The Effects of Cognitive, Perceptual and Behavioral Factors on Measures of Typing Skills

PROBLEM: This study examined the feasibility of predicting typing skill acquisition from data available in student records. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to see if a correlation exists between the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery, the Behavior Evaluation Scale, and student personal characteristics with measures of typing skill. PROCEDURE: The subjects were 30 students who were residents at the St. Cloud Children\u27s Home. Typing measures, Gross Words a Minute and Rate of Acquisition, were tabulated over a nine-week period. These measures were compared to student demographic data, scores on the Behavior Evaluation Scale and the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery by using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation and a Stepwise Multiple Regression Equation. FINDINGS: There was a high correlation between Visual-Perceptual Speed (age) and Gross Words a Minute while Written Language Aptitude (grade) had the highest relationship with Rate of Acquisition. Five independent variables show an 81% common variance with Gross Words a Minute. A 67% common variance was shared by three independent variables and Rate of Acquisition. A Multiple Regression Analysis was implemented and found to be a possible valid instrument for predicting Gross Words a Minute and Rate of Acquisition. This may prove valid on a cross-validation. Another study should be done on the next round of students at the St. Cloud Children\u27s Home. Results from another study would show if the correlations are consistent. A cross-validation procedure should be done to see if the initial Multiple Regression Equation was the result of chance relationships

Sound between points: An abstraction of sound waves into physical forms

The whole process of metal work is an auditory or tactile language, to be fluent in this language one has to work with the material again and again to understand what the metal is saying. From this idea I propose to make the sounds of working able to be seen. For my thesis I propose to make sound visible, or to provide visual representations. From the recording of sounds I will create abstract works, either paintings or three-dimensional forms that will take the sound vibrations and give them visual representations. From these abstractions I will look at the distances and volume of sound and the connection between that and the meaning behind the sounds. I also want to investigate what the sounds of these objects mean to us, be they bells or silverware, and what the lack of those sounds mean or how the visual image that is created by sound wave changes our idea of it. Sound is commonly heard and felt. But to see sound move across a distance between two points is a rarer more beautiful thing. Between is the abstracted rendering of the movement of sound through a space. Sound originates at one point and terminates at another. But it is the area between where the beauty lies

Impact of Drought on Northwest Iowa Beef Cow-Calf Operations

This project assessed the impact that the 2012 drought had on northwest Iowa cow-calf operations. A survey was mailed to 293 beef producers in seventeen northwest Iowa counties. Producers indicated that feed resources were scarce, and those who bought feed noted high prices made feed an undesirable purchase. Future plans included extensive pasture management and feed supplementation. The average pregnancy rate of the females, 93%, was not significantly affected by the drought, but heat stress on the female was perceived to affect pregnancy rate. Despite drought, 11% of the producers planned to retain open females. The majority, 75%, of the operations indicated that drought had little impact on their financial position, but 25% responded that their financial position would be poorer. To cope, some producers would sell part of the cows, sell the 2012 calves, and/or sell the 2012 replacement heifers. Other producers indicated that total or partial dispersal of the herd may be required. Rain, availability of feeds, and price of feedstuffs would dictate whether they kept or sold calves and cows

Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in gliomas: expression and exploitation as therapeutic targets

