Improving peer review with ACORN : Ant Colony Optimization algorithm for Reviewer\u27s Network

Peer review, our current system for determining which papers to accept and which to reject by journals and conferences, has limitations that impair the quality of scientific communication. Under the current system, reviewers have only a limited amount of time to devote to evaluating papers and each paper receives an equal amount of attention regardless of how good the paper is. We propose to implement a new system for conference peer review based on ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms. In our model, each reviewer has a set of ants that goes out and finds articles. The reviewer assesses the paper that the ant brings according to the criteria specified by the conference organizers and the ant deposits pheromone that is proportional to the quality of the review. Each subsequent ant then samples the pheromones and probabilistically selects the next article based on the strength of the pheromones. We used an agent-based model to determine if an ACO-based paper selection system will direct reviewers attention to the best articles and if the average quality of papers increases with each round of reviews. We also conducted an experiment in conjunction with the 2011 UNM Computer Science Graduate Student Association conference and compared the results with our simulation. To assess the usefulness of our approach, we compared our algorithm to a greedy algorithm that always takes the best un-reviewed paper and a latent factor analysis recommender-based system. We found that the ACO-based algorithm was better than either of the greedy or recommender algorithms at directing users\u27 attention to the better papers

Causes and Consequences of Diversity within Experimental Biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Currently, we do not understand how much biodiversity may be maintained in any environment, especially not in the structured environments of biofilms, which constitute the dominant mode of microbial life. Although maintenance is associated with the complex spatial structure of biofilm architecture and resulting ecological opportunities, how both the abiotic and biotic environment defines available niches remains poorly understood. Here, we experimentally evolved three replicate populations founded by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 for 540 generations under conditions favoring a regular cycle of biofilm formation and dispersal. Utilizing a variety of laboratory and genomic sequencing approaches, we characterize the population genetic structure of these hypermutator populations and identify key genotypic innovations that allowed for the evolution of rare biofilm specialists creating strong interdependency between isolates, the maintenance of distinct ecological units driven by trade-offs associated with anaerobic growth, the repeated evolution of hypermutation and modification of the \u27stick-or-swim\u27 decision cascade via polyphosphate production and the sensing of free phosphate. Overall, this body of work illustrates the vast diversity harbored in biofilms and establishes methods to identify novel targets of adaptation to structured environments amidst a very high noise to signal ratio

An investigation into the implementation of robot-assisted upper limb therapy within an Australian rehabilitative setting

Background: Robot-assisted upper limb therapy (RT-UL) is an emerging intervention for stroke survivors with upper limb (UL) impairments. Research into RT-UL has concentrated on investigating the clinical efficacy but implementation and use of RT-UL in routine practice has not yet been adequately explored. This is a notable gap in the field when considering that non-adoption and abandonment is common for health technologies in the clinical setting. The aim of this doctoral research program was to investigate the implementation and use of the InMotion, RT-UL device, for the first time in an Australian clinical setting. Methods: A multiple methods approach was used in this program of research involving four studies, two qualitative and two quantitative. Study 1 explored therapists’ perceptions of RT-UL prior to the implementation through discipline specific focus groups. Study 2 was an observational study that investigated the amount of UL practice performed by subacute stroke survivors pre and post RT-UL implementation. Study 3 involved audits of RT-UL computer data to investigate the sustainability of RT-UL as part of routine practice over a two-year period. Study 4 explored therapist perceptions of the RT-UL post implementation through discipline specific focus groups. Results: Study 1 identified therapists were positive towards the implementation of RT-UL perceiving the device would provide opportunity for increased UL practice for strokes survivors in their clinical setting. The availability of a single RT-UL device may however create unique logistical challenges. Study 2 observed a significant increase in UL practice for stroke survivors including those with severe UL impairment following the implementation of RT-UL as part of routine practice. Study 3 discovered that RT-UL was in continued and regular use with stroke survivors two years after implementation. Study 4 found both disciplines continued to be accepting of RT-UL post implementation but it was physiotherapists who predominantly prescribed RT-UL. Implementation of RT-UL had been largely successful due to an increased level of UL practice for patients, the ease of using the device as part of routine practice and positive reception from patients. The implementation process was also clinician initiated and led. Conclusion: This research program was the first to evaluate the implementation of RT-UL into the routine practices of an Australian rehabilitation setting. New knowledge was acquired about RT-UL use with stroke survivors including occupational therapists and physiotherapists perceptions, impact on the amount of UL practice able to be delivered, sustainability of RT-UL within the inpatient rehabilitation setting and barriers and facilitator to RT-UL implementation

Interactions between adaptive mutations in the environment and the consequences for adaptation in Escherichia coli

Phenotypic plasticity, epistasis or both are expected to influence the adaptive value of mutations and, by extension, how organisms adapt to new environments. We investigated interactions among five mutations that arose and fixed in a laboratory-evolved population of E. coli in a variety of different external environments. Overall, we found that positive pleiotropy tended to be positive rather than antagonistic and that epistatic interactions were common regardless of the external environment. The nature of the epistatic interactions depended strongly on the external environment and altered which adaptive paths were selectively accessible. Ultimately, achieving high fitness in a new environment was not due to synergistic interactions occurring between new beneficial mutations. Rather, new mutations that minimize antagonistic epistatic interactions while also improving fitness overall are most favorable. Thus, the fate of a new mutation does not solely depend on its individual fitness effect, but also its genetic and environmental contexts

