scholarly journals A universal metric for evaluating, optimising and benchmarking the performance of a Research Technology Platform (RTP)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M. Petrunkina ◽  
A. Filby
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Knowledge Retention ◽  
General Strategy ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Research Technology ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
Genomics And Proteomics ◽  
Bio Imaging

AbstractResearch Technology Platforms (RTPs) exist to facilitate the application and utilisation of specific analytical technologies to the highest possible standard thus delivering reputable data across a broad spectrum of research themes. Specifically, RTPs centralise expertise in a given technology and provide an unparalleled level of continuity and practical knowledge retention that simply cannot be achieved by more organic, ad hoc means of support. As small non profit businesses often tasked with recovering all or a percentage of their running costs, RTPs are under significant pressure to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology and new methodologies against a back drop of dwindling funding for scientific research. At present there are a number of non-trivial issues that make assessing the operational performance of a RTP difficult to determine on a standalone basis let alone attempting to benchmark against other RTPs within the same or different technology fields. Firstly, depending on the technological speciality the RTP may work to one of essentially three operational models. RTPs such as Bio-Imaging or Cytometry provide access to well-maintained analytical systems that can be utilised by trained individuals for a timed access charge. In some cases there will be a requirement for assisted operation of certain instruments by core staff (e.g. cell sorters). Genomics and Proteomics RTPs tend to function on a project basis whereby users will not access the technology themselves rather pay for a full analytical service often with a milestone-based approach for tracking progress. Other RTPs work to a hybrid approach were technical staff provide certain elements of sample preparation for specific projects prior to analysis on core supported, user accessible instrumentation. Secondly the specific operational costs that each RTP is tasked to recover varies significantly on a local, national and international level due to institutional subsidies. These operational costs can include staff salaries, instrument maintenance, associated running consumables, and in some cases instrument depreciation but there is standardised rule as to what each RTP is tasked to recover and to what percentage.Here we present a generalised mathematical approach to describe the customisable metrics of any given RTP serviceThe general strategy how to increase performance within the framework of this approach has been identified through breaking down these customisable metrics into components and maximising them according to specific requirements. These strategies could be potentially adopted for different operational or local procedures, integrating the specifics related to the institutional or national policies. The approach laid down here should be considered as a trigger for opening a discussion around how to address optimising RTP performance and allow for benchmarking across the full breadth of RTPs.

Tests und Tools

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Kauffeld
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Non Profit

Zusammenfassung. Der FEO, der in Kooperation mit betrieblichen Praktikern entwickelt wurde, dient der Erfassung des Organisationsklimas. Er umfasst 82 Items und bildet 12 Skalen ab. Eine Stärke des FEO im Gegensatz zu ad hoc entwickelten Befragungsinstrumenten sind die Vergleichsdaten, die für Profit- und Non-Profit-Organisationen bereit gestellt werden. Kritisch diskutiert wird die theoretische Verortung, die Anwenderfreundlichkeit sowie der Nutzen der individuellen Auswertung. Die konsensuale, konvergente, diskriminante und kriterienbezogene Validierung steht aus.

scholarly journals From Co-Actionality to Extended Intersubjectivity: Drawing on Language Change and Ontogenetic Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vittorio TANTUCCI
Keyword(s):  
Applied Research ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Profile Analysis ◽  
First Language ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Behavioural Profile

Abstract This article combines research results centred on theory of mind (ToM) from cognitive and developmental psychology (Goldman 2006; Apperly 2010; Wilkinson and Ball 2012) with the notion of intersubjectivity in usage-based linguistics (i.a. Verhagen 2005; Nuyts 2012; Traugott 2012). It identifies some of the controversies in the literature from both domains and suggests the desiderata for a hybrid approach to intersubjectivity, which is distinctively designed to tackle applied research in social and cognitive sciences. This model is based on a mismatch between interaction as mere ‘co-action’ vs. interaction as spontaneously communicated awareness of an(other) mind(s). It provides a case study centred on the first language acquisition of pre-nominal usage of this/that and such. From, respectively, a distinctive collexeme (Gries and Stefanowitsch 2004) and behavioural profile analysis (Gries 2010) will emerge that beyond expressions of joint attention, children’s ToM ability progressively underpins ‘ad-hoc’ generalized instantiations based on extended intersubjectivity, viz. the socio-cognitive skill to problematize what a general persona would act, feel, or think in a specific context.

