Young tableaux, multi-segments, and PBW bases

The crystals for finite dimensional representations of sl(n+1) can be realized using Young tableaux. The infinity crystal on the other hand is naturally realized using multisegments, and there is a simple description of the embedding of each finite crystal into the infinity crystal in terms of these realizations. The infinity crystal is also parameterized by Lusztig's PBW basis with respect to any reduced expression for the longest word in the Weyl group. We give an explicit description of the unique crystal isomorphism from PBW bases to multisegments for one standard choice of reduced expression, thus obtaining simple formulas for the actions of all crystal operators on this PBW basis. Our proofs use the fact that the twists of the crystal operators by Kashiwara's involution also have simple descriptions in terms of multisegments, and a characterization of the infinity crystal due to Kashiwara and Saito. These results are to varying extents known to experts, but we do not think there is a self-contained exposition of this material in the literature, and our proof of the relationship between multi-segments and PBW bases seems to be new.Comment: 21 pages. v2: Published version. Minor stylistic and formatting changes. Seminaire Lotharingien de Combinatoire 73 (2015), Article B73

Country-level cost-effectiveness thresholds : initial estimates and the need for further research

Objectives: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) can guide policymakers in resource allocation decisions. CEA assesses whether the health gains offered by an intervention are large enough relative to any additional costs to warrant adoption. Where there are constraints on the healthcare system’s budget or ability to increase expenditures, additional costs imposed by interventions have an ‘opportunity cost’ in terms of the health foregone as other interventions cannot be provided. Cost-effectiveness thresholds (CETs) are typically used to assess whether an intervention is worthwhile and should reflect health opportunity cost. However, CETs used by some decision makers - such as the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested CETs of 1-3 times gross domestic product per capita (GDP pc) - do not. This study estimates CETs based on opportunity cost for a wide range of countries. Methods: We estimate CETs based upon recent empirical estimates of opportunity cost (from the English NHS), estimates of the relationship between country GDP pc and the value of a statistical life, and a series of explicit assumptions. Results: CETs for Malawi (the lowest income country in the world), Cambodia (borderline low/low-middle income), El Salvador (borderline low-middle/upper-middle) and Kazakhstan (borderline high-middle/high) are estimated to be $3-116 (1-51$44-518 (4-51%), $422-1,967 (11-51$4,485-8,018 (32-59%); respectively. Conclusions: To date opportunity cost-based CETs for low/middle income countries have not been available. Although uncertainty exists in the underlying assumptions, these estimates can provide a useful input to inform resource allocation decisions and suggest that routinely used CETs have been too high

Mechanical design engineering. NASA/university advanced design program: Lunar Bulk Material Transport Vehicle

The design of a Lunar Bulk Material Transport Vehicle (LBMTV) is discussed. Goals set in the project include a payload of 50 cubic feet of lunar soil with a lunar of approximately 800 moon-pounds, a speed of 15 mph, and the ability to handle a grade of 20 percent. Thermal control, an articulated steering mechanism, a dump mechanism, a self-righting mechanism, viable power sources, and a probable control panel are analyzed. The thermal control system involves the use of small strip heaters to heat the housing of electronic equipment in the absence of sufficient solar radiation and multi-layer insulation during periods of intense solar radiation. The entire system uses only 10 W and weighs about 60 pounds, or 10 moon-pounds. The steering mechanism is an articulated steering joint at the center of the vehicle. It utilizes two actuators and yields a turning radius of 10.3 feet. The dump mechanism rotates the bulk material container through an angle of 100 degree using one actuator. The self-righting mechanism consists of two four bar linkages, each of which is powered by the same size actuator as the other linkages. The LBMTV is powered by rechargeable batteries. A running time of at least two hours is attained under a worst case analysis. The weight of the batteries is 100 pounds. A control panel consisting of feedback and control instruments is described. The panel includes all critical information necessary to control the vehicle remotely. The LBMTV is capable of handling many types of cargo. It is able to interface with many types of removable bulk material containers. These containers are made to interface with the three-legged walker, SKITTER. The overall vehicle is about 15 feet in length and has a weight of about 1000 pounds, or 170 lunar pounds

Coverage with evidence development, only in research, risk sharing or patient access scheme? : A framework for coverage decisions

Until recently, purchasers’ options regarding whether to pay for the use of technologies have been binary in nature: a treatment is covered or not covered. However, policies have emerged which expand the options - for example, linking coverage to evidence development, an option increasingly used for new treatments with limited/uncertain evidence. There has been little effort to reconcile the features of technologies with the available options in a way that reflects purchasers’ ranges of authorit

Supporting the development of an essential health package: principles and initial assessment for Malawi

