Impact of Tobacco Control Interventions on Smoking Initiation, Cessation, and Prevalence: A Systematic Review

Background. Policymakers need estimates of the impact of tobacco control (TC) policies to set priorities and targets for reducing tobacco use. We systematically reviewed the independent effects of TC policies on smoking behavior. Methods. We searched MEDLINE (through January 2012) and EMBASE and other databases through February 2009, looking for studies published after 1989 in any language that assessed the effects of each TC intervention on smoking prevalence, initiation, cessation, or price participation elasticity. Paired reviewers extracted data from studies that isolated the impact of a single TC intervention. Findings. We included 84 studies. The strength of evidence quantifying the independent effect on smoking prevalence was high for increasing tobacco prices and moderate for smoking bans in public places and antitobacco mass media campaigns. Limited direct evidence was available to quantify the effects of health warning labels and bans on advertising and sponsorship. Studies were too heterogeneous to pool effect estimates. Interpretations. We found evidence of an independent effect for several TC policies on smoking prevalence. However, we could not derive precise estimates of the effects across different settings because of variability in the characteristics of the intervention, level of policy enforcement, and underlying tobacco control environment

A nomenclature for restriction enzymes, DNA methyltransferases, homing endonucleases and their genes

A nomenclature is described for restriction endonucleases, DNA methyltransferases, homing endonucleases and related genes and gene products. It provides explicit categories for the many different Type II enzymes now identified and provides a system for naming the putative genes found by sequence analysis of microbial genome

The development of a web- and a print-based decision aid for prostate cancer screening

Background Whether early detection and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) will reduce disease-related mortality remains uncertain. As a result, tools are needed to facilitate informed decision making. While there have been several decision aids (DAs) developed and tested, very few have included an exercise to help men clarify their values and preferences about PCa screening. Further, only one DA has utilized an interactive web-based format, which allows for an expansion and customization of the material. We describe the development of two DAs, a booklet and an interactive website, each with a values clarification component and designed for use in diverse settings. Methods We conducted two feasibility studies to assess men\u27s (45-70 years) Internet access and their willingness to use a web- vs. a print-based tool. The booklet was adapted from two previous versions evaluated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the website was created to closely match the content of the revised booklet. Usability testing was conducted to obtain feedback regarding draft versions of the materials. The tools were also reviewed by a plain language expert and the interdisciplinary research team. Feedback on the content and presentation led to iterative modifications of the tools. Results The feasibility studies confirmed that the Internet was a viable medium, as the majority of men used a computer, had access to the Internet, and Internet use increased over time. Feedback from the usability testing on the length, presentation, and content of the materials was incorporated into the final versions of the booklet and website. Both the feasibility studies and the usability testing highlighted the need to address men\u27s informed decision making regarding screening. Conclusions Informed decision making for PCa screening is crucial at present and may be important for some time, particularly if a definitive recommendation either for or against screening does not emerge from ongoing prostate cancer screening trials. We have detailed our efforts at developing print- and web-based DAs to assist men in determining how to best meet their PCa screening preferences. Following completion of our ongoing RCT designed to test these materials, our goal will be to develop a dissemination project for the more effective tool

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Tools for Teamwork: Asset Mapping and Team Processing Handbook

©Elisabeth (Lisa) Stoddard and Geoff Pfeifer. Originally Created for the Great Problem Seminar Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Workshops, testing, and broader implementation support funded by the Davis Educational Foundation for SWEET: Supporting WPI in Equitable and Effective Teamwork.Our graduates will enter a diverse workforce across the globe and need to be prepared to work with people of differing backgrounds. Studies show that diverse teams are better at solving problems and innovating. Research also shows that bias and stereotyping on teams can eliminate these benefits and reduce student learning. We have developed several tools and modules to help students and faculty identify, manage, and mitigate these issues. Asset mapping and team asset charting are two tools we have used with over 150 students on project teams. Our research shows these tools can improve equitable and effective teamwork by overcoming stereotypes, building student confidence, and minimizing task assignment bias. In module one and two, students fill out asset maps and discuss their assets (backgrounds, experiences, interests) with their team members. Team members will then determine who will take on what parts of the project based on each member’s assets and areas they want to develop. In module three, teams use a mid-project team processing sheet to help assess the equity and effectiveness of their division of labor, interactions, validation and uptake of one another's ideas, etc. They trouble shoot problem areas and discuss ways to reinforce what is working.SEE LATEST 2020 VERSION: https://digital.wpi.edu/show/8w32r871

Working Towards More Equitable Team Dynamics: Mapping Student Assets to Minimize Stereotyping and Task Assignment Bias

Today’s STEM students will enter a diverse workforce and need to be prepared to work with people of diverse backgrounds. Research shows diverse teams are better at innovating and solving STEM-related problems, precisely because there are a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds that are brought to bear in working on these issues (Philips, Liljenquist, Neale, 2010; Rock, Grant, and Grey 2016). However, this assumes those working on teams can take advantage of that diversity and are not hampered by racial, gender, and other forms of bias. Recent studies show that issues of bias and stereotyping on student teams is prominent, particularly in STEM fields (Wolfe, Powell, Schisserman, and Kirshon, 2016). This results in reduced learning opportunities for all students, with compounded harms to the self-efficacy and retention rates of female students, students of color, and other underserved populations. We have created a set modules and resources for WPI’s first year, project-based seminar program (the Great Problems Seminars program) that attempt to help STEM students and faculty work through these issues with the goal of creating effective, equitable, and inclusive teams. This paper/presentation will detail the structure of these modules, some of the results from a study done in connection with them, and what we have learned along the way

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Tools for Teamwork: Asset Mapping and Team Processing Handbook

The following tools have been developed, tested, and revised since 2016 with the support of WPI students, faculty, and staff, as well as through collaborations with our university partners. They will continue to be tested, critiqued, and revised based on research and input from partners and users. The goal for the tools individually and collectively is to create the context and culture for more equitable and effective teamwork in and out of the classroom, to be carried over into the workplace and civic life. If student grades and academic success is dependent upon collaboration with their peers, then it is imperative that we address bias and stereotyping that impacts student learning, and teach our students to work more equitably and effectively with one another. This manual was originally created for the Great Problem Seminar Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Workshops, testing, and broader implementation support funded by the Davis Educational Foundation for SWEET: Supporting WPI in Equitable and Effective Teamwork. This is a revised edition of the manual that was first published in 2018

Global Learning Using the Lens of Wicked Problems: Supplement

The Great Problems Seminar (GPS) program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is the first step in WPI’s Plan of Developing a Global Mindset. The GPS Program was initiated in 2007 as a an interdisciplinary, project-based, first-year program where students work in small teams to solve complex, open-ended problems in food, health, education, energy, environment, and water sustainability. These first-year courses demonstrate the ability to develop a greater understanding of global issues while drawing on information from multiple disciplines. Students who participated in this program felt more prepared for additional global learning experiences offered at our institution (e.g., global community engagement projects in their junior year) because they received a solid base of content combined with competencies that allowed them to feel more comfortable in discussing and negotiating controversial issues. This packet of materials is a supplement for participants at 2018 AAC&U conference Global Engagement and Spaces of Practice: Exploring Global Challenges across Disciplinary Boundaries. In particular, our packet includes sample materials that provide an understanding how global competency can be integrated in a course, program, or across curriculum and work through which elements can be transferred to their home institution and courses.©Marja Bakermans, Courtney Kurlanska, Elisabeth (Lisa) Stoddard and Derren Rosbach. Originally Created for the Great Problems Seminar Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute