An interdisciplinary framework for measuring and supporting adherence in HIV prevention trials of ARV‐based vaginal rings

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138229/1/jia29158.pd

Research on atmospheric volcanic emissions: An overview

The project Research on Atmospheric Volcanic Emissions is a unique effort by NASA and university scientists to investigate the detailed chemical nature of plumes from volcanic eruptions. The major goals of the project are to: 1) understand the impact major eruptions will have on atmospheric chemistry processes, 2) understand the importance of volcanic emissions in the atmospheric geochemical cycles of selected species, 3) use knowledge of the plume chemical composition to diagnose and predict magmatic processes. Project RAVE\u27S first mission used the NASA Lockheed Orion P-3 outfitted with equipment to measure concentrations of the gases SO2, OCS, H2S, CS2, NO, O3and trace elements in particles in Mt. St. Helens\u27 plume on September 22, 1980. Measurements of SO2 column densities in the plume permitted calculations of SO2 fluxes. This article is an overview of the first experimental design factors and performance of the initial RAVE experiment

Efficient energy transport in an organic semiconductor mediated by transient exciton delocalization.

Efficient energy transport is desirable in organic semiconductor (OSC) devices. However, photogenerated excitons in OSC films mostly occupy highly localized states, limiting exciton diffusion coefficients to below ~10-2 cm2/s and diffusion lengths below ~50 nm. We use ultrafast optical microscopy and nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations to study well-ordered poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanofiber films prepared using living crystallization-driven self-assembly, and reveal a highly efficient energy transport regime: transient exciton delocalization, where energy exchange with vibrational modes allows excitons to temporarily re-access spatially extended states under equilibrium conditions. We show that this enables exciton diffusion constants up to 1.1 ± 0.1 cm2/s and diffusion lengths of 300 ± 50 nm. Our results reveal the dynamic interplay between localized and delocalized exciton configurations at equilibrium conditions, calling for a re-evaluation of exciton dynamics and suggesting design rules to engineer efficient energy transport in OSC device architectures not based on restrictive bulk heterojunctions

Implementation of a Rapid Assessment Unit (Intake Team): Impact on Emergency Department Length of Stay

Implementation of a Rapid Assessment Unit (Intake Team): Impact on Emergency Department Length of Stay Richard S. MacKenzie, MD, David B. Burmeister, DO, Jennifer A. Brown, RN, Melissa Teitsworth, RN, BSN, Christopher J. Kita, MEd, Megan J. Dambach, DO, Shaheen Shamji, DO, Anita Kurt, PhD, RN , Susan Friend, Marna Greenberg, DO, MPH Acknowledge: Clare M. Lenhart, PhD, MPH Objective: Emergency Department (ED) crowding is an on-going formidable issue for many EDs. A Rapid Assessment Unit (RAU) is a potential solution. This process involves the use of a team approach to convert the current “series” type evaluation to a more “parallel” evaluation and treatment of patients. The RAU concept of evaluating and treating ED patients radically changes the current methods utilized in today’s standard emergency care area. The RAU concept offers a process in which the patient walks into the ED and is seen in a unit by an intake team composed of a nurse, registrar, and provider (physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or physician) that provides evaluation and emergent treatment. This removes the redundancy of a patient giving the same information several times before they are treated. Simultaneously, the team decides whether the patient would be better served by remaining seated or requires a recumbent position. This is referred to as allowing “vertical flow” versus the default “horizontal flow” where all patients recline on a stretcher whether they need it or not. Certainly, having construction that specifically supports these processes is an innovation as well (having an area where patients can be seated and remain “vertical”). The team structure itself is unique. The nurses and providers are not assigned geographically by room but rather are defined by their function. We set out to determine if the addition of the RAU process would decreases the LOS of the discharged ambulatory arrival patient. Methods: After IRB approval, this retrospective, pre- and post intervention, observational comparison study was conducted from August 2011-March 2012 at a suburban teaching hospital in central Pennsylvania with an annual ED census of approximately 54,000. The inclusion criteria were all ambulatory discharged patients. The exclusion criteria were all patients that arrived by ambulance and admitted patients. Data points captured included: time of arrival in triage , time in triage to ED entry, time of ED entry until seen by a provider, time from ED entry to discharge, total length of stay (LOS). The data were uploaded to Horizon Business Insight™ (HBI), a cumulative data manager and exported to an Microsoft excel file for analysis. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to demonstrate differences in Median LOS. All statistical tests were 2-sided; probability values \u3c0.05 were considered significant. Results: 11, 994 pre and 10814 post-RAU patients were included in analysis. Median LOS was shorter during the post-RAU period in each subcategory of LOS with the exception of the interval from being seen in the ER to discharge which is a result of provider seeing the patient earlier in the ED encounter. Results, Table 1. Conclusions: The RAU process decreases the LOS of the discharged ambulatory arrival patient and deserves further exploration as an innovative model in the ED that improves flow

