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A popular approach for estimating location and dispersion effects in replicated designs under the common assumption of normal and independent errors is to use two linked generalized linear models (glms). This approach uses an asymptotic estimate for the variance of dispersion effect estimates and is very sensitive to the normality assumption. It is also possible to identify dispersion effects (after a logarithmic transformation) by using methods developed for identifying location effects in unreplicated designs. One such method is rather robust to the normality assumption but lacks power relative to the glm approach. We introduce a hybrid approach that strikes a balance between power and robustness when used for dispersion effect identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence shows that those with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are at higher risk for serious illness and mortality from COVID-19. In Kenya, about 50% of the COVID-19 patients who have died had an NCD. We sought to describe the challenges faced in accessing NCD medicines in Kenya during the pandemic, through a descriptive narrative informed by key stakeholders engaged in NCD service delivery and decision-making. Access to NCD medicines was affected at three levels, service delivery, health facility information systems and the medicines supply chain to health facilities. In response to these gaps, the Ministry of Health released clear directives and interim guidelines for continuity of NCD service delivery. However, implementation of guidelines was not apparent from conversations with county officials or from assessment of county services by the Ministry. Rather, heterogeneity was observed in counties' responsiveness to patient needs, where 5 out of 13 counties used mHealth technologies, while 5 had no established system to reach patients. COVID-19 amplified gaps that already existed in the system—particularly around lack of robust supply chains and sub-optimal health information systems. This descriptive paper will be useful to policy makers to provide a summary of the key challenges faced in accessing NCD medicines, identify gaps in medicines delivery, and make case for establishment of a more equitable health system to meet the needs of lower-income NCD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TAF4b is a gonadal-enriched subunit of the TFIID complex that is required for mouse fertility. TAF4b-deficient male mice undergo a complex series of developmental defects that result in the inability to maintain long-term spermatogenesis. To decipher the transcriptional mechanisms upon which TAF4b functions in spermatogenesis, we used two-hybrid screening to identify a novel TAF4b-interacting transcriptional cofactor, ZFP628. Deletion analysis of both proteins reveals discrete and novel domains of ZFP628 and TAF4b protein that function to bridge their direct interaction in vitro. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation of ZFP628 and TAF4b proteins in testis-derived protein extracts supports their endogenous association. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we disrupted the expression of ZFP628 in the mouse and uncovered a post-meiotic germ cell arrest at the round spermatid stage in the seminiferous tubules of the testis in ZFP628-deficient mice that results in male infertility. Coincident with round spermatid arrest, we find reduced mRNA expression of transition protein (Tnp1 and Tnp2) and protamine (Prm1 and Prm2) genes, which are critical for the specialized maturation of haploid male germ cells called spermiogenesis. These data delineate a novel association of two transcription factors, TAF4b and ZFP628, and identify ZFP628 as a novel transcriptional regulator of stage-specific spermiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of a selling mix designed to reach customers. As industrial firms increasingly experiment with and adopt new selling techniques such as national account management and telemarketing, they must find ways to integrate the new selling techniques with those already in use by the firm. The use of several personal selling techniques in a concerted effort to reach customers requires the development of a selling mix, which is an integrated, consistent combination of personal selling techniques, including face-to-face selling, telemarketing, national account management. National account management is a team approach to selling, usually combining sales and service or technical representation, used to provide high levels of customer service to large customers with complex service needs. Typically, national account teams are composed of a national account manager responsible for coordinating communication and service between the account and other members of the selling firm, including applications engineers and technicians required to provide necessary customer service. Managers seeking to install a new selling mix will find little published information on how to introduce several new selling methods simultaneously into an organization, although several authors have shown the effects of introducing a single new selling method into the organization.

