Research

RAMP Project to Implement New Tools to Assist in Research

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:48:18 +0000

RAMP Project to Implement New Tools to Assist in Research Pam Shepherd Mon, 02/19/2024 - 09:48

To better assist Mason’s expanding research activities and provide enhanced support to faculty, the Research Administration Management Portal (RAMP) project will soon introduce a handful of new, easy-to-use tools. In the coming months, new “modules” will assist with managing research involving human subjects, streamlining payroll reporting, overseeing animal care, and adhering to export regulations.

During the next phase, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) module supporting human subjects research will be implemented. The IRB’s onboarding phase began in October 2023 and is anticipated to go live this July. RAMP IRB will replace IRBNet, which Mason has used since 2013. This new module will allow for improved functionality and usability over the current system, and integration with the other RAMP modules. RAMP IRB will improve collaboration between principal investigators, IRB staff, and committee members through all IRB activities from new protocols to amendments.

The RAMP Payroll Certification (Effort Reporting) implementation will begin onboarding in April 2024. This module will streamline the effort and labor reporting process on sponsored projects, allowing for a standard workflow for payroll certifications routing through the electronic system for review and approval. RAMP Payroll Certification will replace the manual process currently in place for payroll certification allowing for greater efficiency, ease of access, improved functionality, and better reporting capabilities.

Future RAMP implementations include Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Export Control, with a phased roll out through March 2025. The Research Reporting Project continues in conjunction with the full RAMP implementation, with additional reports being made available throughout the duration of the project.

In addition, the current RAMP modules for Grants, Agreements, and Conflict of Interest (COI) will be upgraded to the newest Version 10.5, allowing end users to experience the most updated features of the system. Of note, the RAMP Safety module has already implemented on Version 10.5 and will not require the upgrade.

The overall timeline for the RAMP Project is below:

The RAMP Team will continue to share information regarding the project with the Mason Community through the RAMP website. Email questions to ramp@gmu.edu.

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Study: When Recreational Cannabis Is Legal, Codeine Demand Drops

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 13:49:46 +0000

Study: When Recreational Cannabis Is Legal, Codeine Demand Drops Andrew J Schappert Tue, 01/24/2023 - 08:49

In This Story

Catherine Maclean

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Catherine Maclean: ‘…[C]annabis use is arguably less harmful to health than the nonmedical use of prescription opioids.’

A new study published this month in Health Economics finds a significant reduction in pharmacy-based codeine distribution in states that have legalized recreational cannabis use. The finding is promising from a public health policy perspective because misuse of prescription opioids contributes to more than 10,000 overdose deaths a year in the U.S.

The study was coauthored by associate professor Johanna Catherine Maclean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. The research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.

So far, 21 U.S. states have passed recreational cannabis laws; legislatures in other states are considering similar measures.

“A reduction in the misuse of opioids will save lives,” said doctoral candidate Shyam Raman who is affiliated with the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the lead author of the study. “Our research indicates that recreational cannabis laws substantially reduce distribution of codeine to pharmacies, an overlooked potential benefit to legalizing recreational cannabis use.”

Maclean, who specializes in the study of substance use disorder and public policy, said that while cannabis and opioids can be used to minimize chronic pain symptoms, they aren’t equivalent in their impact on overall health.

“Increasing legal access to cannabis may shift some consumers away from opioids and toward cannabis,” she said. “While all substances have some risks, cannabis use is arguably less harmful to health than the nonmedical use of prescription opioids.”

The study is believed to be among the first to separately examine the impact of recreational cannabis laws on shipments of opioids to hospitals, pharmacies, and other endpoint distributors. Previous studies have focused on medical cannabis laws or the use of opioids by subsets of consumers, such as Medicaid beneficiaries.

The researchers analyzed data from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidation Orders System which tracks the flow of controlled substances in the U.S.

