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Culture is often proposed as a determinant factor in the decision to use paper as a material support for medieval manuscripts. Specifically, scholars frequently assert that European Jews were more willing to adopt paper as a support than Christians. However, the scholarly field has yet to consider an exhaustive quantitative comparison to support this claim. This study utilizes a quantitative codicological method to infer whether paper usage was truly influenced by cultural factors in Medieval Italy and Iberia. In so doing, this paper also evaluates the extent to which quantitative research can be done using digital resources from cultural institutions with holdings relevant to the geographic and temporal areas of interest to this research. Finally, the data gathered is compared to two online databases of medieval manuscripts to extrapolate the accuracy of the results.

The flexibility and insulating nature of polymeric dielectric materials are widely used in robotic and wearable electronic devices like electrical insulation, capacitive sensors, and electromechanical actuators. When combined with a phase transition-induced shape memory property, the resultant bistable electroactive polymer (BSEP) opens up new applications due to the rigid-to-rigid actuation of BSEP tremendously reducing the energy consumption for device operation while providing desirable strength for external loads. This dissertation focuses on investigating insulating, electroactive, and phase transition properties of BSEP, and adapting each aspect of the properties in the pursuit of innovative devices, such as rewritable photonic paper, smart windows with whole solar spectrum modulation, and wearable pressure sensors. An ink-free rewritable photonic paper has been invented through the interdisciplinary combination of photonic crystals, shape memory and electroactive properties of BSEP. The rewritable paper consists of a ferroferric oxide-carbon (Fe3O4@C) core–shell nanoparticle (NP)-based photonic crystal embedded in a BSEP. The nanocomposite can be repeatedly triggered to change into different shapes and colors due to the z-directional deformation that is induced by an electric field. The actuated shape and color can be maintained for a long term without energy input, and the stored images can then be rewritten over 500 times without noticeable degradation. Low energy consumption and simple erasing/rewriting are features that match the benefits of conventional paper as a zero-energy and long term data storage medium, but provide the additional advantage of rewritability. With pixelated electrode arrays, user-defined information can be actuated and erased at will which has been demonstrated through a seven-segment numerical display. A smart window with wide-band light modulation is designed solely based on the phase transition property of BSEP. One component of BSEP can be switched between semicrystalline and amorphous states through cooling below or heating above its melting temperature, leading to a reversible opaque-to-transparent transition. The opacity switching property of BSEP was further improved by mixing a more hydrophilic component to induce micro-scale phase separation, which is responsible for the whole solar spectrum light modulation due to Mie scattering. The resultant smart window achieves both high solar transmittance modulation of 70.2% and high luminous transmittance modulation of 80.4% which rivals the best reported smart windows and commercial privacy glasses with the highest privacy levels. This flexible smart window can also be mounted on curved surfaces for the need of windows with arbitrary shapes. This work is the first one to report an all-solid thermochromic smart window film without the inclusion of any metal/metal oxides or liquid crystals to enable a large light modulation over the whole solar spectrum.A flexible fiber-based pressure sensor is realized by applying a dielectric layer on the outside of a TEMPO-oxidized bacterial cellulose (TOBC)/silver nanowire (AgNW) conducting fiber. The pressure sensor can detect pressures up to 134 MPa with sensitivity of 101 � 10-4 kPa-1 due to its hierarchical structure and high conductivity. The porous structure of TOBC/AgNW helps increase the thickness deformation of the sensor with applied pressure, improving the sensing ability. Small pressures of human pulse and voice vibration can be detected with this sensitive pressure sensor. A machine learning classification model was implemented to recognize human’s speech where the prediction accuracy on a test dataset is > 90%. The ultrathin fibrous sensor (53 �m) is capable of high-resolution detection, and suitable as a comfortable and fashionable thread substitute for real wearable devices.The combined properties of BSEP with the proof-of-concept developments of rewritable paper, smart windows and wearable sensors demonstrate its potential for real-world applications. And an outlook for future research and suggested improvements for commercialization are discussed in the conclusion.

© 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. The Liver Imaging and Reporting Data System (LI-RADS) is a comprehensive system for standardizing the terminology, technique, interpretation, reporting, and data collection of liver imaging with the overarching goal of improving communication, clinical care, education, and research relating to patients at risk for or diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In 2018, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) integrated LI-RADS into its clinical practice guidance for the imaging-based diagnosis of HCC. The harmonization between the AASLD and LI-RADS diagnostic imaging criteria required minor modifications to the recently released LI-RADS v2017 guidelines, necessitating a LI-RADS v2018 update. This article provides an overview of the key changes included in LI-RADS v2018 as well as a look at the LI-RADS v2018 diagnostic algorithm and criteria, technical recommendations, and management suggestions. Substantive changes in LI-RADS v2018 are the removal of the requirement for visibility on antecedent surveillance ultrasound for LI-RADS 5 (LR-5) categorization of 10-19 mm observations with nonrim arterial phase hyper-enhancement and nonperipheral “washout”, and adoption of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network definition of threshold growth (≥ 50% size increase of a mass in ≤ 6 months). Nomenclatural changes in LI-RADS v2018 are the removal of -us and -g as LR-5 qualifiers.