Palmitate attenuates insulin secretion and reduces the viability of insulinproducing cells. Previous studies identified the aberrant palmitoylation or mispalmitoylation of proteins as one mechanism by which palmitate causes β-cell damage. In this report, we identify a role for lysosomal protein degradation as a mechanism by which β cells defend themselves against excess palmitate. The cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) is responsible for the trafficking of mannose 6-phosphate-tagged proteins to lysosomes via Golgi sorting and from extracellular locations through endocytosis. RINm5F cells, which are highly sensitive to palmitate, lack CI-MPR. The reconstitution of CI-MPR expression attenuates the induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the toxic effects of palmitate on RINm5F cell viability. INS832/13 cells express CI-MPR and are resistant to the palmitate-mediated loss of cell viability. The reduction of CI-MPR expression increases the sensitivity of INS832/13 cells to the toxic effects of palmitate treatment. The inhibition of lysosomal acid hydrolase activity by weak base treatment of islets under glucolipotoxic conditions causes islet degeneration that is prevented by the inhibition of protein palmitoylation. These findings indicate that defects in lysosomal function lead to the enhanced sensitivity of insulin-producing cells to palmitate and support a role for normal lysosomal function in the protection of β cells from excess palmitate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leflunomide is largely considered to be a second-line treatment option for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Those who fail to respond, tend to progress to treatment with expensive biological agents, which can also be associated with serious toxicities. Optimizing leflunomide treatment to meet the needs of individuals would hence be beneficial in terms of patient outcomes and health care expenditure. In this respect, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may be useful, as plasma concentrations of leflunomide's active metabolite, teriflunomide, correlate with response to treatment, but are highly variable between patients. A number of pharmacogenetic markers have also been identified that influence response and toxicity. Incorporation of these findings into clinical practice could facilitate more efficient use of leflunomide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Lactobacillus plantarum 299v is a probiotic bacterium effective in treating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. A mouse model of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be produced by rectal administration of 1% allyl isothiocyanate (oil of mustard) in 30% ethanol. This study examined the effect of L. plantarum 299v on colonic inflammation and motility in the oil of mustard model. L. plantarum 299v (1×109 cfu) was gavaged for up to 28 days, beginning either 7 days before (pretreatment) or 8 days after oil of mustard administration (post-treatment). Colonic interferon gamma (IFNγ) release as an assessment of the inflammatory response was measured at day 4 and day 20 following oil of mustard administration. Small intestinal transit was assessed via the dye-transit score technique at day 20. L. plantarum 299v reduced inflammation at both day 4 and day 20 and normalized intestinal transit rates in the oil of mustard murine IBS model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine nitrogen (N) has been traced into terrestrial and freshwater food chains at petrel (Aves: Procellariiformes) colonies on the South Island of New Zealand, but the effects of N or other marine-derived nutrients on the productivity of mainland forests are unknown. Mean ring widths in matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia; n = 3) and rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum; n = 2) trees growing in a Westland petrel (Procellaria westlandica) colony were 0.9-1.4 mm yr-1, similar to ring widths reported elsewhere. However, series of much wider rings in cores showed that trees in a petrel colony can experience periods of accelerated growth. δ15N values of whole wood were, at 3.2-11.1‰, significantly enriched in comparison to other temperate forest trees. The highest δ15N values were at the cambial and pith ends of different cores, so isotopic fractionation during N remobilisation is unlikely to have been significant. The radial extent of 15N enrichment suggests that petrels have bred at the site since at least the mid 18th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In observational studies of treatment effects, matched samples have traditionally been constructed using two tools, namely close matches on one or two key covariates and close matches on the propensity score to stochastically balance large numbers of covariates. Here we propose a third tool, fine balance, obtained using the assignment algorithm in a new way. We use all three tools to construct a matched sample for an ongoing study of provider specialty in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Fine balance refers to exact balance of a nominal covariate, often one with many categories, but it does not require individually matched treated and control subjects for this variable. In the example the nominal variable has 72 = 9 x 8 categories formed from 9 possible years of diagnosis and 8 geographic locations or SEER sites. We obtain exact balance on the 72 categories and close individual matches on clinical stage, grade, year of diagnosis, and other variables using a distance. and stochastically balance a total of 61 covariates using a propensity score. Our approach finds an optimal match that minimizes a suitable distance subject to the constraint that fine balance is achieved. This is done by defining a special patterned distance matrix and passing it to a subroutine that solves the optimal assignment problem, which optimally pairs the rows and columns of a matrix using a polynomial time algorithm. In the example we used the function Proc Assign in SAS. A new theorem shows that with our patterned distance matrix, the assignment algorithm returns an optimal, finely balanced matched sample whenever one exists, and otherwise returns an infinite distance. indicating that no such matched sample exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common "F test" for testing the equality of two population variances is very sensitive to the normality assumption, yet many introductory statistics books do not stress this sensitivity. Several alternative dispersion tests have been developed that do not assume normality, but these are rarely discussed other than in nonparametric statistics texts. Additionally, these tests generally require tables of critical values or software to calculate p values. We propose a simple graphical procedure, requiring no tables or software, that compares absolute deviations of one sample to another. With equal sample sizes, if one sample has the five largest absolute deviations, we conclude that its population has greater dispersion. We believe the simplicity of this test makes it a viable alternative to the often misleading F test and to other tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the Environmental Services Department of Athens International Airport SA (AIA) are to monitor environmental conditions, ensure compliance with environmental regulations, communicate environmental information, and undertake initiatives to improve environmental conditions. Since 2000, the Environmental Services Department has been certified according to EN ISO 14001:1996. During the next audit it will seek certification according to EN ISO 14001: 2004. This case study introduces the main elements of the environmental management system (EMS) regarding design, development and implementation, and examines the benefits and challenges of its adoption. Certification has led to a number of operational,environmental and public relations benefits, such as effective environmental monitoring and proactive approach to environmental problems. At the same time,EMS adoption requires continuous internal and external reviews to ensure proper implementation. One of the main future challenges is to expand the EMS to other AIA departments as well as to encourage companies operating at the airport to adopt similar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a McKinsey & Co. study of corporate performance. The study reveals that even the best-run and most widely admired companies have been unable to sustain their market-beating performance over the long term. Eight key insights from this study of more than 2,500 companies are discussed, including that R&D spending does not correlate with shareholder returns in any simple way. R&D leaders should learn from this that while there may be periods when companies and industries display extraordinary performance, these periods always end.