Key findings from states that passed recreational cannabis laws:

A 26 percent reduction in pharmacy-based distribution of codeine and as much as a 37 percent reduction after recreational cannabis laws have been in effect for four years.
Minimal impact on distribution of other opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine in any setting.
Minimal impact on codeine distribution by hospitals, which often have less permissive policies than pharmacies.

“This finding is particularly meaningful,” said senior author Coleman Drake of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health. “Where previous studies have focused on more potent opioids, codeine is a weaker drug with a higher potential for addiction. It indicates people may be obtaining codeine from pharmacies for misuse, and that recreational cannabis laws reduce this illicit demand.”

“Our study contributes new information to policy debates regarding legalization of recreational cannabis, which is a complex decision,” added Maclean. “Lawmakers could weigh the benefits we document alongside benefits and costs across a range of health, social, and economic domains potentially impacted by cannabis as they determine whether legalization is appropriate for their constituents.”

W. David Bradford of the University of Georgia also contributed to the study.

Additional reporting by Jim Hanchett, assistant dean for communications for the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Cornell’s announcement is here.

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Schar School News January 2023

Research

Two George Mason University Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:49:50 +0000

Two George Mason University Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15 Andrew J Schappert Thu, 11/03/2022 - 11:49

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Stephen Fuller

Terry Clower

Mark J. Rozell

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Terry Clower: ‘No matter the project’s location or topic, we bring what we learn back to Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area so we can help our region and state grow and thrive.’

Two of the Washington, D.C., region’s most recognized and respected economic and policy research entities—George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis (CRA) and its Stephen S. Fuller Institute for Research on the Washington Region’s Economic Future (SFI)—have joined forces in an effort to expand and deepen their longtime efforts to support economic and community development in the region.

The units’ missions are complementary, with the SFI continuing to provide real-time research and analysis of economic issues and conditions that affect the Washington region now and in the future; the CRA, with its broader geographic reach, continues to provide data, analytics, and research with state and national implications in a wide range of crucial issues. Both units are headed by CRA director and professor of public policy Terry Clower and are housed at the Schar School of Policy and Government.

Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School, noted that while each research center provides critical guidance to regional business leaders and policy makers, “the post-pandemic labor markets and ever-changing economic conditions made it clear that the best path forward is to realize strategic and operational synergies by combining the CRA and the Fuller Institute under a single leader in Dr. Clower.”

With the consolidation, Rozell said, “the two research centers will continue their nearly 40 years of combined history as key resources for those who rely on their insights to keep the region’s economy moving forward.”

Steven Fuller: ‘Blending the unique capabilities and missions of these two organizations will be a win-win for all the beneficiaries…’ Photo by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

“Working with sponsors and partners over the past eight years, the CRA has been able to expand its portfolio to include research and engagement activities across the commonwealth of Virginia, the DMV, the U.S., and internationally,” said Clower, who joined Mason in 2014 and took the helm at the Center a year later.

With the five-year-old Fuller Institute under the same umbrella, Clower said, “No matter the project’s location or topic, we bring what we learn back to Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area so we can help our region and state grow and thrive…Working with Dr. Fuller the past few months to bring our entities together makes me appreciate anew just how much he has brought to this region over the past 50 years.”

Fuller, founding director of the SFI and now a University Professor Emeritus, said the institute will continue to monitor the economic forces affecting the region as they emerge.

“By combining these two complementary research organizations, both will benefit from sharing staff and knowledge as well as gaining increased management and operation efficiencies,” said Fuller. “Blending the unique capabilities and missions of these two organizations will be a win-win for all the beneficiaries of these services and for the advancement of economic research on critical issues in these uncertain economy times.”

The CRA and the Fuller Institute will host the first CRA/Fuller Institute Joint Economic Outlook Forum on Tuesday, November 15, at Mason Square in Arlington from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Clower and Fuller Institute founder Stephen S. Fuller will examine the current challenges and opportunities facing the region’s economy and will present analysis and insights on employment, housing, construction, retail, and other decisive aspects effecting the region’s economy in 2023 and beyond. Bob Buchanan, a third-generation builder and civic leader and president of the 2030 Group, will provide opening remarks.

