Clipping, More Tributes

Letter to Miss Nevins about Brandenburg\u27s teaching, written by Cora G. Lewis, editor, Kinsley Graphic, Kinsley, Kansas

Articles, Salute to College and Brandenburg ; Brandenburg Active in Civic as Well as in School Affairs

First article mentions tribute written by Cora G. Lewis, editor of the Kinsley Graphic; second article details Brandenburg\u27s accomplishment

NLP@VCU: Crop Characteristic Extraction Framework

We developed a crop characteristic extraction framework. Starting from a custom SpaCy named entity recognition model, we added pre-trained word embeddings and a part-of-speech based entity expansion post-processing step. Then, we implemented an evaluation framework that functioned as a 5-fold cross validation wrapper for SpaCy custom training. Preliminary results showed improvement in the extraction framework after these additions.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/reu/1006/thumbnail.jp

String Project: Spring Concert, May 4, 2024

Center for the Performing ArtsMay 4, 2024Saturday Morning11:00 a.m

Charles W. Bolen Faculty Recital Series: Faculty String Quartet: Dr. Igor Kalnin, Violin; Gibson Swalley, Violin; Katherine Lewis, Viola; Cora Swenson Lee, Cello; Kimberly Risinger, Flute; April 2, 2024

Kemp Recital HallApril 2, 2024Tuesday Evening7:30 p.m

Serum Adiponectin is Associated with Adverse Outcomes of Asthma in Men but Not in Women

Background: Murine studies suggest a beneficial effect of systemic adiponectin on asthma. Our objective was to determine the association between serum adiponectin concentrations and asthma control/severity outcomes in men and women separately. Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of data from years 10, 15, and 20 examinations of the prospective coronary artery risk development in young adults study in the United States were performed. Asthma was defined by self-reported provider diagnosis at or prior to year 15 examination. Outcomes included presence of active disease, number of respiratory symptoms, and number of asthma medications; as well as longitudinal decline in absolute FEV1. Year 15 serum adiponectin concentration was the predictor variable. Results: In a multivariable analysis of 411 eligible subjects, after adjusting for body mass index and covariates, higher serum adiponectin concentrations were associated with more frequent active disease (including more frequent use of any asthma medication), and greater number of respiratory symptoms and asthma medications among men but not among women with asthma (p for interactions between sex and adiponectin for all analyses < 0.05). Conclusions: Higher serum adiponectin concentrations may be independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes of asthma in men but not in women. If biological effect is confirmed in future studies, modification of systemic adiponectin concentrations may open up newer ways to treat asthma in men

Relation of Temporal Asymmetry During Walking to Two-Year Knee Pain Outcomes in Those With Mild-to-Moderate Unilateral Knee Pain: An Exploratory Analysis From the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the cross-sectional relation of unilateral knee pain severity and temporal asymmetry during walking and to determine relations of temporal asymmetry during walking to 2-year changes in ipsilateral and contralateral knee pain in those with mild-to-moderate unilateral knee pain. METHODS: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study is a prospective cohort study of adults with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis. The current study included participants with unilateral knee pain. Gait was assessed during self-selected and fast walking at baseline. Knee pain was assessed at baseline and 2 years. We calculated limb symmetry indices (LSIs; nonpainful limb/painful limb × 100) for stance, single-limb support time, and double-limb support time, then examined their relations to unilateral knee pain severity, incident contralateral knee pain, and persistent ipsilateral knee pain. RESULTS: Unilateral knee pain severity was not associated with temporal asymmetry during self-selected or fast walking. At 2 years, 17.1% of participants had incident contralateral knee pain and 51.4% had persistent ipsilateral knee pain. For self-selected walking, greater LSIs (i.e., longer time on the nonpainful limb) for stance and single-limb support time were associated with decreased odds of incident contralateral knee pain. Measures of temporal asymmetry were not associated with persistent ipsilateral knee pain, except for single-limb support time during fast walking. CONCLUSION: For those with unilateral knee pain, temporal asymmetry during walking is not associated with pain severity. However, select measures of stance and single-limb support time during self-selected and fast walking relate to longitudinal knee pain outcomes

Faculty Recital Series: Faculty String Quartet: Igor Kalnin, Violin; Gibson Swalley, Violin; Katherine Lewis, Viola; Cora Swenson Lee, Cello; Tuyen Tonnu, Piano; November 3, 2022

Kemp Recital HallNovember 3, 2022Thursday Evening7:30 p.m

A novel research definition of bladder health in women and girls: Implications for research and public health promotion

BACKGROUND:Bladder health in women and girls is poorly understood, in part, due to absence of a definition for clinical or research purposes. This article describes the process used by a National Institutes of Health funded transdisciplinary research team (The Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms [PLUS] Consortium) to develop a definition of bladder health. METHODS:The PLUS Consortium identified currently accepted lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and outlined elements of storage and emptying functions of the bladder. Consistent with the World Health Organization's definition of health, PLUS concluded that absence of LUTS was insufficient and emphasizes the bladder's ability to adapt to short-term physical, psychosocial, and environmental challenges for the final definition. Definitions for subjective experiences and objective measures of bladder dysfunction and health were drafted. An additional bioregulatory function to protect against infection, neoplasia, chemical, or biologic threats was proposed. RESULTS:PLUS proposes that bladder health be defined as: "A complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being related to bladder function and not merely the absence of LUTS. Healthy bladder function permits daily activities, adapts to short-term physical or environmental stressors, and allows optimal well-being (e.g., travel, exercise, social, occupational, or other activities)." Definitions for each element of bladder function are reported with suggested subjective and objective measures. CONCLUSIONS:PLUS used a comprehensive transdisciplinary process to develop a bladder health definition. This will inform instrument development for evaluation of bladder health promotion and prevention of LUTS in research and public health initiatives

Charles W. Bolen Faculty Recital Series: Illinois State University Faculty String Quartet: Igor Kalnin, Violin; Gibson Swalley, Violin; Katherine Lewis, Viola; Cora Swenson Lee, Cello; David Gresham, Clarinet; October 30, 2023

Kemp Recital HallOctober 30, 2023Monday Evening 7:30 p.m