In clinical trials of drug treatments for women’s sexual dysfunction, placebo responses have often been substantial. Little is known about the nature and time course of symptom reduction with placebo treatment. It is also unknown to what extent placebo responses might be associated with individual characteristics, such as demographic variables, that influence responsiveness to treatment. Finally, it is unknown how sexual behavior during placebo treatment changes and whether changes in sexual behavior account for variability in outcomes. In the present work I investigated potential between-trial, between-person, and within-person variables that might explain variability in response to placebo treatment of sexual dysfunction in women. Study 1 consisted of a systematic review of the clinical trial literature to estimate the magnitude and predictors of placebo response across previous trials. Study 2 was an analysis of a small sample of women who were randomized to receive placebo in a recent clinical trial. These preliminary studies provided evidence of a relatively large clinical response among women randomized to placebo in controlled clinical trials of sexual dysfunction treatments. In addition, I found evidence of a possible effect of psychosocial variables on placebo response. In Study 3, I further tested the nature and correlates of placebo response in a sample of 50 women with sexual arousal and desire problems. These data were drawn from a 12-week double-blind randomized controlled trial in which measurement of symptom severity took place at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks, allowing for longitudinal analysis. Change in sexual function during placebo treatment peaked at 4 weeks and remained relatively stable through post-treatment. Furthermore, change in sexual function was clinically meaningful in approximately one-third of the sample. Symptom improvement appeared to be in part a function of increased frequency of satisfying sexual encounters during treatment, although there remained additional variability in outcomes that could not be explained by the available data. The findings are discussed with reference to enhancing both clinical trial design and psychological therapies in the treatment of sexual dysfunction in women. / text

Stakeholder driven research has been advocated to link hydroclimatic research with the needs and capabilities of groups affected by climatic variability and related governmental policies. A stakeholder driven research agenda was designed, focusing on hydroclimatic forecasts and their assessment, within the context of an interdisciplinary integrated assessment of the vulnerability of diverse stakeholders to climate variability in the U.S. Southwest. Water management, ranching, and wildland fire management stakeholders were solicited for their input. Their perspectives about hydroclimatic variability and opportunities for using hydroclimatic forecasts differed widely. Many individuals were uninformed or had mistaken impressions about seasonal hydroclimatic forecasts, but understood practical differences between forecasts for "normal" conditions and "nonforecasts" having total uncertainty. Uncertainty about the accuracy of forecasts precludes their more effective use, as does difficulty in distinguishing between "good" and "bad" information. A survey of hydroclimatic forecasting confirmed stakeholder perceptions and identified improvements in hydrologic predictability that could be rapidly incorporated into current operations. Users faced a complex and evolving mix of forecasts available from many sources, but few corresponding interpretive materials or reviews of past performance. Contrasts between the state of meteorologic and hydrologic forecasting were notable, especially in the former's greater operational flexibility and more rapid incorporation of new observations and research products. The research agenda uses predictions as the linkage between stakeholders and scientific advances in observations (e.g., snow conditions) or process understanding. The agenda focuses on two areas: (1) incremental improvement of seasonal water supply forecasts, and (2) improvement of stakeholder perceptions of forecasts through ongoing forecast assessments. A forecast evaluation framework was developed that provides consistency in assessing different forecast products, in ways that that allow individuals to access results at the level they are capable of understanding, while offering opportunity for shifting to more sophisticated criteria. Using the framework, seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks issued by the National Weather Service were evaluated, considering regions, lead times, seasons, and criteria relevant to different stakeholders. Evaluations that reflect specific user perspectives provide different assessments of forecast performance. Frequently updated, targeted forecast evaluations should be available to potential users.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / With library budgets continuing to shrink and the ability to create online content becoming an accessible task for almost everyone, the push to offer more scalable online instruction services has never been stronger. The number of library course and subject guides has exploded in recent years, but are they really doing what librarians hope they are? This poster seeks to spark a new dialogue concerning the creation and use of online course guides by looking at the assumptions we hold and what practice has taught us. Who is using them? What is a course guide's lifespan? Do we have the data to support our pedagogical theories? What does the future hold? How can we make them better?

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / Since 2009, the library has collaborated with the department of Social Sciences Inquiry Program, Soc Sci 2EL0 (Career Planning Through Experiential Learning) and has delivered one lecture for this course every term. Social Sciences 2EL0 is a non-credit six week course where students are exposed to and engaged with interactive tools and resources through career planning and research. Both the course and presentation have evolved and now include such discussion topics as effective use social media and the hidden job market. Working closely with the instructor ensures students are provided the necessary tools not only to graduate, but to also prepare them for the job market and future career development and success.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / The cost and accessibility of textbooks and other required course materials has been an issue at both the local and national levels for a long time. Indicative of this is a new requirement in Arizona that universities provide students with a total cost of attendance for each course before they enroll. Universities must do more to improve students' access to required course materials and to reduce the overall cost of education. In the past, supplying students with required course texts was delegated to the bookstore in coordination with teaching faculty. Today, with emerging electronic options and business models, a more nuanced, multi-tiered, and campus-wide approach may be possible and necessary. This poster will detail the major issues and describe some potential solutions.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / Digital Humanities is a collaborative approach to humanist work using digital tools that encourage interdisciplinary scholarship and challenge current theoretical paradigms using technologies. This poster will present an environmental scanning process for discovering opportunities for the University of Arizona Libraries to take a leadership role in the area of Digital Humanities on campus. These first steps lead to identifying, collecting, and translating information about external influences into useful recommendations that provide input into our decision-making process.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / Librarianship, like no other profession, has undergone great changes over the last several decades, including demographic shifts in our internal and external communities, sweeping technological changes, and other factors that impact how we conduct our work. The profession has accordingly organized to meet these changes. This poster is a preview of a forthcoming publication exploring Library Leadership in these new environs. Specifically the poster will present the evaluation of leadership thought, leadership needs in various contexts, current leadership development initiatives, and the application of recent leadership research to frame a new model of library leadership: Library Leadership 2.0.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / In 2010, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) developed an exciting new project, designed to support libraries in future visioning and preparation. The result was a set of 4 "alternate futures" narratives (scenarios) that do not discuss libraries, but rather the research environment in which libraries will function. These scenarios work together as a set, to shape and guide strategic conversation through highlighting critical uncertainties. KU Libraries became one of the first ARL institutions to bring this work home. We launched intensive, interactive workshops that offered our staff the opportunity to suspend disbelief and move beyond conventional understanding about our future. This poster will provide an overview of the ARL scenario set, and explain the outcomes and best practices of KU Libraries’ work.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / As the University of Arizona Libraries employ a 21st century user-centered approach to information resource management, we have adopted a Patron-Driven Acquisitions program. Fundamentally, the program is based on the model of users as the drivers of library acquisitions. By imbedding order records in the library catalog and by identifying user needs through interlibrary loan requests, the library is able to acquire targeted information resources that more efficiently meet the research needs of our users. This service significantly enhances the user experience and allows the UA Libraries to see greater use of our resources.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / The Library Space Usage Assessment project was initiated in September 2011 in an attempt to answer questions about how public spaces were currently being utilized at the University of Arizona Libraries. The project team utilized iPads and an online data collection form to gather data on customer activity over a period of three weeks during the fall 2011 semester. This poster presents an overview of the tools and methodology developed by the project team to conduct the assessment. The presentation also highlights the results of the project team's assessment efforts and how those results informed recent changes to library services.