User and developer common knowledge: Effect on the success of information system development projects

Since Information Systems Development (ISD) project success is difficult to achieve and the literature has shown the relationship between IS developer skills and system success is mixed, this paper isolates and studies the knowledge shared by users and developers and its interaction with group solving practices that may lead to ISD project success. We evaluate developer’s knowledge of application domains and user knowledge of IS development along with the level of group problem solving among users and developers as related to the ultimate success of the project. A survey of 168 ISD professionals indicates that a combination of both user knowledge of IS development and IS developer knowledge of application domains had significant impact on successful project outcomes. The magnitude of this success is moderated by the level of group problem solving activities held by the project implementation teams. Up to a certain point, the more group problem solving interaction the more successful the project outcome. However, if knowledge redundancy is very high then exchange of knowledge is not so essential.     

Reorienting in Images of a Three-Dimensional Environment.

Adult humans searched for a hidden goal in images depicting 3-dimensional rooms. Images contained either featural cues, geometric cues, or both, which could be used to determine the correct location of the goal. In Experiment 1, participants learned to use featural and geometric information equally well. However, men and women showed significant differences in their use of distant featural cues and the spontaneous encoding of geometric information when trained with features present. Transformation tests showed that participants could use either the color or the shape of the features independently to locate the goal. Experiment 2 showed that participants could use either configural or surface geometry when searching for the goal. However, their weighing of these geometric cues was dependent on initial training experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exercise as a treatment for hypertension in low-socioeconomic-status Black children.

Low-socioeconomic-status (SES) Black children have a higher mean blood pressure than most other groups. The antihypertensive effects of a 12-week aerobic exercise program were examined on 11 low-SES Black children, ages 8–12, who had blood pressure above the 95th percentile. A multiple baseline across three groups of children with baseline and exercise conditions was conducted. After the introduction of the exercise program, there were significant decreases in diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Cardiovascular fitness improved concurrently. The results suggest that vigorous exercise can decrease the blood pressure of low-SES hypertensive Black children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterization of resistance patterns and detection of apramycin resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolated from swine exposed to various environmental conditions

Weaned pigs were separated into eight treatments including a control without exposure to apramycin; a control with exposure to apramycin; and apramycin plus either cold stress, heat stress, overcrowding, intermingling, poor sanitation, or intervention with oxytetracycline, to determine the effects of management and environmental conditions on antibiotic resistance among indigenous Escherichia coli. Pigs exposed to apramycin sulfate received that antibiotic in the feed at a concentration of 150 g/ton for 14 days. Environmental treatments were applied 5 days following initial antibiotic administration and maintained throughout the study. Fecal samples were obtained on day 0 (prior to antibiotic treatment) and on days 2, 7, 14, 28, 64, 148, and 149. E. coli were isolated and tested for resistance to apramycin using a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) broth microdilution method. Macrorestriction profiling, arbitrarily primed PCR, PCR targeting a gene coding for apramycin resistance, and DNA hybridization were used to characterize genetic elements of resistance. Increased (P<0.0001) resistance to apramycin was noted in E. coli from all treatment groups administered apramycin. MICs of isolates from control pigs receiving apramycin returned to pretreatment levels following removal of the antibiotic, whereas isolates from cold stress, overcrowding, and oxytetracycline groups expressed greater (P<0.05) MICs through day 64, before returning to pretreatment levels. Genetic analysis indicated that all resistant isolates carried the aac(3)IV gene sequence and this sequence was found in a variety of E. coli isotypes. Our data indicate that E. coli resistance to apramycin is increased upon exposure to various stressors.     

Characterization of magnetic soluble starch-functionalized carbon nanotubes and its application for the adsorption of the dyes

Soluble starch-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotube composites (MWCNT-starch) were prepared to improve the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of MWCNTs. Characterization of the MWCNT-starch by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG), showed that the starch component (about 14.3 wt%) was covalently grafted onto the surface of MWCNT. MWCNT-starch-iron oxide composites, intended for use as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions, were prepared by synthesizing iron oxide nanoparticles at the surface of MWCNT-starch. Starch acts as a template for growth of iron oxide nanoparticles which are uniformly dispersed on the surface of the MWCNT-starch. MWCNT-starch-iron oxide exhibits superparamagnetic properties with a saturation magnetization (23.15 emu/g) and better adsorption for anionic methyl orange (MO) and cationic methylene blue (MB) dyes than MWCNT-iron oxide.     

An Integrated Multi-Omic Network Analysis Identifies Seizure-Associated Dysregulated Pathways in the GAERS Model of Absence Epilepsy

Absence epilepsy syndromes are part of the genetic generalized epilepsies, the pathogenesis of which remains poorly understood, although a polygenic architecture is presumed. Current focus on single molecule or gene identification to elucidate epileptogenic drivers is unable to fully capture the complex dysfunctional interactions occurring at a genetic/proteomic/metabolomic level. Here, we employ a multi-omic, network-based approach to characterize the molecular signature associated with absence epilepsy-like phenotype seen in a well validated rat model of genetic generalized epilepsy with absence seizures. Electroencephalographic and behavioral data was collected from Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS, n = 6) and non-epileptic controls (NEC, n = 6), followed by proteomic and metabolomic profiling of the cortical and thalamic tissue of rats from both groups. The general framework of weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify groups of highly correlated proteins and metabolites, which were then functionally annotated through joint pathway enrichment analysis. In both brain regions a large protein-metabolite module was found to be highly associated with the GAERS strain, absence seizures and associated anxiety and depressive-like phenotype. Quantitative pathway analysis indicated enrichment in oxidative pathways and a downregulation of the lysine degradation pathway in both brain regions. GSTM1 and ALDH2 were identified as central regulatory hubs of the seizure-associated module in the somatosensory cortex and thalamus, respectively. These enzymes are involved in lysine degradation and play important roles in maintaining oxidative balance. We conclude that the dysregulated pathways identified in the seizure-associated module may be involved in the aetiology and maintenance of absence seizure activity. This dysregulated activity could potentially be modulated by targeting one or both central regulatory hubs.     

Reservoir yield assessment in a changing Scottish environment

The application of a variety of reservoir yield estimation methods is described against the background of a review of yield in Scotland. The study is timely, both in the context of the possible effects of climate change, the institutional re-organisation of the water industry world-wide--but originating largely from the UK-and the emerging issues of sustainability and the shift from supply to demand side management. To set the paper in context, the study was undertaken just prior to the transfer of responsibility for water supply from regional councils to new water authorities in 1996, and following the quinquennial Scottish Office Environment Department's survey of water resources in 1994. A comparative review of assessment methods was undertaken in order to recommend a flexible and consistent approach for single sources, but with a view to extending this to conjunctive schemes. A case study of Loch Bradan showed that the derivation of the inflow record and definition of the catchment boundary are at least as important as the yield assessment method itself.     

There is more to anger coping than "in" or "out".

There is growing dissatisfaction with a dichotomized "anger-in" versus "anger-out" view of anger coping. Three studies using student and community adult samples revealed a broader understanding of the nature of anger coping styles and led to the development of the new Behavioral Anger Response Questionnaire (BARQ). The BARQ is empirically derived and factorially validated and has good psychometrics. Results suggest that dichotomizing anger responses as "in" versus "out" is too coarse and that a 6-factor model may be more appropriate. The 6 factors identified here are Direct Anger-Out, Assertion, Support-Seeking, Diffusion, Avoidance, and Rumination. Women reported use of a wider range of anger coping styles, especially more social support-seeking and more use of anger diffusion strategies than men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)