The life cycle of a small family-run entrepreneurial organization : a case analysis of change and growth.

A qualitative case study traced the evolution of a family-run entrepreneurial organization through six periods of development. The company, with approximately fifty employees, manufactures custom molded rubber parts. The development of the organization was analyzed using two models: Noel Tichy\u27s (1983) technical, political, cultural framework and Cameron and Whetten\u27s (1983) summary model. Tichy\u27s open system model was used as the structure upon which data were collected on eight organizational dimensions. Those data were analyzed using both Tichy\u27s (1983) and Cameron and Whetten\u27s (1983) schema\u27s. Tichy\u27s (1983) framework was used to describe and explain the organization\u27s three subsystems (technical, political, cultural) and their adjustments to uncertainties in the external and internal environments. Cameron and Whetten\u27s (1983) model was used to trace the organization\u27s evolution through four distinct stages of development. Both models were then combined in an integrated format to describe and explain JRW\u27s evolution. This research study found that JRW did evolve through four stages of development from 1975 to 1989. The findings also confirmed that the organization\u27s subsystems (Technical, Political, Cultural) adjusted to events in and outside of the organization during that period. The dissertation concluded with a discussion of the significance of the study and suggestions for future research

The impact of a decision aid about heart disease prevention on patients' discussions with their doctor and their plans for prevention: a pilot randomized trial

Abstract Background Low utilization of effective coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention strategies may be due to many factors, but chief among them is the lack of patient involvement in prevention decisions. We undertook this study to test the effectiveness of an individually-tailored, computerized decision aid about CHD on patients' discussions with their doctor and their plans for CHD prevention. Methods We conducted a pilot randomized trial in a convenience sample of adults with no previous history of cardiovascular disease to test the effectiveness of an individually-tailored, computerized decision aid about CHD prevention against a risk factor list that patients could present to their doctor. Results We enrolled 75 adults. Mean age was 53. 59% were female, 73% white, and 23% African-American. 66% had some college education. 43% had a 10-year CHD risk of 0–5%, 25% a risk of 6–10%, 24% a risk of 11–20%, and 5% a risk of > 20%. 78% had at least one option to reduce their CHD risk, but only 45% accurately identified the strategies best supported by evidence. 41 patients received the decision aid, 34 received usual care. In unadjusted analysis, the decision aid increased the proportion of patients who discussed CHD risk reduction with their doctor from 24% to 40% (absolute difference 16%; 95% CI -4% to +37%) and increased the proportion who had a specific plan to reduce their risk from 24% to 37% (absolute difference 13%; 95% CI -7% to +34%). In pre-post testing, the decision aid also appeared to increase the proportion of patients with plans to intervene on their CHD risk (absolute increase ranging from 21% to 47% for planned medication use and 5% to 16% for planned behavioral interventions). Conclusion Our study confirms patients' limited knowledge about their CHD risk and effective risk reduction options and provides preliminary evidence that an individually-tailored decision aid about CHD prevention might be expected to increase patients' discussions about CHD prevention with their doctor and their plans for CHD risk reduction. These findings should be replicated in studies with a larger sample size and patients at overall higher risk of CHD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0031597

A practical, multiplatform app for climate stress to aid animal producers and science education

