnaire. This questionnaire was developed based on objectives and reviewing the literature. After collecting the data, they were entered to SPSS Software and they were analyzed using Chi-square test or Fisher's test at the alpha level of 0.05.RESULTS: In total, 304 subjects(152 subjects in each groupwere included in the study. Frequency of dry eyes in the control group was 3.3%(5 subjectsand it was 61.8% in computer users group(94 subjects. Significant difference was observed between two groups in this regard(Pn=12, and it was 34.2% in computer users group(n=52, which significant difference was observed between two groups in this regard(PP=0.8. The mean working hour with computer per day in patients with dry eye was 6.65±3.52h, while it was 1.62±2.54h in healthy group(T=13.25, PCONCLUSION: This study showed a significant relationship between using computer and dry eye and ocular symptoms. Thus, it is necessary that officials need to pay particular attention to working hours with computer by employees. They should also develop appropriate plans to divide the working hours with computer among computer users. However, due to various confounding factors, it is recommended that these factors to be controlled in future studies.

  20. JCSC_129_02_0259_0269_SI.doc

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Geometrical parameters of 3-amino-4-methoxy benzamide. Table S2. Natural charges of 3A4MBA. Table S3. Definition of internal coordinates of 3A4MBA. Table S4. Definition of local symmetry coordinates of 3A4MBA. Table S5. Observed and calculated vibrational wavenumbers (cm-1). Table S1. Geometrical parameters ...

  1. A comparative analysis of anorexia nervosa groups on Facebook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teufel, Martin; Hofer, Eva; Junne, Florian; Sauer, Helene; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin Elisabeth

    2013-12-01

    To analyze the content and culture of anorexia nervosa (AN)-related communication on the current major social network site (SNS) Facebook. We searched for groups and sites related to AN on Facebook by means of a faux profile of a young female. Identified groups/sites were analyzed with respect to (1) category (education, self-help, professional help, pro-ana, anti pro-ana), (2) activity, (3) motivational aspects (prose, pictures), and (4) social support. Numerous relevant groups were found in all categories except that professional help was almost nonexistent. Pro-ana groups were found to be the most active, best organized, and offered the highest levels of social support. Prose motivation was distinctly offered in all categories. Motivation with pictures was particularly evident in pro-ana groups. The most functional motivation was found in self-help groups. SNS appears to be a relevant way for young females suffering from AN to communicate and exchange disease and health-related ideas. Caregivers, researchers, and institutions in the field of eating disorders should be aware of the existence, possibilities, dysfunctions, and influence of SNS. Whether SNS can help persons with AN to get therapeutic assistance as well as whether it can be integrated into psychotherapeutic strategies should be examined in future studies.

  2. Phage morphology recapitulates phylogeny: the comparative genomics of a new group of myoviruses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André M Comeau

    Full Text Available Among dsDNA tailed bacteriophages (Caudovirales, members of the Myoviridae family have the most sophisticated virion design that includes a complex contractile tail structure. The Myoviridae generally have larger genomes than the other phage families. Relatively few "dwarf" myoviruses, those with a genome size of less than 50 kb such as those of the Mu group, have been analyzed in extenso. Here we report on the genome sequencing and morphological characterization of a new group of such phages that infect a diverse range of Proteobacteria, namely Aeromonas salmonicida phage 56, Vibrio cholerae phages 138 and CP-T1, Bdellovibrio phage φ1422, and Pectobacterium carotovorum phage ZF40. This group of dwarf myoviruses shares an identical virion morphology, characterized by usually short contractile tails, and have genome sizes of approximately 45 kb. Although their genome sequences are variable in their lysogeny, replication, and host adaption modules, presumably reflecting differing lifestyles and hosts, their structural and morphogenesis modules have been evolutionarily constrained by their virion morphology. Comparative genomic analysis reveals that these phages, along with related prophage genomes, form a new coherent group within the Myoviridae. The results presented in this communication support the hypothesis that the diversity of phages may be more structured than generally believed and that the innumerable phages in the biosphere all belong to discrete lineages or families.

  3. N-(2-Chlorophenyl-2-methylbenzamide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Thimme Gowda

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available In the structure of the title compound (N2CP2MBA, C14H12ClNO, the conformations of the N—H and C=O bonds are trans to each other. Furthermore, the conformation of the N—H bond is syn to the ortho-chloro group in the aniline ring and the C=O bond is syn to the ortho-methyl substituent in the benzoyl ring, similar to what is observed in 2-chloro-N-(2-chlorophenylbenzamide and 2-methyl-N-phenylbenzamide. The amide group makes almost the same dihedral angles of 41.2 (14 and 42.2 (13° with the aniline and benzoyl rings, respectively, while the dihedral angle between the benzoyl and aniline rings is only 7.4 (3°. The molecules in N2CP2MBA are packed into chains through N—H...O hydrogen bonds.

  4. Comparing the Effectiveness of Individual Coaching, Self-Coaching, and Group Training: How Leadership Makes the Difference

    Science.gov (United States)

    Losch, Sabine; Traut-Mattausch, Eva; Mühlberger, Maximilian D.; Jonas, Eva

    2016-01-01

    Few empirical studies have used a randomized controlled design to evaluate the impact of coaching, and there are even fewer that have compared coaching with other interventions. In the current field study, we investigated the relative effectiveness of coaching as an intervention to reduce procrastination. In a randomized controlled study, participants (N = 84) were assigned to an individual coaching, a self-coaching, a group training, or a control group condition. Results indicate that individual coaching and group training were effective in reducing procrastination and facilitating goal attainment. Individual coaching created a high degree of satisfaction and was superior in helping participants attaining their goals, whereas group training successfully promoted the acquisition of relevant knowledge. The results for the self-coaching condition show that independently performing exercises without being supported by a coach is not sufficient for high goal attainment. Moreover, mediation analysis show that a coach’s transformational and transactional leadership behavior influenced participants’ perceived autonomy support and intrinsic motivation, resulting in beneficial coaching outcomes. The results may guide the selection of appropriate human resource development methods: If there is a general need to systematically prepare employees to perform on specific tasks, group training seems appropriate due to lower costs. However, when certain aspects of working conditions or individual development goals are paramount, coaching might be indicated. However, further research is needed to compare the relative effectiveness of coaching with other interventions in different contexts. PMID:27199857

  5. Comparing the Effectiveness of Individual Coaching, Self-Coaching, and Group Training: How Leadership Makes the Difference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Losch, Sabine; Traut-Mattausch, Eva; Mühlberger, Maximilian D; Jonas, Eva

    2016-01-01

    Few empirical studies have used a randomized controlled design to evaluate the impact of coaching, and there are even fewer that have compared coaching with other interventions. In the current field study, we investigated the relative effectiveness of coaching as an intervention to reduce procrastination. In a randomized controlled study, participants (N = 84) were assigned to an individual coaching, a self-coaching, a group training, or a control group condition. Results indicate that individual coaching and group training were effective in reducing procrastination and facilitating goal attainment. Individual coaching created a high degree of satisfaction and was superior in helping participants attaining their goals, whereas group training successfully promoted the acquisition of relevant knowledge. The results for the self-coaching condition show that independently performing exercises without being supported by a coach is not sufficient for high goal attainment. Moreover, mediation analysis show that a coach's transformational and transactional leadership behavior influenced participants' perceived autonomy support and intrinsic motivation, resulting in beneficial coaching outcomes. The results may guide the selection of appropriate human resource development methods: If there is a general need to systematically prepare employees to perform on specific tasks, group training seems appropriate due to lower costs. However, when certain aspects of working conditions or individual development goals are paramount, coaching might be indicated. However, further research is needed to compare the relative effectiveness of coaching with other interventions in different contexts.

  6. Comparative processes in personal and group judgments : Resolving the discrepancy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postmes, T; Branscombe, NR; Spears, R; Young, H

    The judgment mechanisms underlying personal- and group-level ratings of discrimination and privilege were investigated in high- and lour-status groups. PI consistent personal-group discrepancy is found for discrimination and privilege: but is not due to personal differentiation from the group.

  7. Metacognition and Group Differences: A Comparative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Hilawani, Yasser A.

    2014-01-01

    In this study, metacognition refers to performing visual analysis and discrimination of real life events and situations in naïve psychology, naïve physics, and naïve biology domains. It is used, along with measuring reaction time, to examine differences in the ability of four groups of students to select appropriate pictures that correspond with…

  8. Rapid, highly sensitive detection of herpes simplex virus-1 using multiple antigenic peptide-coated superparamagnetic beads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ran, Ying-Fen; Fields, Conor; Muzard, Julien; Liauchuk, Viktoryia; Carr, Michael; Hall, William; Lee, Gil U

    2014-12-07

    A sensitive, rapid, and label free magnetic bead aggregation (MBA) assay has been developed that employs superparamagnetic (SPM) beads to capture, purify, and detect model proteins and the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The MBA assay is based on monitoring the aggregation state of a population of SPM beads using light scattering of individual aggregates. A biotin-streptavidin MBA assay had a femtomolar (fM) level sensitivity for analysis times less than 10 minutes, but the response of the assay becomes nonlinear at high analyte concentrations. A MBA assay for the detection of HSV-1 based on a novel peptide probe resulted in the selective detection of the virus at concentrations as low as 200 viral particles (vp) per mL in less than 30 min. We define the parameters that determine the sensitivity and response of the MBA assay, and the mechanism of enhanced sensitivity of the assay for HSV. The speed, relatively low cost, and ease of application of the MBA assay promise to make it useful for the identification of viral load in resource-limited and point-of-care settings where molecular diagnostics cannot be easily implemented.

  9. Comparing multilayer brain networks between groups: Introducing graph metrics and recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandke, Kanad; Meier, Jil; Brookes, Matthew J; O'Dea, Reuben D; Van Mieghem, Piet; Stam, Cornelis J; Hillebrand, Arjan; Tewarie, Prejaas

    2018-02-01

    There is an increasing awareness of the advantages of multi-modal neuroimaging. Networks obtained from different modalities are usually treated in isolation, which is however contradictory to accumulating evidence that these networks show non-trivial interdependencies. Even networks obtained from a single modality, such as frequency-band specific functional networks measured from magnetoencephalography (MEG) are often treated independently. Here, we discuss how a multilayer network framework allows for integration of multiple networks into a single network description and how graph metrics can be applied to quantify multilayer network organisation for group comparison. We analyse how well-known biases for single layer networks, such as effects of group differences in link density and/or average connectivity, influence multilayer networks, and we compare four schemes that aim to correct for such biases: the minimum spanning tree (MST), effective graph resistance cost minimisation, efficiency cost optimisation (ECO) and a normalisation scheme based on singular value decomposition (SVD). These schemes can be applied to the layers independently or to the multilayer network as a whole. For correction applied to whole multilayer networks, only the SVD showed sufficient bias correction. For correction applied to individual layers, three schemes (ECO, MST, SVD) could correct for biases. By using generative models as well as empirical MEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we further demonstrated that all schemes were sensitive to identify network topology when the original networks were perturbed. In conclusion, uncorrected multilayer network analysis leads to biases. These biases may differ between centres and studies and could consequently lead to unreproducible results in a similar manner as for single layer networks. We therefore recommend using correction schemes prior to multilayer network analysis for group comparisons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier

  10. A Qualitative Analysis of NASA’s Human Computer Interaction Group Examining the Root Causes of Focusing on Derivative System Improvements Versus Core User Needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    toward qualitative analysis methods where they excelled at user research and workflow process analysis consistent with their formal training, rather...to a single one (e.g., one type of user research or graphic design) at larger Silicon Valley firms. The core competency of the design team tended...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF NASA’S HUMAN COMPUTER

  11. Comparative evaluation of 5 different selective media for Group B Streptococcus screening in pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joubrel, Caroline; Gendron, Nicolas; Dmytruk, Nicolas; Touak, Gérald; Verlaguet, Martine; Poyart, Claire; Réglier-Poupet, Hélène

    2014-12-01

    We compared the performances and the cost-effectiveness of 5 selective media for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening in vaginal samples from pregnant women. The usefulness of these media is unquestionable for GBS screening; the choice will depend largely on the laboratory organization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Comparing the Math Anxiety of Secondary School Female Students in Groups (Science and Mathematical Physics) Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vakili, Khatoon; Pourrazavy, Zinat alsadat

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is comparing math anxiety of secondary school female students in groups (Science and Mathematical Physics) Public Schools, district 2, city of Sari. The purpose of the research is applied research, it is a development branch, and in terms of the nature and method, it is a causal-comparative research. The statistical…

  13. [Attitudes to smoking and characteristics of the habit among a group of young asthmatics compared to a group of non-asthmatics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Granda Orive, J I; Peña Miguel, T; Reinares Ten, C; González Quijada, S; Escobar Sacristán, J; Sáez Valls, R; Herrera de la Rosa, A

    2000-03-01

    To compare the attitudes toward smoking and smoking patterns of young male asthmatics with the attitudes and habits of a group previously studied non-asthmatic men. Volunteers responded individually to as anonymous questionnaire. Responses were received from 488 asthmatics men (55.83%) of the sample, with 11 not responding) and 386 non-asthmatics (44.16%, with 27 not responding). The mean age of subjects was 19.91 +/- 2.76 yr. Smoking asthmatics numbered 154 (31.56%) non-asthmatic smokers numbered 207 (53.6%) (p non-smoking asthmatics. The prevalence of smoking is lower among asthmatics than among non-asthmatics and asthmatics smoke fewer cigarettes/day and have a lower level of addiction. There are no differences in age of or reasons for starting to smoke. Asthmatics have fewer smoking friends than do non-asthmatics and non-smoking asthmatics have fever still. the desire to quit smoking is high in both groups.

  14. Health Workforce Remuneration: comparing wage levels, ranking and dispersion of 16 occupational groups in 20 countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tijdens, K.; de Vries, D.H.; Steinmetz, S.

    2013-01-01

    Background This article represents the first attempt to explore remuneration in Human Resources for Health (HRH), comparing wage levels, ranking and dispersion of 16 HRH occupational groups in 20 countries (Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany,

  15. Health workforce remuneration: Comparing wage levels, ranking, and dispersion of 16 occupational groups in 20 countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K.G. Tijdens (Kea); D.H. de Vries (Daniel); S.M. Steinmetz

    2013-01-01

    textabstractBackground: This article represents the first attempt to explore remuneration in Human Resources for Health (HRH), comparing wage levels, ranking and dispersion of 16 HRH occupational groups in 20 countries (Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic,

  16. Atomically Precise Nanocluster Assemblies Encapsulating Plasmonic Gold Nanorods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Amrita; Fernandez, Ann Candice; Som, Anirban; Mondal, Biswajit; Natarajan, Ganapati; Paramasivam, Ganesan; Lahtinen, Tanja; Häkkinen, Hannu; Nonappa, Nonappa; Pradeep, Thalappil

    2018-04-01

    We present the self-assembled structures of atomically precise, ligand-protected noble metal nanoclusters leading to encapsulation of plasmonic gold nanorods (GNRs). Unlike highly sophisticated DNA nanotechnology, our approach demonstrates a strategically simple hydrogen bonding-directed self-assembly of nanoclusters leading to octahedral nanocrystals encapsulating GNRs. Specifically, we use the p-mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA) protected atomically precise nanocluster, Na4[Ag44(pMBA)30] and pMBA functionalized GNRs. High resolution transmission and scanning transmission electron tomographic reconstructions suggest that the geometry of the GNR surface is responsible for directing the assembly of silver nanoclusters via H-bonding leading to octahedral symmetry. Further, use of water dispersible gold nanoclusters, Au~250(pMBA)n and Au102(pMBA)44 also formed layered shells encapsulating GNRs. Such cluster assemblies on colloidal particles present a new category of precision hybrids with diverse possibilities. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Cardiovascular disease by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diep Lien M

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The population in Norway has become multi-ethnic due to migration from Asia and Africa over the recent decades. The aim of the present study was to explore differences in the self-reported prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD and associated risk factors by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians. Methods Pooled data from three population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in Oslo between 2000 and 2002 was used. Of 54,473 invited individuals 24,749 (45.4% participated. The participants self-reported health status, underwent a clinical examination and blood samples were drawn. A total of 17,854 individuals aged 30 to 61 years born in Norway, Sri-Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam or Turkey were included in the study. Chi-square tests, one-way ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, multiple and logistic regression were used. Results Age- and gender-standardized prevalence of self-reported CVD varied between 5.8% and 8.2% for the ethnic minority groups, compared to 2.9% among ethnic Norwegians (p Conclusions Ethnic differences in the prevalence of CVD were prominent for individuals without diabetes. Primary CVD prevention including identification of undiagnosed diabetes should be prioritized for ethnic minorities without known diabetes.

  18. Groener drogen

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loman, N.G.M. (Niek)

    2012-01-01

    Auteur: N.G.M. (Niek) Loman Begeleiders: Ing. H.W. (Pim) van den Dool, Discrete Technologie en Productie Automatisering, RUG Dr.ir. I. (Ingrid) ten Have MBA, Interfac. Opleidingsinst. Technische Bedrijfskunde, RUG Drs. C.M. (Karin) Ree, Bèta Wetenschapswinkel, Science & Society Group, RUG Drs. R.W.

  19. The Comparative Study of Collaborative Learning and SDLC Model to develop IT Group Projects

    OpenAIRE

    Sorapak Pukdesree

    2017-01-01

    The main objectives of this research were to compare the attitudes of learners between applying SDLC model with collaborative learning and typical SDLC model and to develop electronic courseware as group projects. The research was a quasi-experimental research. The populations of the research were students who took Computer Organization and Architecture course in the academic year 2015. There were 38 students who participated to the research. The participants were divided voluntary into two g...

  20. Wide-range frequency selectivity in an acoustic sensor fabricated using a microbeam array with non-uniform thickness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shintaku, Hirofumi; Kotera, Hidetoshi; Kobayashi, Takayuki; Zusho, Kazuki; Kawano, Satoyuki

    2013-01-01

    In this study, we have demonstrated the fabrication of a microbeam array (MBA) with various thicknesses and investigated the suitability it for an acoustic sensor with wide-range frequency selectivity. For this, an MBA composed of 64 beams, with thicknesses varying from 2.99–142 µm, was fabricated by using single gray-scale lithography and a thick negative photoresist. The vibration of the beams in air was measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer; the resonant frequencies of the beams were measured to be from 11.5 to 290 kHz. Lastly, the frequency range of the MBA with non-uniform thickness was 10.9 times that of the MBA with uniform thickness. (paper)

  1. Comparing telehealth-based and clinic-based group cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with depression and anxiety: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khatri N

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Nasreen Khatri, Elsa Marziali, Illia Tchernikov, Nancy ShepherdRotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON, CanadaBackground: The primary objective of this pilot study was to demonstrate reliable adherence to a group cognitive behavioral (CBT therapy protocol when delivered using on-line video conferencing as compared with face-to-face delivery of group CBT. A secondary aim was to show comparability of changes in subject depression inventory scores between on-line and face-to-face delivery of group CBT.Methods: We screened 31 individuals, 18 of whom met the criteria for a DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition diagnosis of mood and/or anxiety disorder. All qualifying participants had the necessary equipment (computer, webcam, Internet for participation in the study, but could exercise their preference for either the on-line or face-to-face format. Eighteen completed the 13 weekly session intervention program (ten face-to-face; eight video conferencing. We coded adherence to protocol in both intervention formats and generated pre–post changes in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II for each participant.Results: Application of the CBT protocol coding system showed reliable adherence to the group CBT intervention protocol in both delivery formats. Similarly, qualitative analysis of the themes in group discussion indicated that both groups addressed similar issues. Pre–post intervention scores for the BDI-II were comparable across the two delivery formats, with 60% of participants in each group showing a positive change in BDI-II severity classification (eg, from moderate to low symptoms.Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates that group CBT could be delivered in a technology-supported environment (on-line video conferencing and can meet the same professional practice standards and outcomes as face-to-face delivery of the intervention program.Keywords: psychotherapy, gerontology, mood

  2. Should I get a Master of Business Administration? The anesthesiologist with education training: training options and professional opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desai, Arjun M; Trillo, Raul A; Macario, Alex

    2009-04-01

    Many physicians want to know whether they should get a Master of Business Administration (MBA), what type of program is best, and what career paths exist. It is commonly (incorrectly) assumed that a physician successful in clinical practice can easily transfer to managing/leading an organization. To be effective, the MD/MBA must bridge the cultures of the business world and medicine. Often just a single management course is sufficient to give the physician the knowledge they seek. MBA programs come in many forms and require choosing from a range of time commitments. Leaving a good clinical job in favor of the less-defined course of an MD/MBA can be daunting. Although a wide spectrum of opportunities are available, the MD/MBA may have to start over professionally, most likely with a pay cut, and will have to 'work their way up' again. A stigma exists for MD/MBAs because they are often perceived as caring more about business than about patients. Many MD/MBAs eventually choose to stay in full-time medical practice because financial and geographic stability may be more easily attained. The MBA is a good idea for the physicians who enjoy the intellectual challenges of business administration and proactively plan their own career.

  3. Urinary incontinence during pregnancy and 1 year after delivery in primiparous women compared with a control group of nulliparous women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Bent Brandt; Svare, Jens; Viktrup, Lars

    2012-01-01

    , the prevalence of any type of urinary incontinence in the primiparous group was 32.1%, compared to 13.8% in the control group. Adjusted OR¿=¿3.3 (95%CI¿=¿2.4-4.4). One year after delivery, the prevalence in the primiparous group was 29.3%, compared to 16.6% in the control group. Adjusted OR¿=¿2.5 (95%CI¿=¿1......AIMS: To investigate the impact of the first pregnancy and delivery on the prevalence and types of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and 1 year after delivery. METHODS: The study was a prospective cohort study with a control group. Primiparous women, who delivered in our department from June...... 2003 to July 2005, participated. The women filled out a questionnaire 2-3 days after the delivery and a new questionnaire after 1 year. The questionnaires comprised basic characteristics and symptoms of urinary incontinence. An attempted age-matched control group of nulliparous women was included...

