From Measurement to Ownership: The Evolution and Organizational Implications of Modern Performance Management

[Excerpt] At the core of performance management and human resources more generally is the idea that people make the difference in organizations. Research has shown time and time again that effective deployment of human capital is a key differentiator in business. People, and more specifically their distinct knowledge and skills, function as the most reliable source of competitive advantage for companies in today’s economy. Realizing the need for continual development of the workforce, American companies spent an estimated total of $164.2 billion, or$1,196 per employee, on workforce training and development in 2012. Effective performance management has the ability to significantly enhance such development efforts; employees could increase their productivity by as much as 26% under effective performance management systems. As companies strive to do more with less, properly designed and executed performance management functions as an essential mechanism for increasing employee productivity and continually improving business results

Psychologische und genetische Prädiktorvariablen der Noceboantwort nach der Einnahme von Ciclosporin A und Placebos

Nocebo-induced side effects play a significant role in drug discontinuation in clinical practice, thereby negatively affecting treatment efficacy as well as patient adherence and compliance. Due to the large interindividual variability in nocebo responses, the goal of this thesis was to identify nocebo predictors in order to minimize nocebo effects and increase medical treatment benefits for patients. Psychological predictors, such as beliefs about medicines and somatosensory amplifica- tion have previously been linked to nocebo responses; however, to this date there are no known biological predictors. Recently, genetic polymorphisms in the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) Val158Met have been identified as potential biomarkers of placebo responses. Utilizing the unique model of behaviorally conditioned immunosuppressive effects, intra-individual nocebo responses of 62 healthy male subjects were analyzed after the intake of an immunosuppressive medication (CsA) and “Placebos”. Psychological, immunological and neuroendocrine parameters were analyzed and CsA- specific and general side effects were assessed before and after medication or “Placebo” intake. The three COMT genotypes were analyzed with respect to their experienced side effects. Significantly more CsA-specific as well as general side effects were reported from Val/Val carriers during medication and “Placebo” treatment compared to the other genotype groups; and they had significantly higher scores in the somatosensory amplification scale (SSAS) and the BMQ (beliefs about medicine questionnaire). Together these data demonstrate potential psychological and genetic nocebo predictor variables. They may be utilized in decreasing adverse nocebo effects within medical contexts by implementing personal treatment regimens for individuals with a heightened risk of developing nocebo responses.Durch den Noceboeffekt ausgelöste Nebenwirkungen spielen eine signifikante Rolle bei dem Unterbrechen der Einnahme von Medikamenten im klinischen Alltag. Dadurch kann die Behandlungseffizienz, sowie die Befolgung und Einhaltung einer klinischen Behandlung negativ beeinflusst werden. Aufgrund der großen interindividuellen Variabilität der Noceboantwort, war das Ziel dieser Dissertation, Noceboprädiktoren zu identifizieren, um Noceboeffekte zu vermindern und den medizinischen Nutzen der Behandlung für Patienten zu erhöhen. Psychologische Prädiktoren, wie Einstellungen gegenüber Medikamenten und die somatosensorische Amplifizierung wurden zuvor mit Noceboeffekten in Verbindung gebracht. Bisher gibt es jedoch keine biologischen Prädiktoren. Kürzlich wurden genetische Polymorphismen im Catechol-O-methyltransferase Gen (COMT) Val158Met als potentielle Biomarker der Placeboantwort identifiziert. Das Studienmodel, welches behaviorale konditionierte immunsuppressive Effekte misst, wurde genutzt, um intraindividuelle Noceboantworten von 62 gesunden, männlichen Studienteilnehmern nach der Einnahme eines Immunsuppressivums (CsA) und „Placebos“ zu analysieren. Psychologische, immunologische und neuroendokrine Parameter wurden analysiert und CsA-spezifische und allgemeine Nebenwirkungen wurden vor und nach der Medikamenten- und Placeboeinnahme erhoben. Die drei COMT Genotypen wurden anhand ihrer berichteten Nebenwirkungen analysiert. Individuen mit der Val/Val Form berichteten signifikant mehr allgemeine, als auch CsA-spezifische Nebenwirkungen, sowohl nach der CsA- als auch nach der Placeboeinnahme. Bemerkenswerterweise waren die CsA-spezifischen Nebenwirkungen doppelt so hoch nach der Einnahme von Placebos. Zusätzlich hatten sie die höchsten Werte bezüglich der somatosensorischen Amplifizierung (SSAS), sowie die negativste Krankheitsgeschichte (BMQ; beliefs about medicine questionnaire). Mit dieser Arbeit konnten nicht nur psychologische Prädiktorvariablen für den Noceboeffekt identifiziert, sondern auch zum ersten Mal gezeigt werden, dass Genpolymorphismen einen Einfluss auf die Noceboantwort haben können. Durch diese Prädiktoren identifizierte Individuen könnten eine personalisierte Behandlung erhalten, um die Effizienz von Medikamenten und das Wohlbefinden von Patienten zu verbessern

Better Student Success through Better Accessibility

This is the supplemental slide presentation that accompanied a presentation detailing accessibility services offered to students with diverse needs at Parkland College

Aislamiento y caracterización de bacterias endosimbióticas procedentes de suelos contaminados por cobre en Chile

El uso intensivo de compuestos de cobre como herbicidas y fungicidas provoca la contaminación de suelos de uso agrícola debido a la acumulación de este metal en las capas más superficiales del suelo. Se sabe que la presencia de cobre y otros metales pesados afecta negativamente a las interacciones simbióticas que se establecen entre bacterias diazotróficas de los géneros Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium y Bradyrhizobium y leguminosas de interés agrícola (Laguerre et al., 2006). El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar la diversidad de cepas endosimbióticas de leguminosas en suelos agrícolas chilenos que presentan un elevado contenido en cobre como resultado de la contaminación con residuos de extracciones mineras. Además, se pretende caracterizar el nivel de resistencia a cobre en las cepas aisladas con objeto de identificar aquellas altamente eficientes que puedan ser utilizadas como inoculantes microbianos. Para ello, se han prospectado 9 suelos agrícolas de las regiones III, V y VI de Chile con contenidos muy variables de metales. Utilizando estos suelos como inóculos de plantas trampa de leguminosas se ha obtenido una colección de 362 cepas aisladas de nódulos de guisante (Pisum sativum), judía (Phaseolus vulgaris) y alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Los análisis filogenéticos y los ensayos de resistencia a cobre realizados han permitido caracterizar y seleccionar aquellas cepas con mayores niveles de resistencia a este metal. Los resultados demuestran que los suelos altamente contaminados por cobre poseen una menor diversidad de bacterias endosimbióticas; las cepas más resistentes han sido aisladas de los suelos con niveles de contaminación intermedia. Los análisis fenotípicos y moleculares realizados sobre las cepas más resistentes han demostrado la existencia de sistemas de resistencia a cobre inducibles por este metal y potencialmente implicados en su homeostasis

Conservation of endangered Lupinus mariae-josephae in its natural habitat by inoculation with selected, native Bradyrhizobium strains

Lupinus mariae-josephae is a recently discovered endemism that is only found in alkaline-limed soils, a unique habitat for lupines, from a small area in Valencia region (Spain). In these soils, L. mariae-josephae grows in just a few defined patches, and previous conservation efforts directed towards controlled plant reproduction have been unsuccessful. We have previously shown that L. mariae-josephae plants establish a specific root nodule symbiosis with bradyrhizobia present in those soils, and we reasoned that the paucity of these bacteria in soils might contribute to the lack of success in reproducing plants for conservation purposes. Greenhouse experiments using L. mariae-josephae trap-plants showed the absence or near absence of L. mariae-josephae-nodulating bacteria in ‘‘terra rossa’’ soils of Valencia outside of L. mariaejosephae plant patches, and in other ‘‘terra rossa’’ or alkaline red soils of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands outside of the Valencia L. mariae-josephae endemism region. Among the bradyrhizobia able to establish an efficient symbiosis with L. mariae-josephae plants, two strains, LmjC and LmjM3 were selected as inoculum for seed coating. Two planting experiments were carried out in consecutive years under natural conditions in areas with edapho-climatic characteristics identical to those sustaining natural L. mariae-josephae populations, and successful reproduction of the plant was achieved. Interestingly, the successful reproductive cycle was absolutely dependent on seedling inoculation with effective bradyrhizobia, and optimal performance was observed in plants inoculated with LmjC, a strain that had previously shown the most efficient behavior under controlled conditions. Our results define conditions for L. mariae-josephae conservation and for extension to alkaline-limed soil habitats, where no other known lupine can thrive

Isolation and characterization of endosymbiotic bacteria from copper contaminated soils in Chile

Legume endosymbiotic bacteria indigenous of copper (Cu)-contaminated soils from Chile have been isolated using pea (Pisum sativum), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as trap host plants. Highly contaminated soils only produced nodules in certain legume hosts, whereas nodulation was observed in the three legume hosts when inoculated with soils containing a low Cu concentration. A collection of 362 strains was isolated, and their levels of Cu resistance were tested in media supplemented with increasing metal concentrations and in disk diffusion assays. By these two approaches, 84 strains displaying levels of Cu resistance higher than those exhibited by the corresponding reference strains were selected. The most resistant strains isolated from alfalfa and bean nodules grew normally at 3 mM and 2.5 mM CuSO4 and were obtained from two different highly contaminated soils. Strains nodulating pea plants showed similar levels of resistance to Cu (2-2.5 mM CuSO4) and were isolated from low-contaminated soils. Our data suggest a reduction of microbial diversity in agricultural Cu-contaminated soils from Chil

Determining Structure-Activity Relationships in Oxide Derived CuSn Catalysts During CO2 Electroreduction Using X-Ray Spectroscopy

The development of earth-abundant catalysts for selective electrochemical CO2 conversion is a central challenge. Cu-Sn bimetallic catalysts can yield selective CO2 reduction toward either CO or formate. This study presents oxide-derived Cu-Sn catalysts tunable for either product and seeks to understand the synergetic effects between Cu and Sn causing these selectivity trends. The materials undergo significant transformations under CO2 reduction conditions, and their dynamic bulk and surface structures are revealed by correlating observations from multiple methods—X-ray absorption spectroscopy for in situ study, and quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for surface sensitivity. For both types of catalysts, Cu transforms to metallic Cu0 under reaction conditions. However, the Sn speciation and content differ significantly between the catalyst types: the CO-selective catalysts exhibit a surface Sn content of 13 at. % predominantly present as oxidized Sn, while the formate-selective catalysts display an Sn content of ≈70 at. % consisting of both metallic Sn0 and Sn oxide species. Density functional theory simulations suggest that Snδ+ sites weaken CO adsorption, thereby enhancing CO selectivity, while Sn0 sites hinder H adsorption and promote formate production. This study reveals the complex dependence of catalyst structure, composition, and speciation with electrochemical bias in bimetallic Cu catalysts

Building Natural Product Libraries Using Quantitative Clade-Based and Chemical Clustering Strategies

The success of natural product-based drug discovery is predicated on having chemical collections that offer broad coverage of metabolite diversity. We propose a simple set of tools combining genetic barcoding and metabolomics to help investigators build natural product libraries aimed at achieving predetermined levels of chemical coverage. It was found that such tools aided in identifying overlooked pockets of chemical diversity within taxa, which could be useful for refocusing collection strategies. We have used fungal isolates identified as Alternaria from a citizen-science-based soil collection to demonstrate the application of these tools for assessing and carrying out predictive measurements of chemical diversity in a natural product collection. Within Alternaria, different subclades were found to contain nonequivalent levels of chemical diversity. It was also determined that a surprisingly modest number of isolates (195 isolates) was sufficient to afford nearly 99% of Alternaria chemical features in the data set. However, this result must be considered in the context that 17.9% of chemical features appeared in single isolates, suggesting that fungi like Alternaria might be engaged in an ongoing process of actively exploring nature’s metabolic landscape. Our results demonstrate that combining modest investments in securing internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based sequence information (i.e., establishing gene-based clades) with data from liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (i.e., generating feature accumulation curves) offers a useful route to obtaining actionable insights into chemical diversity coverage trends in a natural product library. It is anticipated that these outcomes could be used to improve opportunities for accessing bioactive molecules that serve as the cornerstone of natural product-based drug discovery.Open Access fees paid for in whole or in part by the University of Oklahoma Libraries.Ye

