Experimental f-value and isotopic structure for the Ni I line blended with [OI] at 6300A

We have measured the oscillator strength of the Ni I line at 6300.34 \AA, which is known to be blended with the forbidden [O I] $\lambda$6300 line, used for determination of the oxygen abundance in cool stars. We give also wavelengths of the two isotopic line components of $^{58}$Ni and $^{60}$Ni derived from the asymmetric laboratory line profile. These two line components of Ni I have to be considered when calculating a line profile of the 6300 \AA\ feature observed in stellar and solar spectra. We also discuss the labelling of the energy levels involved in the Ni I line, as level mixing makes the theoretical predictions uncertain.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJLetter

The intersection between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Vema Fracture zone in the North Atlantic

Near 11°N, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is offset by the Verna Fracture. The hypothesis of sea-floor spreading has suggested that the fracture is a transform fault, and this has been confirmed by the first motion studies of recent earthquakes along the fracture. The fault zone is developed as a deep and narrow east-west trending through, bordered on the south side by a high and steep rocky wall representing an uplifted slice of crust...

Carlton J. Corliss Correspondence

Entries include typed letters on Association of American Railroads, Public Relations Department, stationery with advertisement illustrations such as the weekly Railroad Hour, typed book quotes, a certificate of appreciation and receipt of an Illinois Central Railroad medallion for Jacob of the Maine State Library, the Railroad Man\u27s Scrapbook no. 16 with an article on Bullgineville the Moose Head Lake Railway, a wood rail, wooden wheeled railway car led by ox and destroyed by forest fire during the Civil War, a request for Corliss to write a book on the subject, handwritten letters on personal stationery, and extensive printed and typed biography

The Cognitive Mediating Process of Diabetes among African-American College Students

Diabetes places a tremendous burden of health inequity on African-American women in the United States. Behavioral risk factors for diabetes underscore the importance of determining to what extent African-American college students are motivated to adhere to protective behaviors that may decrease the likelihood of diabetes onset. The purpose of this study was to evaluate threat and coping appraisal of diabetes among African-American women enrolled in college, using the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) as a theoretical framework. Questionnaires were administered to 128 African-American women between the ages of 18 and 25 who were enrolled at Florida A & M University, the nation’s largest historically Black university. Bivariate correlations were performed to determine associations involving protection motivation factors (coping and threat appraisals), diabetes knowledge, and demographic characteristics. Statistically significant associations were found between the demographic and knowledge of diabetes variables, and the coping appraisal process. Significant associations were not found with the threat appraisal variables. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship for the maladaptive response of the PMT model between dietary intake levels and perceived severe diabetes threat. For this sample of African-American female students, efforts that articulate active coping strategies may be more effective than those that focus on threat perception. Culturally competent and age appropriate nutrition, physical activity and diabetes education should be increased, given the high percentage of misconceptions about health protection behaviors among study participants. Continuous health education interventions and research focusing on African-American women of college age are needed

Practice transformations to optimize the delivery of HIV primary care in community healthcare settings in the United States: A program implementation study.

BackgroundThe United States HIV care workforce is shrinking, which could complicate service delivery to people living with HIV (PLWH). In this study, we examined the impact of practice transformations, defined as efficiencies in structures and delivery of care, on demonstration project sites within the Workforce Capacity Building Initiative, a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS).Methods and findingsData were collected at 14 demonstration project sites in 7 states and the District of Columbia. Organizational assessments were completed at sites once before and 4 times after implementation. They captured 3 transformation approaches: maximizing the HIV care workforce (efforts to increase the number of existing healthcare workforce members involved in the care of PLWH), share-the-care (team-based care giving more responsibility to midlevel providers and staff), and enhancing client engagement in primary HIV care to reduce emergency and inpatient care (e.g., care coordination). We also obtained Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services Reports (RSRs) from sites for calendar years (CYs) 2014-2016, corresponding to before, during, and after transformation. The RSR include data on client retention in HIV care, prescription of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and viral suppression. We used generalized estimating equation (GEE) models to analyze changes among sites implementing each practice transformation approach. The demonstration projects had a mean of 18.5 prescribing providers (SD = 23.5). They reported data on more than 13,500 clients per year (mean = 969/site, SD = 1,351). Demographic characteristics remained similar over time. In 2014, a majority of clients were male (71% versus 28% female and 0.2% transgender), with a mean age of 47 (interquartile range [IQR] 37-54). Racial/ethnic characteristics (48% African American, 31% Hispanic/Latino, 14% white) and HIV risk varied (31% men who have sex with men; 31% heterosexual men and women; 7% injection drug use). A substantial minority was on Medicaid (41%). Across sites, there was significant uptake in practices consistent with maximizing the HIV care workforce (18% increase, p < 0.001), share-the-care (25% increase, p < 0.001), and facilitating patient engagement in HIV primary care (13% increase, p < 0.001). There were also significant improvements over time in retention in HIV care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.04; p < 0.001), ART prescription levels (aOR = 1.01; 95% CI 1.00-1.01; p < 0.001), and viral suppression (aOR = 1.03; 95% CI 1.02-1.04; p < 0.001). All outcomes improved at sites that implemented transformations to maximize the HIV care workforce or improve client engagement. At sites that implemented share-the-care practices, only retention in care and viral suppression outcomes improved. Study limitations included use of demonstration project sites funded by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), which tend to have better HIV outcomes than other US clinics; varying practice transformation designs; lack of a true control condition; and a potential Hawthorne effect because site teams were aware of the evaluation.ConclusionsIn this study, we found that practice transformations are a potential strategy for addressing anticipated workforce challenges among those providing care to PLWH. They hold the promise of optimizing the use of personnel and ensuring the delivery of care to all in need while potentially enhancing HIV care continuum outcomes