  4. The effects of Internet-based exercise compared with supervised group exercise in people with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinci, Buket; Yeldan, Ipek; Satman, Ilhan; Dirican, Ahmet; Ozdincler, Arzu Razak

    2018-06-01

    To compare the effects of Internet-based exercise on glycaemic control, blood lipids, body composition, physical activity level, functional capacity, and quality of life with supervised group exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes. Single-blind, randomized controlled study. A Faculty of Health Sciences. A total of 65 patients with type 2 diabetes (47 women, 18 men). Group A ( n = 22), control group - physical activity counselling once with a brochure. Group B ( n = 22), supervised group-based exercise, three days per week for eight weeks. Group C ( n = 21), Internet-based exercise following the same programme via a website. Primary outcomes - glycosylated haemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, high-density and low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and cholesterol. Secondary outcomes - waist and hip circumferences, body mass index, number of steps, six-minute walking test, and Euro-Quality of Life-5 Dimension. After treatment, glycaemic control (mean change for Group B; Group C; -0.80%, -0.91%, P = 0.003), waist circumference (-4.23 cm, 5.64 cm, P = 0.006), and quality of life (0.26, 0.15, P = 0.013) significantly improved in both training groups compared with the control group. Fasting blood glucose (-46.86 mg/dL, P = 0.009) and hip circumference (-2.7 cm, P = 0.011) were significantly decreased in Group B and total cholesterol (-16.4 mg/dL, P = 0.028), six-minute walking distance (30.5 m, P = 0.01), and number of steps (1258.05, P = 0.023) significantly improved in Group C compared with control group. Group B and Group C changed with equal magnitude. In type 2 diabetes, supervised group-based and Internet-based exercise can improve equally glycaemic control, waist circumference, and quality of life, and both are better than simply counselling.

  5. Randomized controlled trial of group cognitive behavioral therapy compared to a discussion group for co-morbid anxiety and depression in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wuthrich, V M; Rapee, R M; Kangas, M; Perini, S

    2016-03-01

    Co-morbid anxiety and depression in older adults is associated with worse physical and mental health outcomes and poorer response to psychological and pharmacological treatments in older adults. However, there is a paucity of research focused on testing the efficacy of the co-morbid treatment of anxiety and depression in older adults using psychological interventions. Accordingly, the primary objective of the current study was to test the effects of a group cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) program in treating co-morbid anxiety and depression in a sample of older age adults. A total of 133 community-dwelling participants aged ⩾60 years (mean age = 67.35, s.d. = 5.44, male = 59) with both an anxiety disorder and unipolar mood disorder, as assessed on the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule (ADIS), were randomly allocated to an 11-week CBT group or discussion group. Participants with Mini-Mental State Examination scores <26 were excluded. Participants were assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 6 months follow-up on the ADIS, a brief measure of well-being, Geriatric Anxiety Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale. Both conditions resulted in significant improvements over time on all diagnostic, symptom and wellbeing measures. Significant group × time interaction effects emerged at post-treatment only for diagnostic severity of the primary disorder, mean severity of all anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and all disorders, and recovery rates on primary disorder. Group CBT produced faster and sustained improvements in anxiety and depression on diagnostic severity and recovery rates compared to an active control in older adults.

  6. Comparative study of cerebral atrophy in various alcoholic groups, based on CT findings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ishii, Tomoyuki (Nippon Medical School, Tokyo)

    1983-02-01

    The alcoholics were diagnosed and classified based on the criteria, offered at the Alcoholism Diagnostic Conference (1977) which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Welfare, Japan. Grade of cerebral atrophy was estimated. Measurement items on the Computed Tomography (CT Scan) which contributed to discrimination among these groups were investigated simultaneously. The study consisted of seventy-five alcoholic patients and control group of ninety-four who were devoid of any evidence for alcoholism. Influential factors which were involved in cerebral atrophy of the alcoholic groups were investigated and factorial analysis was completed. There was a definite increase in cerebral atrophy during the aging process in patients with long term durations of drinking alcohol. There was a close correlation between age and duration of drinking alcohol. After the results of canonical discriminant analysis against 9 CT items, the Ventricle index definitely contributed both in the discrimination between the alcoholics and the controls and in the discrimination between alcoholic dementia and other alcoholic psychoses. Furthermore, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle contributed to the latter discrimination, while the Evans' index contributed to the former discrimination. Therefore, the Ventricle index and the Evans' index turn out as the most valuable diagnostic criteria, as well as the CT index against cerebral atrophy in the alcoholics; however, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle is useful in comparing among alcoholic psychoses.

  7. David J. Feldman | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Analysis Center. Areas of Expertise Renewable energy project finance Corporate finance Solar energy market policy Corporate finance in energy sector Education M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management, New Haven Finance, Soltage, Jersey City, NJ (2007-2010) Associate, The Jordan Edmiston Group, New York, NY (2006

  8. Student Subsidy of the Internationalised Curriculum: Knowing, Voicing and Producing the Other

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doherty, Catherine

    2008-01-01

    This paper explores cultural production in online internationalised education. The analysis samples interactions in a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) unit offered online by an Australian university to a student group including enrolments through a Malaysian institution. Part of the curricular content was a consideration of how different…

  9. Oral health status of two 12-year-old socially disadvantaged groups in South India: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Abhinav; Sequiera, Peter; Acharya, Shashidhar; Bhat, Maghashyam

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare and assess the oral health status of 12-year-old children from two socially disadvantaged groups in the Udupi district of South India. A total of 327 children were examined in Ashrama schools, and 340 children were randomly selected for comparison from other government schools. Modified WHO proforma was used for clinical examination. Oral hygiene practices, dental fluorosis, periodontal status, dentition status and dentofacial anomalies were assessed and compared. Chi square test was used for comparison between categorical variables and Mann-Whitney test for comparison between two groups for quantitative variables. P u 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Dental fluorosis was detected in 22.9% children from Ashrama schools, whereas in the comparison group 14.4% children had dental fluorosis (P u 0.001). Mean Decayed teeth and DMFT value in Ashrama school children were 1.15 ± 1.62, and 1.15 ± 1.62, respectively. In the comparison group, the corresponding values were 0.46 ± 0.98 and 0.48 ± 1.04, respectively (P u 0.001). The mean number of sextants in the Ashrama school children with Community Periodontal Index score 2 was 2.00 ± 1.53, whereas in the comparison group it was 1.31 ± 1.53 (P u 0.001). No significant differences were noted between two groups with respect to Dental Aesthetic Index scores. The present study revealed higher levels of dental caries experience, untreated dental disease and social disadvantage of the children attending Ashrama schools, providing evidence for the need to address the health inequalities of these children.

  10. Tritium inventory differences: I. Sampling and U-getter pump holdup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ellefson, R.E.; Gill, J.T.

    1986-01-01

    Inventory differences (ID) in tritium material balance accounts (MBA) can occur with unmeasured transfers from the process or unmeasured holdup in the system. Small but cumulatively significant quantities of tritium can leave the MBA by normal capillary sampling of process gas operation. A predictor model for estimating the quantity of tritium leaving the MBA by sampling has been developed and implemented. The model calculates the gas transferred per sample; using the tritium concentration in the process and the number of samples, a quantity of tritium transferred is predicted. Verification of the model is made by PVT measurement of process transfer from multiple samplings. Comparison of predicted sample transfers with IDs from several MBA's reveals that sampling typically represents 50% of unmeasured transfers for regularly sampled processes

  11. Unravelling the influence of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) on cognitive-linguistic processing: a comparative group analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barwood, Caroline H S; Murdoch, Bruce E

    2013-06-01

    Cognitive-linguistic deficits often accompany traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can negatively impact communicative competency. The linguistic sequelae underpinning mild TBI (MTBI) remain largely unexplored in contemporary literature. The present research methods aim to provide group evidence pertaining to the influence of MTBI on linguistic and higher-level language processing. Extrapolating on the findings of recent case reports, it is hypothesized that performance of the MTBI patients will be significantly reduced compared to normal controls performance on the employed high-level linguistic tasks. Sixteen patients with MTBI and 16 age- and education-matched normal control participants were assessed using a comprehensive battery of cognitive-linguistic assessments. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences between MTBI and normal control group performance across a number of higher-level linguistic, general cognitive and general language tasks. MTBI group performance was significantly lower than the normal control group on tasks requiring complex lexical semantic operations and memory demands, including: Recall, organization, making inferences, naming and perception/discrimination. These outcomes confer that post-MTBI, cognitive, high-level language and isolated general language performance (e.g. naming) is significantly reduced in MTBI patients, compared to normal controls. Furthermore, the detailed cognitive-linguistic profile offered provides a necessary direction for the identification of areas of linguistic decline in MTBI and targets for therapeutic intervention of impaired cognitive-linguistic processes to ultimately improve communicative outcomes in MTBI.

  12. Material balance area custodian performance evaluation program at PNL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dickman, D.A.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports that the material balance area (MBA) custodian has primary responsibility for control and accountability of nuclear material within an MBA. In this role, the custodian operates as an extension of the facility material control and accountability (MC and A) organization. To effectively meet administrative requirements and protection needs, the custodian must be fully trained in all aspects of MC and A related to the MBA, and custodian performance must be periodically evaluated. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Policy requires that each facility provide for a program which ensures that personnel performing MC and A functions are trained and/or qualified to perform their duties and responsibilities and knowledgeable of requirements and procedures related to their functions. the MBA Custodian Performance Evaluation Program at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) uses a variety of assessment techniques to meet this goal, including internal and independent MBA audits, periodic custodian testing, limited scope performance tests, daily monitoring of MC and A documentation, and reviewing custodian performance during physical inventories

  13. Interactive affective sharing versus non-interactive affective sharing in work groups : Comparative effects of group affect on work group performance and dynamics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klep, Annefloor; Wisse, Barbara; Van Der Flier, Henk

    This study explores whether the dynamic path to group affect, which is characterized by interactive affective sharing processes, yields different effects on task performance and group dynamics than the static path to group affect, which arises from non-interactive affective sharing. The results of

  14. Interactive affective sharing versus non-interactive affective sharing in work groups: Comparative effects of group affect on work group performance and dynamics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klep, A.H.M.; Wisse, B.M.; van der Flier, H.

    2011-01-01

    This study explores whether the dynamic path to group affect, which is characterized by interactive affective sharing processes, yields different effects on task performance and group dynamics than the static path to group affect, which arises from non-interactive affective sharing. The results of

  15. When Social Identities Collide: Commentary on "Gender in the Management Education Classroom"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patton, Eric

    2010-01-01

    This commentary to "Gender in the Management Education Classroom" (Bilimoria, O'Neil, Hopkins, & Murphy, 2010) employs social identity and self-categorization theory to analyze the incident described in the article. In any MBA classroom, students are dealing with multiple group memberships. Similar to workplace settings, when the focus is on…

  16. Materials balance area Custodian Performance Evaluation Program at PNL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dickman, D.A.

    1991-07-01

    The material balance area (MBA) custodian has primary responsibility for control and accountability of nuclear material within an MBA. In this role, the custodian operates as an extension of the facility material control and accountability (MC ampersand A) organization. To effectively meet administrative requirements and protection needs, the custodian must be fully trained in all aspects of MC ampersand A related to the MBA, and custodian performance must be periodically evaluated. DOE Policy requires that each facility provide for a program which assures that each facility provide for a program which assures that personnel performing MC ampersand A functions are (1) trained and/or qualified to perform their duties and responsibilities and (2) knowledgeable of requirements and procedures related to their functions. The MBA Custodian Performance Evaluation Program at PNL uses a variety of assessment techniques to meet this goal, including internal and independent MBA audits, periodic custodian testing, conduct of limited scope performance tests, daily monitoring of MC ampersand A documentation, and reviewing custodian performance during physical inventories. The data collected from these sources is analyzed and incorporated into an annual custodian performance evaluation document, given to each custodian and line management. Development of this program has resulted in significantly improved custodian performance and a marked decrease in finding and observations identified during MBA audits

  17. Grouping like catchments: A novel means to compare 40+ watersheds in the Northeastern U.S.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, S. B.; Walter, M.; Marjerison, R. D.

    2008-12-01

    One difficulty in understanding the effect of multi-scale patterns in watersheds comes from finding a concise way to identify and compare features across many basins. Comparing raw data (i.e. discharge time series) requires one to account for highly variable climate drivers while extracting meaningful metrics from the data series. Comparing model parameters imposes model assumptions that may obscure fundamental differences, potentially making it an exercise in comparing calibration factors. As a possible middle ground, we have found that the probability of a given basin-wide runoff response can be predicted by combining rainfall frequency with 1. a curve establishing a relationship between basin storage and base flow and 2. the baseflow flow-duration curve. In addition to providing a means to predict runoff, these curves succinctly present empirical runoff-response information, allowing ready graphical comparison of multiple watersheds. From 40+ watersheds throughout the Northeastern U.S., we demonstrate the potential to group watersheds and identify critical hydrologic features, providing particular insight into the influence of land use patterns as well as basin scale.

  18. Comparing Mental Health of US Children of Immigrants and Non-Immigrants in 4 Racial/Ethnic Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, JaHun; Nicodimos, Semret; Kushner, Siri E.; Rhew, Isaac C.; McCauley, Elizabeth; Vander Stoep, Ann

    2018-01-01

    Background: To compare the mental health status of children of immigrant (COI) and non-immigrant (NI) parents and to determine whether differences in mental health status between COI and NI vary across 4 racial/ethnic groups. Methods: We conducted universal mental health screening of 2374 sixth graders in an urban public school district. To…

  19. Boronic Acid functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization for glycopeptide enrichment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Yanyan; Liu, Jianxi; Yang, Kaiguang; Liang, Zhen; Zhang, Lihua; Zhang, Yukui

    2012-07-16

    The boronic acid-functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles, poly(N,N-methylenebisacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)@4-vinylphenylboronic acid (poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA), were successfully synthesized for enriching glycosylated peptides. Such nanoparticles were composed of a hydrophilic polymer core prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP) and a boronic acid-functionalized shell designed for capturing glycopeptides. Owing to the relatively large amount of residual vinyl groups introduced by DPP on the core surface, the VPBA monomer was coated with high efficiency, working as the shell. Moreover, the overall polymerization route, especially the use of DPP, made the synthesis of nanoparticles facile and time-saving. With the poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles, 18 glycopeptides from horseradish peroxidase (HRP) digest were captured and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis, relative to eight glycopeptides enriched by using commercially available meta-aminophenylboronic acid agarose under the same conditions. When the concentration of the HRP digest was decreased to as low as 5 nmol, glycopeptides could still be selectively isolated by the prepared nanoparticles. Our results demonstrated that the synthetic poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles might be a promising selective enrichment material for glycoproteome analysis. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. [Comparative study of some clinical and laboratory indicators in a group of patients using wells as source of drinking water and a control group using safe water].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilescu, L; Ciochină, D A

    2011-01-01

    In time, well water, as a source of drinking and coking water, with physical-chemical, bacteriological, and biological indicators suggestive of alteration in water potability, determines complex, sometimes irreversible, metabolic disorders. Sixty individuals residing in a rural community were divided into 2 groups: study group -30 subjects using well water, and control group--30 subjects using safe water. For the study group the selection criteria were: age, sex, use of well water as drinking and cooking water, history suggestive of chronic poisoning (pregnancy course, birth weight, susceptibility to infectious agents, and current chronic diseases). In the study group, gestosis, prematurity, and altered body mass index are more frequent as compared to the subjects in the control group. The identified laboratory changes indicate moderate anemia, hepatic cytolysis, dyslipidemia, presence of nitrites in urine, and positive urine cultures. Long-term use of water with mineral constituents in excess, absent, or inadequate, the direct biological and chemical water pollution, or most frequently the indirect pollution through the soil determine, in time, complex, sometimes irreversible, metabolic disorders.

  1. Gold-Coated Iron Composite Nanospheres Targeted the Detection of Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İlker Dinçer

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We report the preparation and characterization of spherical core-shell structured Fe3O4–Au magnetic nanoparticles, modified with two component self-assembled monolayers (SAMs consisting of 3–mercaptophenylboronic acid (3–MBA and 1–decanethiol (1–DT. The rapid and room temperature synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles was achieved using the hydroxylamine reduction of HAuCl4 on the surface of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA-immobilized iron (magnetite Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the presence of an aqueous solution of hexadecyltrimetylammonium bromide (CTAB as a dispersant. The reduction of gold on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibits a uniform, highly stable, and narrow particle size distribution of Fe3O4–Au nanoparticles with an average diameter of 9 ± 2 nm. The saturation magnetization value for the resulting nanoparticles was found to be 15 emu/g at 298 K. Subsequent surface modification with SAMs against glucoside moieties on the surface of bacteria provided effective magnetic separation. Comparison of the bacteria capturing efficiency, by means of different molecular recognition agents 3–MBA, 1–DT and the mixed monolayer of 3–MBA and 1–DT was presented. The best capturing efficiency of E. coli was achieved with the mixed monolayer of 3–MBA and 1–DT-modified nanoparticles. Molecular specificity and selectivity were also demonstrated by comparing the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS spectrum of E. coli-nanoparticle conjugates with bacterial growth media.

  2. A Multi-Band Analytical Algorithm for Deriving Absorption and Backscattering Coefficients from Remote-Sensing Reflectance of Optically Deep Waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Zhong-Ping; Carder, Kendall L.

    2001-01-01

    A multi-band analytical (MBA) algorithm is developed to retrieve absorption and backscattering coefficients for optically deep waters, which can be applied to data from past and current satellite sensors, as well as data from hyperspectral sensors. This MBA algorithm applies a remote-sensing reflectance model derived from the Radiative Transfer Equation, and values of absorption and backscattering coefficients are analytically calculated from values of remote-sensing reflectance. There are only limited empirical relationships involved in the algorithm, which implies that this MBA algorithm could be applied to a wide dynamic range of waters. Applying the algorithm to a simulated non-"Case 1" data set, which has no relation to the development of the algorithm, the percentage error for the total absorption coefficient at 440 nm a (sub 440) is approximately 12% for a range of 0.012 - 2.1 per meter (approximately 6% for a (sub 440) less than approximately 0.3 per meter), while a traditional band-ratio approach returns a percentage error of approximately 30%. Applying it to a field data set ranging from 0.025 to 2.0 per meter, the result for a (sub 440) is very close to that using a full spectrum optimization technique (9.6% difference). Compared to the optimization approach, the MBA algorithm cuts the computation time dramatically with only a small sacrifice in accuracy, making it suitable for processing large data sets such as satellite images. Significant improvements over empirical algorithms have also been achieved in retrieving the optical properties of optically deep waters.

  3. Group Leader Development: Effects of Personal Growth and Psychoeducational Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohrt, Jonathan H.; Robinson, E. H., III; Hagedorn, W. Bryce

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the effects of personal growth groups and psychoeducational groups on counselor education students' (n = 74) empathy and group leader self-efficacy. Additionally, we compared the degree to which participants in each group valued: (a) cohesion, (b) catharsis, and (c) insight. There were no…

  4. Examining Data Processing Work as Part of the Scientific Data Lifecycle Comparing Practices Across Four Scientific Research Groups

    OpenAIRE

    Paine, Drew; Lee, Charlotte

    2015-01-01

    Slides from Charlotte P. Lee's presentation at the 2015 iConference on our paper "Examining Data Processing Work as Part of the Scientific Data Lifecycle: Comparing Practices Across Four Scientific Research Groups".

  5. The trauma registry compared to All Patient Refined Diagnosis Groups (APR-DRG).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hackworth, Jodi; Askegard-Giesmann, Johanna; Rouse, Thomas; Benneyworth, Brian

    2017-05-01

    Literature has shown there are significant differences between administrative databases and clinical registry data. Our objective was to compare the identification of trauma patients using All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) as compared to the Trauma Registry and estimate the effects of those discrepancies on utilization. Admitted pediatric patients from 1/2012-12/2013 were abstracted from the trauma registry. The patients were linked to corresponding administrative data using the Pediatric Health Information System database at a single children's hospital. APR-DRGs referencing trauma were used to identify trauma patients. We compared variables related to utilization and diagnosis to determine the level of agreement between the two datasets. There were 1942 trauma registry patients and 980 administrative records identified with trauma-specific APR-DRG during the study period. Forty-two percent (816/1942) of registry records had an associated trauma-specific APR-DRG; 69% of registry patients requiring ICU care had trauma APR-DRGs; 73% of registry patients with head injuries had trauma APR-DRGs. Only 21% of registry patients requiring surgical management had associated trauma APR-DRGs, and 12.5% of simple fractures had associated trauma APR-DRGs. APR-DRGs appeared to only capture a fraction of the entire trauma population and it tends to be the more severely ill patients. As a result, the administrative data was not able to accurately answer hospital or operating room utilization as well as specific information on diagnosis categories regarding trauma patients. APR-DRG administrative data should not be used as the only data source for evaluating the needs of a trauma program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Systemic isotretinoin treatment and pregnancy: A comparative study of two groups of women: A retrospective analysis of 569 women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr Brzezinski

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Oral isotretinoin is the only drug which promotes prolonged remission or cure of severe acne. The aim of our study was to estimate the isotretinoin exposure and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Polish and Romanian pregnancy prevention. This is a comparative study of two groups of women. Methods: A retrospective, comparative study of 569 women with acne vulgaris. The study included two groups of randomly selected women during treatment and follow-up. Group I with rigorous prevention of pregnancy; Group II without this rigor. Results: We did not register any pregnancies. 1.93% used oral contraceptives, 92.79% used a condom during sex, and 7.21% of women abstained from sex. The analysis showed significant differences (p <0.0001 total dose applied depending on the method of treatment. No statistically significant correlations were found between patients' age, duration of disease, location, and type of acne. Average length of therapy was 8.81 months. Isotretinoin therapy was interrupted for 27 patients from group I. Conclusion: The isotretinoin pregnancy prevention in Poland and Romania was very good during our study. Every woman in the fertile phase of life should use contraception while taking isotretinoin. The most important thing is the awareness of the patient.