CERN’s beam instrumentation R&D study for FCC-ee

The Future Circular Collider (FCC) R&D study was started in 2021 as a comprehensive feasibility analysis of CERN’s future accelerator project encompassing technical, administrative and financial aspects. As part of the study, Beam Instrumentation (BI) is a key technical infrastructure that will have to face unprecedented challenges. In the case of electron-positron FCC-ee, these are represented, among others, by the size of the accelerator, the amount of radiation produced along the ring and in machine-detector interaction region, the presence of the top-up booster and collider ring in the same tunnel. In this contribution we will present the current FCC-ee BI study and discuss its status and perspectives

Effect of natalizumab on disease progression in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (ASCEND). a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with an open-label extension

Background: Although several disease-modifying treatments are available for relapsing multiple sclerosis, treatment effects have been more modest in progressive multiple sclerosis and have been observed particularly in actively relapsing subgroups or those with lesion activity on imaging. We sought to assess whether natalizumab slows disease progression in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, independent of relapses. Methods: ASCEND was a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (part 1) with an optional 2 year open-label extension (part 2). Enrolled patients aged 18–58 years were natalizumab-naive and had secondary progressive multiple sclerosis for 2 years or more, disability progression unrelated to relapses in the previous year, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 3·0–6·5. In part 1, patients from 163 sites in 17 countries were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 300 mg intravenous natalizumab or placebo every 4 weeks for 2 years. Patients were stratified by site and by EDSS score (3·0–5·5 vs 6·0–6·5). Patients completing part 1 could enrol in part 2, in which all patients received natalizumab every 4 weeks until the end of the study. Throughout both parts, patients and staff were masked to the treatment received in part 1. The primary outcome in part 1 was the proportion of patients with sustained disability progression, assessed by one or more of three measures: the EDSS, Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), and 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT). The primary outcome in part 2 was the incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events. Efficacy and safety analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01416181. Findings: Between Sept 13, 2011, and July 16, 2015, 889 patients were randomly assigned (n=440 to the natalizumab group, n=449 to the placebo group). In part 1, 195 (44%) of 439 natalizumab-treated patients and 214 (48%) of 448 placebo-treated patients had confirmed disability progression (odds ratio [OR] 0·86; 95% CI 0·66–1·13; p=0·287). No treatment effect was observed on the EDSS (OR 1·06, 95% CI 0·74–1·53; nominal p=0·753) or the T25FW (0·98, 0·74–1·30; nominal p=0·914) components of the primary outcome. However, natalizumab treatment reduced 9HPT progression (OR 0·56, 95% CI 0·40–0·80; nominal p=0·001). In part 1, 100 (22%) placebo-treated and 90 (20%) natalizumab-treated patients had serious adverse events. In part 2, 291 natalizumab-continuing patients and 274 natalizumab-naive patients received natalizumab (median follow-up 160 weeks [range 108–221]). Serious adverse events occurred in 39 (13%) patients continuing natalizumab and in 24 (9%) patients initiating natalizumab. Two deaths occurred in part 1, neither of which was considered related to study treatment. No progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy occurred. Interpretation: Natalizumab treatment for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis did not reduce progression on the primary multicomponent disability endpoint in part 1, but it did reduce progression on its upper-limb component. Longer-term trials are needed to assess whether treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis might produce benefits on additional disability components. Funding: Biogen