Project Leaders: Michael McKean: Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI)/Missouri School of Journalism; Dale Musser: Director of the IT Program in the College of Engineering; Ray Massey and Pat Guinan: Commercial Agriculture Program; Ben Gallup: 4-H Center for Youth Development; David Kemp: Future Farmers of America; John Travlos: Electronic Bulletin Board (AgEBB); Stacey Hamilton, Southwest Center, College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources"Climate variability is a concern in a number of sectors, particularly in the Agriculture industry. The National Climatic Data Center for the US announced on September 9, 2011 that last summer was the hottest in 75 years, with the greatest impact in Texas and neighboring states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. The result was daily appearance of news stories regarding losses of livestock and productivity, which during a normal year amount to $897, 369, and 299 million for dairy, beef, and swine industries, respectively. Thermal stress indices have existed for years for these groups, but are underutilized because they require elaborate combinations of environmental (e.g., weather) and physiological (e.g., body temperature) data. There is also increased concern that student interest in science, at both high school and college levels, is declining, and that the United States could be at a disadvantage in solving complex problems of the future such as climate variability due to a lack of qualified scientists. It has been suggested, that the traditional read, recite, regurgitate models for teaching science are ineffective ways to motivate students to learn science, and help them understand and retain science concepts. D.A. Kolb noted that an experiential approach increases interest of youth in science. Experiential learning in the sciences includes gathering the facts surrounding a problem, reflecting on the findings, formulating ideas, and finally testing them, and generating new knowledge. A mechanism to facilitate this process using advanced instructional technologies that are more engaging to a technology-oriented generation of learners will stimulate interest in and learning of science. Our proposal is to develop a native smart phone app (Apple and Android) that combines weather information (both current and projected) with individual animal information to aid the producer in the decision-making process to reduce heat strain and improve animal welfare. At the same time, the app will be a learning device that attracts and stimulates student interest in climate and environmental stress related to themselves and their production animals. Our approach will use students in the "Team-Based Mobile Application Development" course (College of Engineering, IT Program, and School of Journalism) together with CAFNR undergraduate students trained in environmental physiology to develop the prototype. The educational component will require input from a select group of high school/college students in 4-H and FFA (and related agricultural youth organizations), with backgrounds in animal science and a strong interest in using technology to improve animal production and welfare. These students will collaborate with others in the app design and evaluation course for a truly multidisciplinary learning experience. This product will then be promoted, displayed, and tested in select venues, such as CAFNR field days and at the Missouri State Fair." --DescriptionMU Interdisciplinary Innovations Fun

Cell autonomous regulation of herpes and influenza virus infection by the circadian clock.

Viruses are intracellular pathogens that hijack host cell machinery and resources to replicate. Rather than being constant, host physiology is rhythmic, undergoing circadian (∼24 h) oscillations in many virus-relevant pathways, but whether daily rhythms impact on viral replication is unknown. We find that the time of day of host infection regulates virus progression in live mice and individual cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that herpes and influenza A virus infections are enhanced when host circadian rhythms are abolished by disrupting the key clock gene transcription factor Bmal1. Intracellular trafficking, biosynthetic processes, protein synthesis, and chromatin assembly all contribute to circadian regulation of virus infection. Moreover, herpesviruses differentially target components of the molecular circadian clockwork. Our work demonstrates that viruses exploit the clockwork for their own gain and that the clock represents a novel target for modulating viral replication that extends beyond any single family of these ubiquitous pathogens.A.B.R. acknowledges funding from the Wellcome Trust (083643/Z/07/Z, 100333/Z/12/Z and 100574/Z/12/Z), the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant No. 281348, MetaCLOCK), the EMBO Young Investigators Programme, the Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine and the Medical Research Council (MRC_MC_UU_12012/5). A.D.N acknowledges funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013; REA grant agreement 627630). We thank L. Ansel-Bollepalli for assistance with animal breeding, I. Robinson for assistance with pilot animal experiments, A. Snijders and H. Flynn (Francis Crick Institute Proteomics Core) for help with proteomics work, Cambridge NIHR BRC Cell Phenotyping Hub for flow cytometry assistance, A. Miyawaki (RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan) for Fucci2 lentiviral vectors, and H. Coleman, J. May and M. Jain for helpful discussions. We thank Prof J. Bass (Northwestern University, USA) for Bmal-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts used in preliminary experiments, and N. Heaton and P. Palese (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA) for PB2::Gaussia luciferase IAV (PR8 PB2::GLUC).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the National Academy of Sciences via http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.160189511