  7. Exploding Head Syndrome as Aura of Migraine with Brainstem Aura: A Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, Fabian H; Gonzalez, Elizabeth; Rossi, Elisa Marie; Tsakadze, Nina

    2018-01-01

    This article reports a case of exploding head syndrome (EHS) as an aura of migraine with brainstem aura (MBA). A middle-aged man presented with intermittent episodes of a brief sensation of explosion in the head, visual flashing, vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, confusion, ataxia, dysarthria, and bilateral visual impairment followed by migraine headache. The condition was diagnosed as MBA. Explosive head sensation, sensory phenomena, and headaches improved over time with nortriptyline. This case shows that EHS can present as a primary aura symptom in patients with MBA.

  8. Does who you know in the positional hierarchy protect or hurt? Social capital, comparative reference group, and depression in two societies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Lijun

    2015-07-01

    Does the socioeconomic status (SES) that one's (ego's) network members (alters) occupy indicate social resources or social comparison standards in the dynamics of health across culture? Using nationally representative data simultaneously collected from the United States and urban China, this study examines two competing theories-social capital and comparative reference group-in the two societies and compares their different application across the two societies using two cultural explanations, relational dependence and self-evaluation motive. Social capital theory expects absolute accessed SES and the size of higher accessed socioeconomic positions to protect health, and the size of lower accessed socioeconomic positions to harm health. But comparative reference group theory predicts the opposite. Additionally, the relational dependence explanation anticipates social capital theory to be more applicable to urban China and comparative reference group theory to be more applicable to the United States. The self-evaluation motive explanation expects the same pattern across the two societies in the examination of the size of lower accessed socioeconomic positions but the opposite pattern in the analysis of absolute accessed SES and the size of higher accessed socioeconomic positions. This study focuses on depressive symptoms and measures accessed occupational status. Results are consistent with the self-evaluation motive explanation. They support both social capital theory and comparative reference group theory in the United States but only the latter theory in urban China. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Self-esteem: a comparative study of adolescents from mainstream and minority religious groups in Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Shahid; Ahmad, Riaz; Ayub, Nadia

    2013-02-01

    The present study aimed to investigate the level of self-esteem among religious minority adolescents (Christians and Hindus) by making a comparison with their dominant counterparts (Muslims) in Pakistan. It was hypothesized that adolescents of religious minorities would have lower level of self-esteem than their dominant counterparts. In the present study 320 adolescents participated, in which 160 adolescents belonged to minority religious groups (i.e. 76 Christians and 84 Hindus) and 160 adolescents belonged to dominant religious group i.e. Muslims. To assess self-esteem of the participants, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg in Society and the adolescent self image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1965) was used. One Way Analysis of Variance reveals that religious minority adolescents (Christians and Hindus) inclined to have lower self-esteem as compared to their dominant counterpart (Muslim adolescents).

  10. Vitrified medical wastes bottom ash in cement clinkerization. Microstructural, hydration and leaching characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papamarkou, S; Christopoulos, D; Tsakiridis, P E; Bartzas, G; Tsakalakis, K

    2018-04-19

    The present investigation focuses on the utilization of medical wastes incineration bottom ash (MBA), vitrified with soda lime recycled glass (SLRG), as an alternative raw material in cement clinkerization. Bottom ash is recovered from the bottom of the medical wastes incineration chamber, after being cooled down through quenching. It corresponds to 10-15 wt% of the initial medical wastes weight and since it has been classified in the category of hazardous wastes, its safe management has become a major environmental concern worldwide. MBA glasses of various syntheses were initially obtained during the MBA vitrification simultaneously with various amounts of silica scrap (20, 25 and 30 wt% correspondingly). The produced MBA glasses were in turn used for the production of Portland cement clinker, after sintering at 1400 °C, thus substituting traditional raw materials. Both evaluation of vitrification and sintering products was carried out by chemical and mineralogical analyses along with microstructure examination. The final cements were prepared by clinkers co-grinding in a laboratory ball mill with appropriate amounts of gypsum (≈5.0 wt%) and the evaluation of their quality was carried out by determining setting times, standard consistency, expansibility and compressive strength at 2, 7, 28 and 90 days. Finally, the leaching behaviour of the vitrified MBA and hydrated cements, together with the corresponding of the "as received" MBA, was further examined using the standard leaching tests of the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and the EN 12457-2. According to the obtained results, the quality of the produced cement clinkers was not affected by the addition of the vitrified MBA in the raw meal, with the trace elements detected in all leachates measured well below the corresponding regulatory limits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The multi-bend achromat storage rings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eriksson, Mikael [MAX IV Laboratory Ole Römers v. 1 22100 Lund Sweden (Sweden)

    2016-07-27

    Not very long ago, the 3{sup rd} generation storage ring technology was judged as mature. Most of the 3{sup rd} generation storage rings used the Double-Bend Achromat (DBA) or Triple-Bend Achromat (TBA) concepts. It was however a well-known fact that increasing the number of magnet cells in the rings is a powerful way of decreasing the electron beam emittance and thus the source brilliance, but at the penalty of increasing the size and cost of the rings. Preserving the Dynamic Aperture (DA) in the rings became also an issue when increasing the number of magnet cells. The Multi-Bend Achromat (MBA) concept, including a miniaturization of the ring elements, has now drastically changed the picture. The MBA rings, now in construction or being planned, offer orders of magnitudes higher brilliance than rings of conventional designs. Several light sources around the world are now implementing or planning to implement this MBA concept. This article touches on the science drivers for higher brilliance. We will then describe the MBA concept with its advantages as well as its challenges. A short survey of the MBA activity around the world will also be presented. The author apologies for focusing on the MAX IV project regarding technical solutions. This is motivated by that MAX IV is the facility he knows best and it might be regarded as a fore-runner for the MBA concept.

  12. The multi-bend achromat storage rings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eriksson, Mikael

    2016-01-01

    Not very long ago, the 3"r"d generation storage ring technology was judged as mature. Most of the 3"r"d generation storage rings used the Double-Bend Achromat (DBA) or Triple-Bend Achromat (TBA) concepts. It was however a well-known fact that increasing the number of magnet cells in the rings is a powerful way of decreasing the electron beam emittance and thus the source brilliance, but at the penalty of increasing the size and cost of the rings. Preserving the Dynamic Aperture (DA) in the rings became also an issue when increasing the number of magnet cells. The Multi-Bend Achromat (MBA) concept, including a miniaturization of the ring elements, has now drastically changed the picture. The MBA rings, now in construction or being planned, offer orders of magnitudes higher brilliance than rings of conventional designs. Several light sources around the world are now implementing or planning to implement this MBA concept. This article touches on the science drivers for higher brilliance. We will then describe the MBA concept with its advantages as well as its challenges. A short survey of the MBA activity around the world will also be presented. The author apologies for focusing on the MAX IV project regarding technical solutions. This is motivated by that MAX IV is the facility he knows best and it might be regarded as a fore-runner for the MBA concept.

  13. A versatile characterization of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide hydrogels for composition, mechanical strength, and rheology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Kovacs

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide (P(NIPAAm-co-MBA hydrogels were prepared in water using redox initiator. The copolymer composition at high conversion (> 95% was determined indirectly by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography analysis of the leaching water and directly by solid state 13C CP MAS NMR (cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the dried gels, and was found to be close to that of the feed. The effect of cross-linker (MBA content in the copolymer was investigated in the concentration range of 1.1–9.1 mol% (R:90–10; R = mol NIPAAm/mol MBA on the rheological behaviour and mechanical strength of the hydrogels. Both storage and loss modulus decreased with decreasing cross-linker content as revealed by dynamic rheometry. Gels R70 and R90 with very low cross-linker content (1.2–1.5 mol% MBA have a very loose network structure, which is significantly different from those with higher cross-linker content manifesting in higher difference in storage modulus. The temperature dependence of the damping factor served the most accurate determination of the volume phase transition temperature, which was not affected by the cross-link density in the investigated range of MBA concentration. Gel R10 with highest cross-linker content (9.1 mol% MBA behaves anomalously due to heterogeneity and the hindered conformation of the side chains of PNIPAAm.

  14. Technologists in transition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Torben

    2008-01-01

    The very much debated topic of MBA-students loyalty towards their own career, rather than the companies sponsoring their education, has in only very few situations been empirically tested. It seems as if the debate is very emotional and rather seldom based on facts – i.e. leaving it to the indivi......The very much debated topic of MBA-students loyalty towards their own career, rather than the companies sponsoring their education, has in only very few situations been empirically tested. It seems as if the debate is very emotional and rather seldom based on facts – i.e. leaving...... it to the individual managers to consult their gut feeling in the decision whether or not the younger manager or employee is to participate in an MBA-program. The present study provides data on the motives behind, experiences during and outcomes afterwards an MBA-program. The study is based on a survey carried out...... showing a high loyalty to the organization and the fact that the individual has a strong managerial motivation. This way the MBA-program works as a company external mechanism providing technologists with the necessary guidance, support, terminology, methods and personal insights about competences to move...

  15. Latent structure and reliability analysis of the measure of body apperception: cross-validation for head and neck cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jean-Pierre, Pascal; Fundakowski, Christopher; Perez, Enrique; Jean-Pierre, Shadae E; Jean-Pierre, Ashley R; Melillo, Angelica B; Libby, Rachel; Sargi, Zoukaa

    2013-02-01

    Cancer and its treatments are associated with psychological distress that can negatively impact self-perception, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life. Patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) are particularly susceptible to psychological distress. This study involved a cross-validation of the Measure of Body Apperception (MBA) for HNC patients. One hundred and twenty-two English-fluent HNC patients between 20 and 88 years of age completed the MBA on a Likert scale ranging from "1 = disagree" to "4 = agree." We assessed the latent structure and internal consistency reliability of the MBA using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Cronbach's coefficient alpha (α), respectively. We determined convergent and divergent validities of the MBA using correlations with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), observer disfigurement rating, and patients' clinical and demographic variables. The PCA revealed a coherent set of items that explained 38 % of the variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.73 and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was statistically significant (χ (2) (28) = 253.64; p 0.05). The MBA is a valid and reliable screening measure of body apperception for HNC patients.

  16. Life Lessons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Pearl

    2011-01-01

    In early 2010, Stig Lanesskog, associate dean for the MBA program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, challenged a group of his students to venture beyond classroom polemics and into the lives of people in need. Lanesskog took them to South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, a culturally rich and economically devastated area with…

  17. Empowerment in nurse leader groups in middle management: a quantitative comparative investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Caroline; McLaren, Susan

    2017-01-01

    The aim was to investigate structural empowerment in nurse leaders in middle management positions. Objectives were to determine levels of empowerment of nurse leaders and to compare levels of empowerment between nurse leader groups. Access to formal and informal power, opportunity, resources, information and support are determinants of structural empowerment. Empowerment of nurse leaders in middle management positions is vital given their roles in enabling nursing teams to deliver high-quality care, benefitting both patient and workforce outcomes. Quantitative component of a mixed methods study using survey principles. The Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II was distributed to the total population (n = 517) of nurse leaders in an NHS Foundation Trust in England. Nurse leader groups comprised unit leaders (sisters, matrons) and senior staff nurses. Quantitative data entered on spss v 17/18, were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Overall, the unit response rate was 44·1% (n = 228). Levels of total and global empowerment were moderate and moderate to high respectively. Groups did not differ significantly on these parameters or on five elements of total empowerment, but significantly higher scores were found for unit leaders' access to information. Significantly higher scores were found for senior staff nurses on selected aspects of informal power and access to resources, but scores were significantly lower than unit leaders for components of support. A moderately empowered population of nurse leaders differed in relation to access to information, aspects of support, resources and informal power, reflecting differences in roles, spheres of responsibility, hierarchical position and the constraints on empowerment imposed on unit leaders by financial and resource pressures. Empowerment of nurse leaders in middle management is vital in enabling nursing teams to deliver high-quality care. Roles, spheres of responsibility, hierarchical

  18. SAVINGS BEHAVIOUR IN HOUSEHOLDS OF FARMERS AS COMPARED TO OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC GROUPS IN POLAND

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Kozera

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Savings generated by the sector of households constitute an important growth factor in every economy. They are the basic source of capital accumulation, determining investment opportunities of the economy. Financial behaviour of households in terms of the accumulation of savings is infl uenced  by numerous factors, both internal, i.e. connected directly with a given household, and external, independent of it. The aim of this paper was to analyse savings behaviour of households of farmers as compared to the other socio-economicgroups in Poland in the years 2003 and 2013. Analyses were conducted on saving propensity, savings rates, and objectives and forms of savings accumulation by households of various socio-economic groups. Analyses showed that in 2013, saving propensity and savings rates in households of farmers were relatively low in comparison to other household groups. In households of farmers the objective of savings was, more frequently than in the other socio-economic groups of households, to ensure provisions for running consumption expenditure, purchase durable goods and expand their economic activity. In contrast, in comparison to the other households, farmers less frequently saved money for recreation and physical therapy.

  19. Comparing single-tree selection, group selection, and clearcutting for regenerating oaks and pines in the Missouri Ozarks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randy G. Jensen; John M. Kabrick

    2008-01-01

    In the Missouri Ozarks, there is considerable concern about the effectiveness of the uneven-aged methods of single-tree selection and group selection for oak (Quercus L.) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) regeneration. We compared the changes in reproduction density of oaks and pine following harvesting by single-tree...

  20. Comparative Genetic Variability in HIV-1 Subtype C vpu Gene in Early Age Groups of Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Uma; Gupta, Poonam; Gupta, Sunil; Venkatesh, S; Husain, Mohammad

    2018-01-01

    Identifying the genetic variability in vertically transmitted viruses in early infancy is important to understand the disease progression. Being important in HIV-1 disease pathogenesis, vpu gene, isolated from young infants was investigated to understand the viral characteristics. Blood samples were obtained from 80 HIV-1 positive infants, categorized in two age groups; acute (6-18 months). A total of 77 PCR positive samples, amplified for vpu gene, were sequenced and analyzed. 73 isolates belonged to subtype C. Analysis of heterogeneity of amino acid sequences in infant groups showed that in the sequences of acute age group both insertions and deletions were present while in the early age group only deletions were present. In the acute age group, a deletion of 3 residues (RAE) in the first alfa helix in one sequence and insertions of 1-2 residues (DM, GH, G and H) in the second alfa helix in 4 sequences were observed. In the early age group, deletion of 2 residues (VN) in the cytoplasmic tail region in 2 sequences was observed. Length of the amino terminal was observed to be gradually increasing with the increasing age of the infants. Protein Variation Effect Analyzer software showed that deleterious mutations were more in the acute than the early age group. Entropy analysis revealed that heterogeneity of the residues was comparatively higher in the sequences of acute than the early age group. Mutations observed in the helixes may affect the conformation and lose the ability to degrade CD4 receptors. Heterogeneity was decreasing with the increasing ages of the infants, indicating positive selection for robust virion survival. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  1. Does College Matter for Emerging Adulthood? Comparing Developmental Trajectories of Educational Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Lauren L; Syed, Moin

    2015-11-01

    Critics of emerging adulthood theory have suggested that it only applies to college students, but this assertion has largely gone untested. The purpose of the present study was to compare developmental trajectories of non-students versus college-educated youth in theoretically relevant domains of work, love, and financial independence. Using data from the Youth Development Study (N = 1139, 49.6 % female, 63.3 % White, 10.9 % Southeast Asian, 1.5 % Other Asian, 8.6 % Black, 5.3 % Mixed Race, 4.0 % Latino, 0.8 % Native American), latent growth curve models were fitted to chart each group's development, from ages 14 to 30. Different trajectories were revealed for hours worked, children, and financial dependence on parents, spouses, and government aid. No differences were found in employment rates, marriage rates, or financial dependence on own income. These results provide a clearer picture of emerging adulthood for non-students, and highlight problems with generalizing college student research to all emerging adults.

  2. Listen to the noise: noise is beneficial for cognitive performance in ADHD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Söderlund, Göran; Sikström, Sverker; Smart, Andrew

    2007-08-01

    Noise is typically conceived of as being detrimental to cognitive performance. However, given the mechanism of stochastic resonance, a certain amount of noise can benefit performance. We investigate cognitive performance in noisy environments in relation to a neurocomputational model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dopamine. The Moderate Brain Arousal model (MBA; Sikström & Söderlund, 2007) suggests that dopamine levels modulate how much noise is required for optimal cognitive performance. We experimentally examine how ADHD and control children respond to different encoding conditions, providing different levels of environmental stimulation. Participants carried out self-performed mini tasks (SPT), as a high memory performance task, and a verbal task (VT), as a low memory task. These tasks were performed in the presence, or absence, of auditory white noise. Noise exerted a positive effect on cognitive performance for the ADHD group and deteriorated performance for the control group, indicating that ADHD subjects need more noise than controls for optimal cognitive performance. The positive effect of white noise is explained by the phenomenon of stochastic resonance (SR), i.e., the phenomenon that moderate noise facilitates cognitive performance. The MBA model suggests that noise in the environment, introduces internal noise into the neural system through the perceptual system. This noise induces SR in the neurotransmitter systems and makes this noise beneficial for cognitive performance. In particular, the peak of the SR curve depends on the dopamine level, so that participants with low dopamine levels (ADHD) require more noise for optimal cognitive performance compared to controls.

  3. A comparative study of cerebral atrophy in various alcoholic groups, based on CT findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishii, Tomoyuki

    1983-01-01

    The alcoholics were diagnosed and classified based on the criteria, offered at the Alcoholism Diagnostic Conference (1977) which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Welfare, Japan. Grade of cerebral atrophy was estimated. Measurement items on the Computed Tomography (CT Scan) which contributed to discrimination among these groups were investigated simultaneously. The study consisted of seventy-five alcoholic patients and control group of ninety-four who were devoid of any evidence for alcoholism. Influential factors which were involved in cerebral atrophy of the alcoholic groups were investigated and factorial analysis was completed. There was a definite increase in cerebral atrophy during the aging process in patients with long term durations of drinking alcohol. There was a close correlation between age and duration of drinking alcohol. After the results of canonical discriminant analysis against 9 CT items, the Ventricle index definitely contributed both in the discrimination between the alcoholics and the controls and in the discrimination between alcoholic dementia and other alcoholic psychoses. Furthermore, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle contributed to the latter discrimination, while the Evans' index contributed to the former discrimination. Therefore, the Ventricle index and the Evans' index turn out as the most valuable diagnostic criteria, as well as the CT index against cerebral atrophy in the alcoholics; however, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle is useful in comparing among alcoholic psychoses. (J.P.N.)

  4. A-Z Directory | The University of Virginia

    Science.gov (United States)

    , Department of (School of Architecture) https://www.arch.virginia.edu/programs/architectural-history Architecture, Department of (School of Architecture) https://www.arch.virginia.edu/ Architecture, School of /index.html Business Administration, Darden School (Darden MBA Program) https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba

  5. Preparation and evaluation of 400μm I.D. polymer-based hydrophilic interaction chromatography monolithic columns with high column efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chusheng; Li, Haibin; Wang, Qiqin; Crommen, Jacques; Zhou, Haibo; Jiang, Zhengjin

    2017-08-04

    The quest for higher column efficiency is one of the major research areas in polymer-based monolithic column fabrication. In this research, two novel polymer-based HILIC monolithic columns with 400μm I.D.×800μm O.D. were prepared based on the thermally initiated co-polymerization of N,N-dimethyl-N-(3-methacrylamidopropyl)-N-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium betaine (SPP) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) or N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). In order to obtain a satisfactory performance in terms of column permeability, mechanical stability, efficiency and selectivity, the polymerization parameters were systematically optimized. Column efficiencies as high as 142, 000 plates/m and 120, 000 plates/m were observed for the analysis of neutral compounds at 0.6mm/s on the poly(SPP-co-MBA) and poly(SPP-co-EDMA) monoliths, respectively. Furthermore, the Van Deemter plots for thiourea on the two monoliths were compared with that on a commercial silica based ZIC-HILIC column (3.5μm, 200Å, 150mm×300μm I.D.) using ACN/H 2 O (90/10, v/v) as the mobile phase at room temperature. It was noticeable that the Van Deemter curves for both monoliths, particularly the poly(SPP-co-MBA) monolith, are significantly flatter than that obtained for the ZIC-HILIC column, which indicates that in spite of their larger internal diameters, they yield better overall efficiency, with less peak dispersion, across a much wider range of usable linear velocities. A clearly better separation performance was also observed for nucleobases, nucleosides, nucleotides and small peptides on the poly(SPP-co-MBA) monolith compared to the ZIC-HILIC column. It is particularly worth mentioning that these 400μm I.D. polymer-based HILIC monolithic columns exhibit enhanced mechanical strength owing to the thicker capillary wall of the fused-silica capillaries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Outcomes of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation With and Without Concomitant Meniscus Allograft Transplantation: A Comparative Matched Group Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Rachel M; Lee, Simon; Cotter, Eric J; Hannon, Charles P; Leroux, Timothy; Cole, Brian J

    2018-03-01

    Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) is often performed with concomitant meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) as a strategy for knee joint preservation, although to date, the effect of concomitant MAT on outcomes and failure rates after OCA has not been assessed. To determine clinical outcomes for patients undergoing OCA with MAT as compared with a matched cohort of patients undergoing isolated OCA. Control study; Level of evidence, 3. Patients who underwent OCA of the medial or lateral femoral condyle without concomitant MAT by a single surgeon were compared with a matched group of patients who underwent OCA with concomitant MAT (ipsilateral compartment). The patients were matched per age, sex, body mass index, and number of previous ipsilateral knee operations ±1. Patient-reported outcomes, complications, reoperations, and survival rates were compared between groups. One hundred patients undergoing OCA (50 isolated, 50 with MAT) with a mean ± SD follow-up of 4.9 ± 2.7 years (minimum, 2 years) were included (age, 31.7 ± 9.8 years; 52% male). Significantly more patients underwent OCA to the medial femoral condyle (n = 59) than the lateral femoral condyle (n = 41, P OCA. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding reoperation rate (n = 18 for OCA with MAT, n = 17 for OCA without MAT, P = .834), time to reoperation (2.2 ± 2.4 years for OCA with MAT, 3.4 ± 2.7 years for OCA without MAT, P = .149), or failure rates (n = 7 [14%] for OCA with MAT, n = 7 [14%] for OCA without MAT, P > .999). There were no significant differences in patient-reported clinical outcome scores between the groups at final follow-up. There was no significant difference in failure rates between patients undergoing medial femoral condyle OCA (n = 12, 15.3%) and lateral femoral condyle OCA (n = 5, 12.2%, P = .665). These results imply that with appropriate surgical indications to address meniscus deficiency in patients otherwise indicated for OCA and

  7. Automated cognitive testing of monkeys in social groups yields results comparable to individual laboratory-based testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gazes, Regina Paxton; Brown, Emily Kathryn; Basile, Benjamin M; Hampton, Robert R

    2013-05-01

    Cognitive abilities likely evolved in response to specific environmental and social challenges and are therefore expected to be specialized for the life history of each species. Specialized cognitive abilities may be most readily engaged under conditions that approximate the natural environment of the species being studied. While naturalistic environments might therefore have advantages over laboratory settings for cognitive research, it is difficult to conduct certain types of cognitive tests in these settings. We implemented methods for automated cognitive testing of monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in large social groups (Field station) and compared the performance to that of laboratory-housed monkeys (Laboratory). The Field station animals shared access to four touch-screen computers in a large naturalistic social group. Each Field station subject had an RFID chip implanted in each arm for computerized identification and individualized assignment of cognitive tests. The Laboratory group was housed and tested in a typical laboratory setting, with individual access to testing computers in their home cages. Monkeys in both groups voluntarily participated at their own pace for food rewards. We evaluated performance in two visual psychophysics tests, a perceptual classification test, a transitive inference test, and a delayed matching-to-sample memory test. Despite the differences in housing, social environment, age, and sex, monkeys in the two groups performed similarly in all tests. Semi-free ranging monkeys living in complex social environments are therefore viable subjects for cognitive testing designed to take advantage of the unique affordances of naturalistic testing environments.

