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The field of Walkable Neighborhood Systems is about neighborhoods as systems of land use, mobility, and transportation pricing, and how they can be understood as dense areas delineated by attractive walking distances. To date, four papers have been published in this field: Neighborhood density and travel mode (Lewis in Int J Sustain Dev World Ecol, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2017.1321052), Walkable Neighborhood Systems (Lewis and Adhikari), San Francisco's neighborhoods and auto dependency (Lewis and Grande in Cities, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2018.12.017), and the Mismeasurement of Mobility for Walkable Neighborhood Systems (Lewis et al., Mismeasurement of Mobility for Walkable Neighborhood Systems, Mineta Transportation Institute, 2020). This paper summarizes the concepts and definitions of the field and replicates for Boston the methodology used in the San Francisco case study. We found 54 Boston neighborhoods using maps in a GIS and guidelines to determine neighborhood boundaries based on walking distances and land use. We establish much higher accuracy than using census blocks. We analyze neighborhood density as our independent variable and three dependent variables: sustainable modes (mode split), food sources, and walk score. The data is presented in tables, correlations, and choropleth-based graphics. Density correlated strongly with the dependent variables. The paper concludes with ideas about how to improve the performance of Walkable Neighborhood Systems for affordability, sustainability, mobility, health and safety, design, and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality extremes, which water quality models often struggle to predict, are a grave concern to water supply facilities. Most existing water quality models use mean error functions to maximize the predictability of water quality mean value. This paper describes a composite quantile regression neural network (CQRNN) model, which simultaneously estimates non-crossing regression quantiles by minimizing the composite quantile regression error function. This method can improve the prediction of extremes. This paper evaluates the performance of CQRNN for predicting extreme values of turbidity and total organic carbon (TOC) and compares with quantile regression (QR), linear regression (LR), and k-nearest neighbors (KNN) in an application to the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, which is the primary water supply for San Francisco, CA. CQRNN is superior to QR, LR, and KNN for predicting the mean trend and extremes of turbidity and TOC, especially for the non-Gaussian turbidity data. The performance of CQRNN is the most stable relative to other methods over different training sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article elaborates on the study conducted by Charles Cobb, a neurosurgeon at the California Pacific Medical Center, in San Francisco, California. Aside from practicing his profession, he is also a virus hunter, Since 1998, he studied on whether viruses have an association with brain tumours. He and his co-authors discovered that the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) needs a particular cellular receptor, normally involved in growth-factor signaling, to infect a type of cancer cell in the brain. He found out that this type of virus causes defects at birth and fatal diseases in immunocompromised people, especially patients with AIDS. People who are infected with the virus is associated with the occurrence of glioma, an extremely aggressive form of brain cancer that is difficult to treat.

The article analyzes the missing link between T lymphocytes and psoriasis. The observations of Immunologist Yan Zheng and his colleagues at the company Genentech in San Francisco, California are discussed in detail. An overview of the cause for the white cell infiltration into the skin and the role of IL-22 in causing the disease of psoriasis, through experimentation on mice, is presented. The article also presents the observations of Wenjun Ouyang on TH 17 and T22 to find the missing link.

