Computer-aided analysis of concurrent systems

The introduction of concurrency into programs has added to the complexity of the software design process. This is most evident in the design of communications protocols where concurrency is inherent to the behavior of the system. The complexity exhibited by such software systems makes more evident the needs for computer-aided tools for automatically analyzing behavior.The Distributed Systems project at UCI has been developing a suite of tools, based on Petri nets, which support the design and evaluation of concurrent software systems. This paper focuses attention on one of the tools: the reachability graph analyzer (RGA). This tool provides mechanisms for proving general system properties (e.g., deadlock-freeness) as well as system-specific properties. The tool is sufficiently general to allow a user to apply complex user-defined analysis algorithms to reachability graphs. The alternating-bit protocol with a bounded channel is used to demonstrate the power of the tool and to point to future extensions

The Welfare Effects of Pfiesteria-Related Fish Kills: A Contingent Behavior Analysis of Seafood Consumers

We use contingent behavior analysis to study the effects of pfiesteria-related fish kills on the demand for seafood in the Mid-Atlantic region. We estimate a set of demand difference models based on individual responses to questions about seafood consumption in the presence of fish kills and with different amounts of information provided about health risks. We use a random-effects Tobit model to control for correlation across each observation and to account for censoring. We find that (i) pfiesteria-related fish kills have a significant negative effect on the demand for seafood even though the fish kills pose no known threat to consumers through sea-food consumption, (ii) seafood consumers are not responsive to expert risk information designed to reassure them that seafood is safe in the presence of a fish kill, and (iii) a mandatory seafood inspection program largely eliminates the welfare loss incurred due to misinformation.pfiesteria, seafood demand, non-market valuation, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

The Natural History of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as the most common indication for liver transplantation in many countries. Although the incidence of hepatitis C infection has dramatically decreased during the past decade, the worldwide reservoir of chronically infected persons is estimated at 170 million, or 3% of the global population. There is much controversy surrounding the natural history of hepatitis C infection. The rate of chronic HCV infection is affected by a person's age, gender, race, and viral immune response. Approximately 75%-85% of HCV-infected persons will progress to chronic HCV infection, and are at risk for the development of extrahepatic manifestations, compensated and decompensated cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The rate of progression to cirrhosis is highly variable, and is influenced by several factors, including the amount of alcohol consumption, age of initial HCV infection, degree of inflammation and fibrosis on liver biopsy, HIV and HBV coinfection, and comordid conditions. An estimated 10%-15% of HCV-infected persons will advance to cirrhosis within the first 20 years. Persons with cirrhosis are at increased risk of developing HCC. An understanding of the natural history of hepatitis C is essential to effectively manage, treat, and counsel individuals with HCV infection

The Welfare Effects of Pfiesteria-Related Fish Kills in Seafood Markets: A Contingent Behavior Analysis

We use contingent behavior analysis to study the effects of Pfiesteria related fish kills on the demand for seafood in the Mid-Atlantic region. We use a phone-mail-phone survey to look at the effects of various information provision mechanisms used to ameliorate the effects of misinformation regarding fish kills. A set of demand difference models are estimated based on individual responses to multiple questions about seafood consumption with and without fish kills present and with various health risk information treatments. Random effects Tobit models are used to control for the panel nature of responses and natural censoring of the stated responses. We find that 1) Pfiesteria related fish kills have a significant negative effect on the demand for seafood, 2) seafood consumers are nonresponsive to expert risk information designed to reassure consumers that seafood is safe in the presence of a fish kill, and 3) a mandatory seafood inspection program completely eliminates avoidance costs incurred due to misinformation. We estimate that the aggregate avoidance costs incurred in the month immediately following a Pfiesteria related fish kill is $50-$130 million.

All-cause and liver-related mortality risk factors in excessive drinkers: Analysis of data from the UK biobank

BACKGROUND High alcohol intake is associated with increased mortality. We aimed to identify factors affecting mortality in people drinking extreme amounts of alcohol. METHODS We obtained information from the UK Biobank on approximately 500,000 participants aged 40-70 years at baseline assessment in 2006-2010. Habitual alcohol intake, lifestyle and physiological data, laboratory test results, and hospital diagnoses and death certificate data (to June 2020) for 5136 men (2.20% of male participants) and 1504 women (0.60%) who reported consuming ≥80 or ≥50 g/day, respectively, were used in survival analysis. RESULTS Mortality hazard ratios for these excessive drinkers, compared to all other participants, were 2.02 (95% CI 1.89-2.17) for all causes, 1.89 (1.69-2.12) for any cancer, 1.87 (1.61-2.17) for any circulatory disease, and 9.40 (7.00-12.64) for any liver disease. Liver disease diagnosis or abnormal liver function tests predicted not only deaths attributed to liver disease but also those from cancers or circulatory diseases. Mortality among excessive drinkers was also associated with quantitative alcohol intake; diagnosed alcohol dependence, harmful use, or withdrawal syndrome; and current smoking at assessment. CONCLUSIONS People with chronic excessive alcohol intake experience decreased average survival, but there is substantial variation in their mortality, with liver abnormality and alcohol dependence or other alcohol use disorders associated with a worse prognosis. Clinically, patients with these risk factors and high alcohol intake should be considered for early or intensive management. Research can usefully focus on the factors predisposing to dependence or liver abnormality