  8. Comparative study of few energy group of cross sections for fuel cells of thermal reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-08-01

    A comparative study of nuclear constants calculated with LEOPARD and WIMSD-4 codes using a typical PWR cell was done. Few groups macroscopic cross section, spectral index, burnup and power distribution were analyzed. (author) and safety concern with the transport of radioactive materials, looking for the control of eventual exposure of radiation to men, properties and environment, that is: specification of radioactive materials to be transported; choice of loaded materials; specification of requisites of loaded materials; general specification for any way of transport (earth, water and air), and responsibilities and administrative requisites. (author)

  9. Cumulative input/output balance of a mechanical-biological waste treatment plant. Comparison of construction material requirements, operating energy expenditure, and the requirement of auxiliary materials in comparison with waste combustion; Kumulative Bilanzierung der mechanisch-biologischen Restabfallbehandlung - Baumaterialien und betrieblicher Energie- und Hilfsstoffaufwand im Vergleich zur Muellverbrennung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wallmann, R.; Fricke, K. [Ingenieurgemeinschaft Witzenhausen (Germany); Vogtmann, H. [Hessisches Landesamt fuer Regionalentwicklung und Landwirtschaft, Kassel (Germany)

    1998-12-31

    The study strikes a cumulative input/output balance of an existing waste conditioning plant considering not only operating energy demand but also the required construction materials for erecting the plant. In operation since 1996, the waste conditioning plant is entirely state of the art; hence the data obtained are up to date. The results are compared with relevant results for a waste processing plant and evaluated. (orig.) [Deutsch] Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Untersuchung erfolgt eine kumulative Bilanzierung einer bestehenden MBA-Anlage, wobei neben den betrieblichen Energieaufwendungen auch die Baumaterialien zur Herstellung der Anlage beruecksichtigt werden. Die seit 1996 in Betrieb befindliche Abfallbehandlungsanlage entspricht weitestgehend dem Stand der Technik der MBA, wodurch die Aktualitaet der Daten gegeben ist. Die Ergebnisse der Bilanzierung werden im Vergleich zu einer MVA dargestellt und bewertet. (orig.)

  10. A Comparison of Military and Law Enforcement Body Armour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pope, Rodney

    2018-01-01

    Law-enforcement officers increasingly wear body armour for protection; wearing body armour is common practice in military populations. Law-enforcement and military occupational demands are vastly different and military-styled body armour may not be suitable for law-enforcement. This study investigated differences between selected military body armour (MBA: 6.4 kg) and law-enforcement body armour (LEBA: 2.1 kg) in impacts on postural sway, vertical jump, agility, a functional movement screen (FMS), task simulations (vehicle exit; victim recovery), and subjective measures. Ten volunteer police officers (six females, four males) were randomly allocated to one of the designs on each of two days. Body armour type did not significantly affect postural sway, vertical jump, vehicle exit and 5 m sprint times, or victim recovery times. Both armour types increased sway velocity and sway-path length in the final five seconds compared to the first 5 s of a balance task. The MBA was associated with significantly slower times to complete the agility task, poorer FMS total scores, and poorer subjective ratings of performance and comfort. The LEBA was perceived as more comfortable and received more positive performance ratings during the agility test and task simulations. The impacts of MBA and LEBA differed significantly and they should not be considered interchangeable. PMID:29443905

  11. A Comparison of Military and Law Enforcement Body Armour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orr, Robin; Schram, Ben; Pope, Rodney

    2018-02-14

    Law-enforcement officers increasingly wear body armour for protection; wearing body armour is common practice in military populations. Law-enforcement and military occupational demands are vastly different and military-styled body armour may not be suitable for law-enforcement. This study investigated differences between selected military body armour (MBA: 6.4 kg) and law-enforcement body armour (LEBA: 2.1 kg) in impacts on postural sway, vertical jump, agility, a functional movement screen (FMS), task simulations (vehicle exit; victim recovery), and subjective measures. Ten volunteer police officers (six females, four males) were randomly allocated to one of the designs on each of two days. Body armour type did not significantly affect postural sway, vertical jump, vehicle exit and 5 m sprint times, or victim recovery times. Both armour types increased sway velocity and sway-path length in the final five seconds compared to the first 5 s of a balance task. The MBA was associated with significantly slower times to complete the agility task, poorer FMS total scores, and poorer subjective ratings of performance and comfort. The LEBA was perceived as more comfortable and received more positive performance ratings during the agility test and task simulations. The impacts of MBA and LEBA differed significantly and they should not be considered interchangeable.

  12. A Comparison of Military and Law Enforcement Body Armour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robin Orr

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Law-enforcement officers increasingly wear body armour for protection; wearing body armour is common practice in military populations. Law-enforcement and military occupational demands are vastly different and military-styled body armour may not be suitable for law-enforcement. This study investigated differences between selected military body armour (MBA: 6.4 kg and law-enforcement body armour (LEBA: 2.1 kg in impacts on postural sway, vertical jump, agility, a functional movement screen (FMS, task simulations (vehicle exit; victim recovery, and subjective measures. Ten volunteer police officers (six females, four males were randomly allocated to one of the designs on each of two days. Body armour type did not significantly affect postural sway, vertical jump, vehicle exit and 5 m sprint times, or victim recovery times. Both armour types increased sway velocity and sway-path length in the final five seconds compared to the first 5 s of a balance task. The MBA was associated with significantly slower times to complete the agility task, poorer FMS total scores, and poorer subjective ratings of performance and comfort. The LEBA was perceived as more comfortable and received more positive performance ratings during the agility test and task simulations. The impacts of MBA and LEBA differed significantly and they should not be considered interchangeable.

  13. Comparing radio-tracking and visual detection methods to quantify group size measures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reiczigel Jenő

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available 1. Average values of animal group sizes are prone to be overestimated in traditional field studies because small groups and singletons are easier to overlook than large ones. This kind of bias also applies for the method of locating groups by tracking previously radio-collared individuals in the wild. If the researcher randomly chooses a collared animal to locate a group to visit, a large group has higher probability to be selected than a small one, simply because it has more members.

  14. Comparing Profile of Temperament and Character Dimensions in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Mood Disorder and Control Group in the Iranian Sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    shahram hajirezaei

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This study was conducted to compare the profile of Temperament and Character dimensions in patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar mood disorder and control group.Methods: In this causal-comparative study the population consisted of two clinical groups (major depressive disorder and bipolar mood disorder and a non-clinical group. The sample was 193 subjects (77 patients with major depressive disorder, 86 patients with bipolar mood disorder, and 30 normal people with an age range of 18-65 years and the mean age of 40.1. They were selected from Roozbeh psychiatric hospital using available sampling method. Tools used in this research included Temperament and Character Inventory-140 and General Health Questionnaire-28. Collected data were analyzed by statistical methods of independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences-22 software.Result: The results of comparing the groups showed that there was a significant difference among groups in dimensions of Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Persistence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness (P <0.05. The results showed that only in the Novelty Seeking dimension, the mean was different in males and females (P <0.05.Conclusion: In general, our results showed that patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar mood disorder have different personality profile in some dimensions of Temperament and Character compared with control group.

  15. A study on the effect of the concentration of N,N-methylenebisacrylamide and acrylic acid toward the properties of Dioscorea hispida-starch-based hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashri, Airul; Lazim, Azwan

    2014-09-01

    The research investigated the effects of acrylic acid (monomer) and N,N,-methylenebisacrylamide, MBA (crosslinker) toward the percentage of gel content, swelling ratio and ionic strength of a starch-based hydrogel. Starch grafted on poly (sodium acrylate), St-g-PAANa hydrogel was prepared by incorporating starch extracted from Dioscorea hispida in NaOH/aqueous solution using different composition of acrylic acid (AA) and N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) in the presence of potassium persulfate (KPS) as chemical initiator. The highest gel content was observed at 1:30 ratio of starch to AA and 0.10 M of MBA. Results showed the highest swelling ratio was observed at 1:15 ratio of starch to acrylic acid and 0.02 M of MBA solution. The same results also gave the highest swelling ratio for the ionic strength study. The FTIR analysis was also conducted in order to confirm the grafting of AA onto starch backbone.

  16. Carrageenan-based semi-IPN nanocomposite hydrogels: Swelling kinetic and slow release of sequestrene Fe 138 fertilizer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Kazem Bahrami

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Nanocomposite hydrogels based on kappa-carrageenan were synthesized by incorporating natural sodium montmorillonite (Cloisite nanoclay. Acrylamide (AAm and methylenebisacrylamide (MBA were used as a monomer and a crosslinker, respectively. Effects of reaction variables on the swelling kinetics were studied. The results revealed that the rate of swelling for nanocomposites with high content of MBA was higher than those of nanocomposites consisting of low content of MBA. Similar to the effect of MBA, the rate of swelling enhanced as the carrageenan content was decreased. The influence of clay content on swelling rate was not remarkable. The experimental swelling data were evaluated by pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The swelling data described well by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Sequestrene Fe 138 (Sq as an agrochemical was loaded into nanocomposites and releasing of this active agent from nanocomposites was studied. The clay-free hydrogel released the whole loaded Sq; whereas the presence of clay restricted the release of Sq.

  17. President of CERN Council discusses women in leadership

    CERN Multimedia

    Lidia Kleshchenko, IO-MBA student

    2015-01-01

    Agnieszka Zalewska, President of CERN Council, participated in the Annual High-Level Forum “Women in Leadership”, which took place on 29 April in Geneva. The event was organised by a group of students participating in the International Organizations MBA (IO-MBA) programme at the University of Geneva, which has maintained a friendly relationship with CERN since its creation.   From left to right: Ambassador Suzan LeVine, Prof. Doris Schopper and Prof. Agnieszka Zalewska. (Image: Lidia Kleshchenko.) The forum gathered influential leaders from Geneva, Bern, Rome and Krakow to discuss the perceptions, challenges and opportunities that women face in leading roles in international organisations. The panellists were Irene Khan, Director-General of the International Development Law Organization, Suzan LeVine, United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Michael Møller, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Acting Director-General of the United Nation...

  18. A Randomized Depression Prevention Trial Comparing Interpersonal Psychotherapy--Adolescent Skills Training to Group Counseling in Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Jami F; Benas, Jessica S; Schueler, Christie M; Gallop, Robert; Gillham, Jane E; Mufson, Laura

    2016-04-01

    Given the rise in depression disorders in adolescence, it is important to develop and study depression prevention programs for this age group. The current study examined the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a group prevention program for adolescent depression, in comparison to group programs that are typically delivered in school settings. In this indicated prevention trial, 186 adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST delivered by research staff or group counseling (GC) delivered by school counselors. Hierarchical linear modeling examined differences in rates of change in depressive symptoms and overall functioning from baseline to the 6-month follow-up assessment. Cox regression compared rates of depression diagnoses. Adolescents in IPT-AST showed significantly greater improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms and evaluator-rated overall functioning than GC adolescents from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in onset of depression diagnoses. Although both intervention conditions demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and overall functioning, results indicate that IPT-AST has modest benefits over groups run by school counselors which were matched on frequency and duration of sessions. In particular, IPT-AST outperformed GC in reduction of depressive symptoms and improvements in overall functioning. These findings point to the clinical utility of this depression prevention program, at least in the short-term. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effects of IPT-AST, relative to GC, particularly in preventing depression onset.

  19. A Randomized Depression Prevention Trial Comparing Interpersonal Psychotherapy—Adolescent Skills Training to Group Counseling in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benas, Jessica S.; Schueler, Christie M.; Gallop, Robert; Gillham, Jane E.; Mufson, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Given the rise in depression disorders in adolescence, it is important to develop and study depression prevention programs for this age group. The current study examined the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a group prevention program for adolescent depression, in comparison to group programs that are typically delivered in school settings. In this indicated prevention trial, 186 adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST delivered by research staff or group counseling (GC) delivered by school counselors. Hierarchical linear modeling examined differences in rates of change in depressive symptoms and overall functioning from baseline to the 6-month follow-up assessment. Cox regression compared rates of depression diagnoses. Adolescents in IPT-AST showed significantly greater improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms and evaluator-rated overall functioning than GC adolescents from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in onset of depression diagnoses. Although both intervention conditions demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and overall functioning, results indicate that IPT-AST has modest benefits over groups run by school counselors which were matched on frequency and duration of sessions. In particular, IPT-AST outperformed GC in reduction of depressive symptoms and improvements in overall functioning. These findings point to the clinical utility of this depression prevention program, at least in the short-term. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effects of IPT-AST, relative to GC, particularly in preventing depression onset. PMID:26638219

  20. Constant round group key agreement protocols: A comparative study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Makri, E.; Konstantinou, Elisavet

    2011-01-01

    The scope of this paper is to review and evaluate all constant round Group Key Agreement (GKA) protocols proposed so far in the literature. We have gathered all GKA protocols that require 1,2,3,4 and 5 rounds and examined their efficiency. In particular, we calculated each protocol’s computation and

  1. Undergraduates with Employer-Sponsored Aid: Comparing Group Differences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faulk, Dagney G.; Wang, Zhenlei

    2014-01-01

    Tuition assistance offered by employers is an understudied area of financial aid research. The purpose of this study is to compare the demographic, socioeconomic, academic and financial aid characteristics of college students who receive employer-sponsored financial aid with students who receive traditional financial aid (institutional, state, or…

  2. An Analysis of Training and Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Sustainability Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Anne H.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To describe how the teaching and learning approach of a new MBA distance learning program helps to produce promoters and ecopreneurs of sustainable development and entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach: The chosen MBA program is analyzed based on the principles of time flexibility, promotion of initiative, team capability, staff…

  3. Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) Multibeam Antenna On-Orbit Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    1995-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center's Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) was launched in September 1993. ACTS introduced several new technologies, including a multibeam antenna (MBA) operating at extremely short wavelengths never before used in communications. This antenna, which has both fixed and rapidly reconfigurable high-energy spot beams (150 miles in diameter), serves users equipped with small antenna terminals. Extensive structural and thermal analyses have been performed for simulating the ACTS MBA on-orbit performance. The results show that the reflector surfaces (mainly the front subreflector), antenna support assembly, and metallic surfaces on the spacecraft body will be distorted because of the thermal effects of varying solar heating, which degrade the ACTS MBA performance. Since ACTS was launched, a number of evaluations have been performed to assess MBA performance in the space environment. For example, the on-orbit performance measurements found systematic environmental disturbances to the MBA beam pointing. These disturbances were found to be imposed by the attitude control system, antenna and spacecraft mechanical alignments, and on-orbit thermal effects. As a result, the MBA may not always exactly cover the intended service area. In addition, the on-orbit measurements showed that antenna pointing accuracy is the performance parameter most sensitive to thermal distortions on the front subreflector surface and antenna support assemblies. Several compensation approaches were tested and evaluated to restore on-orbit pointing stability. A combination of autotrack (75 percent of the time) and Earth sensor control (25 percent of the time) was found to be the best way to compensate for antenna pointing error during orbit. This approach greatly minimizes the effects of thermal distortions on antenna beam pointing.

  4. Comparing Asian American Women's Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Risk of Heart Attack to Other Racial and Ethnic Groups: The mPED Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuoka, Yoshimi; Lisha, Nadra E; Vittinghoff, Eric

    2017-09-01

    The aim of the study was to compare knowledge and awareness of heart attacks/heart disease and perceived risk for future heart attack in Asian/Pacific Islander women, compared to other racial and ethnic groups. In this cross-sectional study, 318 women enrolled in a mobile phone-based physical activity education trial were analyzed. Heart attack knowledge, self-efficacy for recognizing and responding to heart attack symptoms, and perceived risk for a future heart attack were measured. Analyses were conducted using logistic, proportional odds, and linear regression models, depending on the outcome and adjusting for age. Pairwise differences between Asian/Pacific Islanders and the other four groups were assessed using a Bonferroni correction (p Asian/Pacific Islander women had significantly lower total scores for knowledge of heart attack and self-efficacy for heart attack recognition and care seeking behavior compared to the Caucasian women (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). However, perceived risk did not differ among the groups. Forty-six percent of the Asian American women, compared to 25% of Caucasian women, falsely believed "breast cancer is the number one cause of death for women (p = 0.002)." In addition, Asian/Pacific Islander women were less likely to report "arm pain, numbness, tingling, or radiating" as one of the heart attack symptoms compared to the Caucasian and the multiracial group (34%, 63% [p Asian/Pacific Islander women and Caucasian women.

  5. Synthesis and Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of the Complex of Samarium p-Methylbenzoate with 1 ,1O-Phenanthroline

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHANG,Jian-Jun; REN,Ning; XU,Su

    2007-01-01

    The complex [Sm(p-MBA)3phen]2 (p-MBA, p-methylbenzoate; phen, 1,10-phenanthroline) was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and UV spectra. The thermal decomposition process of [Sm(p-MBA)3phen]2 was studied under a static air atmosphere by TG-DTG and IR techniques. Thermal decomposition kinetics was investigated employing a newly proposed method, together with the integral isoconversional non-linear method. Meanwhile, the thermodynamic parameters (△H≠, AG≠ and △S≠) were also calculated. The lifetime equation at mass-loss of 10% was deduced as lnτ= -24.7825+18070.43/T by isothermal thermogravimetric analysis.

  6. Not Such Innocents Abroad?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaur, Georg; Watts, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Little research in economic education has dealt with MBA programs. The authors investigated student performance in a microeconomics/managerial economics course taught in a one-year MBA program at the German International School of Management and Administration in Hanover, Germany, during the 2002-5 academic years. After controlling for other…

  7. Operations Management Teaching: Establishing Content and Relevance to Practitioners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doran, Desmond; Hill, Alex; Brown, Steve; Aktas, Emel; Kuula, Markku

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the relevance to industry's needs of operations management (OM) teaching in higher education, by researching the content of OM modules delivered by UK academics and comparing the results of this research with the views of business practitioners having had first-hand experience of OM teaching on MBA programmes. To determine…

  8. From Ford to Friedman: Teaching Microeconomics to Business Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neymotin, Florence

    2014-01-01

    Teaching microeconomics to MBA students offers a unique set of challenges and opportunities to instructors. That is, the process of teaching business students may differ considerably, but in predictable ways, when compared to the classroom experience commonly found in liberal arts programs. While it is certain that all students are consumers, most…

  9. Weight Loss Maintenance for 2 Years after a 6-Month Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Education-Only and Group-Based Support in Japanese Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshio Nakata

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Our previous study, a 6-month randomised controlled trial, demonstrated that a group-based support promoted weight loss as compared to an education-only intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine weight loss maintenance for 2 years. Methods: Originally, 188 overweight Japanese adults, aged 40-65 years, were randomly assigned to 3 groups: control, education-only or group-based support. After the 6-month intervention, 125 participants in the education-only and the group-based support groups were followed up for 2 years. The primary outcome was the amount of weight lost. The participants were retrospectively grouped into quartiles of percent weight loss for secondary analyses. Results: At the end of follow-up, the amount of weight lost in the education-only and the group-based support groups was the same (3.3 kg. Secondary analyses using data of those who completed the study (n = 100 revealed that the participants in the highest quartile of percent weight loss significantly increased their step counts and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared with the lowest quartile. No significant differences were observed in the energy intake among the four groups. Conclusion: The effects of group-based support disappear within 2 years. Increasing physical activity may be a crucial factor for successful maintenance of weight loss.