Background: Poor communication between referring clinicians and specialists may lead to inefficient use of specialist services. San Francisco General Hospital implemented an electronic referral system (eReferral) that facilitates iterative pre-visit communication between referring and specialty clinicians to improve the referral process.Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of eReferral (compared with paper-based referrals) on specialty referrals.Design: The study was based on a visit-based questionnaire appended to new patient charts at randomly selected specialist clinic sessions before and after the implementation of eReferral.Participants: Specialty clinicians.Main Measures: The questionnaire focused on the self-reported difficulty in identifying referral question, referral appropriateness, need for and avoidability of follow-up visits.Key Results: We collected 505 questionnaires from speciality clinicians. It was difficult to identify the reason for referral in 19.8% of medical and 38.0% of surgical visits using paper-based methods vs. 11.0% and 9.5% of those using eReferral (p-value 0.03 and <0.001). Of those using eReferral, 6.4% and 9.8% of medical and surgical referrals using paper methods vs. 2.6% and 2.1% were deemed not completely appropriate (p-value 0.21 and 0.03). Follow-up was requested for 82.4% and 76.2% of medical and surgical patients with paper-based referrals vs. 90.1% and 58.1% of eReferrals (p-value 0.06 and 0.01). Follow-up was considered avoidable for 32.4% and 44.7% of medical and surgical follow-ups with paper-based methods vs. 27.5% and 13.5% with eReferral (0.41 and <0.001).Conclusion: Use of technology to promote standardized referral processes and iterative communication between referring clinicians and specialists has the potential to improve communication between primary care providers and specialists and to increase the effectiveness of specialty referrals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideas of the papers in this special section have originally been presented at the first edition of the workshop on Specification and Validation of Real Time and Embedded Systems (SVERTS) that was held as a satellite workshop of the UML 2003 Conference in San Francisco. The motivation for initiating this workshop was the fact that UML started to be used more and more also for modelling real-time and embedded software systems, whereas it was lacking features for appropriately modelling this kind of systems. Another motivation was the fact that UML was missing an accepted dynamic semantics, or at least a framework for defining profiles not just in terms of syntax, but also their semantics. The six papers in this section reflect all parts of this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a simple yet effective rotation averaging pipeline, termed Incremental Rotation Averaging (IRA), which is inspired by the well-developed incremental Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques. Unlike the traditional rotation averaging methods which estimate all the absolute rotations simultaneously and focus on designing either robust loss function or outlier filtering strategy, here the absolute rotations are estimated in an incremental way. Similar to the incremental SfM, our IRA is robust to relative rotation outliers and could achieve accurate rotation averaging results. In addition, we propose several key techniques, such as initial triplet and Next-Best-View selection, Weighted Local/Global Optimization, and Re-Rotation Averaging, to push the rotation averaging results one step further. Ablation studies and comparison experiments on the 1DSfM, Campus, and San Francisco datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our IRA and its advantages over the state-of-the-art rotation averaging methods in accuracy and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper additive models with p-order autoregressive conditional symmetric errors based on penalized regression splines are proposed for modeling trend and seasonality in time series. The aim with this kind of approach is try to model the autocorrelation and seasonality properly to assess the existence of a significant trend. A backfitting iterative process jointly with a quasi-Newton algorithm are developed for estimating the additive components, the dispersion parameter and the autocorrelation coefficients. The effective degrees of freedom concerning the fitting are derived from an appropriate smoother. Inferential results and selection model procedures are proposed as well as some diagnostic methods, such as residual analysis based on the conditional quantile residual and sensitivity studies based on the local influence approach. Simulations studies are performed to assess the large sample behavior of the maximum penalized likelihood estimators. Finally, the methodology is applied for modeling the daily average temperature of San Francisco city from January 1995 to April 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crime predictors have been sought after by governments and citizens alike for preventing or avoiding crimes. In this paper, we attempt to thoroughly analyze crime predictors from three Web open data sources: Google Street View (GSV), Twitter, and Foursquare, which provides visual, textual, and human behavioral data respectively. In contrast to existing works that attempt crime prediction at zip-code level or coarser granularity, we focus on street-level crime prediction. We transform data assigned to street-segments, and extract and determine strong predictors correlated with crime. Particularly, we are the first to discover visual clues on street outlooks that are predictive for crime. We focus on the city of San Francisco, and our extensive experiments show the effectiveness of predictors in a range of tests. We show that by analyzing and selecting strong predictors in Web open data, one