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Supplementary material for "Effect of Aspect Ratio on Cross-Flow Turbine Performance"
No full textThese files support the manuscript "Effect of Aspect Ratio on Cross-Flow Turbine Performance". They include time-average turbine efficiency and non-dimensional parameter datasets for each of the associated turbine experiments, which were conducted at the University of Washington Harris Hydraulics Laboratory. Additionally, they also include a video showing an example of the rotor ventilation we observed in our experiments. Both of these files are described in further detail in the README file
Comparing healthcare resource use and costs for patients with Normal Tension Glaucoma across levels of severity: a nationally representative sample of commercially insured US adults age 40 and older
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2020Introduction: Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is a subset of open-angle glaucoma (OAG), which is the most prevalent form of glaucoma globally. Projections into 2040 predict a 74% increase to 111.8 million people affected worldwide. Though global burden of disease is increasing, little has been done to understand the burden of disease for patients with NTG regarding their annual healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) or costs and how disease severity may impact this burden. Objective: Our objective was to estimate the HCRU and costs for patients with NTG as well as their payers. We sought to understand if costs and HCRU depends on one’s severity of disease and whether or not laterality of disease modifies the effect of this relationship. Methods: Our study was a retrospective cohort study of 6,330 US patients, 40 years of age and older, within the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases. Patients were enrolled if they were 40 years or older and had two or more qualifying NTG diagnoses, with the first of the two qualifying diagnoses being the patients’ index date. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed for a 12-month pre-index period. The follow up period was 12-months post-index. Our analysis was carried out for two cohorts – those with unilateral disease and those with bilateral disease. The relationship between severity and HCRU was analyzed by fitting a generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution and log link for office visits. We relaxed the Poisson assumption and modeled prescription counts with a negative binomial model and log link to account for overdispersion. Costs were modeled with a generalized linear model with a gamma distribution and a log link. Cost data were adjusted to 2019 dollars. Results: Patients with severe, bilateral disease, filled over two additional prescriptions annually (2.5, 95% CI [2.0, 3.1]) when compared to their mild counterparts and accounted for 111 (95% CI [83.5, 139.1]) extra days of supply of glaucoma medications. These patients face 348 (95% CI [488]), than their counterparts with a mild diagnosis on an annual basis. Conclusion: Our results suggest that patient burden is higher for those with severe disease compared to those with mild NTG. The excess burden is not only attributed to additional HCRU, but also by a higher financial burden, which accompanies their higher resource use. Patients were not alone in harboring burden as payers experienced a much larger financial burden from patients with severe disease compared to those with mild NTG. Most of the cost differences can be attributed to additional prescription use
Utilization of systemic therapy in cancer patients near the end-of-life in the pre- vs. post- checkpoint inhibitor eras
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2020Introduction: Use of systemic therapy for advanced cancer patients near the end-of-life (EOL) is a low-value medical practice. However, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) use at the EOL may be on the rise due to a favorable toxicity profile. We hypothesize that systemic therapy use in the last 30 days of life (DOL) increased since ICI approval in 2014. Methods: We investigated the change in prevalence of systemic therapy use in the last 30 DOL before and after the first anti-PD-1 ICI was approved in September 2014. We used cases from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s population-based Cancer Surveillance System linked to commercial and Medicare insurance claims. Patients who died between 2011-2018, with AJCC stage 3, 4 or unknown solid tumors and six months of continuous insurance coverage were included. Secondary analyses measured cost of care during the last 30 DOL. Results: A total of 8,871 patients (median age 73) were included in the analysis with 34% in the pre-ICI period (2011-2014) and 66% in the post-ICI period (2014-2018). Prevalence of systemic therapy in the last 30 DOL was lower in the post-ICI period vs pre-ICI period (12.4% vs 14.4%; difference -2.0% [95% CI -3.5 to -0.5]). The annual prevalence of systemic therapy in the last 30 DOL also declined, though ICI use comprised a rising proportion of systemic therapy. Relative to those receiving non-ICI systemic therapy, patients treated with ICI in last 30 DOL had higher overall costs and drug costs. Discussion: Systemic therapy use in the last 30 DOL was lower in the period after ICI approval. However, ICI use rose during the study period and had higher costs than those receiving non-ICI systemic therapy in last 30 DOL. Systemic therapy use at the EOL warrants close monitoring, especially as ICI availability may enable treatment in older, frailer patients approaching the EOL