  10. Comparing a telephone- and a group-delivered diabetes prevention program: Characteristics of engaged and non-engaged postpartum mothers with a history of gestational diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Siew; Dunbar, James A; Versace, Vincent L; Janus, Edward; Wildey, Carol; Skinner, Timothy; O'Reilly, Sharleen

    2017-04-01

    To explore the acceptability of a telephone- or a group-delivered diabetes prevention program for women with previous gestational diabetes and to compare the characteristics associated with program engagement. Postpartum women participated in a lifestyle modification program delivered by telephone (n=33) or group format (n=284). Semi-structured interviews on barriers and enablers to program engagement (defined as completing≥80% sessions) were conducted before (Group) and after (Group and Telephone) interventions. The Health Action Process Approach theory was used as the framework for inquiry. Psychological measures were compared between engagement subgroups before and after group-delivered intervention. In the telephone-delivered program 82% participants met the engagement criteria compared with 38% for the group-delivered program. Engaged participants (Group) had significantly higher risk perception, outcome expectancy, and activity self-efficacy at baseline (P<0.05). There was a greater decrease in body weight (-1.45±3.9 vs -0.26±3.5, P=0.024) and waist circumference (-3.56±5.1 vs -1.24±5.3, P=0.002) for engaged vs non-engaged participants following group program completion. Telephone delivery was associated with greater engagement in postpartum women. Engagement was associated with greater reduction in weight and waist circumference. Further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of telephone-delivered program for diabetes prevention in postpartum women. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A Comparative Study of Clear Corneal Phacoemulsification with Rigid IOL Versus SICS; the Preferred Surgical Technique in Low Socio-economic group Patients of Rural Areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devendra, Jaya; Agarwal, Smita; Singh, Pankaj Kumar

    2014-11-01

    Low socio-economic group patients from rural areas often opt for free cataract surgeries offered by charitable organisations. SICS continues to be a time tested technique for cataract removal in such patients. In recent times, camp patients are sometimes treated by clear corneal phacoemulsification with implantation of a rigid IOL, which being more cost effective is often provided for camp patients. This study was undertaken to find out which surgical technique yielded better outcomes and was more suited for high volume camp surgery. To find the better surgical option- phacoemulsification with rigid IOL or SICS, in poor patients from rural areas. A prospective randomised controlled trial of cataract patients operated by two different techniques. One hundred and twelve eyes were selected and were randomly allocated into two groups of 56 eyes each. At completion of the study, data was analysed for 52 eyes operated by clear corneal phacoemulsification and implantation of a rigid IOL, and 56 eyes operated by SICS. Unpaired t-test was used to calculate the p- value. The results were evaluated on the following criteria. The mean post-operative astigmatism at the end of four weeks - was significantly higher in phacoemulsification group as compared to SICS group The BCVA (best corrected visual acuity) at the end of four weeks - was comparable in both groups. Subjective complaints and/ or complications: In phaco group two patients required sutures and seven had striate keratitis , while none in SICS group. Complaint of irritation was similar in both groups. Surgical time- was less for SICS group as compared to phaco group. SICS by virtue of being a faster surgery with more secure wound and significantly less astigmatism is a better option in camp patients from rural areas as compared to phacoemulsification with rigid IOL.

  12. Comparing risk factors in a group of obese children and group of athlets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dalibor Pastucha

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is an increasing problem that more and more often affects children, thus not only the adult population. The aim of this thesis is to compare various elements and life habits of obese children with elements and habits of children practising athletics. These processes are physical activity, healthstate, eating habits, physical condition, breast-feeding period duration and the BMI of the children's parents. We have come upon an agreement with other authors that while comparing the BMI results of the parents, the two sets differed significantly. It was clearly indicated that obese children also have overweight or obese parents. Therefore it can be said that obesity is usually a problem of the whole actual family and its life-style. Regarding birth-weight, breast-feeding period duration, participation in P.E. class or a time spent watching TV or playing a computer, no major differences were noted. However, slight differences in favour to the athletes were seen in their good eating habits, their body-posture and their interest in sports in general. Here, the intensity with which active children practise sports and the time they devote to it are much higher and bigger than the energy and time spent on sports by obese children.

  13. Comparative characteristics of the results of fractional photothermolysis used for neck skin of women in different age groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. V. Kirsanova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is scientific rationale for fractional photothermolysis usage to correct age-related changes of neck skin of women in different age groups. Materials and Methods. A comparative study of the results for fractional photothermolysis (FP treatment in order to correct involutional changes in neck skin of 60 women in different age groups has been carried out (first group - 40-49 years old, second group - 50-60 years old. Skin moisture, its smoothness (relief, the width of the mouths of the pilosebaceous unit, the severity of pigmentation, the depth and width of wrinkles before the treatment, 1 week after and 1 month after the procedure have been investigated. Main results. After a week of having FP it affected all investigated functional skin parameters more in the 2nd age group than in the 1st one. Decreasing in moisture and smoothness of the skin, increasing the width and the depth of wrinkles, pores and pigmentation width have been marked. In one month there was more significant positive dynamics in parameters of smoothness, wrinkles width in the 2nd group (p -8, p -7 than in the 1st group (p = 0.002, p -5. Hydration of the skin, the width of the mouths of the pilosebaceous unit, the depth of wrinkles and pigmentation changed more significantly among patients in group 1 (p -7, p = 0.001, p -5, p -8. Conclusion. Skin functional parameters of patients from the first group deteriorated significantly less in comparison with the second group one week after PF procedure was carried out. 1 month after the 1st group is indicated with significant improvement in moisture, the width of the pilosebaceous unit, the depth of wrinkles and pigmentation, and the 2nd group is indicated with improvement of smoothness and width of wrinkles. The differences discovered in skin condition dynamics in different age groups should be considered when planning the aesthetic outcome of FP procedure.

  14. “Nomophobia”: Impact of Cell Phone Use Interfering with Symptoms and Emotions of Individuals with Panic Disorder Compared with a Control Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Anna Lucia Spear; Valença, Alexandre Martins; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Sancassiani, Federica; Machado, Sergio; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

    2014-01-01

    Panic disorder refers to the frequent and recurring acute attacks of anxiety. Objective: This study describes the routine use of mobiles phones (MPs) and investigates the appearance of possible emotional alterations or symptoms related to their use in patients with panic disorder (PD). Background: We compared patients with PD and agoraphobia being treated at the Panic and Respiration Laboratory of The Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a control group of healthy volunteers. Methods: An MP-use questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 50 patients and 70 controls. Results: People with PD showed significant increases in anxiety, tachycardia, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, panic, fear and depression related to the lack of an MP compared to the control group. Conclusions: Both groups exhibited dependence on and were comforted by having an MP; however, people with PD and agoraphobia showed significantly more emotional alterations as well as intense physical and psychological symptoms when they were apart from or unable to use an MP compared to healthy volunteers. PMID:24669231

  15. Borderless Educational Practices in the Development of Commerce

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbre, James O., III

    2010-01-01

    Commerce transcends the boundaries of nations. With so many people involved, a common approach and articulation is necessary to advance the interests of commerce for everyone involved. This paper addresses online MBA (Master of Business Administration) degrees and the nature of its presence alongside the more traditional face-to-face MBA program.…

  16. Building the Bronze Age : Architectural and social change on the Greek mainland during Early Helladic III, Middle Helladic and Late Helladic I

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiersma, Corien

    2014-01-01

    Communities living on the Greek Mainland during the end of the Early Bronze Age (EBA. ca. 2200-2000 BC) and the earlier Middle Bronze Age (MBA, ca. 2000-1800 BC) were thought to be relatively simple and egalitarian, while during the later MBA and early Late Bronze Age (LBA, ca. 1700-1600 BC),

  17. The Use of System Thinking Concepts in Order to Assure Continuous Improvement of Project Based Learning Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arantes do Amaral, Joao Alberto; Gonçalves, Paulo

    2015-01-01

    This case study describes a continuous improvement experience, conducted from 2002 to 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, within 47 Project-Based Learning MBA courses, involving approximately 1,400 students. The experience report will focus on four themes: (1) understanding the main dynamics present in MBA courses; (2) planning a systemic intervention in…

  18. [Comparative studies of personal and steady-state sampling for determining dust exposure in different job groups].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherneva, P; Lukanova, R

    1994-01-01

    The variability of the dust concentration in time and space, as well as the change of worker's place during the working process, define the necessity of introducing personal sampling in the hygiene control practice. However, the laboratory equipment with personal devices is still not sufficient. The aim of this work is to assess the dust exposure of the basic professional groups from the ore- and coal production in Bulgaria by personal sampling in comparative studies of the static ambient sampling used up to now. 63 full-shift investigations of the dust factor were performed on professional groups of miners of the polymetal and coal pits by static ambient devices-[Hygitest production] and personal [from firms "Casella", "Strolein" and "Gilian"] devices, after standardized methods. The results are data processed-by means of logarithmic normal distribution of the relation of the respirable dust concentrations, determined personally and by static ambient sampling. The limits of variation of this correlation are from 0.5 to 4.1 at average geometric value -0.95 and standard geometric deviation-1.8 i.e. both types of sampling are intersubstitutional for the examined groups and sites, as in the underground ores the professional risk of respirable dust is underestimated up to 4 times at static ambient sampling.

  19. Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Comparative Effectiveness Clinical Trial Comparing a Powder Vehicle Compound of Vitamin D With an Oil Vehicle Compound in Adults With Cystic Fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermes, Wendy A; Alvarez, Jessica A; Lee, Moon J; Chesdachai, Supavit; Lodin, Daud; Horst, Ron; Tangpricha, Vin

    2017-08-01

    There is little consensus on the most efficacious vehicle substance for vitamin D supplements. Fat malabsorption may impede the ability of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) to absorb vitamin D in an oil vehicle. We hypothesized that vitamin D contained in a powder vehicle would be absorbed more efficiently than vitamin D contained in an oil vehicle in patients with CF. In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, hospitalized adults with CF were given a one-time bolus dose of 100,000 IU of cholecalciferol (D 3 ) in a powder-based or oil-based vehicle. Serum D 3 , 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and parathyroid hormone concentrations were analyzed at 0, 12, 24, and 48 hours posttreatment. The area under the curve for serum D 3 and the 12-hour time point were also assessed as indicators of D 3 absorption. This trial was completed by 15 patients with CF. The median (interquartile range) age, body mass index, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were 23.7 (19.9-33.2) years, 19.9 (18.6-22.6) kg/m 2 , and 63% (37%-80%), respectively. The increase in serum D 3 and the area under the curve was greater in the powder group ( P = .002 and P = .036, respectively). Serum D 3 was higher at 12 hours in the powder group compared with the oil group ( P = .002), although levels were similar between groups by 48 hours. In adults with CF, cholecalciferol is more efficiently absorbed in a powder compared with an oil vehicle. Physicians should consider prescribing vitamin D in a powder vehicle in patients with CF to improve the absorption of vitamin D from supplements.

  20. Comparative study of patellar subluxation syndrome and normal group using axial radiography and CT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kitagawa, Mamoru; Tomonaga, Kunio; Egawa, Tadashi; Nakamura, Yasushi; Gotoh, Shoji; Mihara, Shigeru (Nagasaki Municipal Hospital (Japan))

    1989-10-01

    A comparative study was conducted on the 20 knees of 10 females with normal knee joints (age, 22-35 years) and on 7 knees of 7 patients with subluxation syndrome (age, 15-24 years), using axial radiography and CT. In axial radiography where the angle of knee flexion was 30 deg or 60 deg, no significant difference was recognized between the two groups with respect to tilting angle, patellofemoral angle, congruence angle and lateral shift. However, a significant difference was found using CT. Thus, CT was considered useful for diagnosis. Because of these results, all 7 cases underwent surgery for detachment of the lateral side and tightening of the medial side. Three cases underwent shifting of the tibial tuberosity to the anteromedial side, resulting in a favourable outcome. Here, we report the study. (author).

  1. Comparative study of patellar subluxation syndrome and normal group using axial radiography and CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitagawa, Mamoru; Tomonaga, Kunio; Egawa, Tadashi; Nakamura, Yasushi; Gotoh, Shoji; Mihara, Shigeru

    1989-01-01

    A comparative study was conducted on the 20 knees of 10 females with normal knee joints (age, 22-35 years) and on 7 knees of 7 patients with subluxation syndrome (age, 15-24 years), using axial radiography and CT. In axial radiography where the angle of knee flexion was 30 deg or 60 deg, no significant difference was recognized between the two groups with respect to tilting angle, patellofemoral angle, congruence angle and lateral shift. However, a significant difference was found using CT. Thus, CT was considered useful for diagnosis. Because of these results, all 7 cases underwent surgery for detachment of the lateral side and tightening of the medial side. Three cases underwent shifting of the tibial tuberosity to the anteromedial side, resulting in a favourable outcome. Here, we report the study. (author)

  2. Stability of added and in situ-produced vitamin B12 in breadmaking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edelmann, Minnamari; Chamlagain, Bhawani; Santin, Marco; Kariluoto, Susanna; Piironen, Vieno

    2016-08-01

    Vitamin B12 exists naturally in foods of animal origin and is synthesised only by certain bacteria. New food sources are needed to ensure vitamin B12 intake in risk groups. This study aimed to investigate the stability of added cyanocobalamin (CNCbl, chemically modified form) and hydroxocobalamin (OHCbl, natural form) and in situ-synthesised vitamin B12 in breadmaking. Samples were analysed both with a microbiological (MBA) and a liquid chromatographic (UHPLC) method to test applicability of these two methods. Proofing did not affect CNCbl and OHCbl levels. By contrast, 21% and 31% of OHCbl was lost in oven-baking steps in straight- and sponge-dough processes, respectively, whereas CNCbl remained almost stable. In sourdough baking, 23% of CNCbl and 44% of OHCbl were lost. In situ-produced vitamin B12 was almost as stable as added CNCbl and more stable than OHCbl. The UHPLC method showed its superiority to the MBA in determining the active vitamin B12. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Cervical Proprioception in a Young Population Who Spend Long Periods on Mobile Devices: A 2-Group Comparative Observational Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portelli, Andrew; Reid, Susan A

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate if young people with insidious-onset neck pain who spend long periods on mobile electronic devices (known as "text neck") have impaired cervical proprioception and if this is related to time on devices. A 2-group comparative observational study was conducted at an Australian university. Twenty-two participants with text neck and 22 asymptomatic controls, all of whom were 18 to 35 years old and spent ≥4 hours per day on unsupported electronic devices, were assessed using the head repositioning accuracy (HRA) test. Differences between groups were calculated using independent sample t-tests, and correlations between neck pain intensity, time on devices, and HRA test were performed using Pearson's bivariate analysis. During cervical flexion, those with text neck (n = 22, mean age ± standard deviation [SD]: 21 ± 4 years, 59% female) had a 3.9° (SD: 1.4°) repositioning error, and the control group (n = 22, 20 ± 1 years, 68% female) had a 2.9° (SD: 1.2°) error. The mean difference was 1° (95% confidence interval: 0-2, P = .02). For other cervical movements, there was no difference between groups. There was a moderately significant correlation (P ≤ .05) between time spent on electronic devices and cervical pain intensity and between cervical pain intensity and HRA during flexion. The participants with text neck had a greater proprioceptive error during cervical flexion compared with controls. This could be related to neck pain and time spent on electronic devices. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. A comparative study of 10% KOH solution and 5% imiquimod cream for the treatment of Molluscum contagiosum in the pediatric age group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chathra, Namitha; Sukumar, D; Bhat, Ramesh M; Kishore, B Nanda; Martis, Jacintha; Kamath, Ganesh; Srinath, M K; Monteiro, Rochelle

    2015-01-01

    Although Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a self-limiting condition, active therapy could prevent further spread and improve cosmesis. Most of the available treatment modalities traumatize the lesions and have to be undertaken in the hospital, therefore evoking panic in children. In the quest for an alternative therapy, this study comparing 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution and 5% imiquimod cream was taken up. To compare the efficacy and tolerability of 10% KOH and 5% imiquimod in the treatment of MC. This comparative study was conducted over a period of 18 months from October 2011 to March 2013, 40 patients between the age group of 1-18 years with clinically diagnosed MC were divided into two groups (lottery method), 20 patients were treated with 5% imiquimod cream (Group A) and the other 20 were treated with 10% KOH solution (Group B). Patients were followed up on the 4(th), 8(th) and 12(th) week of treatment. At the end of 12 weeks, out of 20 patients who received 10% KOH, 17 patients showed complete disappearance, whereas out of 20 patients who received 5% imiquimod, only 10 patients showed total clearance of the lesions. Adverse events were more frequent with 10% KOH, pigmentary disturbances being the most common. With only minor adverse effects, 10% KOH is an inexpensive and efficient modality for the treatment of MC in the pediatric age group. Although 5% imiquimod was effective in clearing the lesions with minimal adverse effects, the longer duration required for its efficacy may deter its wider use.

  5. Coronary artery calcium score using electron beam tomography in the patients with acute obstructive coronary arterial disease : comparative study within asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis and chronic obstructive coronary arterial disease group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Seok Jong; Choi, Byoung Wook; Choe, Kyu Ok

    2001-01-01

    To compare, through analysis of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and the risk factors for atherosclerosis, the characteristics of acute coronary syndrome between an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients and a chronic coronary arterial obstructive disease(CAOD) group. The CAC scores of an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients (group I, n=284), a chronic CAOD croup (group II, n=39) and an acute coronary syndrome group (group III, n=21) were measured by electron beam tomography. Forty-seven patients with CAOD from groups II and III underwent coronary angiography, and we scrutinized age, sex and risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and low high-density lipoproteinemia. The numbers of stenotic coronary arterial branches and degree of stenosis revealed by coronary angiography were also recorded. We determined the differences between the three groups in terms of CAC score and the risk factors, the relationship between CAC score and risk factors, and the characteristic features of each type of CAOD group. The mean CA score of group III (135.1) was not statistically different from that of group I (135.7) or group II (365.8). Among patients aged below 50, the mean CAC score of group III (127.4) was significantly higher than that of group I (6.2), (p=0.0006). The mean CAC score at the sixth decade was also significantly different between group I(81.5) and group II (266.9). The mean age of group III (54.2 years) was significantly lower than that of group I (58.1 years) (p=0.047) and of group II (60.1) (p=0.022). There was significant correlation between the number of stenotic coronary arterial branches and log(CAC +1) (p<.01). The square root of the CAC score and the maximal degree of stenosis was also well correlated (p<.01). There was no difference in the mean number of risk factors among the three groups, though the incidence of smoking in group III was significantly

  6. Coronary artery calcium score using electron beam tomography in the patients with acute obstructive coronary arterial disease : comparative study within asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis and chronic obstructive coronary arterial disease group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryu, Seok Jong; Choi, Byoung Wook; Choe, Kyu Ok [Yonsei Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2001-04-01

    To compare, through analysis of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and the risk factors for atherosclerosis, the characteristics of acute coronary syndrome between an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients and a chronic coronary arterial obstructive disease(CAOD) group. The CAC scores of an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients (group I, n=284), a chronic CAOD croup (group II, n=39) and an acute coronary syndrome group (group III, n=21) were measured by electron beam tomography. Forty-seven patients with CAOD from groups II and III underwent coronary angiography, and we scrutinized age, sex and risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and low high-density lipoproteinemia. The numbers of stenotic coronary arterial branches and degree of stenosis revealed by coronary angiography were also recorded. We determined the differences between the three groups in terms of CAC score and the risk factors, the relationship between CAC score and risk factors, and the characteristic features of each type of CAOD group. The mean CA score of group III (135.1) was not statistically different from that of group I (135.7) or group II (365.8). Among patients aged below 50, the mean CAC score of group III (127.4) was significantly higher than that of group I (6.2), (p=0.0006). The mean CAC score at the sixth decade was also significantly different between group I(81.5) and group II (266.9). The mean age of group III (54.2 years) was significantly lower than that of group I (58.1 years) (p=0.047) and of group II (60.1) (p=0.022). There was significant correlation between the number of stenotic coronary arterial branches and log(CAC +1) (p<.01). The square root of the CAC score and the maximal degree of stenosis was also well correlated (p<.01). There was no difference in the mean number of risk factors among the three groups, though the incidence of smoking in group III was significantly

  7. Repositioning Your EMBA Program and Reinventing Your Brand: A Case Study Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petit, Francis

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to illustrate how Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, repositioned its Executive MBA Program and reinvented its brand, over a ten year period. More specifically, this research will analyze the current state of the Executive MBA market and will discuss the best practices and frameworks implemented…

  8. Operational Contract Support: Economic Impact Evaluation and Measures of Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT: ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION AND MEASURES...DATES COVERED MBA professional report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT: ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS 5...evaluation, expeditionary economics , operational contract support, measure of effectiveness 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 89 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY

  9. Extraction Site Preservation Using FDBA With Bioxclude vs. FDBA With Bio-Gide: A Randomized Clinical Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-01

    severe chronic periodontitis .50 There was no exclusion criteria and the group included 14 smokers, two on oral bisphosphonates, and one on...Dental Corps United States Navy A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Periodontics Graduate Program Naval Postgraduate Dental School Uniformed...Dental Research Thesis Supervisor Thu P. Getka, DDS, MS, BS CAPT, DC, USN Program Director Periodontics Department Glenn A. u ro, DDS, MBA CAPT

  10. Twenty-one Asteroid Lightcurves at Asteroids Observers (OBAS) - MPPD: Nov 2016 - May 2017

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mas, Vicente; Fornas, G.; Lozano, Juan; Rodrigo, Onofre; Fornas, A.; Carreño, A.; Arce, Enrique; Brines, Pedro; Herrero, David

    2018-01-01

    We report on the analysis of photometric observations of 21 main-belt asteroids (MBA) done by Asteroids Observers (OBAS). This work is part of the Minor Planet Photometric Database task that was initiated by a group of Spanish amateur astronomers. We have managed to obtain a number of accurate and complete lightcurves as well as some additional incomplete lightcurves to help analysis at future oppositions.

  11. Application of the gravimetric method to closing the material balance around the chop-leach cell of a spent-fuel reprocessing plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fishbone, L.G.

