Open-Access Publishing and the Transformation of the American Archivist

In the process of transforming the American Archivist (AA) into a digital journal, the Society of American Archivists (SAA) confronted the political, economic, and intellectual tensions inherent in the complex environment of open-access publishing. This article establishes the framework within which SAA made the transition from print only to a combination of print and electronic publication and contextualizes this transformation within the intellectual evolution of the longest-running archival journal in the world. It uses this transformation to a print-digital hybrid as a jumping-off point for consideration of future possibilities for the Society’s digital publishing endeavors and concludes by considering a set of unresolved issues for the American Archivist posed by the open-access publishing movement, which itself is coming to terms with broad-based economic and preservation challenges.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89871/1/Conway Landis AA Online 2011.pd

The Effect of Spaceflight on Bone Cell Cultures

Understanding the response of bone to mechanical loading (unloading) is extremely important in defining the means of adaptation of the body to a variety of environmental conditions such as during heightened physical activity or in extended explorations of space or the sea floor. The mechanisms of the adaptive response of bone are not well defined, but undoubtedly they involve changes occurring at the cellular level of bone structure. This proposal has intended to examine the hypothesis that the loading (unloading) response of bone is mediated by specific cells through modifications of their activity cytoskeletal elements, and/or elaboration of their extracellular matrices. For this purpose, this laboratory has utilized the results of a number of previous studies defining molecular biological, biochemical, morphological, and ultrastructural events of the reproducible mineralization of a primary bone cell (osteoblast) culture system under normal loading (1G gravity level). These data and the culture system then were examined following the use of the cultures in two NASA shuttle flights, STS-59 and STS-63. The cells collected from each of the flights were compared to respective synchronous ground (1G) control cells examined as the flight samples were simultaneously analyzed and to other control cells maintained at 1G until the time of shuttle launch, at which point they were terminated and studied (defined as basal cells). Each of the cell cultures was assayed in terms of metabolic markers- gene expression; synthesis and secretion of collagen and non-collagenous proteins, including certain cytoskeletal components; assembly of collagen into macrostructural arrays- formation of mineral; and interaction of collagen and mineral crystals during calcification of the cultures. The work has utilized a combination of biochemical techniques (radiolabeling, electrophoresis, fluorography, Western and Northern Blotting, and light microscopic immunofluorescence) and structural methods (conventional and high voltage electron microscopy, inununocytochemistry, stereomicroscopy, and 3D image reconstruction). The studies have provided new knowledge of aspects of bone cell development and structural regulation, extracellular matrix assembly, and mineralization during spaceflight and under normal gravity. The information has contributed to insights into the means in general by which cells respond and adapt to different conditions of gravity (loading). The data may as well have suggested an underlying basis for the observed loss of bone by vertebrates, including man, in microgravity; and these scientific results may have implications for understanding bone loss following fracture healing and extended periods of inactivity such as during long-term bedrest

Cascading Activation Revisited: How Audiences Contribute to News Agendas Using Social Media

Social media have become conduits through which audiences can challenge elites in media and politics. Recent updates to cascading activation, originally developed to explain how frames flowing from powerful figures gain public dominance, give greater theoretical scope for audiences to exert influence. Yet empirical understanding of how and in what circumstances this happens with respect to agenda-setting - another core media effect - is not well-developed, especially given the affordances of digital technologies. We address this gap by connecting theorization on cascades to developments in intermedia agenda-setting. Specifically, we analyze the dynamics surrounding the perceived reluctance by ARD-aktuell, the newsroom of Germany's public broadcasting consortium, to use its prime-time broadcast "Tagesschau" to report the arrest of a refugee accused of murdering a German woman in December 2016. By presenting finely grained timelines linking content analysis of 5,409 Facebook comments with Tagesschau editorial responses and parallel media coverage of this event, we contribute further conditions under which audience-informed cascades may occur: notably, when publicly funded news organizations are involved, and the issue at stake invokes both domestic and international aspects which sustain disagreement