Leveraging Social Media to Promote EvidenceBased Continuing Medical Education

Importance New dissemination methods are needed to engage physicians in evidence-based continuing medical education (CME). Objective To examine the effectiveness of social media in engaging physicians in non-industry-sponsored CME. Design We tested the effect of different media platforms (e-mail, Facebook, paid Facebook and Twitter), CME topics, and different “hooks” (e.g., Q&A, clinical pearl and best evidence) on driving clicks to a landing site featuring non-industry sponsored CME. We modelled the effects of social media platform, CME topic, and hook using negative binomial regression on clicks to a single landing site. We used clicks to landing site adjusted for exposure and message number to calculate rate ratios. To understand how physicians interact with CME content on social media, we also conducted interviews with 10 physicians. Setting The National Physicians Alliance (NPA) membership. Participants NPA e-mail recipients, Facebook followers and friends, and Twitter followers. Main Outcomes and Measures Clicks to the NPA’s CME landing site. Results On average, 4,544 recipients received each message. Messages generated a total of 592 clicks to the landing site, for a rate of 5.4 clicks per 1000 recipients exposed. There were 5.4 clicks from e-mail, 11.9 clicks from Facebook, 5.5 clicks from paid Facebook, and 6.9 clicks from Twitter to the landing site for 1000 physicians exposed to each of 4 selected CME modules. A Facebook post generated 2.3x as many clicks to the landing site as did an e-mail after controlling for participant exposure, hook type and CME topic (p Conclusions Social media has a modest impact on driving traffic to evidence-based CME options. Facebook had a superior effect on driving physician web traffic to evidence-based CME compared to other social media platforms and email

Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Methane Integrated Propulsion System Test Bed

In support of NASA?s Propulsion and Cryogenic Advanced Development (PCAD) project, a liquid oxygen (LO2)/liquid methane (LCH4) Integrated Propulsion System Test Bed (IPSTB) was designed and advanced to the Critical Design Review (CDR) stage at the Johnson Space Center. The IPSTB?s primary objectives are to study LO2/LCH4 propulsion system steady state and transient performance, operational characteristics and to validate fluid and thermal models of a LO2/LCH4 propulsion system for use in future flight design work. Two phase thermal and dynamic fluid flow models of the IPSTB were built to predict the system performance characteristics under a variety of operating modes and to aid in the overall system design work. While at ambient temperature and simulated altitude conditions at the White Sands Test Facility, the IPSTB and its approximately 600 channels of system instrumentation would be operated to perform a variety of integrated main engine and reaction control engine hot fire tests. The pressure, temperature, and flow rate data collected during this testing would then be used to validate the analytical models of the IPSTB?s thermal and dynamic fluid flow performance. An overview of the IPSTB design and analytical model development will be presented

Simon Says (Fall 2016)

In this issue: Managing Your University Records Digital Photography in the Archives Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice Joins the CSU ePress New Executive Director for GALILEO Logging into GALILEO Made Easier New to GALILEO: EBSCOHost’s eBook Academic Collection Library Spotlight: Departmental News and Highlights Departmental Changes Upcoming Library Forum Events Upcoming Library Exhibits CSU Libraries Connectedhttps://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/library_newsletters/1019/thumbnail.jp

Highly Ionized High-Velocity Clouds toward PKS 2155-304 and Markarian 509

To gain insight into four highly ionized high-velocity clouds (HVCs) discovered by Sembach et al. (1999), we have analyzed data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) for the PKS 2155-304 and Mrk 509 sight lines. We measure strong absorption in OVI and column densities of multiple ionization stages of silicon (SiII/III/IV) and carbon (CII/III/IV). We interpret this ionization pattern as a multiphase medium that contains both collisionally ionized and photoionized gas. Toward PKS 2155-304, for HVCs at -140 and -270 km/s, respectively, we measure logN(OVI)=13.80+/-0.03 and log N(OVI)=13.56+/-0.06; from Lyman series absorption, we find log N(HI)=16.37^(+0.22)_(-0.14) and 15.23^(+0.38)_(-0.22). The presence of high-velocity OVI spread over a broad (100 km/s) profile, together with large amounts of low-ionization species, is difficult to reconcile with the low densities, n=5x10^(-6) cm^(-3), in the collisional/photoionization models of Nicastro et al. (2002), although the HVCs show a similar relation in N(SiIV)/N(CIV) versus N(CII)/N(CIV) as high-z intergalactic clouds. Our results suggest that the high-velocity OVI in these absorbers do not necessarily trace the WHIM, but instead may trace HVCs with low total hydrogen column density. We propose that the broad high-velocity OVI absorption arises from shock ionization, at bowshock interfaces produced from infalling clumps of gas with velocity shear. The similar ratios of high ions for HVC Complex C and these highly ionized HVCs suggest a common production mechanism in the Galactic halo.Comment: 38 pages, including 10 figures. ApJ, 10 April, 2004. Replaced with accepted versio

Simon Says (Spring 2017)

In this issue: The Next Generation Library System: Alma CSU Archives Commemorates WW1 With the Columbus Museum Library Assessment — Ensuring Quality Resources and Services for CSU UITS Computer Lab Moves to the Library Virtual Reference: Meeting the Needs of River Park and Online Students New Print Acquisitions Library Spotlight: Departmental News and Highlights Upcoming Library Forum Events Upcoming Library Exhibits CSU Libraries Connectedhttps://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/library_newsletters/1020/thumbnail.jp

Solder Joint Health Monitoring Testbed

A method of monitoring the health of selected solder joints, called SJ-BIST, has been developed by Ridgetop Group Inc. under a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract. The primary goal of this research program is to test and validate this method in a flight environment using realistically seeded faults in selected solder joints. An additional objective is to gather environmental data for future development of physics-based and data-driven prognostics algorithms. A test board is being designed using a Xilinx FPGA. These boards will be tested both in flight and on the ground using a shaker table and an altitude chamber