Investigates a situation where a single dispersion effect is identified. Development of a procedure to determine the minimum number of additional runs needed to totally remove the confounding between the dispersion effect and two location effects; Development of a test for a pair of unidentified location effects conditioned on a single dispersion effect being detected; Difficulties in studying dispersion effects.

Part II. Discusses how organizational leaders are using the self-organizing leadership approach. Criteria used to determine whether an organization can be considered a living system; Overview of the self-organizing leadership processes; Situations wherein incoherence in strategic leadership occurs.

Introduces a form of leadership called self-organizing leadership, which complements and supports strategic and operational leadership. View of organizations from the complex adaptive systems (CAS) perspective; Self-organizing patterns and processes; Transformative process models developed over a 13-year period.

Proposes a method for testing dispersion effects in unreplicated fractional factorial designs based on geometric means of residual sample variances. Discussion of the dispersion-effect testing method when only a single dispersion effect is present; Simulations of the effect of multiple dispersions; Options in performing dispersion-effect testing.

Presents information on a study which learned about the experiences of students who participated in a science fair and Science Olympiad competitions. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study; Conclusion.

Presents information on a study which examined the relationship between location and dispersion effects in unreplicated fractional factorial designs. Examples; Mathematical representation of dispersion effects; Discussion.

Presents procedures for estimating interrater reliability using the SPSS for Windows 5.0 program. Interclass correlation; Repeated-measures ANOVA; Spearman-Brown Prophecy Formula.

Provides nationally representative information about proprietary schools, or private career schools, and their students. General attributes; Kinds of training offered; Enrollment; Amount and type of student financial aid received by students; Cost of school training.

Comments on the article by Jan Smedslund focusing on the pseudoempirical aspects of psychology. Role of empirical research in psychology; Views on the philosophy of science; Focus on science and language.

