Regularly varying probability densities

The convolution of regularly varying probability densities is proved asymptotic to their sum, and hence is also regularly varying. Extensions to rapid variation, O-regular variation, and other types of asymptotic decay are also given

Patient and provider perspectives inform an intervention to improve linkage to care for HIV patients in Ukraine.

BACKGROUND:Engagement with HIV medical care is critical to successful HIV treatment and prevention efforts. However, in Ukraine, delays in the timely initiation of HIV treatment hamper viral suppression. By January 01, 2016, only 126,604 (57.5%) of the estimated 220,000 people living with HIV (PLWH) had registered for HIV care, and most (55.1%) of those who registered for HIV care in 2015 did that at a late stage of infection. In the US, Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS) intervention successfully linked newly diagnosed PLWH to HIV services using strengths-based case management with a linkage coordinator. To tailor the ARTAS intervention for Ukraine, we conducted a qualitative study with patients and providers to understand barriers and facilitators that influence linkage to HIV care. METHODS:During September-October 2014, we conducted 20 in-depth interviews with HIV-positive patients and two focus groups with physicians in infectious disease, sexually transmitted infection (STI), and addiction clinics in Dnipropetrovsk Region of Ukraine. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We translated illustrative quotes into English. We used thematic analysis for the data analysis. RESULTS:Participants (20 patients and 14 physicians) identified multiple, mostly individual-level factors influencing HIV care initiation. Key barriers included lack of HIV knowledge, non-acceptance of HIV diagnosis, fear of HIV disclosure, lack of psychological support from health providers, and HIV stigma in community. Responsibility for one's health, health deterioration, and supportive provider communication were reported as facilitators to linkage to care. Expected benefits from the case management intervention included psychological support, HIV education, and help with navigating the segmented health system. CONCLUSIONS:The findings from the study will be used to optimize the ARTAS for the Ukrainian context. Our findings can also support future linkage-to-care strategies in other countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Thundermist Health Center: Extending Pharmaceutical Services To Underserved Patients

This paper describes a not-for-profit healthcare providers strategy to provide its economically disadvantaged patients with access to low cost pharmaceuticals. Initially, an in-house pharmacy was established, supported by a satellite distribution system using a telepharmacy solution to extend medications to its patients at remote sites. New federal legislation which provided access to low cost insurance through Medicare Part D to many of the providers disadvantaged patients, along with state licensing requirements forced the healthcare provider to reassess the economics of its pharmaceutical distribution system and seek other alternatives. Among the alternatives the healthcare provider considered was partnering with for-profit pharmaceutical companies in order to reach their patients

Maintaining Relationships With Supply Chain Partners: A Case Study

This case study describes efforts of a market leader in the communication infrastructure industry to assess the relationships they have developed with their global supply chain partners.  Changes in the industry have resulted in geographic shifts of existing and potential supply chain suppliers and customers.  In an effort to determine if commitment to customer service has resulted in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, research was conducted to assess their performance.  The results of this research were compared to previous research to determine if their service program has successfully differentiated them from their competitors

Measuring Unruh radiation from accelerated electrons

Detecting thermal Unruh radiation from accelerated electrons has presented a formidable challenge due not only to technical difficulties but also for lack of conceptual clarity about what is actually seen by a laboratory observer. We give a summary of the current interpretations along with a simpler heuristic description that draws on the analogy between the Unruh effect and radiation from a two-level atomic system. We propose an experiment to test whether there is emission of thermal photons from an accelerated electron.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures. This is an expanded version of section 3.2 of arXiv:2211.13187 which we wrote for the Multi Petawatt Prioritization (MP3) worksho

A Concept for an STJ-based Spectrograph

We describe a multi-order spectrograph concept suitable for 8m-class telescopes, using the intrinsic spectral resolution of Superconducting Tunneling Junction detectors to sort the spectral orders. The spectrograph works at low orders, 1-5 or 1-6, and provides spectral coverage with a resolving power of R~8000 from the atmospheric cutoff at 320 nm to the long wavelength end of the infrared H or K band at 1800 nm or 2400 nm. We calculate that the spectrograph would provide substantial throughput and wavelength coverage, together with high time resolution and sufficient dynamic range. The concept uses currently available technology, or technologies with short development horizons, restricting the spatial sampling to two linear arrays; however an upgrade path to provide more spatial sampling is identified. All of the other challenging aspects of the concept - the cryogenics, thermal baffling and magnetic field biasing - are identified as being feasible.Comment: Accepted in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 12 pages with 10 figure

A Portrait of North Carolina School District Superintendents, 2000-2021

This study profiles superintendents in North Carolina public-school districts for academic year 2020-2021. We focus on superintendent gender, race, educational experiences, highest degrees earned, and professional longevity; and personal characteristics such as age and marital and parenting status, and the relationship between gender and race and geographic region served. Data sources included a survey of all of North Carolina’s public-school district human resources directors; licensure and payroll records from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) for the years 2000, 2010, and 2021; and The American Superintendent: 2020 Decennial Study from the American Association of School Administrators. Despite progress, we found significant disparities between superintendent demographics and their communities. Amid growing diversity, only 26% of public- school districts were led by females and 22% percent by an African American or Latinx. We also noted high turnover, inexperience, and interim appointments as red flags. We recommend actionable steps for research, policy, and practice

An examination of small class as a "gap reduction" strategy for achievement differences in groups of students, K-3

The primary purpose of this research was to examine patterns of achievement among white and minority students in small (S), regular (R), and regular-with-aide (RA) class-size treatments over varying lengths of time and at varying start-up years, grades K, 1, 2, and 3. Re-analyzing norm- (NRT) and criterion-referenced (CRT) achievement test data from Tennessee's Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project, the researcher: (1) identified appropriate subsamples of students in each grade and class-size; (2) calculated the white and minority subsamples' mean scaled scores and standard deviations for each achievement measure by length of time in each class-size treatment at each grade; (3) tabulated the white and minority subsamples' mean scaled scores for each achievement measure by length of time in each class-size treatment at each grade level; (4) tabulated a white-minority achievement gap by grade by length of time in each class-size treatment; (5) tabulated achievement differences between minority (S) and white (R) subsamples by grade by length of time in class; (6) calculated effect sizes to measure the educational importance of selected mean score achievement differences between subsamples; and (7) charted histograms to compare the achievement of white (R) and minority (R) and (S) class-sizes