Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM.

Members of the Joint Working Group on Improving Underrepresented Minorities (URMs) Persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-review current data and propose deliberation about why the academic "pathways" leak more for URM than white or Asian STEM students. They suggest expanding to include a stronger focus on the institutional barriers that need to be removed and the types of interventions that "lift" students' interests, commitment, and ability to persist in STEM fields. Using Kurt Lewin's planned approach to change, the committee describes five recommendations to increase URM persistence in STEM at the undergraduate level. These recommendations capitalize on known successes, recognize the need for accountability, and are framed to facilitate greater progress in the future. The impact of these recommendations rests upon enacting the first recommendation: to track successes and failures at the institutional level and collect data that help explain the existing trends

Reconstrucción de defectos óseos segmentarios postraumáticos mediante técnica de inducción de membrana

Objetivos: Describir y evaluar los resultados del tratamiento quirúrgico de defectos óseos postraumáticos (DOPT) segmentarios mediante técnica de inducción de membrana. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo longitudinal de 20 casos de DOPT segmentarios tratados en el Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia de Lima, desde enero de 2009 a junio de 2014, mediante reconstrucción en dos etapas con técnica de inducción de membrana. En la primera etapa se indujo la formación de membrana con un espaciador de cemento óseo impregnado con antibiótico. En la segunda etapa se reemplazó el espaciador por injerto óseo. Se evaluó el tiempo de consolidación, grado de acortamiento de la extremidad y resultado funcional. Se registraron las complicaciones. Resultados: Se incluyeron 20 pacientes (15 varones y 5 mujeres), con edad promedio de 29 años (rango: 13-54). Once casos fueron DOPT en tibia, 7 casos en fémur, uno en radio y uno en cúbito. El 90% de los DOPT fueron en longitud mayor o igual a 50 mm, con un promedio de 73 mm; 60% de los casos tenían cultivos positivos al inicio del tratamiento. Presentaron consolidación el 90% de los casos con un único aporte de injerto óseo, el tiempo promedio para la consolidación fue 8 meses. Uno requirió un segundo aporte de injerto y un caso presentó persistencia de infección sin consolidación. Conclusiones: La técnica de inducción de membrana es un método eficaz para el tratamiento de DOPT segmentarios

Experimental verification of hybrid renewable systems as feasible energy sources

[EN] Renewable energies are a central element in the search for energy sustainability, so they are becoming a substantial component of the energy scenario of every country, both as systems connected to the grid or in stand-alone applications. Feasibility of these renewable energy systems could be necessary not only in their application in isolated areas, but also in systems connected to the grid, in this last case when their contribution reaches a substantial fraction of the total electricity demand. To overcome this reliability problem, hybrid renewable systems could become essential and activities to optimize their design should be addressed, both in the simulation and in the experimental areas. In this paper, a laboratory to simulate and verify the reliability of hybrid renewable systems is presented and its application to the feasibility analysis of multicomponent systems including photovoltaic panels, wind generator and biomass gasification plant, plus energy storage in a battery bank, are described.Pérez-Navarro, Á.; Alfonso-Solar, D.; Ariza-Chacón, HE.; Cárcel Carrasco, FJ.; Correcher Salvador, A.; Escrivá-Escrivá, G.; Hurtado, E.... (2016). Experimental verification of hybrid renewable systems as feasible energy sources. Renewable Energy. 86(2):384-391. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2015.08.030S38439186

Alternative glacial-interglacial refugia demographic hypotheses tested on Cephalocereus columna-trajani (Cactaceae) in the intertropical Mexican drylands

