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BACKGROUND: Decision-support tools (DST) are typically developed by computer engineers for use by clinicians. Prototype testing DSTs may be performed relatively easily by one or two clinical experts. The costly alternative is to test each prototype on a larger number of diverse clinicians, based on the untested assumption that these evaluations would more accurately reflect those of actual end users.HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized substantial or better agreement (as defined by a kappa statistic greater than 0.6) between the evaluations of a case based reasoning (CBR) DST predicting ED admission for bronchiolitis performed by the clinically diverse end users, to those of two clinical experts who evaluated the same DST output.METHODS: Three outputs from a previously described DST were evaluated by the emergency physicians (EP) who originally saw the patients and by two pediatric EPs with an interest in bronchiolitis. The DST outputs were as follows: predicted disposition, an example of another previously seen patient to explain the prediction, and explanatory dialog. Each was rated using the scale Definitely Not, No, Maybe, Yes, and Absolutely. This was converted to a Likert scale for analysis. Agreement was measured using the kappa statistic.RESULTS: Agreement with the DST predicted disposition was moderate between end users and the expert reviewers, but was only fair or poor for value of the explanatory case and dialog.CONCLUSION: Agreement between expert evaluators and end users on the value of a CBR DST predicted dispositions was moderate. For the more subjective explicative components, agreement was fair, poor, or worse.

Recent updates to federal policy governing career and technical education (CTE) in the United States have emphasised the need to include work-based learning (WBL) experiences as central components of CTE programming. Many of these experiences showcase an informal learning component which has strong ties to early career success as suggested by the Human Capital Theory. This study explores the following questions: What is the relationship between WBL and early career income? Are there differential relationships based on the type of WBL experience? The Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) includes nationally representative data for student participation in WBL and early career income. We used school-fixed effects and propensity score matching techniques to respond to our questions regarding the potential relationship between WBL participation and early career income. We found that students who participated in at least one WBL experience in high school could expect to have an average 7% higher income compared to non-WBL participants. With respect to specific WBL experiences, job shadowing, community service, and mentoring had the largest positive relationship to higher early career income. Findings from this study indicate that participation in WBL experiences can have a positive impact on a high school graduate's college and career readiness as measured through early career income. Given the differential relationships observed for different types of WBL, schools, policymakers, and students should explore WBL options that best align with their personal goals.

Helium atom scattering and density-functional theory (DFT) are used to characterize the phonon band structure of the (3 × 1)-O surface reconstruction of Nb(100). Innovative DFT calculations comparing surface phonons of bare Nb(100) to those of the oxide surface show increased resonances for the oxide, especially at higher energies. Calculated dispersion curves align well with experimental results and yield atomic displacements to characterize polarizations. Inelastic helium time-of-flight measurements show phonons with mixed longitudinal and shear-vertical displacements along both the ⟨ 1 ̄ 00 ⟩, Γ ̄ X ̄ and ⟨ 11 ̄ 0 ⟩, Γ ̄ M ̄ symmetry axes over the entire first surface Brillouin zone. Force constants calculated for bulk Nb, Nb(100), and the (3 × 1)-O Nb(100) reconstruction indicate much stronger responses from the oxide surface, particularly for the top few layers of niobium and oxygen atoms. Many of the strengthened bonds at the surface create the characteristic ladder structure, which passivates and stabilizes the surface. These results represent, to our knowledge, the first phonon dispersion data for the oxide surface and the first ab initio calculation of the oxide's surface phonons. This study supplies critical information for the further development of advanced materials for superconducting radiofrequency cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial isopods are overall highly understudied, especially the native species of southern Appalachian. Local species distribution and local disturbance can have drastic effects on the local biodiversity and harm native species that are particularly susceptible to change. In this experiment, local terrestrial isopod species distribution was examined surrounding Young Harris, GA. Logistic regression was used to examine whether native/non-native status was predictable by whether a specimen was found in disturbed or natural areas. The results were statistically significant (p < 0.05) supporting the idea that native species prefer undisturbed areas. The other part of the study observed variance in identifying features of Ligidium elrodii. These features are the antennae segment numbers and the male reproductive appendage. These features were examined and compared to the overall length of the specimen to determine if the variance was related to size as opposed to suggesting another species being present. Our results indicate that human activity has altered native isopod distribution, and that some morphological features are not diagnostic species identifiers., Acknowledgements Young Harris College Curriculm Enrichment fund Recommended Citation Authors Caleb Thompson, Young Harris College, Young Harris, GA 30582 Follow Kevin Geyer, Young Harris College, Young Harris, GA 30582 Follow [...]

The article explores the history of U.S. policy on labor standards or related enforcement mechanisms in the nation's trading partners. Topics include a description of the mission of the International Labour Organization (ILO), an arguments in favor of global labor standards, the history of labor provisions in trade agreements, and the use of unilateral import restrictions in the form of withhold release orders under the Tariff Act.

The article explores the relationship between the usage of words, changes in their meanings, and evaluations of human actions as presented by Ancient Greek historian Thucydides in his book “The Peloponnesian War.” His description of civil violence in the city of Corcyra, Greece is analyzed and translations of it into English by writers Richard Crawley and Simon Hornblower are compared. The notion of language manipulation in the works of writer George Orwell is also discussed.