could achieve significantly better crime prediction accuracy, comparing to traditional demographic data-based prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a scenario where a robot needs to establish connectivity with a remote operator or another robot, as it moves along a path. We are interested in answering the following question: what is the distance traveled by the robot along the path before it finds a connected spot? More specifically, we are interested in characterizing the statistics of the distance traveled along the path before it gets connected, in realistic channel environments experiencing path loss, shadowing and multipath effects. We develop an exact mathematical analysis of these statistics for straight-line paths and also mathematically characterize a more general space of loop-free paths (beyond straight paths) for which the analysis holds, based on the properties of the path such as its curvature. Finally, we confirm our theoretical analysis using extensive numerical results with real channel parameters from downtown San Francisco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on meetings of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) in 2005 in the U.S. The 2005 TMS Annual Meeting from February 13 to 17, 2005 in San Francisco, California; 2005 Electronic Material Conference from June 22 to 24, 2005 in Santa Barbara, California; MS&T 2005 from September 25 to 28, 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Bubonic Plague outbreak that wormed its way through San Francisco's Chinatown in 1900 tells a story of prejudice guiding health policy, resulting in enormous suffering for much of its Chinese population. This article seeks to discuss the potential for hidden "prejudice" should Artificial Intelligence (AI) gain a dominant foothold in healthcare systems. Using a toy model, this piece explores potential future outcomes, should AI continue to develop without bound. Where potential dangers may lurk will be discussed, so that the full benefits AI has to offer can be reaped whilst avoiding the pitfalls. The model is produced using the computer programming language MATLAB and offers visual representations of potential outcomes. Interwoven with these potential outcomes are numerous historical models for problems caused by prejudice and recent issues in AI systems, from police prediction and facial recognition software to recruitment tools. Therefore, this research's novel angle, of using historical precedents to model and discuss potential futures, offers a unique contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug overdose is now the leading cause of unintentional death nationwide, driven by increased prescription opioid overdoses. To better understand urban opioid overdose deaths, this paper examines geographic, demographic, and clinical differences between heroin-related decedents and prescription opioid decedents in San Francisco from 2010 to 2012. During this time period, 331 individuals died from accidental overdose caused by opioids (310 involving prescription opioids and 31 involving heroin). Deaths most commonly involved methadone (45.9 %), morphine (26.9 %), and oxycodone (21.8 %). Most deaths also involved other substances (74.9 %), most commonly cocaine (35.3 %), benzodiazepines (27.5 %), antidepressants (22.7 %), and alcohol (19.6 %). Deaths were concentrated in a small, high-poverty, central area of San Francisco and disproportionately affected African-American individuals. Decedents in high-poverty areas were significantly more likely to die from methadone and cocaine, whereas individuals from more affluent areas were more likely die from oxycodone and benzodiazepines. Heroin decedents were more likely to be within a younger age demographic, die in public spaces, and have illicit substances rather than other prescription opioids. Overall, heroin overdose death, previously common in San Francisco, is now rare. Prescription opioid overdose has emerged as a significant concern, particularly among individuals in high-poverty areas. Deaths in poor and affluent regions involve different causative opioids and co-occurring substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of the urban environment is crucial for societal well-being. Yet, measuring and tracking the quality of urban environment, their evolution, and spatial disparities is difficult due to the amount of on-the-ground data needed to capture these patterns. The growing availability of street view images presents new prospects in identifying urban features. However, the reliability and consistency of these methods across different locations and time remains largely unexplored. We aim to develop a comprehensive index of urban quality and change at the street segment level using Google Street View (GSV) imagery. We focus on eight object classes that indicate urban decay or contribute to an unsightly urban space, such as potholes, graffiti, garbage, tents, barred or broken windows, discolored or dilapidated façades, weeds, and utility markings. We train an object detection model on a dataset of images from different cities and assess the performance of these urban indices. We evaluate the effectiveness of this method in various urban contexts over time and discuss its potential for urban planning and public policy. We demonstrate the use of these indices in three applications: the Tenderloin in San Francisco, the Doctores and Historic Center neighborhoods in Mexico City, and South Bend, Indiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its emphasis on empowerment, individual and community capacity building, and translating research findings into action, community-based participatory research (CBPR) may be particularly advantageous in work with urban immigrant populations. This paper highlights eight ways in which CBPR has been shown to add value to work with urban underserved communities. It