A networked voting rule for democratic representation

We introduce a general framework for exploring the problem of selecting a committee of representatives with the aim of studying a networked voting rule based on a decentralized large-scale platform, which can assure a strong accountability of the elected. The results of our simulations suggest that this algorithm-based approach is able to obtain a high representativeness for relatively small committees, performing even better than a classical voting rule based on a closed list of candidates. We show that a general relation between committee size and representatives exists in the form of an inverse square root law and that the normalized committee size approximately scales with the inverse of the community size, allowing the scalability to very large populations. These findings are not strongly influenced by the different networks used to describe the individuals interactions, except for the presence of few individuals with very high connectivity which can have a marginally negative effect in the committee selection process.Comment: Submitted for publicatio

The Art Institute of Chicago and the Decision to Start Building

This case was prepared for a class discussion rather than to demonstrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation, and is based on interviews with 12 current and former members of the staff and board of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as financial documents and the public record. The authors would like to thank all of the people who graciously agreed to be interviewed

Location of the target pitch within a vibrato wave

The current study investigated the relationship between the vibrato wave and the target pitch while eliminating some of the methodological problems that have plagued such research in the past. Three commercially-recorded selections were chosen for each of seven artists (for a total of 21 selections), and modern computer equipment was used to extract pitch information for each of six to fourteen notes from each selection. The chosen selections were all accompanied so that the target pitch could be determined from the accompaniment, and target pitch location within the vibrato wave was quantified absolutely and relatively. In general, the target pitch lay at or slightly below (average 4.29 cents below) the vibrato wave mean, and an analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between artists. Analyses of variance within each artist showed no differences between selections except for the soprano, who had one selection where the target pitch was generally above the vibrato wave mean

Fractional flow reserve versus angiography in guiding management to optimize outcomes in non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (FAMOUS-NSTEMI): rationale and design of a randomized controlled clinical trial

<p>Background: In patients with acute non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), coronary arteriography is usually recommended; but visual interpretation of the angiogram is subjective. We hypothesized that functional assessment of coronary stenosis severity with a pressure-sensitive guide wire (fractional flow reserve [FFR]) would have additive diagnostic, clinical, and health economic utility as compared with angiography-guided standard care.</p> <p>Methods and design: A prospective multicenter parallel-group 1:1 randomized controlled superiority trial in 350 NSTEMI patients with ≥1 coronary stenosis ≥30% severity (threshold for FFR measurement) will be conducted. Patients will be randomized immediately after coronary angiography to the FFR-guided group or angiography-guided group. All patients will then undergo FFR measurement in all vessels with a coronary stenosis ≥30% severity including culprit and nonculprit lesions. Fractional flow reserve will be disclosed to guide treatment in the FFR-guided group but not disclosed in the “angiography-guided” group. In the FFR-guided group, an FFR ≤0.80 will be an indication for revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass surgery, as appropriate. The primary outcome is the between-group difference in the proportion of patients allocated to medical management only compared with revascularization. Secondary outcomes include the occurrence of cardiac death or hospitalization for myocardial infarction or heart failure, quality of life, and health care costs. The minimum and average follow-up periods for the primary analysis are 6 and 18 months, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions: Our developmental clinical trial will address the feasibility of FFR measurement in NSTEMI and the influence of FFR disclosure on treatment decisions and health and economic outcomes.</p&gt

Implementing ERP systems - organisational implications

Success of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems depend on rigorous and disciplined approach to planning and implementation. This article presents a selection and implementation methodology that has been applied to three similar companies and highlights a wide variation in outcome. The underlying reasons for the variations in success can be specifically attributed to organisational personalities and culture. Analysis of these case studies provides key lessons and concludes by summarising these lessons in a cause and effect diagram

An engineered cardiac reporter cell line identifies human embryonic stem cell-derived myocardial precursors.

Unlike some organs, the heart is unable to repair itself after injury. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) grow and divide indefinitely while maintaining the potential to develop into many tissues of the body. As such, they provide an unprecedented opportunity to treat human diseases characterized by tissue loss. We have identified early myocardial precursors derived from hESCs (hMPs) using an α-myosin heavy chain (αMHC)-GFP reporter line. We have demonstrated by immunocytochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) that reporter activation is restricted to hESC-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) differentiated in vitro, and that hMPs give rise exclusively to muscle in an in vivo teratoma formation assay. We also demonstrate that the reporter does not interfere with hESC genomic stability. Importantly, we show that hMPs give rise to atrial, ventricular and specialized conduction CM subtypes by qPCR and microelectrode array analysis. Expression profiling of hMPs over the course of differentiation implicate Wnt and transforming growth factor-β signaling pathways in CM development. The identification of hMPs using this αMHC-GFP reporter line will provide important insight into the pathways regulating human myocardial development, and may provide a novel therapeutic reagent for the treatment of cardiac disease

Reaching Higher Ground

Examines outreach programs at postsecondary institutions that provide greater accessibility to college information for Latino parents. Includes information about the mission, operation, development, marketing, recruitment, and evaluation processes

How Student Recruitment and Selection Can Impact Reentry Outcomes: Lessons from the Michigan Department of Corrections and Jackson College

In 2013, the Vera Institute of Justice launched the Unlocking Potential: Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project (Pathways), a five-year multi-state demonstration project aiming to increase educational attainment and employment opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals by supporting an expansion of educational opportunities in prison. Corrections departments in the states of New Jersey, Michigan, and North Carolina were selected to participate in the initiative. Each college-in-prison program—although executed differently and offering varying programs of study—possessed one common theme: to equip incarcerated persons with the tools necessary to end the cycle of incarceration through high-quality postsecondary education. This paper examines approaches to student recruitment the Michigan site took during its implementation phase and suggests potential outcomes for college-in-prison programs to consider when using the “return communities” approach