    1985-01-01

    For a spent-fuel reprocessing plant handling commercial light-water-reactor fuel, plutonium accounting is traditionally done for the material balance area (MBA) extending from the input accountability tank to the product accountability tank - the process MBA. Consider an MBA comprising the chop-leach cell, with an inward flow consisting of the intact spent-fuel assemblies and outward flows consisting of leached hulls and dissolver solution. Given knowledge of the original uranium mass in the fuel and a measurement of the uranium-plutonium concentration ratio in the dissolver solution, the gravimetric method can be used to determine the amount of plutonium in the spent-fuel assemblies. A measurement of residual plutonium in the leached hulls would then permit the determination of a plutonium material balance for the chop-leach cell alone, since the volumetrically determined plutonium in the input accountability tank yields the plutonium in the flow leaving the chop-leach cell for the process MBA. The uncertainty in the balance can be estimated given the individual measurement uncertainties

  12. Folate status in women of reproductive age as basis of neural tube defect risk assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Lynn B; Hausman, Dorothy B

    2018-02-01

    Reliable folate status data for women of reproductive age (WRA) to assess global risk for neural tube defects (NTDs) are needed. We focus on a recent recommendation by the World Health Organization that a specific "optimal" red blood cell (RBC) folate concentration be used as the sole indicator of NTD risk within a population and discuss how to best apply this guidance to reach the goal of assessing NTD risk globally. We also emphasize the importance of using the microbiologic assay (MBA) as the most reliable assay for obtaining comparable results for RBC folate concentration across time and countries, the need for harmonization of the MBA through use of consistent key reagents and procedures within laboratories, and the requirement to apply assay-matched cutoffs for folate deficiency and insufficiency. To estimate NTD risk globally, the ideal scenario would be to have country-specific population-based surveys of RBC folate in WRA determined utilizing a harmonized MBA, as was done in recent studies in Guatemala and Belize. We conclude with guidance on next steps to best navigate the road map toward the goal of generating reliable folate status data on which to assess NTD risk in WRA in low- and middle-income countries. © 2017 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

  13. Canes Implementation: Analysis of Budgetary, Business, and Policy Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-12-01

    NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT CANES IMPLEMENTATION: ANALYSIS OF BUDGETARY, BUSINESS...REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED December 2014 MBA Professional Rep01t 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS CANES IMPLEMENTATION: ANALYSIS OF...PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10

  14. GMAT versus Alternatives: Predictive Validity Evidence from Central Europe and the Middle East

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koys, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    The author found that the GPA at the end of the MBA program is most accurately predicted by the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). MBA GPA is also predicted, though less accurately, by the Scholastic Level Exam, a mathematics test, undergraduate GPA, and previous career progression. If…

  15. Unmanned Maritime Systems Incremental Acquisition Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED MBA professional report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE UNMANNED MARITIME SYSTEMS INCREMENTAL ACQUISITION APPROACH 5. FUNDING...Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. UNMANNED MARITIME SYSTEMS INCREMENTAL ACQUISITION APPROACH Thomas Driscoll, Lieutenant...UNMANNED MARITIME SYSTEMS INCREMENTAL ACQUISITION APPROACH ABSTRACT The purpose of this MBA report is to explore and understand the issues

  16. Inter-group and intra-group assertiveness: adolescents' social skills following cultural transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korem, Anat; Horenczyk, Gabriel; Tatar, Moshe

    2012-08-01

    The goals of this study were to examine intra-group and inter-group assertiveness among adolescents, and to compare these two domains of assertiveness between cultural groups in Israel. Measures of intra-group and inter-group assertiveness were developed, and questionnaires were administrated to 441 immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), 242 immigrants from Ethiopia and 333 non-immigrants. Compared to non-immigrants, FSU and Ethiopian immigrants' inter-group assertiveness was lower. Girls reported higher levels of inter-group assertiveness than boys. Each of the immigrant groups rates itself as equally assertive as the non-immigrant group and more assertive than the other immigrant group. Also, a difference between inter-group and intra-group assertiveness was found among the FSU immigrants. It is argued that adolescents' assertiveness following cultural transition is associated with socio-cultural context, and the implications of this conclusion are discussed. Copyright © 2011 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Developing Leadership Skills in a Virtual Simulation: Coaching the Affiliative Style Leader

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurley, Kathy; Wilson, Dawn

    2011-01-01

    This study looked at the use of a business simulation that focused on improving the leadership skills of students in an MBA class at an HBCU in North Carolina. The students were asked to complete a questionnaire that identified their dominant leadership style. The study then compared the students who had an affiliative style of management against…

  18. Comparing sports vision among three groups of soft tennis adolescent athletes: Normal vision, refractive errors with and without correction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shih-Tsun Chang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The effect of correcting static vision on sports vision is still not clear. Aim: To examine whether sports vision (depth perception [DP], dynamic visual acuity [DVA], eye movement [EM], peripheral vision [PV], and momentary vision [MV], were different among soft tennis adolescent athletes with normal vision (Group A, with refractive error and corrected with (Group B and without eyeglasses (Group C. Setting and Design: A cross-section study was conducted. Soft tennis athletes aged 10–13 who played softball tennis for 2–5 years, and who were without any ocular diseases and without visual training for the past 3 months were recruited. Materials and Methods: DPs were measured in an absolute deviation (mm between a moving rod and fixing rod (approaching at 25 mm/s, receding at 25 mm/s, approaching at 50 mm/s, receding at 50 mm/s using electric DP tester. A smaller deviation represented better DP. DVA, EM, PV, and MV were measured on a scale from 1 (worse to 10 (best using ATHLEVISION software. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test and Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the data among the three study groups. Results: A total of 73 athletes (37 in Group A, 8 in Group B, 28 in Group C were enrolled in this study. All four items of DP showed significant difference among the three study groups (P = 0.0051, 0.0004, 0.0095, 0.0021. PV displayed significant difference among the three study groups (P = 0.0044. There was no significant difference in DVA, EM, and MV among the three study groups. Conclusions: Significant better DP and PV were seen among soft tennis adolescent athletes with normal vision than those with refractive error regardless whether they had eyeglasses corrected. On the other hand, DVA, EM, and MV were similar among the three study groups.

  19. Solubility studies of inorganic–organic hybrid nanoparticle photoresists with different surface functional groups

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Li

    2016-01-01

    © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry. The solubility behavior of Hf and Zr based hybrid nanoparticles with different surface ligands in different concentrations of photoacid generator as potential EUV photoresists was investigated in detail. The nanoparticles regardless of core or ligand chemistry have a hydrodynamic diameter of 2-3 nm and a very narrow size distribution in organic solvents. The Hansen solubility parameters for nanoparticles functionalized with IBA and 2MBA have the highest contribution from the dispersion interaction than those with tDMA and MAA, which show more polar character. The nanoparticles functionalized with unsaturated surface ligands showed more apparent solubility changes after exposure to DUV than those with saturated ones. The solubility differences after exposure are more pronounced for films containing a higher amount of photoacid generator. The work reported here provides material selection criteria and processing strategies for the design of high performance EUV photoresists.

  20. Group performance and group learning at dynamic system control tasks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drewes, Sylvana

    2013-01-01

    Proper management of dynamic systems (e.g. cooling systems of nuclear power plants or production and warehousing) is important to ensure public safety and economic success. So far, research has provided broad evidence for systematic shortcomings in individuals' control performance of dynamic systems. This research aims to investigate whether groups manifest synergy (Larson, 2010) and outperform individuals and if so, what processes lead to these performance advantages. In three experiments - including simulations of a nuclear power plant and a business setting - I compare the control performance of three-person-groups to the average individual performance and to nominal groups (N = 105 groups per experiment). The nominal group condition captures the statistical advantage of aggregated group judgements not due to social interaction. First, results show a superior performance of groups compared to individuals. Second, a meta-analysis across all three experiments shows interaction-based process gains in dynamic control tasks: Interacting groups outperform the average individual performance as well as the nominal group performance. Third, group interaction leads to stable individual improvements of group members that exceed practice effects. In sum, these results provide the first unequivocal evidence for interaction-based performance gains of groups in dynamic control tasks and imply that employers should rely on groups to provide opportunities for individual learning and to foster dynamic system control at its best.

  1. Comparative regulatory approaches for groups of new plant breeding techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lusser, Maria; Davies, Howard V

    2013-06-25

    This manuscript provides insights into ongoing debates on the regulatory issues surrounding groups of biotechnology-driven 'New Plant Breeding Techniques' (NPBTs). It presents the outcomes of preliminary discussions and in some cases the initial decisions taken by regulators in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, South Africa and USA. In the light of these discussions we suggest in this manuscript a structured approach to make the evaluation more consistent and efficient. The issue appears to be complex as these groups of new technologies vary widely in both the technologies deployed and their impact on heritable changes in the plant genome. An added complication is that the legislation, definitions and regulatory approaches for biotechnology-derived crops differ significantly between these countries. There are therefore concerns that this situation will lead to non-harmonised regulatory approaches and asynchronous development and marketing of such crops resulting in trade disruptions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Economic evaluation of an intensive group training protocol compared with usual care physiotherapy in patients with chronic low back pain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Roer, N.; van Tulder, M.; van Mechelen, W.; de Vet, H.C.W.

    2008-01-01

    STUDY DESIGN. Economic evaluation from a societal perspective conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial with a follow-up of 52 weeks. OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the cost effectiveness and cost utility of an intensive group training protocol compared with usual care physiotherapy in patients with

  3. Randomized control trial to assess the efficacy of metacognitive training compared with a psycho-educational group in people with a recent-onset psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochoa, S; López-Carrilero, R; Barrigón, M L; Pousa, E; Barajas, A; Lorente-Rovira, E; González-Higueras, F; Grasa, E; Ruiz-Delgado, I; Cid, J; Birulés, I; Esteban-Pinos, I; Casañas, R; Luengo, A; Torres-Hernández, P; Corripio, I; Montes-Gámez, M; Beltran, M; De Apraiz, A; Domínguez-Sánchez, L; Sánchez, E; Llacer, B; Pélaez, T; Bogas, J L; Moritz, S

    2017-07-01

    Aims were to assess the efficacy of metacognitive training (MCT) in people with a recent onset of psychosis in terms of symptoms as a primary outcome and metacognitive variables as a secondary outcome. A multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed. A total of 126 patients were randomized to an MCT or a psycho-educational intervention with cognitive-behavioral elements. The sample was composed of people with a recent onset of psychosis, recruited from nine public centers in Spain. The treatment consisted of eight weekly sessions for both groups. Patients were assessed at three time-points: baseline, post-treatment, and at 6 months follow-up. The evaluator was blinded to the condition of the patient. Symptoms were assessed with the PANSS and metacognition was assessed with a battery of questionnaires of cognitive biases and social cognition. Both MCT and psycho-educational groups had improved symptoms post-treatment and at follow-up, with greater improvements in the MCT group. The MCT group was superior to the psycho-educational group on the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) total (p = 0.026) and self-certainty (p = 0.035) and dependence self-subscale of irrational beliefs, comparing baseline and post-treatment. Moreover, comparing baseline and follow-up, the MCT group was better than the psycho-educational group in self-reflectiveness on the BCIS (p = 0.047), total BCIS (p = 0.045), and intolerance to frustration (p = 0.014). Jumping to Conclusions (JTC) improved more in the MCT group than the psycho-educational group (p = 0.021). Regarding the comparison within each group, Theory of Mind (ToM), Personalizing Bias, and other subscales of irrational beliefs improved in the MCT group but not the psycho-educational group (p tolerance to frustration. It seems that MCT could be useful to improve symptoms, ToM, and personalizing bias.

  4. Different DHEA-S Levels and Response Patterns in Individuals with Chronic Neck Pain, Compared with a Pain Free Group-a Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimby-Ekman, A; Ghafouri, B; Sandén, H; Larsson, B; Gerdle, B

    2017-05-01

    To test, in this pilot study, whether DHEA-S (Dehydroepiandrosterone, sulfated form) plasma levels are lower among persons with chronic neck pain, compared to control persons, and to investigate the DHEA-S response after a physical exercise. Included were 12 persons with chronic neck pain and eight controls without present pain, all 18 and 65 years of age. Exclusion criteria for both groups were articular diseases or tendinosis, fibromyalgia, systemic inflammatory and neuromuscular diseases, pain conditions due to trauma, or severe psychiatric diseases. The participants arm-cycled on an ergometer for 30 minutes. Blood samples were taken before, 60 minutes, and 150 minutes after this standardized physical exercise. The estimated plasma DHEA-S levels at baseline were 2.0 µmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00; 4.01) in the pain group and 4.1 µmol/L (95% CI2.0; 8.6) in the control group, adjusted for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ), with a ratio of 0.48 ( P  = 0.094). In this pilot study, the plasma DHEA-S levels appeared to be lower among the persons with chronic neck pain, compared with the control group. It was indicated that DHEA-S decreased during the physical exercise in the control group, and either increased or was unaffected in the chronic pain group. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  5. Comparing hospital staff and patient perceptions of customer service: a pilot study utilizing survey and focus group data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fottler, Myron D; Dickson, Duncan; Ford, Robert C; Bradley, Kenneth; Johnson, Lee

    2006-02-01

    The measurement of patient satisfaction is crucial to enhancing customer service and competitive advantage in the health-care industry. While there are numerous approaches to such measurement, this paper provides a case study which compares and contrasts patient and staff perceptions of customer service using both survey and focus group data. Results indicate that there is a high degree of correlation between staff and patient perceptions of customer service based on both survey and focus group data. However, the staff and patient subgroups also provided complementary information regarding patient perceptions of their service experience. Staff members tended to have more negative perceptions of service attributes than did the patients themselves. The focus group results provide complementary information to survey results in terms of greater detail and more managerially relevant information. While these results are derived from a pilot study, they suggest that diversification of data sources beyond patient surveys may enhance the utility of customer service information. If further research can affirm these findings, they create exciting possibilities for gathering valid, reliable and cost-effective customer service information.

  6. Installing an Ethics Pledge within K-12 Academia: A Restoration of Humanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBath, Gabrielle

    2012-01-01

    In May 2009, 33 Harvard M.B.A. Candidates proposed and published an ethics pledge entitled the M.B.A. Oath. It is a "voluntary student-led pledge that the goal of business managers is to 'serve the greater good.' It promises that Harvard M.B.A.[s] will act responsibly, ethically, and refrain from advancing their 'own narrow ambitions' at the…

  7. 25 CFR Appendix B to Subpart C - Population Adjustment Factor

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Population Adjustment Factor B Appendix B to Subpart C...—Population Adjustment Factor 1. The Population Adjustment Factor allows for participation in the IRR Program... Distribution factor* Number of tribes** Funding amount per tribe Less than 25 1 N1 MBA*** × 1 25-100 3.5 N2 MBA...

  8. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Converting the Naval Postgraduate School to a Navy Working Capital Fund Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    government agencies, and a number of international partners across the globe. In addition to providing advanced educational opportunities, NPS also offers a...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CONVERTING THE NAVAL...USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE June 2014 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED MBA Professional Report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE THE ADVANTAGES AND

  9. A Market Analysis of Publications, Trade Conferences, and Key Events for Fleet Readiness Center Southwest

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-12-01

    Win and Keep Big Customers. Austin: Bard Press, 2005. Kotler , Philip and Kevin Lane Keller. Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT A Market Analysis of Publications, Trade Conferences...AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE December 2007 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED MBA Professional Report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: A Market

  10. Paradox applications integration ATP's for MAC and mass balance programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, V.K.; Mullaney, J.E.

    1994-01-01

    The K Basins Materials Accounting (MAC) and Material Balance (MBA) database system were set up to run under one common applications program. This Acceptance Test Plan (ATP) describes how the code was to be tested to verify its correctness. The scope of the tests is minimal, since both MAC and MBA have already been tested in detail as stand-alone programs

  11. Taking a Regional Healthcare Coalition Approach to Mitigating Surge Capacity Needs of Mass Casualty or Pandemic Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-01

    gaining motivation for employees or, as exemplified in this case, coalition participants.59 The theory posits that there are two factors that... Motivation -Hygiene/Satisfiers Two-Factor Theory outline from the 1959 book; The Motivation to Work by Frederick Hertzberg; NetMBA web search 2/24/12; http...www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/ motivation / herzberg / 43 of the work of the group, individual responsibility given to members, achievements of the

  12. Disparities in abnormal mammogram follow-up time for Asian women compared to non-Hispanic Whites and between Asian ethnic groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, KH; Pasick, RJ; Stewart, SL; Kerlikowske, K; Karliner, LS

    2017-01-01

    Background Delays in abnormal mammogram follow-up contribute to poor outcomes. We examined abnormal screening mammogram follow-up differences for non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Asian women. Methods Prospective cohort of NHW and Asian women with a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System abnormal result of 0 or 3+ in the San Francisco Mammography Registry between 2000–2010. We performed Kaplan-Meier estimation for median-days to follow-up with a diagnostic radiologic test, and compared proportion with follow-up at 30, 60 and 90 days, and no follow-up at one-year for Asians overall (and Asian ethnic groups) and NHWs. We additionally assessed the relationship between race/ethnicity and time-to-follow-up with adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Results Among Asian women, Vietnamese and Filipinas had the longest, and Japanese the shortest, median follow-up time (32, 28, 19 days, respectively) compared to NHWs (15 days). The proportion of women receiving follow-up at 30 days was lower for Asians vs NHWs (57% vs 77%, pAsian ethnic groups except Japanese. Asians had a reduced hazard of follow-up compared with NHWs (aHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.69–0.72). Asians also had a higher rate than NHWs of no follow-up (15% vs 10%; pAsian ethnic groups, Filipinas had the highest percentage of women with no follow-up (18.1%). Conclusion Asian, particularly Filipina and Vietnamese, women were less likely than NHWs to receive timely follow-up after an abnormal screening mammogram. Research should disaggregate Asian ethnicity to better understand and address barriers to effective cancer prevention. PMID:28603859

  13. Comparing Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy and 12-Steps Narcotics Anonymous in Addict’s Rehabilitation Process: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manoochehr Azkhosh

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Substance abuse is a socio-psychological disorder. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy with 12-steps Narcotics Anonymous on psychological well-being of opiate dependent individuals in addiction treatment centers in Shiraz, Iran.Method: This was a randomized controlled trial. Data were collected at entry into the study and at post-test and follow-up visits. The participants were selected from opiate addicted individuals who referred to addiction treatment centers in Shiraz. Sixty individuals were evaluated according to inclusion/ exclusion criteria and were divided into three equal groups randomly (20 participants per group. One group received acceptance and commitment group therapy (Twelve 90-minute sessions and the other group was provided with the 12-steps Narcotics Anonymous program and the control group received the usual methadone maintenance treatment. During the treatment process, seven participants dropped out. Data were collected using the psychological well-being questionnaire and AAQ questionnaire in the three groups at pre-test, post-test and follow-up visits. Data were analyzed using repeated measure analysis of variance.Results: Repeated measure analysis of variance revealed that the mean difference between the three groups was significant (P<0.05 and that acceptance and commitment therapy group showed improvement relative to the NA and control groups on psychological well-being and psychological flexibility.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that acceptance and commitment therapy can be helpful in enhancing positive emotions and increasing psychological well-being of addicts who seek treatment.

  14. Inter-Group and Intra-Group Assertiveness: Adolescents' Social Skills Following Cultural Transition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korem, Anat; Horenczyk, Gabriel; Tatar, Moshe

    2012-01-01

    The goals of this study were to examine intra-group and inter-group assertiveness among adolescents, and to compare these two domains of assertiveness between cultural groups in Israel. Measures of intra-group and inter-group assertiveness were developed, and questionnaires were administrated to 441 immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU),…

  15. Comparing Facilitator Priorities of Suicide Survivor Support Groups: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Japanese and American Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feigelman, William; Feigelman, Beverly; Kawashima, Daisuke; Shiraga, Keisuke; Kawano, Kenji

    2017-08-01

    A total of 56 Japanese and 59 American survivor of suicide support group facilitators were asked to rank the mutual aid objectives of their groups following Shulman's scheme in terms of their frequency and importance. Both American and Japanese facilitators showed an emphasis on personal adaptation goals (such as helping bereaved feel less isolated in their grief or encouraging bereaved to share their coping with loss experiences) over collective goals (such as raising monies for more research on mental illness or trying to combat societal suicide stigma in their local communities). Differences were also noted with American facilitators evaluating helping with problem solving, sharing different ways of coping, viewing personal issues as societal problems, and advocating for promoting social change as significantly higher than the Japanese did. We believe some of these contrasts reflect differences in American and Japanese cultural values.

  16. Amplified voltammetric detection of glycoproteins using 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid/biotin-modified multifunctional gold nanoparticles as labels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lin; Xing, Yun; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Ruili; Liu, Huijing; Xia, Ning

    2014-01-01

    Ultrasensitive detection of protein biomarkers is essential for early diagnosis and therapy of many diseases. Glycoproteins, differing from other types of proteins, contain carbohydrate moieties in the oligosaccharide chains. Boronic acid can form boronate ester covalent bonds with diol-containing species. Herein, we present a sensitive and cost-effective electrochemical method for glycoprotein detection using 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (MBA)/biotin-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (MBA-biotin-AuNPs) as labels. To demonstrate the feasibility and sensitivity of this method, recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) was tested as a model analyte. Specifically, rHuEPO was captured by the anti-rHuEPO aptamer-covered electrode and then derivatized with MBA-biotin-AuNPs through the boronic acid-carbohydrate interaction. The MBA-biotin-AuNPs facilitated the attachment of streptavidin-conjugated alkaline phosphatase for the production of electroactive p-aminophenol from p-aminophenyl phosphate substrate. A detection limit of 8 fmol L(-1) for rHuEPO detection was achieved. Other glycosylated and non-glycosylated proteins, such as horseradish peroxidase, prostate specific antigen, metallothionein, streptavidin, and thrombin showed no interference in the detection assay.

  17. Cognitive synergy in groups and group-to-individual transfer of decision-making competencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curşeu, Petru L.; Meslec, Nicoleta; Pluut, Helen; Lucas, Gerardus J. M.

    2015-01-01

    In a field study (148 participants organized in 38 groups) we tested the effect of group synergy and one's position in relation to the collaborative zone of proximal development (CZPD) on the change of individual decision-making competencies. We used two parallel sets of decision tasks reported in previous research to test rationality and we evaluated individual decision-making competencies in the pre-group and post-group conditions as well as group rationality (as an emergent group level phenomenon). We used multilevel modeling to analyze the data and the results showed that members of synergetic groups had a higher cognitive gain as compared to members of non-synergetic groups, while highly rational members (members above the CZPD) had lower cognitive gains compared to less rational group members (members situated below the CZPD). These insights extend the literature on group-to-individual transfer of learning and have important practical implications as they show that group dynamics influence the development of individual decision-making competencies. PMID:26441750

  18. Cognitive synergy in groups and group-to-individual transfer of decision-making competencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curşeu, Petru L; Meslec, Nicoleta; Pluut, Helen; Lucas, Gerardus J M

    2015-01-01

    In a field study (148 participants organized in 38 groups) we tested the effect of group synergy and one's position in relation to the collaborative zone of proximal development (CZPD) on the change of individual decision-making competencies. We used two parallel sets of decision tasks reported in previous research to test rationality and we evaluated individual decision-making competencies in the pre-group and post-group conditions as well as group rationality (as an emergent group level phenomenon). We used multilevel modeling to analyze the data and the results showed that members of synergetic groups had a higher cognitive gain as compared to members of non-synergetic groups, while highly rational members (members above the CZPD) had lower cognitive gains compared to less rational group members (members situated below the CZPD). These insights extend the literature on group-to-individual transfer of learning and have important practical implications as they show that group dynamics influence the development of individual decision-making competencies.

