Backing up into advocacy: The case of smartphone driver distraction

For the last decade, I’ve been studying the topic of the driving impairment of smartphones. While this began as an exclusively academic project, it has increasingly compelled public engagement. One example of this came in an opinion piece I wrote in 2018 in response to a new traffic law. I take the opportunity here to fill out the academic backstory of this particular op-ed, reflect on how this larger project has evolved to include an unanticipated public-facing edge, and abstract some lessons about public writing

Benefit Transfer from Multiple Contingent Experiments: A Flexible Two-Step Model Combining Individual Choice Data with Community Characteristics

This study proposes a new approach to utilize information from existing choice experiments to predict policy outcomes for a transfer setting. Recognizing the difficulties from pooling raw data from experiments with different designs and sub-populations we first re-estimate all underlying Random Utility Models individually, and then combine them in a second stage process to form a weighted mixture density for the generation of policy-relevant welfare estimates. Using data from recent choice experiments on farmland preservation we illustrate that our strategy is more robust to transfer inaccuracies than single-site approaches. The specification of "intelligent" mixture weights will be a fruitful ground for future research in the area of Benefit Transfer.

The Ursinus Weekly, January 7, 1952

Students asked to submit roster choices • Twelve outstanding seniors elected as members of college Who\u27s Who • Schedule presented for Ruby pictures • Y news • Alpha Psi Omega greets new members • Music Club concert to be given Thursday • Trip canceled • Sigma Nu, Beta Sig entertain children • I. R. C. hears Rudloff; Ann Knauer to speak • Visual aid lecture listed for future teachers • Forum speaker lists topic for Wednesday night • Navy recruiter plans interviews for seniors • Editorials: There\u27s still time; New Year topic is war • Engagements • Idea for Student Union at Ursinus gets impetus • Delaware favored in court race • PMC downs Bears in league opener • Schedule announced for badminton season • Grapplers open campaign with win over Mules • Pharmacy hands Bears third loss, 70-53https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1531/thumbnail.jp

Parametric non-mixture cure models for schedule finding of therapeutic agents

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75664/1/j.1467-9876.2008.00660.x.pd

The distribution of tropospheric velocity divergence with respect to pressure systems

With the aid of an electronic computer, velocity divergence, vertical velocity, and thermal advection computations are performed at the standard pressure levels. These parameters are then related to tropospheric pressure systems, classified according to subsequent development or non-development. Typical plan view and cross section patterns are presented. The writers wish to express their appreciation to Professor George J. Haltiner of the U. S. Naval Postgraduate School for his guidance and assistance in this study. Appreciation is also expressed to the personnel of the U. S. Navy Fleet Numerical Weather Facility for their cooperation during the preparation of this paper. We are especially indebted to CDR. L. C. Clarke and LCDR M. Jane Seljos for their aid and programming assistance.http://www.archive.org/details/distributionoftr00aldeLieutenant, United States Nav

Interleukin-1 beta and neurotrophin-3 synergistically promote neurite growth in vitro

Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) are considered to exert detrimental effects during brain trauma and in neurodegenerative disorders. Consistently, it has been demonstrated that IL-1β suppresses neurotrophin-mediated neuronal cell survival rendering neurons vulnerable to degeneration. Since neurotrophins are also well known to strongly influence axonal plasticity, we investigated here whether IL-1β has a similar negative impact on neurite growth. We analyzed neurite density and length of organotypic brain and spinal cord slice cultures under the influence of the neurotrophins NGF, BDNF, NT-3 and NT-4. In brain slices, only NT-3 significantly promoted neurite density and length. Surprisingly, a similar increase of neurite growth was induced by IL-1β. Additionally, both factors increased the number of brain slices displaying maximal neurite growth. Furthermore, the co-administration of IL-1β and NT-3 significantly increased the number of brain slices displaying maximal neurite growth compared to single treatments. These data indicate that these two factors synergistically stimulate two distinct aspects of neurite outgrowth, namely neurite density and neurite length from acute organotypic brain slices

Self-Rated Health After Kidney Transplantation and Change in Graft Function

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between self-rated health (SRH) in patients after kidney transplantation (KT) as well as graft function over time. METHODS: The sample consisted of 42 patients who were examined in the 3rd month (T1) and the 12th month after KT (T2). Sociodemographic data and data on glomerular function (GF) (Cockroft-Gault) were collected. Patients completed the SF-36 questionnaire measuring SRH. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of SRH at T2. Age, gender, change in GF, and SRH at Ti were set as the independent variables. RESULTS: SRH and GE improved slightly over time. The first model, consisting of age, gender, SRH at Ti, and GE at T2, explained 49.9% of the variance in SRH at T2; GE at T2 did not significantly contribute to the model. The second model, consisting of age (beta = -0.26, 95% Cl 1.087;-0.035, p CONCLUSIONS: Although SRH after transplantation is not associated with absolute levels of GE, there is a significant association with the change in GE over time

The Ursinus Weekly, October 29, 1951

Sororities bid upperclassmen during week • Lachman named vice-president • Henning Prentis delivers Founders Day Address • Curtain Club reveals leads for Fall play • Y group hears talk; Four at conference • Pianist to perform in Bomberger Hall on November 8 • Frosh give show; Custom period ends • Junior bazaar slated • Ruby takes photos; Tentative dates set • Movie list made up • Editorials: Alumni spirit; And in this corner; Sororities, fraternities do nothing for Ursinus • Donahue, \u2751 alumnus, reports on life among Arabs in French Morocco • Letters to the editor • Jones to read Saki at English meeting • Practice teachers look for professional savoir faire • Optimistic graduates explore world • Garnet hands Ursinus soccer team third defeat by downing locals 10-1 • Ursinus hopes for upset in game with F&M eleven • Temptation of Norma Gorinowski • Soccer team downs alumni • Curtis Hall remains leader in football • Undefeated Owlettes down Ursinus; Locals down Chestnut Hill eleven • Fynan\u27s conversion gives 13-12 win over Wagner • Jr. Bearettes win to stay unbeaten • Ryan to speak at magic showhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1525/thumbnail.jp