Reputation versus reality: the impact of US News and World Report rankings and education branding on hiring decisions in the job market

Typically, leading brands provide benchmarks for constructing consumer preference in the marketplace. Reputation rankings have sustained and advanced the status of brand names in higher education with an implication that the degrees awarded by higher ranked schools have added prestige, a cachet with the potential of facilitating success in the job market. This implication makes reputation rankings a dependable tool for college and university marketing departments eager to increase student enrollment and retention by communicating its superiority among its peers. By examining the influence of reputation rankings on the pre-decision preferences of human resource hiring professionals in evaluating employment applicants, this study found that there is little if any relationship between a degree from a higher education institution in the top tier of a reputation ranking and employment acquisition. Work experience emerged as the major deciding factor in the assessment of an applicant\u27s qualifications. Degree field and employee referral appeared as important matters, while education program and academic record followed in playing a slightly diminished role. Academic record and non academic activities had a lesser degree of influence on hiring decisions. Future study into the subconscious and conscious effect of reputation rankings on the job attainment goal of a college student in relation to the student\u27s choice of HEI could provide new insights into student choice, college marketing strategy, and the value of rankings in education

Desempenho e avaliação das carcaças de borregos castrados ou inteiros terminados em confinamento.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho e a qualidade da carcaça de borregos castrados e inteiros terminados em confinamento

Oncoplastic conservative surgery for breast cancer: long-term outcomes of our first ten years experience

The main goal of oncoplastic breast surgery (OBS) is to optimize cosmetic outcomes and reduce patient morbidity, while still providing an oncologically-safe surgical outcome and extending the target population of conservative surgery. Although the growing number of reported experiences with oncoplastic surgery, few studies account for the long-term outcomes

IR-Induced Photoisomerization of Glycolic Acid Isolated in Low-Temperature Inert Matrices

Glycolic acid (HO−CH2−COOH) monomers isolated in low-temperature argon and krypton matrices were studied using FTIR spectroscopy. The most stable SSC conformer of the compound dominated in the matrices immediately after their deposition. Upon broadband infrared irradiation, two minor conformers (GAC and AAT) were photogenerated. No other forms of glycolic acid were populated, either thermally or photochemically. Systematic monitoring of the progress of the IR-induced phototransformations (over a time scale of 20−140 min) allowed one to distinguish between the primary (GAC) and secondary (AAT) photoproducts. The assignment of experimental spectra to the different conformers was based on the results of IR irradiation of the samples and was assisted by the theoretical calculations carried out at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level. Theoretical pathways for intramolecular rotation in the glycolic acid monomer were investigated at the MP2/6-31++G(d,p) level. Lack of conformers other than SSC, GAC, and AAT in the IR-irradiated matrices was explained in terms of energy barriers separating different forms of the compound

CORRELATION BETWEEN ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ACTIVITY AND STRENGTH OF THE FLEXOR MUSCLES OF THE WRIST

INTRODUCTION: In analysing the electromyographic (EMG) signal, researchers are often led to interpret variations of the signal as variation in strength of muscle contraction. However, the relationship between the force exerted and the electrical activity of a muscle are not well established. This is due to the considerable variation of data acquisition and processing techniques, the detection site of the muscles analysed, as well as the alterations in their length and the type of contraction. The object of this paper was to evaluate the correlation between electrical activity and muscular strength. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The flexor muscles of the wrist of the non dominant member of 21 female volunteers (mean age = 21 years, sd = ± 1.5) with no history of skeletal muscle dysfuntion, were analysed. The EMG signal was captured by active surface electrode (DELSYS), over the belly of the muscle in the longitudinal sense of the fibres, having a gain of 10 Hz. The electrode was coupled to a 16 channel 12/36 electromyograph (AqDados - LYNX TECNOLOGIA ELETRÔNICA LTDA), which permitted a gain of 50 Hz. The system bandwidth was 10 to 500 Hz, with an overall gain of 1,000. The data acquisition rate was 1,000 Hz. In order to eliminate possible interferences, a ground electrode was coupled to the distal segment of the forearm. Muscular strength was measured by means of a load cell (model MM/50 kg, KRATOS), placed perpendicularly in the center of the palm surface of the hand. The electrode and the load cell were connected to a 16 channel signal acquisition system (AQDADOS 4.0, LYNIX). The temperature of the room was kept at 23ºC, ± 1. The EMG registers and the strength were collected simultaneously. Result were obtained from the average of three repetitions, shown in RMS and Kgf respectively. The data was collected with the hand fixed to a device which limited the wrist to 45º of flexion and 45º of extension, providing an isometric contraction. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results demonstrated a positive correlation between electromyographic activity and strength of contraction (r = 0.76) in the 45º flexion position, whereas, for the 45º extension position, the correlation was not significant (r = 0.23), considering the sample analysed. The data suggest that there is a positive correlation between EMG and strength, depending on the position of the muscle analysed

