‘A productive and happy collaboration’: maximising impact through project design

This case study describes a highly collaborative project created to develop an online self-assessment tool that offers students the opportunity to plan their preparedness to enter the work place named the Preparation for Placement Assessment Tool. The aim of the project was to develop an artefact that aidsall students to think about and prepare for placements, and more broadly to be work-ready. It also aims to help disabled students to identify and manage their individual needs. Working in collaboration with students is offered as an effective strategy for improving project outcomes and managing the tensions for academics of balancing research, teaching, learning and scholarly activities.This paper discusses the project background, design and delivery, which includes the engagement of a diverse mix of students, and the practice research methodologies used. Discussion focuses on the project’s impact, particularly on the students involved. Four key factors: student power, methodology, the use of funding and slow burn are identified as significant for success

Spreadsheet-based GIS Models

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which are computer-based systems that allow decision makers to incorporate geographically based data into their analyses, are widespread and powerful tools in many business and scientific settings today. In this paper, we present a tutorial discussing ways in which GIS functionality can be implemented within the spreadsheet environment. We show the straightforward and natural analogy between several GIS functions with spreadsheet functions, particularly for raster based data. We present two realistic examples meshing OR/MS methods with GIS methods --- an integration which is greatly enhanced by the “remarkable development platform” provided by spreadsheets. We discuss the many benefits of the spreadsheet enabled seamless integration of geographical data, analysis, and display

An Integrated Pest Management Tool for Evaluating Schools

Having the ability to assess pest problems in schools is essential for a successful integrated pest management (IPM) program. However, such expertise can be costly and is not available to all school districts across the United States. The web-based IPM Calculator was developed to address this problem. By answering questions about the condition of a building and the behaviors of individuals who use it, any pest management professional or building manager can use the IPM Calculator to assess pest risk at a school campus and obtain IPM-based solutions to reduce that pest risk. This new tool is available online at http://ipmcalculator.com

Conserving world heritage in climate change(d) futures: building understanding of precipitation impacts through innovative hydrological-based solutions

Heritage landscapes are under threat from a change in precipitation regimes. However, there is little understanding of the surface and subsurface hydrological interactions of heritage landscapes. Establishing the surface and subsurface hydrological interactions will allow for a greater understanding of the potential impact that changes in rainfall could bring to heritage landscapes. It is important to understand these interactions to equip heritage practitioners to make informed decisions about site hydrological management and undertake interventions to create climate-enabled sites. This research aims to build a baseline to develop an understanding of surface and subsurface hydrological networks of three World Heritage Sites (WHS) in Scotland, Ring of Brodgar Heart of Neolithic Orkney, Rough Castle on the Antonine Wall, and St Kilda. In addition, this study examines the influence that key visitor features are having on the subsurface hydrology at Ring of Brodgar and Rough Castle through the novel application of Microwave Moisture Sensor (MMS). MMS highlighted the influence of footpaths and signboards across two heritage landscapes. At Ring of Brodgar, the main footpath influenced soil properties across a wide area to each side of the path, whilst a line of desire had a narrow impact on soil properties. At Rough Castle, the influence of main footpaths, signboards and lines of desire were well defined within the MMS data. With increased precipitation, the effects of footpaths on soil properties may become more pronounced and could be damaging to buried archaeology. Hydrological modelling was carried out using 0.25m resolution LiDAR data to determine the surface hydrological networks of three WHS sites. The hydrological networks at the Ring of Brodgar show the controlling influence of archaeology and footpaths. At Rough Castle, hydrological modelling demonstrated the full extent of the drainage of the fort top and the effect of archaeological defensive ditches on controlling the hydrology. On St Kilda, hydrological modelling shows the influence of upstanding archaeology on hydrological networks. All sites demonstrate the influence of upstanding archaeological features in the higher-order stream networks, and on St Kilda, the lower-order hydrological flows show the legacy of the cultivated farmland in controlling hydrological networks. Climate change precipitation projections (RCP 8.5) for each site were used in conjunction with hydrological modelling and MMS to suggest how sites may become affected through changes in precipitation. For Ring of Brodgar, this highlighted the possible increase in overland flow and the potential increase in soil saturation. For Rough Castle, the potential increase in standing water for longer periods and the erosion of the Antonine Wall and Ditch. St Kilda showed a potential increase in erosion surrounding upstanding archaeology and an increase in soil repellency. The application of MMD required further development but is suitable for understanding the subsurface interaction surrounding key visitor features. Hydrological modelling could be applied to any heritage landscape which has a suitable DEM/DSM from LiDAR data. Overall, this research has established a baseline approach for determining surface hydrological networks and the influence of visitor pressures on the subsurface in three WHS across Scotland, and in the wider heritage sector

Topical, geospatial, and temporal diffusion of the 2015 North American Menopause Society position statement on nonhormonal management of vasomotor symptoms