then describes the background, context, and methods of an ecological CBPR project, the Chinatown Restaurant Worker Health and Safety Study, conducted in San Francisco, California, and draws on study processes and outcomes to illustrate each of the eight areas identified. Challenges of using CBPR, particularly with urban immigrant populations, briefly are described, drawing again on the Chinatown study to provide illustrative examples. We discuss lessons learned, through this and other studies, for the effective use of CBPR with urban immigrant populations. We conclude that despite its challenges, this transdisciplinary, community-partnered and action-oriented approach to inquiry can make substantial contributions to both the processes and the outcomes of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few existing studies have examined health and oral health needs and treatment-seeking behavior among the homeless and injection drug users (IDUs). This paper describes the prevalence and correlates of health and oral health care needs and treatment-seeking behaviors in homeless IDUs recruited in San Francisco, California, from 2003 to 2005 ( N = 340). We examined sociodemographic characteristics, drug use patterns, HIV status via oral fluid testing, physical health using the Short Form 12 Physical Component Score, self-reported needs for physical and oral health care, and the self-reported frequency of seeking medical and oral health care. The sample had a lower health status as compared to the general population and reported a frequent need for physical and oral health care. In bivariate analysis, being in methadone treatment was associated with care-seeking behavior. In addition, being enrolled in Medi-Cal, California's state Medicaid program, was associated with greater odds of seeking physical and oral health care. Methamphetamine use was not associated with higher odds of needing oral health care as compared to people who reported using other illicit drugs. Homeless IDUs in San Francisco have a large burden of unmet health and oral health needs. Recent cuts in Medi-Cal's adult dental coverage may result in a greater burden of oral health care which will need to be provided by emergency departments and neighborhood dental clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the research being conducted by molecular biologists Robert Place and Long-Cheng Li in San Francisco, California on microRNA (miRNA), a type of genetic regulator that dampens gene expression. According to the author, both scientists believe that their research has found miRNAs that could boost gene expression in cells. The author says that their work could generate a heated response in the field of RNA interference, which is the study of how short pieces of RNA regulate the expression of genes.

This paper briefly reviews the sociological literature on the ‘New’ Chinatown phenomenon stressing its structural location vis-à-vis the ‘Old’ Chinatown and the homeland. It defines the New Chinatown as a panethnopolis, that is a global neighborhood with a majority population of Chinese immigrants and of other ethnic groups of mostly Asian descent. It analyzes more particularly the formation, development, and integration of San Francisco's Richmond District's New Chinatown into both the city where it is located and the network of transglobal sites to which it belongs. It provides an interpretation of the New Chinatown as a cultural enclave within the context of globalization theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic inspired calls for rapid decarceration of prisons and jails to slow the spread of disease in a high-risk congregate setting. Due to the rarity of intentionally-decarcerative policies, little is known about the effects of rapid decarceration on individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) substance use disorder (SUD), a population who receive many services via the criminal legal system (CLS). We conducted interviews with 13 key informants involved in CLS in San Francisco, CA to better understand the implication of the decarcerative policies put into practice in early 2020. Participants described a tension between the desire to have fewer people incarcerated and the challenges of accessing services and support – especially during the lockdown period of the pandemic – outside of the CLS given the number of services that are only accessible to those who have been arrested, incarcerated, or sentenced. These findings emphasize the need for investing in community social services rather than further expanding the CLS to achieve the goal of supporting individuals with SMI and SUD shrinking the US system of mass incarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we consider the patient, provider, and public health repercussions of San Francisco's (SF) COVID-related response to homelessness using tourist hotels to house people experiencing homelessness (PEH). We describe the demographics, medical comorbidities, and healthcare utilization patterns of a subset of PEH who accessed the shelter-in-place (SIP) hotel sites during the 2020–2021 pandemic. We focus on how SIP hotels impacted connection to outpatient care and higher-cost emergency utilization. Our mixed methods study integrates qualitative and quantitative data to consider the impact of this temporary housing initiative among a medically complex cohort in a time of increased morbidity and mortality related to substance use. We found that temporary SIP housing increased outpatient care and reduced higher-cost hospital utilization. Our results can inform the future design and implementation of integrated supportive housing models to reduce mortality and promote wellness for PEH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile bicycle transects were conducted in Golden Gate Park and surrounding residential neighborhoods of San Francisco, CA, during the period