Gene Expression of Tissue-Engineered Distal Phalanx Models Utilizing Polymer Scaffolds with Hydroxyapatite and Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate

Tissue engineering is a scientific methodology that provides the means for fabrication of vital tissues in a laboratory with the ultimate goal of translating the tissue to a patient in a clinic. It is a desirable technique in clinical medicine because it eliminates the need for patient tissue grafts and transplants, which have the potential for donor site morbidity and rejection. In tissue engineering, the scaffolding material, typically a polymer upon which tissue is grown, is important. The goal of this research is to investigate optimization of tissue-engineered polymer scaffold constructs for cell proliferation and gene expression. This work includes an analysis of scaffold type to determine the appropriate engineered materials for growing human periosteum. Many scaffolding materials have been investigated for tissue-engineering purposes; however, the present study will be examining novel scaffolds for growing periosteum, those scaffolds being composed of hydroxyapatite (HA) or beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with polylactic acid/polycaprolinic acid [P(LA/CL)]. To conduct this analysis, histology of tissue-engineered constructs will be utilized to determine cell proliferation, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) will be applied to determine gene expression of construct cells. Results will be compared to determine differences in fold-change expression levels of several genes of interest that may be affected by the two different scaffolds. The initial findings of the study showed that there were few significant differences in gene expression between the scaffolds composed of HA or β-TCP

Creating functional autogenous vascular access in older patients

ObjectiveArteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are the preferred choice for hemodialysis vascular access (AV access); however, there is debate over the utility of AVFs in older patients, particularly concerning access maturation and functionality. We reviewed our AV access experience in patients ≥65 years of age.MethodsWe analyzed consecutive AV access patients ≥65 years old with access operations between March 2003 and December 2009. All patients had ultrasound vessel mapping. In addition to overall outcomes review, the data for patients ≥65 years old were stratified into three 10-year increments by age for further analysis. We compared functional patency data for our older patients with those of our non-elderly patients aged 21 to 64 years treated during the same time period.ResultsFour hundred sixty-one consecutive AV access patients new to our practice were included in this study. Ages were 65 to 94 years (mean, 73 years). Two hundred thirty-six (51.2%) were female, 276 (59.9%) patients were diabetic, and 103 (22.3%) were obese. One hundred seven (23.2%) patients had previous access operations. Radiocephalic AVFs were constructed in 29 (6.3%) patients, 99 (21.5%) patients had brachial artery inflow AVFs, 330 (71.6%) had proximal radial artery AVFs, and three were based on the femoral artery. Transposition AVFs were used in 124 (26.9%) patients. No grafts were used for AV access in any patient during the study period. Time to AVF use was 0.5 to 6 months (mean, 1.5 months). Primary, primary assisted, and cumulative patency for patients aged 65 to 94 years were 59.9%, 93.7%, and 96.9% at 12 months and 45.3%, 90.1%, and 94.6% at 24 months, respectively. Follow-up was 1.5 to 77 months (mean, 17.0 months). Subgroup age stratification (65-74 [n = 268], 75-84 [n = 167], 85-94 [n = 26] years) found no statistical difference in functional access outcomes. Primary, primary assisted, and cumulative patency rates were not statistically different in the elderly and non-elderly populations (P = .29, .27, and .37, respectively). One hundred fifty-six patients died during the study period, 1.3 to 61 months (mean, 20 months) after access creation. No deaths were related to access operations.ConclusionsAVFs are feasible and offer functional and timely AV access in older patients. There was no difference in functional access outcomes for older patients with subgroup age stratification. AVF patency rates were not statistically different in the elderly and non-elderly populations. Cumulative AVF patency for patients ≥65 years of age was 96.9% at 12 months and 94.6% at 24 months

Notes

Notes by David S. Landis, William B. Lawless, Robert Oberfell, Thomas F. Halligan, Hal E. Hunter, Jr., Charles M. Boynton, John S. Warren, Norman B. Thirion, Vail Pischke, Peter F. Nemeth, Saverio J. Alonzi, and Peter T. Alonzi