2,111 research outputs found
Developing and Managing I-O Online: Whatâs Behind the Virtual Classroom?
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of courses and degree programs offered online. This is particularly true in the field of industrial and organizational psychology, wherein many students are working professionals who, while unable to leave their jobs, are seeking convenient ways to supplement their experience with the necessary education. Despite this surge in student interest, many educators lack explicit training in making the transition to online education. Here, a variety of individuals experienced in various aspects of developing online I-O degree programsâboth undergraduate and graduateâdiscuss best practices for such a program as well as discuss its pedagogical challenges. In attempts to guide other institutions developing similar programs in the future, these individuals discuss what has (and has not) worked as they have supplemented their institutionsâ traditional on-campus I-O programs with online equivalents
Stable isotopes demonstrate intraspecific variation in habitat use and trophic level of nonâbreeding albatrosses
The nonâbreeding period is critical for restoration of body condition and selfâmaintenance in albatrosses, yet detailed information on diet and distribution during this stage of the annual cycle is lacking for many species. Here, we use stable isotope values of body feathers (δ13C, δ15N) to infer habitat use and trophic level of nonâbreeding adult Greyâheaded Albatrosses Thalassarche chrysostoma (n = 194) from South Georgia. Specifically, we: (1) investigate intrinsic drivers (sex, age, previous breeding outcome) of variation in habitat use and trophic level; (2) quantify variation among feathers of the same birds; and (3) examine potential carryâover effects of habitat use and trophic level during the nonâbreeding period on subsequent breeding outcome. In agreement with previous tracking studies, δ13C values of individual feathers indicate that nonâbreeding Greyâheaded Albatrosses from South Georgia foraged across a range of oceanic habitats, but mostly in subantarctic waters, between the Antarctic Polar Front and Subtropical Front. Sex differences were subtle but statistically significant, and overlap in the core isotopic niche areas was high (62%); however, males exhibited slightly lower δ13C and higher δ15N values than females, indicating that males forage at higher latitudes and at a higher trophic level. Neither age nor previous breeding outcome influenced stable isotope values, and we found no evidence of carryâover effects of nonâbreeding habitat use or trophic level on subsequent breeding outcome. Repeatability among feathers of the same individual was moderate in δ13C and low in δ15N. This crossâsectional study demonstrates high variability in the foraging and migration strategies of this albatross population
OvMark: a user-friendly system for the identification of prognostic biomarkers in publically available ovarian cancer gene expression datasets
Background: Ovarian cancer has the lowest survival rate of all gynaecologic cancers and is characterised by a lack of early symptoms and frequent late stage diagnosis. There is a paucity of robust molecular markers that are independent of and complementary to clinical parameters such as disease stage and tumour grade.
METHODS: We have developed a user-friendly, web-based system to evaluate the association of genes/miRNAs with outcome in ovarian cancer. The OvMark algorithm combines data from multiple microarray platforms (including probesets targeting miRNAs) and correlates them with clinical parameters (e.g. tumour grade, stage) and outcomes (disease free survival (DFS), overall survival). In total, OvMark combines 14 datasets from 7 different array platforms measuring the expression of ~17,000 genes and 341 miRNAs across 2,129 ovarian cancer samples.
RESULTS: To demonstrate the utility of the system we confirmed the prognostic ability of 14 genes and 2 miRNAs known to play a role in ovarian cancer. Of these genes, CXCL12 was the most significant predictor of DFS (HRâ=â1.42, p-valueâ=â2.42x10-6). Surprisingly, those genes found to have the greatest correlation with outcome have not been heavily studied in ovarian cancer, or in some cases in any cancer. For instance, the three genes with the greatest association with survival are SNAI3, VWA3A and DNAH12.
CONCLUSIONS/IMPACT:
OvMark is a powerful tool for examining putative gene/miRNA prognostic biomarkers in ovarian cancer (available at http://glados.ucd.ie/OvMark/index.html). The impact of this tool will be in the preliminary assessment of putative biomarkers in ovarian cancer, particularly for research groups with limited bioinformatics facilities
Mercury Concentrations in Feathers of Albatrosses and Large Petrels at South Georgia: Contemporary Patterns and Comparisons with Past Decades
Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that can negatively impact the health of humans and wildlife. Albatrosses and large petrels show some of the highest levels of Hg contamination among birds, with potential repercussions for reproduction and survival. Here, body feather total Hg (THg) concentrations were determined in breeding adults of five species of albatrosses and large petrels in the foraging guild at South Georgia during the mid-2010s. We tested the effects of species, sex and trophic ecology (inferred from stable isotopes) on THg concentrations and compared our results with published values from past decades. Feather THg concentrations differed significantly among species (range: 1.9â49.6 Âľg gâ1 dw), and were highest in wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans, intermediate in black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris and northern giant petrels Macronectes halli, and lowest in southern giant petrels M. giganteus and white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis. Females were more contaminated than males in all species, potentially due to differences in distributions and diet composition. Across species, THg concentrations were not correlated with feather δ13C or δ15N values, implying that species effects (e.g., breeding and moulting frequencies) may be more important than trophic effects in explaining feather THg concentrations in this foraging guild. Within species, the only significant correlation was between THg and δ13C in wandering albatrosses, which could reflect higher Hg exposure in subtropical waters. Comparisons with THg concentrations from past studies, which reflect contamination from 10 toâ>â60 years ago, revealed considerable annual variation and some evidence for increases over time for wandering and black-browed albatrosses since before 1950 and from the late 1980s, respectively
Estimating the Holdout Problem in Land Assembly
The Supreme Court's recent decision in Kelo v. New London allows the use of eminent domain to facilitate private economic development. While the court's condition for allowing takings was highly expansive, there may be a market failure that warrants state intervention when parcels of land need to be combined for redevelopment. The collective action or strategic holdout problem associated with land assembly may limit redevelopment of older communities when one or more existing owners seek to capture a disproportionate share of the potential surplus. The problem may be compounded by landowners' uncertainty as to the true value of the expected surplus to be divided (Eckart, 1985; Strange, 1995). At the same time, developers may attempt to disguise the assemblage through the use of straw purchasers. This paper employs administrative Geographic Information System and assessor data from Seattle, Washington, to identify lots that were ultimately assembled. The paper then matches them to their pre-assembly sales. Controlling for lot and existing structure characteristics and census tract-year fixed effects, I find that land bought in the process of a successful assembly commands an 18 percent premium. Consistent with theory, this premium falls with a parcel's relative size in the assemblage. I also find some evidence that parcels toward the center of the development may command a larger premium than those at the edge, suggesting that developers retain or are perceived to retain some design flexibility
Optimising recruitment to the HAND-1 RCT feasibility study:integration 1 of the QuinteT Recruitment Intervention (QRI)
Š 2020, The Author(s). Background: Recruitment to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) can be challenging, with most trials not reaching recruitment targets. Randomised feasibility studies can be set up prior to a main trial to identify and overcome recruitment obstacles. This paper reports on an interventionâthe QuinteT Recruitment Intervention (QRI)âto optimise recruitment within a randomised feasibility study of surgical treatments for patients with Dupuytrenâs contracture (the HAND-1 study). Methods: The QRI was introduced in 2-phases: phase 1 sought to understand the recruitment challenges by interviewing trial staff, scrutinising screening logs and analysing audio-recorded patient consultations; in phase 2 a tailored plan of action consisting of recruiter feedback and training was delivered to address the identified challenges. Results: Two key recruitment obstacles emerged: (1) issues with the recruitment pathway, in particular methods to identify potentially eligible patients and (2) equipoise of recruiters and patients. These were addressed by liaising with centres to share good practice and refine their pathway and by providing bespoke feedback and training on consent discussions to individual recruiters and centres whilst recruitment was ongoing. The HAND-1 study subsequently achieved its recruitment target. Conclusions: Transferable lessons learnt from the QRI in the feasibility study will be implemented in the definitive RCT, enabling a âhead startâ in the tackling of wider issues around screening methods and consent discussions in the set up/early recruitment study phases, with ongoing QRI addressing specific issues with new centres and recruiters. Findings from this study are likely to be relevant to other surgical and similar trials that are anticipated to encounter issues around patient and recruiter equipoise of treatments and variation in recruitment pathways across centres. The study also highlights the value of feasibility studies in fine-tuning design and conduct issues for definitive RCTs. Embedding a QRI in an RCT, at feasibility or main stage, offers an opportunity for a detailed and nuanced understanding of key recruitment challenges and the chance to address them in âreal-timeâ as recruitment proceeds
Plastic ingestion and trace element contamination of Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus on the Faroe Islands
Procellariiform seabirds can accumulate high levels of plastic in their gastrointestinal tracts, which can cause
physical damage and potentially provides a contamination route for trace elements. We examined plastic
ingestion and trace element contamination of fledgling Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus that were harvested
for human consumption in 2003 and 2018 on SkĂşvoy, Faroe Islands (North Atlantic Ocean). Overall, 88% of
fledglings contained plastic in their gastrointestinal tracts, with a mean (Âą SD) of 7.2 Âą 6.6 items weighing 0.007
Âą 0.016 g. Though the incidence was similar, fledglings ingested significantly more plastic in 2018 compared to
2003. Hepatic trace element concentrations were unrelated to plastic ingestion. Hepatic carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope values were significantly lower in birds sampled in 2018 versus 2003, potentially
reflecting further offshore feeding at lower trophic levels. Future research is needed to understand the extent of
plastic ingestion by Faroe Islands seabird
Multiple Transits during a Single Conjunction: Identifying Transiting Circumbinary Planetary Candidates from TESS
We present results of a study on identifying circumbinary planet candidates
that produce multiple transits during one conjunction with eclipsing binary
systems. The occurrence of these transits enables us to estimate the
candidates' orbital periods, which is crucial as the periods of the currently
known transiting circumbinary planets are significantly longer than the typical
observational baseline of TESS. Combined with the derived radii, it also
provides valuable information needed for follow-up observations and subsequent
confirmation of a large number of circumbinary planet candidates from TESS.
Motivated by the discovery of the 1108-day circumbinary planet Kepler-1647, we
show the application of this technique to four of Kepler's circumbinary planets
that produce such transits. Our results indicate that in systems where the
circumbinary planet is on a low-eccentricity orbit, the estimated planetary
orbital period is within <10-20% of the true value. This estimate is derived
from photometric observations spanning less than 5% of the planet's period,
demonstrating the strong capability of the technique. Capitalizing on the
current and future eclipsing binaries monitored by NASA's TESS mission, we
estimate that hundreds of circumbinary planets candidates producing multiple
transits during one conjunction will be detected in the TESS data. Such a large
sample will enable statistical understanding of the population of planets
orbiting binary stars and shed new light on their formation and evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, AJ accepte
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