July–October 2012. Measurements included air temperature at six heights from 0.15 to 2.5 m, as well as relative humidity, solar radiation, and surface radiometric temperature. Park temperatures were lower than surrounding neighborhoods at all measurement levels, and mean Park Cool Island (PCI) values ranged from 0.9 °C for grass playing fields to 1.9 °C for tree groves during typical cool (~ 16 °C) summer conditions. These increased to 2.6 °C and 3.7 °C, respectively, during periodic warm events (~ 30 °C). Grass fields produced strong temperature lapse profiles, similar to asphalt surfaces, while dense trees produced a near-isothermal profile. Shade enhanced cooling by 1–8 °C throughout the 2.5-m layer, peaking near the surface, and frequently producing inversions below 0.5 m. Complexity in the lower surface layer temperature profile suggests measurements of air temperature at one height may be insufficient to characterize the PCI. The park also produced a consistent humidity enhancement, with differences in vapor pressure between urban and park surfaces of up to 10 hPa. The humidity difference was positively correlated with the PCI and also doubled between cool and warm periods. This, along with assessment of the role of shade, and the daytime peak, suggests evaporative cooling and shade cooling are the main drivers of the PCI in Golden Gate Park. The advection of cool air from the park into leeward neighborhoods was limited below 2.5 m, and was only observable within the first few hundred meters. Implications for urban planning suggest urban green spaces that provide abundant vegetation, including dense tree canopies, and are widely accessible to inhabitants can be most effective for in situ thermal comfort, particularly temperature relief during heat events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread and vaccines are rolled-out, the "double burden" of disparities in exposure and vaccination intersect to determine patterns of infection, immunity, and mortality. Serology provides a unique opportunity to measure prior infection and vaccination simultaneously. Leveraging algorithmically-selected residual sera from two hospital networks in the city of San Francisco, cross-sectional samples from 1,014 individuals from February 4–17, 2021 were each tested on two assays (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics VITROS Anti-SARS-CoV-2 and Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2), capturing the first year of the epidemic and early roll-out of vaccination. We estimated, using Bayesian estimation of infection and vaccination, that infection risk of Hispanic/Latinx residents was five times greater than of White residents aged 18–64 (95% Credible Interval (CrI): 3.2–10.3), and that White residents over 65 were twice as likely to be vaccinated as Black/African American residents (95% CrI: 1.1–4.6). We found that socioeconomically-deprived zipcodes had higher infection probabilities and lower vaccination coverage than wealthier zipcodes. While vaccination has created a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for this pandemic, ongoing challenges in achieving and maintaining equity must also be considered. Continued monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 at the population level is important for identifying at-risk groups. Here the authors analyse data from a serological surveillance platform in San Francisco and find considerable variation in infection and vaccination history by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) influence almost every aspect of our daily lives. However, despite the high demand for STEM occupational talent, the STEM pipeline continues leaking, with less than one-sixth of high school students pursuing STEM majors and only 50% of entering STEM college majors matriculating into STEM fields. Science identity has been identified as the most powerful predictor of high school students pursuing an undergraduate STEM major as reported by Chang (Machine learning approach to predicting STEM college major choice, American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, 2020). Though the construct is gaining lots of attention, it remains largely ill-defined, not operationalized at the high school level, and not based upon traditional identity theory. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument that measures high school students' science identity, the Science Identity (SciID) Scale. Results: Subject experts and a small group of high school students provided content validation for the proposed scale. Exploratory factor analysis revealed an optimal two-factor solution, reflecting the traditional two-dimensions of identity theory: Exploration and Commitment. Cronbach's alpha revealed good internal consistency for both factors. Finally, structural equation modeling confirmed the convergent validity of the instrument with the external variables of science achievement and science career interest. Furthermore, the divergent validity between science identity and science self-concept was also confirmed. Conclusions: Initial results indicate that the SciID Scale is a valid and reliable instrument that accurately measures a high school student's standing on this construct. The soundness of this instrument will enable policy makers and practitioners to design more effective intervention programs aimed at cultivating high school students' science identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the 2009 Annual Meeting of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) in San Francisco, California is presented. It notes that almost 3,700 individuals attended the meeting. It also states that 2,600 papers were presented and eight books were produced in the said meeting. Moreover, it also mentions the events and activities showcased in the Annual Meeting which address the needs of technologists towards the improvement of the industry.

