In My Opinion: Skill Development Key to Managerial Success

The professional success of future hospitality graduates will require that they have gone beyond the acquisition of contemporary industry knowledge and training in current best practices. Increasingly relevant hospitality education will emphasize skill development. Managerial thinking and renewal skills will be especially useful in an industry which is constantly changing.

Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior in the Exercise Domain: A Study of Community College Students in an Urban Multicultural Setting

The purpose of this study was to assess the intention to exercise among ethnically and racially diverse community college students using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). In addition to identifying the variables associated with motivation or intention of college students to engage in physical activity, this study tested the model of the Theory of Planned Behavior, asking: Does the TPB model explain intention to exercise among a racially/ethnically diverse group of college students? The relevant variables were the TPB constructs (behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs), which combined to form a measure of intention to exercise. Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the predictive power of the TPB constructs for predicting intention to exercise. Following procedures described by Ajzen (2002), the researcher developed a questionnaire encompassing the external variables of student demographics (age, gender, work status, student status, socio-economic status, access to exercise facilities, and past behavior), major constructs of the TPB, and two questions from the Godin Leisure Time Questionnaire (GLTQ; Godin & Shephard, 1985). Participants were students (N = 255) who enrolled in an on-campus wellness course at an urban community college. The demographic profile of the sample revealed a racially/ethnically diverse study population. The original model that was used to reflect the TPB as developed by Ajzen was not supported by the data analyzed using SEM; however, a revised model that the researcher thought was theoretically a more accurate reflection of the causal relations between the TPB constructs was supported. The GLTQ questions were problematic for some students; those data could not be used in the modeling efforts. The GLTQ measure, however, revealed a significant correlation with intention to exercise (r = .27, p = .001). Post-hoc comparisons revealed significant differences in normative beliefs and attitude toward exercising behavior between Black students and Hispanic students. Compared to Black students, Hispanic students were more likely to (a) perceive “friends” as approving of them being physically active and (b) rate being physically active for 30 minutes per day as “beneficial”. No statistically significant difference was found among groups on overall intention to exercise.

Finding the Needle in a Haystack: Who are the Most Central Authors Within a Domain?

The speed at which new scientific papers are published has increased dramatically, while the process of tracking the most recent publications having a high impact has become more and more cumbersome. In order to support learners and researchers in retrieving relevant articles and identifying the most central researchers within a domain, we propose a novel 2-mode multilayered graph derived from Cohesion Network Analysis (CNA). The resulting extended CNA graph integrates both authors and papers, as well as three principal link types: coauthorship, co-citation, and semantic similarity among the contents of the papers. Our rankings do not rely on the number of published documents, but on their global impact based on links between authors, citations, and semantic relatedness to similar articles. As a preliminary validation, we have built a network based on the 2013 LAK dataset in order to reveal the most central authors within the emerging Learning Analytics domain.

Infrared image enhancement based on hybrid-domain consideration and data fusion methods

Au cours des dernières décennies, l’effort sur les applications de capteurs infrarouges a largement progressé dans le monde. Mais, une certaine difficulté demeure, en ce qui concerne le fait que les objets ne sont pas assez clairs ou ne peuvent pas toujours être distingués facilement dans l’image obtenue pour la scène observée. L’amélioration de l’image infrarouge a joué un rôle important dans le développement de technologies de la vision infrarouge de l’ordinateur, le traitement de l’image et les essais non destructifs, etc. Cette thèse traite de la question des techniques d’amélioration de l’image infrarouge en deux aspects, y compris le traitement d’une seule image infrarouge dans le domaine hybride espacefréquence, et la fusion d’images infrarouges et visibles employant la technique du nonsubsampled Contourlet transformer (NSCT). La fusion d’images peut être considérée comme étant la poursuite de l’exploration du modèle d’amélioration de l’image unique infrarouge, alors qu’il combine les images infrarouges et visibles en une seule image pour représenter et améliorer toutes les informations utiles et les caractéristiques des images sources, car une seule image ne pouvait contenir tous les renseignements pertinents ou disponibles en raison de restrictions découlant de tout capteur unique de l’imagerie. Nous examinons et faisons une enquête concernant le développement de techniques d’amélioration d’images infrarouges, et ensuite nous nous consacrons à l’amélioration de l’image unique infrarouge, et nous proposons un schéma d’amélioration de domaine hybride avec une méthode d’évaluation floue de seuil amélioré, qui permet d’obtenir une qualité d’image supérieure et améliore la perception visuelle humaine. Les techniques de fusion d’images infrarouges et visibles sont établies à l’aide de la mise en oeuvre d’une mise en registre précise des images sources acquises par différents capteurs. L’algorithme SURF-RANSAC est appliqué pour la mise en registre tout au long des travaux de recherche, ce qui conduit à des images mises en registre de façon très précise et des bénéfices accrus pour le traitement de fusion. Pour les questions de fusion d’images infrarouges et visibles, une série d’approches avancées et efficaces sont proposés. Une méthode standard de fusion à base de NSCT multi-canal est présente comme référence pour les approches de fusion proposées suivantes. Une approche conjointe de fusion, impliquant l’Adaptive-Gaussian NSCT et la transformée en ondelettes (Wavelet Transform, WT) est propose, ce qui conduit à des résultats de fusion qui sont meilleurs que ceux obtenus avec les méthodes non-adaptatives générales. Une approche de fusion basée sur le NSCT employant la détection comprime (CS, compressed sensing) et de la variation totale (TV) à des coefficients d’échantillons clairsemés et effectuant la reconstruction de coefficients fusionnés de façon précise est proposée, qui obtient de bien meilleurs résultats de fusion par le biais d’une pré-amélioration de l’image infrarouge et en diminuant les informations redondantes des coefficients de fusion. Une procédure de fusion basée sur le NSCT utilisant une technique de détection rapide de rétrécissement itératif comprimé (fast iterative-shrinking compressed sensing, FISCS) est proposée pour compresser les coefficients décomposés et reconstruire les coefficients fusionnés dans le processus de fusion, qui conduit à de meilleurs résultats plus rapidement et d’une manière efficace.