Many health care systems in low income settings define essential health packages (EHP) to concentrate scarce resources on key health interventions to which their populations can have free access at the point of delivery. Malawi has used EHPs since 2004 but they have generally included unaffordable interventions that have not been fully delivered. To guide decisions about the 2016 EHP in Malawi, an analytical framework is proposed that identifies interventions which, based on currently available evidence, offer the most gains in population health. The framework uses existing estimates of what the Malawian health care system is currently able to afford to generate gains in health – a measure of health opportunity costs. This facilitates an initial quantification of an appropriate budget for the EHP, and of the interventions that might be included which can then be prioritised on the basis of their expected impact on population health assuming 100% implementation. In practice, lower levels of implementation will be achieved by interventions due to various constraints operating on the demand or supply side, and which apply to specific interventions or the system more generally. The framework provides an analytical basis to consider the implications for population health of these different types of constraints. It uses this as a basis of assessing how the underspend on the EHP due to the ‘implementation gap’ can be used. The framework estimates the potential impacts on health outcomes of intervention-specific implementation activities and system strengthening. These potential impacts are compared with the health outcomes offered by extending the package to include additional interventions. The analytical framework can also assess the implications for population health of the types of constraints that donors may impose on their funding schemes in health care. These constraints can include requiring that particular interventions are included in the EHP when the funding could have a bigger impact on health if spent elsewhere; offers to expand the package but restricted to particular interventions and forgoing greater health outcomes elsewhere; and offers to provide additional funding as long as these are matched by government. In negotiating with donors and communicating with relevant stakeholders, policy makers will benefit from understanding the implications for population health of such constraints

Evidence-Based Inventory of Criminal Justice Programs in Nebraska

This report is the product of collaborative efforts from the Nebraska Center for Justice Research, the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Criminology and Criminal Justice department at Portland State University. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the importance of using evidence-based practices and programs, examine the quantity and needs addressed by adult criminal justice programs, and provide a snapshot of operating evidence-based programs throughout Nebraska. This report provides findings related to the discovery of programs and a review of branded programs operating in Nebraska. Product 1 – Inventory of Nebraska Programs Hundreds of programs and services are offered throughout Nebraska to assist the adult justice-involved population. The research team gathered a list of these programs through an examination of publicly available online sources on criminal justice agency websites. Hundreds of programs were identified after a review of these sources. Given the substantial quantity of programs, the researchers utilized a methodology to examine the programs and practices most appropriate for review and evaluation. Programs developed in Nebraska, and not yet rigorously evaluated, were determined ineligible for a more extensive review and should be examined in more depth under different guidelines. Upon conclusion of our review determination, the researchers identified 714 eligible programs and services in total. Product 2 – Branded Programming Review After a list was compiled, programs were sorted into two categories: homegrown (621) and branded (93). Peer reviewed research was gathered on the branded programs (frequently used synonymously with ‘evidence-based programs’ or ‘off-the-shelf programs’ …these are programs that tend to be well-known brand names with research evidence to backing their use). Based on the results of the acquired studies, programs were ranked on their ability to move participants towards desired outcomes, including reducing recidivism, increasing meaningful employment, reducing substance abuse or addiction symptoms, and improving overall health and well-being. Using the ranking criteria located in Table 3, programs were classified as either evidence-based (11), research-based (18), promising-practice (6), consensus-based (13), or no evidence (45). Future Proposed Deliverables – Describe and Review of Program Practices Although this report lays the foundation to encourage more agencies and program providers to adopt evidence-based programs, additional work should examine whether program provider practices are in line with program protocols and otherwise best practices. Therefore, the research team proposes doing a component analysis outlined by Campbell et al. (2018), which includes gathering program manuals and interviewing/ survey program staff to examine if practices are consistent with recommendation

Perspectives from deductible plan enrollees: plan knowledge and anticipated care-seeking changes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Consumer directed health care proposes that patients will engage as informed consumers of health care services by sharing in more of their medical costs, often through deductibles. We examined knowledge of deductible plan details among new enrollees, as well as anticipated care-seeking changes in response to the deductible.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a large integrated delivery system with a range of deductible-based health plans which varied in services included or exempted from deductible, we conducted a mixed-method, cross-sectional telephone interview study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 458 adults newly enrolled in a deductible plan (71% response rate), 51% knew they had a deductible, 26% knew the deductible amount, and 6% knew which medical services were included or exempted from their deductible. After adjusting for respondent characteristics, those with more deductible-applicable services and those with lower self-reported health status were significantly more likely to know they had a deductible. Among those who knew of their deductible, half anticipated that it would cause them to delay or avoid medical care, including avoiding doctor's office visits and medical tests, even services that they believed were medically necessary. Many expressed concern about their costs, anticipating the inability to afford care and expressing the desire to change plans.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Early in their experience with a deductible, patients had limited awareness of the deductible and little knowledge of the details. Many who knew of the deductible reported that it would cause them to delay or avoid seeking care and were concerned about their healthcare costs.</p