Historic demography changes of plant species adapted to New World arid environments could be consistent with either the Glacial Refugium Hypothesis (GRH), which posits that populations contracted to refuges during the cold-dry glacial and expanded in warm-humid interglacial periods, or with the Interglacial Refugium Hypothesis (IRH), which suggests that populations contracted during interglacials and expanded in glacial times. These contrasting hypotheses are developed in the present study for the giant columnar cactus Cephalocereus columna-trajani in the intertropical Mexican drylands where the effects of Late Quaternary climatic changes on phylogeography of cacti remain largely unknown. In order to determine if the historic demography and phylogeographic structure of the species are consistent with either hypothesis, sequences of the chloroplast regions psbA-trnH and trnT-trnL from 110 individuals from 10 populations comprising the full distribution range of this species were analysed. Standard estimators of genetic diversity and structure were calculated. The historic demography was analysed using a Bayesian approach and the palaeodistribution was derived from ecological niche modelling to determine if, in the arid environments of south-central Mexico, glacial-interglacial cycles drove the genetic divergence and diversification of this species. Results reveal low but statistically significant population differentiation (FST = 0.124, P < 0.001), although very clear geographic clusters are not formed. Genetic diversity, haplotype network and Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) demographic analyses suggest a population expansion estimated to have taken place in the Last Interglacial (123.04 kya, 95% CI 115.3–130.03). The species palaeodistribution is consistent with the ABC analyses and indicates that the potential area of palaedistribution and climatic suitability were larger during the Last Interglacial and Holocene than in the Last Glacial Maximum. Overall, these results suggest that C. columna-trajani experienced an expansion following the warm conditions of interglacials, in accordance with the GRH

Influence of the balanced scorecard on the science and innovation performance of Latin American universities

