521 research outputs found

    Building capacity for dissemination and implementation research: One university’s experience

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    Abstract Background While dissemination and implementation (D&I) science has grown rapidly, there is an ongoing need to understand how to build and sustain capacity in individuals and institutions conducting research. There are three inter-related domains for capacity building: people, settings, and activities. Since 2008, Washington University in St. Louis has dedicated significant attention and resources toward building D&I research capacity. This paper describes our process, challenges, and lessons with the goal of informing others who may have similar aims at their own institution. Activities An informal collaborative, the Washington University Network for Dissemination and Implementation Research (WUNDIR), began with a small group and now has 49 regular members. Attendees represent a wide variety of settings and content areas and meet every 6 weeks for half-day sessions. A logic model organizes WUNDIR inputs, activities, and outcomes. A mixed-methods evaluation showed that the network has led to new professional connections and enhanced skills (e.g., grant and publication development). As one of four, ongoing, formal programs, the Dissemination and Implementation Research Core (DIRC) was our first major component of D&I infrastructure. DIRC’s mission is to accelerate the public health impact of clinical and health services research by increasing the engagement of investigators in later stages of translational research. The aims of DIRC are to advance D&I science and to develop and equip researchers with tools for D&I research. As a second formal component, the Washington University Institute for Public Health has provided significant support for D&I research through pilot projects and a small grants program. In a third set of formal programs, two R25 training grants (one in mental health and one in cancer) support post-doctoral scholars for intensive training and mentoring in D&I science. Finally, our team coordinates closely with D&I functions within research centers across the university. We share a series of challenges and potential solutions. Conclusion Our experience in developing D&I research at Washington University in St. Louis shows how significant capacity can be built in a relatively short period of time. Many of our ideas and ingredients for success can be replicated, tailored, and improved upon by others

    Firm Performance and the Nature of Agency Problems in Insiders-controlled Firms: Evidence from Pakistan

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    More than two centuries ago, Adam Smith (1776) showed skepticism about the efficiency of joint stock companies because of the separation of management from ownership. He observed that managers of joint stock companies cannot be expected to watch over the business with the same anxious vigilance as owners in a partnership would. Adam Smith’s worry remained buried for a century and a half until Berle and Means (1932) rekindled interest in this area when they hypothesised in their book that dispersed shareholding is an inefficient form of ownership structure. They argued that separation of ownership and management control has changed the role of owner from being active to the passive agent. Dispersed shareholders lack incentives to monitor self-interested managers who possess only a small fraction of the total shareholdings. The propositions by Adam Smith (1776) and Berle and Means (1932) received some support when Jensen and Meckling (1976) tied together the elements of property rights, agency costs, and finance to develop a theory of ownership structure of a firm. Jensen and Meckling asserted that agency costs are real, which the owner can reduce either by increasing ownership stake of the agent in the firm or by incurring monitoring and bonding costs. In early tests, several research studies supported the views of Jensen and Meckling. However, these studies did not account for endogeneity problem

    Genotoxic and antibacterial nature of biofabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles from Sida rhombifolia linn

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    Phyto-assisted synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) has gained importance because of their stable and eco-friendly nature with significant biological properties compared to chemically synthesized NPs. In the present study biofabrication of ZnO-NPs were carried out using aqueous leaf extract of Sida rhombifolia Linn. The biofabricated ZnO-NPs showed an absorption peak at 307 nm and bandgap energy of 3.51 eV with an average size of similar to 30 nm. The XRD analysis revealed stiff narrow peaks confirming the particles were of no impurities, which were in agreement with EDS analysis. The biofabricated ZnO-NPs exhibited significant antibacterial activity with a MIC of 0.25 mg mL(-1) against E. coli, while it was 0.5 mg mL(-1) against B. subtilis and S. typhi. The live and dead cell analysis of the nanoparticles confirmed that the antibacterial activity was due to damage in the cell walls of the test pathogens. Further, the nanoparticles also offered significant antioxidant and genotoxic properties with an IC50 of 974.5 mu g mL(-1) and 548.4 mu g mL(-1), respectively

    The Physics of Heavy Flavours at SuperB

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    This is a review of the SuperB project, covering the accelerator, detector, and highlights of the broad physics programme. SuperB is a flavour factory capable of performing precision measurements and searches for rare and forbidden decays of Bu,d,sB_{u,d,s}, DD, τ\tau and Υ(nS)\Upsilon({\mathrm{nS}}) particles. These results can be used to test fundamental symmetries and expectations of the Standard Model, and to constrain many different hypothesised types of new physics. In some cases these measurements can be used to place constraints on the existence of light dark matter and light Higgs particles with masses below 10GeV/c210GeV/c^2. The potential impact of the measurements that will be made by SuperB on the field of high energy physics is also discussed in the context of data taken at both high energy in the region around the \Upsilon({\mathrm{4S}})$, and near charm threshold.Comment: 49 pages, topical review submitted to J. Phys

    Dependability Issues in Open Source Software - DIRC Project Activity 5 Final Report

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    This report presents the findings of this investigation by reporting on the main activities that have been undertaken and presenting our informed final recommendation on a follow-on project activity. It is structured in the following way. Section 2 explains the obstacles encountered while trying to understand the term "open source", contacts pursued and projects observed with respect to open source. Section 3 presents insights into the sociology of open source software development, whereas section 4 describes observations drawn and main issues identified for open source software development and dependable systems engineering. Finally, section 5 explains our recommendation together with the reasons behind our decision. Further insights on the activities described in this report, as well as various papers that have been written in relation to this activity can be found in the appendices A - E

    Margriet Boelen as a Reader: Manuscript, Print, and Painting in Amsterdam around 1500

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    Margriet Boelen, who hailed from Amsterdam, is known to have commissioned a painting from Jacob Cornelisz in 1512 with the Nativity and devotional portraits of her and her family members. This contribution attempts at portraying Margriet as an owner and reader of books. Her (family’s) books provide additional information about the Boelens as well as about Margriet’s devotional interests and religious practice. Margriet’s book(s) – and more in general the increasing information about ownership of early printed books – also trigger questions regarding the role of the early printed book within a wider array of media, and the relationship between text and image in late medieval lay devotional culture in particular. When applied to viewing as well as reading, the concept of ‘ethical reading’ introduced by John Dagenais can be helpful in providing an indication of the way(s) in which lay readers and viewers connected both texts and images to their every day lives and used both media to advance their devotion.NWO275-30-036Medieval and Early Modern Studie

    Technical Design Report for PANDA Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMC)

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    This document presents the technical layout and the envisaged performance of the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMC) for the PANDA target spectrometer. The EMC has been designed to meet the physics goals of the PANDA experiment. The performance figures are based on extensive prototype tests and radiation hardness studies. The document shows that the EMC is ready for construction up to the front-end electronics interface
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