Low level Atrazine exposure effects on crayfish development

Undergraduate Applie

Radiative Transfer Equation Solver Module for Coupled Simulation of Hypersonic Flows

Accurate numerical modeling of the aerothermal environment around an ablation-cooled hypersonic re-entry vehicle requires high-fidelity models for processes such as non-equilibrium surface themochemistry, non-equilibrium pyrolysis chemistry, multi-scale radiation, spallation and charring. It is expected that, these models when utilized in a coupled manner will be able to accurately capture the possible nonlinear interactions between various phenomena in a computationally efficient manner. Development of a coupled radiative solver is currently being carried out as part of a joint effort between CFDRC, University of Michigan and University of Kentucky to develop a fully coupled method of simulating atmospheric entry flows and response of the thermal protection system. A key aspect of the project is development of a modular radiative transfer equation (RTE) solver which can be used in a tightly coupled manner with any hypersonic flow code. The code will be coupled with latest spectral property databases allowing almost line-by-line accuracy for radiative heat-fluxes on the spacecraft surface while still utilizing a multidimensional RTE formulation. The presentation will focus on architecture of the RTE solver, radiative property models that can be used in the solver and its interfacing with LeMANS aerothermal code for a simple demonstration case. The infrastructure to couple the solver with other codes of interest will be outlined

Vitamin D supplementation does not improve human skeletal muscle contractile properties in insufficient young males

Vitamin D may be a regulator of skeletal muscle function, although human trials investigating this hypothesis are limited to predominantly elderly populations. We aimed to assess the effect of oral vitamin D3 in healthy young males upon skeletal muscle function

Evidence for Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses in a Cohort of Intractable Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Patients.

Brain-infiltrating lymphocytes (BILs) were isolated from resected brain tissue from 10 pediatric epilepsy patients who had undergone surgery for Hemimegalencephaly (HME) (n = 1), Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) (n = 2), Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) (n = 4), and Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) (n = 3). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were also isolated from blood collected at the time of the surgery. Cells were immunostained with a panel of 20 antibody markers, and analyzed by mass cytometry. To identify and quantify the immune cell types in the samples, an unbiased clustering method was applied to the entire data set. More than 85 percent of the CD45+ cells isolated from resected RE brain tissue comprised T cells; by contrast NK cells and myeloid cells constituted 80-95 percent of the CD45+ cells isolated from the TSC and the FCD brain specimens. Three populations of myeloid cells made up >50 percent of all of the myeloid cells in all of the samples of which a population of HLA-DR+ CD11b+ CD4- cells comprised the vast majority of myeloid cells in the BIL fractions from the FCD and TSC cases. CD45RA+ HLA-DR- CD11b+ CD16+ NK cells constituted the major population of NK cells in the blood from all of the cases. This subset also comprised the majority of NK cells in BILs from the resected RE and HME brain tissue, whereas NK cells defined as CD45RA- HLA-DR+ CD11b- CD16- cells comprised 86-96 percent of the NK cells isolated from the FCD and TSC brain tissue. Thirteen different subsets of CD4 and CD8 αβ T cells and γδ T cells accounted for over 80% of the CD3+ T cells in all of the BIL and PBMC samples. At least 90 percent of the T cells in the RE BILs, 80 percent of the T cells in the HME BILs and 40-66 percent in the TSC and FCD BILs comprised activated antigen-experienced (CD45RO+ HLA-DR+ CD69+) T cells. We conclude that even in cases where there is no evidence for an infection or an immune disorder, activated peripheral immune cells may be present in epileptogenic areas of the brain, possibly in response to seizure-driven brain inflammation

CEO Turnover in Georgia Rural Hospitals, 2011-2017

Highlights: The average annual turnover rate in Georgia rural hospitals between 2011 and 2017 was 24%, with a low of 17% in 2012 and in 2015 and a high of 37% in 2016. Between 2011 and 2017, rural hospitals had on average, approximately two CEO changes, with 46% reporting three or more CEO changes. Annual turnover rates were found to be consistently higher in rural prospectively paid (PPS) hospitals, compared to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Background: Hospital chief executive officer (CEO) turnover rates have increased nationally over the last decade, increasing from 15% in 2007 to 18% in 2017, and after reaching a peak of 20% in 2013 (American College of Healthcare Executives [ACHE], 2008; ACHE, 2018). Unexpected leadership turnover can be disruptive for organizations operating in an ever-dynamic environment like healthcare. The existing literature indicates an inverse relationship between CEO turnover and hospital performance, with a stronger negative impact of turnover on performance in nonprofit hospitals (Brickley & Van Horn, 2002) and among small rural hospitals (Alexander & Lee, 1996). In 2018, the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) estimated the CEO turnover rate in Georgia hospitals to be 20%, higher than the national rate of 18%. There is, however, a dearth of literature on CEO turnover in rural hospitals in the state. The purpose of this research brief is to describe CEO turnover in Georgia’s rural hospitals between 2011 and 2017

The Effects of Common Herbicide (Atrazine) on Juvenile Crayfish Growth and Development

Undergraduate Basi

Covid-19 and Social Determinants of Health: Medicaid Managed Care Organizations’ Experiences With Addressing Member Social Needs