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Knowledge Management Research & Practice on 2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14778238.2019.1569488[EN] Pressure on the education system to meet society's needs has led some universities to adopt organisational performance measurement systems as strategic control tools. One of the most commonly used systems in business is the balanced scorecard (BSC). For Latin American universities, the urgent task of increasing the quantity and quality of research and innovation has led these universities to update their essential processes. A suitable control system is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of these new policies. Based on strategic management theory, this study focuses on the implementation of a BSC method in Latin American public universities. The aim of this study is to determine the influence of BSC implementation on universities? research and innovation performance. The results reveal similar patterns of indicators to measure performance in public universities. Furthermore, these indicators develop favourably following implementation of the BSC.Peris-Ortiz, M.; García-Hurtado, D.; Devece Carañana, CA. (2019). Influence of the balanced scorecard on the science and innovation performance of Latin American universities. Knowledge Management Research & Practice. 17(4):373-383. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2019.1569488S373383174Agostino, D., & Arnaboldi, M. (2012). Design issues in Balanced Scorecards: The «what» and «how» of control. European Management Journal, 30(4), 327-339. doi:10.1016/j.emj.2012.02.001Al-Ashaab, A., Flores, M., Doultsinou, A., & Magyar, A. (2011). A balanced scorecard for measuring the impact of industry–university collaboration. Production Planning & Control, 22(5-6), 554-570. doi:10.1080/09537287.2010.536626Ankrah, S., & AL-Tabbaa, O. (2015). Universities–industry collaboration: A systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 31(3), 387-408. doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2015.02.003Broadbent, J., & Laughlin, R. (2009). Performance management systems: A conceptual model. Management Accounting Research, 20(4), 283-295. doi:10.1016/j.mar.2009.07.004Chen, S., Yang, C., & Shiau, J. (2006). The application of balanced scorecard in the performance evaluation of higher education. The TQM Magazine, 18(2), 190-205. doi:10.1108/09544780610647892Ferreira, A., & Otley, D. (2009). The design and use of performance management systems: An extended framework for analysis. Management Accounting Research, 20(4), 263-282. doi:10.1016/j.mar.2009.07.003Franceschini, F., & Turina, E. (2011). Quality improvement and redesign of performance measurement systems: an application to the academic field. Quality & Quantity, 47(1), 465-483. doi:10.1007/s11135-011-9530-1Gibbert, M., Ruigrok, W., & Wicki, B. (2008). What passes as a rigorous case study? Strategic Management Journal, 29(13), 1465-1474. doi:10.1002/smj.722Ittner, C. D., Larcker, D. F., & Randall, T. (2003). Performance implications of strategic performance measurement in financial services firms. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 28(7-8), 715-741. doi:10.1016/s0361-3682(03)00033-3Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (2001). Transforming the Balanced Scorecard from Performance Measurement to Strategic Management: Part II. Accounting Horizons, 15(2), 147-160. doi:10.2308/acch.2001.15.2.147Khalid, S., Knouzi, N., Tanane, O., & Talbi, M. (2014). Balanced Scoreboard, the Performance Tool in Higher Education: Establishment of Performance Indicators. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 4552-4558. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.984Kraus, K., & Lind, J. (2010). The impact of the corporate balanced scorecard on corporate control—A research note. Management Accounting Research, 21(4), 265-277. doi:10.1016/j.mar.2010.08.001Langfield-Smith, K. (1997). Management control systems and strategy: A critical review. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 22(2), 207-232. doi:10.1016/s0361-3682(95)00040-2Lawrence, S., & Sharma, U. (2002). Commodification of Education and Academic LABOUR—Using the Balanced Scorecard in a University Setting. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 13(5-6), 661-677. doi:10.1006/cpac.2002.0562Lee, B., Collier, P. M., & Cullen, J. (2007). Reflections on the use of case studies in the accounting, management and organizational disciplines. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 2(3), 169-178. doi:10.1108/17465640710835337Neely, A., Gregory, M., & Platts, K. (1995). Performance measurement system design. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 15(4), 80-116. doi:10.1108/01443579510083622Philbin, S. (2008). Process model for university‐industry research collaboration. European Journal of Innovation Management, 11(4), 488-521. doi:10.1108/14601060810911138Pritchard, R. D., Roth, P. L., Jones, S. D., & Roth, P. G. (1990). Implementing feedback systems to enhance productivity: A practical guide. National Productivity Review, 10(1), 57-67. doi:10.1002/npr.4040100107Ridwan, R., Harun, H., An, Y., & Fahmid, I. M. (2013). The Impact of the Balanced Scorecard on Corporate Performance: The Case of an Australian Public Sector Enterprise. International Business Research, 6(10). doi:10.5539/ibr.v6n10p103Sayed, N. (2013). Ratify, reject or revise: balanced scorecard and universities. International Journal of Educational Management, 27(3), 203-220. doi:10.1108/09513541311306440Spender, J.-C. (2014). Business Strategy. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199686544.001.0001Tangen, S. (2005). Analysing the requirements of performance measurement systems. Measuring Business Excellence, 9(4), 46-54. doi:10.1108/13683040510634835Villarreal Larrinaga, O., & Landeta Rodríguez, J. (2010). EL ESTUDIO DE CASOS COMO METODOLOGÍA DE INVESTIGACIÓN CIENTÍFICA EN DIRECCIÓN Y ECONOMÍA DE LA EMPRESA. UNA APLICACIÓN A LA INTERNACIONALIZACIÓN. Investigaciones Europeas de Dirección y Economía de la Empresa, 16(3), 31-52. doi:10.1016/s1135-2523(12)60033-1Wiersma, E. (2009). For which purposes do managers use Balanced Scorecards? Management Accounting Research, 20(4), 239-251. doi:10.1016/j.mar.2009.06.00

Carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales bloodstream infections among children with cancer or post-haematopoietic stem cell transplant: a retrospective cohort study