Background: Electronic referrals can improve access to subspecialty care in safety net settings. In January 2007, San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) launched an electronic referral portal that incorporated subspecialist triage, iterative communication with referring providers, and existing electronic health record data to improve access to subspecialty care.Objective: We surveyed primary care providers (PCPs) to assess the impact of electronic referrals on workflow and clinical care.Design: We administered an 18-item, web-based questionnaire to all 368 PCPs who had the option of referring to SFGH.Measurements: We asked participants to rate time spent submitting a referral, guidance of workup, wait times, and change in overall clinical care compared to prior referral methods using 5-point Likert scales. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify variables associated with perceived improvement in overall clinical care.Results: Two hundred ninety-eight PCPs (81.0%) from 24 clinics participated. Over half (55.4%) worked at hospital-based clinics, 27.9% at county-funded community clinics, and 17.1% at non-county-funded community clinics. Most (71.9%) reported that electronic referrals had improved overall clinical care. Providers from non-county-funded clinics (AOR 0.40, 95% CI 0.14-0.79) and those who spent > or =6 min submitting an electronic referral (AOR 0.33, 95%CI 0.18-0.61) were significantly less likely than other participants to report that electronic referrals had improved clinical care.Conclusions: PCPs felt electronic referrals improved health-care access and quality; those who reported a negative impact on workflow were less likely to agree. While electronic referrals hold promise as a tool to improve clinical care, their impact on workflow should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article relates how publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti discovered the City Lights Pocket Bookstore in San Francisco, California in 1953, and how it became part of the city's publishing history. Business was brisk from the start. City Lights Magazine published only five issues, but Ferlinghetti soon started publishing the Pocket Poets series, thinking of French bookstores that also operated as small presses. Pressure to expand developed, and by accident, the bookstore expanded into the cellar, competing for space with storage of a giant paper dragon used annually in the New Year's celebration in Chinatown.

Provides information on the recipients of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) Awards to be presented at the TMS Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, from February 13 to 17, 2005. Hamish L. Fraser; Matthew R. Barnett; James W. Evans; John P. Hager; Uichiro Mizutani.

The article presents abstracts of various research papers on perinatal pediatrics that will be discussed in the 2004 National Conference and Exhibition, to be held from October 8-10, 2004 in San Francisco, California. Inflammatory mediators increase in response to various neonatal clinical conditions such as infection and hypoxia-ischemia. This study was conducted to determine which inflammatory mediators increase during and following asphyxia in piglets and to assess the effects of volume resuscitation following asphyxia on these inflammatory mediators. Neonates with congenital heart disease may require surgical repair with cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

There is an urgent need for innovative methods to reduce transmission of bloodborne pathogens like HIV and HCV among people who inject drugs (PWID). We investigate if PWID who acquire non-pathogenic bloodborne viruses like anelloviruses and pegiviruses might be at greater risk of acquiring a bloodborne pathogen. PWID who later acquire HCV accumulate more non-pathogenic viruses in plasma than matched controls who do not acquire HCV infection. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of those non-pathogenic virus sequences reveals drug use networks. Here we find first in Baltimore and confirm in San Francisco that the accumulation of non-pathogenic viruses in PWID is a harbinger for subsequent acquisition of pathogenic viruses, knowledge that may guide the prioritization of the public health resources to combat HIV and HCV. Spread of bloodborne infections, such as HCV and HIV, is a problem, particularly amongst people who inject drugs (PWID). Here, the authors describe and then confirm in observational PWID cohorts that those with more non-pathogenic viruses in plasma were more likely later to acquire HCV than PWID who had fewer of these non-pathogenic viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued contamination of water sources by pesticides is a problem that involves the life of aquatic organisms and human health, especially in countries whose economy is based on agriculture. The need to know the quality of drinking water under these circumstances is a priority for the public health of any community. Passive sampling methods allow the determination of long-term environmental pollutants through a single sample collection, reducing time and cost of analyses. One advantage of passive sampling is that it is possible to calculate a time-weighted average (TWA) concentration value or an equilibrium concentration value, depending on the type of device used and the exposure time. Passive sampling techniques using carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have a high potential for pesticide sampling in aquatic systems. A device for passive sampling manufactured with CNMs in a microextraction system and recyclable materials was calibrated in laboratory exposure conditions over 15 days. The calibration results showed linear accumulation periods between 5 and 10 days. Sampling rates were between 0.014 and 0.146 mL day−1. The sampler was field-tested in the San Francisco river basin in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil for 7 days. This research allowed for the detection and calculation of TWA concentrations for organochlorine pesticides such as α-HCH, 4,4-DDE, and 4,4-DD in water sources. The manufactured device demonstrated greater sensitivity than the grab sampling processes for the detection of pesticides. The performed passive sampling system using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique allowed for the collection, detection, identification, and quantification of 26 pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a case study of successful departmental revitalization at the University of San Francisco. We examine the current crisis in the field of sociology and others' recommendations for addressing it. Reforms are outlined that transformed USF Sociology from a nearly extinct program to a model department on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article profiles Matthew Lewin, an emergency-care doctor with a specialty in widlerness medicine. In addition to operating as a medic in places such as Chile, Peru and Mongolia, he has released more than 40 papers on work that ranges from defensive behaviour of moth larvae and exotic parasites to how to open the throat of a person during improvised surgery. He has trained U.S. special-forces medics, national-park responders and medical students at the University of California in San Francisco, California, in methods to treat patients in the field.

