Collecting with a Plan: The Arthur S. Obermayer Personal Library

This presentation describes the acquisition, conservation, cataloging, and classification of a personal library that was donated to The Henry Ford in 2016. The size of the collection, as well as the decision to preserve the donor’s numbering scheme, produced unexpected challenges

Should Religious Organizations Worry about IRS Audits?

A great deal of media attention has focused on recent perceived financial abuses of churches and religious organizations. Cases of fraud within religious organizations have fueled the public perception that churches require some form of monitoring to prevent financial abuse. However, the IRS has limited authority to audit religious organizations under section 7611, and the results of such audits are generally unavailable to the public. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, we obtained the outcomes of all section 7611 IRS audits of religious organizations conducted between 2001 and 2010. We found that although the number of both churches and nonchurch-related organizations (NCROs) increased significantly during the period examined, the number of IRS audits did not rise. We also analyzed religious organizations’ chances of being selected for an IRS examination and the likely outcome of an examination. In most cases the audits ended with no change to the organization’s status, or a delinquent tax return was secured. This information is useful for churches that may face or are currently under IRS examination. Further, this information can help tax practitioners assess examination outcomes and advise clients

Potent and selective antisense oligonucleotides targeting single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the Huntington disease gene / allele-specific silencing of mutant huntingtin

Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG-expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT) that results in a toxic gain of function in the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). Reducing the expression of mHTT is therefore an attractive therapy for HD. However, wild-type HTT protein is essential for development and has critical roles in maintaining neuronal health. Therapies for HD that reduce wild-type HTT may therefore generate unintended negative consequences. We have identified single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) targets in the human HD population for the disease-specific targeting of the HTT gene. Using primary cells from patients with HD and the transgenic YAC18 and BACHD mouse lines, we developed antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) molecules that potently and selectively silence mHTT at both exonic and intronic SNP sites. Modification of these ASOs with S-constrained-ethyl (cET) motifs significantly improves potency while maintaining allele selectively in vitro. The developed ASO is potent and selective for mHTT in vivo after delivery to the mouse brain. We demonstrate that potent and selective allele-specific knockdown of the mHTT protein can be achieved at therapeutically relevant SNP sites using ASOs in vitro and in vivo

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Fraud and Corruption in U.S. Nonprofit Entities: A Summary of Press Reports 2008-2011

The charitable sector is vulnerable to fraud losses, with these losses negatively impacting the organization’s reputation, future funding, and ability to advance its mission. Research on nonprofit fraud is relatively scarce, due mainly to limited availability of data. We create a database that summarizes and describes basic facts (nature and timing of fraud, description of organization, magnitude of loss, and perpetrators) for 115 incidents of detected fraud occurring in U.S. nonprofit organizations. We find a disproportionately high incidence of nonprofit fraud in the Health and Human Services National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities Groups, a high percentage of females committing misappropriation frauds, and that the organizational role of the perpetrator is related to the size of the fraud loss. We also investigate whether organizations detecting a nonprofit fraud report this information, as required, on Internal Revenue Service Form 990, and find that many organizations do not comply

Advancing Population Health: New Models and the Role of Research. An Overview of the 22nd Annual Health Care Systems Research Network Conference

The Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN; formerly HMO Research Network) held its annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in April 2016. A consortium of research organizations affiliated with 20 large health care delivery systems, the HCSRN met for the 22nd consecutive year to report on scientific achievements, develop and share skills and best practices, and promote new research collaborations. The 2016 conference, with a theme of “Advancing Population Health: New Models and the Role of Research,” was co-hosted on behalf of HCSRN by Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation and Henry Ford Health System’s Public Health Sciences Department. The 350 conference attendees included member investigators, research staff, federal funders, other research sponsors and a variety of existing and prospective collaborative partners. Key sessions reflecting the theme included plenary panels with a research focus on patient-centered care and population health management, a full-day symposium on precision oncology and a half-day patient-engaged research training workshop

Advancing Population Health: New Models and the Role of Research. An Overview of the 22nd Annual Health Care Systems Research Network Conference

The Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN; formerly HMO Research Network) held its annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in April 2016. A consortium of research organizations affiliated with 20 large health care delivery systems, the HCSRN met for the 22nd consecutive year to report on scientific achievements, develop and share skills and best practices, and promote new research collaborations. The 2016 conference, with a theme of “Advancing Population Health: New Models and the Role of Research,” was co-hosted on behalf of HCSRN by Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation and Henry Ford Health System’s Public Health Sciences Department. The 350 conference attendees included member investigators, research staff, federal funders, other research sponsors and a variety of existing and prospective collaborative partners. Key sessions reflecting the theme included plenary panels with a research focus on patient-centered care and population health management, a full-day symposium on precision oncology and a half-day patient-engaged research training workshop