Mend the Gap: Behavioral Emergency Response Team.

Abstract Bell, L., Cartwright, B., Rogers, T., Mend the Gap: Behavioral Emergency Response Team. 2022, April 2. Behavioral escalation takes place without warning and is not confined to a specific unit. This problem has become more evident with the onset of COVID, behavioral health patients were admitted to floors that were not necessarily educated enough on de-escalation techniques. This is where our problem was identified. We found that the most beneficial implementation would be that of a behavioral emergency response team (BERT). This research study was founded on the grounded theory and Watson\u27s Human Caring Theory. Our evidence came from multiple peer-reviewed articles that included the experimental implementation of BERT. Throughout our research, it was discovered that current hospitals that have implemented BERT have seen a marked increase in patient safety and a decrease in cost and staff harm. We recommend that each hospital that does not have a BERT in place, strongly consider a trial run of the team to determine whether it would be beneficial to their facility

Polarization Observations with the Cosmic Background Imager

We describe polarization observations of the CMBR with the Cosmic Background Imager, a 13 element interferometer which operates in the 26-36 GHz band from Llano de Chajnantour in northern Chile. The array consists of 90-cm Cassegrain antennas mounted on a steerable platform which can be rotated about the optical axis to facilitate polarization observations. The CBI employs single mode circularly polarized receivers which sample multipoles from ℓ~400 to ℓ~4250. The instrumental polarization of the CBI was calibrated with 3C279, a bright polarized point source which was monitored with the VLA

Deformation-Induced Electric Currents in Marble Under Simulated Crustal Conditions: Non-Extensivity, Superstatistical Dynamics and Implications for Earthquake Hazard

This thesis investigates electric current signals generated spontaneously in specimens of Carrara marble during deformation under crustal conditions. It extends previous work where similar currents were observed during uniaxial deformation of marble. Since marble is a non-piezoelectric material, one of the main questions is how these currents are related to the mechanical processes of deformation. Another question is whether it is possible to extract from these electric currents information about the deformation dynamics. This is particularly important in light of recent claims that geoelectric anomalies observed in the field are related to crustal deformation and can inform us about changes in the organisation of the fault network in a focal region prior to an earthquake. Using an approach that combines rock deformation experiments and statistical modelling, I examine how these electric currents evolve with deformation at the laboratory scale and make several original discoveries regarding their behaviour. To establish how the current signals varied with experimental condition and deformation mechanism across the brittle-ductile transition, I conducted constant strain rate triaxial compression experiments recording differential electric current flow through the rock samples at various confining pressures, strain rates and pore fluid conditions. I acquired mechanical data, ultrasonic velocities and acoustic emissions simultaneously, along with electric current, to constrain the relationship between electric current and deformation. For the statistical modelling, I used a novel entropy-based model, derived from non-extensive statistical mechanics (Tsallis, 1988), which has the advantage of including a term to account for interactions in the system. Interactions are effectively modelled by the non-extensive q-parameter. Small (nanoAmpere) electric currents are generated and sustained during deformation under all the conditions tested. Spontaneous electric current flow in the dry samples is seen only in the region of permanent deformation and is due to the presence of localised electric dipoles. This current flow is correlated to the damage induced by microcracking, with a contribution from other intermittent ductile mechanisms. Current and charge densities are consistent with proposed models of crack separation charging and migrating charged edge dislocations. The onset of current flow occurs only after a 10% reduction in P-wave velocity, implying that some degree of crack damage and/or crack connectivity is required before current will flow through the samples. Electric current evolution exhibits three separate time-scales of behaviour, the absolute and fluctuating components of which can be related to the evolution of stress, deformation mechanism, damage and localisation of deformation leading up to sample failure. In the brittle regime, electric current exhibits a precursory change as the stress drop accelerates towards failure, which is particularly distinct at dynamic strain rates. Current and charge production depend strongly on the experimental conditions. Power-law relationships are seen with confining pressure and strain rate, with the first corresponding to increased microcrack suppression and the second to time-dependent differences in deformation mechanism across the brittle-ductile transition. In the presence of an ionic pore fluid, electrokinetic effects dominate over solid-state mechanisms but development of the crack network and charge contribution from solid-state deformation processes drive the variation in electrokinetic parameters. Current flow in the dry samples is approximately proportional to stress within 90% of peak stress. In the fluid-saturated samples, proportionality holds from 40% peak stress, with a significant increase in the rate of current production from 90% peak stress, and is associated with fluid flow during dilatancy. This proportionality, together with the power-law relationship between current and strain rate is reminiscent of power-law creep, where deformation rate varies as a power-law function of stress, and suggests that the electric signals could be used as a proxy for stress. High frequency fluctuations in the electric current signal can be described by `fat-tailed' q-Gaussian statistics, consistent with an origin in non-extensive statistical mechanics. These distributions can be explained as arising from superstatistical dynamics (Beck, 2001; Beck and Cohen, 2003), i.e., the superposition of local mechanical relaxations in the presence of a slowly varying driving force. The macroscopic distribution parameters provide an excellent prediction of the experimentally observed mean energy dissipation rate of the system (as modelled by the superstatistical β-parameter), particularly at slow strain rates. Furthermore, characteristic q-values are obtained for different deformation regimes across the brittle-ductile transition, and the evolution of q during deformation reveals a two-stage precursory anomaly prior to sample failure, consistent with the stress intensity evolution as modelled from fracture mechanics. These findings indicate that the dynamics of rock deformation are reflected in the statistical properties of the recorded electric current. My findings support the notion that electric currents in the crust can be generated purely from deformation processes themselves. Scaling up the laboratory results to large stressed rock volumes at shallow crustal pressures and constant crustal strain rates, deformation induced transient telluric current systems may be as large as 1 MA, even accounting for >99% dissipation, which corresponds to a huge accumulated net charge of 10 ZC. This implies that a significant amount of charge from deforming tectonic regions contributes to the Earth's telluric currents and electric field, although due to conduction away from the stressed rock volume, it is unlikely that accumulated charge of this quantity would ever be measured in the field. Electric current evolution and its precursory characteristics can be related to models for electric earthquake precursors and fault-zone damage organisation, developed from field observations, providing experimental support for them. However, given the oscillatory nature of the current evolution observed during cataclastic flow processes in the laboratory, there is a high probability of false alarms. Furthermore, the potential for electric anomalies to be useful as earthquake precursors remains contentious due to the difficulties of separating deformation-induced signals from other telluric noise and the wider issue of establishing a statistically significant link with earthquakes

