Description and Operation of the A3 Subscale Facility

The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the general design and operation of the A3 Subscale test facility. The goal is to provide the reader with a general understanding of what the major facility systems are, where they are located, and how they are used to meet the objectives supporting the design of the A3 altitude rocket test facility. This paper also provides the reader with the background information prior to reading the subsequent papers detailing the design and test results of the various systems described herein

ICIS 2008 Panel Report: IS Has Outgrown the Need for Reference Discipline Theories, or Has It?

We view the current belief in reference discipline theories and their value in MIS research as exhibiting dominance in our field. This article is based on the panel discussion at the 2008 International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) held in Paris, France. It examines why this dominance has the potential to harm the future prospects of our intellectual endeavors. In counterpoint, we present the argument that the use of reference disciplines should continue. Aside from the fact that the belief in the value of reference discipline is continued, there are benefits derived from anchoring research initiatives in reference discipline theories which should be acknowledged. Under certain situations such use should be encouraged and broadened. Additionally, we will present arguments for viable alternatives to relying on reference disciplines in theory building. The alternatives are aimed at building and expanding indigenous IS theory

IS Has Outgrown the Need for Reference Discipline Theories, Or Has It?

We view the current state of reference discipline theory dominance in the MIS field as constituting a hegemony. This panel discussion will examine why this has potential harm. In counterpoint, we will present the argument that reference discipline theory use should continue. Aside from the fact that reference discipline theory is used, there are benefits derived from it which should be acknowledged and, perhaps such use should be encouraged and broadened. Additionally, we will present perspectives regarding alternatives to reference discipline theory aimed at building and expanding indigenous IS theory

Breaking Organizational Eggs to Make an Innovation Cake: One Library\u27s Experience with Reorganization

This poster describes a major service realignment that integrated Instructional Designers, Media Specialists, Librarians, and Digital Scholarship Specialists into a new unit oriented around providing cutting edge technologies and services to students, faculty and staff. Highlighted is the digital assignment lifecycle, which serves as the philosophical underpinning to the structure of the unit, as well as illustration of new makerspace oriented facilities

Usability Test Results for a Discovery Tool in an Academic Library

Discovery tools are emerging in libraries. These tools offer library patrons the ability to concurrently search the library catalog and journal articles. While vendors rush to provide feature-rich interfaces and access to as much content as possible, librarians wonder about the usefulness of these tools to library patrons. In order to learn about both the utility and usability of EBSCO Discovery Service, James Madison University conducted a usability test with eight students and two faculty members. The test consisted of nine tasks focused on common patron requests or related to the utility of specific discovery tool features. Software recorded participants’ actions and time on task, human observers judged the success of each task, and a post-survey questionnaire gathered qualitative feedback and comments from the participants. Overall, participants were successful at most tasks, but specific usability problems suggested some interface changes for both EBSCO Discovery Service and JMU’s customizations of the tool. The study also raised several questions for libraries above and beyond any specific discovery tool interface, including the scope and purpose of a discovery tool versus other library systems, working with the large result sets made possible by discovery tools, and navigation between the tool and other library services and resources. This article will be of interest to those who are investigating discovery tools, selecting products, integrating discovery tools into a library web presence, or performing evaluations of similar systems

Expression of factor V by resident macrophages boosts host defense in the peritoneal cavity

Macrophages resident in different organs express distinct genes, but understanding how this diversity fits into tissue-specific features is limited. Here, we show that selective expression of coagulation factor V (FV) by resident peritoneal macrophages in mice promotes bacterial clearance in the peritoneal cavity and serves to facilitate the well-known but poorly understood macrophage disappearance reaction. Intravital imaging revealed that resident macrophages were nonadherent in peritoneal fluid during homeostasis. Bacterial entry into the peritoneum acutely induced macrophage adherence and associated bacterial phagocytosis. However, optimal control of bacterial expansion in the peritoneum also required expression of FV by the macrophages to form local clots that effectively brought macrophages and bacteria in proximity and out of the fluid phase. Thus, acute cellular adhesion and resident macrophage-induced coagulation operate independently and cooperatively to meet the challenges of a unique, open tissue environment. These events collectively account for the macrophage disappearance reaction in the peritoneal cavity