Chemically Inducible Dimerization and Chemically Disruptable Systems for Spatial and Temporal Control of Cellular Processes
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2020Spatial proximity–defined as the physical distance between two biomolecules–plays an important role in controlling and regulating many cellular functions. Engineered cellular systems have been developed where the physical distance between two interacting pairs can be controlled with exogenous inputs. By constraining proteins of interest to a restricted space, the relative concentration of one protein as seen by another is increased, which can lead to increased reaction rates or binding events. Recently, our group developed a new CID system called Pleiotropic Response Outputs from a Chemically Inducible Single Receiver (PROCISiR), which allows the rapid co-localization of two proteins with clinically-approved drugs. While PROCISiR is capable of some level of reversibility, the rates observed are not useful for some applications. The first chapter of this thesis describes efforts to achieve a more rapidly reversible PROCISiR system by incorporating drug-resistant mutants of the NS3a protease. The second chapter of this thesis describes efforts to increase the affinity of a previously-developed chemically-disrupted proximity system. Together, these efforts help expand the chemical genetic toolbox for rapidly controlling cellular proximity
An exploration of speciation and genome-wide uncertainty in flatfishes based on exon-capture data
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2020The flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) have undergone numerous taxonomic revisions but many of their interrelationships still lack consensus among the scientific community at both the species-level and deep evolutionary timescales. Phylogenetic uncertainty stems from apparent bursts of evolution in short time periods early in the Pleuronectiformes tree, and this uncertainly is exacerbated by an abundance of studies that incompletely and inconsistently sample taxa and genetic markers. In order to partly address the issue of insufficient phylogenetic information, we inferred phylogenies based on the largest molecular dataset (4434 markers via exon-capture) and densest taxon sampling (86 species spanning 11 of the 15 families) of any flatfish study using next-generation sequencing to date. We compared our results to phylogenetic hypotheses across recent works, report several new hypotheses, and identify regions of the flatfish tree that are unlikely to be further resolved with additional sampling. We also conducted species delimitation analyses on four economically valuable species pairs in the family Pleuronectidae to evaluate their utility in being effectively managed. Species pairs in the genera Lepidopsetta and Limanda were found to be good species for management, while species pairs in Hippoglossoides and Atheresthes require further taxonomic analysis
Exploring Korean Elementary School Teachers’ Perspectives on Teaching and the Teaching Profession under the Influence of the Global Educational Reform Movement
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2020This qualitative study examined teachers’ perspectives on teaching and the teaching profession in light of recent educational reforms (2008 - 2016) in South Korea. As has been the case in many other countries, the educational reforms in Korea were heavily influenced by the Global Educational Reform Movement (GERM). The common features of GERM are increasing competition among schools; standardization in education; focus on core subjects; test-based accountability; and school choice. While many international and comparative studies have become interested in the education systems of top performing countries, like Korea, on PISA tests, little attention has been paid by international scholars to each nation’s distinct context and how that context may have had a significant impact on the teaching profession and teaching in that nation. Also, despite an increasing focus on teachers and teaching in international discourses, teachers’ voices have often been left unheard. To understand teachers’ perspectives in a unique national context, I addressed four research questions: 1) what are the distinct characteristics regarding teaching and the teaching profession in Korea?; 2) what are the characteristics of the Korean educational reforms enacted from 2008 through 2016?; 3) how do Korean elementary school teachers believe that the recent educational reforms have been affecting the work of individual teachers?; and 4) how do Korean elementary school teachers view teaching and the teaching profession under these circumstances? I conducted a qualitative study and collected data from documents and from interviews with 29 Korean elementary school teachers. The findings of the first question showed that Korea has been able to attract and retain high quality teachers due to certain social perceptions of teaching and the teaching profession; an opportunity for social mobility and benefits through the teaching profession; job stability; and the feminization of teaching. However, the general public recently has put little