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Approximately 75% of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) qualify as mild. However, there exists no universally agreed upon definition for mild TBI (mTBI). Consequently, treatment guidelines for this group are lacking. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), American College of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM), Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD), Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), and the University of Arizona's Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG) have each published differing definitions for mTBI. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of these definitions to correctly classify mTBI patients in the acute care setting. A single-center, retrospective cohort study comparing the performance of the varying definitions of mTBI was performed at a Level I trauma center from August 2015 to December 2018. Definitions were compared by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, as well as overtriage and undertriage rates. Finally, a cost-savings analysis was performed. We identified 596 patients suffering blunt TBI with Glasgow Coma Scale 13-15. The CDC/ACRM definitions demonstrated 100% sensitivity but 0% specificity along with the highest rate of undertriage and TBI-related mortality. BIG 1 included nearly twice as many patients than EAST and VA/DoD while achieving a superior positive predictive value and undertriage rate. The BIG definition identified a larger number of patients compared to the VA/DoD and EAST definitions while having an acceptable and more accurate overtriage and undertriage rate compared to the CDC and ACRM. By eliminating undertriage and minimizing overtriage rates, the BIG maintains patient safety while enhancing the efficiency of healthcare systems. Using the BIG definition, a cost savings of $395,288.95-$401,263.95 per year could be obtained at our level 1 trauma facility without additional mortality. • There is no agreed upon definition for mTBI, and treatment guidelines are lacking. • The BIG had the most patients with a 100% PPV and limited undertriage and overtriage. • Using the BIG will reduce unnecessary healthcare costs and patient radiation exposure. • A cost-savings of $395,288.95-$401,263.95 per year would be obtained using the BIG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from trauma-informed interviews with women undergraduate students, this article examines the ripple effects of sexual violence on student (in)security and mobility. Campus sexual violence is exceedingly common, with 1 in 5 women experiencing sexual assault during college. Young women and women of color also experience the highest rates of sexual harassment and fear of sexual violence. Yet, it is still not well understood how such experiences collectively impact women students' notions of security, spatial mobility, and independence. Focusing on a small, diverse set of women undergraduate students at the University of Arizona in the Southwest U.S., I analyze how perceptions of sexual violence impact behavior and safety strategies. I describe the variety of prevention and safety methods women undergraduates utilize and how they shoulder the burden of safety and care in lieu of university action. Findings suggest that participants often built their spatial behavior around avoiding 'danger spots' or places they feared, regardless of whether those were places they had ever experienced harassment or violence. Some students of color also found themselves at the crossroads of experiencing sexual harassment and racial microaggressions and expressed an emotional drain of straddling multiple cultural worlds. Findings further complicate notions that women's fear of public space is 'irrational'. This article builds on and extends work in geographies of fear to demonstrate how women students' safety behavior in the U.S. is informed by harassment, perceived crime, and secondary trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of snow accumulation and melt is a critical part of decision‐making in snow‐dominated watersheds. In this study, we demonstrate a flexible methodology to couple a detailed snow model, Crocus, separately to two different land surface models (LSMs), Noah‐MP and Noah. The original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) are used to simulate snow depth, snow water equivalent, and other water and energy states and fluxes. The results of simulations are compared against a wide range of independent gridded and point scale reference data sets. Our results show that coupling the detailed snow model, Crocus, with the LSMs improves the snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to independent observations. Overall, larger improvements are obtained with coupling Crocus to the Noah LSM, with the coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration reducing the RMSE and bias of snow depth from 2% to 12% and 57% to 75%, respectively, relative to Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) and snow product from the University of Arizona. On the other hand, smaller improvements are obtained by coupling Crocus with Noah‐MP. The Coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus reduces the snow depth bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of snow depth and snow water equivalent. The corresponding impacts in other water budget terms such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, however, are mixed, pointing to the significant need to improve the coupling assumptions of these processes within land models. Overall, the interoperable coupling framework demonstrated here offers the opportunity to include more detailed snow physics and processes, and to advance data assimilation systems through improved exploitation of information from snow remote sensing instruments. Plain Language Summary: We introduce a new approach that combines Crocus, a detailed snow model, with land surface models (LSMs) in the NASA Land Information System. As a demonstration, we coupled Crocus with Noah‐MP and Noah. In each time step, Crocus uses atmospheric forcing data, snow‐ground interface temperature, and soil water content from the LSMs to run snow physics. It then returns total profile snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow depth (SD) states to the LSMs. We compare the SD, SWE, and other water and energy states and fluxes from the original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) against various independent reference data sets. The coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration improves the RMSE and bias of SD and SWE. However, the coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus configuration improves the bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of SD and SWE. Despite the improvements in SD and SWE, a corresponding enhancement in evapotranspiration and soil moisture is not observed. We attribute these discrepancies to uncertainties in LSM parameterizations and associated biases in these variables. The coupling framework introduced here is modular and can be extended to enable the interaction between a given specialized physics model and the general LSM. Key Points: This work presents a new framework that couples the Crocus snow model, with Land Surface Models within the NASA Land Information SystemThe coupled systems improve the estimation of snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to the gridded observationsThe corresponding impacts in other water budget terms, such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, are mixed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An entanglement-based continuous variable (CV) QKD scheme is proposed, performing information reconciliation over an entanglement-assisted link. The same entanglement generation source is used in both raw key transmission and information reconciliation. The entanglement generation source employs only low-cost devices operated in the C-band. The proposed CV-QKD scheme with information reconciliation over an entanglement-assisted link significantly outperforms the corresponding CV-QKD scheme with information reconciliation over an authenticated public channel. It also outperforms the CV-QKD scheme in which a classical free-space optical communication link is used to perform information reconciliation. An experimental demonstration over the free-space optical testbed established at the University of Arizona campus indicates that the proposed CV-QKD can operate in strong turbulence regimes. To improve the secret key rate performance further, adaptive optics is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) is committed to ensuring an inclusive curriculum that reflects diversity, equity, and inclusion. To achieve this, UAGC has developed the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Course Audit Rubric, which assesses the extent to which DEI principles are incorporated into the curriculum. The rubric consists of nine standards and 29 indicators, and each criterion is evaluated using five levels of representation. The review process involves both a faculty subject matter expert and an external reviewer, who provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. The goal is to continuously improve the curriculum and create an environment where all students feel seen and heard. UAGC is also working on providing resources and professional development opportunities for faculty to address neurodiversity and cognitive differences. [Extracted from the article]

Accurate mapping of snow amount in the mountains is critical as mountain snowpacks are water supply for millions of people. Satellite remote sensing has been largely unable to reliably detect the amount of snowpack in these areas. Recently, C‐band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from the Sentinel‐1 (S1) satellites have shown potential for measuring snow depth in the mountains. However, their spatiotemporal coverage is incomplete, and their evaluation with robust, aerial snow depth data is limited. Here, we evaluate two S1 snowpack datasets with some of the best available gridded snowpack data over the Colorado Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountains in the western US: the Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) and the University of Arizona (UA) snowpack datasets. Compared to ASO and UA data, the S1 data are biased high when snow is shallow, and biased low when snow is deep (particularly later in spring when there is wet snow), though these biases are reduced for deep snow areas when wet snow pixels are removed. We then apply corrections based on machine learning that account for physiographic characteristics to improve the accuracy of the S1 data. Furthermore, we fill gaps in the S1 data by using snow persistence, but also account for potential snow accumulation and ablation, to generate temporally complete snow depth maps over mountainous areas. Corrected and gap‐filled S1 snow depth mapping could be especially important for snow monitoring in remote mountain areas where other techniques for snow mapping do not work or are logistically infeasible or cost‐prohibitive. Key Points: Two versions of Sentinel‐1 snow data are compared to the ASO and University of Arizona (UA) snow data in the western United StatesThese data are biased (low) high when snow is (deep) shallow, but masking of wet snow pixels improves low biases in areas with deep snowMachine learning and gap‐filling are used to correct biases and generate temporally complete Sentinel‐1 snow depth maps in these regions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phyllosphere endophytes play a critical role in a myriad of biological functions, such as maintaining plant health and overall fitness. They play a determinative role in crop yield and quality by regulating vital processes, such as leaf functionality and longevity, seed mass, apical growth, flowering, and fruit development. This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis aiming to review the prevailing research trajectories in phyllosphere endophytes and harness both primary areas of interest and emerging challenges. A total of 156 research articles on phyllosphere endophytes, published between 2002 and 2022, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). A systematic analysis was conducted using CiteSpace to visualize the evolution of publication frequency, the collaboration network, the co-citation network, and keywords co-occurrence. The findings indicated that initially, there were few publications on the topic of phyllosphere endophytes. However, from 2011 onwards, there was a notable increase in the number of publications on phyllosphere endophytes, gaining worldwide attention. Among authors, Arnold, A Elizabeth is widely recognized as a leading author in this research area. In terms of countries, the USA and China hold the highest rankings. As for institutional ranking, the University of Arizona is the most prevalent and leading institute in this particular subject. Collaborative efforts among the authors and institutions tend to be confined to small groups, and a large-scale collaborative network needs to be established. This study identified the influential journals, literature, and hot research topics. These findings also highlight the interconnected nature of key themes, e.g., phyllosphere endophyte research revolves around the four pillars: diversity, fungal endophytes, growth, and endophytic fungi. This study provides an in-depth perspective on phyllosphere endophytes studies, revealing the identification of biodiversity and microbial interaction of phyllosphere endophytes as the principal research frontiers. These analytical findings not only elucidate the recent trajectory of phyllosphere endophyte research but also provide invaluable insights for similar studies and their potential applications on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bee the CURE is a novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that engages introductory biology students in DNA barcoding (DNA extraction, amplification, and bioinformatics) in partnership with the Tucson Bee Collaborative and the University of Arizona. The first iteration of this CURE taught at Pima Community College (PCC) occurred during the Fall 2020 semester in which the course was taught online and students focused on bioinformatics. Due to the online format, students were unable to participate directly in the wet-lab components (extraction and amplification) of the course. These were approximated with videos of the instructor performing the tasks. A qualitative case study of this semester built from student interviews found that students were able to form positive relationships with instructors and peer mentors but that the online format of the class posed some challenges to relationship formation. Students reported