Antitrust aspects of health information sharing by public and private health insurers

This policy brief is the first of two to address antitrust considerations that arise in health system transformation aimed at producing greater clinical integration and greater levels of information about the quality and cost of care. The second policy brief will discuss the implications of several recent Federal Trade Commission rulings on physician joint contracting to achieve clinical integration and greater health information accountability. These rulings have significant implications for growing efforts, as part of health reform, to create entities known as accountable care organizations

An Overview of Major Health Information Technology, Public Health, Medicaid, and COBRA Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

A detailed side-by-side analysis of the individual components of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), signed into law on February 17, 2009. One of the most sweeping pieces of economic legislation ever enacted, ARRA not only provides hundreds of billions of dollars in new health and health care spending but also makes comprehensive reforms in health law and policy, particularly in the area of health information law, including health information technology (HIT) adoption and health information privacy

An Overview of Major Health Provisions Contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) into law. One of the most sweeping pieces of economic legislation ever enacted, ARRA not only provides hundreds of billions of dollars in new health and health care spending but also makes comprehensive reforms in health law and policy, particularly in the area of health information law, including health information technology (HIT) adoption and health information privacy

Morphology of fluvial networks on Titan: Evidence for structural control

Although Titan’s surface shows clear evidence of erosional modification, such as fluvial incision, evidence for tectonism has been less apparent. On Earth, fluvial networks with strongly preferred orientations are often associated with structural features, such as faults or joints, that influence flow or erodibility. We delineated and classified the morphologies of fluvial drainages on Titan and discovered evidence of structural control. Fluvial networks were delineated both on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images covering ∼40% of Titan from the Cassini Titan Radar Mapper up through T71 and on visible light images of the Huygens landing site collected by the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR). The delineated networks were assigned to one of three morphologic classes—dendritic, parallel or rectangular—using a quantitative terrestrial drainage pattern classification algorithm modified for use with Titan data. We validated our modified algorithm by applying it to synthetic fluvial networks produced by a landscape evolution model with no structural control of drainage orientations, and confirmed that only a small fraction of the networks are falsely identified as structurally controlled. As a second validation, we confirmed that our modified algorithm correctly classifies terrestrial networks that are classified in multiple previous works as rectangular. Application of this modified algorithm to our Titan networks results in a classification of rectangular for one-half of the SAR and DISR networks. A review of the geological context of the four terrestrial rectangular networks indicates that tensional stresses formed the structures controlling those terrestrial drainages. Based on the similar brittle response of rock and cryogenic ice to stress, we infer that structures formed under tension are the most likely cause of the rectangular Titan networks delineated here. The distribution of these rectangular networks suggests that tensional stresses on Titan may have been widespread.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA Cassini Data Analysis Program Grant NNX08BA81G

Development of reverse-transcription PCR techniques to analyse the density and sex ratio of gametocytes in genetically diverse Plasmodium chabaudi infections

We have developed cross-genotype and genotype-specific quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assays to detect and quantify the number of parasites, transmission stages (gametocytes) and male gametocytes in blood stage Plasmodium chabaudi infections. Our cross-genotype assays are reliable, repeatable and generate counts that correlate strongly (R(2)s > 90%) with counts expected from blood smears. Our genotype-specific assays can distinguish and quantify different stages of genetically distinct parasite clones (genotypes) in mixed infections and are as sensitive as our cross-genotype assays. Using these assays we show that gametocyte density and gametocyte sex ratios vary during infections for two genetically distinct parasite lines (genotypes) and present the first data to reveal how sex ratio is affected when each genotype experiences competition in mixed-genotype infections. Successful infection of mosquito vectors depends on both gametocyte density and their sex ratio and we discuss the implications of competition in genetically diverse infections for transmission success