trust in Korean schoolteachers because of a number of local circumstances, including: fierce competition for the university entrance exam; excessive dependence on shadow education; and the phenomenon of “school collapse.” Regarding the second research question, the common features of GERM have also been observed in Korean educational reforms, but they have been modified by the Korean context. As for the third research question, the work of Korean elementary school teachers consists of primary work (teaching and teaching-related tasks) and supportive work (administrative tasks). Korean teachers have been experiencing chronic and persistently heavy workloads due to their many administrative tasks. In addition, earning promotion points can be considered another aspect of Korean teachers’ work. Some teachers took on more responsibilities or worked in rural areas to achieve enough promotion points to be promoted to administrators. This promotion-point career ladder system in Korea has created an administration-oriented atmosphere and culture. The recent educational reforms (2008 – 2016) have had a negative impact on classroom teaching and increased teachers’ administrative tasks. Also, these educational reforms have affected the work of teachers by devaluing their teaching, lowering teachers’ morale and self-esteem, and weakening relationships among colleagues. In answering my final research question, I found that most of my participants expressed satisfaction with their job due to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Nevertheless, some participants were simply tolerating their work. As for the roles of schools and teachers, most participants felt that they have been required to play multiple roles due to new social demands. However, one third of my participants explicitly noted that their traditional role of teaching academic knowledge has decreased whereas their role as childcare givers and service managers has increased. Regarding teacher professionalism, most participants believe that they had professionalism or expertise. However, many of the teachers in my sample did not feel that their teaching job was a profession. Based on these findings, I discussed the importance of a close examination of local contexts in international and comparative education studies; called for a more critical review of the global governance exerted by transnational actors over educational systems in sovereign nations; highlighted individual countries’ different responses to GERM; discussed the increased focus on teachers and teaching in Korea and the parallels between the Korean case and global trends; compared the Korean teachers’ promotion system with teacher career ladders in other nations; and used intensification theory to comment on their chronic and persistent workload. I concluded by discussing the implications for comparative and international education studies. I called for re-examination of the correlation between student achievement and teacher quality; made an argument for the inclusion of the voices of individual teachers; and gave some suggestions regarding the use of the conceptual framework suggested by Akiba (2017). Then, I concluded this study with recommendations for future research and Korean teacher policies
Agent-based Modeling of Emergency Management Networks with Public Mobilization after a Disaster
No full textLocal, state, and federal governments are responsible for managing disaster response with the goal of increasing disaster resilience of a community. This includes continuing adequate service levels for critical infrastructure sectors, reducing response time and cost, and ensuring the ongoing safety of the community. Complex emergency management systems typically consist of multiple organizations, including state Emergency Management Divisions, the military, and local Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offices. These systems also span multiple levels of government hierarchy, from local communities through the federal level of the United States. As we have witnessed, after a natural hazard or pandemic, the public will mobilize to fill the needs of the impacted communities that emergency response networks (ERNs) do not. Those that mobilize are called spontaneous volunteers. Spontaneous volunteers can often disrupt the operation of ERNs by duplicating work or spreading misinformation. On the other hand, spontaneous volunteers can also provide aid to ERNs when coordination is successful. This report summarizes an effort to simulate ERNs by using agent-based models that would allow ERNs to determine the best way to incorporate spontaneous volunteers within the official framework of the ERN.Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium
US Department of Transportation
Oregon State Universit
Environmental Impacts of Prefabricated Construction: CO2 Emissions Comparison of Precast and Cast-In-Place Concrete Case Study
