A Review of Epistemology and Subject Areas in MIS Research

The purpose of this paper is to classify the most cited papers in Management Information Systems (MIS) by theoretical perspective and subject area. The determination of the underlying theoretical perspective of these papers facilitates and verifies the dominance of positivist perspectives. Our analysis indicates that 74% of the most cited articles are positivist and 26% are interpretivist. The presence of a significant percentage of interpretive work suggests that differing theoretical perspectives are being considered relevant to solving the problems identified in the current research streams. Our results also indicated User Satisfaction and Instrument Development and Group Support Systems as the most cited articles subject areas, 16% and 14% respectively. The significance of these subject areas promotes and supports that systems is the foundation of MIS

Public Impact-Focused Research Survey Results

The Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) Council on Research (COR) led an initiative to define, identify, and develop a recommended path forward for public impact research (PIR). A survey was conducted of APLU institution in order to: To characterize the extent of public impact research (PIR) occurring at APLU institutions. To understand how institutions (or leaders within institutions) think about, define, and communicate about this type of work. To provide perspectives about the challenges, opportunities, and rewards that may be associated with this type of scholarship. Responses were received from a diverse set of seventy public and land grant universities (APLU total membership was 239 universities at the time of this survey). Research expenditures at responding institutions ranged from $5 million to over$1 billion in FY 2017, and respondents included Hispanic-serving institutions, historically black universities, IEP-designated universities, and were received from 26 US states and one Canadian province. This document contains the complete set of de-identified responses to the survey. The intent is to make this broadly available and accessible to individuals or groups who may want to further analyze or use these results

Assessment of methods for amino acid matrix selection and their use on empirical data shows that ad hoc assumptions for choice of matrix are not justified

BACKGROUND: In recent years, model based approaches such as maximum likelihood have become the methods of choice for constructing phylogenies. A number of authors have shown the importance of using adequate substitution models in order to produce accurate phylogenies. In the past, many empirical models of amino acid substitution have been derived using a variety of different methods and protein datasets. These matrices are normally used as surrogates, rather than deriving the maximum likelihood model from the dataset being examined. With few exceptions, selection between alternative matrices has been carried out in an ad hoc manner. RESULTS: We start by highlighting the potential dangers of arbitrarily choosing protein models by demonstrating an empirical example where a single alignment can produce two topologically different and strongly supported phylogenies using two different arbitrarily-chosen amino acid substitution models. We demonstrate that in simple simulations, statistical methods of model selection are indeed robust and likely to be useful for protein model selection. We have investigated patterns of amino acid substitution among homologous sequences from the three Domains of life and our results show that no single amino acid matrix is optimal for any of the datasets. Perhaps most interestingly, we demonstrate that for two large datasets derived from the proteobacteria and archaea, one of the most favored models in both datasets is a model that was originally derived from retroviral Pol proteins. CONCLUSION: This demonstrates that choosing protein models based on their source or method of construction may not be appropriate

Health behavior change in advance care planning: an agent-based model

Abstract Background A practical and ethical challenge in advance care planning research is controlling and intervening on human behavior. Additionally, observing dynamic changes in advance care planning (ACP) behavior proves difficult, though tracking changes over time is important for intervention development. Agent-based modeling (ABM) allows researchers to integrate complex behavioral data about advance care planning behaviors and thought processes into a controlled environment that is more easily alterable and observable. Literature to date has not addressed how best to motivate individuals, increase facilitators and reduce barriers associated with ACP. We aimed to build an ABM that applies the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change to ACP as a health behavior and accurately reflects: 1) the rates at which individuals complete the process, 2) how individuals respond to barriers, facilitators, and behavioral variables, and 3) the interactions between these variables. Methods We developed a dynamic ABM of the ACP decision making process based on the stages of change posited by the Transtheoretical Model. We integrated barriers, facilitators, and other behavioral variables that agents encounter as they move through the process. Results We successfully incorporated ACP barriers, facilitators, and other behavioral variables into our ABM, forming a plausible representation of ACP behavior and decision-making. The resulting distributions across the stages of change replicated those found in the literature, with approximately half of participants in the action-maintenance stage in both the model and the literature. Conclusions Our ABM is a useful method for representing dynamic social and experiential influences on the ACP decision making process. This model suggests structural interventions, e.g. increasing access to ACP materials in primary care clinics, in addition to improved methods of data collection for behavioral studies, e.g. incorporating longitudinal data to capture behavioral dynamics

Probing the extragalactic fast transient sky at minute timescales with DECam

Searches for optical transients are usually performed with a cadence of days to weeks, optimised for supernova discovery. The optical fast transient sky is still largely unexplored, with only a few surveys to date having placed meaningful constraints on the detection of extragalactic transients evolving at sub-hour timescales. Here, we present the results of deep searches for dim, minute-timescale extragalactic fast transients using the Dark Energy Camera, a core facility of our all-wavelength and all-messenger Deeper, Wider, Faster programme. We used continuous 20s exposures to systematically probe timescales down to 1.17 minutes at magnitude limits $g > 23$ (AB), detecting hundreds of transient and variable sources. Nine candidates passed our strict criteria on duration and non-stellarity, all of which could be classified as flare stars based on deep multi-band imaging. Searches for fast radio burst and gamma-ray counterparts during simultaneous multi-facility observations yielded no counterparts to the optical transients. Also, no long-term variability was detected with pre-imaging and follow-up observations using the SkyMapper optical telescope. We place upper limits for minute-timescale fast optical transient rates for a range of depths and timescales. Finally, we demonstrate that optical $g$-band light curve behaviour alone cannot discriminate between confirmed extragalactic fast transients such as prompt GRB flashes and Galactic stellar flares.Comment: Published in MNRA

The Grizzly, February 19, 2015

College Hopes to Expand • Ursinus Celebrates Black History Month • Tensions in North Hall Grow • Influenza Poses its Yearly Threat to Ursinus Students • Art Department Will Sojourn to D.C. • Sing-Along Hits Home • Pre-Med UC Alum Joins Montco Police Force • Opinion: Stress Management Should be Required; Pinnacle of the Booty in Today\u27s Society • Richie Schulz Leading Men\u27s Track • Taking the Plungehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1924/thumbnail.jp