developing self-efficacy in bioinformatics skills while online lab participation disrupted student's gaining "hands-on experiences" and seldom led to development of science self-efficacy in wet lab skills. Our findings from a study of a synchronous online CURE allowed us to characterize a context in which online learning posed a challenge and perhaps even a threat to research self-efficacy, especially regarding skill development and self-efficacy in "hands-on" areas, such as wet-bench research skills. Yet optimistically, our study highlights the potential of online community college learning environments to provide mastery experiences in online science contexts (e.g., bioinformatics) and opportunities for relationship building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nonmetric dental traits have a crucial role in ethnic classification of populationsthat help in forensic racial identification. Many studies have demonstrated the differencesin the expression and frequency of dental traits between various ethnic groupsfor ancestry determination in the context of forensic dental anthropology. The present study is an attempt to assess the frequency and variation in nonmetric traits for establishing ethnicity in the Vidarbha subpopulation. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the frequency and variation of nonmetric traits in permanent teeth for establishing ethnicity in the Vidarbha subpopulation. Materials and Methods: Participants of the Vidarbha subpopulation were selected by random sampling method. Molars, premolars, and incisors were evaluated for frequency of nonmetric traits, and variations were graded according to Dentoanthropological System of State University of Arizona criteria. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Student’s t-test were used for analysis of data. Results: The most common occlusal morphology in mandibular first and second molar was 5 cusp and 4 cusp, respectively, with the “+” groove pattern. Cusp 3 and cusp 4 were observed frequently in the maxillary molars. One lingual cusp was most commonly seen in mandibular premolars show while incisors showed faint shoveling. Conclusion: Our study concludes that nonmetric traits were present and showed variation in permanent maxillary and mandibular teeth among the Vidarbha subpopulation. Cusp 5 and Cusp 4 in first and second mandibular molars, respectively, groove pattern “+” and grade 1 protostylid were the most frequent grades observed in permanent mandibular molars. One lingual cusp was most commonly seen in mandibular premolars and faint shoveling was a notable feature in incisors of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Richtmyer–Meshkov instability causes perturbations to grow after a shock traverses a fluid density interface. This increases the mixing rate between fluid from either side of the interface. We use the Flash Eulerian hydrodynamic code to investigate alterations when a thin third layer of intermediate density is placed along the interface, effectively creating two adjacent unstable interfaces. This is a common occurrence in engineering applications where a thin barrier initially separates two materials. We find that the width of the mixing layer is similar or slightly reduced; however, the total mass of mixed material can actually increase. The mixing layer becomes more compact and efficient. However, the normalized mixed mass decreases, meaning that finger entrainment becomes more important than in the simple two-layer case. The effect of adding the central layer appears to decrease when the Atwood number is decreased. The Flash results are also benchmarked against two-layer experimental data from a shock tube at the University of Arizona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnifying design value and scaling impact are challenging for small user experience and assessment teams at academic libraries. The University of Arizona's User Experience and Assessment unit is leading three Design Operations initiatives aiming to address these challenges: a participant pool that reduces barriers for recruiting research participants; The UX Cookbook that builds expertise and efficiency; and a research repository that shares findings broadly with the organization. Together these initiatives create better workflows for improving the scale and impact of design and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has infected more than 770 M people and killed more than 6.9 M persons worldwide. In the USA, as of August 2023, it has infected more than 103 M people while causing more than 1.1 M deaths. During a pandemic, it is necessary to rapidly identify those individuals infected with the virus so that disease transmission can be stopped. We examined the sensitivity of the Quidel Rapid Antigen test on the manual Sofia 2 platform and the Beckman-Coulter antigen test on the automated DxI-800 system for use in screening asymptomatic individuals at the University of Arizona from March through May 2021. A total of 378 asymptomatic subjects along with 176 validation sets of samples in 23 independent experiments were assessed in side-by-side antigen testing using both assays. Nasal swabs and saliva were used as viral sources. Manual testing (Quidel) was compared with automated testing (Beckman) methods for cost and efficiency. Limit dilution of viral antigen spiked samples was performed to determine sensitivity to antigen load by the tests. The results between the two tests were found to be concordant. Both tests were comparable in terms of detecting low numbers of positive subjects in the asymptomatic population. A concordance of 98% was observed between the two tests. Experiments also demonstrated that saliva specimens were an acceptable viral source and produced comparable results for each test. Overall, the two methods were interchangeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snowfall forecasting has historically been an area of difficulty for operational meteorologists, particularly in regions of complex terrain, such as the western United States. Attempts at improving forecasts have been made, but skill is still poor, with snowfall routinely overpredicted. A major reason for this overprediction has been the failure to accurately predict snow–liquid ratios (SLR) ahead of major events. This research proposes, develops, and tests multiple machine learning methods for dynamic SLR prediction for the Sky Islands of southeast Arizona by objectively comparing a multiple linear regression (MLR) against several more complex and flexible machine learning methods. Input parameters for each method were chosen based on variables found by previous studies to have a regression‐based relationship with SLR, with a focus on the lower mid‐levels of the troposphere. These parameters were also used to construct the MLR model, and its performance was compared objectively with the machine learning methods. When tested on historical events, a very high percentage of the network‐predicted SLR values fall within the margin of error of observed SLRs, which were calculated using gridded snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) data from the University of Arizona daily 4‐km SWE, SD, and SCE dataset (UASnow). A support vector machine (SVM), a k‐nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm, and a random forest also showed high accuracies when tested on the dataset, and each showed a significant gain in skill compared with the MLR model, with