Assessing Decision Making Skill in Complex and Dynamic Environments Using Representative and Simulated Tasks

Traditional decision making research has often focused on one's ability to choose from a set of prefixed options, ignoring the process by which decision makers generate courses of action (i.e., options) in-situ (Klein, 1993). In complex and dynamic domains, this option generation process is particularly critical to understanding how successful decisions are made (Zsambok & Klein, 1997). When generating response options for oneself to pursue (i.e., during the intervention-phase of decision making) previous research has supported quick and intuitive heuristics, such as the Take-The-First heuristic (TTF; Johnson & Raab, 2003). When generating predictive options for others in the environment (i.e., during the assessment-phase of decision making), previous research has supported the situational-model-building process described by Long Term Working Memory theory (LTWM; see Ward, Ericsson, & Williams, 2013). In the first three experiments, the claims of TTF and LTWM are tested during assessment- and intervention-phase tasks in soccer. To test what other environmental constraints may dictate the use of these cognitive mechanisms, the claims of these models are also tested in the presence and absence of time pressure. In addition to understanding the option generation process, it is important that researchers in complex and dynamic domains also develop tools that can be used by `real-world' professionals. For this reason, three more experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a new online assessment of perceptual-cognitive skill in soccer. This test differentiated between skill groups and predicted performance on a previously established test and predicted option generation behavior. The test also outperformed domain-general cognitive tests, but not a domain-specific knowledge test when predicting skill group membership. Implications for theory and training, and future directions for the development of applied tools are discussed.

Terminology Cross-Domain Final Report

The InterPARES 2 Terminology Cross-Domain has created three terminological instruments in service to the project, and by extension, Archival Science. Over the course of the five-year project this Cross-Domain has collected words, definition, and phrases from extant documents, research tools, models, and direct researcher submission and discussion. From these raw materials, the Cross-Domain has identified a systematic and pragmatic way establishing a coherent view on the concepts involved in dynamic, experiential, and interactive records and systems in the arts, sciences, and e-government.The three terminological instruments are the Glossary, Dictionary, and Ontologies. The first of these is an authoritative list of terms and definitions that are core to our understanding of the evolving records creation, keeping, and preservation environments. The Dictionary is a tool used to facilitate interdisciplinary communication. It contains multiple definitions for terms, from multiple disciplines. By using this tool, researchers can see how Archival Science deploys terminology compared to Computer Science, Library and Information Science, or Arts, etc. The third terminological instrument, the Ontologies, identify explicit relationships between concepts of records. This is useful for communicating the nuances of Diplomatics in the dynamic, experiential, and interactive environment.All three of these instruments were drawn from a Register of terms gathered over the course of the project. This Register served as a holding place for terms, definitions, and phrases, and allowed researchers to discuss, comment on, and modify submissions. The Register and the terminological instruments were housed in the Terminology Database. The Database provides searching, display, and file downloads – making it easy to navigate through the terminological instruments.Terminology used in InterPARES 1 and the UBC Project was carried forward to this Database. In this sense, we are building on our past knowledge, and making it relevant to the contemporary environment.

Is Thyroid Stunning Clinically Relevant? A Retrospective Analysis Of 208 Patients.

