A General Procedure to Calculate Fall Velocity Over the Full Range of Sediment Sizes

It has long been recognized that the transport of sediment in water conveyance channels, such as rivers, streams and channels, is a serious and somewhat baffling problem. Not only does the transport of sediment affect the water quality and deposition in reservoirs, but it also indicates increased erosion. In addition, the energy given to the movement of sediment is a loss of energy from the water stream itself insofar as its flow rate is concerned. The movement of sediment is a complex prob1em. A number of methods have been deve1oped which compute sediment load. All of these formulae and methods depend on a number of sediment properties; the most significant being size of sediment particles, shape of sediment particles, specific weight of sediment particles, and fall velocity of sediment particles. Fall velocity may be defined as the velocity at which a sediment particle falls through a fluid. It is one of the primary factors in determination of sediment load. Fall ve1ocity is considered by many to be the most fundamental of these properties for a number of reasons. For instance, it is an indicator of a particles size and weight since the larger and heavier a particle is, the faster it falls through a fluid. It also can be useful in calculating retention times in settling basins and predicting the location of sediment deposits in a reservoir. “It has also been determined that the fall velocity of a particle is directly related to the stream velocity required to move particles along a stream bed. The most important application of fall velocity is its use in the previously mentioned formulae for computing sediment transport load”. It is the purpose of this thesis to analyze fall velocity and to present an improved computer program for the ca1culation of fall velocities for a wide range of temperature, specific gravity, shape factor and diameter. It will meet the following criteria: 1. Extension of the previous computer program giving accurate results for a wider range of particle size. 2. Testing of the extended computer program results against R.E. Slot equation introduced in this thesis. 3. Conversion of the previous computer program to operate in Microsoft BASIC for IBM PC. The general procedure for this study includes four major parts: 1. Reviewing current literature for existing theories and hypotheses, making a thorough evaluation of all questionable points in the analysis. 2. Providing a reasonable computer program to determine fall velocity of naturally worn particles. 3. Discussing and comparing the results, indicating the percent deviation among the methods used in the computer program. 4. Conclusion and recommendation for future study

Physical properties of Brackett Emitters in the APOGEE DR17 Catalog

In the process of accumulating mass (accretion), young stars channel ionized gas from the protoplanetary disk to the stellar surface along magnetic field lines. Upon impacting the photosphere, the gas cools down, recombining and emitting hydrogen spectral lines. Measuring these emission lines allows us to determine the temperature and density of the gas in those accretion streams. This then enables us to test whether those parameters depend on the accretion rate. We present measurements of equivalent widths and line ratios for Brackett (Br) 11 – 20 lines for 3366 observations of 940 pre-main sequence stars observed with APOGEE as of Data Release 17. We identify the subset of stars with strong detections down to Br20, and fit the resulting line ratios to predictions of radiative transfer models. We also estimate physical properties inferred from the strongest accretors, such as hydrogen densities between 1011 and 1012 cm-3. Their temperatures appear to be less constrained, but model fits suggest the excitation temperature is inversely proportional to the hydrogen density. Finally, we describe plans for future work to calibrate the flux within Br11 line as a proxy for the mass accretion rate

Real-world health outcomes in US adult patients with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis taking topical therapy

Background Limited health outcomes information exists for patients with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis (hereafter, referred to as psoriasis) prescribed topical treatment(s). Aim We evaluated clinical characteristics of patients with systemic-naïve mild to moderate psoriasis after topical use in the United States. Methods Data were drawn from 2017 to 2018 Adelphi Psoriasis Disease Specific Programme™, a point-in-time survey of physicians and adult psoriasis patients, capturing data on topical treatment at time of consultation prescribed to systemic-naïve patients with mild to moderate psoriasis (i.e. body surface area [BSA] ≤ 10%) at current treatment initiation. Patient clinical characteristics before/after topical use were evaluated descriptively. Results Among 304 patients (median age 43.0 years; 53.6% female), mean time since diagnosis was 60.9 months. After a mean 6.9 months on their current topical, 14.5% of patients achieved ≥75% BSA reduction, 38.9% ≥50% BSA reduction, and 50.2% no BSA reduction. Residual psoriasis symptoms included scaling (76.5%), inflamed skin (65.9%), and itching (60.4%). Most patients (71.2%) had residual psoriasis in special body areas: nails (92.3%), palmoplantar (78.9%), scalp (75.9%), and face (65.8%). Conclusion We found unmet need in topical treatment effectiveness in mild to moderate psoriasis patients, in terms of BSA reduction, symptoms, and special body areas affected

