Closing Remarks: The Three Pillars of Energy

Coal, crude oil, and natural gas are very precious resources because they are non-renewable. If renewable energy sources were not available, fossil fuels would support the modern economy. However, if fossil fuels were unavailable, then the economic system would collapse quickly. Technological advances, economic theory, and experience point to significant barriers that challenge the development of renewables

Trans-disciplinary Collaboration to Enhance Coastal Resilience: Envisioning a National Community Modeling Initiative

This section presents a synthesis of the major outcomes from the coastal resilience workshops. This paper is based on the presentations and discussions that have been guided by the Chair and numerous stakeholders such as university researchers, Non Governmental Organizations, and federal, state, and local governments. SURA’s workshop series promotes collaboration and fully-integrated processes, and it should be noted that the actual workshop is only a first step; the follow-up work is likely to continue for years. The major results from this workshop relate to the development of trans-disciplinary approaches that help a community to bounce back after hazardous events such as hurricanes, coastal storms, and flooding – rather than simply rebuilding in the aftermath. The workshops have included participants from academia, industry, and government. They provide opportunity to share coastal resilience research and projects focused on helping the community to rebound quickly from climate and extreme weather related events, including sea level rise. The purpose of the paper is to showcase how social and natural scientists can collaborate to reduce the negative human health, environmental, and economic effects of coastal hazards

Trans-disciplinary Collaboration to Enhance Coastal Resilience: Envisioning a National Community Modeling Initiative

This section presents a synthesis of the major outcomes from the coastal resilience workshops. This paper is based on the presentations and discussions that have been guided by the Chair and numerous stakeholders such as university researchers, Non Governmental Organizations, and federal, state, and local governments. SURA’s workshop series promotes collaboration and fully-integrated processes, and it should be noted that the actual workshop is only a first step; the follow-up work is likely to continue for years. The major results from this workshop relate to the development of trans-disciplinary approaches that help a community to bounce back after hazardous events such as hurricanes, coastal storms, and flooding – rather than simply rebuilding in the aftermath. The workshops have included participants from academia, industry, and government. They provide opportunity to share coastal resilience research and projects focused on helping the community to rebound quickly from climate and extreme weather related events, including sea level rise. The purpose of the paper is to showcase how social and natural scientists can collaborate to reduce the negative human health, environmental, and economic effects of coastal hazards

Genome-wide association study identifies Sjögren’s risk loci with functional implications in immune and glandular cells

Sjögren’s disease is a complex autoimmune disease with twelve established susceptibility loci. This genome-wide association study (GWAS) identifies ten novel genome-wide significant (GWS) regions in Sjögren’s cases of European ancestry: CD247, NAB1, PTTG1-MIR146A, PRDM1-ATG5, TNFAIP3, XKR6, MAPT-CRHR1, RPTOR-CHMP6-BAIAP6, TYK2, SYNGR1. Polygenic risk scores yield predictability (AUROC = 0.71) and relative risk of 12.08. Interrogation of bioinformatics databases refine the associations, define local regulatory networks of GWS SNPs from the 95% credible set, and expand the implicated gene list to >40. Many GWS SNPs are eQTLs for genes within topologically associated domains in immune cells and/or eQTLs in the main target tissue, salivary glands.Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH): R01AR073855 (C.J.L.), R01AR065953 (C.J.L.), R01AR074310 (A.D.F.), P50AR060804 (K.L.S.), R01AR050782 (K.L.S), R01DE018209 (K.L.S.), R33AR076803 (I.A.), R21AR079089 (I.A.); NIDCR Sjögren’s Syndrome Clinic and Salivary Disorders Unit were supported by NIDCR Division of Intramural Research at the National Institutes of Health funds - Z01-DE000704 (B.W.); Birmingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (S.J.B.); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany’s Excellence Strategy – EXC 2155 – Projektnummer 390874280 (T.W.); Research Council of Norway (Oslo, Norway) – Grant 240421 (TR.R.), 316120 (M.W-H.); Western Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Vest) – 911807, 912043 (R.O.); Swedish Research Council for Medicine and Health (L.R., G.N., M.W-H.); Swedish Rheumatism Association (L.R., G.N., M.W-H.); King Gustav V’s 80-year Foundation (G.N.); Swedish Society of Medicine (L.R., G.N., M.W-H.); Swedish Cancer Society (E.B.); Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation (K.L.S.); Phileona Foundation (K.L.S.). The Stockholm County Council (M.W-H.); The Swedish Twin Registry is managed through the Swedish Research Council - Grant 2017-000641. The French ASSESS (Atteinte Systémique et Evolution des patients atteints de Syndrome de Sjögren primitive) was sponsored by Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (Ministry of Health, PHRC 2006 P060228) and the French society of Rheumatology (X.M.).publishedVersio

Models of classroom assessment for course-based research experiences

Course-based research pedagogy involves positioning students as contributors to authentic research projects as part of an engaging educational experience that promotes their learning and persistence in science. To develop a model for assessing and grading students engaged in this type of learning experience, the assessment aims and practices of a community of experienced course-based research instructors were collected and analyzed. This approach defines four aims of course-based research assessment—(1) Assessing Laboratory Work and Scientific Thinking; (2) Evaluating Mastery of Concepts, Quantitative Thinking and Skills; (3) Appraising Forms of Scientific Communication; and (4) Metacognition of Learning—along with a set of practices for each aim. These aims and practices of assessment were then integrated with previously developed models of course-based research instruction to reveal an assessment program in which instructors provide extensive feedback to support productive student engagement in research while grading those aspects of research that are necessary for the student to succeed. Assessment conducted in this way delicately balances the need to facilitate students’ ongoing research with the requirement of a final grade without undercutting the important aims of a CRE education

Closing Remarks: The Three Pillars of Energy

Coal, crude oil, and natural gas are very precious resources because they are non-renewable. If renewable energy sources were not available, fossil fuels would support the modern economy. However, if fossil fuels were unavailable, then the economic system would collapse quickly. Technological advances, economic theory, and experience point to significant barriers that challenge the development of renewables

Uptake of rheumatology biosimilars in the absence of forced switching

Background: To describe the uptake and system-level effects of the introduction of biosimilars in a setting without forced switching. Research design and methods: We used data from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality register from start of marketing of infliximab (Remsima® and Inflectra®) and etanercept (Benepali®) biosimilars until 31 December 2016. We compared users of each originator-product and its biosimilar(s) by line of treatment: bDMARD-naïve patients, non-medical switchers (vs. matched patients remaining on originator), and patients switching from a previous bDMARD of another type. Results: From the start of marketing 1343 patients started an infliximab biosimilar (22 months) and 2691 started etanercept (9 months). Overall, the introduction of these biosimilars resulted in an increase of the total number of ongoing infliximab and etanercept treatments (originator + biosimilar) . At the end of the study period, biosimilars accounted for 31% of all infliximab treatments and 31% of all etanercept-treated patients. For each line of therapy, we noted only small differences in patient characteristics between those starting the originator product vs. its biosimilar(s). Conclusions: Introduction of biosimilars have effects beyond replacement of the originator product, in terms of an increased rate of bDMARD initiation. Selection to non-medical switching displayed no particular disease- or patient-characteristics