The event is free and open to the public but reservations are required at this site.

About the Schar School of Policy and Government

George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world. Located where policy happens—just 3 miles from the Pentagon, 4 miles from The White House, and 6 miles from the U.S. Capitol Building—students are connected to jobs, internships, networking, and experiences that can only be found in the Washington, D.C., area.

About George Mason

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at gmu.edu

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Center for Regional Analysis

Stephen S. Fuller Institute for Research on the Washington Region’s Economic Future

economy

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Schar School News November 2022

New Book Features Exclusive Interview with Jailed Leader of Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:33:23 +0000

New Book Features Exclusive Interview with Jailed Leader of Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’ Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/04/2021 - 12:33

In This Story

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera: ‘This book is important because it is the perspective of the Mexican government on how they saw security in Mexico before the declaration of the ‘War on Drugs.’

Little did Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera know in November of 2017 that the high-ranking Mexican government official she was interviewing with for a book on that country’s

“drug war” would three years later be arrested in the U.S. for taking millions of dollars in bribes from the villainous Sinaloa drug cartel.

The dramatic downfall of Mexico’s former secretary of public security is now a new book, Las Cinco Vidas de Genaro García Luna (El Colegio de México), written by Correa-Cabrera, a Schar School assistant professor, and Rice University’s Tony Payan. (The book is available in Spanish only.)

The book traces García Luna’s path leading to his downfall and to the security issues in Mexico today. This work also provides credible insight into just how high the reach of organized crime—the drug cartels—is able to go to the very top of Mexico’s federal authorities.

“He was the strongman of security in Mexico,” Correa-Cabrera said, regarding García Luna. “He was the protagonist in the first stage of the state-sanctioned ‘War on Drugs.’ He was the Secretary of Public Safety and the right-hand man of the Mexican president at the time, Felipe Calderón, and was very close to the DEA and to all the United States’ agencies,” including the CIA and the Department of Justice.

“And he was arrested, at the end of 2019,” she said, “charged in connection to drug trafficking, money laundering, and it was a big scandal because he was the strongman of security.” García Luna is in a New York prison awaiting trial for taking tens of millions in bribes to protect cartels.

Genaro García Luna awaits trial in a New York prison.

Correa-Cabrera interviewed García Luna in 2017, two years before his arrest, over three days at the Center for the United States and Mexico of the Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston, during which time he gave his perspectives on security issues in Mexico—a bitter irony—considering how his tenure came to an end.

“He thought he was untouchable,” she said, reflecting on just how powerful García Luna was at the time of the interview.

“This book is important because it is the perspective of the Mexican government on how they saw security in Mexico before the declaration of the ‘War on Drugs,’” she said.

“What is the drug war? What does that mean? Because of the ‘War on Drugs’ the violence has not been reduced. The situation in Mexico is worse than it was when they declared a war on drugs. The cartels have grown very powerful, very murderous.”

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Schar School News August 2021

Mason climate communication researcher’s smartphone game helps combat misinformation

John Hollis — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 17:50:28 +0000

Mason climate communication researcher’s smartphone game helps combat misinformation John Hollis Mon, 12/14/2020 - 12:50

A George Mason University scientist has developed a smartphone game that uses critical thinking and cartoons in the fight against dangerous climate change misinformation.

John Cook, a research assistant professor at Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communication within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, launches his “Cranky Uncle” game on Dec. 15 after spending over a decade studying different ways to counter misinformation. The game is available for free on iPhone and Android.

“Misinformation does great damage to society,” Cook said. “An essential solution is making the public more resilient against fake news. But how? Gamification is a powerful approach that can potentially reach many millions of people.”

The game uses a resilience-building technique known as active inoculation. In the game, players are mentored by a cartoon Cranky Uncle, who is dismissive of scientific evidence on climate change, vaccines, COVID-19 and other issues. As players learn the techniques used to deny science, they gain points on their quest to become a cranky uncle.