Characterizing the real-world economic burden of metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer in the United States

To describe healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs of patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC). Linked data from Flatiron Metastatic PC Core Registry and Komodo’s Healthcare Map were evaluated (01/2016-12/2021). Patients with chart-confirmed diagnoses for metastatic PC without confirmed castration resistance in Flatiron who initiated androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) monotherapy or advanced therapy for mCSPC in 2017 or later (index date) with a corresponding pharmacy or medical claim in Komodo Health were included. Advanced therapies considered were androgen-receptor signaling inhibitors, chemotherapies, estrogens, immunotherapies, poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors, and radiopharmaceuticals. Patients with Of 871 patients included (mean age: 70.6 years), 52% initiated ADT monotherapy as their index treatment without documented advanced therapy use. During baseline, 31% of patients had a PC-related inpatient admission and 94% had a PC-related outpatient visit; mean all-cause costs were $2551 PPPM and PC-related costs were$839 PPPM with $787 PPPM attributable to medical costs. Patients had a mean follow-up of 15 months, during which 38$5950 PPPM with PC-related total costs of $4363 PPPM, including medical costs of$2012 PPPM. All analyses were descriptive; statistical testing was not performed. Treatment effectiveness and clinical outcomes were not assessed. This real-world study demonstrated a significant economic burden in mCSPC patients, and a propensity to use ADT monotherapy in clinical practice despite the availability and guideline recommendations of advanced life-prolonging therapies. Prostate cancer is one of the most common causes of male cancer death. Almost 1/10 men who are diagnosed early develop advanced disease. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which reduces male hormone levels to slow prostate cancer growth, is part of the standard care for early-stage and advanced/metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. This form of cancer still responds to hormonal treatment. Recently, new advanced therapies targeting cancer in different ways than ADT and offering benefits in survival and disease progression have become available and are associated with improved survival compared to treatment with only ADT. However, the usage and costs of these therapies in men with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer are not well-understood. Our study utilized clinical information and health insurance data to examine the treatments and healthcare costs for 871 men with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer who received drug treatment between 2017–2021 in the United States. After diagnosis of advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, over half of the men received only ADT without any advanced therapies. Before their disease advanced, patients with early-stage prostate cancer had $2,550 in monthly healthcare costs, increasing to almost$7,000 after the disease became advanced but before starting treatment for this advanced stage. After patients began treatment, costs were ∼$6,000 monthly, with three-quarters of this cost being directly related to prostate cancer. These results emphasize the significant healthcare costs associated with advanced prostate cancer. They underline the importance of considering comprehensive treatment options to enhance patient outcomes and potentially reduce the economic impact of advanced prostate cancer.</p

Real-world economic burden of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer before and after first-line therapy initiation

To describe healthcare costs of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) initiating first-line (1L) therapies from a US payer perspective. Patients initiating a Flatiron oncologist-defined 1L mCRPC therapy (index date) on or after mCRPC diagnosis were identified from linked electronic medical records/claims data from the Flatiron Metastatic Prostate Cancer (PC) Core Registry and Komodo’s Healthcare Map. Patients were excluded if they initiated a clinical trial drug in 1L, had Among 459 patients with mCRPC (mean age 70 years, 57% White, 16% Black, 45% commercially-insured, 43% Medicare Advantage-insured, and 12% Medicaid-insured), average baseline all-cause total costs (PPPM) were $4,576 ($4,166 pre-mCRPC progression, $8,278 post-mCRPC progression). Average baseline PC-related total costs were$2,935 ($2,537 pre-mCRPC progression,$6,661 post-mCRPC progression). During an average 1L duration of 8.5 months, mean total costs were $13,746 (all-cause) and$12,061 (PC-related) PPPM. The cost increase following 1L therapy initiation was driven by higher PC-related outpatient and pharmacy costs. PC-related medical costs PPPM increased from $1,504 during baseline to$5,585 following 1L mCRPC therapy initiation. All analyses were descriptive; statistical testing was not performed. Incremental costs of progression to mCRPC are significant, with the majority of costs driven by higher PC-related costs. Using contemporary data, this study highlights the importance of utilizing effective therapies that slow progression and reduce healthcare resource demands despite the initial investment in treatment costs.</p

Supplementary figure: Biologic initiation rates in systemic-naive psoriasis patients after first-line apremilast versus methotrexate use