Oncological safety of stromal vascular fraction enriched fat grafting in two-stage breast reconstruction after nipple sparing mastectomy: long-term results of a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: Autologous fat transfer (AFT) is commonly used to treat implant palpability and prevent fibrosis and thinning in mastectomy skin flaps. A major limit to this procedure is volume retention over time, leading to the introduction of fat enrichment with stromal vascular fraction (SVF+AFT). Oncological concerns have been raised over the injection of an increased concentration of progenitors cells (ASCs) in the SVF. The aim of the study is to evaluate the long-term cancer recurrence risk of SVF+AFT cases compared to AFT, in patients undergoing Nipple Sparing Mastectomy (NSM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was designed to compare three groups of patients undergoing NSM followed by SVF+AFT, AFT or none (control group), after a two-stage breast reconstruction. Patients were strictly followed-up for at least 5-years from the second stage reconstructive procedure. Loco-regional and systemic recurrence rate were evaluated over time as the primary outcome. Logistic regression was used to investigate which factors were associated with recurrence events and independent variables of interest were: surgical technique, age above 50 years old, lympho-vascular invasion, oncological stage, adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant hormone therapy. RESULTS: 41 women were included in G1 (SVF+AFT), 64 in G2 (AFT), and 64 in G3 (control group). Loco-regional recurrence rate was 2.4% for G1, 4.7% for G2, and 1.6% for G3. Systemic recurrence was 7.3%, 3.1%, and 3.1%, respectively. Among the variables included, there were no significant risk factors influencing a recurrence event, either loco-regional or systemic. In particular, SVF+AFT (G1) did not increase the oncological recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that both centrifuged and SVF-enhanced fat transfer have a similar safety level in comparison to patients who did not undergo fat grafting in breast reconstruction after NSM

Morphological Study of the Larval Spiracular System in Eight Lutzomyia Species (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The morphology of the spiracles of fourth instar larva in eight sandfly species were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. Species studied were: Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva), L. ovallesi (Ortiz), L. youngi Feliciangeli & Murillo, L. evansi (Nuñez-Tovar), L. trinidadensis (Newstead), L. migonei (França), L. absonodonta Feliciangeli, and L. venezuelensis (Floch & Abonnenc). In larvae of all eight species both thoracic and abdominal spiracles are located at the top of a globular bulge. Their structure consists of a spiracular plate with a sclerotized central portion and a rose-like peripheral portion. The latter has circularly arranged papillae, separated from each other by elongated septa. Each papilla is longitudinally crossed by a fine cleft dividing it into two identical parts. The taxonomic and adaptative value of spiracular morphology is discusse

On magnetic field generation in Kolmogorov turbulence

We analyze the initial, kinematic stage of magnetic field evolution in an isotropic and homogeneous turbulent conducting fluid with a rough velocity field, v(l) ~ l^alpha, alpha<1. We propose that in the limit of small magnetic Prandtl number, i.e. when ohmic resistivity is much larger than viscosity, the smaller the roughness exponent, alpha, the larger the magnetic Reynolds number that is needed to excite magnetic fluctuations. This implies that numerical or experimental investigations of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence with small Prandtl numbers need to achieve extremely high resolution in order to describe magnetic phenomena adequately.Comment: 4 pages, revised, new material adde

Trends of case-fatality rate by acute coronary syndrome in Portugal : impact of a fast track to the coronary unit

© The Author(s) 2019. Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).Introduction: Efforts were made to improve management of coronary disease as the fast-track system to the Coronary Unit. We aim to analyse case-fatality rates by acute coronary syndrome in Portugal from 2000 to 2016, mainly the impact of the fast-track system and the proportion of patients that activate the fast-track system. Methods: We analysed monthly acute coronary syndrome case-fatality before and after the implementation of the fasttrack system in 2007. Impact of the system was assessed through regression models for interrupted time-series. We calculated annual proportion of fast-track system admissions. Results: After 2007 case-fatality by acute coronary syndrome decreased (b¼1.27, p-value < 0.01). The estimates obtained for ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction suggest a reduction of nearly 86 monthly deaths prevented after 2007. The highest percentage of patients admitted through the fast-track system was 35%. Conclusions: Our results suggest fast-track system may have contributed to a decline in acute coronary syndrome case-fatality. However, more than half of patients were not admitted through the system. This should encourage health authorities to make efforts to ensure compliance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Field Epidemiology Assessment for a Medical Evacuation Programme Related to the Crisis in Kosovo, 1999

In complex human emergency (CHE)-aid situations, the international community responds to provide assistance to reduce morbidity and mortality related to environmental and civil disruptions. The political and social situation in Kosovo, in combination with the military activity from 23 March to 09 June, 1999, created a crisis associated with mass movement of the population of Kosovo into neighbouring provinces and nations. This forced migration of people seeking protection increased demands for -water, food, shelter, and health care in the refugee areas. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 771,900 ethnic Albanians, and 30,700 Serbians, Croatians, and Montenegrins had been displaced from Kosovo during this time period, and that 439,500 of these people had arrived in Albania. Given the limited health-care resources in Albania to respond to the increasing demands for health care, a field epidemiological study was conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assess the need for a medical evacuation program from Albania related to the crisis in Kosovo. Outcome measurements in this assessment were: 1) health-care capacity and health-care utilization rates in Albania before the crisis and by the refugees during the crisis; 2) the frequency of war-related injuries; 3) the frequency of medical evacuation; 4) nature of medical conditions of the patients being evacuated; and 5) destination for medical evacuation (internal or international) during the crisis. The results of the field assessment, which gathered health outcome data during the first eight weeks of the conflict (23 March 1999 to 25 May 1999), indicated that there was a need for a specifically designed medical evacuation programme in Albania. The study demonstrated that the implementation of a medical evacuation programme must be integrated with the national health care objectives. It also was found that the magnitude of an evacuation programme could be reduced markedly by strategic support of existing medical programmes in Albania (haemodialysis, trauma and orthopaedics, blood banking). Implementation of this strategy could permit containment of the majority of cases within Albania or to regional, health-care facilities. The results of such targeted support for specific services could result in a national programme for internal medical evacuation, with limited dependence upon the international movement of patient