Panel 1: Pilot Supply & Industry Consequences Update

Update on current “State Of The Industry” in each panelist’s area of expertise. Panelists are asked to provide a brief perspective on current status, trends, and areas of dynamic change. Aviation Academic Status Macchiarella (ERAU) Regional Airlines Greubel (ExpressJet), Haugaard (Horizon Air), Dee (Republic), Lane (Allegiant) Major Airlines Buyer (United), Winter (JetBlue) ALPA Ryder Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ACT/ARC) Duncan (FAA) World Pilot Demand, Trends, Forecasts Davis (Boeing) Report From the Hill Bechdolt (RAA

Decorum or Deterrence? The Politics of Execution in Malawi, 1915-1966

This article is not the final print version. The print version is available at http://www.Bergpublishers.com.Capital punishment - specifically public execution - is here investigated not simply as a judicial punishment, but as a lens through which to view the civil and socio-political development of Malawi from the colonial to early independence eras. Public executions were an exceptional measure, employed at times of marked social and political unrest, being ordered by the colonial government in response to the Chilembwe Uprising in 1915 and by Prime Minister Banda in 1965 in the aftermath of the Cabinet crisis and Chipembere Uprising. This article looks at the continuities and changes in the practice and signification of these judicial killings

Hydration strategies of professional elite rugby league referees during super league matches

Due to the focus of research within athletic populations, little is known about the hydration strategies of rugby league referees. We observed all 8 full-time professional referees, during 31 Super League matches to investigate the drinking strategies and magnitude of dehydration (body mass loss) experienced by referees during match play. Referees arrived and remained euhydrated (urine osmolality; pre and post-match 558 ± 310 and 466 ± 283 mOsmol•kg-1). Mean body mass change was -0.7 ± 0.8%, fluid loss was 890 ± 435 g and fluid intake was 444 ± 167, 438 ± 190, 254 ± 108 and 471 ± 221 g during pre-match, first-half, half-time and second-half. This study suggests elite referees adopt appropriate hydration strategies during match-play to prevent large reductions in body mass, although individual variability was observed. Future research should investigate dehydration in referees from other sports and the effects on refereeing performance

Player chronotype does not affect shooting accuracy at different times of the day in a professional, male basketball team: a pilot study

Athlete chronotype has been documented to underpin diurnal variations in skill execution across various team sports. However, no research has explored the effects of athlete chronotype on basketball-specific skills at different times of the day. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore diurnal variations in basketball shooting accuracy according to chronotype. Professional, male basketball players (n = 13) completed a Morningness- Eveningness Questionnaire and were categorised into chronotypes using a tertile split technique (morning-types: n = 4; neither-types: n = 4; evening-types: n = 5). Players completed separate trials of a shooting accuracy test in the morning (08:00-09:30h) and afternoon (15:00-16:30h) with each trial consisting of 20 shots attempted from four court locations at either two- or three-point distances and one-shot location from the free-throw line (100 shots in total). Each shot attempt was scored using a 0-3-point scale with higher scores awarded to more accurate shots. Non-significant (p >0.05) differences in shooting scores were evident between morning and afternoon trials for each chronotype group, with small-large effects in shooting scores favouring the morning across groups. Moreover, non-significant (p >0.05) differences in shooting scores were apparent between chronotype groups in the morning (small-large effects) and afternoon (moderate-large effects). Shooting accuracy appears to remain consistent across morning and afternoon performances irrespective of player chronotype in a professional basketball team, suggesting coaches may not need to schedule training sessions involving shooting tasks at specific times of the day to optimise shooting accuracy in players

A Vortex Contactor for Carbon Dioxide Separations

Many analysts identify carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and separation as a major roadblock in efforts to cost effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions via sequestration. An assessment 4 conducted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Greenhouse Gas Research and Development Programme cited separation costs from $35 to$264 per tonne of CO2 avoided for a conventional coal fired power plant utilizing existing capture technologies. Because these costs equate to a greater than 40% increase in current power generation rates, it appears obvious that a significant improvement in CO2 separation technology is required if a negative impact on the world economy is to be avoided