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Significant Indicator (significant + indicator)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences62%

Terms modified by Significant Indicator

  • significant indicator species
    		•

    Selected Abstracts

    Human resource management problems over the life cycle of small to medium-sized firms

    HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003
    Matthew W. Rutherford
    This study uses a sample of 2,903 small to medium-sized firms to examine the manner in which HR problems vary over the organizational life cycle. We found that a four-stage model was appropriate. Interestingly, firm age did not emerge as a significant indicator of stage,the firms' HR problems varied across stages defined by growth. Training problems were highest in high-growth firms and lowest in low-growth firms; compensation problems were highest in moderate-growth firms and lowest in high-growth firms; and recruiting problems were highest in no-growth firms and lowest in low-growth firms. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

    Clinicopathologic significance of dysadherin expression in cutaneous malignant melanoma

    CANCER, Issue 8 2005
    Immunohistochemical analysis of 115 patients
    Abstract BACKGROUND The E-cadherin,mediated cell adhesion system is frequently inactivated by multiple mechanisms and is involved in tumor progression in many types of cancer. Recently, the authors reported a novel cell membrane glycoprotein, dysadherin, which has an anti,cell-cell adhesion function and down-regulates E-cadherin. METHODS Expression of both dysadherin and E-cadherin was investigated immunohistochemically in 115 patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma to determine the correlation between the 2 molecules and their associations with both patient survival and the clinicopathologic features of the tumors. RESULTS Dysadherin and E-cadherin were expressed at the cell membranes of melanoma cells. Fifty-two percent of the tumors showed dysadherin immunopositivity, and 91% of the tumors showed reduced E-cadherin immunopositivity. There was no significant inverse correlation between dysadherin expression and E-cadherin expression. Increased dysadherin expression was significantly correlated with nodular subtype (P = 0.042), Clark level (P < 0.001), tumor thickness (P < 0.001), ulceration (P = 0.008), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), high TNM classification (P < 0.001), and poor patient survival (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis of patient survival revealed that increased dysadherin expression was a significant predictor of poor survival (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Thus, increased expression of dysadherin was a significant indicator of poor prognosis in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source]

    Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 mutation in voided urine is a useful diagnostic marker and significant indicator of tumor recurrence in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

    CANCER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010
    Makito Miyake
    The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-3 gene encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase that is frequently mutated in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). A sensitive and quantitative assay using peptide nucleic acid-mediated real-time PCR was developed for detecting FGFR3 mutations in the urine samples and evaluated as a molecular marker for detecting intravesical recurrence of NMIBC in patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor. FGFR3 mutation was examined in tumor tissues and serially taken pre- and postoperative urine sediments in 45 NMIBC patients with a median follow up of 32 months. FGFR3 mutations were detected in 53.3% (24/45) of primary tumor tissues, among which intravesical recurrence developed in 37.5% (9/24) of cases. FGFR3 mutation in the primary tumor was not a significant prognostic indicator for recurrence, while the proportion of FGFR3 mutation (i.e. tumor cellularity was ,11%) in the preoperative urine sediments was a significant indicator for recurrence in patients with FGFR3 mutations in the primary tumors. FGFR3 mutations were detected in 78% (7/9) of postoperative urine samples from recurrent cases with FGFR3 mutations in the tumor, while no mutations were detected in the urine of 15 non-recurrent cases. Urine cytology was negative in all cases with FGFR3 mutations in the primary tumors, while the sensitivity of cytological examination was as high as 56% (5/9) in cases showing wild-type FGFR3 in the primary tumors. Urine FGFR3 mutation assay and cytological examination may be available in the future as complementary diagnostic modalities in postoperative management of NMIBC. (Cancer Sci 2009) [source]

    Visceral adiposity is closely correlated with neck circumference and represents a significant indicator of insulin resistance in WHO grade III obesity

    CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    L. Yang
    Summary Objective, Although associations between visceral adiposity (intra-abdominal fat mass) and insulin resistance are well established, previous data include few subjects with WHO grade III obesity [body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg/m2]. We have investigated the relationship between visceral adiposity and insulin resistance using computed tomography (CT)-quantified fat mass and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in patients with severe obesity. Patients and methods, Eighteen nondiabetic subjects with BMI > 40 kg/m2 were recruited. BMI, and waist, hip and neck circumferences were measured. Fasting plasma insulin and glucose were measured to calculate HOMA-IR. A single slice CT scan was taken at L4 and visceral and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT and ASAT, respectively) quantified using ,SliceOmatic' image analysis software. Results, A close correlation was demonstrated between VAT and HOMA-IR (r2 = 0·46, P = 0·002), whereas ASAT showed no relationship. Neck circumference correlated with both VAT (r2 = 0·67, P < 0·0001) and HOMA-IR (r2 = 0·35, P = 0·01). Waist circumference only correlated significantly with VAT (r2 = 0·25, P = 0·03). Conclusions, Visceral adiposity remains a strongly significant indicator of insulin resistance in WHO grade III obesity. Neck circumference surpasses other anthropometric measurements as a powerful marker of both VAT and insulin resistance. [source]

    Woody Encroachment Removal from Midwestern Oak Savannas Alters Understory Diversity across Space and Time

    RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
    Lars A. Brudvig
    Recovering biodiversity is a common goal during restoration; however, for many ecosystems, it is not well understood how restoration influences species diversity across space and time. I examined understory species diversity and composition after woody encroachment removal in a large-scale savanna restoration experiment in central Iowa, United States. Over a 4-year time series, restoration had profound effects across space and time, increasing richness at local and site-level scales. Restoration sites had increased , (within sample) Simpson's diversity and , and , (site level) species richness relative to control sites, although , and , (among sample) Simpson's diversity, , richness, and , species evenness were not affected. Changes in richness were driven by graminoids at the , and , scales and woody species (and some evidence for forbs) at the , scale. Interestingly, indicator species analysis revealed that at least some species from all functional groups were promoted by restoration, although no species were significant indicators of pre-treatment or control sites. Both savanna and nonsavanna species were indicators of restored sites. Restoration promoted exotic species at both scales, although species with spring phenologies were unaffected. Woody encroachment removal may be a means to promote species establishment in savannas; however, in this study, it resulted in establishment and proliferation of native and exotic and savanna and nonsavanna species. Future work might consider reintroduction of key savanna species to supplement those that have established. Work like this demonstrates the utility of restoration experiments for conducting research on large- and multiscale processes, such as species diversity. [source]

    Use and performances of Web-based portfolio assessment

    BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
    Chi-Cheng Chang
    This research explored the influence of a Web-based portfolio assessment system on students' performances. The methodological procedure adopted was to have the experimental group use the system, with the control group using conventional assessment. The study subjects were junior high school students of two computer classes. The experimental results revealed that the use of the system has significant positive influence on students' performances. According to estimated effect size, the most significant indicators were reflection, self-assessment, continuous improvement, goal setting, problem solving, data gathering, work and peer interaction. However, peer-assessment performance was not enhanced significantly. Therefore, one recommendation was to reduce peer-assessment and instead offer specific illustrations to the students as well as the opportunity to drill. [source]