skill being evaluated by multiple metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Basic science research is critical for understanding biological mechanisms essential to advances in cancer prevention, diagnoses and treatment. However, most of this research is conducted outside of the purview of community observation or input, leaving these research processes mysterious and subsequent findings disconnected from the communities they intend to benefit. This paper discusses strategies to build capacity for collaborations between basic scientists and Hispanic community members at the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC). Methods: Through partnership of the Cancer Biology Program and Office of Community Outreach and Engagement both at UACC, the Research Outreach for Southern Arizona (ROSA) program was developed as a way to forward the following strategies to build capacity for collaboration: forming a community working group, launching a community and student ambassador program, hosting scientific cafés and developing a community-based survey. Results: The strategies underpinning the ROSA program have been integral in bridging dialogue between basic scientists and the community and fostering bidirectional learning opportunities. Each of the strategies presented have documented successes and based on the lessons learned, they have evolved into productive and integral parts of UACC's overall strategy of bridging scientific research and communities. Conclusion: While the strategies discussed are evolving, they help foster dialogue and exchange between basic scientists and community members that demystifies basic science research and facilitates culturally tailored approaches to address health disparities of vulnerable communities. These strategies also have the potential to shift cancer research into a paradigm that is more collaborative and transformative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"No Place for a Lady: The Life Story of Archaeologist Marjorie F. Lambert" by Shelby Tisdale is a biography of Marjorie Lambert, an archaeologist, and provides a brief history of U.S. Southwest archaeology from the 1930s to the 1960s. The book explores Lambert's career in the context of women's struggles in the male-dominated field of anthropology and archaeology, and also mentions other notable women archaeologists. Divided into three parts, the biography covers Lambert's family background, education, and her experiences in the field, as well as her work as a curator and her retirement years. The book includes footnotes, appendices listing awards and excavations, and a bibliography of Lambert's publications. Overall, it offers a comprehensive history of Lambert's life and the development of Southwestern archaeology from the perspective of a pioneering female archaeologist. [Extracted from the article]

This article argues for a Deweyan "democratic design" approach to program leadership that builds programmatic ideals into leadership practices. To illustrate democratic design in practice, we draw from case studies of two partnership programs based in writing studies--a writing partnership between the University of Arizona and area high schools and a collaboration between Salt Lake City Community College and the University of Utah--that utilize community advisory boards and democratic processes to work toward stakeholder-oriented approaches to leadership. Through these case studies, we emphasize three core principles of democratic design, including stakeholder leadership, political vision, and epistemic equity, that can be applicable across a range of programmatic opportunities. For leaders in composition studies who see collaboration as central to their mission, democratic design can serve as a linchpin for aligning processes with values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy's Self-Care Therapeutics course to be taught as a synchronous, live online course. The course has traditionally utilized a flipped-classroom to increase student engagement and improve learning performance. The goal of this study is to compare student performance in a flipped-classroom self-care therapeutics course taught to students attending class on-campus versus online via web-conferencing. Methods: This study assessed examination performance of 118 students that took the class on-campus in 2019 and 125 students that took the class online in 2020. Course design was similar between the two cohorts, with each completing assigned pre-reading, an associated short multiple-choice quiz, in-class small group discussions and in-class large group faculty-led debrief. Both cohorts took pre-class quizzes and three examinations to assess their knowledge. Exam, quiz, overall class performance, and student experience was compared for the 2019 on-campus attending cohort and the 2020 online attending cohort. Results: No statistical differences were seen in the overall exam performance, the final course score, and the student experience between cohorts. Statistical differences (p = 0.02) were found between cohorts for the overall quiz performance, with the on-campus attending cohort performing slightly better than the online attending cohort (mean score of 88% compared to 84.4%). Conclusion: Examination performance was similar for students taking a flipped-classroom course online and on-campus. Further research using data from multiple courses or from the same cohort, randomized, is needed to improve the internal and external validity of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrology education for hydrological professionals is an important field due to the complex and multifaceted water issues that hydrologists face. Currently, hydrology education at Chinese universities is mainly focused on hydrological engineering, which leads to inadequate scientific and professional training from the perspective of an interdisciplinary educational framework. In this context, the knowledge and skills of future hydrologists cannot be systematically prepared. In this study, we explore the challenges and constraints that hinder the advancement of hydrology education at Chinese universities by conducting an inductive analysis in which we compare the hydrology education that occurs in China with that of the United States. The result suggests that a lack of adequate financial support is the main constraint and that it leads to inevitable problems such as a high student-teacher ratio, insufficiently qualified educators, and poor teaching materials and equipment. To address this issue, financial support for this program should be increased. In addition, collaborative programs based on online learning can effectively resolve the inadequacy of teaching resources. Assessing the hydrological education system in American universities carries a certain significance for Chinese universities in creating a reasonable interdisciplinary hydrological educational system by emulating traditional engineering hydrological education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Trans Studies in Education (TSiE) Speaker Series at the University of Arizona as a model for investing in the lives of transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals in education. It mentions the limitations of the traditional guest speaker model, highlights the TSiE Speaker Series as an intervention, and provides implications for educators interested in implementing similar transinclusive practices through speaker series.