These are peer-reviewed supplementary materials for the article 'Biologic initiation rates in systemic-naive psoriasis patients after first-line apremilast versus methotrexate use' published in the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research.Supplementary Figure 1: Time to biologic initiation during the 2-year follow-up period among patients with 2 years of follow-upSupplementary Table 1: Patient demographic characteristics and prescriber specialtySupplementary Table 2: Baseline comorbiditiesSupplementary Table 3: Baseline medication useSupplementary Table 4: Baseline healthcare utilization, and costsSupplementary Table 5: Number of index medication fills before biologic initiation during the 1-year follow-up periodSupplementary Table 6: First biologic medication used during the 1-year follow-up period among apremilast patients who initiated biologicSupplementary Table 7: First biologic medication used during the 1-year follow-up period among methotrexate patients who initiated biologicSupplementary Table 8: Biologic initiation adjusted resultsAim: To compare rates of biologic initiation after commencing treatment with apremilast (APR) versus methotrexate (MTX) in systemic-naive patients with psoriasis (PsO). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of systemic-naive patients with PsO who initiated treatment with APR or MTX between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2018. Outcomes: Adjusted rates of biologic initiation during follow-up were compared by logistic and Cox regressions. Results: APR initiators had 58% lower likelihood of biologic initiation (odds ratio: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.37–0.48; p < 0.001), lower adjusted biologic initiation rate (14.4% [95% CI: 13.2–15.7%] vs 28.6% [95% CI: 26.8–30.5%]), lower risk of biologic initiation (hazard ratio: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.40–0.51; p < 0.001) compared with MTX initiators. Conclusion: Systemic-naive patients with PsO have a lower rate of biologic initiation over 1 year following APR initiation.</p

Pre-main-sequence Brackett Emitters in the APOGEE DR17 Catalog: Line Strengths and Physical Properties of Accretion Columns

Very young ( t ≲ 10 Myr) stars possess strong magnetic fields that channel ionized gas from the interiors of their circumstellar disks to the surface of the star. Upon impacting the stellar surface, the shocked gas recombines and emits hydrogen spectral lines. To characterize the density and temperature of the gas within these accretion streams, we measure equivalent widths of Brackett (Br) 11–20 emission lines detected in 1101 APOGEE spectra of 326 likely pre-main-sequence accretors. For sources with multiple observations, we measure median epoch-to-epoch line strength variations of 10% in Br11 and 20% in Br20. We also fit the measured line ratios to predictions of radiative transfer models by Kwan & Fischer. We find characteristic best-fit electron densities of n _e = 10 ^11 –10 ^12 cm ^−3 , and excitation temperatures that are inversely correlated with electron density (from T ∼ 5000 K for n _e ∼ 10 ^12 cm ^−3 to T ∼ 12,500 K at n _e ∼ 10 ^11 cm ^−3 ). These physical parameters are in good agreement with predictions from modeling of accretion streams that account for the hydrodynamics and radiative transfer within the accretion stream. We also present a supplementary catalog of line measurements from 9733 spectra of 4255 Brackett emission-line sources in the APOGEE Data Release 17 data set

Stellar Properties for a Comprehensive Collection of Star-forming Regions in the SDSS APOGEE-2 Survey

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV APOGEE-2 primary science goal was to observe red giant stars throughout the Galaxy to study its dynamics, morphology, and chemical evolution. The APOGEE instrument, a high-resolution 300-fiber H -band (1.55–1.71 μ m) spectrograph, is also ideal to study other stellar populations in the Galaxy, among which are a number of star-forming regions and young open clusters. We present the results of the determination of six stellar properties ( T _eff , $\mathrm{log}\,g$ , [Fe/H], L / L _⊙ , M / M _⊙ , and age) for a sample that is composed of 3360 young stars, of subsolar to supersolar types, in 16 Galactic star formation and young open cluster regions. Those sources were selected by using a clustering method that removes most of the field contamination. Samples were also refined by removing targets affected by various systematic effects of the parameter determination. The final samples are presented in a comprehensive catalog that includes all six estimated parameters. This overview study also includes parameter spatial distribution maps for all regions and Hertzsprung–Russell ( $\mathrm{log}L/{L}_{\odot }$ vs. T _eff ) diagrams. This study serves as a guide for detailed studies on individual regions and paves the way for the future studies on the global properties of stars in the pre-main-sequence phase of stellar evolution using more robust samples