Consumer-Driven Health Plans: A Cost and Utilization Analysis

This data brief examines the health care use and spending from 2010-2014 for people who are enrolled in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), and compares these trends to non-CDHP enrollees. Findings indicate that although fewer total dollars were spent on health care for CDHP enrollees, they had higher per capita out-of-pocket spending on deductibles, copays, and coinsurance

Can the Australian exchange rate still be considered a commodity based currency?

The Australian dollar is considered a commodity-based currency, with the high level of primary commodity exports in Australia’s trade balance given as an explanation. Key studies have concluded that Australia’s terms of trade are a primary driver of the real exchange rate based on a comparative advantage trade model. These studies have been undertaken at an aggregate level where changes in the terms of trade have been assumed as a given. Since the Australian economy was deregulated in the early 1980s, there have been dramatic changes in the structure of the economy. Australia’s trading activity has grown and now contributes more within the domestic economy. Similarly the structure and contribution of key imports and exports has also evolved. Furthermore the role of the traded goods and services balance and the income balance within the Australian current account balance has also changed, with a significant change occurring in 2003/04. The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly it establishes whether the relationship between the Australian exchange rate and terms of trade has changed in response to changes in the role of the traded goods and services sector within the Australian current account balance. Secondly the paper disaggregates the movements in the terms of trade to establish what role its various components have on the wider relationship between the Australian exchange rate and the terms of trade. The paper concludes that despite substantial changes in the structure and nature of the current account balance and the traded goods and services sector, the Australian exchange rate still responds to changes in the terms of trade as if it is still a commodity-based currency and economy.Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

Hyrdrodynamic and Sedimentary Response to Tropical Storm Bill in the Gulf of Mexico and Christmas Bay

Follet’s Island is a sand starved barrier island along the Northern coast of Texas. Human interaction has provided this island with an extended history of erosion, with some estimates having the island be completely eroded in 100 years. Compounding the issue of erosion is the vulnerability to hurricanes, tropical storms, and cold fronts around Follet’s Island. These large storms cause major morphologic changes and erosion to the areas directly hit and surrounding the storm, and Follet’s Island has one of the shortest return periods in the country for Hurricanes and Tropical Storms. Two instrumentation pods were deployed in the Gulf of Mexico and Christmas Bay along a transect which bisected Follet’s Island, with each pod located approximately 800 m from the island. Each pod was equipped with an acoustic Doppler current profiler and optical backscatter sensor. During the deployment Tropical Storm Bill made landfall approximately 160 km southwest of the deployment allowing the pods to measure the hydrodynamics and suspended sediment concentrations in response to the storm. Maximum storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico and Christmas Bay pods were measured to be 0.81 m and 0.52 m, respectively. The maximum significant wave height recorded was 1.93 m in the Gulf of Mexico and 0.23 m in Christmas Bay compared to 0.15 and 0.03 m during calm conditions respectively. Maximum suspended sediment concentrations for both pods occurred after the storm had made landfall during the ebb of the storm surge. Suspended sediment concentration loads reached peaks of 8.59 g/L and 3.09 g/L for the offshore and back bay measurements, respectively. The time averaged cross shore and longshore sediment transports were calculated using the current velocity components and the suspended sediment concentration. The long shore transport showed a net drift to the west corresponding with the ebb of the storm surge. The cross shore transport displayed a net drift towards the ocean side of the island for both pods

Nitrogen Phosphorus, and Potassium Effects on Seeded Buffalograss Establishment

Field studies were conducted in Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma in 1996 tp evaluate the influence of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) applied alone or in combination on the establishment rate of buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] from seed. \u27Cody\u27 buffalograss burrs were planted at 98 kg∙ha-1 at planting and at 49 kg∙ha-1 weekly or every other week for 5 weeks after seeding (WAS). The total N amounts applied were 0, 49, 147, 294 kg∙ha-1. Phosphorus and K were applied at rates of 0 or 49 kg∙ha-1 at planting only. Percent buffalograss coverage ratings were taken weekly for up to 11 WAS. Buffalograss coverage was enhanced by N rates up to 147 kg∙ha-1. Application of P improved buffalograss establishment at the Nebraska and Oklahoma sites but had no effect on the Kansas site. Potassium application had no influence on establishment at any site. Chemical names used: methyl 2- [[[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5- triazin- 2- yl)- amino] carbonyl] amino] sulfonyl] benzoate (metsulfuron methyl); 6-chloro-N,N\u27-diethyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine(simazine