Healthy Smiles for Employability Program Implementation

poster abstractThe Near Eastside (NES) Indianapolis community is subject to several negative social determinants of oral health, including low income, which can impede access to oral health care and put residents at a higher risk for oral health problems. The Indiana University School of Dentistry‘s (IUSD) Healthy Smiles for Employability (HSE) program aims to improve oral health, well-being, and employment outcomes in the NES and neighboring communities by providing dentures to low-income and uninsured residents and connecting them with local agencies that provide job assistance services. Program components of HSE include (1) program organization, (2) community engagement, (3) participant recruitment and enrollment, (4) dental and employment services, and (5) program evaluation. Eligible HSE candidates include individuals who are unemployed or underemployed (i.e. income below 200% federal poverty line), seeking to improve their job situation, and perceive the appearance of their teeth (i.e. missing front teeth) as a barrier for greater employment opportunities. Based on the Stages of Change model, HSE targets individuals in an “action” phase who are seeking employment and trying to improve their employment situation. Enrolled HSE participants receive non-denture dental services at the IUSD-Student Outreach Clinic located in the NES at HealthNet People’s Health and Dental Center and denture services at the IUSD Clinic. Collaboration with community organizations such John H. C. Boner Center, Wheeler Mission, People’s Health and Dental Center, and others serves as an immense asset to recruit HSE candidates, provide job advancement and retention services, social services and other essential resources to HSE participants. Ongoing program evaluation serves to increase program effectiveness and organization in order to support the success of HSE including its community partners and participants

Improving Rural Bone Health and Minimizing Fracture Risk in West Virginia: Validation of the World Health Organization FRAX® Assessment Tool as a Phone Survey for Osteoporosis Detection

West Virginia ranks second nationally in population ≥ 65 years old placing our state at greater risk for osteoporosis and fracture. The gold standard for detecting osteoporosis is dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), yet over half of West Virginia’s counties do not have this machine. Due to access barriers, a validated phone-administered fracture prediction tool would be beneficial for osteoporosis screening. The World Health Organization’s FRAX® fracture prediction tool was administered as a phone survey to 45 patients; these results were compared to DXA bone mineral density determination. Results confirmed that the FRAX® phone survey is as reliable as DXA in detecting osteoporosis or clinically significant osteopenia: 92% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity when compared to the gold standard. These promising results allow for the development of telephone-based protocols to improve osteoporosis detection, referral and treatment especially in areas with health care access barriers

Galicia3D seismic volume: Connections between the western termination of the S reflector and eastern termination of the Peridotite Ridge

European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2015 (EGU2015), 12-17 April 2015, Vienna, Austria.-- 1 pageIn June thru September, 2013, a 3D reflection and a long offset seismic experiment were conducted at the Galicia rifted margin by investigators from the US, UK, Germany, and Spain. The 3D multichannel experiment covered 64 km by 20 km (1280 km2), using the RV Marcus Langseth. Four streamers 6 km long were deployed at 12.5 m hydrophone channel spacing. The streamers were 200 m apart. Two airgun arrays, each 3300 cu in, were fired alternately every 37.5 m, to collectively yield a 400 m wide sail line consisting of 8 CMP lines at 50 m spacing. We draw attention to the region from the Peridotite Ridge, PR, (on the west) and the western terminus of the S reflector (on the east). The S reflector is generally thought to separate continental crust and pre- and syn-rift sediment above, and serpentinized upper mantle below. In 2D and 3D seismic reflection data, the S reflector is very bright, generally horizontal, and is terminated very abruptly at the western end. The latter is particularly clear in the 3D volume. It is about 10-15 km wide between the end of the S reflector and the midpoint of the PR. In this interval, there appear to be fault bounded blocks that may be either continental crust or pre- or syn-rift sediments. The PR is a virtually straight, N-S ridge, without apparent fault offsets. The crest of the PR is at about 4800 mbsl at the S extent and is at 6070 mbsl at the N extent of the 3D volume. The crest is approximately linear in map view or N-S extent. Both sides, East and West of the PR, appear to show landslides and other mass wasting during the late stage of the syn-rifting interval. The PR rarely shows internal seismic structure in 2D and 3D. Most importantly, under the basin to the east of the PR there are substantially more recognizable structures connecting the S reflector and the PR. These were much less interpretable in previous 2D seismic profilesPeer Reviewe