This is a report on the findings of the dark matter science working group for the white paper on the status and future of TeV gamma-ray astronomy. The white paper was commissioned by the American Physical Society, and the full white paper can be found on astro-ph (arXiv:0810.0444). This detailed section discusses the prospects for dark matter detection with future gamma-ray experiments, and the complementarity of gamma-ray measurements with other indirect, direct or accelerator-based searches. We conclude that any comprehensive search for dark matter should include gamma-ray observations, both to identify the dark matter particle (through the charac- teristics of the gamma-ray spectrum) and to measure the distribution of dark matter in galactic halos., Report from the Dark Matter Science Working group of the APS commissioned White paper on ground-based TeV gamma ray astronomy (19 pages, 9 figures)

The migration literature contends that, unlike other immigrants, refugees resettled in the US benefit from a federal program of integration. These claims do not consider the barriers that may complicate the implementation of resettlement policy. Based on 16 months of ethnographic fieldwork at a refugee resettlement agency in California, I argue that the organizational structure of the US Resettlement Program shapes how caseworkers provide resettlement services on a daily basis. The financial insecurity of Resettlement Agencies coupled with high stakes government oversight creates an organizational culture of vulnerability where caseworkers rely on discretion as they put resettlement policy into practice. Caseworkers develop coping mechanisms to get by as they simultaneously attend to the demands of their funders and their refugee clients. Given these structural constraints and limited resources, caseworkers instrumentalize paperwork as a discretionary tool. When files and documents are privileged over the quality and extent of resettlement services, caseworkers creatively utilize paperwork to separate policy from practice in order to protect themselves and appease their refugee clients. This policy of integration instead becomes a practice of paper integration, which problematizes prior theories and assumptions about US refugee resettlement. This practice of paper integration ultimately affects the services that arriving refugees receive and the degree to which they benefit from this ostensible program of integration.

This study examines data from the California EMS Information System (CEMSIS) to identify factors that influence prehospital time for EMS events related to motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). While only 19 percent of the United States population resides in rural areas, over half of all traffic fatalities involve rural motor vehicle collisions. Rural and urban MVCs result in similar injury severities, however relative inaccessibility of trauma centers and prehospital EMS time (activation, response, and transport time) likely contribute to the generally higher mortality rate in rural areas. For the present study, 24 CEMSIS data variables were requested, many of which involved missing data, which severely restricted the potential analysis of the impact of EMS response times. However, the findings did show that average overall EMS time (including response, scene and transport time) were approximately twice as long for collisions in rural zip codes compared with urban zip codes. Several limitations influence the interpretation of these results. Data on prehospital EMS times is missing for much of the state—even for zip codes with records of EMS events, data is likely incomplete. In addition, zip code level location data is insufficient for adequate study of the effects of the built environment and road network on prehospital time. Furthermore, according to the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) User Manual, the national dataset suffers from selection and information bias, which are likely also present in the CEMSIS data. Although the present study cannot analyze the effect of longer prehospital times on patient outcome, other research has found that longer prehospital times may negatively impact patient health. Recommendations for reducing time from injury to appropriate medical care in rural areas include improving cell phone coverage, compliance of rural 911 center with FCC wireless, use of GPS technology, and integration of automatic vehicle location and computer aided navigation technologies into all computer-aided dispatch systems. In addition, CEMSIS should improve the coverage of their dataset and ensure that all EMS activities are recorded. To expand the type of analyses that can be conducted using CEMSIS data, EMS records must include fields that allow them to be linked to hospital and police datasets. When such data becomes available, research must be conducted to determine whether prehospital time is significantly related to patient outcome following motor vehicle collisions.

This white paper is a condensation of a report by a committee appointed jointly by the Nuclear Science and Physics Divisions at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The goal of this study was to identify the most promising technique(s) for resolving the neutrino mass hierarchy. For the most part, we have relied on calculations and simulations presented by the proponents of the various experiments. We have included evaluations of the opportunities and challenges for these experiments based on what is available already in the literature., White paper prepared for Snowmass-2013

Research on reading from digital devices has generally shown a decline in comprehension performance when reading from a digital screen as opposed to reading from paper, under certain conditions—namely, when texts are both longer and when comprehension is measured as deeper-level understanding of text, relying on higher order reading skills rather than merely measuring recall. The present study attempted to replicate previous findings, and to investigate whether comprehension declines are mediated by increased mind wandering when reading from a digital medium compared to when reading from paper. A sample of 169 high school students was given a text to read, either on paper or on a digital tablet. Following the reading, subjects were given two reading tests: one an inference-based comprehension test, the other a recall test. Mind wandering was measured by using a mind wandering probe adapted from Hollis and Was (2016). I did not replicate previous findings: I found no significant relationship between reading condition and inference-based comprehension. Further, no relationship was found between reading condition and mind wandering (i.e., there was not more mind wandering in the digital condition, as I had hypothesized). However, mind wandering was significantly related to inference-based comprehension, and a novel approach to capturing mind wandering in a group setting was successfully implemented. I discuss implications of these findings and possible directions for future research.

The purpose of this project is to cut a window in the opaque edifice of medical liability for young and aspiring OBGYNs to peer through. In addition to reviewing a wealth of literature on medical liability, I interviewed a diverse collection of OBGYNs at UCSD about their experiences with and views of medical malpractice. By integrating these narratives with the literature. This paper attempts to capture three perspectives that, I hope, offer greater texture and deeper understanding to young clinicians trying to make sense of medical liability: 1) What it feels like to be sued and the challenges associated with coping on the job; 2) What advice physicians have to avoid being sued (and a note on attorneys); 3) Where our system of medical liability falls short and how it might be improved.

Copyright © 2018 Burla et al. Published by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc. Human blood is a self-regenerating lipid-rich biological fluid that is routinely collected in hospital settings. The inventory of lipid molecules found in blood plasma (plasma lipidome) offers insights into individual metabolism and physiology in health and disease. Disturbances in the plasma lipidome also occur in conditions that are not directly linked to lipid metabolism; therefore, plasma lipidomics based on MS is an emerging tool in an array of clinical diagnostics and disease management. However, challenges exist in the translation of such lipidomic data to clinical applications. These relate to the reproducibility, accuracy, and precision of lipid quantitation, study design, sample handling, and data sharing. This position paper emerged from a workshop that initiated a community-led process to elaborate and define a set of generally accepted guidelines for quantitative MS-based lipidomics of blood plasma or serum, with harmonization of data acquired on different instrumentation platforms across independent laboratories as an ultimate goal. We hope that other fields may benefit from and follow such a precedent.

