Interdisciplinary Research Unmasked: a new curatorial model for multi-audience engagement

This paper proposes a new curatorial model, presenting research as practice and combining publication with discussion and public exhibition, as a valuable tool in overcoming the communication challenges of contemporary interdisciplinary research, when the following criteria are met: 1. That the information to be communicated is technical and discipline specific. 2. That communication is between technical and non-technical multi-discipline audiences. 3. That high-level analysis of interdisciplinary opportunities is required. 4. That public and stakeholder engagement with interdisciplinary research is required. The proposed model is situated with respect to theoretical models of communication and assessed with respect to its application at Carbon Meets Silicon, curated by Liggett and Corcoran at Oriel Sycharth, Wales, UK as part of the International Technologies and Applications Conference 2017. Three of the works presented through Carbon Meets Silicon are examined with respect to their alignment to the model’s criteria, and performance against its intended outcomes. The paper suggests applications of the new curatorial model, and further research required to support its development

Eta Carinae: An Observational Testbed for 3-D Interacting Wind Modeling

Eta Car, with its very massive interacting winds, provides shocked arc-like structures dense enough to trace in forbidden emission lines out to 0.7" (1700 AU). As the massive binary is in a very elliptical orbit (e approx. 0.9), the spatial and velocity structures of these winds change over the 5.54 year period. We can tract ionization structures by several forbidden emission lines. With the addition of radiative transfer on a time-step frame-by-frame basis, we are learning much new information on the ballistic structures, and may gain insight on how molecules and dust might form in these very massive systems

diverse human vh antibody fragments with bio therapeutic properties from the crescendo mouse

Abstract We describe the 'Crescendo Mouse', a human VH transgenic platform combining an engineered heavy chain locus with diverse human heavy chain V, D and J genes, a modified mouse Cγ1 gene and complete 3' regulatory region, in a triple knock-out (TKO) mouse background devoid of endogenous immunoglobulin expression. The addition of the engineered heavy chain locus to the TKO mouse restored B cell development, giving rise to functional B cells that responded to immunization with a diverse response that comprised entirely 'heavy chain only' antibodies. Heavy chain variable (VH) domain libraries were rapidly mined using phage display technology, yielding diverse high-affinity human VH that had undergone somatic hypermutation, lacked aggregation and showed enhanced expression in E. coli. The Crescendo Mouse produces human VH fragments, or Humabody® VH, with excellent bio-therapeutic potential, as exemplified here by the generation of antagonistic Humabody® VH specific for human IL17A and IL17RA

Creative destruction in science

Drawing on the concept of a gale of creative destruction in a capitalistic economy, we argue that initiatives to assess the robustness of findings in the organizational literature should aim to simultaneously test competing ideas operating in the same theoretical space. In other words, replication efforts should seek not just to support or question the original findings, but also to replace them with revised, stronger theories with greater explanatory power. Achieving this will typically require adding new measures, conditions, and subject populations to research designs, in order to carry out conceptual tests of multiple theories in addition to directly replicating the original findings. To illustrate the value of the creative destruction approach for theory pruning in organizational scholarship, we describe recent replication initiatives re-examining culture and work morality, working parents\u2019 reasoning about day care options, and gender discrimination in hiring decisions. Significance statement It is becoming increasingly clear that many, if not most, published research findings across scientific fields are not readily replicable when the same method is repeated. Although extremely valuable, failed replications risk leaving a theoretical void\u2014 reducing confidence the original theoretical prediction is true, but not replacing it with positive evidence in favor of an alternative theory. We introduce the creative destruction approach to replication, which combines theory pruning methods from the field of management with emerging best practices from the open science movement, with the aim of making replications as generative as possible. In effect, we advocate for a Replication 2.0 movement in which the goal shifts from checking on the reliability of past findings to actively engaging in competitive theory testing and theory building. Scientific transparency statement The materials, code, and data for this article are posted publicly on the Open Science Framework, with links provided in the article

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

The comprehensive arrogance scale

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] I developed a novel measure of arrogance based on the conceptual framework for research proposed by Cowan et al. (2019). This framework conceptualizes arrogance as having a tripartite structure consisting of different types of arrogance: individual arrogance, comparative arrogance, and antagonistic arrogance. These three different types of arrogance are proposed to consist of six different components. Individual arrogance involves distorted information and limitations in one's abilities, overestimation of one's information and abilities, and resistance to new information about one's limits; comparative arrogance involves failure to consider the perspective of others and the belief or assumption of self-superiority; and antagonistic arrogance involves denigrating and devaluing others. I designed a 60-item scale based on these six components (the Comprehensive Arrogance Scale: CAS). In Study 1a, I tested the factor structure of this scale with a student sample. I reduced the total number of items to 24, and found that the scale does not support the proposed tripartite structure, but instead shows a two-factor structure. This two-factor structure consists of components I have labeled “Self-Superiority” and “Social-Superiority.” Study 1a also provided initial validity tests of this new scale. In Study 1b, test-retest reliability was established. Study 2 examined arrogance in relation to self-esteem and found this new measure of arrogance provides incremental validity predicting preserving feelings of superiority above and beyond self-esteem. For Study 3, I examined the behavioral outcomes associated with arrogance, and tested the ability of the arrogance scale to predict these outcomes differentially from intellectual arrogance, intellectual humility, self-esteem, and narcissism. I found mixed support of my hypotheses. Specifically, those high in the CAS took less advantage of reading helpful resources regardless of perceived difficulty of the activity, and this pattern was in part mediated by feelings of superiority. I did not find support for the hypotheses that individuals high in CAS would practice less, nor did I find evidence for any of the hypothesized moderations. The current studies present the first empirical test of a novel framework of arrogance and provide a foundation for future research into the CAS and arrogance

Specialized drug liaison midwife services for pregnant opioid dependent women in Dublin, Ireland.

The health needs of pregnant opioid dependent women are increasingly being recognized by health care professionals. These women generally receive limited antenatal care. Maternal and neonatal outcomes are also poorer compared to non-drug using women. The number of pregnant opioid dependent women accessing drug treatment services in the Irish Republic has increased. A specialist Drug Liaison Midwife service was created in March 1999 to liase between the three Dublin Maternity hospitals and the Drug Treatment Services. This paper surveys the first year of operation of one of these posts. It documents socio-demographic background, substance use, and medical histories of these women in addition to maternal and neonatal outcomes. Higher maternal methadone dose was associated with an increased risk of neonatal withdrawals among these women. The experience of this specialist liaison service indicates that it is possible to build effective working relationships between opioid dependent pregnant women and the Obstetric and Drug services involved in their care