Background. Gliomas exhibit high glycolytic rates, and monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) play a major role in the maintenance of the glycolytic metabolism through the proton-linked transmembrane transport of lactate. However, their role in gliomas is poorly studied. Thus, we aimed to characterize the expression of MCT1, MCT4, and their chaperone CD 147 and to assess the therapeutic impact of MCT inhibition in gliomas. Methods. MCTs and CD 147 expressions were characterized by immunohistochemistry in nonneoplastic brain and glioma samples. The effect of CHC (MCT inhibitor) and MCT1 silencing was assessed in in vitro and in vivo glioblastoma models. Results. MCT1, MCT4, and CD 147 were overexpressed in the plasma membrane of glioblastomas, compared with diffuse astrocytomas and nonneoplastic brain. CHC decreased glycolytic metabolism, migration, and invasion and induced cell death in U251 cells (more glycolytic) but only affected proliferation in SW1088 (more oxidative). The effectiveness of CHC in glioma cells appears to be dependent on MCT membrane expression. MCT1 downregulation showed similar effects on different glioma cells, supporting CHC as an MCT1 inhibitor. There was a synergistic effect when combining CHC with temozolomide treatment in U251 cells. In the CAM in vivo model, CHC decreased the size of tumors and the number of blood vessels formed. Conclusions. This is the most comprehensive study reporting the expression of MCTs and CD 147 in gliomas. The MCT1 inhibitor CHC exhibited anti-tumoral and anti-angiogenic activity in gliomas and, of importance, enhanced the effect of temozolomide. Thus, our results suggest that development of therapeutic approaches targeting MCT1 may be a promising strategy in glioblastoma treatment.Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Minho, Portugal; Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [SFRH/BI/33503/2008, SFRH/BPD/69479/2010, SFRH/BD/36463/2007]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A lactate shuttle system between tumour and stromal cells is associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer

Background In a malignant tumour, cancer cells are embedded in stromal cells, namely cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). These CAFs are now accepted as important players in cancer dynamics, being involved in tumour growth and progression. Although there are various reports on the interaction between tumour and stromal cells, the clinico-pathological significance of this cross-talk is still largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to characterise the expression of key metabolic proteins involved in glucose transport, pyruvate/lactate shuttle system, glycolytic metabolism and fatty acid oxidation in CAFs and tumour cells in different stages of malignant transformation. We further aimed to contextualise the clinico-pathological significance of these protein expression profiles with reference to known prognostic indicators, including biochemical recurrence in pT stage. Methods Prostate tissues were obtained from 480 patients with a median age of 64 years following radical prostatectomy with no previous hormonal therapy. Tissues were analysed for the expression of several key metabolism-related proteins in glands and surrounding fibroblasts by immunohistochemistry. Reliable markers of prognosis such as pT stage and biochemical recurrence were assessed for each case. Results We observed that prostate cancer cells did not rely mainly on glycolytic metabolism, while there was a high expression of MCT4 and CAIX - in CAFs. This corroborates the hypothesis of the "Reverse Warburg effect" in prostate cancer, in which fibroblasts are under oxidative stress and express CAIX, an established hypoxia marker. We found that alterations in the expression of metabolism-related proteins were already evident in the early stages of malignant transformation, suggesting the continuing alteration of CAFs from an early stage. Additionally, and for the first time, we show that cases showing high MCT4 expression in CAFs with concomitant strong MCT1 expression in prostate cancer (PCa) cells are associated with poor clinical outcome, namely pT3 stage of the tumour. Conclusions In summary, this work demonstrates for the first time the clinico-pathological significance of the lactate shuttle in prostate cancer. It also suggests that other alterations in CAFs may be useful prognostic factors, and further supports the use of MCT1/MCT4 as targets for PCa therapy.NPG received a fellowship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), refs. SFRH/BD/61027/2009. This work was supported by the FCT grant ref. PTDC/SAUMET/113415/2009, under the scope of "Programa Operacional Tematico Factores de Competitividade" (COMPETE) of "Quadro Comunitario de Apoio III" and co-financed by Fundo Comunitario Europeu FEDER. JA was supported by a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds fellowship

Factors that influence the marketing of professional services

This study explores the marketing in a multinational professional services organization and attempts to identify marketing factors relevant to the organization. The main objective is to identify critical factors that influence the successful marketing of professional services. To accomplish this objective, research is undertaken as a case study with a quantitative survey of employees from the professional services organization. The main finding was that the 7P framework (product/service, price, place, promotion, physical evidence, people, process) was applicable and that place, physical evidence and product components were seen as most critical, with promotion and price appearing to be least critical, maybe because conservative attitudes to marketing still exist within professional service organizations. The study added to the literature on professional services marketing, giving insight into the marketing of professional services in today’s dynamic and changing economic environment. Our findings will, therefore, assist professional service organizations to utilize their marketing resources more effectively and efficientl