Infectious diseases are a significant problem, accounting for 1 in every 4 deaths worldwide. The field of bioengineering is constantly innovating and advancing diagnostic technology; however, more often than not, these innovations are accessible only to communities with privileged resources. This has led to a growing focus on point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Due to their ease of use, speed, and low cost, POC diagnostics can effectively test patients in resource-poor settings. One of the most well known POC technologies is the lateral-flow immunoassay (LFA). Most easily recognized for its use in pregnancy tests, LFA is a paper-based diagnostic that produces visually interpreted results using a colorimetric indicator decorated with antibodies specific to the target. Recently, we have seen rapid advancement in the fields of paper fluidics and paper diagnostics, which can have a tremendous impact on the future of LFA technology. In light of this, we focused our work in 3 distinct directions, which involves development of quantitative experimental methodologies, mathematical modeling, and improving the ease-of-use of the advanced LFA technology.Development of new paper-based devices would benefit significantly from being able to quantitatively assess the effects of engineering the device on important LFA parameters. For example, it would be useful to know the effects of manipulating the gold nanoprobes and test strips on the forward (kf,s) and reverse (kr,s) rate constants for the probe binding to and dissociating from the test line, respectively. We discuss our novel approach for determining these rate constants and the volumetric flow rate by using mathematical modeling and radioactive iodine-125 (125I). Moreover, we demonstrate how radioactivity and paper strips can also be used to determine the volume of fluid in and before the test line, the concentration of gold nanoprobes, and the number of antibodies per gold nanoprobe. As the field of paper-based diagnostics continues to rapidly expand, it becomes more important to incorporate modeling into their design. A model can be used to determine the effects of LFA parameters on desired outputs, such as the amount of probe bound to the test line. Such predictions become increasingly important as systems become more complicated, and the effects of changing different operating conditions become less intuitive due to the many physical, chemical, and biological processes that are simultaneously occurring. Moreover, a mathematical model allows the engineer to quantitatively predict the influence of well-defined changes in certain parameters. We have derived a simple model that could be used in combination with our novel estimation methods for LFA parameters to predict the amount of probe binding to the test line, an important performance indicator of LFA. We will discuss the derivation of the model, and demonstrate the model’s ability to predict empirical results.Our lab’s recent innovations have improved LFA sensitivity by utilizing aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) to thermodynamically concentrate the target molecule prior to detection. In the third direction, we describe a diagnostic design that dehydrates the ATPS components within the paper, creating a non-dilutive, one-step diagnostic process. We investigate the importance of ATPS component dehydration order and demonstrate an improvement in the limit of detection for Chlamydia trachomatis LFA using our dehydrated ATPS diagnostic design.

Point-of-care technologies provide innovative solutions that improve treatment. Healthcare systems including some low-resource settings have begun implementing these technologies providing the convenience and reduction of large laboratory set-ups. Low-cost is one of the main driving components when it comes to point-of-care diagnostics. Paper-based microfluidics has generated a great amount of interest for the development of low-cost diagnostic and self-contained analytical devices. Satisfying the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended ASSURED criteria; Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment free, Deliverable, paper-based microfluidics have made point-of-care testing more accessible. Applications range from healthcare, food safety, and environmental monitoring, among others. What has in part attracted attention is the low-cost, ease-of-use, and adaptability of these paper devices. Compared to conventional microfluidic devices, the paper-based counterparts are able to utilize paper’s inherent wicking property to eliminate the external pumping needed to drive the fluid. Channels are easily formed by either selectively removing sections of the paper substrate or by pattering channel boundaries with a hydrophobic material. In spite of the benefits and advantages described above, paper-based microfluidic technologies often lack the necessary sensitivity and sophistication available in conventional microfluidic devices. In order to be a competitive alternative, paper-based microfluidics require improvement and novel development of feasible detection methods. These methods will likely require increasingly complex chemistry and control of reagents. Thus, understanding imbibition as well as obtaining precise, accurate, and consistent fluid handling within the paper device will be crucial.Although considerable knowledge exists on techniques to manipulate fluid within the paper channel, what is lacking are studies on how non-laboratory conditions (e.g. relative humidity) influence fluid flow. This presentation aims to address this gap with particular focus on the effects of relative humidity and channel width. A series of controlled imbibition experiments is reported using cellulose papers commonly used in the field of paper-based microfluidics. We show that both the imposed relative humidity and the channel width have critical design considerations in paper-based devices. Additionally, we compare three models, the Lucas-Washburn model, the Fries et al. (2008) model which incorporates evaporation, and a newly developed water saturation model that incorporates evaporation as well as residual water in the paper. We assess their accuracy in representing the experimental data and systematically evaluate the importance of evaporation and water saturation under a wide range of relative humidity conditions. The current study has created a library of paper-specific, imbibition-related properties for commonly used filter and chromatography papers for the first time.Lastly, the effort of fluid manipulation is continued. A qualitative investigation on two-dimensional wax-bound channels is covered. The channels encompass the most basic geometry that may be present in complex fluidic designs; sudden expansion, contraction, and a box along the channel. It is found that these simple channel cross-sections can accelerate and decelerate fluid flow, therefore altering the time of fluid delivery. Collectively, the success of this research will improve the development of future diagnostic and analytical paper devices producing a user-friendly and cost effective point-of-care alternative.

The author questions standard archival claims of truth and diversity.