A PAX6-regulated receptor tyrosine kinase pairs with a pseudokinase to activate immune defense upon oomycete recognition in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>

Oomycetes were recently discovered as natural pathogens of Caenorhabditis elegans, and pathogen recognition alone was shown to be sufficient to activate a protective transcriptional program characterized by the expression of multiple chitinase-like (chil) genes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying oomycete recognition in animals remain fully unknown. We performed here a forward genetic screen to uncover regulators of chil gene induction and found several independent loss-of-function alleles of old-1 and flor-1, which encode receptor tyrosine kinases belonging to the C. elegans-specific KIN-16 family. We report that OLD-1 and FLOR-1 are both necessary for mounting the immune response and act in the epidermis. FLOR-1 is a pseudokinase that acts downstream of the active kinase OLD-1 and regulates OLD-1 levels at the plasma membrane. Interestingly, the old-1 locus is adjacent to the chil genes in the C. elegans genome, thereby revealing a genetic cluster important for oomycete resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that old-1 expression at the anterior side of the epidermis is regulated by the VAB-3/PAX6 transcription factor, well known for its role in visual system development in other animals. Taken together, our study reveals both conserved and species-specific factors shaping the activation and spatial characteristics of the immune response to oomycete recognition

Predicting psychological distress of informal carers of individuals with major depression or bipolar disorder

Caring for someone with a mental illness is associated with high levels of burden and psychological distress. Understanding these factors could be important to prevent the development of physical and mental health problems in carers. The purpose of the present study was to determine the contribution of coping styles and social support in predicting the psychological distress reported by informal carers (IC) of individuals with major depression or bipolar disorder. IC (n = 72) of adults with a diagnosed depressive illness were recruited from mental health organizations within the community setting. Carers completed the General Health Questionnaire, Brief COPE, and Social Support Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that 63% of the variance in psychological distress could be accounted for by adaptive and maladaptive coping styles and perceived quantity and satisfaction with social support. Satisfaction with social support (b = 0.508, P < 0.001) and maladaptive coping (b = 0.369; P < 0.001) were significant predictors of psychological distress. These findings suggest that interventions should consider coping styles, specifically the interaction between maladaptive behaviours and enhancement of quality of support, to assist carers to manage psychological distress, especially earlier in the caring role

Packages of Care for Alcohol Use Disorders in Low- And Middle-Income Countries

In the fourth in a series of six articles on packages of care for mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries, Vivek Benegal and colleagues discuss the treatment of alcohol use disorders

Non-absorbable disaccharides versus placebo/no intervention and lactulose versus lactitol for the prevention and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy in people with cirrhosis

