Introducing new diagnostics into STI control programmes: the importance of programme science.

Many innovative diagnostic technologies will become commercially available over the next 5-10 years. These tests can potentially transform the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections but their introduction into control programmes can be hampered by health system constraints, and political, cultural, socioeconomic and behavioural factors. We used the introduction of syphilis rapid tests to illustrate the importance of programme science to address the gap between accruing evidence of acceptable test performance and the complexity of programme design, implementation and evaluation of test deployment to address public health needs and improve patient-important outcomes

Application of Revolving Door Technology in Reducing Energy Loss in Anchorage, Alaska

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Arctic EngineeringArctic entryways (vestibules) are an important building feature in Alaska for energy savings. Vestibules and revolving doors are often designed to reduce air infiltration rates and ultimately reduce building energy costs. In Anchorage, most buildings utilize vestibule technology for building entrances but revolving door technology is also a viable option to consider. In Anchorage, Alaska, reduction of energy consumption is necessary for long-term sustainability of most buildings and businesses. The project included a review of relevant literature publications to select methods to predict air infiltration rate due to vestibules versus revolving doors; calculations for energy usage of various Anchorage public buildings with existing doorways versus with revolving doors; and an analysis of the energy savings. The case study selected six Anchorage public buildings for evaluation based on differences in building size, utility, and availability of energy data. The study found that while revolving door technology can technically save some energy costs, the additional cost was not justifiable in most of the buildings selected for study due to lack the occupancy throughput, building height, and quantity of wind. One exception was East High School (East entrance) where a vestibule or revolving door should be added. It was observed that sufficient space exists for most Anchorage public buildings to install vestibules, and that in existing revolving door locations the adjacent sliding doors are often preferred by users. A case study for restaurants and strip malls in Alaska would be beneficial as these building types may be more energy efficient with revolving doors due to higher user throughput.Title Page / Abstract / Table of Contents / List of Figures / List of Tables / Acknowledgments / Introduction / Literature Review / Methodology / Buildings Considered / Discussion of Results / Recommendations / Reference

Software for Use with Optoelectronic Measuring Tool

A computer program has been written to facilitate and accelerate the process of measurement by use of the apparatus described in "Optoelectronic Tool Adds Scale Marks to Photographic Images" (KSC-12201). The tool contains four laser diodes that generate parallel beams of light spaced apart at a known distance. The beams of light are used to project bright spots that serve as scale marks that become incorporated into photographic images (including film and electronic images). The sizes of objects depicted in the images can readily be measured by reference to the scale marks. The computer program is applicable to a scene that contains the laser spots and that has been imaged in a square pixel format that can be imported into a graphical user interface (GUI) generated by the program. It is assumed that the laser spots and the distance(s) to be measured all lie in the same plane and that the plane is perpendicular to the line of sight of the camera used to record the imag

A critical study of the stress singularities of an elastic polygon under longitudinal shear

The order of the stress singularity at its vertex of a wedge of two bonded elastic media under longitudinal shear is solved by use of the Williams method. The similar problem of an elastic wedge bonded to a rigid foundation is also solved using the same method. Next, the problem of a cylindrical elastic media whose boundary is a polygon bonded to a rigid foundation and subjected to various types of longitudinal shear loads on its boundary is considered. A number of examples are worked out and expressions for contact stresses along the bonds are given

Differential impact of two risk communications on antipsychotic prescribing to people with dementia in Scotland: segmented regression time series analysis 2001-2011

The two risk communications were associated with reductions in antipsychotic use, in ways which were compatible with marked differences in their content and dissemination. Further research is needed to ensure that the content and dissemination of regulatory risk communications is optimal, and to track their impact on intended and unintended outcomes. Although rates are falling, antipsychotic prescribing in dementia in Scotland remains unacceptably hig

Comment On Legacy Nitrogen May Prevent Achievement Of Water Quality Goals In The Gulf Of Mexico

Van Meter et al. (Reports, 27 April 2018, p. 427) warn that achieving nitrogen reduction goals in the Gulf of Mexico will take decades as a result of legacy nitrogen effects. We discuss limitations of the modeling approach and demonstrate that legacy effects ranging from a few years to decades are equally consistent with observations. The presented time scales for system recovery are therefore highly uncertain