The development of patterning high-resolution microfluidic circuits onto cellulose paper in 2007 initiated widespread research into the use of the paper as a low-cost, easy-to-use alternative substrate over the glass and plastics of traditional microfluidics. Paper, as a porous hydrophilic material, naturally wicks fluid through itself, without the need to external pumps or power sources. The patterning of paper into hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, now achievable with consumer-grade office printers, allowed the design of new 2D devices, capable of multi-analyte detection. 3D devices, made from multiple stacked layers of paper, offer even more possibilities for complex, multi-fluid routing in smaller overall device footprints. The use of patterned aerosol adhesives are investigated as an improved method of attaching multiple paper layers together rapidly and with minimal interference of interlayer fluid transport. Patterned aerosol adhesives also enable the development of nonplanar 3D devices, which represent a novel platform upon which to develop new microfluidic devices, which would otherwise be impossible to construct or function in a planar device.Much of paper microfluidics research is focused on developing more sophisticated detection methods that provide quantitative data, instead of simple colorimetric qualitative yes/no answers. Frequently quantification is obtained by scanning the device and performing a color intensity analysis to relate a color change to concentrations of a target analyte. This technique suffers due to variations in the quality of imaging equipment and the ambient lighting conditions during image acquisition. To address this, some have proposed a distance-based lateral flow device, where the distance traveled by a colored substance is proportional to the target analyte concentration. The use of a microsphere aggregation-based sandwich assay was investigated for semi-quantitatively determining the concentration of a target ssDNA strand.

Introduction: A proper understanding of study design is essential to creating successful studies. This is also important when reading or peer reviewing publications. In this article, we aimed to identify and summarize key papers that would be helpful for faculty members interested in learning more about study design in medical education research. Methods: The online discussions of the 2016-2017 Academic Life in Emergency Medicine Faculty Incubator program included a robust and vigorous discussion about education study design, which highlighted a number of papers on that topic. We augmented this list of papers with further suggestions by expert mentors. Via this process, we created a list of 29 papers in total on the topic of medical education study design. After gathering these papers, our authorship group engaged in a modified Delphi approach to build consensus on the papers that were most valuable for the understanding of proper study design in medical education. Results: We selected the top five most highly rated papers on the topic domain of study design as determined by our study group. We subsequently summarized these papers with respect to their relevance to junior faculty members and to faculty developers. Conclusion: This article summarizes five key papers addressing study design in medical education with discussions and applications for junior faculty members and faculty developers. These papers provide a basis upon which junior faculty members might build for developing and analyzing studies.

Introduction: Many teachers adopt instructional methods based on assumptions of best practices without attention to or knowledge of supporting education theory. Familiarity with a variety of theories informs education that is efficient, strategic, and evidence-based. As part of the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine Faculty Incubator Program a list of key education theories for junior faculty was developed. Methods: A list of key papers on theories relevant to medical education was generated using an expert panel, a virtual community of practice synthetic discussion, and a social media call for resources. A three-round, Delphi-informed voting methodology including novice and expert educators produced a rank order of the top papers. Results: Thirty-four unique papers were identified. Eleven papers described general theories, while 23 papers focused on a specific theory. The top three ranked general education theories and top five ranked specific education theory papers are summarized. The relevance of each paper for junior faculty and faculty developers is also presented. Conclusion: This paper presents a reading list of key papers for junior faculty in medical education roles. Three papers about general education theories and five papers about specific educational theories are identified and annotated. These papers may help provide foundational knowledge in education theory to inform junior faculty teaching practice.

Introduction: Modern learners have immediate, unlimited access to a wide variety of onlineresources. To appeal to this current generation of learners, educators must embrace the useof technology. However, educators must balance newer, novel technologies with traditionalmethods to achieve the best learning outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to review several papersuseful for faculty members wishing to incorporate technology into instructional design. Methods: We identified a broad list of papers relevant to teaching and lea rning with technologywithin the online discussions of the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) FacultyIncubator. This list was augmented with suggestions by a guest expert (BT) and an open callon Twitter (tagged with the #meded and #FOAMed hashtags) yielding 24 papers. We thenconducted a modified three-round Delphi process within the autho rship group, including juniorand senior faculty members, to identify the most impactful papers. Results: We pared the list of 24 papers to five that were most highly rate d. Two were researchpapers and three were commentaries or editorials. The authorship group reviewed andsummarized these papers with specific consideration to their val ue to junior educators andfaculty developers. Conclusion: This is a key reading list for junior faculty members and faculty developersinterested in teaching with technology. The commentary contextualizes the importance of thesepapers for medical educators, to optimize use of technology in their teaching or incorporate intofaculty development.

This dissertation investigates the interplay between second and fourth graders’ use of rulers and paper strips to solve number line measurement problems. Drawing upon and extending Vygotsky’s (1978, 1986) approach to mediation in problem solving, and Saxe’s (2012) treatment of microgenesis of representational activity, I analyzed 36 second and 39 fourth graders’ measurement activity as they participated in videotaped semi-structured interviews. At each grade, students were randomly assigned to ruler, short paper strip, or long paper strip conditions, and solved five number line problems first without the tool available and then five similar problems with the tool available. For each problem, two numbers were labeled (e.g., 4 and 6) and students were asked to place a third number appropriately (e.g., 9). Problems and tools were designed to elicit unitizing strategies (splitting, iterating, counting) as students coordinated tool with target to produce a linear measure. I report findings related to the precision of students’ estimates contrasting tool absent and present conditions, and findings related to students’ adaptation of tools to serve measurement functions. Analyses of students’ precision revealed that with or without the support of tools, fourth graders were more precise than second graders, though the utility of tool varied with tool and problem type. The long paper strip was particularly difficult for second graders, and at both grades, many students rejected using the long paper strip. Students generally became precise with tools when a solving a problem type that displayed a linear unit of 1 instead of a larger unit, though this varied with tool type. On other problem types, tools interfered with precision, and on still other problem types, tools interfered with the precision of second, but supported the precision of fourth graders. Analyses of strategies revealed three levels in students’ ability to coordinate a unitization of tool and target as they tried to adapt tools to serve measurement functions. I argue that these findings can productively inform our understanding of the interplay between tool use in students’ developing measurement activity as well as the design of instructional problem environments to support students’ tool using in linear measurement.