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2020Construction activities are one of the major contributors to climate change by greenhouse gas emissions. While the use of prefabrication has certain advantages in terms of environmental impacts through material and time efficiency, it is not clear nor has enough data for the quantities and factors comparing the conventional methods. This study aims to review the characteristics of prefabricated construction and to find environmental impacts through the case study. The methodology is the analysis by comparing the carbon emissions of precast concrete which is one of the major prefabricated structures and cast-in-place concrete which is conventional methods. The case study data is based on residential buildings which were built by prefabricated structures in South Korea. The comparison is conducted focused on several scenarios according to the criteria for precast concrete construction such as loss rate of materials, delivery distance, vehicle capacity, equipment types and installation hours. The outcomes are found that the amount of carbon emissions of precast and cast-in-place concrete for the studied residential buildings. Based on the research findings, it is recommended to adopt precast concrete in building construction in terms of environmental impacts during the product stage and construction stage. However, these averages can be a significant variation among individual projects. The far distance, small vehicle capacity and low efficiency of equipment with a loss of material can adversely affect the environment. The building industry should consider the carbon reduction as a benefit of implementing prefabricated construction after considering the characteristics of the location, distance, transportation method, and installation efficiency
Dataset to support "Surf Zone Waves at the Onset of Breaking 1. LIDAR and IR Data Fusion Method"
No full textThese data were collected in November 2016 at the US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC. They include processed LIDAR line-scans and collocated infrared imagery of surf zone waves, general wave and wind condition measurements, and bathymetry surveys of the field site. This entry includes all data analyzed for submitted manuscripts 2020JC016934 and 2020JC016935 to JGR:Oceans, companion papers titled "Surf Zone Waves at the Onset of Breaking 1. LIDAR and IR Data Fusion Methods" and "Surf Zone Waves at the Onset of Breaking 2. Predicting Breaking and Breaker Type", respectively
Postmortem Intestinal Sampling in Malawi
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2020Background In LMICs, undernutrition is the leading underlying cause of child mortality, which remains unacceptably high. Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED), a prevalent condition in areas with lack of access to hygiene and safe sanitation could be a significant contributor to undernutrition. To better understand the role of EED in child undernutrition and mortality, accurate cause of death ascertainment is crucial. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is a validated technique for assigning cause of death, but the current procedure lacks gastrointestinal interrogation. We aimed to assess the utility of postmortem endoscopically obtained intestinal biopsies, as autolysis may preclude its usefulness, and to adapt an EED histopathologic scoring system to assess upper intestinal disease severity and an inflammatory bowel histopathologic disease scoring system to measure lower intestinal disease severity. Methods MITS in Malawi (MiM) recruited children who died during inpatient admission at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Eligibility criteria included age (1 week-59 months) and admission diagnosis (acute illness or malnutrition). Upon death, the standard MITS procedure was conducted after upper and lower endoscopies to collect three duodenal and one colonic and one rectal sample, respectively. These were formalin fixed, prepared into paraffin blocks, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Two independent pathologists assessed degree of autolysis on each H&E slide and a gastrointestinal pathologist applied the 11-parameter upper and 4-parameter lower intestinal histopathologic scoring system to measure intestinal disease severity. Results Twenty-eight post-mortem endoscopic procedures were completed. We were able to obtain duodenal, colonic, and rectal samples in 25, 6, and 25 cases. Some degree of autolysis was found in nearly all intestinal samples (n=99 (98%)), though complete autolysis was rare (n=11 (11%)). We found increasing tissue autolysis in more distally located intestinal tissues. Tissue autolysis in the rectum was negatively associated with age (PR=0.991; 95%CI: 0.987, 0.995). We found no associations between tissue autolysis and any other variables of interest, including postmortem time interval and body refrigeration time. Chronic inflammation was prevalent in both the upper and lower intestinal tissues (average scores: 1.9 and 2.0, respectively), although acute inflammation was not present in any of the tissues. We also identified a low density of Paneth and goblet cells in the upper intestine (average scores: 2.5 and 2.2 respectively). Conclusions Postmortem endoscopic biopsy is feasible, despite high levels of autolysis. Autolysis was not found to be dependent on body refrigeration or postmortem time interval, but did vary based on intestinal site, possibly related to increasing microbial colonization in more distal segments of the intestinal tract. We identified duodenal chronic inflammation and reduced Paneth and goblet cell densities, which are features of EED. Severe rectal chronic inflammation was also seen, including in children as young as 6 weeks old. These data warrant further investigation and confirmation but point to the utility of including intestinal sampling as part of the MITS procedure