Extraction procedures for in situ cosmogenic 14 C (in situ 14 C) from quartz require quantitative isotopic yields while maintaining scrupulous isolation from atmospheric and organic 14 C. These time- and labor-intensive procedures are ripe for automation; unfortunately, our original automated in situ 14 C extraction and purification systems, reconfigured and retrofitted from our original systems at the University of Arizona, proved less reliable than hoped. We therefore installed a fully automated stainless-steel system (except for specific borosilicate glass or fused-silica components) incorporating more reliable valves and improved actuator designs, along with a more robust liquid nitrogen distribution system. As with earlier versions, the new system uses a degassed lithium metaborate (LiBO 2) flux to dissolve the quartz sample in an ultra-high-purity oxygen atmosphere, after a lower-temperature combustion step to remove atmospheric and organic 14 C. We compared single-use high-purity Al 2 O 3 against reusable 90 %Pt / 10 %Rh (Pt/Rh) sample combustion boats. The Pt/Rh boats heat more evenly than the Al 2 O 3 , reducing procedural blank levels and variability for a given LiBO 2 flux. This lower blank variability also allowed us to trace progressively increasing blanks to specific batches of fluxes from our original manufacturer. Switching to a new manufacturer returned our blanks to consistently low levels on the order of (3.4 ± 0.9) × 10 4 14 C atoms. We also analyzed the CRONUS-A intercomparison material to investigate sensitivity of extracted 14 C concentrations to the temperature and duration of the combustion and extraction steps. Results indicate that 1 h combustion steps at either 500 or 600 ∘ C yield results consistent with the consensus value of Jull et al. (2015), while 2 h at 600 ∘ C results in loss of ca. 9 % of the high-temperature 14 C inventory. Results for 3 h extractions at temperatures ranging from 1050 to 1120 ∘ C and 4.5 h at 1000 ∘ C yielded similar results that agreed with the nominal value and published results from most laboratories. On the other hand, an extraction for 3 h at 1000 ∘ C was judged to be incomplete due to a significantly lower measured concentration. Based on these results, our preferred technique is now combustion for 1 h at 500 ∘ C followed by a 3 h extraction at 1050 ∘ C. Initial analyses of the CoQtz-N intercomparison material at our lab yielded concentrations ca. 60 % lower than those of CRONUS-A, but more analyses of this material from this and other labs are clearly needed to establish a consensus value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review of: Navigating Chamoru Poetry: Indigeneity, Aesthetics, and Decolonization, Craig Santos Perez (2021) Tuscon, AZ: University of Arizona Press, 254 pp., ISBN 978 0 81653 550 7 (pbk), US$35 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of initial conditions on the evolution of the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) at early to intermediate times are analysed, using numerical simulations of an idealised version of recent shock tube experiments performed at the University of Arizona (Sewell et al. , J. Fluid Mech. , vol. 917, 2021, A41). The experimental results are bracketed by performing both implicit large-eddy simulations of the high-Reynolds-number limit as well as direct numerical simulations (DNS) at Reynolds numbers lower than those observed in the experiments. Various measures of the mixing layer width $h$ , known to scale as ${\sim }t^\theta$ at late time, based on both the plane-averaged turbulent kinetic energy and volume fraction profiles are used to explore the effects of initial conditions on $\theta$ and are compared with the experimental results. The decay rate $n$ of the total fluctuating kinetic energy is also used to estimate $\theta$ based on a relationship that assumes self-similar growth of the mixing layer. The estimates for $\theta$ range between 0.44 and 0.52 for each of the broadband perturbations considered and are in good agreement with the experimental results. Decomposing the mixing layer width into separate bubble and spike heights $h_b$ and $h_s$ shows that, while the bubbles and spikes initially grow at different rates, their growth rates $\theta _b$ and $\theta _s$ have equalised by the end of the simulations. Overall, the results demonstrate important differences between broadband and narrowband surface perturbations, as well as persistent effects of finite bandwidth on the growth rate of mixing layers evolving from broadband perturbations. Good agreement is obtained with the experiments for the different quantities considered; however, the results also show that care must be taken when using measurements based on the velocity field to infer properties of the concentration field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study healthcare operations of emergency departments (EDs) by examining the practice styles and skills of ED physicians. Our data include all residents of Montreal, Canada, with an initial ED visit in Montreal during a nine-month period. For each visit, our data record the initial treating hospital, ED physician, ED billed expenditures, and all interactions with the health system within the subsequent 90 days. Physicians in Montreal rotate across shifts between simple and difficult cases, implying a quasi-random assignment of patients to physicians within an ED. We consider three medical conditions that present frequently in the ED and for which mistreatment may have dramatic consequences—angina, appendicitis, and transient ischemic attacks—jointly examining diagnostic and disposition skills. To control for variation in diagnosis, our sample for each condition consists of patients with a broader set of symptoms and signs potentially indicative of the condition. Separately by condition, we regress healthcare usage and cost measures on indicators for physicians to estimate the skill and practice style of each physician. We then evaluate the variation across physicians in their practice style and skills and the correlations between different measures of skill and practice style. We find significant variation across physicians in their practice styles and skills. We also find that physicians with costly practice styles often have worse outcomes in terms of more ED revisits and more hospitalizations. Finally, the practice styles and skills of physicians correlate positively across the three conditions that we consider. This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management. Funding: Gowrisankaran acknowledges funding from the Center for Management Innovations in Healthcare at the University of Arizona. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4544. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction procedures for in situ cosmogenic 14C (in situ 14C) from quartz require quantitative isotopic yields while maintaining scrupulous isolation from atmospheric/organic 14C. These time- and labor-intensive procedures are ripe for automation; unfortunately, our original automated in situ 14C extraction and purification systems, reconfigured and retrofitted from our original systems at the University of Arizona, proved less reliable than hoped. We therefore installed a fully automated stainless-steel system (except for specific glass or fused-quartz components) incorporating more reliable valves and improved actuator designs, along with a more robust liquid nitrogen distribution system. As with earlier versions, the new system uses a degassed Li-metaborate (LiBO2) flux to dissolve the quartz sample in an ultra-high-purity oxygen atmosphere, after a lower-temperature combustion step to remove atmospheric/organic 14C. We compared single-use high-purity Al2O3 vs. reusable 90 %Pt/10 %Rh (Pt/Rh) sample combustion boats. The Pt/Rh boats heat more evenly than the Al2O3, reducing procedural blank levels and variability for a given LiBO2 flux. This lower blank variability also allowed us to trace progressively increasing blanks to specific batches of fluxes from our original manufacturer. Switching to a new manufacturer returned our blanks to consistently low levels on the order of (3.4 ± 0.9) x 10414C atoms. We also analyzed the CRONUS-A intercomparison material to investigate sensitivity of extracted 14C concentrations to the temperature and duration of the combustion and extraction steps. Results indicate that 1-hr combustion steps at either 500 or 600 °C yield results consistent with the consensus value of Jull et al. (2015), while 2 hr at 600 °C results in loss of ca. 9 % of the high-temperature 14C inventory. Results for 3 hr extractions at temperatures ranging from 1050 °C to 1120 °C and 4.5 hr at 1000 °C yielded similar results that agreed with the nominal value as well as with published results from most laboratories. On the other hand, an extraction for 3 hr at 1000 °C was judged to be incomplete due to a significantly lower measured concentration. Based on these results, our preferred technique is now combustion for 1 hr at 500 °C followed by a 3 hr extraction at 1050 °C. Initial analyses of the CoQtz-N intercomparison material at our lab yielded concentrations ca. 60 % less than those of CRONUS-A, but more analyses of this material from this and other labs are clearly needed to establish a consensus value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) was established to coordinate the collection of rigorous, high-quality phenology observations to support scientific discovery and management decisions and to increase awareness of phenology, its relationship to environmental conditions and its influence on ecosystems. A cornerstone of the USA-NPN's infrastructure and data collection activities is a suite of rigorous, standardized phenology observation protocols, published in 2014 (Denny et al., Int J Biometeorol 58:591–601, 2014). In the years since, users have requested modifications and additions to the existing protocols. Here, we describe changes that have been made to the original protocols since their publication in 2014. These modifications have been made to reduce confusion in the phenophase definitions, include new taxonomic groups, and expand protocols to more fully capture certain life cycle stages. We anticipate continued expansion of the protocols and future updates can be found in the University of Arizona Research Data Repository (USA National Phenology Network 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on interventions created by graduate students in response to the University of Arizona Museum of Art’s exhibition The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation. Students in an art and visual culture education course designed and implemented three interventions focused on food justice, class, and economics that attended to unexplored themes in the exhibition. Focusing on materials as ingredients, soundscapes, and interrogating food culture, students developed alternate ways for visitors to interact with works of art that went beyond building on interpretations constructed by the curator. In doing so, they employed the concept of the ignorant museum in their design and implementation (Jung, 2010; Sitzia, 2018), based on theories presented in Jacque Ranciére’s The ignorant schoolmaster (1991) that promote intellectual freedom through equality. Students also utilized their university art museum as a site to explore visual culture, interrogate institutional systems, and experiment through collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses presidential address of doctor of medicine Eric P. Winer in the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting with the theme, "Partnering With Patients: The Cornerstone of Clinical Care and Research". Topics include the importance of physician-patient partnerships in improving healthcare outcomes; the experiences of Winer on the significance of strong relationships in healthcare; and the role of patient partnerships in addressing disparities.

The article presents the discussion on 10th Annual Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Conference. Topics include chemotherapy remaining the standard of care and dominant treatment for patients with CCA; and immunotherapy being recently added as a new standard of care where chemotherapy remaining a crucial part of this first-line regimen.