Background Risk factors for carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales bloodstream infections among children with cancer or post-HSCT have not been thoroughly explored. Methods All children with cancer or post-HSCT who developed Enterobacterales bloodstream infections in two cancer referral centres in major Colombian cities between 2012 and 2021 were retrospectively examined. When the infection episode occurred, carbapenem resistance mechanisms were evaluated according to the available methods. Data were divided in a training set (80%) and a test set (20%). Three internally validated carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) prediction models were created: a multivariate logistic regression model, and two data mining techniques. Model performances were evaluated by calculating the average of the AUC, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. Results A total of 285 Enterobacterales bloodstream infection episodes (229 carbapenem susceptible and 56 carbapenem resistant) occurred [median (IQR) age, 9 (3.5–14) years; 57% male]. The risk of CRE was 2.1 times higher when the infection was caused by Klebsiella spp. and 5.8 times higher when a carbapenem had been used for ≥3 days in the previous month. A model including these two predictive variables had a discriminatory performance of 77% in predicting carbapenem resistance. The model had a specificity of 97% and a negative predictive value of 81%, with low sensitivity and positive predictive value. Conclusions Even in settings with high CRE prevalence, these two variables can help early identification of patients in whom CRE-active agents are unnecessary and highlight the importance of strengthening antibiotic stewardship strategies directed at preventing carbapenem overuse.Q1Q1Los factores de riesgo de resistencia a los carbapenémicos en las infecciones del torrente sanguíneo por Enterobacterales entre niños con cáncer o después de un TCMH no se han explorado a fondo. Métodos Se examinaron retrospectivamente todos los niños con cáncer o post-TCMH que desarrollaron infecciones del torrente sanguíneo por Enterobacterales en dos centros de referencia de cáncer en las principales ciudades de Colombia entre 2012 y 2021. Cuando ocurrió el episodio de infección, se evaluaron los mecanismos de resistencia a los carbapenémicos según los métodos disponibles. Los datos se dividieron en un conjunto de entrenamiento (80%) y un conjunto de prueba (20%). Se crearon tres modelos de predicción de Enterobacterales resistentes a carbapenémicos (CRE) validados internamente: un modelo de regresión logística multivariante y dos técnicas de minería de datos. El rendimiento del modelo se evaluó calculando el promedio del AUC, la sensibilidad, la especificidad y los valores predictivos. Resultados Se produjeron un total de 285 episodios de infección del torrente sanguíneo por Enterobacterales (229 susceptibles a carbapenémicos y 56 resistentes a carbapenémicos) [mediana de edad (RIQ), 9 (3,5 a 14) años; 57% hombres]. El riesgo de CRE fue 2,1 veces mayor cuando la infección fue causada por Klebsiella spp. y 5,8 veces mayor cuando se había utilizado un carbapenem durante ≥3 días en el mes anterior. Un modelo que incluía estas dos variables predictivas tuvo un rendimiento discriminatorio del 77% en la predicción de la resistencia a los carbapenémicos. El modelo tuvo una especificidad del 97% y un valor predictivo negativo del 81%, con baja sensibilidad y valor predictivo positivo. Conclusiones Incluso en entornos con una alta prevalencia de CRE, estas dos variables pueden ayudar a la identificación temprana de pacientes en quienes los agentes activos de CRE son innecesarios y resaltar la importancia de fortalecer las estrategias de administración de antibióticos dirigidas a prevenir el uso excesivo de carbapenémicos.N/AS

Species composition and bycatches of a new crustacean trawl in Chile

The species composition and bycatches of a new trawl for crustaceans (Heterocarpus reedi, Cervimunida johni and Pleuroncodes monodon) was studied in central Chile between 2007 and 2009. The spatial and temporal variations of the catch composition were analyzed using univariate and multivariate comparison techniques. In 289 trawl hauls, 72 taxa were recorded, with target species accounting for most of the catch, while the bycatch consisted mainly of Merluccius gayi, Hippoglossina macrops, Coelorinchus aconcagua, Epigonus crassicaudus and Platymera gaudichaudii. 14 species of elasmobranchs were identified, and at least one of these species was present in 50% of the hauls made. The classification and ordination methods showed the existence of three groups, each one associated with a target species, with no significant spatial and temporal effects. The information obtained in this study represents the basis for setting targets in order to reduce the bycatch captured by this trawl. The focused strategy on the most recurring and sensitive species for these fisheries is also discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved