THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMPUTER AND INTERNET-BASED SYSTEM IN A SHORT-TERM BEHAVIORAL WEIGHT LOSS INTERVENTION

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMPUTER AND INTERNET-BASED SYSTEM IN A SHORT-TERM BEHAVIORAL WEIGHT LOSS INTERVENTIONKristen M. Polzien, PhD.University of Pittsburgh, 2005Computer and Internet-assisted weight loss interventions offer alternative delivery channels that might increase program appeal and potentially increase weight loss success. To date research focused on these innovative techniques is limited. PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness adding a technology-based intervention component to an in-person, 12-week clinically-based behavioral weight loss intervention. METHODS: Fifty-seven subjects (body mass index = 33.1+/-2.8 kg/m2; age = 41.3+/-8.7 yrs) participated in a 12-week intervention with random assignment to Standard Behavioral Program (SBWP), Intermittent Technology-Based Program (INT-TECH), or Continuous Technology-Based Program (CON-TECH). SBWP received an individual weight loss session at weeks 1-4, 6, 8, and 10, prescribed a diet of 1200-1500 kcal/d, and exercise progressing from 20-40 min/d on 5 days/wk. INT-TECH and CON-TECH received the components of SBWP, however, these groups also used a SenseWear Pro Armband (BodyMedia, Inc.) to monitor energy expenditure and a web-based program to monitor eating behaviors. INT-TECH used these features during weeks 1, 5, and 9, with CON-TECH using these features throughout the 12-week intervention. Outcomes included body weight, percent body fat, and cardiorespiratory fitness. RESULTS: Fifty subjects completed the investigation (88%). Intent-to-treat analysis revealed weight loss of 4.1+/-2.8 kg (4.6 +/-2.8%), 3.4+/-3.4 kg (3.8+/-3.8%), and 6.2+/-4.0 kg (7.1+/-4.6%), for the SBWP, INT-TECH, and CON-TECH groups, respectively (CON-TECH greater than INT-TECH, p less than/equal to 0.05). Percent body fat was significantly decreased in CON-TECH (-4.1+/-2.9%) when compared to both SBWP (-1.6+/-1.5%) and INT-TECH (-1.6+/-1.7%) (p less than/equal to 0.05). Cardiorespiratory fitness significantly increased in all groups by 14%, 3%, and 5% in SBWP, INT-TECH, and CON-TECH, respectively; p less than 0.01), with no significant group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that a technology-based program that is used continuous over a 12-week intervention and is complimentary to a clinically-based in-person intervention improves weight loss by approximately 3% compared to a SBWP that does not use these technology features or by approximately 3.7% compare to INT-TECH uses the technology features only intermittently during the intervention. Considering these short-term results, future studies should examine the impact of adding these technology features to a SBWP on long-term weight loss outcomes, and for whom technology-based programs are most effective

Topological restrictions in Lorentzian geometry: a survey

It is well know that globally hyperbolic solutions (M,g) of the Einstein field equations in general relativity may have initial data Cauchy hypersurfaces with any topology. However, some restrictions on the fundamental group of M can arise from the causal structure if either all inextendible causal geodesics in (M,g) are complete or if one assumes that M has a boundary with suitable properties. I shall review a number of such "topological censorship" results and discuss some open issues.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Identifying target for technology mergers and acquisitions using patent information and semantic analysis

Technology plays an increasingly important role in today’s enterprise competition. Technology mergers and acquisitions (Tech M&A), as an effective way to acquire the external technology resources rapidly, have attracted attention from researchers for their potential realization of value through synergy. A big challenge is how to identify appropriate targets to support the effective technology integration. In this study, we developed a model of target selection of Tech M&A from the perspective of technology relatedness and R&D capability. We present results for the Tech M&A case in China’s cloud computing industr

- CLASSIFYING HIGH TECH NEW VENTURES BY PERFORMANCE: THE MARKET-TECHNOLOGICAL- ENTREPRENEURIAL MATRIX

This is an exploratory insight into the profile and prospects of growth and success attached to one category of firms, known as "New Technology Based Firms (NTBFs), the socalled high-tech and innovative new ventures. With this study we are willing to furnish a new methodological tool instrumental to position any firm characterised by being relatively recent and specialising in high-tech fields or at least, in activities with large scope for innovation. So, we intend to make a methodological contribution to theory in the entrepreneurship field, through an empirical exercise.Analysis of our empirically based data leads us to a new Matrix we call Market-Technology-Entrepreneurial Matrix, whose 8 three-dimensional quadrants serve to classify high- tech new ventures by performance. A Factorial Analysis coupled with a Discriminate Analysis are the statistical tools employed in obtaining the M-T-E Matrix and incorporating predictive capacity to it. El presente estudio, de carácter exploratorio, es una incursión en torno al perfil y perspectivas decrecimiento y éxito, asociados a una categoría de empresas conocidas como New TechnologyBased Firms (NTBFs), las cuales desarrollan actividades altamente innovadoras y habitualmentepertenecientes a sectores de tecnología avanzada. Nuestro propósito radica en desarrollar una nuevaherramienta metodológica que resulte útil para posicionar competitivamente, de manera aproximada,a cualquier compañía con el perfil NTBF: reciente, innovadora e intensiva en tecnologías avanzadas.Tras aplicar la técnica estadística del análisis factorial, hemos obtenido una Matriz que denominamosMatriz Mercado-Tecnología-Emprendedor, cuyos 8 cuadrantes tridimensionales posicionan lascompañías high-tech según sus fortalezas y debilidades y perspectivas de competitividad.Finalmente, mediante el empleo de la técnica estadística del análisis discriminante, hemos podidoincorporar capacidad predictiva a la Matriz.high tech, funcionamiento, matriz. high-tech, performance, matrix.

Do Differing Enrichment Methodologies Affect the Belowground Productivity of Spartina Alterniflora?

Mariana E. Penny and Stephanie W. Plaisance are students in Environmental Science at Louisiana Tech University. Nathan Hammond is a student in Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University. Jennifer M. Hill is an Assistant Professor in Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University

The Effect of Mergers and Acquisitions on the Technological Performance of Companies in a High-tech Environment

A large part of the literature from industrial organisation and management expects that, compared with unrelated M&As, related M&As show superior economic performance because of synergetic effects that follow from economies of scale and scope. The current contribution takes the debate on the effect of different M&As somewhat further by studying the effect of M&As on the technological performance of companies. In this study the technological performance of M&As is related to a high-tech sector, i.e. the computer industry. The main result of this research is that the so called strategic and organisational fit between companies involved in M&As seem to play an important role in improving the technological performance of companies.management and organization theory ;

Is Tech M&A Value-Additive?

Given rising M&A deal volume across all high-tech subsectors, the ability to measure post-acquisition performance becomes critical. Despite this growth, the relevant academic literature is severely lacking (Kohers and Kohers 2000). Using an event-study approach, I find that acquirers and targets both realize statistically significant day-0 abnormal returns (1.23% [p\u3c0.1] and 8.1% [p\u3c0.01], respectively). As positive stock returns signal positive growth prospects in a semi-strong efficient market, AR regressions found that firms\u27 technological relatedness, deal financing, purchase price premiums, and the relative book to market ratio, explained most variance. Overall, high-tech transactions are value-additive for both targets and acquirers

That Water Stinks! Will Changes in Water Quality Alter Blue Crab Response to Pesticides?

Nathan Hammond, Allen Schaefer, and Sophie Bott are students in Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University. Jennifer M. Hill is an Assistant Professor in Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University

Response of Eggplant to Integrated Approaches for Sustainable Reclamation and Improvement of a Cheringa Hot Spot of Acid Sulfate Soil

The application of basic slag (BS20 and BS30: basic slag 20 and 30 t ha-1) and aggregate size (A20 and A30: aggregate sizes of soil less than 20 and 20-30 mm) and different techniques (Tech 1: pyrite at top, jarosite at middle, and top soil at the bottom of ridge; Tech 2: top soil at top, pyrite at middle, and jarosite layer at the bottom of ridge) exerted significant (p≤0.05) positive effects on the growth and yield of eggplants cultivated under field condition and the effects varied not only with the kinds and amounts of amending materials but also with the techniques applied. The soil showed a silty clay loam texture, initial pH value of 4.1, pyrite content of 55 g kg-1, base saturation of 47%, ECe value of 3.6 dS m-1, high exchangeable Fe3+ and Al3+ contents of 1.47 and 5.29 cmolc kg-1, respectively. The pH value of the average soil data obtained from all the treatments during fruit set (95 days after transplantation) of eggplants was found to be increased in pH by 1.2 units higher compared with the control (i.e. initial pH value). The contents of P, K, Ca and Mg in the average soil data during fruit set were found to be increased (IOC = increased over control) by 41 to 127% IOC, while the contents of Al3+, Fe3+, Na+, Cl- and SO4 2- in the soil were found to be decreased by 28 to 92% IOC. The different treatments on eggplants grown under the modified-plain-ridge-ditch techniques in the Cheringa acid sulfate soil significantly (0≤0.05) increased the fresh yield of eggplants, and the increment was more pronounced with Tech 2. The maximum yield of 17.8 t ha-1 of eggplant for Tech 1 and 20.1 t ha-1 for Tech 2 were recorded by the application of BS30 in the soils of smaller aggregates (A20) at the ridges of Tech 2, followed by the A30BS30 treatments in both the techniques. The lowest quantity of 1.7 t ha-1 yield was recorded by the control treatment. The eggplants grown in the ridges of both the techniques exhibited the best responses on N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents in eggplant tissues during fruit set. As expected, the lowest contents of these nutrients in the eggplants were recorded in the control treatment. Sulfur content of the eggplants grown in the control plots was 3.6 g kg-1 and was in the range of adequate S content (4 g kg-1). However, the S contents in the eggplants grown in different treatments were significantly (p≤0.01) lower compared with the adequate level. The effectiveness of the treatments for the reclamation of the soil in relation to the growth of eggplants was: Tech 2 > Tech 1, BS30 > BS20, and A20 > A30. The results suggest that the physicochemical properties of the soil, and the growth, yield and nutrition of eggplants were strikingly improved by the application of flash leaching followed by BS30 and A20 treatments in the ridges of Tech 2, and are regarded as the best reclamation measures for this acid sulfate soil

Early Childhood Educators\u27 Self-Reported Food Insecurity Impact on Observed Classroom Food Environment

Peyton M. Percle is a research associate at the ENRICH Center, in the College of Applied and Natural Sciences at Louisiana Tech University. Emily A. Byley is a graduate student in the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University. Julie M. Rutledge is an Associate Professor in the School of Human Ecology, and the Director of ENRICH Center in the College of Applied and Natural Sciences, at Louisiana Tech University. Taren M. Swindle is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The abstract for their presentation Early Childhood Educators\u27 Self-Reported Food Insecurity Impact on Observed Classroom Food Environment can be downloaded by clicking on the blue download button