  19. Providing patients with information about disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: Individually or in groups? A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing adherence and satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Homer, Dawn; Nightingale, Peter; Jobanputra, Paresh

    2009-06-01

    Communicating information about disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) before patients start treatment is a key role for some rheumatology clinical nurse specialists. This is done in our unit to promote understanding of the risks and benefits of drug therapy and encourage timely and reliable use of DMARDs. Information is routinely provided individually but this can lead to delays in starting treatment because of limited nursing resources. In this randomized trial we tested the feasibility of giving patients, who were about to start on a DMARD, information about the drug in groups and compared this with information given individually. Adults with a clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis who were referred to the nursing team for counselling about starting on methotrexate, sulfasalazine or leflunomide were included. Patients who had previously taken a DMARD were not excluded and those consenting were randomized to receive drug information individually or in groups (of three to six patients). We provided all patients with written materials about the relevant drug and discussed the risks and benefits of drug use verbally. Patients allocated to group counselling received this intervention in a teaching room, with a slide presentation. The primary outcome was adherence with medication use, ascertained by pill counts, self-report diaries and prescription dispensation. Secondary outcomes included satisfaction with information about medicines (SIMS) by questionnaire; time taken to provide information; adherence to scheduled hospital appointments and blood monitoring schedules; and DMARD continuation rates at four and twelve months. Of 127 eligible patients referred for counselling about DMARDs, 62 consented to take part: 32 were randomized to receive drug information individually and 30 to receiving it in groups. Patients allocated to the two different interventions were comparable for age and diagnoses at baseline but more patients

  20. [Toxin profiles in fish implicated in ciguatera fish poisoning in Amami and Kakeroma Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yogi, Kentaro; Oshiro, Naomasa; Matsuda, Seiko; Sakugawa, Satsuki; Matsuo, Toshiaki; Yasumoto, Takeshi

    2013-01-01

    Ciguatoxins (CTXs) responsible for ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) in Amami Islands, Kagoshima, Japan in 2008 were determined by LC-MS/MS analysis. Ciguatoxin-1B (CTX1B), 54-deoxyCTX1B, and 52-epi-54-deoxyCTX1B were detected in Variola louti and Lutjanus monostigma. The toxin profile distinctly differed from that of a CFP-related fish from Miyazaki, which mainly contained ciguatoxin-3C type toxins. Toxin profiles were species-specific, as observed in fish from Okinawa. The LC-MS/MS and mouse bioassay (MBA) methods produced comparable data, though 54-deoxyCTX1B was not taken into consideration owing to the lack of toxicity data. To improve assessment, toxicity data for this compound are needed. A reef fish caught on the same occasion and judged nontoxic by MBA (<0.025 MU/g) was found to contain low levels of CTX, indicating a potential risk for CFP.

  1. Self-esteem and psychiatric features of Turkish adolescents with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: a comparative study with epilepsy and healthy control groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Say, Gokçe N; Tasdemir, Haydar A; Akbas, Seher; Yüce, Murat; Karabekiroglu, Koray

    2014-01-01

    Children and adolescents with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and epilepsy are known to have psychosocial problems. The aim of the present study was to compare the psychosocial difficulties, history of stressful life events/abuse, psychiatric diagnosis, and self-esteem of adolescents with PNES to the ones with epilepsy and healthy controls at a tertiary care center in Turkey. Thirty-four adolescents with PNES diagnosed by video-EEG were compared with 23 adolescents that have epilepsy and 35 healthy volunteers. Comorbid psychiatric diagnoses of participants were examined by semi-structured interviews using Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (KSADS-PL). Self-esteem of adolescents was evaluated by Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES). No differences in sociodemographic features were observed between the groups. The PNES group showed significantly higher rates of parental conflicts, difficulties in relationship with siblings/peers, school under-achievement, and history of stressful events/abuse. The rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders were 64.7% in PNES and 47.8% in epilepsy group. The most common disorders in both groups were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depressive disorder. The rate of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was significantly increased in the PNES group. Additionally, adolescents with PNES displayed significantly lower levels of self-esteem than the other groups. It could be concluded that both disorders involved a high risk for developing psychiatric disorders; additionally, adolescents with PNES have higher rates of stressors and lower levels of self-esteem. Findings from this investigation point to the importance of psychiatric interventions in pediatric PNES and also epilepsy.

  2. A comparative study of frontal bone morphology among Pleistocene hominin fossil groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Athreya, Sheela

    2009-12-01

    Features of the frontal bone that are conventionally used to distinguish among fossil hominin groups were quantitatively examined. Fifty-five fossil crania dating from the early to the late Pleistocene were analyzed. Using a modified pantograph, outlines of the frontal bone were collected along the midsagittal and two parasagittal planes. The profile from nasion to bregma, as well as two profiles above the medial and lateral sections of the orbit, respectively, extending from the orbital margin to the coronal suture were traced. The outlines were measured using Elliptical Fourier Function Analysis (EFFA), which enabled a quantification of aspects of the frontal bone that have historically been described primarily in nonmetric or linear terms. Four measurements were obtained: 1) overall morphology as expressed in the Fourier harmonic amplitudes; 2) maximum projection of the supraorbital torus at three points along the browridge (glabella and the medial and lateral aspects of the torus above the orbit); 3) maximum distance of the frontal squama from the frontal chord, capturing forehead curvature; and 4) nasion-bregma chord length. The results indicate that the midsagittal profile is significantly different among all Pleistocene groups in analyses that include both size and shape, as well as size-adjusted data. Homo erectus is significantly different from the late Pleistocene groups (Neandertals and early modern H. sapiens) in glabellar projection. Anatomically modern humans are significantly different from all other groups in both raw and size-standardized analyses of all three outlines that captured overall morphology, as well as forehead curvature and lateral supraorbital torus prominence, and middle Pleistocene Homo are significantly different in both medial and lateral overall parasagittal form. However, for the majority of analyses there were no significant differences among the Pleistocene archaic groups in supraorbital torus projection, frontal squama

  3. An evaluation of self-reported mobile phone use compared to billing records among a group of engineers and scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shum, Mona; Kelsh, Michael A; Sheppard, Asher R; Zhao, Ke

    2011-01-01

    Most epidemiologic studies of potential health impacts of mobile phones rely on self-reported information, which can lead to exposure misclassification. We compared self-reported questionnaire data among 60 participants, and phone billing records over a 3-year period (2002-2004). Phone usage information was compared by the calculation of the mean and median number of calls and duration of use, as well as correlation coefficients and associated P-values. Average call duration from self-reports was slightly lower than billing records (2.1 min vs. 2.8 min, P = 0.01). Participants reported a higher number of average daily calls than billing records (7.9 vs. 4.1, P = 0.002). Correlation coefficients for average minutes per day of mobile phone use and average number of calls per day were relatively high (R = 0.71 and 0.69, respectively, P correlations between self-reported mobile phone usage and billing records and substantial variability in recall are consistent with previous studies. However, the direction of over- and under-reporting was not consistent with previous research. We did not observe increased variability over longer periods of recall or a pattern of lower accuracy among older age groups compared with younger groups. Study limitations included a relatively small sample size, low participation rates, and potential limited generalizability. The variability within studies and non-uniformity across studies indicates that estimation of the frequency and duration of phone use by questionnaires should be supplemented with subscriber records whenever practical. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  4. Comparative effectiveness of Pilates and yoga group exercise interventions for chronic mechanical neck pain: quasi-randomised parallel controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunleavy, K; Kava, K; Goldberg, A; Malek, M H; Talley, S A; Tutag-Lehr, V; Hildreth, J

    2016-09-01

    To determine the effectiveness of Pilates and yoga group exercise interventions for individuals with chronic neck pain (CNP). Quasi-randomised parallel controlled study. Community, university and private practice settings in four locations. Fifty-six individuals with CNP scoring ≥3/10 on the numeric pain rating scale for >3 months (controls n=17, Pilates n=20, yoga n=19). Exercise participants completed 12 small-group sessions with modifications and progressions supervised by a physiotherapist. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary outcomes were pain ratings, range of movement and postural measurements collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Follow-up was performed 6 weeks after completion of the exercise classes (Week 18). NDI decreased significantly in the Pilates {baseline: 11.1 [standard deviation (SD) 4.3] vs Week 12: 6.8 (SD 4.3); mean difference -4.3 (95% confidence interval -1.64 to -6.7); PPilates and yoga group exercise interventions with appropriate modifications and supervision were safe and equally effective for decreasing disability and pain compared with the control group for individuals with mild-to-moderate CNP. Physiotherapists may consider including these approaches in a plan of care. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01999283. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. A Study Of The Internet Of Things And Rfid Technology: Big Data In Navy Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    technology on electrical power poses a threat to hospitals as well. In the event a power failure either from natural or nefarious purposes, the...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT A STUDY OF THE INTERNET OF THINGS AND RFID TECHNOLOGY ...December 2017 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED MBA professional report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A STUDY OF THE INTERNET OF THINGS AND RFID TECHNOLOGY : BIG

  6. Demand Forecasting: An Evaluation of DODs Accuracy Metric and Navys Procedures

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    dataset ci = unit cost for item i fi = demand forecast for item i 28 ai = actual demand for item i A close look at fCIMIP metric reveals a...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT DEMAND FORECASTING : AN EVALUATION OF DOD’S ACCURACY...June 2016 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED MBA professional report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE DEMAND FORECASTING : AN EVALUATION OF DOD’S ACCURACY

  7. A Comparative Study of Job Satisfaction among Management Teachers of MBA Colleges in South Rajasthan

    OpenAIRE

    Anil K. Bhatt; Thomas Remigius

    2015-01-01

    Management teaching is a noble profession, a continuous process and indicator of economic and social development. The management teachers are the pre-requisite of the success of management programmes, their role in society has been increasing with the rapid growth of trade and finance in the whole world. Society is continuously observing Management teachers while there are various concerns in their role and their satisfaction. Only satisfied and well-adjusted management teacher can think of t...

  8. A Comparative Study of Job Satisfaction among Management Teachers of MBA Colleges in South Rajasthan

    OpenAIRE

    Anil K. Bhatt; Thomas Remigius

    2015-01-01

    Management teaching is a noble profession, a continuous process and indicator of economic and social development. The management teachers are the pre-requisite of the success of management programmes, their role in society has been increasing with the rapid growth of trade and finance in the whole world. Society is continuously observing Management teachers while there are various concerns in their role and their satisfaction. Only satisfied and well-adjusted management t...

  9. Gender, cancer experience and internet use: a comparative keyword analysis of interviews and online cancer support groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seale, Clive; Ziebland, Sue; Charteris-Black, Jonathan

    2006-05-01

    A new method, comparative keyword analysis, is used to compare the language of men and women with cancer in 97 research interviews and two popular internet based support groups for people with cancer. The method is suited to the conjoint qualitative and quantitative analysis of differences between large bodies of text, an alternative to the 'code and retrieval' approach used in much thematic analysis of qualitative materials. Web forums are a rich source of data about illness experience and gender differences. Marked differences in the performance of gender are evident. These differences follow linguistic and other behavioural patterns (such as social network differences) established in other contexts. Men with prostate cancer indicate in research interviews that they are more likely to seek information on the internet; women with breast cancer that they are more likely to seek social and emotional support. Men's concerns cluster around treatment information, medical personnel and procedures. Their experience of disease is more localised on particular areas of the body, while women's experience is more holistic. Women's forum postings orientate much more towards the exchange of emotional support, including concern with the impact of illness on a wide range of other people. Women's use of superlatives as well as words referring to feelings indicate their enactment of greater emotional expressivity. Web forums are platforms for an intensification of men's knowledge gathering activities. Web forums, though actually quite publicly visible, appear to be subjectively experienced by both sexes as relatively private places for the exchange of intimate personal information. The 'privacy' of the breast cancer forum facilitated interactions found in other studies to be characteristic of women's friendship groups.

  10. Disparities in abnormal mammogram follow-up time for Asian women compared with non-Hispanic white women and between Asian ethnic groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Kim H; Pasick, Rena J; Stewart, Susan L; Kerlikowske, Karla; Karliner, Leah S

    2017-09-15

    Delays in abnormal mammogram follow-up contribute to poor outcomes. In the current study, the authors examined differences in abnormal screening mammogram follow-up between non-Hispanic white (NHW) and Asian women. The authors used a prospective cohort of NHW and Asian women with a Breast Imaging, Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) abnormal result of category 0 or 3-plus in the San Francisco Mammography Registry between 2000 and 2010. Kaplan-Meier estimation for the median number of days to follow-up with a diagnostic radiologic test was performed, and the authors compared the percentage of women with follow-up at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days and no follow-up at 1 year for Asian women overall (and Asian ethnic groups) and NHW women. In addition, the authors assessed the relationship between race/ethnicity and time to follow-up with adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Among Asian women, Vietnamese and Filipina women had the longest, and Japanese women the shortest, median follow-up (32 days, 28 days, and 19 days, respectively) compared with NHW women (15 days). The percentage of women receiving follow-up at 30 days was lower for Asians versus NHWs (57% vs 77%; PAsian ethnic groups except Japanese. Asian women had a reduced hazard of follow-up compared with NHW women (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.72). Asian women also had a higher rate of receiving no follow-up compared with NHW women (15% vs 10%; PAsian ethnic groups, Filipinas were found to have the highest percentage of women with no follow-up (18.1%). Asian women, particularly Filipina and Vietnamese women, were less likely than NHW women to receive timely follow-up after an abnormal screening mammogram. Research should disaggregate Asian ethnicity to better understand and address barriers to effective cancer prevention. Cancer 2017;123:3468-75. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  11. Economic evaluation of an intensive group training protocol compared with usual care physiotherapy in patients with chronic low back pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Roer, Nicole; van Tulder, Maurits; van Mechelen, Willem; de Vet, Henrica

    2008-02-15

    Economic evaluation from a societal perspective conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial with a follow-up of 52 weeks. To evaluate the cost effectiveness and cost utility of an intensive group training protocol compared with usual care physiotherapy in patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain. The intensive group training protocol combines exercise therapy, back school, and behavioral principles. Two studies found a significant reduction in absenteeism for a graded activity program in occupational health care. This program has not yet been evaluated in a primary care physiotherapy setting. Participating physical therapists in primary care recruited 114 patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Eligible patients were randomized to either the protocol group or the guideline group. Outcome measures included functional status (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire), pain intensity (11-point numerical rating scale), general perceived effect and quality of life (EuroQol-5D). Cost data were measured with cost diaries and included direct and indirect costs related to low back pain. After 52 weeks, the direct health care costs were significantly higher for patients in the protocol group, largely due to the costs of the intervention. The mean difference in total costs amounted to [Euro sign] 233 (95% confidence interval: [Euro sign] -2.185; [Euro sign] 2.764). The cost-effectiveness planes indicated no significant differences in cost effectiveness between the 2 groups. The results of this economic evaluation showed no difference in total costs between the protocol group and the guideline group. The differences in effects were small and not statistically significant. At present, national implementation of the protocol is not recommended.

  12. Assessing intrinsic and specific vulnerability models ability to indicate groundwater vulnerability to groups of similar pesticides: A comparative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Steven; Dixon, Barnali; Griffin, Dale W.

    2018-01-01

    With continued population growth and increasing use of fresh groundwater resources, protection of this valuable resource is critical. A cost effective means to assess risk of groundwater contamination potential will provide a useful tool to protect these resources. Integrating geospatial methods offers a means to quantify the risk of contaminant potential in cost effective and spatially explicit ways. This research was designed to compare the ability of intrinsic (DRASTIC) and specific (Attenuation Factor; AF) vulnerability models to indicate groundwater vulnerability areas by comparing model results to the presence of pesticides from groundwater sample datasets. A logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between the environmental variables and the presence or absence of pesticides within regions of varying vulnerability. According to the DRASTIC model, more than 20% of the study area is very highly vulnerable. Approximately 30% is very highly vulnerable according to the AF model. When groundwater concentrations of individual pesticides were compared to model predictions, the results were mixed. Model predictability improved when concentrations of the group of similar pesticides were compared to model results. Compared to the DRASTIC model, the AF model more accurately predicts the distribution of the number of contaminated wells within each vulnerability class.

  13. The synergistic effect of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide/mercaptobenzoic acid/silver nanocomplexes for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jun; Bao, Wenyuan; Li, Lijun; Cheng, Hao; Huang, Wenyi; Kong, Hongxing; Li, Yanqing

    2018-03-01

    We synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO2) and nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (N-TiO2 NPs) via a sol-hydrothermal method using ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) as the nitrogen (N) source. Furthermore, an N-TiO2/4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA)/silver (Ag) nanocomplex served as an active substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and was prepared by self-assembly. During SERS, the Raman signals of 4-MBA of the N-TiO2/MBA/Ag nanocomplexes exhibited higher intensity and sensitivity than pure TiO2/MBA/Ag, with 1% N doping in N-TiO2, producing the strongest Raman signals. We characterized the N-TiO2 hybrid materials by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectra. N doping did not influence the phase of the TiO2 crystal. The doped N entered into the crystal lattice of the TiO2, replacing some oxygen (O) to form Ti-O-N or Ti-N-O linkage. The results indicated that an appropriate amount of N doping could enhance the SERS performance of the TiO2 SERS substrate via N substitution doping. These doping forms were beneficial to the molecular charge transfer (CT), and this resulted in improved SERS performance for N-doped TiO2 NPs. We attributed this improvement to the formation of N-doping energy levels that were beneficial to the process of TiO2 to MBA molecule CT. This work not only enriched the nonmetal-doped CT mechanism in SERS but also provided several reference values for practical applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  14. Compare the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy in Reducing Depression in Mothers of Children with Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zamani N

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Depression is on the top list of mental disorders which account for about 25 percent of patients referred to health centers in your world. So, is presented in different ways to treat it. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy in reducing depression in mothers of children with disabilities Materials and Methods: This study is quasi-experimental and consists of experimental and control groups. This study population was mothers referred to mobility, occupational therapy and physiotherapy centers who had depressive symptoms. 8 patients in each group were selected by convenience sampling. The research instrument were the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders and the revised Beck Depression Inventory form (1996. Dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavior therapy groups were instructured for 2 months (8 sessions of 2 to 2.5 hours. But the control group did not receive intervention. Results: The results showed that there were significant differences between the mean depression scores of dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive therapy group with control group (p<0.001. Also, there is a significant difference between the mean depression scores of dialectical behavior therapy with cognitive therapy (p<0.001. Conclusion: In the area of treatment and working with depressed people and those who are in crisis mode, it seems that dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive therapy group in view of its nature is very efficient and promising.

  15. Evaluation on correction factor for in-line X-ray phase contrast computed tomography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Mingli; Huang, Zhifeng; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Ran [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Dept. of Engineering Physics; Ministry of Education, Beijing (China). Key Laboratory of Particle and Radiation Imaging; Yin, Hongxia; Liu, Yunfu; Wang, Zhenchang [Capital Medical Univ., Beijing (China). Medical Imaging Center; Xiao, Tiqiao [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China). Shanghai Inst. of Applied Physics

    2011-07-01

    X-ray in-line phase contrast computed tomography (CT) is an effective nondestructive tool, providing 3D distribution of the refractive index of weakly absorbing low-Z object with high resolution and image contrast, especially with high-brilliance third-generation synchrotron radiation sources. Modified Bronnikov's algorithm (MBA), one of the in-line phase contrast CT reconstruction algorithms, can reconstruct the refractive index distribution of a pure phase object with a single computed tomographic data set. The key idea of the MBA is to use a correction factor in the filter function to stabilize the behavior at low frequencies. In this paper, we evaluate the influences of the correction factor to the final reconstruction results of the absorption-phase-mixed objects with analytical simulation and actual experiments. The limitations of the MBA are discussed finally. (orig.)

  16. What Drives Ethics Education in Business Schools?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasche, Andreas; Ulrich Gilbert, Dirk

    This paper discusses the impact of four key issues on ethics education in MBA programs: (1) the geographic location of business schools, (2) a school’s ranking in the Financial Times list, (3) the length of the MBA program, and (4) a school’s participation in the Principles for Responsible...... Management Education (PRME). Our discussion is based on detailed coursework data underlying the 2009 Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey of full-time, in-person MBA programs. We find that the four discussed issues influence whether ethics education is delivered through core or elective courses. Further, we find...... that the four issues also impact whether schools teach ethics through standalone courses or integrate relevant content into other disciplines. However, our results also indicate that the four issues do not significantly influence in which disciplines ethics-related content is infused....

  17. Is Group Sex a Higher-Risk Setting for HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections Compared With Dyadic Sex Among Men Who Have Sex With Men?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Boom, Wijnand; Davidovich, Udi; Heuker, José; Lambers, Femke; Prins, Maria; Sandfort, Theo; Stolte, Ineke G.

