Modeling of Public Health: Call for Interdisciplinary Actions

Health care systems today confront a range of diseases for which preventive measures lie outside traditional therapeutic medicine. The variety and multicausality of illness forms are closely related to the differences among people, especially social, economical and other conditions of their lives. The activities of many institutions which are not directly involved in health regulation, influence public health today. These facts apply also to the scale of possible control actions. Joint effects of population heterogeneity and the hierarchical nature of public health regulation seem to have led naturally to the current mix of problems and also seem to indicate that only more holistic approaches will improve the situation. One of the problems, how to overcome interdisciplinary barriers and organize effective preventive measures, may be solved only by joined efforts of social and economical institutions directly or indirectly responsible for the modern pattern of diseases. Workshops with computer modeling seem to be an appropriate instrument for developing interdisciplinary collaboration. The results of an experiment with the Slovakian Ministry of Health suggest that intensive modeling workshops involving health care planners, physicians, and other experts lead to better problem formulation and policy analysis

Bulk Power Grid Risk Analysis: Ranking Infrastructure Elements According to their Risk Significance

Disruptions in the bulk power grid can result in very diverse consequences that include economic, social, physical, and psychological impacts. In addition, power outages do not affect all end-users of the system in the same manner. For these reasons, a risk analysis of bulk power systems requires more than determining the likelihood and magnitude of power outages; it must also include the diverse impacts power outages have on the users of the system. We propose a methodology for performing a risk analysis on the bulk power system. A power flow simulation model is used to determine the likelihood and extent of power outages when components within the system fail to perform their designed function. The consequences associated with these failures are determined by looking at the type and number of customers affected. Stakeholder input is used to evaluate the relative importance of these consequences. The methodology culminates with a ranking of each system component by its risk significance to the stakeholders. The analysis is performed for failures of infrastructure elements due to both random causes and malevolent acts

Bulk power risk analysis : ranking infrastructure elements according to their risk significance

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Science and Engineering, 2006.Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-52).Disruptions in the bulk power grid can result in very diverse consequences that include economic, social, physical, and psychological impacts. In addition, power outages do not affect all end-users of the system in the same manner. For these reasons, a risk analysis of bulk power systems requires more than determining the likelihood and magnitude of power outages; it must also include the diverse impacts power outages have on the users of the system. We propose a methodology for performing a risk analysis on the bulk power system. A power flow simulation model is used to determine the likelihood and extent of power outages when components within the system fail to perform their designed function. The consequences associated with these failures are determined by looking at the type and number of customers affected. Stakeholder input is used to evaluate the relative importance of these consequences. The methodology culminates with a ranking of each system component by its risk significance to the stakeholders. The analysis is performed for failures of infrastructure elements due to both random causes and malevolent acts.by Anthony M. Koonce.S.M

Stepfamily Relationship Quality and Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Problems

The stepfamily literature is replete with between-group analyses by which youth residing in stepfamilies are compared to youth in other family structures across indicators of adjustment and well-being. Few longitudinal studies examine variation in stepfamily functioning to identify factors that promote the positive adjustment of stepchildren over time. Using a longitudinal sample of 191 stepchildren (56% female, mean age = 11.3 years), the current study examines the association between the relationship quality of three central stepfamily dyads (stepparent–child, parent–child, and stepcouple) and children's internalizing and externalizing problems concurrently and over time. Results from path analyses indicate that higher levels of parent–child affective quality are associated with lower levels of children's concurrent internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1. Higher levels of stepparent–child affective quality are associated with decreases in children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 2 (6 months beyond baseline), even after controlling for children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1 and other covariates. The stepcouple relationship was not directly linked to youth outcomes. Our findings provide implications for future research and practice

Diversifying the ‘HSI bubble’: Black and Asian women faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of seven Black and Asian women faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The unique experience of each woman is shared in this paper. Three themes highlight the interconnectedness of participant experiences. The first theme indicated that these Black and Asian women faculty operated in unsupportive microclimates within their HSIs. Secondly, participants communicated a need for representation within the ‘HSI bubble.’ Finally, our participants felt as though their HSIs needed to exercise greater intentionality in terms of truly serving their student populations. Amongst the implications of this research is a better understanding of the experiences of a minority group (i.e., Black and Asian women faculty) within higher education. These experiences can inform administrators on how to move beyond recruitment of Black and Asian women faculty to foster a supportive microclimate so as to retain these women and enable their success

Effect of Reducing Maximum Cycle Length on Roadside Air Quality and Travel Times on a Corridor in Portland, OR

The Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS), an adaptive signal system designed to reduce congestion, has been installed on a heavily trafficked roadway in Portland, OR. In addition to traffic performance metrics, we are investigating how this system affects roadway emissions of air pollutants. A twenty-second reduction to maximum cycle length was proposed for the SCATS system to address pedestrian delay concerns. A two-week trial period with this reduced cycle length was implemented. Travel times and roadside air pollution concentrations were monitored throughout this study period and compared to before and after periods with the current maximum cycle length. Average travel times were found to be significantly higher during the reduced maximum cycle length, but with a mean difference of only 4-5 seconds for travel time. Assessment of travel time for this roadway suggests that a twenty second decrease in maximum cycle length to help shorten pedestrian delay can be made without significant consequences to travel time. Total traffic volumes were consistent for all four weeks of the study. Meteorological conditions were similar for the first two weeks comparing maximum cycle lengths. A shift in ambient temperature led the second two weeks of the cycle length comparison to have more similar meteorological conditions versus the first two weeks. Average NO and NO2 concentrations were not significantly different for the first half of the study. However, NO and NO2 concentrations were significantly higher during the reduced maximum cycle length for the second half of the study. When there was a significant difference based on t-test statistics, the measurements did show an increase in roadside concentrations during the shorter maximum cycle length. Preliminary results are unclear if changes to air quality (as assessed by NO and NO2 concentrations) occur or not due to the reduced maximum cycle length. Results require further comparative analysis in which meteorology and traffic conditions are controlled for so that any difference in air quality due to maximum cycle length alone can be quantified