“If you want to learn how to spot someone cheating at cards, first, you have to learn how to cheat at cards,” explained Cook.

Cook, who used to draw cartoons for a living before becoming a scientist, illustrated many of the cartoon depictions of logical fallacies. He called the cumulative impact of humor, cartoons and games a powerful one that compels players into critical thinking through gameplay.

“The deeper a player gets into the game, the more resilient they become against misinformation,” he said. 

Cook teamed up with creative agency Autonomy Co-op to develop the game.

“The issue of science misinformation is more critical than ever before,” said Autonomy CEO Jay McDowell. “We're honored to be part of such a unique and innovative approach to fighting it.”

Cook is the founder of the Skeptical Science website and the lead author of a study that found 97% scientific consensus on climate change. He spent the last decade examining how to best counter climate science denial. His research, which focused on the responses of high school seniors and college students, is designed to explain the techniques of denial to make the public more resilient against climate change misinformation.

Learn more about the game at crankyuncle.com.

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Center for Climate Change Communication

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Tackling the world’s grand challenges

Colleen Rich — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:00:20 +0000

Tackling the world’s grand challenges Colleen Rich Wed, 10/21/2020 - 05:00

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Alternate Light Five Times More Effective in Detecting Bruises on Victims of Color

dhawkin — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 16:10:07 +0000

Alternate Light Five Times More Effective in Detecting Bruises on Victims of Color dhawkin Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:10

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

Contact
Michelle Thompson
mthomp7@gmu.edu
703-993-3485

As a consequence of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, rates of domestic abuse have increased. Improved procedures are needed to increase effectiveness of detecting bruises for people of color.

FAIRFAX, VA - Bruise detection and diagnosis is currently conducted by sight, under regular light, and bruises are often difficult to see on victims of violence depending on their skin color and the age of their injury.

As a result, individuals with dark skin tones are at a significant disadvantage in having their injuries properly identified and documented. This can have a significant impact on both medical and legal outcomes for victims of violence. For example, strangulation, a violent act often perpetrated during intimate partner violence, is now charged by many states as a felony. Detecting bruises associated with these dangerous offenses can provide important evidence towards prosecution.

A George Mason University study led by Dr. Katherine Scafide found alternate light was five times better at detecting bruises on diverse skin tones.

To address the challenges of detecting bruises, Scafide and colleagues conducted a randomized control trial with 157 participants to test the effectiveness of an alternate light source at detecting bruises compared to commonly used white light. They also assessed the impact of skin color, age, gender, localized fat, and mode of injury on bruise detection. They found that using alternate light was five times better at detecting bruises on victims across a variety of skin tones than white light. Results of the study were published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.

“As domestic violence rates soar worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, we need innovative ways of capturing its effects on victims,” urges Dr. Katherine Scafide, a forensic nursing expert who led the randomized control trial at the College of Health and Human Services at George Mason University. “Alternate light could be the tool towards addressing the disparity in detecting bruises across diverse populations.”

“Alternate light improves our ability to see bruises,” explains Scafide. “We need to implement this technology into the care of adult patients who have experience physical trauma, but only after evidence-based guidelines are developed and evaluated.”

Scafide cautions that alternate light can detect bruises but should not yet be used to diagnose bruises because other skin lesions (e.g., scars, hyperpigmentation) may appear similar when viewed using this technology. Alternate light should only be interpreted in conjunction with a history of injury and other physical assessment findings.

Scafide will continue this work with a new grant from the National Institute of Justice that will allow her to develop and evaluate evidence-based guidelines for implementing alternate light in the clinical assessment of bruises.

This study was supported by the National Institute of Justice grant 2016-DN-BX-0147. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

About George Mason University

George Mason University is Virginia's largest and most diverse public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 38,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. For more information, visit https://www2.gmu.edu/.

About the College of Health and Human Services

George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence and interprofessional practice. The College enrolls 1,917 undergraduate students and 950 graduate students in its nationally recognized offerings, including: 5 undergraduate degrees, 12 graduate degrees, and 11 certificate programs. The College is transitioning to a college public health in the near future. For more information, visit https://chhs.gmu.edu/.