Lexical Co-Occurrence and Contextual Window-Based Approach With Semantic Similarity for Query Expansion

2018 ◽  
pp. 1552-1575
Author(s):  
Jagendra Singh ◽  
Rakesh Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Semantic Similarity ◽  
Efficient Method ◽  
Query Expansion ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Information Retrieval System ◽  
Optimal Combination ◽  
Benchmark Datasets ◽  
Pseudo Feedback

Query expansion (QE) is an efficient method for enhancing the efficiency of information retrieval system. In this work, we try to capture the limitations of pseudo-feedback based QE approach and propose a hybrid approach for enhancing the efficiency of feedback based QE by combining corpus-based, contextual based information of query terms, and semantic based knowledge of query terms. First of all, this paper explores the use of different corpus-based lexical co-occurrence approaches to select an optimal combination of query terms from a pool of terms obtained using pseudo-feedback based QE. Next, we explore semantic similarity approach based on word2vec for ranking the QE terms obtained from top pseudo-feedback documents. Further, we combine co-occurrence statistics, contextual window statistics, and semantic similarity based approaches together to select the best expansion terms for query reformulation. The experiments were performed on FIRE ad-hoc and TREC-3 benchmark datasets. The statistics of our proposed experimental results show significant improvement over baseline method.

scholarly journals Qualifications and Certificates v Practical Knowledge and Experience: Is There a Winner?

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Eddie Fisher ◽  
Yorkys Santana González
Keyword(s):  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Face To Face

There appears to be a continuing and inconclusive debate amongst scholars whether theoretical knowledge or practical experience is more important in related and associated areas such as education, recruitment and employability. This research, limited to a literature review and face to face interviews, conducted a systematic investigation to obtain and analyze valid and reliable research data to establish whether theoretical knowledge or practical experience are of paramount importance. The outcome of this research suggests that a hybrid approach should be adopted, with the major focus being on practical experience supported by relevant theoretical knowledge and not the converse. A number of additional recommendations are presented how to balance and close the gap between theory and practice including a redesign of ordinary and advanced level educational teaching. Far greater emphasis needs to be placed on young people gaining early practical experience inside and outside the classroom. This can be achieved by developing practical workshops (pilot studies) for use in safe laboratory-type environments and by extending work placements within organizations during term times.   

Where are the ‘key’ words? Optimizing multimedia textual attributes to improve viewership

First Monday ◽  
2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Pontes ◽  
Elizeu Santos-Neto ◽  
Jussara Almeida ◽  
Matei Ripeanu
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Online Video ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Tag Recommendation ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Textual Features ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The Impact

Multimedia content is central to our experience on the Web. Specifically, users frequently search and watch videos online. The textual features that accompany such content (e.g., title, description, and tags) can generally be optimized to attract more search traffic and ultimately to increase the advertisement-generated revenue.This study investigates whether automating tag selection for online video content with the goal of increasing viewership is feasible. In summary, it shows that content producers can lower their operational costs for tag selection using a hybrid approach that combines dedicated personnel (often known as ‘channel managers’), crowdsourcing, and automatic tag suggestions. More concretely, this work provides the following insights: first, it offers evidence that existing tags for a sample of YouTube videos can be improved; second, this study shows that an automated tag recommendation process can be efficient in practice; and, finally it explores the impact of using information mined from various data sources associated with content items on the quality of the resulting tags.

scholarly journals A Methodology for the Hybridization Based in Active Components: The Case of cGA and Scatter Search

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Andrea Villagra ◽  
Enrique Alba ◽  
Guillermo Leguizamón
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Optimization Problems ◽  
Scatter Search ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Active Components ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cellular Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Optimization Search

This work presents the results of a new methodology for hybridizing metaheuristics. By first locating the active components (parts) of one algorithm and then inserting them into second one, we can build efficient and accurate optimization, search, and learning algorithms. This gives a concrete way of constructing new techniques that contrasts the spread ad hoc way of hybridizing. In this paper, the enhanced algorithm is a Cellular Genetic Algorithm (cGA) which has been successfully used in the past to find solutions to such hard optimization problems. In order to extend and corroborate the use of active components as an emerging hybridization methodology, we propose here the use of active components taken from Scatter Search (SS) to improve cGA. The results obtained over a varied set of benchmarks are highly satisfactory in efficacy and efficiency when compared with a standard cGA. Moreover, the proposed hybrid approach (i.e., cGA+SS) has shown encouraging results with regard to earlier applications of our methodology.

Theorizing about practice: story telling and practical knowledge in cancer diagnoses

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 174-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Zucchermaglio ◽  
Francesca Alby
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Life Saving ◽  
Medical Diagnostic ◽  
Research Interviews ◽  
Diagnostic Work

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the organization of storytelling and its role in creating and sharing practical knowledge for cancer diagnosis in a medical community in Italy. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative analysis draws upon different interactional data sets: naturally occurring diagnostic conversations among physicians in the ward, research interviews, video-based sessions in which physicians watch and discuss their diagnostic work. Findings The results highlight: the specific organization of storytelling practices in medical diagnostic work; three main functions that such storytelling practices play in supporting collaborative diagnostic work in the community of our study; and how storytelling practices are resources on which participants rely across settings, including ad hoc reflexive meetings. Originality/value This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the role that storytelling plays in the diagnostic work in an understudied and yet life-saving site such as oncology.

scholarly journals Policy Lessons From Medical Responses to the COVID-19 Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 337-340
Author(s):  
Giovanni Dosi
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Production Scale ◽  
International Protection ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Research Production ◽  
Public Money

AbstractThis article discusses the medical/therapeutical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and their political economy context. First, the very quick development of several vaccines highlights the richness of the basic knowledge waiting for therapeutical exploitation. Such knowledge has largely originated in public or non-profit institutions. Second, symmetrically, there is longer-term evidence that the private sector (essentially big pharma) has decreased its investment in basic research in general and has long been uninterested in vaccines in particular. Only when flooded with an enormous amount of public money did it become eager to undertake applied research, production scale-up and testing. Third, the political economy of the underlying public-private relationship reveals a profound dysfunctionality with the public being unable to determine the rates and direction of innovation, but at the same time confined to the role of payer of first and last resort, with dire consequences for both advanced, and more so developing countries. Fourth, on normative grounds, measures like ad hoc patent waivers are certainly welcome, but this will not address the fundamental challenge, involving a deep reform of the intellectual property rights regimes and their international protection.

scholarly journals Corporate Forms Facilitating Non-Profit Networking: Formalizing the Informal

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-224
Author(s):  
Lyra Jakulevičienė ◽  
Regina Valutytė
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
National Level ◽  
Legal Form ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Legal Structures ◽  
Legal Forms ◽  
Informal Cooperation

Abstract Cooperation and networking among a variety of organisations for the purpose of research, projects, and other activities ranges from ad hoc to long term organisational relationships, formalised or based on informal cooperation. Although informality is frequently much valued and drives organisations to partner on substance rather than bureaucracy, formalisation of networks and cooperation might be indispensible for effective partnerships and activities, as well as representation of mutual interests beyond the national level. How shall such networks be formalised at European and/or national levels so that they are flexible enough, involve minimum bureaucracy, and engage the maximum scope of possible activities? This article focuses on the analysis of possible legal structures facilitating the work of a group of entities and individuals engaged in cross-border activities. This study examines the potential of national legal opportunities in five countries: Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and the Netherlands, and the proven legal form of EEIG in reducing the barriers for cooperation, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these legal forms for a formalized network and the purposes it serves.

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