"Households on the Mimbres Horizon: Excavations at La Gila Encantada, Southwestern New Mexico" by Barbara J. Roth is a significant publication for Mimbres Mogollon research, providing insights into the development of households and their spatial and artifactual patterns at early Mimbres Mogollon habitation sites. The author's research at the La Gila Encantada site, uncluttered by overlying pueblo remains, allows for a clearer understanding of site layout, habitation, and contextual relationships of features and artifacts. The volume includes seven chapters, with contributions from specialists, covering topics such as excavation methods, ceramic data, stone artifacts, jewelry, and plant and animal remains. This book is valuable for researchers studying Mogollon archaeology and early village and household developments in the region. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Mexican-origin adults living near the U.S.-Mexico border experience unique and pervasive social and ecological stressors, including poverty, perceived discrimination, and environmental hazards, potentially contributing to the high burden of chronic disease. However, there is also evidence that residents in high-density Mexican-origin neighborhoods exhibit lower prevalence rates of disease and related mortality than those living in other areas. Understanding the factors that contribute to health resiliencies at the community scale is essential to informing the effective design of health promotion strategies. Methods: La Vida en la Frontera is a mixed-methods participatory study linking a multi-disciplinary University of Arizona research team with Campesinos Sin Fronteras, a community-based organization founded by community health workers in San Luis, Arizona. This paper describes the current protocol for aims 2 and 3 of this multi-faceted investigation. In aim 2 a cohort of N≈300 will be recruited using door-to-door sampling of neighborhoods in San Luis and Somerton, AZ. Participants will be surveyed and undergo biomarker assessments for indicators of health and chronic stress at three time points across a year length. A subset of this cohort will be invited to participate in aim 3 where they will be interviewed to further understand mechanisms of resilience and wellbeing. Discussion: This study examines objective and subjective mechanisms of the relationship between stress and health in an ecologically diverse rural community over an extended timeframe and illuminates health disparities affecting residents of this medically underserved community. Findings from this investigation directly impact the participants and community through deepening our understanding of the linkages between individual and community level stress and chronic disease risk. This innovative study utilizes a comprehensive methodology to investigate pathways of stress and chronic disease risk present at individual and community levels. We address multiple public health issues including chronic disease and mental illness risk, health related disparities among Mexican-origin people, and health protective mechanisms and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (X, m, H) be a hereditary m-space. A subset A of X is said to be θ-H-compact relative to X if for every cover U of A by m(θ)- open sets of X, there exists a finite subset U0 of U such that A \ ∪ U0 ∈ H. We obtain several properties of these sets. Also, we define and investigate two kinds of strong forms of “θ-H-compact relative to X”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rich history of neurosurgical innovation served as a model for the Barrow Innovation Center's establishment in 2016. The center's accomplishments are summarized in hopes of fostering the development of similar centers and initiatives within the neurosurgical and broader medical community. A retrospective review (January 2016–July 2021) of patent filings, project proposals, and funding history was used to generate the data presented in this operational review. Through the 5-year period of analysis, 55 prior art searches were conducted on new patentable ideas. A total of 87 provisional patents, 25 Patent Cooperation Treaty applications, and 48 national stage filings were submitted. In partnership with Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, California Polytechnic State University, and Texas A&M University, a total of 27 multidisciplinary projects were conducted with input from multispecialty engineers and scientists. These efforts translated into 1 startup company and 2 licensed patents to commercial companies, with most remaining ideas and project efforts awaiting interest from industry. The multidisciplinary collaborative environment embodied by the Barrow Innovation Center has revolutionized the innovative and entrepreneurial environment of its home institution and enabled neurosurgical residents to get a unique educational experience within the realm of innovation. The bottleneck within the workflow of ideas from conception to commercialization appears to be the establishment of commercial partners; therefore, future efforts within the center will be to establish a panel of industry partnerships to enhance the exposure of ideas to interested companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular hydride negative ions of mass 129 amu, 127IH 2 −, 127ID− and 128TeH−, have been studied in order better to understand potential backgrounds in AMS measurements of 129I. All three of these ions appear to be stable or, if metastable, to have lifetimes that are sufficiently long to allow at least some of them to reach the high voltage terminal of the accelerator. It is found, however, that these make only a minor contribution to the combined rate of 127I7+ and 128Te7+ ions that pass around the analysing magnet when it is set for 129I7+ detection. The principal contribution comes instead from the injection of 127I− ions into the accelerator along with the 129I− ions, despite the use of a low Cs sputtering energy in the ion source that was intended to eliminate them. This contribution is, however, small and is effectively removed by a Wien filter. In addition, a sample of Woodward iodine, obtained from the University of Arizona, was found to have an 129I/127I ratio of (13.3 ± 0.9) × 10−15. This is the lowest ratio so far reported. In contrast, the batch of Woodward iodine that was being used as an iodine carrier in our laboratory was found to have a much higher ratio of (78.2 ± 2.4) × 10−15. A search for a lower ratio blank failed to find a suitable material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atriums in modern building designs often represent particular problems related to energy and airflow distribution, such as thermal stratification, local overheating, and uncontrolled contaminant spreading. This study developed a new dynamic zonal model with air-diffuser (DOMA) to predict the airflow and temperature stratification of an atrium, and then it was experimentally calibrated (known as DOMA+) by using the Shuffled Complex Evolution method developed at the University of Arizona (SCE-UA). Two-parameter set groups were considered during the calibration, which are Group One, including the flow coefficient K and the convective heat transfer coefficients for surfaces of the atrium; in Group Two, the flow coefficient K is separated into K-horizontal and K-vertical representing the flow coefficient used in horizontal and vertical directions. The results show that although the Group-One calibrated zonal model with one K is accurate to predict space thermal behavior, an update to two Ks (Group Two) is suggested to improve the zonal model prediction accuracy and quality. The use of the SCE-UA model reveals the inherent limitations and characteristics of the zonal model DOMA and thus indicates how to improve the prediction ability of a zonal modeling approach to advance its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immersive, virtual exhibit of large telescopes and space missions is described. The exhibit aims to overcome the difficulty members of the public have in appreciating the scale and complexity of modern astronomical research facilities. Using detailed 3D models, ground- and space-based telescopes