Current guidelines have advised against the performance of (131)I-iodide diagnostic whole body scintigraphy (dxWBS) to minimize the occurrence of stunning, and to guarantee the efficiency of radioiodine therapy (RIT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of stunning on the efficacy of RIT and disease outcome. This retrospective analysis included 208 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer managed according to a same protocol and followed up for 12-159 months (mean 30 ± 69 months). Patients received RIT in doses ranging from 3,700 to 11,100 MBq (100 mCi to 300 mCi). Post-RIT-whole body scintigraphy images were performed 10 days after RIT in all patients. In addition, images were also performed 24-48 hours after therapy in 22 patients. Outcome was classified as no evidence of disease (NED), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Thyroid stunning occurred in 40 patients (19.2%), including 26 patients with NED and 14 patients with SD. A multivariate analysis showed no association between disease outcome and the occurrence of stunning (p = 0.3476). The efficacy of RIT and disease outcome do not seem to be related to thyroid stunning.

A Putative Otu Domain-containing Protein 1 Deubiquitinating Enzyme Is Differentially Expressed In Thyroid Cancer And Identifies Less-aggressive Tumours.

This study aimed to identify novel biomarkers for thyroid carcinoma diagnosis and prognosis. We have constructed a human single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody library that was selected against tumour thyroid cells using the BRASIL method (biopanning and rapid analysis of selective interactive ligands) and phage display technology. One highly reactive clone, scFv-C1, with specific binding to papillary thyroid tumour proteins was confirmed by ELISA, which was further tested against a tissue microarray that comprised of 229 thyroid tissues, including: 110 carcinomas (38 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), 42 follicular carcinomas, 30 follicular variants of PTC), 18 normal thyroid tissues, 49 nodular goitres (NG) and 52 follicular adenomas. The scFv-C1 was able to distinguish carcinomas from benign lesions (P=0.0001) and reacted preferentially against T1 and T2 tumour stages (P=0.0108). We have further identified an OTU domain-containing protein 1, DUBA-7 deubiquitinating enzyme as the scFv-binding antigen using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The strategy of screening and identifying a cell-surface-binding antibody against thyroid tissues was highly effective and resulted in a useful biomarker that recognises malignancy among thyroid nodules and may help identify lower-risk cases that can benefit from less-aggressive management.

Applications Of Visual Evoked Potentials And Fourier-domain Optical Coherence Tomography In Parkinson's Disease: A Controlled Study.

The goal of this cross-sectional observational study was to quantify the pattern-shift visual evoked potentials (VEP) and the thickness as well as the volume of retinal layers using optical coherence tomography (OCT) across a cohort of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and age-matched controls. Forty-three PD patients and 38 controls were enrolled. All participants underwent a detailed neurological and ophthalmologic evaluation. Idiopathic PD cases were included. Cases with glaucoma or increased intra-ocular pressure were excluded. Patients were assessed by VEP and high-resolution Fourier-domain OCT, which quantified the inner and outer thicknesses of the retinal layers. VEP latencies and the thicknesses of the retinal layers were the main outcome measures. The mean age, with standard deviation (SD), of the PD patients and controls were 63.1 (7.5) and 62.4 (7.2) years, respectively. The patients were predominantly in the initial Hoehn-Yahr (HY) disease stages (34.8% in stage 1 or 1.5, and 55.8 % in stage 2). The VEP latencies and the thicknesses as well as the volumes of the retinal inner and outer layers of the groups were similar. A negative correlation between the retinal thickness and the age was noted in both groups. The thickness of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) was 102.7 μm in PD patients vs. 104.2 μm in controls. The thicknesses of retinal layers, VEP, and RNFL of PD patients were similar to those of the controls. Despite the use of a representative cohort of PD patients and high-resolution OCT in this study, further studies are required to establish the validity of using OCT and VEP measurements as the anatomic and functional biomarkers for the evaluation of retinal and visual pathways in PD patients.

Effects Of Misalignments In The Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measurements With Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose. To investigate misalignments (MAs) on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) measurements obtained with Cirrus(©) SD-OCT. Methods. This was a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study. Twenty-seven healthy and 29 glaucomatous eyes of 56 individuals with one normal exam and another showing MA were included. MAs were defined as an improper alignment of vertical vessels in the en face image. MAs were classified in complete MA (CMA) and partial MA (PMA), according to their site: 1 (superior, outside the measurement ring (MR)), 2 (superior, within MR), 3 (inferior, within MR), and 4 (inferior, outside MR). We compared RNFLT measurements of aligned versus misaligned exams in all 4 sectors, in the superior area (sectors 1 + 2), inferior area (sectors 3 + 4), and within the measurement ring (sectors 2 + 3). Results. RNFLT measurements at 12 clock-hour of eyes with MAs in the superior area (sectors 1 + 2) were significantly lower than those obtained in the same eyes without MAs (P = 0.043). No significant difference was found in other areas (sectors 1 + 2 + 3 + 4, sectors 3 + 4, and sectors 2 + 3). Conclusion. SD-OCT scans with superior MAs may present lower superior RNFLT measurements compared to aligned exams.