Piloted simulation study of two tilt-wing flap control concepts, phase 2

A two phase piloted simulation study has been conducted in the Ames Vertical Motion Simulator to investigate alternative wing and flap controls for tilt-wing aircraft. This report documents the flying qualities results and findings of the second phase of the piloted simulation study and describes the simulated tilt-wing aircraft, the flap control concepts, the experiment design and the evaluation tasks. The initial phase of the study compared the flying qualities of both a conventional programmed flap and an innovative geared flap. The second phase of the study introduced an alternate method of pilot control for the geared flap and further studied the flying qualities of the programmed flap and two geared flap configurations. In general, the pilot ratings showed little variation between the programmed flap and the geared flap control concepts. Some differences between the two control concepts were noticed and are discussed in this report. The geared flap configurations had very similar results. Although the geared flap concept has the potential to reduce or eliminate the pitch control power requirements from a tail rotor or a tail thruster at low speeds and in hover, the results did not show reduced tail thruster pitch control power usage with the geared flap configurations compared to the programmed flap configuration. The addition of pitch attitude stabilization in the second phase of simulation study greatly enhanced the aircraft flying qualities compared to the first phase

Social Justice and Civic Engagement through Participation in a Youth Health Leadership Program

This program brief examines the impact of a community-based health leadership program on youth participants’ perceptions of citizenship in the context of social justice for community-level policy changes to promote physical activity. Youth participants completed journal entries and interviews. Results suggest citizenship developed as participants considered issues of social justice through exposure to new environments and experiences. However, youth struggled with issues of adultism and relating social injustices to their role as citizens

Association Analysis of Reported Attitudes and Culturally Competent Behavior Engagement among Public Health Department Employees

Objective: The purpose of this research is to analyze the association of attitudes and beliefs on engaging in culturally competent behavior. Design: Explorational case study of individuals employed within an urban public health department. Participants: Employees (n=90) from four metropolitan clinical sites of an urban public health department located in the southwest region of the United States were solicited and recruited during a monthly staff meeting. This sample is representative of 84% of the total employees which is comprised of 107 individuals. Main Outcome Measures: The Cultural Competence Assessment is designed to explore individual knowledge, feelings and actions of respondents when interacting with clients in health service environments. The instrument is based on the cultural competence model, and measures cultural awareness and sensitivity; cultural competence behaviors and cultural diversity experience and training. For reporting purposes, participants were divided into subgroups, clinical and non-clinical. This was completed to account for the variation in respondents’ level of education, type of client/patient interaction and opportunities for professional development engagement. Results: Respondents with increased levels of knowledge possessed attitudes which encompass dignity and respect of minority groups, potentially improving clinical interactions. African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos within the non-clinical subgroup displayed more culturally sensitive attitudes compared to their clinical peers within the same race/ethnicity classification. Non-clinical workers with Associate and Bachelors degrees displayed more culturally sensitive attitudes than their clinical counterparts. Clinical staff with graduate or professional degrees scored higher in the culturally sensitive attitudes analysis than non-clinical peers. Conclusions: Knowledgeable individuals have the necessary foundation to develop beliefs and attitudes conducive to creating an effective clinical encounter. Educational programs must include components which increase participant awareness of diversity. In addition, training should encompass lessons to foster self-reflection of one’s own bias and beliefs, and its effect on how workers provide health services

V/STOLAND avionics system flight-test data on a UH-1H helicopter

The flight-acceptance test results obtained during the acceptance tests of the V/STOLAND (versatile simplex digital avionics system) digital avionics system on a Bell UH-1H helicopter in 1977 at Ames Research Center are presented. The system provides navigation, guidance, control, and display functions for NASA terminal area VTOL research programs and for the Army handling qualities research programs at Ames Research Center. The acceptance test verified system performance and contractual acceptability. The V/STOLAND hardware navigation, guidance, and control laws resident in the digital computers are described. Typical flight-test data are shown and discussed as documentation of the system performance at acceptance from the contractor

Submarine hydrothermal systems : a probable site for the origin of life

Submarine hydrothermal systems provide all of the conditions necessary for the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds, polymers, and simple cell-like organisms. An analysis of the Archaean rock and fossil record shows that fossils of simple organisms are found in rocks deposited in hydrothermal environments. Biochemical experiments have shown that thermal energy is an efficient means for the abiotic synthesis of 11protocell 11 structures. The continuous flow of circulating fluids in a hydrothermal system provides the thermal and chemical gradients which create the variation in cond'itions necessary for the successive reactions to take place. Other models for the origin of life fail to fulfill one or more of these requirements