Is diversity good?

Prominent ethical and policy issues such as affirmative action and female enrollment in science and engineering revolve around the idea that diversity is good. However, even though diversity is an ambiguous concept, a precise definition is seldom provided. We show that diversity may be construed as a factual description, a craving for symmetry, an intrinsic good, an instrumental good, a symptom, or a side effect. These acceptions differ vastly in their nature and properties. The first one cannot lead to any action and the second one is mistaken. Diversity as intrinsic good is a mere opinion, which cannot be concretely applied; moreover, the most commonly invoked forms of diversity (sexual and racial) are not intrinsically good. On the other hand, diversity as instrumental good can be evaluated empirically and can give rise to policies, but these may be very weak. Finally, symptoms and side effects are not actually about diversity. We consider the example of female enrollment in science and engineering, interpreting the various arguments found in the literature in light of this polysemy. Keywords: ethics, policy, higher education, female students, minority students, affirmative actionComment: 7 page

can concomitant diseases predict the compliance with cisplatin plus rt in patients with la scchn an exploratory endpoint analysis of the comply trial

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The relative orientation of the TM3 and TM4 domains varies between α1 and α3 glycine receptors

Glycine receptors (GlyRs) are anion-conducting members of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel family. We previously showed that the dramatic difference in glycine efficacies of α1 and α3 GlyRs is largely attributable to their nonconserved TM4 domains. Because mutation of individual nonconserved TM4 residues had little effect, we concluded that the efficacy difference was a distributed effect of all nonconserved TM4 residues. We therefore hypothesized that the TM4 domains of α1 and α3 GlyRs differ in structure, membrane orientation, and/or molecular dynamic properties. Here we employed voltage-clamp fluorometry to test whether their TM4 domains interact differently with their respective TM3 domains. We found a rhodamine fluorophore covalently attached to a homologous TM4 residue in each receptor interacts differentially with a conserved TM3 residue. We conclude that the α1 and α3 GlyR TM4 domains are orientated differently relative to their TM3 domains. This may underlie their differential ability to influence glycine efficacy

Working with physical therapists to develop and evaluate an evidence-based online module for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): bridging the knowledge-to-practice gap

Aims: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a chronic condition with potential negative health consequences. Clinicians working with children with DCD need access to tailored, synthesized, evidence-based DCD information; however a knowledge-to-practice gap exists. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an evidence-based online DCD module tailored to physical therapists’ (PTs) identified needs. Methods: Guided by the Knowledge to Action framework, we interviewed PTs working with children with DCD (n=9) to identify their information needs. Their recommendations, along with synthesized DCD research evidence, informed module development. PTs (n=50) responded to scaled items and open-ended questions to evaluate module usefulness. Results: The module incorporated important PT DCD content areas including: 1) Identification; 2) Planning Interventions and Goals; 3) Evidence-Based Practice; 4) Management; and, 5) Resources. Case scenarios, clinical applications, interactive media, links to resources, and interactive learning opportunities were also embedded. PTs perceived the module to be comprehensive and useful and provided feedback to improve module navigation. Conclusions: Involving end-users throughout the development and evaluation of an online PT DCD module contributed to its relevance, applicability, and utility. The ongoing clinical use of this module may have the potential to improve the quality of PT DCD services

Mass dependence of light nucleus production in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions

Light nuclei can be produced in the central reaction zone via coalescence in relativistic heavy ion collisions. E864 at BNL has measured the production of ten light nuclei with nuclear number of A=1 to A=7 at rapidity $y\simeq1.9$ and $p_{T}/A\leq300MeV/c$. Data were taken with a Au beam of momentum of 11.5 A $GeV/c$ on a Pb or Pt target with different experimental settings. The invariant yields show a striking exponential dependence on nuclear number with a penalty factor of about 50 per additional nucleon. Detailed analysis reveals that the production may depend on the spin factor of the nucleus and the nuclear binding energy as well.Comment: (6 pages, 3 figures), some changes on text, references and figures' lettering. To be published in PRL (13Dec1999

Antiproton Production in 11.5 A GeV/c Au+Pb Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

We present the first results from the E864 collaboration on the production of antiprotons in 10% central 11.5 A GeV/c Au+Pb nucleus collisions at the Brookhaven AGS. We report invariant multiplicities for antiproton production in the kinematic region 1.4<y<2.2 and 50<p_T<300 MeV/c, and compare our data with a first collision scaling model and previously published results from the E878 collaboration. The differences between the E864 and E878 antiproton measurements and the implications for antihyperon production are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Measurements of Light Nuclei Production in 11.5 A GeV/c Au+Pb Heavy-Ion Collisions

We report on measurements by the E864 experiment at the BNL-AGS of the yields of light nuclei in collisions of Au(197) with beam momentum of 11.5 A GeV/c on targets of Pb(208) and Pt(197). The yields are reported for nuclei with baryon number A=1 up to A=7, and typically cover a rapidity range from y(cm) to y(cm)+1 and a transverse momentum range of approximately 0.1 < p(T)/A < 0.5 GeV/c. We calculate coalescence scale factors B(A) from which we extract model dependent source dimensions and collective flow velocities. We also examine the dependences of the yields on baryon number, spin, and isospin of the produced nuclei.Comment: 21 figures-to be published in Phys. Rev.

Pedestrian Road Traffic Injuries in Urban Peruvian Children and Adolescents: Case Control Analyses of Personal and Environmental Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Child pedestrian road traffic injuries (RTIs) are an important cause of death and disability in poorer nations, however RTI prevention strategies in those countries largely draw upon studies conducted in wealthier countries. This research investigated personal and environmental risk factors for child pedestrian RTIs relevant to an urban, developing world setting. METHODS: This is a case control study of personal and environmental risk factors for child pedestrian RTIs in San Juan de Miraflores, Lima, Perú. The analysis of personal risk factors included 100 cases of serious pedestrian RTIs and 200 age and gender matched controls. Demographic, socioeconomic, and injury data were collected. The environmental risk factor study evaluated vehicle and pedestrian movement and infrastructure at the sites in which 40 of the above case RTIs occurred and 80 control sites. FINDINGS: After adjustment, factors associated with increased risk of child pedestrian RTIs included high vehicle volume (OR 7.88, 95%CI 1.97-31.52), absent lane demarcations (OR 6.59, 95% CI 1.65-26.26), high vehicle speed (OR 5.35, 95%CI 1.55-18.54), high street vendor density (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.01-1.55), and more children living in the home (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.00-1.56). Protective factors included more hours/day spent in school (OR 0.52, 95%CI 0.33-0.82) and years of family residence in the same home (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.95-0.99). CONCLUSION: Reducing traffic volumes and speeds, limiting the number of street vendors on a given stretch of road, and improving lane demarcation should be evaluated as components of child pedestrian RTI interventions in poorer countries

Long-term benefit of lurbinectedin as palliative chemotherapy in progressive malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): final efficacy and translational data of the SAKK 17/16 study.

BACKGROUND The SAKK 17/16 study showed promising efficacy data with lurbinectedin as second- or third-line palliative therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Here, we evaluated long-term outcome and analyzed the impact of lurbinectedin monotherapy on the tumor microenvironment at the cellular and molecular level to predict outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-two patients were treated with lurbinectedin in this single-arm study. Twenty-nine samples were available at baseline, and seven additional matched samples at day one of cycle two of treatment. Survival curves and rates between groups were compared using the log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical significance was set at P value <0.05. RESULTS Updated median overall survival (OS) was slightly increased to 11.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.8-13.8 months]. Thirty-six patients (85%) had died. The OS rate at 12 and 18 months was 47% (95% CI 32.1% to 61.6%) and 31% (95% CI 17.8% to 45.0%), respectively. Median progression-free survival was 4.1 months (95% CI 2.6-5.5 months). No new safety signals were observed. Patients with lower frequencies of regulatory T cells, as well as lower tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) at baseline, had a better OS. Comparing matched biopsies, a decrease of M2 macrophages was observed in five out of seven patients after exposure to lurbinectedin, and two out of four patients showed increased CD8+ T-cell infiltrates in tumor. DISCUSSION Lurbinectedin continues to be active in patients with progressing malignant pleural mesothelioma. According to our very small sample size, we hypothesize that baseline TAMs and regulatory T cells are associated with survival. Lurbinectedin seems to inhibit conversion of TAMs to M2 phenotype in humans