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The objectives of this thesis are: (1) to investigate the antecedents and consequences of fairness of performance evaluation processes (procedural fairness) in the context of performance measurement, evaluation, and reward systems; and (2) to investigate the behavioural effects of reliance on multiple performance measures (RMPM) in evaluating subordinates¿ performance. In relation to the first objective, it examines whether managers¿ perceptions of procedural fairness are influenced by the form (financial or nonfinancial) of performance measures used to evaluate performance, and by goal-related variables such as participation in setting performance targets, the goal-attainment-reward link, and the specificity of goals to be achieved by managers. With regard to the consequences of procedural fairness, it examines the effects of procedural fairness on job satisfaction, performance, organisational commitment, and goal commitment, and also examines whether any such associations are direct or indirect. In relation to the second objective, it examines whether RMPM affects managerial performance or whether the effect is contingent on goal difficulty and goal specificity. To address these objectives, this thesis draws on organisational justice theory and goal theory and employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data are collected using a questionnaire survey sent to managers in four organisations and qualitative data are gathered by means of interviews and focus group discussions within the organisations. The results indicate that procedural fairness is affected by participation in setting performance targets, the goal-attainment-reward link, and the specificity of goals to be achieved by managers, but not by the type of performance measure used to evaluate performance. With regard to the consequences of procedural fairness, the results indicate that: (1) the effects of procedural fairness on job satisfaction and performance are indirect and fully mediated by distributive fairness, trust, and organisational commitment; (2) the effect of procedural fairness on organisational commitment is partially mediated by distributive fairness and trust; and (3) the effect of procedural fairness on goal commitment is partially mediated by trust. Finally, the results indicate that the effect of RMPM on performance is contingent on goal specificity, but not on goal difficulty.

Predictive models based in symptomatology of suspected dengue patients seeking medical care in Honduras. The models based on logistic regression models predicted the outcomes of dengue fever/ severe dengue. Sensitivity and specificity are discussed. It also describe the level of agreement between Honduran classification of severe dengue and the ones based on World Health Organization guidelines of 1997 and 2009. / Introduction: Dengue is a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical countries but its clinical presentation may be similar to many febrile illnesses. Since in endemic countries laboratory confirmation is frequently delayed, the majority of dengue cases are diagnosed based on patient’s symptomatology. This can often lead to misdiagnosis and potential serious health complications. The objective of this study was to identify clinical, hematological and demographical parameters that could be used as predictors of dengue fever among patients with febrile illness. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 548 patients presenting with febrile syndrome to the largest public hospitals in Honduras. Patients’ clinical, laboratory, and demographical data as well as dengue laboratory confirmation by either serology or viral isolation were used to build a predictive statistical model to identify dengue cases. Results: Of 548 patients, 390 were confirmed with dengue infection while 158 had negative results. Univariable analysis revealed seven variables associated with dengue: male sex, petechiae, skin rash, myalgia, retro-ocular pain, positive tourniquet test, and bleeding gums. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, retro-ocular pain petechiae and bleeding gums were associated with increased risk, while epistaxis and paleness of skin were associated with reduced risk of dengue. Using a value of 0.6 (i.e., 60% probability for a case to be positive based on the equation values), our model had a sensitivity of 86.2%, a specificity of 27.2%, and an overall accuracy of 69.2%; allowing for the diagnosis of dengue to be ruled out and for other febrile conditions to be investigated. Conclusions: The application of predictive models can be valuable when laboratory confirmation is delayed. Among Honduran patients presenting with febrile illness, our data reveal key symptoms associated with dengue fever, however the overall accuracy of our model is still low and specificity remains a concern. Our model requires validation in other populations with similar pattern of dengue transmission. Key Words: Dengue, fever, Predictive model, symptoms, Honduras / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Predictive models based in symptomatology of suspected dengue patients seeking medical care in Honduras. The models based on logistic regression models predicted the outcomes of dengue fever/ severe dengue. Sensitivity and specificity are discussed. It also describe the level of agreement between Honduran classification of severe dengue and the ones based on World Health Organization guidelines of 1997 and 2009.

