Time-dependent gravity in southern California, May 1974 - Apr 1979

Gravity measurements were coordinated with the long baseline three dimensional geodetic measurements of the Astronomical Radio Interferometric Earth Surveying project which used radio interferometry with extra-galactic radio sources. Gravity data from 28 of the stations had a single reading standard deviation of 11 microgal which gives a relative single determination between stations a standard deviation of 16 microgal. The largest gravity variation observed, 80 microgal, correlated with nearby waterwell variations and with smoothed rainfall. Smoothed rainfall data appeared to be a good indicator of the qualitative response of gravity to changing groundwater levels at other suprasediment stations, but frequent measurement of gravity at a station was essential until the quantitative calibration of the station's response to groundwater variations was accomplished

Teleseismic analysis of the 1980 Mammoth Lakes earthquake sequence

The source mechanisms of the three largest events of the 1980 Mammoth Lakes earthquake sequence have been determined using surface waves recorded on the global digital seismograph network and the long-period body waves recorded on the WWSSN network. Although the fault-plane solutions from local data (Cramer and Toppozada, 1980; Ryall and Ryall, 1981) suggest nearly pure left-lateral strike-slip on north-south planes, the teleseismic waveforms require a mechanism with oblique slip. The first event (25 May 1980, 16^h 33^m 44^s) has a mechanism with a strike of N12°E, dip of 50°E, and a rake of −35°. The second event (27 May 19^h 44^m 51^s) has a mechanism with a strike of N15°E, dip of 50°, and a slip of −11°. The third event (27 May, 14^h 50^m 57^s) has a mechanism with a strike of N22°E, dip of 50°, and a rake of −28°. The first event is the largest and has a moment of 2.9 × 10^(25) dyne-cm. The second and third events have moments of 1.3 and 1.1 × 10^(25) dyne-cm, respectively. The body- and surface-wave moments for the first and third events agree closely while for the second event the body-wave moment (approximately 0.6 × 10^(25) dyne-cm) is almost a factor of 3 smaller than the surface-wave moment. The principal axes of extension of all three events is in the approximate direction of N65°E which agrees with the structural trends apparent along the eastern front of the Sierra Nevada

A discrepancy between long- and short-period mechanisms of earthquakes near the Long Valley caldera

The largest events in the 1980 Mammoth Lakes earthquake sequence show a discrepancy between fault mechanisms which are determined on the basis of the local short-period first motions and those determined by modeling of long-period regional and teleseismic waveforms. The short-period solutions are left-lateral strike-slip on north-striking, near vertical planes. The long-periods invariably require a much more moderately dipping fault plane with a significant dip-slip (normal) component. Persistence of disagreements between short- and long-period polarities to teleseismic distances suggests that the source-time functions are complicated and may be responsible for at least part of the discrepancy. In addition, there seems to be a systematic difference between local short-period polarities and teleseismic long-period polarities that is related to travel paths across portions of Long Valley Caldera. It is possible that a low velocity zone related to recent magmatic activity is causing the deflection of local seismic rays, thus distorting the fault plane projection

Effects of depressive symptomatology on cancer‐related symptoms during oral oncolytic treatment

ObjectiveThis manuscript assesses association between depressive symptoms and symptoms from cancer and its treatment during the first 12 weeks of a new oral oncolytic treatment.MethodsThis secondary analysis used data from a recently completed trial of an intervention to improve adherence to oral oncolytic treatment and manage symptoms. Following the initiation of the new oral oncolytic medication, 272 patients were interviewed at intake and weeks 4, 8, and 12 to assess depressive symptoms, and symptoms from cancer and its treatment. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies‐Depression (CES‐D20). The summed index of 18 cancer‐related and treatment‐related symptoms as well as the number of symptoms above threshold at intake, weeks 4, 8, and 12 were related to intake and time‐varying CES‐D20 using linear mixed effects models.ResultsDepressive symptomatology was a significant predictor of cancer‐related and treatment‐related symptoms at all‐time points, but the strength of this relationship was greatest at the time of oral oncolytic agent initiation and at week 4. The strength of this relationship was the same for both summed symptom severity index and the number of symptoms above threshold, and using either intake or time‐varying CES‐D20.ConclusionIntroducing strategies to treat and manage symptoms of depression along with other symptoms might have added benefits among patients who start a new oral oncolytic treatment and report modest to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Assessments for the impact of strategies to lower depressive symptoms can be taken within the first 4 weeks.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147865/1/pon4916.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147865/2/pon4916_am.pd

Do treatment patterns alter beliefs cancer patients hold regarding oral oncolytic agents?

ObjectiveCancer patients, particularly those prescribed with oral oncolytic medications, face treatment side effects and temporary and permanent stoppages of treatment. This research examines how events during treatment affect patients’ beliefs regarding oral oncolytic medications.MethodsA total of 272 cancer patients initiating 1 of 28 oral oncolytic agents were followed for 12 weeks. Assessments of Beliefs About Medications Questionnaire, symptoms, physical function, and depression measures were performed during telephone interviews at intake (medication start) and 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Electronic medical record audits identified dates of temporary and permanent medication stoppages. Linear mixed‐effects models were used for longitudinal analyses of the Beliefs About Medications Questionnaire scores in relation to patient characteristics, symptom severity, and medication stoppages.ResultsOver the initial 12 weeks, beliefs about the necessity of oral medications have increased, concerns have decreased, and interference of medications with daily lives has increased. Permanent stoppage of a medication predicted significant declines in beliefs about its necessity over time. Male patients, those less educated, those reporting higher symptom severity, and those experiencing temporary stoppages had greater concerns. Interference of medications with daily life was higher for males, increased with higher symptom severity, and differed by drug category.ConclusionsPatients’ beliefs in the necessity of their oral medication were affected only by a permanent drug stoppage. Symptom severity, education, and patient sex affected patients’ beliefs about their concerns with their medications and the interference medications posed for their daily lives. Interventions may need to target the distinct dimensions of beliefs during treatment with oral oncolytic agents.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142470/1/pon4606.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142470/2/pon4606_am.pd