J-band spectroscopy of cataclysmic variables

We present time-resolved, J-band (1.025–1.340 μm) infrared spectra of the short-period dwarf novae (DNe) WZ Sge and VY Aqr, and single spectra of the short-period DN EF Peg and the nova-like variable PX And. There is some evidence in the spectra of VY Aqr and EF Peg that we have detected the secondary star, both in the continuum slope and also through the possible presence of spectral features. The spectra of WZ Sge and PX And, on the other hand, show no evidence for the secondary star, with upper limits for its contribution to the J-band light of 10 and 20 per cent respectively. The spectral type of the secondary in WZ Sge is constrained to be later than M7.5V. Using skew mapping, we have been able to derive a value for the radial velocity semi-amplitude of the secondary star in VY Aqr of KR=320±70 km s−1, which in conjunction with KW from Thorstensen & Taylor gives a mass ratio of q=0.15±0.04

Precompetitive data sharing as a catalyst to address unmet needs in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a complex heterogeneous disorder with urgent need for disease-modifying therapies. Progress in successful therapeutic approaches for PD will require an unprecedented level of collaboration. At a workshop hosted by Parkinson's UK and co-organized by Critical Path Institute's (C-Path) Coalition Against Major Diseases (CAMD) Consortiums, investigators from industry, academia, government and regulatory agencies agreed on the need for sharing of data to enable future success. Government agencies included EMA, FDA, NINDS/NIH and IMI (Innovative Medicines Initiative). Emerging discoveries in new biomarkers and genetic endophenotypes are contributing to our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of PD. In parallel there is growing recognition that early intervention will be key for successful treatments aimed at disease modification. At present, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of disease progression and the many factors that contribute to disease progression heterogeneity. Novel therapeutic targets and trial designs that incorporate existing and new biomarkers to evaluate drug effects independently and in combination are required. The integration of robust clinical data sets is viewed as a powerful approach to hasten medical discovery and therapies, as is being realized across diverse disease conditions employing big data analytics for healthcare. The application of lessons learned from parallel efforts is critical to identify barriers and enable a viable path forward. A roadmap is presented for a regulatory, academic, industry and advocacy driven integrated initiative that aims to facilitate and streamline new drug trials and registrations in Parkinson's disease

Superhumps in Cataclysmic Binaries. XXIV. Twenty More Dwarf Novae

We report precise measures of the orbital and superhump period in twenty more dwarf novae. For ten stars, we report new and confirmed spectroscopic periods - signifying the orbital period P_o - as well as the superhump period P_sh. These are GX Cas, HO Del, HS Vir, BC UMa, RZ Leo, KV Dra, KS UMa, TU Crt, QW Ser, and RZ Sge. For the remaining ten, we report a medley of P_o and P_sh measurements from photometry; most are new, with some confirmations of previous values. These are KV And, LL And, WX Cet, MM Hya, AO Oct, V2051 Oph, NY Ser, KK Tel, HV Vir, and RX J1155.4-5641. Periods, as usual, can be measured to high accuracy, and these are of special interest since they carry dynamical information about the binary. We still have not quite learned how to read the music, but a few things are clear. The fractional superhump excess epsilon [=(P_sh-P_o)/P_o] varies smoothly with P_o. The scatter of the points about that smooth curve is quite low, and can be used to limit the intrinsic scatter in M_1, the white dwarf mass, and the mass-radius relation of the secondary. The dispersion in M_1 does not exceed 24%, and the secondary-star radii scatter by no more than 11% from a fixed mass-radius relation. For the well-behaved part of epsilon(P_o) space, we estimate from superhump theory that the secondaries are 18+-6% larger than theoretical ZAMS stars. This affects some other testable predictions about the secondaries: at a fixed P_o, it suggests that the secondaries are (compared with ZAMS predictions) 40+-14% less massive, 12+-4% smaller, 19+-6% cooler, and less luminous by a factor 2.5(7). The presence of a well-defined mass-radius relation, reflected in a well-defined epsilon(P_o) relation, strongly limits effects of nuclear evolution in the secondaries.Comment: PDF, 62 pages, 7 tables, 21 figures; accepted, in press, to appear November 2003, PASP; more info at http://cba.phys.columbia.edu

Report from IPITA-TTS opinion leaders meeting on the future of β-cell replacement

Peer reviewe