Public health practitioners produce urban health indicator (UHI) tools to inform built environment policy and decision-making, among other objectives. Indicator producers perceive UHI tools as an easily understandable form of evidence about the urban environment impact on health for policy-makers' consumption. However, indicator producers often conceptualise policy-making as a rational and linear process, therefore underestimating the complex and contested nature of developing and implementing policy. This study investigates the health-promotion value of UHI tools in the complex urban planning policy and decision-making context. A thematic analysis was conducted following semi-structured interviews with 22 indicator producers and users in San Francisco, Melbourne and Sydney. The analysis was informed by collaborative rationality and systems theories and the results were used to develop causal loop diagrams (CLDs) of producers and users' mental models. The preliminary CLDs were tested and improved through a participatory modelling workshop (six participants). A high-level CLD depicts users and producers' shared mental model in which indicator development and use are embedded in policy development and application processes. In the cases analysed, creating and using UHI tools increased inter-sectoral relationships, which supported actors to better understand each other's opportunities and constraints. These relationships spurred new advocates for health in diverse organisations, supporting health-in-all-policies and whole-of-society approaches. Constraints to health-promoting policy and implementation (such as those which are legal, political and economic in nature), were overcome through community involvement in UHI tools and advocacy effectiveness. A number of factors reduced the perceived relevance and authority of UHI tools, including: a high number of available indicators, lack of neighbourhood scale data and poor-quality data. In summary, UHI tools were a form of evidence that influenced local urban planning policy and decision-making when they were embedded in policy processes, networks and institutions. In contrast to the dominant policy impact model in the indicator literature, such evidence did not typically influence policy as an exogenous entity. Indicators had impact when they were embedded in local institutions and well-resourced over time, resulting in trusted relationships and collaborations among indicator producers and users. Further research is needed to explore other governance contexts and how UHI tools affect the power of different actors, particularly for under-represented communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Birth cohort screening is recommended for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and underserved populations are disproportionally affected by HCV. Little is known about the influence of race on the HCV care continuum in this population.Objective: To assess the cascade of HCV care in a large racially diverse and underserved birth cohort.Design: Retrospective cohort study using electronic medical record data abstracted until August 31, 2017.Patients: 34,810 patients born between 1945 and 1965 engaged in primary care between October 1, 2014, and October 31, 2016, within the safety-net clinics of the San Francisco Health Network.Main Measures: Rate of hepatitis C testing, hepatitis C treatment, and response to therapy.Results: Cohort characteristics were as follows: median age 59 years, 57.6% male, 25.5% White (20.6% Black, 17.7% Latino, 33.0% Asian/Pacific Islander (API), 2% other), and 32.6% preferred a non-English language. 99.7% had an HCV test (95.4% HCV antibody, 4.3% HCVRNA alone). Among HCV antibody-positive patients (N = 4587), 22.9% were not tested for confirmatory HCVRNA. Among viremic patients (N = 3673), 20.8% initiated HCV therapy, 90.6% achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) and 8.1% did not have a SVR test. HCV screening and treatment were highest in APIs (98.7 and 34.7% respectively; p < 0.001). Blacks had the highest chronic HCV rate (22.2%; p < 0.001). Latinos had the lowest SVR rate (81.3%; p = 0.01). On multivariable analysis, API race (vs White, OR 1.20; p = 0.001), presence of HIV co-infection (OR 1.58; p = 0.02), presence of chronic kidney disease (OR 0.47; p < 0.001), English (vs non-English) as preferred language (OR 0.54; p = 0.002), ALT (OR 0.39 per doubling; p < 0.001), and HCVRNA (OR 0.83 per 10-fold increase; p < 0.001) were associated with HCV treatment.Conclusions: Despite near-universal screening, gaps in active HCV confirmation, treatment, and verification of cure were identified and influenced by race. Tailored interventions to engage and treat diverse and underserved populations with HCV infection are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective co-management of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) between primary care physicians (PCPs) and nephrologists is