Early diagenetic vivianite [Fe-3(PO4)(2) center dot 8H(2)O] in a contaminated freshwater sediment and insights into zinc uptake: a mu-EXAFS, mu-XANES and Raman study

The sediments in the Salford Quays, a heavily-modified urban water body, contain high levels of organic matter, Fe, Zn and nutrients as a result of past contaminant inputs. Vivianite [Fe3(PO4)2 · 8H2O] has been observed to have precipitated within these sediments during early diagenesis as a result of the release of Fe and P to porewaters. These mineral grains are small (<100 μm) and micron-scale analysis techniques (SEM, electron microprobe, μ-EXAFS, μ-XANES and Raman) have been applied in this study to obtain information upon the structure of this vivianite and the nature of Zn uptake in the mineral. Petrographic observations, and elemental, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic analysis confirms the presence of vivianite. EXAFS model fitting of the FeK-edge spectra for individual vivianite grains produces Fe–O and Fe–P co-ordination numbers and bond lengths consistent with previous structural studies of vivianite (4O atoms at 1.99–2.05 Å; 2P atoms at 3.17–3.25 Å). One analysed grain displays evidence of a significant Fe3+ component, which is interpreted to have resulted from oxidation during sample handling and/or analysis. EXAFS modelling of the Zn K-edge data, together with linear combination XANES fitting of model compounds, indicates that Zn may be incorporated into the crystal structure of vivianite (4O atoms at 1.97 Å; 2P atoms at 3.17 Å). Low levels of Zn sulphate or Zn-sorbed goethite are also indicated from linear combination XANES fitting and to a limited extent, the EXAFS fitting, the origin of which may either be an oxidation artifact or the inclusion of Zn sulphate into the vivianite grains during precipitation. This study confirms that early diagenetic vivianite may act as a sink for Zn, and potentially other contaminants (e.g. As) during its formation and, therefore, forms an important component of metal cycling in contaminated sediments and waters. Furthermore, for the case of Zn, the EXAFS fits for Zn phosphate suggest this uptake is structural and not via surface adsorption

Energy use assessment of educational buildings: Toward a campus-wide sustainable energy policy

The purpose of this article is to assess the viability of blanket sustainability policies, such as Building Rating Systems in achieving energy efficiency in university campus buildings. We analyzed the energy consumption trends of 10 LEED-certified buildings and 14 non-LEED certified buildings at a major university in the US. Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of the LEED buildings was significantly higher (EUILEED= 331.20 kBtu/sf/yr) than non-LEED buildings (EUInon-LEED=222.70 kBtu/sf/yr); however, the median EUI values were comparable (EUILEED= 172.64 and EUInon-LEED= 178.16). Because the distributions of EUI values were non-symmetrical in this dataset, both measures can be used for energy comparisons—this was also evident when EUI computations exclude outliers, EUILEED=171.82 and EUInon-LEED=195.41. Additional analyses were conducted to further explore the impact of LEED certification on university campus buildings energy performance. No statistically significant differences were observed between certified and non-certified buildings through a range of robust comparison criteria. These findings were then leveraged to devise strategies to achieve sustainable energy policies for university campus buildings and to identify potential issues with portfolio level building energy performance comparisons

Evaluation of cholinergic deficiency in preclinical Alzheimer\u27s disease using pupillometry

Cortical cholinergic deficiency is prominent in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and published findings of diminished pupil flash response in AD suggest that this deficiency may extend to the visual cortical areas and anterior eye. Pupillometry is a low-cost, noninvasive technique that may be useful for monitoring cholinergic deficits which generally lead to memory and cognitive disorders. The aim of the study was to evaluate pupillometry for early detection of AD by comparing the pupil flash response (PFR) in AD (N=14) and cognitively normal healthy control (HC, N=115) participants, with the HC group stratified according to high (N=38) and low (N=77) neocortical amyloid burden (NAB). Constriction phase PFR parameters were significantly reduced in AD compared to HC (maximum acceleration p \u3c 0.05, maximum velocity p \u3c 0.0005, average velocity p \u3c 0.005, and constriction amplitude p \u3c 0.00005). The high-NAB HC subgroup had reduced PFR response cross-sectionally, and also a greater decline longitudinally, compared to the low-NAB subgroup, suggesting changes to pupil response in preclinical AD. The results suggest that PFR changes may occur in the preclinical phase of AD. Hence, pupillometry has a potential as an adjunct for noninvasive, cost-effective screening for preclinical AD

Community Sewage Sensors for Monitoring Public Health

No abstract available