    2016-01-01

    Group sex has been suggested as a potential high-risk setting for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM). We investigated whether group sex is associated with lower condom use during anal sex and higher proportions of STIs compared with dyadic sex

  18. To compare the efficacy of two kinds of Zhizhu pills in the treatment of functional dyspepsia of spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome:a randomized group sequential comparative trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, functional dyspepsia (FD) can be divided into different syndromes according to different clinical symptoms and signs, and the most common one is spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome that can be treated by Chinese traditional patent medicine ---- two kinds of Zhizhu pills, between which the primary difference in ingredients is that one contains immature orange fruit of Citrus aurantium L.(IFCA) and the other contains that of Citrus sinensis Osbeck (IFCS). The trial's objective was to compare the efficacy of two kinds of Zhizhu pills on symptom changes in patients with FD of spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome. Methods A randomized, group sequential, double-blinded, multicenter trial was conducted in patients with FD of spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome at 3 hospitals in Beijing between June 2003 and May 2005. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups (IFCA group and IFCS group) in a 1:1 ratio, and respectively took one of the two kinds of Zhizhu pills orally, 6 g each time, 3 times a day, for 4 weeks. Statistical analysis was performed with use of a group sequential method, the triangular test (TT). Results A total of 163 patients were randomized, and 3 patients were excluded from analysis because of early dropouts, leaving 160 patients (IFCA group: n = 82; IFCS group: n = 78) for statistical analysis. Three interim analyses were done after 62, 116, and 160 patients had completed their 4-week treatment, respectively. At the third interim analysis, the sample path crossed the upper boundary and the trial was stopped, the cure-markedly effective rates were 45% for IFCS group and 67% for IFCA group, respectively, the one-sided p-value was 0.0036, the median unbiased estimate of the odds ratio (OR) for the benefit of IFCA relative to IFCS was 2.91 with 95%CI: 1.40 to 6.06. No adverse events were observed in the two groups. Conclusions Zhizhu pills containing IFCA was superior

  19. Stage-related behavioural problems in the 1-4 year old child: parental expectations in a child development unit referral group compared with a control group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ticehurst, R L; Henry, R L

    1989-02-01

    Behavioural problems in preschool (1-4 years) children are a common cause of referral to health services. Parents of children presenting to the child development unit with behavioural problems (n = 18) were compared with a control group (n = 45). A questionnaire was utilized to examine the parents' expectations of the children's behaviours. As might be expected, the parents of children presenting to the Unit rated their children as having more difficult behaviours. These parents had unrealistic expectations, particularly for the 'negative' behaviours (disobedience, temper tantrums, defiance and whinging). However, they were able to anticipate normal age-related difficulties in some problem areas (dawdling during mealtimes, masturbating, not sharing toys and being jealous of one's siblings). Counselling should address the issue of matching the expectations of parents with the individual rates of development of their children.

  20. Marketing the Masters of Executive Management program

    OpenAIRE

    Barrera, Mark A.; Karriker, Timothy W.

    2007-01-01

    MBA Professional Report The purpose of this MBA project was to review the current Masters of Executive Management education curriculum at NPS. An internal analysis of the current program was conducted to fully understand the strategic goals of the program and the existing curriculum. An environmental scan of current and potential military customers was conducted to assess requirements for junior executive education and determine whether the MEM program corresponds with these requiremen...

  1. Ethics in the military: a review of junior officer education and training programs

    OpenAIRE

    Haren, Paul J., III; Ingram, James P.; Weber, Leroy H.

    2004-01-01

    MBA Professional Report Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. This MBA Project's purpose was to determine what ethics education is currently offered in the U.S. Navy and other services at the junior officer level. Its goal was to provide an informed foundation of current military best practices in ethics education which will help inform leadership about existing ethics programs, or program elements, which have credibility and show effectiveness. This data collection, a...

  2. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV bronchiolitis: comparative study of RSV groups A and B infected children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selir M. Straliotto

    1994-03-01

    Full Text Available The grouping characteristics of 29 respiratory syncitial virus (RSV present in nasopharyngeal cells collectedfrom hospitalized children with bronchiolitis during the 1990RSVseason in Porto Alegre, RS, were analysed. Twenty-two were grouped as belonging to group A and 7 to group B. Cyanosis, oxigen therapy, cough, lenght of hospitalization and atelectasis were observed to be more frequently found within group B infected children. Other clinical signs and symptoms were similarly found in both groups.

  3. Updating design information questionnaire (DIQ) experiences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palafox-Garcia, P.

    2001-01-01

    Full text: 1. Introduction - Once the State signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the State has to declare to the IAEA their facilities where they handle Nuclear Material. Each facility will have their own Safeguards Agreement and these are called Subsidiary Arrangements. In order to have a good control and accountability of this material, each facility is named Material Balance Area (MBA). Based on the Subsidiary Arrangements each MBA has to fill a proper IAEA format named DIQ in order to get the Facility Attachment. The DIQ format varies, relying on the kind of facility. 2. Facility - In the NNRI, we have two MBA's and the experiences that we have had to fill the DIQ formats had been, that it takes quite a time to get the proper Facility Attachment, because first you have to have the proper format, then you fill it properly with all their respective annexes and once it is reviewed and approved by the people involved, this is signed and sent to the IAEA, this first step took six months. Once the format is reviewed by the IAEA, they send it back to the facility, asking for proper comments in order to clarify it properly, this took three months. The facility update the comments and send it back, this took three months. With this format the IAEA prepares the Facility Attachment of the MBA and send it to the facility for its approval or comments, this took five months. The facility reviewed it and sent it back with some comments or doubts after tree months. The IAEA clarifies the comments and doubts and send to the facility the approved Facility Attachment, four months later. So in order to get the proper Facility Attachments for each of our MBA's, it has been taken 24 months (two years) at least. 3. Actual situation - At present, now that the nuclear activities have been diminished and consequently the nuclear material movements, because the Fuel Fabrication Pilot Plant (FFPP) we have, was stopped for financial reasons

  4. The ACTIVATE study: results from a group-randomized controlled trial comparing a traditional worksite health promotion program with an activated consumer program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Paul E; Fowles, Jinnet Briggs; Xi, Min; Harvey, Lisa

    2011-01-01

    PURPOSE. This study compares a traditional worksite-based health promotion program with an activated consumer program and a control program DESIGN. Group randomized controlled trial with 18-month intervention. SETTING. Two large Midwestern companies. SUBJECTS. Three hundred and twenty employees (51% response). INTERVENTION. The traditional health promotion intervention offered population-level campaigns on physical activity, nutrition, and stress management. The activated consumer intervention included population-level campaigns for evaluating health information, choosing a health benefits plan, and understanding the risks of not taking medications as prescribed. The personal development intervention (control group) offered information on hobbies. The interventions also offered individual-level coaching for high risk individuals in both active intervention groups. MEASURES. Health risk status, general health status, consumer activation, productivity, and the ability to evaluate health information. ANALYSIS. Multivariate analyses controlled for baseline differences among the study groups. RESULTS. At the population level, compared with baseline performance, the traditional health promotion intervention improved health risk status, consumer activation, and the ability to recognize reliable health websites. Compared with baseline performance, the activated consumer intervention improved consumer activation, productivity, and the ability to recognize reliable health websites. At the population level, however, only the activated consumer intervention improved any outcome more than the control group did; that outcome was consumer activation. At the individual level for high risk individuals, both traditional health coaching and activated consumer coaching positively affected health risk status and consumer activation. In addition, both coaching interventions improved participant ability to recognize a reliable health website. Consumer activation coaching also

  5. Comparative study of personality disorder associated with deliberate self harm in two different age groups (15-24 years and 45-74 years).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nath, Saswati; Patra, Dipak Kumar; Biswas, Srilekha; Mallick, Asim Kumar; Bandyopadhyay, Gautam Kumar; Ghosh, Srijit

    2008-07-01

    To study the presence of personality disorder in cases of deliberate self harm (DSH) in young (15-24 years) and elderly (45-74 years) and compare. Deliberate self harm cases admitted in Medical and surgical departments and cases attending psychiatry department of R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata were studied. For diagnosis of personality disorder ICD 10 International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) questionnaire was used. Percentage of elderly patients having personality disorder (64%) was higher compared to young DSH patients (58.5%). In young group, most common disorder was emotionally unstable personality disorder (28.6%) and in elderly group most common was anankastic type of personality disorder (36%). Schizoid, dissocial, histrionic, and anxious-avoidant personality disorders were found in small percentages of cases. Among DSH patients, the most common personality disorder found in young age was Emotionally unstable (Impulsive and Borderline) personality disorder, but most common personality disorder found in elderly patients was Anankastic personality disorder.

  6. Social Resources and Change in Functional Health: Comparing Three Age Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randall, G. Kevin; Martin, Peter; Bishop, Alex J.; Johnson, Mary Ann; Poon, Leonard W.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the mediating and moderating role of social resources on the association between age and change in functional health for three age groups of older adults. Data were provided by those in their 60s, 80s, and 100s who participated in the first two phases of the Georgia Centenarian study. Analyses confirmed the study's hypothesis…

  7. Patient education with or without manual therapy compared to a control group in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. A proof-of-principle three-arm parallel group randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poulsen, E; Hartvigsen, J; Christensen, H W; Roos, E M; Vach, W; Overgaard, S

    2013-10-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of a patient education (PE) program with or without the added effect of manual therapy (MT) compared to a minimal control intervention (MCI). In a single-center university hospital setting, a total of 118 patients with clinical and radiographic unilateral hip osteoarthritis (OA) from primary care were randomized into one of three groups: PE, PE plus MT or MCI. The PE was taught by a physiotherapist involving five sessions. The MT was delivered by a chiropractor involving 12 sessions and the MCI included a home stretching program. Primary outcome was self-reported pain severity on an 11-box numeric rating scale (NRS) immediately following a 6-week intervention period. Patients were followed for 1 year. Primary analysis included 111 patients (94%). In the combined group (PE + MT), a clinically relevant reduction in pain severity compared to the MCI of 1.90 points (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.9) was achieved. Effect size (Cohen's d) for the PE + MT minus the MCI was 0.92 (95% CI 0.41-1.42). Number needed to treat for PE + MT was 3 (95% CI 2-7). No difference was found between the PE and MCI groups, with mean difference 0.0 (95% CI -1.0 to 1.0). At 12 months, not including patients receiving hip surgery the statistically significant difference favoring PE + MT was maintained. For primary care patients with OA of the hip, a combined intervention of MT and PE was more effective than a MCI. PE alone was not superior to the MCI. clinicaltrials.govNCT01039337. Copyright © 2013 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Fidelity and game-based technology in management education

    OpenAIRE

    Cornacchione Jr.,Edgard B.

    2012-01-01

    This study explores educational technology and management education by analyzing fidelity in game-based management education interventions. A sample of 31 MBA students was selected to help answer the research question: To what extent do MBA students tend to recognize specific game-based academic experiences, in terms of fidelity, as relevant to their managerial performance? Two distinct game-based interventions (BG1 and BG2) with key differences in fidelity levels were explored: BG1 presented...

  9. Conversion of beta-methylbutyric acid to beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyric acid by Galactomyces reessii.

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, I Y; Nissen, S L; Rosazza, J P

    1997-01-01

    beta-Hydroxy-beta-methylbutyric acid (HMB) has been shown to increase strength and lean mass gains in humans undergoing resistance-exercise training. HMB is currently marketed as a calcium salt of HMB, and thus, environmentally sound and inexpensive methods of manufacture are being sought. This study investigates the microbial conversion of beta-methylbutyric acid (MBA) to HMB by cultures of Galactomyces reessii. Optimal concentrations of MBA were in the range of 5 to 20 g/liter for HMB produ...

  10. Orthodontic Class II:1 treatment-efficiency and outcome quality of Herbst-multibracket appliance therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bock, N; Ruehl, J; Ruf, S

    2017-12-08

    The aim of this retrospective investigation was to assess the efficiency and outcome quality of Class II:1 treatment (Tx). The investigation is based on the evaluation of all Class II:1 patients that ever (1986-2014) started Tx with a Herbst appliance and subsequently a multibracket appliance (MBA) at the study center. Study casts from before Tx, after Herbst-MBA Tx, and (if available) after ≥ 24 months of retention were evaluated using the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index, the Ahlgren scale, and standard occlusal variables. In total, 526 Class II:1 patients with a mean pre-Tx age of 14.4 years (range 9.8-44.4) had received Herbst-MBA Tx; 18 patients discontinued Tx before completion. For 240 patients, data from ≥ 24 months of retention were available. The pre-Tx PAR score of 32.4 ± 8.83 was reduced to 8.0 ± 4.51 during Tx. A slight increase to 8.8 ± 5.11 occurred during retention. The percentage of patients which could be assigned to the category "greatly improved" was 62% after Tx and 57% after retention; only 2-3% had to be assigned to the category "worse/no different." The outcome ratings according to the Ahlgren scale revealed 17% excellent, 35% good, 45% satisfactory, and 3% unsuccessful results. Class II:1 Tx using Herbst-MBA is an efficient approach in orthodontic care. During a mean active Tx period of 2 years, high-quality results can be obtained in the majority of patients. The present investigation is the first to investigate a large unselected cohort of consecutive Herbst-MBA patients to determine representative data on the efficiency and the outcome quality of this Tx approach.

  11. Comparing Multiple-Group Multinomial Log-Linear Models for Multidimensional Skill Distributions in the General Diagnostic Model. Research Report. ETS RR-08-35

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xueli; von Davier, Matthias

    2008-01-01

    The general diagnostic model (GDM) utilizes located latent classes for modeling a multidimensional proficiency variable. In this paper, the GDM is extended by employing a log-linear model for multiple populations that assumes constraints on parameters across multiple groups. This constrained model is compared to log-linear models that assume…

  12. Accuracy of Black and White College Students' In-Group and Out-Group Stereotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Carey S.

    1996-01-01

    Examined accuracy of black and of white students' in-group and out-group stereotypes by comparing judgments of stereotypicality and dispersion of black and of white first-year college students (N=100) with stereotypicality and dispersion of self-ratings provided by random samples of group members. Consistent with social identity theory,…

  13. Bacteria isolated from Korean black raspberry vinegar with low biogenic amine production in wine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nho-Eul Song

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A high concentration of histamine, one of the biogenic amines (BAs usually found in fermented foods, can cause undesirable physiological side effects in sensitive humans. The objective of this study is to isolate indigenous Acetobacter strains from naturally fermented Bokbunja vinegar in Korea with reduced histamine production during starter fermentation. Further, we examined its physiological and biochemical properties, including BA synthesis. The obtained strain MBA-77, identified as Acetobacter aceti by 16S rDNA homology and biochemical analysis and named A. aceti MBA-77. A. aceti MBA-77 showed optimal acidity % production at pH 5; the optimal temperature was 25 °C. When we prepared and examined the BAs synthesis spectrum during the fermentation process, Bokbunja wine fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that the histamine concentration increased from 2.72 of Bokbunja extract to 5.29 mg/L and cadaverine and dopamine was decreased to 2.6 and 10.12 mg/L, respectively. Bokbunja vinegar prepared by A. aceti MBA-77 as the starter, the histamine concentration of the vinegar preparation step was decreased up to 3.66 mg/L from 5.29 mg/L in the wine preparation step. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate acetic acid bacteria isolated from Bokbunja seed vinegar with low spectrum BA and would be useful for wellbeing vinegar preparation.

  14. Beyond silence: protocol for a randomized parallel-group trial comparing two approaches to workplace mental health education for healthcare employees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moll, Sandra; Patten, Scott Burton; Stuart, Heather; Kirsh, Bonnie; MacDermid, Joy Christine

    2015-04-16

    Mental illness is a significant and growing problem in Canadian healthcare organizations, leading to tremendous personal, social and financial costs for individuals, their colleagues, their employers and their patients. Early and appropriate intervention is needed, but unfortunately, few workers get the help that they need in a timely way due to barriers related to poor mental health literacy, stigma, and inadequate access to mental health services. Workplace education and training is one promising approach to early identification and support for workers who are struggling. Little is known, however, about what approach is most effective, particularly in the context of healthcare work. The purpose of this study is to compare the impact of a customized, contact-based education approach with standard mental health literacy training on the mental health knowledge, stigmatized beliefs and help-seeking/help-outreach behaviors of healthcare employees. A multi-centre, randomized, two-group parallel group trial design will be adopted. Two hundred healthcare employees will be randomly assigned to one of two educational interventions: Beyond Silence, a peer-led program customized to the healthcare workplace, and Mental Health First Aid, a standardized literacy based training program. Pre, post and 3-month follow-up surveys will track changes in knowledge (mental health literacy), attitudes towards mental illness, and help-seeking/help-outreach behavior. An intent-to-treat, repeated measures analysis will be conducted to compare changes in the two groups over time in terms of the primary outcome of behavior change. Linear regression modeling will be used to explore the extent to which knowledge, and attitudes predict behavior change. Qualitative interviews with participants and leaders will also be conducted to examine process and implementation of the programs. This is one of the first experimental studies to compare outcomes of standard mental health literacy training to an

  15. Comparative evaluation of Strepto B ID chromogenic medium and Granada media for the detection of Group B streptococcus from vaginal samples of pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tazi, Asmaa; Réglier-Poupet, Hélène; Dautezac, François; Raymond, Josette; Poyart, Claire

    2008-06-01

    Two types of selective media, the chromogenic medium Strepto B ID and two non-chromogenic media Strepto B agar and the Granada medium, were tested and compared to blood agar plates (BAP) for screening of Group B streptococcus vaginal colonization in pregnant women. All tested media were comparable in terms of sensitivity however, their use in routine laboratories may markedly facilitate the rapid detection of GBS in vaginal samples.

  16. Michael Goodsite gæsteprofessor på Thunderbird School of Global Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Jens Christian

    2010-01-01

    Professor Michael Goodsite er blevet udnævnt til "Visiting Professor of Global Processes and Senior Research Fellow in Climate Strategy" ved Thunderbird School of Global Management, som har verdens højst rangerede MBA uddannelse inden for international handel.......Professor Michael Goodsite er blevet udnævnt til "Visiting Professor of Global Processes and Senior Research Fellow in Climate Strategy" ved Thunderbird School of Global Management, som har verdens højst rangerede MBA uddannelse inden for international handel....

  17. Comparing the Central Eight Risk Factors: Do They Differ Across Age Groups of Sex Offenders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilpert, Julia; van Horn, Joan E; Boonmann, Cyril

    2018-02-01

    Following the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model, cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered most effective in reducing recidivism when based on dynamic risk factors. As studies have found differences of these factors across age, exploring this seems beneficial. The current study investigates the Central Eight (C8) risk factors across six age groups of outpatient sex offenders ( N = 650). Results showed that recidivism rates and age were inversely related from 19 years and up. Half of the C8 did not predict general recidivism at all, substance abuse, antisocial cognition, antisocial associates, and history of antisocial behavior in only one or several age groups. However, factors differed between age groups, with the youngest group demonstrating the most dysfunction in several areas and the oldest group the least. It is concluded that the C8 risk factors seem to lose significance in the older age groups. Results may benefit targeting treatment goals.

  18. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering active gold nanoparticle/nanohole arrays fabricated through electron beam lithography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Tsunghsueh; Lin, Yang-Wei

    2018-03-01

    Effective surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active substrates from gold nanoparticle and gold nanohole arrays were successfully fabricated through electron beam lithography with precise computer-aided control of the unit size and intergap distance. Their SERS performance was evaluated using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA). These gold arrays yielded strong SERS signals under 785 nm laser excitation. The enhancement factors for 4-MBA molecules on the prepared gold nanoparticle and nanohole arrays maxed at 1.08 × 107 and 8.61 × 106, respectively. The observed increase in SERS enhancement was attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelength shifting toward the near-infrared regime when the gold nanohole diameter increased, in agreement with the theoretical prediction in this study. The contribution of LSPR to the Raman enhancement from nanohole arrays deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass was elucidated by comparing SERS and transmission spectra. This simple fabrication procedure, which entails employing electron beam lithography and the controllability of the intergap distance, suggests highly promising uses of nanohole arrays as functional components in sensing and photonic devices.

  19. GWO-LPWSN: Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm for Node Localization Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Rajakumar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Seyedali Mirjalili et al. (2014 introduced a completely unique metaheuristic technique particularly grey wolf optimization (GWO. This algorithm mimics the social behavior of grey wolves whereas it follows the leadership hierarchy and attacking strategy. The rising issue in wireless sensor network (WSN is localization problem. The objective of this problem is to search out the geographical position of unknown nodes with the help of anchor nodes in WSN. In this work, GWO algorithm is incorporated to spot the correct position of unknown nodes, so as to handle the node localization problem. The proposed work is implemented using MATLAB 8.2 whereas nodes are deployed in a random location within the desired network area. The parameters like computation time, percentage of localized node, and minimum localization error measures are utilized to analyse the potency of GWO rule with other variants of metaheuristics algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO and modified bat algorithm (MBA. The observed results convey that the GWO provides promising results compared to the PSO and MBA in terms of the quick convergence rate and success rate.

  20. Acid-base titrations of functional groups on the surface of the thermophilic bacterium Anoxybacillus flavithermus: comparing a chemical equilibrium model with ATR-IR spectroscopic data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinrich, Hannah T M; Bremer, Phil J; Daughney, Christopher J; McQuillan, A James

    2007-02-27

    Acid-base functional groups at the surface of Anoxybacillus flavithermus (AF) were assigned from the modeling of batch titration data of bacterial suspensions and compared with those determined from in situ infrared spectroscopic titration analysis. The computer program FITMOD was used to generate a two-site Donnan model (site 1: pKa = 3.26, wet concn = 2.46 x 10(-4) mol g(-1); site 2: pKa = 6.12, wet concn = 6.55 x 10(-5) mol g(-1)), which was able to describe data for whole exponential phase cells from both batch acid-base titrations at 0.01 M ionic strength and electrophoretic mobility measurements over a range of different pH values and ionic strengths. In agreement with information on the composition of bacterial cell walls and a considerable body of modeling literature, site 1 of the model was assigned to carboxyl groups, and site 2 was assigned to amino groups. pH difference IR spectra acquired by in situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of carboxyl groups. The spectra appear to show a carboxyl pKa in the 3.3-4.0 range. Further peaks were assigned to phosphodiester groups, which deprotonated at slightly lower pH. The presence of amino groups could not be confirmed or discounted by IR spectroscopy, but a positively charged group corresponding to site 2 was implicated by electrophoretic mobility data. Carboxyl group speciation over a pH range of 2.3-10.3 at two different ionic strengths was further compared to modeling predictions. While model predictions were strongly influenced by the ionic strength change, pH difference IR data showed no significant change. This meant that modeling predictions agreed reasonably well with the IR data for 0.5 M ionic strength but not for 0.01 M ionic strength.