The Web of the Spider. Laura Barr Lougee. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan: Cranbrook Institute of Science, 1964. 44 pp. $3.50.

Excerpt: It is a relief to find such a straightforward and objective work as Lougee\u27s The Web of the Spider. Her brief but lucid descriptions of spider anatomy, silk production and web construction will induce appreciation and observation of these much-maligned animals

Devices, distractions and digital literacy: ‘Bring your own device’ to polytech

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways polytechnic students use personal mobile devices to support their learning. This study used purposive sampling and mixed methods to generate data about student ownership and use of mobile digital devices within a single institution. Findings reveal patterns of device ownership, insights into how students use devices in class, and a comparison between student and tutor perceptions, including both conflicting assumptions and shared concerns. Implications are suggested for managing devices and distractions, enhancing digital literacy for both students and teachers, and pedagogical development

Concert recording 2018-10-02

[Track 1]. Canson für 4 Posaunen / Samuel Scheidt -- [Track 2]. Horizon of the aten / Anthony Barfield -- [Track 3]. Crisantemi / Giocomo Puccini -- [Track 4]. Elegy / William Grant Still arranged by Mixdorf -- [Track 5]. Mambo from West side story / Leonard Bernstein arranged by Mixdorf -- [Track 6]. Suite pour Quatour de Trombones. I. Moderato maestoso II. Andantino III. Tempo di Menuetto IV. Choral - Andante maestoso V. Scherzo / Désiré Dondeyne -- [Track 7]. Rusalka\u27s Song to the moon from Rusalka / Antonín Dvořák arranged by Mixdorf -- [Track 8]. That\u27s a plenty / Lew Pollack arranged by Gale

Can replication save lives? Reproducing previous research where behavior based safety practices reduced incident likelihoods

Proposed and in-progress research: Introduction In 2021, workplace injuries and illnesses numbered 2.6 million, and workplace fatalities from injury alone numbered 5,190, an increase of 8.9% from 2020 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Data from 2019 indicates that these types of incidents collectively cost employers more than $1 billion per week in direct costs (Liberty Mutual Insurance, 2022). The high financial toll and prevalence of workplace injuries indicates the critical nature of safety research. A preliminary predictive model has suggested that safety observations and hazard identifications can reduce the likelihood of workplace injuries (Granowsky et al., 2023). This proposed study will perform a robust replication of that work. Methodology Three years of safety data (2020 - 2022) have been obtained, which includes safety observation counts, hazard identification counts, and incident counts, from the maintenance division in a large chemical manufacturing company in the United States. Safety observations and hazard identifications will be normalized by work hours to reflect the total number of observations per 8-hour shift. Safety incidents will be dichotomized to indicate: did an incident occur (1) or an incident did not occur (0). A rolling sum time-series logistic regression analysis will be performed to analyze weather observations and/or hazards over the previous seven days decrease the odds of an incident occurring over the next seven days. The logistic regression analyses will be performed within seven maintenance departments and aggregated upward such that results represent the average odds increase/decrease across the entire division. Results & Discussion Based on previous findings (Granowsky et al., 2023; Sant et al., 2022) it is expected the results will show that for every daily safety observation performed the odds of an incident will decrease between 15 - 25% over the next three days. Similarly, for every hazard identification performed over three days the odds of an incident occurring will decrease between 10 - 20% over the next seven days. These results would reinforce previous findings suggesting that performing safety observations and reporting hazards can mitigate incident risk, significantly benefiting employees and employers alike. An odds reduction of the aforementioned magnitudes would equate to approximately 20 less workplace incidents annually, preventing serious injuries amongst employees and saving the organization countless monies and resources. To maintain a reduction in workplace incidents, organizations need a strong safety culture, rigorous safety reporting procedures, and upper managerial support for workplace safety

Pharmacokinetics of Ganciclovir after Oral Valganciclovir versus Intravenous Ganciclovir in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Patients with Graft-versus-Host Disease of the Gastrointestinal Tract