that are impossible to visit in person can be explored by moving through a virtual space. The exhibit was created using Unreal Engine, a tool developed by Epic Games. Users wear Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets and traverse the 3D exhibit using Xbox game controllers. CAD models were gathered from open access sources and with the help of the staff of major observatories. The first version of the exhibit highlights telescopes and planetary missions with major involvement of the University of Arizona, but it can be customised to include any major telescope or space mission. Visitors can experience the 6.5-meter MMT, the twin 8.4-meter LBT, the 24.5-meter GMT, the 25-metre Very Large Array radio dish, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, the Phoenix Mars lander, and the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft alongside a 3D model of the asteroid Bennu. The exhibit was successfully debuted at an outreach event hosted by the University of Arizona in Washington, DC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the mismatch between the supply and demand of shared electric vehicles (SEVs) caused by the uneven distribution of SEVs in space and time, an SEV relocating optimization model is designed based on a reward mechanism. The aim of the model is to achieve a cost-minimized rebalancing of the SEV system. Users are guided to attend the relocating SEVs by a reward mechanism, and employees can continuously relocate multiple SEVs before returning to the supply site. The optimization problem is solved by a heuristic column generation algorithm, in which the driving routes of employees are added into a pool by column generation iteratively. In the pricing subproblem of column generation, the Shuffled Complex Evolution--University of Arizona (SCE-UA) is designed to generate a driving route. The proposed model is verified with the actual data of the Dalian city. The results show that our model can reduce the total cost of relocating and improve the service efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the 18th of March, 2021, Hermann Flaschka passed away in Tucson, Arizona. He was a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Arizona, well known for his important contributions in completely integrable systems. He was a fellow of the American Mathematical Society, an awardee of the Norbert Wiener Prize in Applied Mathematics, and one of the founding editors of Physica D. He was held in great esteem by his collaborators and students. This special issue collects a series of articles written by people who were close to Professor Flaschka during his career, to honour his legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This year started with excitement as we launched Revista Médica American Family Physician (AFP) Podcast, the Spanish-language version of the popular AFP Podcast. It is the first American medical journal podcast produced in Spanish and is developed in partnership with the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program and Clinica Sierra Vista in Bakersfield, Calif. The production is led by Hector Arreaza, MD, associate director of the residency program. Episodes are translated from the AFP Podcast, which is produced in partnership with the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix Family Medicine Residency Program, and led by cohosts Steve Brown, MD, and Jake Anderson, DO. To date, the AFP Podcast episodes have been downloaded nearly 7 million times. We look forward to the Spanish version becoming just as popular. To learn more about the new podcast, check out our website and tune into Episode 175, Part 1 of the February 2023 AFP Podcast and Episodio Cero of Revista Médica AFP Podcast.1,2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Simulation technology has an established role in teaching technical skills to cardiology fellows, but its impact on teaching trainees to interpret coronary angiographic (CA) images has not been systematically studied. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to test whether structured simulation training, in addition to traditional methods would improve CA image interpretation skills in a heterogeneous group of medical trainees. Methods: We prospectively randomized a convenience sample of 105 subjects comprising of medical students (N = 20), residents (N = 68) and fellows (N = 17) from the University of Arizona. Subjects were randomized in a stratified fashion into a simulation training group which received simulation training in addition to didactic teaching (n = 53) and a control training group which received didactic teaching alone (n = 52). The change in pre and post-test score (delta score) was analyzed by a two-way ANOVA for education status and training arm. Results: Subjects improved in their post-test scores with a mean change of 4.6 ± 4.0 points. Subjects in the simulation training arm had a higher delta score compared to control (5.4 ± 4.2 versus 3.8 ± 3.7, p = 0.04), with greatest impact for residents (6.6 ± 4.0 versus 3.5 ± 3.4) with a p = 0.02 for interaction of training arm and education status. Conclusions: Simulation training complements traditional methods to improve CA interpretation skill, with greatest impact on residents. This highlights the importance of incorporating high-fidelity simulation training early in cardiovascular fellowship curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calibration, commissioning, and design features of a new Mach 5 Ludwieg Tube wind tunnel at the University of Arizona are discussed. Mach number uniformity and free-stream noise levels are measured using a Pitot rake at a range of unit Reynolds numbers and at multiple spanwise and streamwise positions. The wind tunnel is shown to have a free-stream Mach number of 4.82 with maximum variance less than 0.8% (and less than 0.5% at most streamwise positions). The average free-stream acoustic noise level in the core (based on Pitot pressure) is shown to be less than 1.2% at an intermediate Reynolds number with some regions dropping locally below 1.0%. The core flow region is measured to be 282.4 mm (11.1 in.) in diameter at the nozzle exit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to healthcare services for underrepresented minority populations can be improved by having a diverse profession that reflects the diversity of the patient population being served. The criteria used for pharmacy school admissions may inhibit or strengthen the opportunities that URM students have to be accepted into the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy (COP) program. It is currently unclear how personal characteristics are associated with pharmacy school admissions at the COP. This study evaluates whether Hispanic ethnicity was associated with pharmacy school admission status, and secondarily, determines other characteristics associated with admissions. This retrospective database study used admissions data from 2005 to 2018. Completed applications were included in the analysis. The outcome variable was admitted versus not admitted to the pharmacy program. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify variables associated with admission status using an a priori alpha level of 0.05. A total of 2096 applicants were included in the analysis (mean age 25.1 ± 5.2 years, 59.9% female, 13.0% Hispanic). Hispanic ethnicity was not associated with admission status. Characteristics significantly associated with admission to pharmacy school were age, gender, high school attended, previous application to the college, and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) biology and chemistry scores. Although bias was not seen in the admissions process, this study highlights the need for intervention to ensure future cohorts better reflect the diversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (X,m,H) be a hereditary m-space. A subset A of X is said to be HC-compact relative to X if for every cover U of A by m-open sets of X, there exists a finite subset U0 of U such that A-∪{mCl(Uα): α ∈ U0} ∈H. We obtain several properties of these sets. And also, we define and investigate nearly HC-compact relative to X. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]