Human Mitochondrial Hsp70 (mortalin): Shedding Light On Atpase Activity, Interaction With Adenosine Nucleotides, Solution Structure And Domain Organization.

The human mitochondrial Hsp70, also called mortalin, is of considerable importance for mitochondria biogenesis and the correct functioning of the cell machinery. In the mitochondrial matrix, mortalin acts in the importing and folding process of nucleus-encoded proteins. The in vivo deregulation of mortalin expression and/or function has been correlated with age-related diseases and certain cancers due to its interaction with the p53 protein. In spite of its critical biological roles, structural and functional studies on mortalin are limited by its insoluble recombinant production. This study provides the first report of the production of folded and soluble recombinant mortalin when co-expressed with the human Hsp70-escort protein 1, but it is still likely prone to self-association. The monomeric fraction of mortalin presented a slightly elongated shape and basal ATPase activity that is higher than that of its cytoplasmic counterpart Hsp70-1A, suggesting that it was obtained in the functional state. Through small angle X-ray scattering, we assessed the low-resolution structural model of monomeric mortalin that is characterized by an elongated shape. This model adequately accommodated high resolution structures of Hsp70 domains indicating its quality. We also observed that mortalin interacts with adenosine nucleotides with high affinity. Thermally induced unfolding experiments indicated that mortalin is formed by at least two domains and that the transition is sensitive to the presence of adenosine nucleotides and that this process is dependent on the presence of Mg2+ ions. Interestingly, the thermal-induced unfolding assays of mortalin suggested the presence of an aggregation/association event, which was not observed for human Hsp70-1A, and this finding may explain its natural tendency for in vivo aggregation. Our study may contribute to the structural understanding of mortalin as well as to contribute for its recombinant production for antitumor compound screenings.

Sensitivity and specificity of machine learning classifiers for glaucoma diagnosis using Spectral Domain OCT and standard automated perimetry

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of machine learning classifiers (MLCs) for glaucoma diagnosis using Spectral Domain OCT (SD-OCT) and standard automated perimetry (SAP). METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study. Sixty two glaucoma patients and 48 healthy individuals were included. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, achromatic standard automated perimetry (SAP) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) imaging with SD-OCT (Cirrus HD-OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, California). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained for all SD-OCT parameters and global indices of SAP. Subsequently, the following MLCs were tested using parameters from the SD-OCT and SAP: Bagging (BAG), Naive-Bayes (NB), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Radial Basis Function (RBF), Random Forest (RAN), Ensemble Selection (ENS), Classification Tree (CTREE), Ada Boost M1(ADA),Support Vector Machine Linear (SVML) and Support Vector Machine Gaussian (SVMG). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (aROC) obtained for isolated SAP and OCT parameters were compared with MLCs using OCT+SAP data. RESULTS: Combining OCT and SAP data, MLCs' aROCs varied from 0.777(CTREE) to 0.946 (RAN).The best OCT+SAP aROC obtained with RAN (0.946) was significantly larger the best single OCT parameter (p<0.05), but was not significantly different from the aROC obtained with the best single SAP parameter (p=0.19). CONCLUSION: Machine learning classifiers trained on OCT and SAP data can successfully discriminate between healthy and glaucomatous eyes. The combination of OCT and SAP measurements improved the diagnostic accuracy compared with OCT data alone.

A ginastica em Campinas : suas formas de expressão da decada de 20 a decada de 70

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Seleções olimpicas de basquetebol feminino do Brasil (2000 e 2004) : correlação entre variaveis tecnicas e fisicas

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Quasinormal modes of black holes in anti-de Sitter space: A numerical study of the eikonal limit

Using series solutions and time-domain evolutions, we probe the eikonal limit of the gravitational and scalar-field quasinormal modes of large black holes and black branes in anti-de Sitter backgrounds. These results are particularly relevant for the AdS/CFT correspondence, since the eikonal regime is characterized by the existence of long-lived modes which (presumably) dominate the decay time scale of the perturbations. We confirm all the main qualitative features of these slowly damped modes as predicted by Festuccia and Liu [G. Festuccia and H. Liu, arXiv:0811.1033.] for the scalar-field (tensor-type gravitational) fluctuations. However, quantitatively we find dimensional-dependent correction factors. We also investigate the dependence of the quasinormal mode frequencies on the horizon radius of the black hole (brane) and the angular momentum (wave number) of vector- and scalar-type gravitational perturbations.