Knowledge of Medicaid Expansion to Recent and Undocumented Immigrants Among Oregon Mexican-origin Latinos: (Work in Progress)

Background Recent and undocumented immigrants are explicitly excluded from federal Medicaid and state insurance exchanges. The first phase of Healthier Oregon was implemented in July 2022 and expanded Medicaid (OHP) benefits to undocumented immigrants ages 19-25 or 55 and older. The second phase was implemented in July 2023 and extended benefits to everyone regardless of age. We assessed understanding of Healthier Oregon among Mexican-origin Latinos. We hypothesize that many potentially eligible people may not know about the program, if they qualify, or how to apply. Methods This is a cross-sectional study in collaboration with the General Consulate of Mexico. Our team has developed a 19-item cross-sectional survey. This survey includes socio-demographic items and knowledge about Healthier Oregon. Study participants are individuals who are 18 and older, reside in Oregon, and self-identify as Latino/as. We will use descriptive and multivariable statistics to describe our sample, awareness of the Healthier Oregon program, experience enrolling, and factors associated with awareness of Healthier Oregon. Results We have recruited 234 out of 500 planned participants to date. Analyses are ongoing and we will have preliminary data for the SPH conference The study results will be disseminated with the Consulate of Mexico, other local partners, and in a scientific publication. Public Health Significance Recent and undocumented immigrants are explicitly excluded from Medicaid. Oregon has passed legislation to fill this gap. Understanding awareness of the program will provide insight into ways to improve outreach and communication and improve enrollment by eligible individuals

Critical Experiments that Simulated Damp MOX Powders - Do They Meet the Need?

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS) identified the MOX fuel manufacturing process as an area in which there is a need for additional integral benchmark data. The specific need focused on damp MOX powders. The WPNCS was ultimately asked by the NEA Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) to provide the framework for the selection and performance of new experiments that fill the identified need. A set of criteria was established to enable uniform comparison of experimental proposals with generic MOX application data. Criteria were established for five general characteristics: (1) neutronic parameters, (2) type of experiments, (3) financial aspects, (4) schedule, and (5) other considerations. Proposals were judged most importantly on their ability to match the neutronic parameters of predetermined MOX applications. The neutronic parameters that formed the basis for comparison included core average values (not local values) for flux, fission and capture rate; detailed balance data (fission and capture) for the main isotopes (Actinides, H and O); sensitivity coefficients to important nuclear reactions (fission, capture, elastic and inelastic scatter, nu-bar, mu-bar) for all uranium and plutonium isotopes, hydrogen, and oxygen; sensitivity profiles to the main nuclear reactions for uranium and plutonium isotopes; energy of average lethargy causing fission; and the average fission group energy. The focus of this paper is on the definition of the need; the neutronics criteria established to assess which, if any, of three proposed MOX experimental programs best meet the need; and the actual assessment of the proposed experimental programs

Benchmark Data Through The International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPHEP)

The International Reactor Physics Experiments Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) was initiated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency’s (NEA) Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) in June of 2002. The IRPhEP focus is on the derivation of internationally peer reviewed benchmark models for several types of integral measurements, in addition to the critical configuration. While the benchmarks produced by the IRPhEP are of primary interest to the Reactor Physics Community, many of the benchmarks can be of significant value to the Criticality Safety and Nuclear Data Communities. Benchmarks that support the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), for example, also support fuel manufacture, handling, transportation, and storage activities and could challenge current analytical methods. The IRPhEP is patterned after the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and is closely coordinated with the ICSBEP. This paper highlights the benchmarks that are currently being prepared by the IRPhEP that are also of interest to the Criticality Safety Community. The different types of measurements and associated benchmarks that can be expected in the first publication and beyond are described. The protocol for inclusion of IRPhEP benchmarks as ICSBEP benchmarks and for inclusion of ICSBEP benchmarks as IRPhEP benchmarks is detailed. The format for IRPhEP benchmark evaluations is described as an extension of the ICSBEP format. Benchmarks produced by the IRPhEP add new dimension to criticality safety benchmarking efforts and expand the collection of available integral benchmarks for nuclear data testing. The first publication of the "International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments" is scheduled for January of 2006

"The California critical thinking instruments for benchmarking, program assessment, and directing curricular change"

Charles R. Phillips is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Administration/Dept. Chair of Pharmacy Practice, Renae J. Chesnut is Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Raylene M. Rospond is Dean, Pharmacy and Health Sciences. All three are in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University. They can be contacted at: [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]. To assess pharmacy students’ critical thinking (CT) measures and identify areas for curricular reform. Methods. Pharmacy students were given the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and Disposition Index at various points in the PharmD program. Scores were compared with a national referent group and evaluated for changes across the curriculum and between classes. Results. Students were comparable to national norms. Pretest and posttest scores for total disposition showed improvement. Scores in all subcategories except for truth-seeking were consistently above 40. The CT skills of the pharmacy students varied compared with those of referent students, but the pharmacy students’ overall score of 18 was in the 73rd percentile. Pre- and post-skills scores showed improvement. Students scoring low on the pretest improved more than those scoring high. Conclusions. Students had a consistent disposition towards CT and compared favorably to national norms. Both disposition and skills improved across the curriculum. Dimensions of critical thinking on which students score low should be areas for curricular and other program changes

Politikai és gazdasági nyelvhasználat az Európai Unióban = Language of politics and economy in the EU

A 8 fős - 4 intézményből szerveződött - nemzetközi kutatócsoportunk az EU politikai és gazdasági nyelvhasználatának a vizsgálatát tűzte ki célul. E cél megvalósítását alapvetően két munka elkészítésében jelöltük ki, azaz terveink között szerepelt (1) egy ötnyelvű tematikus politikai szótár elkészítése és (2) legalább egy tanulmánykötet megjelentetése a politikai nyelvhasználat illetve a gazdasági szaknyelv sajátosságairól. A kutatócsoport tagjai 5 napos tanulmányúton vettek részt, amelynek keretében meglátogatták a brüsszeli ISTI intézményt és annak kiváló TERMISTI nevű terminológiai központját. Az intézetek vezetői és munkatársai bemutatták a terminológiai adatbázisok készítésének a folyamatát. Ugyanezen tanulmányút keretében a résztvevők ellátogattak az EU luxemburgi székhelyű fordító és terminológiai központjába. A kutatócsoport tagjai folyamatosan szerepeltek hazai és nemzetközi konferenciákon és kutatási témájukban tanulmányokat jelentettek meg. A politikai (jogi) és gazdasági nyelvhasználat témakörében megjelentettünk 3 monográfiát ill. disszertációt, 24 tanulmányt és 2 recenziót, továbbá 12 alkalommal tartottunk előadást nemzetközi és 15 alkalommal hazai konferencián. Két alkalommal szerveztünk Veszprémben francia, olasz és spanyol nyelvű nemzetközi szaknyelvi konferenciát, amelynek anyagát konferenciakötetben jelentetjük meg. Elkészült az ötnyelvű tematikus politikai szótár első (lektorálatlan!) változata. A 4 éves közös munka során egy kiváló kutatói team kovácsolódott össze, olyan szakemberek, akik ma már több területen (kutatás, oktatás, publikációk) is sikerrel dolgoznak együtt. | The international research team consisting of 8 researchers - representing 4 institutions - aimed to investigate the political and economical language usage within the EU. On the basis of this research the main aim of the team was (1) to compose a five-language thematical-terminological dictionary of political language (2) to fix the uncovered phenomena regarding both the political and economical language in a book containing a collection of articles. The members of the research team went on a 5-day-stydy trip to visit the ISTI in Brussels and its terminological centre, TERMISTI. The process of elaborating terminological database has been demonstrated by the colleagues of the above mentioned institutions. During this visit the team visited the Centre de traduction des organes de l?Union européennes situated in Lussembourg. The research team members participated at several conferences in Hungary and abroad and published some articles on their research topic. Regarding political and economical language have been published 3 monographs and dissertations respectively, 24 studies and 2 reviews, furthermore 12 lectures on international conferences organised abroad and 12 lectures on conferences organised in Hungary have been given. Two international conferences of French, Italian, Spanish languages for special purposes have been organised in Veszprém and the contributions have been published in conference proceedings. The five-language terminological dictionary of political language has been composed (first version, without proof-reading)

Steps in the bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellar motor is a highly efficient rotary machine used by many bacteria to propel themselves. It has recently been shown that at low speeds its rotation proceeds in steps [Sowa et al. (2005) Nature 437, 916--919]. Here we propose a simple physical model that accounts for this stepping behavior as a random walk in a tilted corrugated potential that combines torque and contact forces. We argue that the absolute angular position of the rotor is crucial for understanding step properties, and show this hypothesis to be consistent with the available data, in particular the observation that backward steps are smaller on average than forward steps. Our model also predicts a sublinear torque-speed relationship at low torque, and a peak in rotor diffusion as a function of torque

Interpersonal and affective dimensions of psychopathic traits in adolescents : development and validation of a self-report instrument

We report the development and psychometric evaluations of a self-report instrument designed to screen for psychopathic traits among mainstream community adolescents. Tests of item functioning were initially conducted with 26 adolescents. In a second study the new instrument was administered to 150 high school adolescents, 73 of who had school records of suspension for antisocial behavior. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure (Impulsivity α = .73, Self-Centredness α = .70, Callous-Unemotional α = .69, and Manipulativeness α = .83). In a third study involving 328 high school adolescents, 130 with records of suspension for antisocial behaviour, competing measurement models were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The superiority of a first-order model represented by four correlated factors that was invariant across gender and age was confirmed. The findings provide researchers and clinicians with a psychometrically strong, self-report instrument and a greater understanding of psychopathic traits in mainstream adolescents

Quantitative principles of cis-translational control by general mRNA sequence features in eukaryotes.

BackgroundGeneral translational cis-elements are present in the mRNAs of all genes and affect the recruitment, assembly, and progress of preinitiation complexes and the ribosome under many physiological states. These elements include mRNA folding, upstream open reading frames, specific nucleotides flanking the initiating AUG codon, protein coding sequence length, and codon usage. The quantitative contributions of these sequence features and how and why they coordinate to control translation rates are not well understood.ResultsHere, we show that these sequence features specify 42-81% of the variance in translation rates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Arabidopsis thaliana, Mus musculus, and Homo sapiens. We establish that control by RNA secondary structure is chiefly mediated by highly folded 25-60 nucleotide segments within mRNA 5' regions, that changes in tri-nucleotide frequencies between highly and poorly translated 5' regions are correlated between all species, and that control by distinct biochemical processes is extensively correlated as is regulation by a single process acting in different parts of the same mRNA.ConclusionsOur work shows that general features control a much larger fraction of the variance in translation rates than previously realized. We provide a more detailed and accurate understanding of the aspects of RNA structure that directs translation in diverse eukaryotes. In addition, we note that the strongly correlated regulation between and within cis-control features will cause more even densities of translational complexes along each mRNA and therefore more efficient use of the translation machinery by the cell