THE KEPLER DICHOTOMY IN PLANETARY DISKS: LINKING KEPLER OBSERVABLES TO SIMULATIONS OF LATE-STAGE PLANET FORMATION

NASA's Kepler Mission uncovered a wealth of planetary systems, many with planets on short-period orbits. These short-period systems reside around 50% of Sun-like stars and are similarly prevalent around M dwarfs. Their formation and subsequent evolution is the subject of active debate. In this paper, we simulate late-stage, in situ planet formation across a grid of planetesimal disks with varying surface density profiles and total mass. We compare simulation results with observable characteristics of the Kepler sample. We identify mixture models with different primordial planetesimal disk properties that self-consistently recover the multiplicity, radius, period and period ratio, and duration ratio distributions of the Kepler planets. We draw three main conclusions. (1) We favor a "frozen-in" narrative for systems of short-period planets, in which they are stable over long timescales, as opposed to metastable. (2) The "Kepler dichotomy," an observed phenomenon of the Kepler sample wherein the architectures of planetary systems appear to either vary significantly or have multiple modes, can naturally be explained by formation within planetesimal disks with varying surface density profiles. Finally, (3) we quantify the nature of the "Kepler dichotomy" for both GK stars and M dwarfs, and find that it varies with stellar type. While the mode of planet formation that accounts for high multiplicity systems occurs in 24% ± 7% of planetary systems orbiting GK stars, it occurs in 63% ± 16% of planetary systems orbiting M dwarfs.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA grant NNX12AC01G)Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Torres Fellowship for Exoplanet Research)

Bulletin No. 360 - The Effects of Fertilizer and Moisture on the Growth and Yield of Sweet Corn

Sweet corn is becoming an important cash crop in many of the irrigated valleys of the Intermountain West. There are a number of factors that influence the yield of this crop, two of which are soil fertility and moisture. A number of investigations have been conducted where the effects of fertilizer have been measured, and the results of these investigations have been highly variable. In general, however, lack of nitrogen has been a major factor limiting yield

New Community Sponsorships for Humanitarian Immigrants: Guidance on Washington’s Practice of Law and Immigration Services Fraud Prevention Rules

Every state, including Washington, has enacted laws to protect the public from the harm caused when an unqualified person provides legal services. Each state defines the practice of law and generally limits that practice to members of the state bar association. In Washington, a complex collage of case law, statutes, and a Supreme Court rule attempt to define the practice of law, identify when the practice of law by a nonlawyer is unauthorized, and determine when public policy considerations allow such nonlawyer practice. Protecting immigrants from unauthorized practice of immigration law is a particular concern. People who claim to be qualified to help immigrants routinely victimize newcomers; others may assist in good faith. Either way, unauthorized legal representation can cause an immigrant to miss viable opportunities for protection, to be unnecessarily detained or deported, to incur penalties for filing false claims, and often to be tricked into spending thousands of dollars for such “assistance.” The Washington legislature has attempted to prevent such harms through its Immigration Services Fraud Prevention Act. The line between authorized and unauthorized practice of law, especially in the immigration context, can be thick and blurry. New federal programs that allow community financial sponsorship of immigrants fleeing war and state collapse are unintentionally contributing to this grey area. The Biden administration has recently authorized Ukrainians and others to come to the United States temporarily, but only when supported by a U.S.-based financial sponsor. A U.S.-based individual initiates the process by applying to become a financial sponsor. Like all immigration documents, this sponsorship application form can be unclear, particularly for noncitizens. Submission of the form affects an applicant’s legal rights and its completion involves the exercise of legal discretion. Individuals seeking to become financial sponsors are turning to friends and other non-lawyers for help in completing these applications. This article sheds light on the concern that a layperson’s help in completing a financial sponsor application form may represent the unauthorized practice of law in Washington, including the unauthorized provision of immigration-related services. An understanding of this issue is critical, as the Biden administration has expanded community financial sponsorship programs exponentially within the first nine months of their existence. We conclude that a layperson who assists another in completing a financial sponsorship application form is engaged in the practice of law in Washington. A layperson’s assistance that goes beyond entering objective data or language translation likely triggers a violation of Washington’s civil and criminal unauthorized practice rules, as well as its Immigration Services Fraud Prevention Act

Sweet Dreams Of You

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/6716/thumbnail.jp