Theory of continuum percolation III. Low density expansion

We use a previously introduced mapping between the continuum percolation model and the Potts fluid (a system of interacting s-states spins which are free to move in the continuum) to derive the low density expansion of the pair connectedness and the mean cluster size. We prove that given an adequate identification of functions, the result is equivalent to the density expansion derived from a completely different point of view by Coniglio et al. [J. Phys A 10, 1123 (1977)] to describe physical clustering in a gas. We then apply our expansion to a system of hypercubes with a hard core interaction. The calculated critical density is within approximately 5% of the results of simulations, and is thus much more precise than previous theoretical results which were based on integral equations. We suggest that this is because integral equations smooth out overly the partition function (i.e., they describe predominantly its analytical part), while our method targets instead the part which describes the phase transition (i.e., the singular part).Comment: 42 pages, Revtex, includes 5 EncapsulatedPostscript figures, submitted to Phys Rev

Multimorbidity: constellations of conditions across subgroups of midlife and older individuals, and related Medicare expenditures

Introduction: The Department of Health and Human Services’ 2010 Strategic Framework on Multiple Chronic Conditions called for the identification of common constellations of conditions in older adults. Objectives: To analyze patterns of conditions constituting multimorbidity (CCMM) and expenditures in a US representative sample of midlife and older adults (50–64 and ≥65 years of age, respectively). Design: A cross-sectional study of the 2010 Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n=17,912). The following measures were used: (1) count and combinations of CCMM, including (i) chronic conditions (hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, lung disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and psychiatric conditions), (ii) functional limitations (upper body limitations, lower body limitations, strength limitations, limitations in activities of daily living, and limitations in instrumental activities of daily living), and (iii) geriatric syndromes (cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, incontinence, visual impairment, hearing impairment, severe pain, and dizziness); and (2) annualized 2011 Medicare expenditures for HRS participants who were Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (n=5,677). Medicaid beneficiaries were also identified based on their self-reported insurance status. Results: No large representations of participants within specific CCMM categories were observed; however, functional limitations and geriatric syndromes were prominently present with higher CCMM counts. Among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 50–64 years, 26.7% of the participants presented with ≥10 CCMM, but incurred 48% of the expenditure. In those aged ≥65 years, these percentages were 16.9% and 34.4%, respectively. Conclusion: Functional limitations and geriatric syndromes considerably add to the MM burden in midlife and older adults. This burden is much higher than previously reported

Motional Squashed States

We show that by using a feedback loop it is possible to reduce the fluctuations in one quadrature of the vibrational degree of freedom of a trapped ion below the quantum limit. The stationary state is not a proper squeezed state, but rather a ``squashed'' state, since the uncertainty in the orthogonal quadrature, which is larger than the standard quantum limit, is unaffected by the feedback action.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the special Issue "Quantum Correlations and Fluctuations" of J. Opt.

Estimation from Censored Medical Cost Data

This paper applies the inverse probability weighted least-squares method to predict total medical cost in the presence of censored data. Since survival time and medical costs may be subject to right censoring and therefore are not always observable, the ordinary least-squares approach cannot be used to assess the effects of explanatory variables. We demonstrate how inverse probability weighted least-squares estimation provides consistent asymptotic normal coefficients with easily computable standard errors. In addition, to assess the effect of censoring on coefficients, we develop a test comparing ordinary leastsquares and inverse probability weighted least-squares estimators. We demonstrate the methods developed by applying them to the estimation of cancer costs using Medicare claims data

Complex multimorbidity and health outcomes in older adult cancer survivors

Objective: To characterize complex multimorbidity among cancer survivors and evaluate the association between cancer survivorship, time since cancer diagnosis, and self-reported fair/poor health, self-rated worse health in 2 years, and 2-year mortality. Methods: We used the 2010–2012 Health and Retirement Study. Cancer survivors were individuals who reported a (nonskin) cancer diagnosis 2 years or more before the interview. We defined complex multimorbidity as the co-occurrence of chronic conditions, functional limitations, and/or geriatric syndromes. In addition to descriptive analyses, we used logistic regression to evaluate the independent association between cancer survivor status and health outcomes. We also examined whether cancer survivorship differed by the number of years since diagnosis. Results: Among 15,808 older adults (age ≥50 years), 11.8% were cancer survivors. Compared with cancer-free individuals, a greater percentage of cancer survivors had complex multimorbidity: co-occurring chronic conditions, functional limitations, and geriatric syndromes. Cancer survivorship was significantly associated with self-reported fair/poor health, self-rated worse health in 2 years, and 2-year mortality. These effects declined with the number of years since diagnosis for fair/ poor health and mortality but not for self-rated worse health. Conclusion: Cancer survivor status is independently associated with more complex multimorbidity, and with worse health outcomes. These effects attenuate with time, except for patient perception of being in worse health