Introduction: Competency-based medical education (CBME) presents a paradigm shift in medicaltraining. This outcome-based education movement has triggered substantive changes across the globe.Since this transition is only beginning, many faculty members may not have experience with CBMEnor a solid foundation in the grounding literature. We identify and summarize key papers to help facultymembers learn more about CBME. Methods: Based on the online discussions of the 2016-2017 ALiEM Faculty Incubator program, a seriesof papers on the topic of CBME was developed. Augmenting this list with suggestions by a guest expertand by an open call on Twitter for other important papers, we were able to generate a list of 21 papers intotal. Subsequently, we used a modified Delphi study methodology to narrow the list to key papers thatdescribe the importance and significance for educators interested in learning about CBME. To determinethe most impactful papers, the mixed junior and senior faculty authorship group used three-round votingmethodology based upon the Delphi method. Results: Summaries of the five most highly rated papers on the topic of CBME, as determined by thismodified Delphi approach, are presented in this paper. Major themes include a definition of core CBMEthemes, CBME principles to consider in the design of curricula, a history of the development of the CBMEmovement, and a rationale for changes to accreditation with CBME. The application of the study findingsto junior faculty and faculty developers is discussed. Conclusion: We present five key papers on CBME that junior faculty members and faculty expertsidentified as essential to faculty development. These papers are a mix of foundational and explanatorypapers that may provide a basis from which junior faculty members may build upon as they help toimplement CBME programs.

Author(s): Barrett, J Christian; Alweis, Richard; Frank, Michael; O'Connor, Alec; McConville, John F; Adams, Nancy Day; Arfons, Lisa; Bernard, Sheilah; Bradley, Thomas; Buckley, John D; Cohen, Ellen; Cornett, Patricia; Elkins, Stephanie; Kopelman, Richard; Luther, Vera P; Petrusky, Jiselle; McNeill, Diana B; Omar, Bassam; Palapiano, Nancy; Roth, Teresa; Satko, Scott; Fried, Ethan D; Muchmore, Elaine A

The first scientific publication on 'general adaption syndrome', or as we know today 'biologic stress' has been published in Nature in 1936 by the 29-year old Hans Selye. His results in that short publication that contained no references or illustrations, were based on experiments in rats that were exposed to severe insults/ stressors, but his idea about a 'nonspecific bodily response' originated from his observations of sick patients whom he had seen as a medical student and young clinician. Autopsy of stressed rats revealed three major, grossly visible changes: hyperemia and enlargement of the adrenals, atrophy of the thymus and lymph nodes as well as hemorrhagic gastric erosions/ulcers (the "stress triad"). Based on this and additional observations, he concluded that the key master organ in stress reactions is the adrenal cortex (although he also accepted the limited and short lasting effect of catecholamines released from the adrenal medulla) which stimulated by an increased secretion of ACTH, secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. He thus identified the first molecular mediators of the stress reaction, i.e., steroids released from the adrenal cortex that we call today glucocorticoids, based on his classification and naming of steroids. At the end of a very productive life in experimental medicine, Selye recognized that under both unpleasant and demanding stressors as well as positive, rewarding stimuli adrenal cortex releases the same glucocorticoids and only certain brain structures may distinguish the stimuli under distress and eustress - terms he introduced in 1974, that also contained his last definition of stress: the nonspecific response of the body on any demand on it. After brief description of the history of stress research, the rest of this review is focused on one element of stress triad, i.e., gastroduodenal ulceration, especially its pathogenesis, prevention and treatment. Following a short description of acute gastroprotection, discovered by one of Selye's students, we discuss new molecular mediators of gastroduodenal ulceration like dopamine and new drugs that either only heal (very potently, on molar basis) or prevent and heal ulcers like sucralfate derivatives and the relatively new peptide BPC-157. We conclude that despite the extensive and multidisciplinary research on stress during the last 80 years, a lot of basic and clinical research is needed to better understand the manifestations, central and peripheral molecular regulators of stress response, especially the modes of prevention/management of distress or its transformation into eustress and the treatment of stress-related diseases.

Inspired by the success of convolutional neural networks in image classification, and other higher level vision tasks, we explore two applications of such deep convolutional neural networks to model tasks typically involving human assessment, viz. i) prediction of personality from social media images, and ii) prediction of citations from the visual elements of an academic paper. The aim in this context is to discover if there is any predictable and learnable signal in the input data. As an extension, we attempt to discover what aspects of the signal are indeed learnt that lead to the results presented. For instance, if personality can be predicted, what aspects of the image are causing that? Similarly if an academic paper is highly cited, what are the characteristic visual elements that cause this? We employ convolutional neural networks in order to understand what imputable attributes we may derive that are simpler to reason.

Transwomen are among the most vulnerable populations in the United States and are disproportionately at risk for HIV and other negative health outcomes. Research with transwomen has been largely descriptive, documenting the high prevalence of various co-morbidities, ranging from substance use to negative mental health outcomes. In these studies, singular axes of identity have generally been analyzed. For example, studies have found that race is especially salient in the health of transwomen, finding that transwomen of color experience numerous structural inequalities that drive disparities in health. More intersectional research to examine social inequities in health and illness among transwomen is needed to better understand factors situated in the lived experiences of transwomen. This dissertation draws upon quantitative methods to examine disparities in HIV risk behavior and substance use among transwomen at the intersection of race and gender (Paper 1) and sexuality and gender (Paper 2). Qualitatively, this dissertation examines transmisogyny as a form of intersectional stress among transwomen (Paper 3). This first study is a cross-sectional analysis of data from a sample of 149 HIV-negative adult transwomen in San Francisco collected in 2013 from the TEACH 2 study. The second study is a cross-sectional analysis of data from a sample of 259 young transwomen in the San Francisco Bay Area collected in 2012-2014 from the SHINE study. The third study is a secondary analysis of qualitative, in-depth interview data from the Transgender Research Youth Project (TRYP), collected from 34 young transwomen in Chicago and Los Angeles in 2006. Altogether, these studies argue that future transgender research should increasingly take up intersectionality in order to understand the unique social location of transwomen.

