Informal names for surface features in the Apollo 15 landing area

Informal names and descriptions of lunar topographic features in Apollo 15 landing regio

Telehealth in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review of Patient Reported Outcomes

A systematic review was conducted to explore published quantitative and qualitative research describing patient-reported outcomes of palliative telehealth intervention studies. Multiple databases were searched for articles published between January 2006 and May 2016, which met study criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias for quantitative articles. For studies reporting qualitative outcomes, a checklist was used to evaluate trustworthiness of the methodology. Of the 6 studies reporting quantitative outcomes, 3 studies were rated as having moderate study quality, and 3 studies were rated as having low study quality. Of the 6 studies reporting qualitative outcomes, 3 reported 5 different methods for ensuring trustworthiness, whereas 1 article reported 4 methods, 1 reported 3, and 1 article reported 2 methods. Studies were notably diverse in terms of patient population, technology used, outcomes measures, and methodology. Results across studies were also variable. Methodological factors were major limitations. Recruitment problems, participant attrition, and lack of standardized outcomes measures impacted outcome assessment. Overall, research support for positive patient outcomes in palliative telehealth interventions was weak. However, all studies but one found positive results to support the intervention

A Systematic Review of Telehealth in Palliative Care: Caregiver Outcomes

Objective: Telehealth interventions have proven efficacy in healthcare, but little is known about the results of such interventions in palliative care. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate caregiver outcomes related to palliative telehealth interventions. Materials and Methods: We searched multiple databases for articles published between January 2003 and January 2015 related to telehealth in palliative care. Two hundred twenty-one articles were considered; nine of these met study inclusion criteria. Data on study design, population, interventions, methods, outcomes, conclusions, and methodological quality were extracted and evaluated by three investigators. Results: Of the nine studies, five measured caregiver quality of life, three measured caregiver anxiety, and two measured caregiver burden. All the studies measuring caregiver quality of life showed no significant difference after telehealth interventions. The caregiver anxiety score decreased after the intervention in two studies, and one study reported significantly reduced caregiver burden. Although feasibility of or caregiver satisfaction with the telehealth intervention was not the focus of this review, most studies reported such findings. Of the nine studies, the majority were rated as having moderate quality using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias. Conclusions: This systematic review suggests there is evidence of overall satisfaction in caregivers who undergo a telehealth intervention, but outcomes reported were often not substantial. Methodological flaws and small sample sizes negatively affected study quality. More rigorous research to test and evaluate such palliative interventions is needed

Microscopic basis for pattern formation and anomalous transport in two-dimensional active gels

Active gels are a class of biologically-relevant material containing embedded agents that spontaneously generate forces acting on a sparse filament network. In vitro experiments of protein filaments and molecular motors have revealed a range of non- equilibrium pattern formation resulting from motor motion along filament tracks, and there are a number of hydrodynamic models purporting to describe such systems. Here we present results of extensive simulations designed to elucidate the microscopic basis underpinning macroscopic flow in active gels. Our numerical scheme includes thermal fluctuations in filament positions, excluded volume interactions, and filament elasticity in the form of bending and stretching modes. Motors are represented individually as bipolar springs governed by rate-based rules for attachment, detachment and unidirectional motion of motor heads along the filament contour. We systematically vary motor density and speed, and uncover parameter regions corresponding to unusual statics and dynamics which overlap but do not coincide. The anomalous statics arise at high motor densities and take the form of end-bound localized filament bundles for rapid motors, and extended clusters exhibiting enhanced small-wavenumber density fluctuations and power-law cluster-size distributions for slow, processive motors. Anomalous dynamics arise for slow, processive motors over a range of motor densities, and are most evident as superdiffusive mass transport, which we argue is the consequence of a form of effective self-propulsion resulting from the polar coupling between motors and filaments.Comment: 14 pages, 17 figures. Minor clarifications and updated/additional references. To appear in Soft Matte

Thermal buoyancy on Venus: Preliminary results of finite element modeling

Enhanced surface temperatures and a thinner lithosphere on Venus relative to Earth have been cited as leading to increased lithospheric buoyancy. This would limit or prevent subduction on Venus and favor the construction of thickened crust through underthrusting. In order to evaluate the conditions distinguishing between underthrusting and subduction, we have modeled the thermal and buoyancy consequences of the subduction end member. This study considers the fate of a slab from the time it starts to subduct, but bypasses the question of subduction initiation. Thermal changes in slabs subducting into a mantle having a range of initial geotherms are used to predict density changes and thus their overall buoyancy. Finite element modeling is then applied in a first approximation of the assessment of the relative rates of subduction as compared to the buoyant rise of the slab through a viscous mantle

Deformation of crosslinked semiflexible polymer networks

Networks of filamentous proteins play a crucial role in cell mechanics. These cytoskeletal networks, together with various crosslinking and other associated proteins largely determine the (visco)elastic response of cells. In this letter we study a model system of crosslinked, stiff filaments in order to explore the connection between the microstructure under strain and the macroscopic response of cytoskeletal networks. We find two distinct regimes as a function primarily of crosslink density and filament rigidity: one characterized by affine deformation and one by non-affine deformation. We characterize the crossover between these two.Comment: Typos fixed and some technical details clarified. To appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Vertical Networks and US Auto Parts Exports: Is Japan Different?

This paper develops a model in which upstream network insiders' conduct relationship specific investment that induces the downstream firm to transact within networks. The scale of destination-country production and part-specific measures of the importance of network relationships and engineering costs are used to explain the pattern of U.S. auto parts exports. Our results support the prediction that large scale promotes relationship-specific investment and reduces imports. Also, while Japan is a large parts importer, the composition of its imports is shifted away from parts where vertical keiretsu are prominent. Nations hosting U.S.-owned automakers import more U.S. parts.