Background The significant adverse social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has cast broader light on the importance of addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MMCOs) have increasingly taken on a leadership role in integrating medical and social services for Medicaid members. However, the experiences of MMCOs in addressing member social needs during the pandemic has not yet been examined. Aim The purpose of this study was to describe MMCOs’ experiences with addressing the social needs of Medicaid members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The study was a qualitative study using data from 28 semi-structured interviews with representatives from 14 MMCOs, including state-specific markets of eight national and regional managed care organizations. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Four themes emerged: the impact of the pandemic, SDOH response efforts, an expanding definition of SDOH, and managed care beyond COVID-19. Specifically, participants discussed the impact of the pandemic on enrollees, communities, and healthcare delivery, and detailed their evolving efforts to address member nonmedical needs during the pandemic. They reported an increased demand for social services coupled with a significant retraction of community social service resources. To address these emerging social service gaps, participants described mounting a prompt and adaptable response that was facilitated by strong existing relationships with community partners. Conclusion Among MMCOs, the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of addressing member social needs, and the need for broader consideration of what constitutes SDOH from a healthcare delivery standpoint

An Independent Assessment of the Technical Feasibility of the Mars One Mission Plan

In mid-2012, the Mars One program was announced, aiming to build the first human settlement on the surface of Mars. Following a series of precursor missions to develop and deploy key technologies, the first crewed mission would depart Earth in 2024, sending four people on a one-way journey to the surface of Mars. Additional four-person crews would be sent to Mars at every subsequent launch opportunity to further support and expand the Martian colony. While this program has been received with great fanfare, very little has been published in the technical literature on this mission architecture. As the Mars One mission plan represents a dramatic departure from more conservative exploration approaches, there are many uncertainties in the mission design. The establishment of a colony on Mars will rely on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and life support technologies that are more capable than the current state of the art. Moreover, resupply logistics and sparing will play a large role in the proposed colony, though the magnitude and behavior of these two effects is not well understood. In light of this, we develop a Mars settlement analysis tool that integrates a habitat simulation with an ISRU sizing model and a sparing analysis. A logistics model is utilized to predict the required number of launchers and provide a preliminary estimate of a portion of the program cost. We leverage this tool to perform an independent assessment of the technical feasibility of the Mars One mission architecture. Our assessment revealed a number of insights into architecture decisions for establishing a colony on the Martian surface. If crops are used as the sole food source, they will produce unsafe oxygen levels in the habitat. Furthermore, the ISRU system mass estimate is 8% of the mass of the resources it would produce over a two year period. That being said, the ISRU technology required to produce nitrogen, oxygen, and water on the surface of Mars is at a relatively low Technology Readiness Level (TRL), so such findings are preliminary at best. A spare parts analysis revealed that spare parts quickly come to dominate resupply mass as the settlement grows: after 130 months on the Martian surface, spare parts compose 62% of the mass brought from Earth to the Martian surface. The space logistics analysis revealed that, for the best scenario considered, establishing the first crew for a Mars settlement will require approximately 15 Falcon Heavy launchers and require $4.5 billion in funding, and these numbers will grow with additional crews. It is important to note that these numbers are derived only when considering the launch of life support and ISRU systems with spare parts. To capture a more realistic estimate of mission cost, future work should consider development and operations costs, as well as the integration of other key mission elements, such as communications and power systems. Technology development towards improving the reliability of life support systems, the TRL of ISRU systems, and the capability of Mars in-situ manufacturing will have a significant impact on reducing the mass and cost of Mars settlement architectures.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NNX13AL76H)United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NNX14AM42H)Josephine De Karman Fellowship Trus

Strategic Implications of COVID-19: Considerations for Georgia’s Rural Health Providers

Whether rural hospitals and providers have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases or a reduction in patients seeking care since the pandemic began, their financial condition has been negatively impacted. Many providers have now received some emergency funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Payroll Protection Program but these are likely only short-term fixes. For many, the crisis has exacerbated already existing problems. Notable among these problems are volume declines, supply chain disruptions, and workforce concerns. While these problems require immediate action, two longer-term systemic changes to rural healthcare delivery are needed to address them. Proactive adoption of telehealth is essential to stake a value-added position in delivery of healthcare. Creating a regional ecosystem that both supports, and receives support from, local businesses and potential workforce members is vital to building and maintaining a thriving organization. Rural healthcare providers must consider these strategies to ensure that they are able to continue delivering their mission of improving the health of the populations they serve

A Simpler Method for Predicting Weight Loss in the First Year after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Factors postulated to predict weight loss after gastric bypass surgery, include race, age, gender, technique, height, and initial weight. This paper contained 1551 gastric bypass patients (85.9% female). Operations were performed by one surgeon (MLO) at community hospitals in Southern California from 1989 to 2008 with 314 being laparoscopic and 1237 open. We created the following equation: In[percent weight] = At2 − Bt, where t was the time after operation (days) and A and B are constants. Analysis was completed on R-software. The model fits with R2 value 0.93 and gives patients a realistic mean target weight with a confidence interval of 95% for the first year. Conclusion. We created a curve predicting weight loss after surgery as a percentage of initial weight. Initial weight was the single most important predictor of weight loss after surgery. Other recorded variables accounted for less than 1% of variability. Unknown factors account for the remaining 6-7%