Introduction: Scholarship is an essential part of academic success. Junior faculty members are often unfamiliar with the grounding literature that defines educational scholarship. In this article, the authors aim to summarize five key papers outlining scholarship in the setting of academic contributions for emerging clinician educators. Methods: The authors conducted a consensus-building process to generate a list of key papers that describe the importance and significance of academic scholarship, informed by social media sources. We then used a three-round voting methodology, akin to a Delphi study, to determine the papers with the most impact. Results: A summary of the five most important papers on the topic domain of academic scholarship, as determined by this mixed group of junior faculty members and faculty developers, is presented in this paper. We subsequently wrote a summary of these five papers and their relevance to junior faculty members and faculty developers, as well. Conclusion: Five papers on educational scholarship, deemed essential by the authors’ consensus process, are presented in this paper. These papers may help provide the foundational background to help junior faculty members gain a grasp of the academic scholarly environment. This list may also inform senior faculty and faculty developers on the needs of junior faculty members in the nascent stages of their careers. [West JEmerg Med. 2016;17(5)519-526.]

This dissertation is comprised of three distinct papers covering topics in appliedmicroeconomics and applied econometrics. The first paper addresses a common problem faced by empirical researchers wishing to estimate Markov regime-switching models. For these models, testing for the possible presence of more than one regime requires the use of a non-standard test statistic. The analytic steps needed to implement the test of Markov regime-switching proposed by Cho & White (2007) are derived in detail in Carter & Steigerwald (2013). We summarize those implementation steps and address the computational issues that arise. A new Stata command to compute the regime-switching critical values, rscv, is introduced and presented in the context of empirical economic research. This paper is joint work with Douglas Steigerwald, and has previously appeared in the Stata Journal (Bostwick and Steigerwald, 2014).In the second paper, I address a question in the field of economics of education: that is,whether college students use their choice of major as a signal of unobserved productivityin the labor market. I propose a model of postsecondary education in which major fieldof study can be used by individuals to signal productivity to employers. Under thissignaling model, I show that geographic areas with high access to elite universities resultin fewer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors among lower ability students at non-elite colleges. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics' Baccalaureate and Beyond survey, I find evidence that is consistent with the signaling model prediction, specifically a 2.3-3.7 percentage point (or 16-25%) decrease in the probability of choosing a STEM major among lower ability students in areas with greater access to elite colleges. This paper has previously appeared in Economic Inquiry (Bostwick, 2016).In the third paper, I analyze an unexpected consequence of a highly debated educationpolicy. Many school districts are now considering delaying high school start times toaccommodate the sleep schedules of teens. This paper explores whether such policychanges can have an impact on teen car accident rates. This impact could functionboth through a direct effect on teen sleep deprivation and indirectly through changes tothe driving environment, i.e. shifting teen commute times into the high volume, "rushhour" of the morning. I find that, during the morning commute hours, any potentialeffect stemming from avoided sleep deprivation is offset by the effect of shifting teendriving into rush hour, so that a 15 minute delay in high school start times leads to a21% increase in morning teen accidents. However, by focusing on late-night accidents, Ialso find evidence of a persistent sleep effect. By decreasing teen sleep deprivation, a 15 minute delay in school start times leads to a 26% decrease in late-night teen accidents.

This poster describes a project to arrange, describe, and preserve two archival collections at UC Santa Cruz Special Collections & Archives: the Lick Observatory Records and the papers of Kenneth S. Norris. Both collections include essential records that highlight an innovative way of exploring nature at the time: the Lick Observatory embarked on expeditions all over the world in the early 20th century to study total solar eclipses, and Ken Norris helped establish the Field Quarter class at UC Santa Cruz, which remains to this day a unique opportunity for students to explore and study natural reserves across California for an entire academic quarter.

Due to their potential to improve roadway safety, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance the mobility of people and goods, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have generated considerable enthusiasm in the transportation community. In this white paper, state-of-the practice ITS programs that are environmentally beneficial are highlighted spanning the three main areas of ITS, including, Vehicle Systems, Traffic Management Systems, and Traveler Information Systems. Recent ITS research programs in the US and EU are outlined. View the NCST Project Webpage