Galileo’s Science Cafés share Mason research with the community

Colleen Rich — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 10:00:25 +0000

Galileo’s Science Cafés share Mason research with the community Colleen Rich Thu, 02/27/2020 - 05:00

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Putting Coronavirus in Context: Faculty Play an Important Role in Educating the Public on Emerging Disease

mthomp7 — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 20:06:43 +0000

Putting Coronavirus in Context: Faculty Play an Important Role in Educating the Public on Emerging Disease mthomp7 Wed, 01/29/2020 - 15:06

On second-and-short, NFL teams play it safe (and shouldn't), a Mason professor says

Damian Cristodero — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 10:35:00 +0000

On second-and-short, NFL teams play it safe (and shouldn't), a Mason professor says Damian Cristodero Thu, 12/19/2019 - 05:35

In This Story

Derek Horstmeyer

The conventional wisdom says NFL teams facing second-and-short yardage situations during a game should take a chance on a big play. But an evaluation of play calling from 2013 to 2018 by a George Mason University professor shows teams in those situations actually play more conservatively than in any other circumstance.

“It doesn’t make sense to just move the chains when you have what is basically a free play,” assistant professor of finance Derek Horstmeyer said. “You’re basically in the same position on the field. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Using data from the website NFLsavant.com, Horstmeyer found that teams facing second down and needing either one or two yards to achieve a first down, run the ball up the middle more than in any of other situation and generate fewer positive yards (an average 4.1) than in any other first, second or third down scenario.

What doesn’t make sense for Horstmeyer, who has never worked in football and is a huge San Francisco 49ers fan, is that a second-and-short situation provides an opportunity for an aggressive play call. If that fails, there is one and possibly two more downs available to gain the necessary first-down yardage, he said.

To avoid biases in the data, Horstmeyer’s analysis excluded certain situations, such as plays inside the 10-yard-line during the last two minutes of a half.

“I’m not saying there’s no room for a coach’s intuition, but there’s more and more evidence that NFL coaches play too risk-averse,” Horstmeyer said. “But increasing risk has its benefits.”

Horstmeyer points to the Green Bay Packers, who this year were 11-3 through Dec. 15 while averaging a league-best 14.2 yards on second-and-short situations.

His analysis also showed that teams that are more aggressive in second-and-short situations score more points.

For example, by using a shotgun (passing) formation on second-and-short between midfield and an opponent’s 40-yard line, teams can expect .439 more points in the drive as compared to a risk-averse formation in which the quarterback is under center. If the second-and-short situation is between an opponent’s 40- and 30-yard lines, the expectation is .587 more points in the drive.

Interestingly, Horstmeyer said he began his research after watching teams play on television and noting their conservative play calling on second-and-short situations.

“It was really infuriating why they were playing the opposite of what I was expecting,” he said.

Derek Horstmeyer can be reached at 703-993-9761 or dhorstme@gmu.edu.

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RAMP Project to Implement New Tools to Assist in Research

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Study: When Recreational Cannabis Is Legal, Codeine Demand Drops

In This Story

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Learn more about the Schar School

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Two George Mason University Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15

In This Story

Learn more about the Schar School

Request program information

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New Book Features Exclusive Interview with Jailed Leader of Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’

In This Story

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Mason climate communication researcher’s smartphone game helps combat misinformation

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Tackling the world’s grand challenges

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Alternate Light Five Times More Effective in Detecting Bruises on Victims of Color

Apply Now

As a consequence of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, rates of domestic abuse have increased. Improved procedures are needed to increase effectiveness of detecting bruises for people of color.

Related Topics

Galileo’s Science Cafés share Mason research with the community

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Putting Coronavirus in Context: Faculty Play an Important Role in Educating the Public on Emerging Disease

On second-and-short, NFL teams play it safe (and shouldn't), a Mason professor says

In This Story

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