4,266 research outputs found
Real-Time Search in the Laboratory and the Market
While widely accepted models of labor market search imply a constant reservation wage policy, the empirical evidence strongly suggests that reservation wages decline over the duration of a search spell. This paper reports the results of the first real-time search laboratory experiment. The controlled environment that subjects face is stationary, and the payoff-maximizing reservation wage is constant. Nevertheless, subjects' reservation wags decline sharply over time. We investigate two hypotheses to explain this decline: 1) searchers respond to the stock of accruing search costs, and 2) searchers experience nonstationary subjective costs of time spent searching. Our data support the latter hypothesis, and we substantiate this conclusion both experimentally and econometrically.Job Search; Reservation Wage; Experiment
Extending the CRESST-II commissioning run limits to lower masses
Motivated by the recent interest in light WIMPs of mass ~O(10 GeV), an
extension of the elastic, spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-section limits
resulting from the CRESST-II commissioning run (2007) are presented.
Previously, these data were used to set cross-section limits from 1000 GeV down
to ~17 GeV, using tungsten recoils, in 47.9 kg-days of exposure of calcium
tungstate. Here, the overlap of the oxygen and calcium bands with the
acceptance region of the commissioning run data set is reconstructed using
previously published quenching factors. The resulting elastic WIMP cross
section limits, accounting for the additional exposure of oxygen and calcium,
are presented down to 5 GeV.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
The New Digital Media: Opportunities for Church Sound Recording, Songwriting, and Music Publishing
The new digital media, particularly streaming music, has made the original record industry model antiquated. Now it is possible for independent artists to be their own label and publisher and through streaming platforms, have a national or global reach. This new model also applies to churches with some church leaders considering beginning a songwriting ministry and producing original worship music, Church record labels are not new; in fact, there is precedent for this extending back to the Jesus Movement of the late sixties. Although research and literature covering changes in the old music paradigm and new opportunities are plentiful, there is little written about the feasibility of non-megachurches becoming independent labels. The purpose of this study is to compile and aggregate research from various literary sources and present them in such a way that medium-sized churches can make an informed decision about starting a music label or employ strategies for success if they already do. The data collected will be from books, periodicals, dissertations, and articles written within the past five years and it will cover such things as the current state of the music industry, the nature of digital streaming as it applies to distribution and music publishing, the history of church music labels, the theology of songwriting, and the practical implementation of a songwriting and production ministry. The research approach will be qualitative because there is a need for more exploration of the question. The information presented is intended to benefit medium-sized churches considering a songwriting ministry
Pettit National Ice Center Public Skate Participation Survey
This research project seeks to identify areas that the Pettit National Ice Center can address in order to increase customer satisfaction, thereby transforming infrequent users into repeat clientele. One hundred-fifty individuals were surveyed utilizing a mixed methods approach which produced qualitative and quantitative results for analysis. Key recommendations for the Pettit National Ice Center include providing improved customer service, improving the appearance and quality of equipment inside the facility, increasing its online presence, and identifying potential revenue generators
Bayesian Spatial Binary Regression for Label Fusion in Structural Neuroimaging
Many analyses of neuroimaging data involve studying one or more regions of
interest (ROIs) in a brain image. In order to do so, each ROI must first be
identified. Since every brain is unique, the location, size, and shape of each
ROI varies across subjects. Thus, each ROI in a brain image must either be
manually identified or (semi-) automatically delineated, a task referred to as
segmentation. Automatic segmentation often involves mapping a previously
manually segmented image to a new brain image and propagating the labels to
obtain an estimate of where each ROI is located in the new image. A more recent
approach to this problem is to propagate labels from multiple manually
segmented atlases and combine the results using a process known as label
fusion. To date, most label fusion algorithms either employ voting procedures
or impose prior structure and subsequently find the maximum a posteriori
estimator (i.e., the posterior mode) through optimization. We propose using a
fully Bayesian spatial regression model for label fusion that facilitates
direct incorporation of covariate information while making accessible the
entire posterior distribution. We discuss the implementation of our model via
Markov chain Monte Carlo and illustrate the procedure through both simulation
and application to segmentation of the hippocampus, an anatomical structure
known to be associated with Alzheimer's disease.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figure
Towards a formative assessment of classroom competencies (FACCs) for postgraduate medical trainees
Background
An assumption of clinical competency is no longer acceptable or feasible in routine clinical practice. We sought to determine the feasibility, practicability and efficacy of undertaking a formal assessment of clinical competency for all postgraduate medical trainees in a large NHS foundation trust.
Methods
FY1 doctors were asked to complete a questionnaire to determine prior experience and self reported confidence in performing the GMC core competencies. From this a consensus panel of key partners considered and developed an 8 station
Objective
Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) circuit to assess clinical competencies in all training grade medical staff... The OSCE was then administered to all training grade doctors as part of their NHS trust induction process.
Results
106 (87.6% of all trainees) participated in the assessment during the first 14 days of appointment. Candidates achieved high median raw percentage scores for the majority of stations however analysis of pre defined critical errors and omissions identified important areas for concern. Performance of newly qualified FY1 doctor was significantly better than other grades for the arterial blood gas estimation and nasogastric tube insertion stations.
Discussion
Delivering a formal classroom assessment of clinical competencies to all trainees as part of the induction process was both feasible and useful. The assessment identified areas of concern for future training and also served to reassure as to the proficiency of trainees in undertaking the majority of core competencies
A Review of Undergraduate Athletic Training Program Entrance Requirements.
Purpose: Athletic Training (AT) education is undergoing a major change with the transition to the professional Masterâs degree. This evolution provides opportunity for faculty to reassess programmatic requirements. Admissions criteria is the first benchmark set for students and may predict future success. Currently, there is no evidence describing common AT entrance requirements. Objective(s): To determine current practices in AT admissions, establish best practices for developing admissions criteria, and discuss the potential impact of the transition to professional masterâs degree on the admissions process.
Methods: Design: Cross-Sectional Study. Setting(s): Web-based survey in the fall of 2014. Participant(s): 361 undergraduate program directors received the survey; 117 (32.4%) responded. Intervention(s): The survey consisted of 28 questions: 15 demographics questions and 13 questions relating to: Academic structure (1 question), Program admissions procedures (5 questions), and Selection Process (7 questions). Main Outcome Measure(s): Descriptive statistics were calculated for each variable.
Results: There were 117 responses, representing all 10 NATA districts. Ninety-seven percent (n=114) use a secondary admission process. Additionally, the majority of programs (n=94, 89.5%) reported using a combination of GPA data when making admissions decisions (i.e. major GPA and overall GPA). Seventy-two percent (n=84) of programs require clinical experience hours (mean 47.64 ±33.68) prior to admission. Personal attributes were assessed through the use of interviews, essays, and other written documents.
Conclusions: There are many factors that may affect a programâs outcome. However, it all begins with the individual programâs admission process. To strengthen the programâs quality, faculty members must review their current admission criteria to ensure each requirement is purposeful, relevant, and non-discriminatory
Crystallographic and magnetic identification of secondary phase in orientated Bi5Fe0.5Co0.5Ti3O15 ceramics
Oxide materials which exhibit both ferroelectricity
and ferromagnetism are of great interest for sensors and memory
applications. Layered bismuth titanates with an Aurivillius
structure, (BiFeO3)nBi4Ti3O12, can possess ferroelectric and
ferromagnetic order parameters simultaneously. It has recently
been demonstrated that one such example,
Bi5Fe0.5Co0.5Ti3O15,where n = 1 with half the Fe3+ sites substituted
by Co3+ ions, exhibits both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic
properties at room temperature. Here we report the fabrication
of highly-oriented polycrystalline ceramics of this material,
prepared via molten salt synthesis and uniaxial pressing of high
aspect ratio platelets. Electron backscatter images showed that
there is a secondary phase within the ceramic matrix which is
rich in cobalt and iron, hence this secondary phase could
contribute in the main phase ferromagnetic property. The
concentration of the secondary phase obtained from secondary
electron microscopy is estimated at less than 2.5 %, below the
detection limit of XRD. TEM was used to identify the
crystallographic structure of the secondary phase, which was
shown to be cobalt ferrite, CoFe2O4. It is inferred from the data
that the resultant ferromagnetic response identified using VSM
measurements was due to the presence of the minor secondary
phase. The Remanent magnetization at room temperature was
Mr â 76 memu/g which dropped down to almost zero (Mr â 0.8
memu/g) at 460 oC, far lower than the anticipated for CoFe2O4
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