The widespread availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has resulted in decreased morbidity, mortality, and transmission of HIV. This region, however, still represents the majority of the global burden of HIV. Furthermore, levels of retention in care and medication adherence, critical determinants of ART effectiveness, are currently suboptimal, and, thus, continue to be the target of many interventions. This dissertation is comprised of three chapters related to understanding ART adherence and interventions to improve it.Chapter 1 quantitatively describes and examines the distribution of poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy in a study of HIV-positive patients in Zambia. In a novel application of the Lorenz curve, a tool used commonly in economics, this analysis characterized the concentration of medication non-possession in a network of clinics in order to identify “hotspots” and predictors of poor adherence. Results extend previous studies by revealing that even though average adherence is high, lapses in adherence are common and concentrated among a minority of patients, and also in certain clinics. This concentration and variability varies with time on ART. Furthermore, a small fraction of patients accounts for the majority of days of medication non-possession, with the size of this group increasing with time on ART. This suggests that targeted interventions may represent a preferable overall strategy as compared to those targeting all patients to improve adherence. Furthermore, there was high variability across clinics suggesting that interventions targeting clinic “hotspots” may also represent an efficient use of resources to improve ART adherence. Chapter 2 presents the results of the first qualitative study to examine conditional incentives for ART adherence and their potential pathways of action among people living with HIV. This study was conducted within a study of conditional food and cash transfers to increase retention in care and adherence to ART among HIV-positive food insecure recent adults in Shinyanga, Tanzania. Although financial and in-kind incentives have been shown to improve outcomes along the HIV care cascade, results are mixed, and there is little evidence about the pathways through which incentives work. Results of this qualitative study and analysis revealed that incentives acted through three primary pathways to potentially increase retention in care and adherence to ART: 1) addressing competing needs and offsetting opportunity costs associated with clinic attendance, 2) increasing motivation and 3) alleviating stress associated with attending clinic, worry about providing for oneself and one’s family, and providing hope for a better future. The first pathway was the strongest, which was consistent with field observations and discussions with local clinic staff, research staff, and Ministry of Health officials. Participants did not report any harmful events associated with the incentives, and reported a variety of beneficial spillover effects on household welfare. Understanding these pathways can help improve design and targeting of future food or cash incentive interventions. Chapter 3 focused on intrinsic motivation within the aforementioned study of food and cash transfers for ART adherence in Tanzania. Some critical of incentives argue that incentives can ‘crowd out’ intrinsic motivation, making the individual less likely to engage in the desired behavior after the incentive is removed, potentially leading to limited durability of effect and causing harm in the long term. This hypothesis was examined among recent antiretroviral treatment initiates in Tanzania by comparing participants’ level of intrinsic motivation before receiving transfers to the level once the transfer period ended. The analysis revealed that, not only did intrinsic motivation not decrease after the transfer period ended, but that the level of intrinsic motivation increased overall and within study arms. Furthermore, the change in motivation did not differ by study arms. As the first study to empirically examine the crowding out hypothesis regarding incentives in a real-world, resource-limited setting, these results suggest that incentive interventions in such settings should not be impeded by concerns of crowding out intrinsic motivation.Together these chapters contribute to improving our understanding of antiretroviral adherence and intervention response. The Lorenz curve and medication possession analysis provides a more comprehensive and detailed measurement and illustration of adherence and its variability across individuals and clinics in Zambia. Such information is critical to targeting and designing future interventions. Next, by examining an ongoing intervention to improve adherence in Tanzania, we were able to elucidate and examine the potential pathways of action of food and cash transfers. Furthermore, we found no evidence that these incentives decreased intrinsic motivation. Knowledge gleaned from this deep exploration of the incentives’ mechanism of action in a real-world setting not only informs refinement of the intervention, but also helps to fill the gap in understanding how and when these interventions may work.

Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. Innovation leading to significant advances in research and subsequent translation to clinical practice is urgently necessary in early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer. Addressing this need, the Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference was conducted by Kenner Family Research Fund in conjunction with the 2014 American Pancreatic Association and Japan Pancreas Society Meeting. International interdisciplinary scientific representatives engaged in strategic facilitated conversations based on distinct areas of inquiry: Case for Early Detection: Definitions, Detection, Survival, and Challenges; Biomarkers for Early Detection; Imaging; and Collaborative Studies. Ideas generated from the summit have led to the development of a Strategic Map for Innovation built upon 3 components: formation of an international collaborative effort, design of an actionable strategic plan, and implementation of operational standards, research priorities, and first-phase initiatives. Through invested and committed efforts of leading researchers and institutions, philanthropic partners, government agencies, and supportive business entities, this endeavor will change the future of the field and consequently the survival rate of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

This policy brief explains how Japan produces its annual defense white paper and how this publication and other defense reports promote transparency on Japan’s national defense. I outline the process of putting together the white paper and then suggest ways in which the process and the structure could be applied by other nations seeking to improve their defense transparency.

The Spatial Search specialist meeting in Santa Barbara (December 2014) brought together 35 academic and industry representatives from computational, geospatial, and cognitive sciences with interest in focused discussions on the development of an interdisciplinary research agenda to advance spatial search from scientific and engineering viewpoints. The position papers from participants represent the shared expertise that guided discussions and the formulation of research questions about processes of spatial search and about the conceptual ideas, infrasturctures, and tools needed to enhance the search experience in both physical and virtual spaces. The call for position papers is included.

Download this index for direct linked access to reports and position papers associated with NCGIA hosted and sponsored specialist research meetings and conferences between 1988 and 2008.

Download this index for direct links to 122 technical reports in the NCGIA Technical Papers series, published in the 1988-1997 period.

Copyright © 2015 Maher and Hernandez.Ortholog detection (OD) is a lynchpin of most statistical methods in comparative genomics. This task involves accurately identifying genes across species that descend from a common ancestral sequence. OD methods compris

The gamma-ray energy tracking array GRETA marks a major advance in the development of gamma-ray detector systems and can provide order-of-magnitude gains in sensitivity compared to existing arrays. It uses highly segmented hyper-pure germanium crystals together with advanced signal processing techniques to determine the location and energy of individual γ-ray interactions, which are then combined to reconstruct the incident γ-ray in a process called tracking. The GRETA science program described in this document illustrates GRETA’s broad impact in many experimental programs in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics, and its central role in the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, FRIB, being constructed at Michigan State University.

