An astrometric facility for planetary detection on the space station

An Astrometric Telescope Facility (ATF) for planetary detection is being studied as a potential space station initial operating capability payload. The primary science objective of this mission is the detection and study of planetary systems around other stars. In addition, the facility will be capable of other astrometric measurements such as stellar motions of other galaxies and highly precise direct measurement of stellar distance within the Milky Way Galaxy. The results of a recently completed ATF preliminary systems definition study are summarized. Results of this study indicate that the preliminary concept for the facility is fully capable of meeting the science objective without the development of any new technologies. A simple straightforward operations approach was developed for the ATF. A real-time facility control is not normally required, but does maintain a near real-time ground monitoring capability for the facility and science data stream on a full-time basis. Facility observational sequences are normally loaded once a week. In addition, the preliminary system is designed to be fail-safe and single-fault tolerant. Routine interactions by the space station crew with the ATF will not be necessary, but onboard controls are provided for crew override as required for emergencies and maintenance

A Low Concentration of Ethanol Impairs Learning but Not Motor and Sensory Behavior in Drosophila Larvae

Drosophila melanogaster has proven to be a useful model system for the genetic analysis of ethanol-associated behaviors. However, past studies have focused on the response of the adult fly to large, and often sedating, doses of ethanol. The pharmacological effects of low and moderate quantities of ethanol have remained understudied. In this study, we tested the acute effects of low doses of ethanol (∼7 mM internal concentration) on Drosophila larvae. While ethanol did not affect locomotion or the response to an odorant, we observed that ethanol impaired associative olfactory learning when the heat shock unconditioned stimulus (US) intensity was low but not when the heat shock US intensity was high. We determined that the reduction in learning at low US intensity was not a result of ethanol anesthesia since ethanol-treated larvae responded to the heat shock in the same manner as untreated animals. Instead, low doses of ethanol likely impair the neuronal plasticity that underlies olfactory associative learning. This impairment in learning was reversible indicating that exposure to low doses of ethanol does not leave any long lasting behavioral or physiological effects

Differing patterns of selection and geospatial genetic diversity within two leading Plasmodium vivax candidate vaccine antigens

Although Plasmodium vivax is a leading cause of malaria around the world, only a handful of vivax antigens are being studied for vaccine development. Here, we investigated genetic signatures of selection and geospatial genetic diversity of two leading vivax vaccine antigens--Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein 1 (pvmsp-1) and Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein (pvcsp). Using scalable next-generation sequencing, we deep-sequenced amplicons of the 42 kDa region of pvmsp-1 (n = 44) and the complete gene of pvcsp (n = 47) from Cambodian isolates. These sequences were then compared with global parasite populations obtained from GenBank. Using a combination of statistical and phylogenetic methods to assess for selection and population structure, we found strong evidence of balancing selection in the 42 kDa region of pvmsp-1, which varied significantly over the length of the gene, consistent with immune-mediated selection. In pvcsp, the highly variable central repeat region also showed patterns consistent with immune selection, which were lacking outside the repeat. The patterns of selection seen in both genes differed from their P. falciparum orthologs. In addition, we found that, similar to merozoite antigens from P. falciparum malaria, genetic diversity of pvmsp-1 sequences showed no geographic clustering, while the non-merozoite antigen, pvcsp, showed strong geographic clustering. These findings suggest that while immune selection may act on both vivax vaccine candidate antigens, the geographic distribution of genetic variability differs greatly between these two genes. The selective forces driving this diversification could lead to antigen escape and vaccine failure. Better understanding the geographic distribution of genetic variability in vaccine candidate antigens will be key to designing and implementing efficacious vaccines

Self-directed care: Participants\u27 service utilization and outcomes

Objective: Self-directed care (SDC) is a mental health service delivery model in which participants budget the state dollars allotted for their care to purchase the goods and services they deem most appropriate for achieving their recovery goals. This study examines the demographic characteristics, service utilization patterns, and outcomes of individuals enrolled in the Florida Self-Directed Care (FloridaSDC) program, which is the oldest and most established SDC program in the United States for individuals diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness. Method: This is a naturalistic descriptive study in which demographic, service utilization, and outcome data (i.e., Functional Assessment Rating Scale (FARS) scores, days in the community, days worked, monthly income, discharge status) were collected from the clinical and fiscal records of 136 FloridaSDC participants. Results: Key findings suggest that FloridaSDC participants had very little income and largely utilized their budgets to subsidize their living expenses. Though most participants did not work or earn income and very few left the program due to employment, participants\u27 FARS scores improved modestly and nearly all participants remained in the community throughout the study period. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Participants\u27 service purchases were rational given the poverty in which they live, and their outcomes did not suffer when they controlled decisions regarding their service needs. These findings highlight the utility and value of the personalized budgeting and individualized planning components of SDC. Findings also point to the need for practitioners to implement innovative strategies to enhance participants\u27 employment readiness and supported employment opportunities