increasingly recognized as a key strategy to ensure the delivery of efficient and high-quality CKD care. However, the co-management of patients with CKD remains suboptimal.Objective: We aimed to identify PCPs' perceptions of key barriers and facilitators to effective co-management of patients with CKD at the PCP-nephrology interface.Study Design: Qualitative study SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Community-based PCPs in four US cities: Baltimore, MD; St. Louis, MO; Raleigh, NC; and San Francisco, CA APPROACH: We conducted four focus groups of PCPs. Two members of the research team coded transcribed audio-recorded interviews and identified major themes.Key Results: Most of the 32 PCPs (59% internists and 41% family physicians) had been in practice for > 10 years (97%), spent ≥ 80% of their time in clinical care (94%), and practiced in private (69%) or multispecialty group practice (16%) settings. PCPs most commonly identified barriers to effective co-management of patients with CKD focused on difficulty developing working partnerships with nephrologists, including (1) lack of timely adequate information exchange (e.g., consult note not received or CKD care plan unclear); (2) unclear roles and responsibilities between PCPs and nephrologists; and (3) limited access to nephrologists (e.g., unable to obtain timely consultations or easily contact nephrologists with concerns). PCPs expressed a desire for "better communication tools" (e.g., shared electronic medical record) and clear CKD care plans to facilitate improved PCP-nephrology collaboration.Conclusions: Interventions facilitating timely adequate information exchange, clear delineation of roles and responsibilities between PCPs and nephrologists, and greater access to specialist advice may improve the co-management of patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Joint Urban 2003 (JU 2003) experimental campaign took place in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, comprising both continuous and puff releases of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer gas. In the framework of the UDINEE project, intensive operation period 8 (IOP 8) conducted during the night is simulated using the Parallel-Micro-SWIFT-SPRAY (PMSS) three-dimensional modelling system. The PMSS modelling system is the assembly of a diagnostic or momentum flow solver (PSWIFT) and a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (PSPRAY) accounting for buildings and developed in parallel versions. A sensitivity study is performed regarding the flow modelling options, namely the meteorological data input, the characteristics of the turbulence, and the use of the diagnostic or momentum solver. Results shed light onto issues related to modelling puff releases in a built-up environment. Flow and concentration results are compared to measurements at the sample locations in IOP 8 and statistical metrics computed for all puffs released during IOP 8. These indicators illustrate satisfactory performance and robustness of the PMSS system with reference to the modelling options. Moreover, with moderate computational times and reliable predictions, the PMSS modelling system proves to be relevant for emergency response in cases of atmospheric release of hazardous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to leverage the strengths of time location sampling (TLS) and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) for surveys of hidden populations by combing elements of both methods in a new approach we call "starfish sampling." Starfish sampling entails random selection of venue-day-time units from a mapping of the locations where the population can be found, combined with short chains of peer referrals from their social networks at the venue or presenting to the study site later. Using the population of transmen in San Francisco as a case example, we recruited 122 eligible participants using starfish sampling: 79 at randomly selected venues, 11 on dating applications, and 32 by referral. Starfish sampling produced one of the largest community-recruited samples specifically for transmen to date. Starfish sampling is a flexibility method to recruit and sample hidden populations for whom conventional TLS and RDS may not work in theory or practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses a legal case about whether a plasmid discovered at and patented by the University of California at San Francisco contributed to the early success of Genentech, Inc. Evidence of the conflict in the pages of `Nature'; How the case shows the commercial pressures on the biotechnology industry.

The article discusses the highlights of the Photonics West conference held at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California from January 23-28, 2010. The conference included four symposia and two exhibitions. According to the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), the event was attended by approximately 18,000 participants. