A new construct of IS performance measurement: Consonance approach

The purpose of this research is to create a subjective measurement system that can assist in the successful creation of new information systems (IS). That entails moving from the commonly used objective measures of success (time and money constraints) to subjective measures (people\u27s perceptions). Literature in the social perception area and goal congruence area has provided a basis for changing the measurement of success. Due to major differences in how people react to stimuli and perceived outcomes the objective measures must evolve to include subjective observations. This research uses a questionnaire to gather data about the perceptions of the stakeholders (IS personnel and IS end users) involved in production or use of IS. A performance construct and satisfaction construct are used to investigate hypotheses regarding the differences in the perceptions of IS end users and IS personnel. Discrepancy theory is the basis for depicting gaps in the perceptions of the different stakeholders. By creating new constructs related to IS work, performance expectations and perceived outcomes can be measured for IS end users and IS personnel that are involved in creating and maintaining information systems. Current literature supports the involvement of these two stakeholders and the movement to subjective measures. A process of consonance is also included to insure consistence over time in creating common goals. Consonance is defined as harmony and understanding between stakeholders or people. Consonance is a process that can help achieve consistence in setting common goals in IS projects. If IS end users and IS personnel are working toward a common goal, higher IS success rates will occur

TRA-934: INCORPORATION OF ROUNDABOUTS AT HOLT RD INTERCHANGE

The planned refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (DNGS) by the Ontario Power Generation (OPG), scheduled to commence in late-2016 and extend until 2026, will result in significant employment growth and increased traffic volumes that cannot be supported by the area’s roadway network. In particular, the original Highway 401/Holt Road interchange, located approximately 40 km east of Toronto and serving as the primary access route for employee traffic into and out of the DNGS, was in need of significant upgrade and improvement in advance of commencing the refurbishment. The original interchange provided partial access to the highway only, while an intersection between an adjacent service road and the eastbound off-ramp was considered both unconventional and potentially hazardous to drivers unfamiliar with the unique configuration. Further, the original Holt Road underpass structure precluded the necessary capacity additions required along both the crossing road and Highway 401 through the interchange. Consequently, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) hired AECOM to provide Preliminary and Detail Design services for upgrading of the Highway 401/Holt Road interchange to address both the existing concerns and meet the future requirements of the area. The recommended design included provision of roundabouts at both the north and south ramp terminals, and a third successive multi-lane roundabout at a service road directly south of the interchange. The provision of roundabouts at freeway ramp terminals, in place of traffic signals, represents the first time such a design has been used on an MTO facility

The Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion on Back Squat and Bench Press Exercise to Failure

This study examined the acute effects of NaHCO3 ingestion on repetitions to failure and rating of perceived exertion in the back squat and bench press in trained men. Eight resistance-trained men took part in this double-blind, randomized crossover experimental study whereby they ingested NaHCO3 (0.3 g[middle dot]kg-1 body mass) or placebo (sodium chloride NaCl: 0.045 g[middle dot]kg-1 body mass) solution 60 minutes before completing a bout of resistance exercise (3 sets of bench press and back squat exercise to failure at an intensity of 80% 1 repetition maximum). Experimental conditions were separated by at least 48 hours. Participants completed more repetitions to failure in the back squat after NaHCO3 ingestion (p = 0.04) but not for bench press (p = 0.679). Mean +/- SD of total repetitions was 31.3 +/- 15.3 and 24.6 +/- 16.2 for back squat and 28.7 +/- 12.2 and 26.7 +/- 10.2 for bench press in NaHCO3 and placebo conditions, respectively. Repetitions to failure decreased as set increased for the back squat and bench press (p = 0.001, both). Rating of perceived exertion significantly increased with set for the back squat and bench press (p = 0.002, both). There was no significant change in blood lactate across time or between conditions. There were however treatment x time interactions for blood pH (p = 0.014) and blood HCO3 concentration (p = 0.001). After ingestion, blood pH and HCO3 (p = 0.008) concentrations were greater for the NaHCO3 condition compared with the placebo condition (p \u3c 0.001). The results of this study suggest that sodium bicarbonate ingestion can enhance resistance exercise performance using a repetition to failure protocol in the first exercise in a resistance exercise session

Method and apparatus for real-time weld-quality control and post-process weld-quality verification for homopolar pulsed welding

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to control and verify weld-quality in a homopolar pulsed weld by measuring in-process parameters. Methods are disclosed for real-time weld-quality control in a weld-quality control system for homopolar pulsed welding, including measuring at least one in-process parameters that correlates to a resulting weld-quality of a weld. Further, methods are disclosed for post-process weld-quality verification for homopolar pulsed welding, including identifying at least one in-process parameter that may be used as a post-process weld-quality verification parameter and utilizing such a post-process weld-quality verification parameter to verify the weld-quality after a homopolar pulsed welding process.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

The Shakespearean alterations of John Philip Kemble

The practice of altering Shakespeare's plays, begun during the Restoration and continued throughout the eighteenth century and well into the nineteenth, originated in continuously evolving literary and dramatic principles that went much deeper than the capricious whims of individual dramatists. Thus, each Shakespearean alterations in, perhaps, a century's time, a comparative study can provide some insight into the changing rules of dramatic valuation in the eighteenth century. Such a study is the purpose of this work, in which are examined the Shakespearean alterations of John Phillip Kemble. The sheer breadth of Kembles Shakespearean repertoire, his reputation among contemporary Shakespeare scholars and his renown for a quarter of a century as England's foremost Shakespearean dramatist and actor at both Drury Lane and Covent Garden all serve to emphasize the validity of such an undertaking