In a model, such as a logit regression model, we wish to compare the relative importance of two groups of predictors for various objectives. In the example that motivated this work, the model predicts patient outcomes during hospital stays, and we wish to measure the relative contribution of patient and hospital characteristics to the variation in outcomes among patients and among hospitals. This is done using the relative dispersion of patient and hospital contributions to the fitted outcomes. As is seen, this question is distinct from other common questions, including the quality of the overall fit, the degree to which the outcome is accurately predicted, the statistical significance of groups of predictors, and the correlations among and between groups of predictors. Relevant point estimates, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests are developed. In the example, we examine three outcome measures and find that nearly all of the predictable variation in patient outcomes and most of the predictable variation in outcomes among hospitals reflects variation in patient characteristics rather than hospital characteristics; however, this is true in varying degrees for the three outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author assesses the performance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF and the World Bank have played an important role in encouraging fiscal discipline and reasonable steadiness in real exchange rates. They also, of course, have provided financial resources to assist adjustment, both directly through their own lending, and indirectly through co-financing by aid-donors and commercial banks. In short, the IMF should be seen as a helpful institution, one that can ease the pain of necessary adjustment to adverse external shocks or reversal of unsustainable domestic policies. But the IMF is not seen as a helpful institution. On the contrary, it has developed a reputation as a repressive and growth-throttling institution, bearing heavily on the poor countries, and requiring them to do abhorrent things. It is perceived somewhat as a monetary policeman of the world economy, or more accurately, as a harsh schoolmaster who administers corporal punishment to those who fail to execute their lessons adequately.

The article focuses on organizational change. The "change agent" literature is growing by leaps and bounds. The focus of much of it is on strategy utilization, success or failure, or organizational conditions required for change. Although not much research work has been done on change agents per se, a great deal has been done on the various strategies of and conditions favorable for change. Having created or confirmed a need for change, a change agent must foster among his clients that he is competent, trustworthy and empathetic with his clients' position. One of the most difficult parts of any change program is terminating the relationship between the client and the change agent. The whole issue of dependency comes out very strongly at this time. In an effort to enable research on change agents to take place, further differentiation of change-agent roles is needed. The largest organizations--multinationals, governments, and multi-divisional corporations--have internal personnel whose function is similar to that of the external intentional change implementers.

We present a geographical analysis of the first 22 months of the Department of Defense's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening program for military applicants. This analysis concerns four HIV epidemic loci in the United States: New York City; Miami, Florida: Houston, Texas; and San Francisco, California. The cartographic analysis, using a novel smoothing algorithm to stabilize county-based rates, highlights the diffusion of the HIV epidemic from areas with relatively high prevalence to areas with relatively low prevalence of antibody to HIV. While there are particularities specific to each region, the diffusion patterns are remarkably consistent: areas closer to an endemic focus experience a slight decline over time, while more distant areas increase. The diffusion process depicted in map sequences demonstrates expansion diffusion in all four areas, while some provide a clear indication of a mixture of expansion and hierarchical processes. A previous analysis of these data for a fifteen-month period had concluded there was no evidence of a geographic trend in the data. Those conclusions were based on all ages pooled and used multi-state geographic units, making it unlikely that trends in prevalence, which varied by proximity to HIV epicenters, would have been detected. In view of the temporal crossover between the endemic and nonendemic areas' prevalence rates observed in Florida, Texas and California, any spatial analysis of these data using statewide summary rates will obscure the spatial-temporal trends. These data provide compelling evidence for the existence of sub-state level epidemics growing spatially and temporally into areas some miles from the original epicenters. We hope these results will encourage other public health personnel to undertake detailed surveillance of the AIDS and HIV infection epidemics at a unit of analysis small enough to permit quantifying spatial diffusion of this epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information about the contributors to the December 2001 issue of the organizational studies journal 'Emergence.' Names, credentials and background of the authors.

Explains that the ability to innovate technologies is the key survival skill for businesses in the first 25 years of the twenty-first century. Discussion on the role of technological innovation to business success; Impact of innovation to companies; Ability of businesses in the United States to innovate.

The article focuses on the importance of the two-year study of the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources for the national ocean program to establish an independent national oceanic and atmospheric agency in the U.S. Implicit to the recommendation is the rejection of the Department of the Interior as a suitable home for civilian oceanography programs. The Department of the Interior intends to play a major role in this regard by exploring and developing the Nation's marine resources so that these new markets will be economically viable. Theo judgment has been endorsed by most qualified observers in public testimony on legislation creating such an agency.