The first chapter concerns the eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State on May 18th, 1980 which resulted in a massive and unanticipated particulate air pollution shock. I use the incidence of the ash cloud fallout across Washington as a natural experiment to estimate the effect of a particulate shock on birth outcomes and infant mortality. I find that while there is no statistical effect on infant mortality, there were statistically fewer low birth weight babies born. The measured effect indicates about 230 fewer babies were born as a result of exposure while in the womb. These results suggest that about 1 in 10 pregnancies were terminated from the 20th percentile group of the weight distribution, increasing to almost 1 in 5 in the lowest 5th percentile. The effect is found to be the strongest in the early stages of pregnancy. Using these findings I estimate that the cost of a single particulate shock of typical magnitude on a metropolitan area of median size is $3.7 million. This quasi-experimental treatment is unique since the ash particulate is bioreactively inert and uncorrelated with other pollution. It clearly identifies the pernicious nature of all particulates, not just particulate categorized by source. In addition, the discrete timing of the event identifies the most vulnerable window for suspended particulate shocks on expectant mothers.In the second chapter, my colleague Daniel Moncayo and I investigate the informational effect that social comparisons play in household electricity use. We employ a randomized field experiment to present individuals with a social norm that encourages them to conserve electricity by comparing their consumption to that of an ``energy efficient neighbor,'' consisting of the average of the 10th percentile of participants' electricity consumption. Utilizing smart-meter data, we find households that received our informational treatment reduced their electricity consumption by an average of 7%, even though the treatment was private and there was no financial incentive to conserve. We also discover that conservation gains are largest during the peak morning and evening hours.The third chapter examines the effect of country-level political stability and investment security on forestland use. Using cross-section data I find that these measures are associated with benign outcomes for overall rates of forest area change and roundwood production. These associations are robust when instrumented for endogeneity, and reveal stronger impacts than OLS estimates would imply. Two-stage least squares results indicate that a one standard deviation increase in political stability, as currently measured by the World Bank, increases forest area by 12% over 10 years, and increases roundwood production by a factor of 10 to 19. Targeting political stability and investment security may be one of the most effective tools in mitigating carbon emissions through forest expansion and increasing forest productivity.

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The U.S. pulp and paper industry consumes over $7 billion worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year. Energy efficiency improvement is an important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are a variety of opportunities available at individual plants in the U.S. pulp and paper industry to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. This paper provides a brief overview of the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR(R) for Industry energy efficiency guidebook (a.k.a. the "Energy Guide") for pulp and paper manufacturers. The Energy Guide discusses a wide range of energy efficiency practices and energy-efficient technologies that can be implemented at the component, process, facility, and organizational levels. Also provided is a discussion of the trends, structure, and energy consumption characteristics of the U.S. pulp and paper industry along with a description of the major process technologies used within the industry. Many energy efficiency measure descriptions include expected savings in energy and energy-related costs, based on case study data from real-world applications in pulp and paper mills and related industries worldwide. The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers in the U.S. pulp and paper industry reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner while maintaining the quality of products manufactured. Further research on the economics of all measures?as well as on their applicability to different production practices?is needed to assess their cost effectiveness at individual plants.

Arch Toxicol (2014) 88:171–172 DOI 10.1007/s00204-013-1176-4 LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letter from Ralph J Cicerone regarding Edward Calabrese’s paper published online first on August 4th: “how the US national academy of sciences misled the world community on cancer risk assessment: new findings challenge historical foundations of the linear dose response.” [DOI 10.1007/s00204‑013‑1105‑6, Review Article] R. J. Cicerone · K. D. Crowley Received: 18 November 2013 / Accepted: 21 November 2013 / Published online: 6 December 2013 © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 Dear Dr. Hengstler We write to express disappointment with the inappropri- ate title and unsubstantiated content of Edward Calabrese’s paper published online on 4 August: “How the US National Academy of Sciences misled the world community on can- cer risk assessment: new findings challenge historical foun- dations of the linear dose response” (Calabrese 2013). Professor Calabrese accuses 1946 Nobel Laureate Her- man Muller and his colleague Curt Stern of a pattern of deception in their treatment of experiments by another scientist. Calabrese further accuses Muller of inappropri- ately influencing fellow members of the National Research Council’s Committee on Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation (BEAR) (NRC 1956) about the genetic effects of ionizing radiation in humans. Calabrese uses correspondence between Muller and Stern concerning experiments on germ cell mutations in male fruit flies, along with subsequent scientific publications by both scientists, to make unsubstantiated insinuations about Mul- ler and Stern’s motivations: For example, that Muller was “…[p]rotecting his reputation by ensuring that his mislead- ing comments would not be discovered while still aggres- sively pushing acceptance of the linearity agenda” (p. 2). And “In the absence of new data, Stern decided upon a new strategy to ‘save’ the single-hit linearity dose response” (p. R. J. Cicerone Chair, National Research Council, US National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, USA K. D. Crowley (*) Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board, National Research Council, US National Academy of Sciences, 500 Fifth St, NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA e-mail: kcrowley@nas.edu 3). Calabrese also makes ad hominem remarks about Mul- ler to support his accusations: For example, “… it was well known that Muller would try to win arguments by exaggera- tion and overstatement” (p. 3). It seems clear from Calabrese’s factual descriptions that Muller and Stern were trying to make sense of experiments that yielded unexpected results. It is not surprising that they would question these results and seek to have them repli- cated. Calabrese clearly disagrees with Stern and Muller’s scientific judgments, but he is able to marshal only circum- stantial evidence to support his accusations that they sought to suppress the experiments. In the end, the experiments were published (Caspari and Stern 1948) and served to spur-on additional scientific investigations. Calabrese also asserts that Muller “[m]ade deceptive statements during his Noble (sic) Prize Lecture … that were intended to promote the acceptance of the linear dose–response model for risk assessment for ionizing radi- ation” (p. 1). This assertion is based on statements made by Muller in his lecture in support of the linearity hypothesis even though he had received the manuscript containing the experimental results some 5 weeks earlier. Given Muller and Stern’s reluctance to accept the results of these experi- ments without replication, Muller’s decision not to men- tion them is certainly not surprising. It is unfair to call his behavior deceptive. Calabrese provides no evidence that Muller inappropri- ately influenced the BEAR committee or that the NAS or the BEAR committee misled anyone. The BEAR commit- tee considered a large body of scientific work and exercised its own considerable scientific judgment in reaching a con- sensus conclusion that “the genetic harm [from radiation] is proportional to the total dose” (NRC 1956, p. 23). Moreo- ver, the BEAR committee noted that this conclusion was generally accepted by the genetics community (ibid).