Background Non-absorbable disaccharides (lactulose and lactitol) are recommended as first-line treatment for hepatic encephalopathy. The previous (second) version of this review included 10 randomised clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating non-absorbable disaccharides versus placebo/no intervention and eight RCTs evaluating lactulose versus lactitol for people with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy. The review found no evidence to either support or refute the use of the non-absorbable disaccharides and no differences between lactulose versus lactitol. Objectives To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of i) non-absorbable disaccharides versus placebo/no intervention and ii) lactulose versus lactitol in people with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy. Search methods We carried out electronic searches of the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2015, Issue 10), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Science Citation Index Expanded to 19 October 2015; manual searches of meetings and conference proceedings; checks of bibliographies; and correspondence with investigators and pharmaceutical companies. Selection criteria We included RCTs, irrespective of publication status, language, or blinding. Data collection and analysis Two review authors, working independently, retrieved data from published reports and correspondence with investigators. The primary outcomes were mortality, hepatic encephalopathy, and serious adverse events. We presented the results of meta-analyses as risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed the quality of the evidence using 'Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation' (GRADE) and bias control using the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group domains. Our analyses included regression analyses of publication bias and other small study effects, Trial Sequential Analyses to detect type 1 and type 2 errors, and subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Main results We included 38 RCTs with a total of 1828 participants. Eight RCTs had a low risk of bias in the assessment of mortality. All trials had a high risk of bias in the assessment of the remaining outcomes. Random-effects meta-analysis showed a beneficial effect of non-absorbable disaccharides versus placebo/no intervention on mortality when including all RCTs with extractable data (RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.87; 1487 participants; 24 RCTs; I2 = 0%; moderate quality evidence) and in the eight RCTs with a low risk of bias (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.97; 705 participants). The Trial Sequential Analysis with the relative risk reduction (RRR) reduced to 30% confirmed the findings when including all RCTs, but not when including only RCTs with a low risk of bias or when we reduced the RRR to 22%. Compared with placebo/no intervention, the non-absorbable disaccharides were associated with beneficial effects on hepatic encephalopathy (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.69; 1415 participants; 22 RCTs; I2 = 32%; moderate quality evidence). Additional analyses showed that non-absorbable disaccharides can help to reduce serious adverse events associated with the underlying liver disease including liver failure, hepatorenal syndrome, and variceal bleeding (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.60; 1487 participants; 24 RCTs; I2 = 0%; moderate quality evidence). We confirmed the results in Trial Sequential Analysis. Tests for subgroup differences showed no statistical differences between RCTs evaluating prevention, overt, or minimal hepatic encephalopathy. The evaluation of secondary outcomes showed a potential beneficial effect of the non-absorbable disaccharides on quality of life, but we were not able to include the data in an overall meta-analysis (very low quality evidence). Non-absorbable disaccharides were associated with non-serious (mainly gastrointestinal) adverse events (very low quality evidence). None of the RCTs comparing lactulose versus lactitol evaluated quality of life. The review found no differences between lactulose and lactitol for the remaining outcomes (very low quality evidence). Authors' conclusions This review includes a large number of RCTs evaluating the prevention or treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. The analyses found evidence that non-absorbable disaccharides may be associated with a beneficial effect on clinically relevant outcomes compared with placebo/no intervention. Plain language summary Are non-absorbable disaccharides associated with beneficial or harmful effects in people with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy? Background Cirrhosis is a chronic disorder of the liver. People with cirrhosis may develop hepatic encephalopathy, a condition that results in poor brain functioning. Hepatic encephalopathy may be clinically obvious (overt) with changes including poor concentration, tremor, and alterations in consciousness. Others have no obvious clinical changes (minimal) but, when tested, some aspects of brain function such as attention and the ability to perform complex tasks are impaired. The reason why people develop hepatic encephalopathy is complex. The accumulation of ammonia plays a key role. The non-absorbable disaccharides, lactulose and lactitol, are indigestible sugars that reduce the levels of ammonia in the blood. Review question We investigated the use of non-absorbable disaccharides for the prevention and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy in people with cirrhosis by reviewing randomised clinical trials (RCTs). Search date The search date was October 2015. Study funding sources Seven RCTs received financial support and 11 RCTs received lactitol or inactive placebo free of charge from a pharmaceutical company. Study characteristics We included 29 RCTs comparing non-absorbable disaccharides with inactive placebo or no intervention and nine RCTs comparing lactulose with lactitol. Seven of the included RCTs evaluated the prevention of hepatic encephalopathy and 31 evaluated the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. Sixteen of the treatment RCTs included people with overt hepatic encephalopathy while 15 included people with minimal hepatic encephalopathy. The duration of treatment varied depending on the type of hepatic encephalopathy from five days to one year. Key results People who received non-absorbable disaccharides were less likely to die than people given a placebo or no treatment. They were also less likely to develop serious complications of their liver disease such as liver failure, bleeding, and infections. The non-absorbable disaccharides were also effective in preventing the development of hepatic encephalopathy and increased the number of participants who recovered from hepatic encephalopathy. There was some evidence from a small number of trials that lactulose has a beneficial effect on the quality of life, but we were unable to include the data in an overall analysis. The non-absorbable disaccharides were associated with adverse events including diarrhoea, nausea, bloating, and flatulence. None of the RCTs comparing lactulose versus lactitol reported quality of life. The analyses showed no differences between the two interventions for the remaining outcomes. Quality of the evidence In the comparison of non-absorbable disaccharides versus placebo/no intervention, we found moderate quality evidence of benefit for the outcomes of death, hepatic encephalopathy, and serious complications. The evidence for the remaining outcomes was of very low quality