Money Matters: Participants’ Purchasing Experiences in a Budget Authority Model of Self-Directed Care

Self-directed care (SDC) is a service delivery model in which individuals diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) direct their behavioral healthcare by managing an individual budget and purchasing the goods and services they deem most helpful in meeting their needs and supporting their recovery. Participants may purchase conventional mental health services as well as alternative goods (e.g., books, clothing) and services (e.g., fitness classes) to support their recovery. Several quantitative studies have examined the types of purchases commonly made by SDC participants. This qualitative study builds on this research by reporting findings from interviews with 18 SDC participants on the factors that influence their purchasing decisions, the benefits derived from SDC purchases, and perceived barriers experienced in making desired purchases. Findings reveal the extent to which money matters in mental health recovery and suggest that individualized budgeting and purchasing contribute to SDC participants’ mental wellness and stability, enhance their control over service choices, and, most notably, provide some material relief in ongoing struggles with chronic poverty. Findings also highlight the importance of flexible spending guidelines and streamlined approval processes; overly proscriptive policies may undermine participants’ self-determination. Additional implications for SDC practice, policy, and research are discussed

The micro-to-macro realities of antidepressant taking: Users’ experiences in the context of contested science and industry promotion

The macro landscape shaping antidepressant use is marked by uncertain and contested research and vigorous pharmaceutical promotion to doctors and (in the U.S.) patients. While prior studies have investigated antidepressant users’ firsthand experiences of the impacts of medication use on their lives and identities, these studies do not explicitly situate users’ experiences within the macro realities that shape the larger system of care. The aim of this Internet-based qualitative study was to advance a uniquely social work perspective on psychotropic medications by thematically examining the everyday experiences of antidepressant users and framing emergent themes within the broader macro context. The largest sample to date (n = 3243) of user reviews of four antidepressants (escitalopram, duloxetine, vilazodone, and vortioxetine) were downloaded from popular patient-reporting websites and analyzed line-by-line by two independent coders in a general inductive coding process. Antidepressant experiences were characterized by trial-and-error experimentation, limited relief, drug cocktails, uncertainty about causes of change, and unforeseen drug withdrawal challenges. Individual-level experiences are contextualized within the larger landscape of publication bias in clinical drug trials and persistent drug industry promotion of newer, costlier, and add-on drugs. Based on the profession’s systems perspective and social justice commitment, social workers should recognize how macro factors contextualize individual experience and strive to support users in cultivating more informed, empowering relationships with psychiatric drugs. Exploring the meaning of medications, validating users’ firsthand experiences, and monitoring changes throughout treatment and discontinuation are appropriate, critical roles that social workers should consider adopting

Adverse effects and treatment satisfaction among online users of four antidepressants

Adverse effects (AEs) are an important factor in antidepressant treatment decision-making, though common AE profiles from clinical trial research highlight physical AEs to the neglect of emotional and behavioral AEs. First-hand accounts of antidepressant users on the Internet can supplement AE profiles with information gained from real-world treatment experiences. We examined online user reviews of two older (escitalopram; duloxetine) and two newer (vilazodone; vortioxetine) antidepressants for differences in their AE profiles and determined which categories of AEs were associated with users’ satisfaction. A codebook of 60 physical, emotional, and behavioral AEs was used for line-by-line coding of effects reported among 3243 user reviews from three popular health websites. Emotional and behavioral effects were commonly reported (41%), followed by sleep (31.9%) and gastrointestinal (25.0%) effects. Specific AEs statistically significantly varied across drugs, creating potentially meaningful differences in AE profiles. Users of newer drugs more often reported emotional instability, while users of older drugs reported more emotional blunting. Emotional and behavioral AEs demonstrated moderate to substantial relationships with users’ satisfaction, whereas gastrointestinal, metabolic, or sexual AEs were minimally related. More specific and systematic assessment of a broader range of AEs is needed in both research and practice

Dream Team, Assemble! Strengthening Partnerships and Collaboration across Technical and Public Services

This presentation was given at the GIL Users Group Meeting