Radiation therapy combined with intracerebral administration of carboplatin for the treatment of brain tumors

Background: In this study we determined if treatment combining radiation therapy (RT) with intracerebral (i.c.) administration of carboplatin to F98 glioma bearing rats could improve survival over that previously reported by us with a 15 Gy dose (5 Gy × 3) of 6 MV photons.Methods: First, in order to reduce tumor interstitial pressure, a biodistribution study was carried out to determine if pretreatment with dexamethasone alone or in combination with mannitol and furosemide (DMF) would increase carboplatin uptake following convection enhanced delivery (CED). Next, therapy studies were carried out in rats that had received carboplatin either by CED over 30 min (20 μg) or by Alzet pumps over 7 d (84 μg), followed by RT using a LINAC to deliver either 20 Gy (5 Gy × 4) or 15 Gy (7.5 Gy × 2) dose at 6 or 24 hrs after drug administration. Finally, a study was carried out to determine if efficacy could be improved by decreasing the time interval between drug administration and RT.Results: Tumor carboplatin values for D and DMF-treated rats were 9.4 ±4.4 and 12.4 ±3.2 μg/g, respectively, which were not significantly different (P = 0.14). The best survival data were obtained by combining pump delivery with 5 Gy × 4 of X-irradiation with a mean survival time (MST) of 107.7 d and a 43% cure rate vs. 83.6 d with CED vs. 30-35 d for RT alone and 24.6 d for untreated controls. Treatment-related mortality was observed when RT was initiated 6 h after CED of carboplatin and RT was started 7 d after tumor implantation. Dividing carboplatin into two 10 μg doses and RT into two 7.5 Gy fractions, administered 24 hrs later, yielded survival data (MST 82.1 d with a 25% cure rate) equivalent to that previously reported with 5 Gy × 3 and 20 μg of carboplatin.Conclusions: Although the best survival data were obtained by pump delivery, CED was highly effective in combination with 20 Gy, or as previously reported, 15 Gy, and the latter would be preferable since it would produce less late tissue effects.peer-reviewe

Treating cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with highly irregular surfaces with photon irradiation using rice as tissue compensator.

PurposeCutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is known to have an excellent response to radiotherapy, an important treatment modality for this disease. In patients with extremity and digit involvement, the irregular surface and depth variations create difficulty in delivering a homogenous dose using electrons. We sought to evaluate photon irradiation with rice packing as tissue equivalence and determine clinical tolerance and response.Materials and methodsThree consecutive CTCL patients with extensive lower extremity involvement including the digits were treated using external beam photon therapy with rice packing for tissue compensation. The entire foot was treated to 30-40 Gy in 2-3 Gy per fraction using 6 MV photons prescribed to the mid-plane of an indexed box filled with rice in which the foot was placed. Treatment tolerance and response were monitored with clinical evaluation.ResultsAll patients tolerated the treatment without treatment breaks. Toxicities included grade 3 erythema and desquamation with resolution within 4 weeks. No late toxicities were observed. All patients had a partial response by 4 weeks after therapy with two patients achieving a complete response. Patients reported improved functionality after treatment. No local recurrence has been observed.ConclusionTissue compensation with rice packing offers a convenient, inexpensive, and reproducible method for the treatment of CTCL with highly irregular surfaces

A leucine-rich repeat peptide derived from the Drosophila Toll receptor forms extended filaments with a β-sheet structure

AbstractLeucine-rich repeats (LRRs) are 22–28 amino acid-long sequence motifs found in a family of cytoplasmic, membrane and extracellular proteins. There is evidence that LRRs function in signal transduction, cellular adhesion and protein-protein interactions. Here we report unusual properties of a synthetic LRR peptide derived from the sequence of the Drosophila membrane receptor Toll. In neutral solution the peptide forms a gel revealed by electron microscopy to consist of extended filaments approximately 8 nm in thickness. As the gel forms, the circular dichroism spectrum of the peptide solution changes from one characteristic of random coil to one associated with β-sheet structures. Molecular modelling suggests that the peptides form an amphipathic structure with a predominantly apolar and charged surface. Based on these results, models for the gross structure of the peptide filaments and a possible molecular mechanism for cellular adhesion are proposed

A leucine-rich repeat peptide derived from the Drosophila Toll receptor forms extended filaments with a β-sheet structure

AbstractLeucine-rich repeats (LRRs) are 22–28 amino acid-long sequence motifs found in a family of cytoplasmic, membrane and extracellular proteins. There is evidence that LRRs function in signal transduction, cellular adhesion and protein-protein interactions. Here we report unusual properties of a synthetic LRR peptide derived from the sequence of the Drosophila membrane receptor Toll. In neutral solution the peptide forms a gel revealed by electron microscopy to consist of extended filaments approximately 8 nm in thickness. As the gel forms, the circular dichroism spectrum of the peptide solution changes from one characteristic of random coil to one associated with β-sheet structures. Molecular modelling suggests that the peptides form an amphipathic structure with a predominantly apolar and charged surface. Based on these results, models for the gross structure of the peptide filaments and a possible molecular mechanism for cellular adhesion are proposed