Meta-analytical estimates of interrater reliability for direct supervisor performance ratings: Optimism under optimal measurement designs.

Performance appraisal (PA) is used for various organizational purposes and is vital to human resources practices. Despite this, current estimates of PA reliability are low, leading to decades of criticism regarding the use of PA in organizational contexts. In this article, we argue that current meta-analytical interrater reliability (IRR) coefficients are underestimates and do not reflect the reliability of interest to most practitioners and researchers-the reliability of an employee's direct supervisor.

Turning words into numbers: Assessing work attitudes using natural language processing.

Researchers and practitioners are often interested in assessing employee attitudes and work perceptions. Although such perceptions are typically measured using Likert surveys or some other closed-end numerical rating format, many organizations also have access to large amounts of qualitative employee data. For example, open-ended comments from employee surveys allow workers to provide rich and contextualized perspectives about work.

Design and participant characteristics of a primary care adaptation of the Look AHEAD Lifestyle Intervention for weight loss in type 2 diabetes: The REAL HEALTH-diabetes study.

Background/aims: The REAL HEALTH -Diabetes Study is a practice-based clinical trial that adapted the Look AHEAD lifestyle intervention for implementation in primary care settings. The trial will compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of in-person group lifestyle intervention, telephone group lifestyle intervention, and individual medical nutrition therapy (MNT), the current recommended standard of care in type 2 diabetes. The primary outcome is percent weight loss at 6 months with outcomes also measured at 12, 18, 24 (intervention completion), and 36 months.

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17759 using a detoxified sugar maple hemicellulosic hydrolysate.

Sugar maple hemicellulosic hydrolysate containing 71.9 g/l of xylose was used as an inexpensive feedstock to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17759. Several inhibitory compounds present in wood hydrolysate were analyzed for effects on cell growth and PHA production with strong inhibition observed at concentrations of 1 g/l furfural, 2 g/l vanillin, 7 g/l levulinic acid, and 1 M acetic acid.

Overcoming inhibitors in a hemicellulosic hydrolysate: improving fermentability by feedstock detoxification and adaptation of Pichia stipitis.

In order to improve the fermentative efficiency of sugar maple hemicellulosic hydrolysates for fuel ethanol production, various methods to mitigate the effects of inhibitory compounds were employed. These methods included detoxification treatments utilizing activated charcoal, anion exchange resin, overliming, and ethyl acetate extraction. Results demonstrated the greatest fermentative improvement of 50% wood hydrolysate (v/v) by Pichia stipitis with activated charcoal treatment.