AbstractThe pharmacokinetics of ganciclovir after oral valganciclovir versus intravenous ganciclovir were compared in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients with stable graft-versus-host disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Twenty-two evaluable adult patients were randomized to receive a single dose of open-label study drug (900 mg of oral valganciclovir or 5 mg/kg of intravenous ganciclovir). After a washout period of 2 to 7 days, patients were crossed over to receive the alternate study drug. Ganciclovir and valganciclovir concentrations in plasma were measured over 24 hours after dosing. Noninferiority of 900 mg of valganciclovir relative to intravenous ganciclovir was concluded if the lower limit of the 1-sided 95% confidence interval of the ratio of least-square means of the ganciclovir area under the curve (AUC) for the 2 study drugs was >80%. Valganciclovir was found to be rapidly absorbed and converted into ganciclovir. The ganciclovir exposure after 900 mg of valganciclovir noninferior to that of intravenous ganciclovir (AUC0-∞, 52.1 and 53.8 μg·h/mL, respectively; 95% confidence interval of the ratio of least square means of AUC0-∞, 82.48%-118.02%). Oral valganciclovir could be a useful alternative to intravenous ganciclovir in certain stable stem cell transplant patients who require prophylaxis or preemptive therapy for cytomegalovirus infection

Comparing Internalization of Appearance Ideals and Appearance-Related Pressures Among Women from the United States, Italy, England, and Australia

Researchers have observed variation in levels of body image disturbance and eating pathology among women from different Western countries. Examination of cross-cultural differences in the established risk factors (i.e., thin-ideal internalization, muscular-ideal internalization, and appearance pressures from family, peers, and media) for negative outcomes may help to elucidate the prominence of specific risk factors within a given Western society and guide associated interventions. Women from the United States (US), Italy, England, and Australia completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4). Analysis of covariance controlling for age and BMI indicated significant cross-country differences for all SATAQ-4 subscales. Results typically indicated higher levels of appearance-ideal internalization and appearance pressures in the US and lower levels in Italy; however, associated effect sizes were generally small. A medium effect of country was observed for peer-appearance pressures, which were highest in the US compared with all other countries. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and paired samples t tests conducted within each country identified thin-ideal internalization and media appearance pressures as the predominant risk factors for all four countries. Overall, findings suggest more cross-country similarities than differences, and highlight the importance of delivering interventions to address thin-ideal internalization and media appearance pressures among women from Western backgrounds

"They go for gender first"

There have been many recent media reports about the online harassment of women journalists working in technology, particularly the video gaming industry. However, little research has focused on this aspect, by looking at specific occupations, or analysing the implications for women and society. This paper is a feminist study of the experiences of sexist abuse of a sample of women journalists writing about technology. It is a commentary on the results of a questionnaire-based study of 102 women (and their approximately 300 comments) that work in what has emerged as one of the frontlines of the struggle for gender equality. The research looks at the extent of the abuse, the harm it causes and how women are reacting to it. Most of the participants have experienced abuse, many have changed their working practices and some have disguised their identity to avoid it. An examination of their comments suggests that sexist abuse is now often normalised, alongside a new kind of "invisible" feminism. It also reveals a mood of defiance and an appetite for radical change to address the problems of exclusion and loss of identity. Overall, results indicate that the abuse is damaging women’s lives and impacting journalism and society in a negative way

Translating cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases: Huntington's disease as a model disorder

There has been substantial progress in the development of regenerative medicine strategies for central nervous system disorders over the last decade, with progression to early clinical studies for some conditions. However, there are multiple challenges along the translational pipeline, many of which are common across diseases and pertinent to multiple donor cell types. These include defining the point at which the preclinical data are sufficiently compelling to permit progression to the first clinical studies; scaling-up, characterization, quality control and validation of the cell product; design, validation and approval of the surgical device; and operative procedures for safe and effective delivery of cell product to the brain. Furthermore, clinical trials that incorporate principles of efficient design and disease specific outcomes are urgently needed (particularly for those undertaken in rare diseases, where relatively small cohorts are an additional limiting factor), and all processes must be adaptable in a dynamic regulatory environment. Here we set out the challenges associated with the clinical translation of cell therapy, using Huntington’s disease as a specific example, and suggest potential strategies to address these challenges. Huntington’s disease presents a clear unmet need, but, importantly, it is an autosomal dominant condition with a readily available gene test, full genetic penetrance and a wide range of associated animal models, which together mean that it is a powerful condition in which to develop principles and test experimental therapeutics. We propose that solving these challenges in Huntington’s disease would provide a road map for many other neurological conditions. This white paper represents a consensus opinion emerging from a series of meetings of the international translational platforms Stem Cells For Huntington’s Disease and the European Huntington’s Disease Network Advanced Therapies Working Group, established to identify the challenges of cell therapy, share experience, develop guidance, and highlight future directions, with the aim to expedite progress towards therapies for clinical benefit in Huntington’s disease