All cells and extracellular matrices of prokaryotes and eukaryotes are made up of glycans, the carbohydrate macromolecules that play a predominant role in cell-to-cell interaction, protection, stabilization, and barrier functions. Glycans are also central to human microbiome-host interactions where bacterial glycans are recognized by innate immune signaling pathways, and host mucins are a major nutrient source for various gut bacteria. Many microorganisms encode glycoside hydrolases (GHs) to utilize the available host cell surface glycans as a nutrient source and to modulate host protein function. The GHs are divided into families having conserved linkage specificity within each family and individual family members can be specific for dramatically divergent macromolecular substrates. In general, within a given GH family very few members have been biochemically characterized and the substrate specificity is poorly understood. GH genes are abundant in the human gut microbiome and culture-enriched metagenomics identified more than 10,000 distinct bacterial GH genes in an individual. The focus of this thesis is endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidases (ENGases) encoded by GH18 and GH85 families. Bioinformatic analysis shows that the predicted proteins within each of these GH families fell into separate clusters in the Sequence Similarity Networks of each family. The hypothesis of this project is that human microbiome-encoded ENGases from the same GH family differ in their substrate specificities and within the SSN network of the same GH family, enzymes with similar substrate specificity may fall in the same cluster. In this work, I established conditions for overexpression of GH18 and GH85 proteins and investigated the activity of these enzymes on various substrates. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / All the cell surfaces of animals, plants, and microbes are coated with sugars, also known as glycans. These sugars on the cell surface act as a barrier and protect them from the external environment. Glycans on the cells of both microbes and humans are essential for basic interactions between them. Many bacteria produce enzymes such as glycoside hydrolases to obtain nutrients from dietary sugars and alter the sugars on host proteins. There are various families of these enzymes, and they act on specific sugars and cleavage sites. The substrate specificities and characterization of these enzymes from most bacteria found in the human microbiome have not been studied in detail. My work focuses on developing standard enzyme assays for determining specific substrate specificities. This tool can be used to reshape glycans and understand their role in cell processes.

A real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is considered the gold standard for the laboratory diagnosis of canine parvovirus (CPV) infection but can only be performed in specialized laboratories. Several point-of-care tests (POCT), detecting CPV antigens in faeces within minutes, are commercially available. The aim of this study was to evaluate eight POCT in comparison with qPCR. Faecal samples of 150 dogs from three groups (H: 50 client-owned, healthy dogs, not vaccinated within the last four weeks; S: 50 shelter dogs, healthy, not vaccinated within the last four weeks; p = 50 dogs with clinical signs of CPV infection) were tested with eight POCT and qPCR. Practicability, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), as well as overall accuracy were determined. To assess the differences between and agreement among POCT, McNemar’s test and Cohen’s Kappa statistic were performed. Specificity and PPV were 100.0% in all POCT. Sensitivity varied from 22.9–34.3% overall and from 32.7–49.0% in group P. VetexpertRapidTestCPVAg® had the highest sensitivity (34.3% overall, 49.0% group P) and differed significantly from the 3 POCT with the lowest sensitivities (Fassisi®Parvo (27.7% overall, 36.7% group P), Primagnost®ParvoH+K (24.3% overall, 34.7% group P), FASTest®PARVOCard (22.9% overall, 32.7% group P)). The agreement among all POCT was at least substantial (kappa >0.80). A positive POCT result confirmed the infection with CPV in unvaccinated dogs, whereas a negative POCT result did not definitely exclude CPV infection due to the low sensitivity of all POCT.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第24674号 / 農博第2557号 / 新制||農||1099(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R5||N5455(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科応用生物科学専攻 / (主査)教授 髙野 義孝, 教授 寺内 良平, 教授 吉田 健太郎 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Retention of engineering students to graduation and career is important business for both United States (U.S.) industries and engineering education institutions alike. Industries need competent engineers dedicated to working in the field of engineering beyond graduation in order to achieve business success and national economic growth, while engineering education institutions need retention to graduation to achieve their own business goals. This dissertation took a three-pronged approach to identifying relationships between depth and specificity of engineering and response factors related to graduation and career retention of engineers. Occupational alignment, graduate school decisions, and engineering identity were evaluated for relationships with specificity or depth of discipline within engineering degrees to evaluate if increasing the depth or specificity increased the response factors. Using historical data analysis, occupational alignment and graduate school decisions were both found to be influenced by specificity of discipline. Traditional engineering disciplines were found to report the most occupational alignment after graduation, while specific engineering disciplines were more likely to attend graduate school after graduation. Additionally, for all students reporting graduate school attendance, all specificities were most likely to align their graduate degree discipline to their undergraduate degree discipline. A national survey of undergraduate engineering students revealed that engineering identity is related to depth of discipline. Students enrolled in more specific engineering curriculum, in the form of a discipline-specific major with a concentration, reported higher engineering identity. However, the discipline-specific depth of discipline followed closely behind, indicating the impact of depth of discipline is small. The largest difference in scores between the two depths of discipline was found in students' reports of a construct termed "interest". Ultimately, this dissertation found statistically significant relationships between depth and specificity of discipline and occupational alignment, graduate school decisions, and engineering identity. Though these findings are statistically significant, they were incremental, meaning depth and specificity of discipline should not be considered the main factor of influence.

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