Geometry of obstructed equisingular families of projective hypersurfaces

We study geometric properties of certain obstructed equisingular families of projective hypersurfaces with emphasis on smoothness, reducibility, being reduced, and having expected dimension. In the case of minimal obstructness, we give a detailed description of such families corresponding to quasihomogeneous singularities. Next we study the behavior of these properties with respect to stable equivalence of singularities. We show that under certain conditions, stabilization of singularities ensures the existence of a reduced component of expected dimension. For minimally obstructed families the whole family becomes irreducible. As an application we show that if the equisingular family of a projective hypersurface H has a reduced component of expected dimension then the deformation of H induced by the linear system |H| is complete with respect to one-parameter deformations.Comment: 30 pages. v2: more detailed explanations. v3: minor corrections, version to appear in the Journal of Pure and Applied Algebr

Insurance Churning Rates For Low-Income Adults Under Health Reform: Lower Than Expected But Still Harmful For Many

Changes in insurance coverage over time, or “churning,” may have adverse consequences, but there has been little evidence on churning since implementation of the major coverage expansions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014. We explored the frequency and implications of churning through surveying 3,011 low-income adults in Kentucky, which used a traditional expansion of Medicaid; Arkansas, which chose a “private option” expansion that enrolled beneficiaries in private Marketplace plans; and Texas, which opted not to expand. We also compared 2015 churning rates in these states to survey data from 2013, before the coverage expansions. Nearly 25 percent of respondents in 2015 changed coverage during the previous twelve months—a rate lower than some previous predictions. We did not find significantly different churning rates in the three states over time. Common causes of churning were job-related changes and loss of eligibility for Medicaid or Marketplace subsidies. Churning was associated with disruptions in physician care and medication adherence, increased emergency department use, and worsening self-reported quality of care and health status. Even churning without gaps in coverage had negative effects. Churning remains a challenge for many Americans, and policies are needed to reduce its frequency and mitigate its negative impacts

Study design and participant characteristics of a randomized controlled trial of directly administered antiretroviral therapy in opioid treatment programs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HIV-infected drug users are at higher risk of non-adherence and poor treatment outcomes than HIV-infected non-drug users. Prior work from our group and others suggests that directly administered antiretroviral therapy (DAART) delivered in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) may increase rates of viral suppression.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>We are conducting a randomized trial comparing DAART to self-administered therapy (SAT) in 5 OTPs in Baltimore, Maryland. Participants and investigators are aware of treatment assignments. The DAART intervention is 12 months. The primary outcome is HIV RNA < 50 copies/mL at 3, 6, and 12 months. To assess persistence of any study arm differences that emerge during the active intervention, we are conducting an 18-month visit (6 months after the intervention concludes). We are collecting electronic adherence data for 2 months in both study arms. Of 457 individuals screened, a total of 107 participants were enrolled, with 56 and 51 randomly assigned to DAART and SAT, respectively. Participants were predominantly African American, approximately half were women, and the median age was 47 years. Active use of cocaine and other drugs was common at baseline. HIV disease stage was advanced in most participants. The median CD4 count at enrollment was 207 cells/mm³, 66 (62%) had a history of an AIDS-defining opportunistic condition, and 21 (20%) were antiretroviral naïve.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This paper describes the rationale, methods, and baseline characteristics of subjects enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing DAART to SAT in opioid treatment programs.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00279110">NCT00279110</a></p

Connecting People to Services: A Psychology-Based Marketing Campaign for the LINK Center

The City of Northfield, MN and Growing Up Healthy operate the LINK Center, a resource desk at a local community center that connects low-income residents to social services. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a psychological theory-based marketing campaign to increase Center use. We compiled a list of potential campaign strategies from appropriate psychological literature and conducted focus groups to assess their relevance to the LINK Center. Focus group results suggested social marketing theory as the most useful strategy. We then tested its effectiveness with a mailing campaign to 643 residents of Northfield low-income housing. In specific, we evaluated the effect of postcards with differently framed messages on increasing LINK Center use. The campaign did not increase LINK Center use nor confirm the relevance of social marketing theory in this context. Limited time and resources explain these results. Future directions are discussed

Representation as power and performative practice: Global civil society advocacy for working children

This article analyses global civil society advocacy in the field of child labour through the lens of theories on political representation in global governance. The article is sympathetic to newer theories on political representation which, fundamentally, understand representation as a dialectic of performative practices between representatives and their real or imagined constituencies. However, the article argues that the contemporary literature on political representation turns a blind eye on two aspects that are central to understanding this dialectic of representation in the child labour case: first, representation as power and second, the contested nature of citizenship. The article thus proposes an approach to political representation that allows highlighting the power-dimension inherent to the interrelation between formal and performative aspects of representation, that is, between civil society actors' power to represent and their power over representation. Using such an approach, the article presents empirical insights on CSO representation in global policymaking on child labour - a field in which conflicts over legitimate representation, citizenship, and grassroots participation continue to be exceptionally fierce