OBJECTIVE: We sought to depict the topical, geospatial, and temporal diffusion of the 2015 North American Menopause Society position statement on the nonhormonal management of menopause-associated vasomotor symptoms released on September 21, 2015, and its associated press release from September 23, 2015. METHODS: Three data sources were used: online news articles, National Public Radio, and Twitter. For topical diffusion, we compared keywords and their frequencies among the position statement, press release, and online news articles. We also created a network figure depicting relationships across key content categories or nodes. For geospatial diffusion within the United States, we compared locations of the 109 National Public Radio (NPR) stations covering the statement to 775 NPR stations not covering the statement. For temporal diffusion, we normalized and segmented Twitter data into periods before and after the press release (September 12, 2015 to September 22, 2015 vs September 23, 2015 to October 3, 2015) and conducted a burst analysis to identify changes in tweets from before to after. RESULTS: Topical information diffused across sources was similar with the exception of the more scientific terms "vasomotor symptoms" or "vms" versus the more colloquial term "hot flashes." Online news articles indicated media coverage of the statement was mainly concentrated in the United States. NPR station data showed similar proportions of stations airing the story across the four census regions (Northeast, Midwest, south, west; P = 0.649). Release of the statement coincided with bursts in the menopause conversation on Twitter. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study may be useful for directing the development and dissemination of future North American Menopause Society position statements and/or press releases

Overview of the European Medicines Agency's development of product-specific bioequivalence guidelines

The authors thank the observers of the PKWP who have supported the development of the PSBGL and also Efthymios Manolis, Quirine Fillekes, and Milton Bonelli for constructive comments. Pharmacokinetics Working Party: Ridha Belaiba (ANSM, France); Eva-Gil Berglund (MPA, Sweden); Susan Cole (MHRA, UK); Alfredo García-Arieta (AEMPS, Spain); Sotiris Michaleas (Ministry of Health Pharmaceutical Services, Cyprus); Janet Mifsud (Medicines Authority, Malta); Jan Neuhauser (AGES, Austria); Henrike Potthast (BfArM, Germany); Carolien Versantvoort (MEB, The Netherlands).The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) product-specific bioequivalence guidelines outline harmonized regulatory requirements for studies to demonstrate bioequivalence for products that may have particular needs due to their pharmacokinetics, in addition to those outlined in general guidance. As such they are potentially very useful to the pharmaceutical industry in the development of generic medicinal products and to regulatory authorities for harmonized decision-making. Since their introduction in 2013, EMA product-specific bioequivalence guidelines continue to increase in number, and as of June 2017, encompass a number of different pharmacotherapeutic groups and pharmaceutical forms. This article further elucidates the processes involved for stakeholders and reviews the Agency's experience with the development of these guidelines, including the scientific issues witnessed with their advancement. A comparison with the United States Food and Drug Administration approach to similar guidelines is also provided.peer-reviewe

2018 State of the Commonwealth Report

This is Old Dominion University\u27s fourth State of the Commonwealth Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, John R. Broderick, the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Virginia an even better place to live. The recent improvements in the Commonwealth\u27s economic performance present an opportunity to make wise investments to sustain the long-term economic health of Virginia

2019 State of the Commonwealth Report

This is Old Dominion University’s fifth annual State of the Commonwealth Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, John R. Broderick, the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. While the enthusiasm we have for our work remains high, it has been dampened by the recent passing of George Dragas, the individual most responsible for perceiving the need for an annual report on the state of Hampton Roads 20 years ago and procuring the financial support to sustain it. The State of the Region Report: Hampton Roads was the progenitor of the State of the Commonwealth Report. George was a very successful businessman, who simultaneously exhibited marvelous foresight and a keen sense of civic duty. Without George and his family, there would be no State of the Commonwealth Report and no Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. We are indebted to him

Complete genome sequence of the lignin-degrading bacterium Klebsiella sp. strain BRL6-2

In an effort to discover anaerobic bacteria capable of lignin degradation, we isolated Klebsiella sp. strain BRL6-2 on minimal media with alkali lignin as the sole carbon source. This organism was isolated anaerobically from tropical forest soils collected from the Bisley watershed at the Ridge site in the El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, USA, part of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Station. At this site, the soils experience strong fluctuations in redox potential and are characterized by cycles of iron oxidation and reduction. Genome sequencing was targeted because of its ability to grow on lignin anaerobically and lignocellulolytic activity via in vitro enzyme assays. The genome of Klebsiella sp. strain BRL6-2 is 5.80 Mbp with no detected plasmids, and includes a relatively small arsenal of genes encoding lignocellulolytic carbohydrate active enzymes. The genome revealed four putative peroxidases including glutathione and DyP-type peroxidases, and a complete protocatechuate pathway encoded in a single gene cluster. Physiological studies revealed Klebsiella sp. strain BRL6-2 to be relatively stress tolerant to high ionic strength conditions. It grows in increasing concentrations of ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate) up to 73.44 mM and NaCl up to 1.5 M

2021 State of the Commonwealth Report

This is Old Dominion University’s seventh annual State of the Commonwealth Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. With the 2021 election in the rearview mirror, the question now becomes: Where does Virginia go from here? Our work seeks to contribute to this conversation without glossing over the challenges we face. We want to encourage the difficult conversations to help Virginia improve the outcomes for all its residents in the coming years