Unified Geostatistical Modeling for Data Fusion and Spatial Heteroskedasticity with R Package ramps

This article illustrates usage of the ramps R package, which implements the reparameterized and marginalized posterior sampling (RAMPS) algorithm for complex Bayesian geostatistical models. The RAMPS methodology allows joint modeling of areal and point-source data arising from the same underlying spatial process. A reparametrization of variance parameters facilitates slice sampling based on simplexes, which can be useful in general when multiple variances are present. Prediction at arbitrary points can be made, which is critical in applications where maps are needed. Our implementation takes advantage of sparse matrix operations in the Matrix package and can provide substantial savings in computing time for large datasets. A user-friendly interface, similar to the nlme mixed effects models package, enables users to analyze datasets with little programming effort. Support is provided for numerous spatial and spatiotemporal correlation structures, user-defined correlation structures, and non-spatial random effects. The package features are illustrated via a synthetic dataset of spatially correlated observation distributed across the state of Iowa, USA.

Teens, Kindness and Cruelty on Social Network Sites

Analyzes survey findings about how teenagers navigate the world of "digital citizenship," including experiences of, reactions to, and sources of advice about online cruelty; privacy controls and practices; and levels of parental regulation

Unified Geostatistical Modeling for Data Fusion and Spatial Heteroskedasticity with R Package ramps

This article illustrates usage of the ramps R package, which implements the reparameterized and marginalized posterior sampling (RAMPS) algorithm for complex Bayesian geostatistical models. The RAMPS methodology allows joint modeling of areal and point-source data arising from the same underlying spatial process. A reparametrization of variance parameters facilitates slice sampling based on simplexes, which can be useful in general when multiple variances are present. Prediction at arbitrary points can be made, which is critical in applications where maps are needed. Our implementation takes advantage of sparse matrix operations in the Matrix package and can provide substantial savings in computing time for large datasets. A user-friendly interface, similar to the nlme mixed effects models package, enables users to analyze datasets with little programming effort. Support is provided for numerous spatial and spatiotemporal correlation structures, user-defined correlation structures, and non-spatial random effects. The package features are illustrated via a synthetic dataset of spatially correlated observation distributed across the state of Iowa, USA

Navigating the Digital Divide: A Teaching-Learning Initiative with the iPad2

Background/ Rationale: It has been established that Interprofessional Education (IPE) offers a solution to foster teamwork and improve patient care and should be implemented early in professional role development. Thomas Jefferson University has been providing IPE to interprofessional healthcare students for over 5 years. A long term strategic goal was identified to “create innovative learning environments that support interprofessional education including state-of-the-art technologies”. In actualizing this goal, the curriculum was enhanced with technology supported collaborative learning techniques to assist in group processing and reflection. Combining traditional IPE activities with technology supported components incorporated the advantages of both delivery methods, such as the richness face to face interactions promote and the ease of engagement, depth of discussion, and time on task that technology supported interactions encourage. Technology-mediated communication afforded students greater flexibility, additional reflection time, and encouraged enhanced collaboration among students. Description: This demo will explore how integrating innovative technology into an IPE curriculum can encourage collaboration and facilitate IPE using the media of 1) asynchronous online discussions for reflection, 2) social network wiki sites to assist in the completion and collaboration of group assignments, and 3) online survey data collection to evaluate effective group functioning. The technology tools to enhance collaborative learning outcomes included features of a Learning Management System (Blackboard®) such as: 1. an asynchronous discussion board that enabled students to participate by posting messages to multiple and concurrent topics of discussion, 2. a wiki tool that allowed students to complete, edit, and view assignments and projects, 3. an online team performance survey that assessed team performance to encourage effective group processing and team building. Brief overview: The demonstration will involve showcasing the web based Blackboard course shell used as the platform for the technologies. Examples of completed wiki’s, discussion forums, surveys, and data will be reviewed and shared

A Teaching-Learning Initiative with Tablet Computing

Mobile computing and electronic books are the top emerging technologies to impact higher education.1 The rapid expansion of technology in the health care setting has created a growing recognition that there is a need for adoption of a sound set of innovative teaching-learning strategies related to information management and technology applications in undergraduate nursing curriculum. Success in these technology-related strategies will rest on the degree to which schools comprehensively integrate technology with teaching-learning strategies in the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Tablet computing has the potential to enhance educational experiences by providing a delivery option for teaching and learning practices that enable learners to interact with content, and each other, in immediate and seamless ways.2 The literature that exists on integrating tablet computers in the health professions focuses on the use of tablet computing for teaching medical students and enhancing resident clinical rotations.3-6 This paper describes the stages of a tablet computing integration initiative in a school of nursing including: 1) creating the infrastructure; 2) planning technology requirements; 3) designing faculty development sessions focused on curricular integration; and 4) building ongoing communication and support for students

Diversity among Equals: Educational Opportunity and the State of Affirmative Admissions in New England

This report reviews the practice of Affirmative Admissions as a strategy for achieving diversity within New England colleges and universities. It shows how educational leaders perceive Affirmative Admissions, the nature of regional Affirmative Admissions policies, and the numbers of student affected by current enrollment strategies. This report is part of a larger series on educational access and opportunity in New England. Research was organized into five components: (1) analysis of pertinent legal issues related to postsecondary access and equity; (2) interviews with postsecondary campus and state leaders (n=104); (3) interviews with K-12 leaders and educators at state, district, and school levels (n=45); (4) a survey of 221 postsecondary education institutions in New England; and (5) econometric analyses of student data. The focus was on groups of institutions, 18 groups clustered by admissions policies and restrictions. The most compelling conclusion is that there is no significant evidence that colleges have reduced standards to admit greater numbers of minority students. By increasing educational access to a broader segment of the population, the regions higher education institutions have taken crucial steps toward assuring the vitality and vibrancy of New Englands future economy and civic life. The study also indicates that the pool of qualified minority students is much too small, highlighting the need to improve the preparation of minority students. Three appendixes contain details about survey methodology, participating institutions, and regression coefficients. Prepared by the Center for Education Policy (CEP) and Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research (MISER), University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Sponsored by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation

Use of Drug-level Testing and Single-genome Sequencing to Unravel a Case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Seroconversion on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis

Cases of seroconversion on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be carefully investigated, given their public health implications and rarity. We report a case of transmitted drug resistance causing seroconversion on PrEP in spite of high adherence, confirmed with dried blood spot and segmental hair drug-level testing and single-genome sequencing

JSN iPad2 Intergration Project: Sharing Strategies

Podium presentation at Thomas Jefferson University’s Fourth Annual Faculty Days, Philadelphia, PA. 24 PowerPoint slides

Planning and integrating tablet computing in an accelerated nursing curriculum.

Podium presentation at Rutgers Thirtieth Annual International Interprofessional Technology Conference, New Brunswick, NJ. 32 PowerPoint slides

Lawmakers\u27 Use of Scientific Evidence Can Be Improved

Core to the goal of scientific exploration is the opportunity to guide future decision-making. Yet, elected officials often miss opportunities to use science in their policymaking. This work reports on an experiment with the US Congress-evaluating the effects of a randomized, dual-population (i.e., researchers and congressional offices) outreach model for supporting legislative use of research evidence regarding child and family policy issues. In this experiment, we found that congressional offices randomized to the intervention reported greater value of research for understanding issues than the control group following implementation. More research use was also observed in legislation introduced by the intervention group. Further, we found that researchers randomized to the intervention advanced their own policy knowledge and engagement as well as reported benefits for their research following implementation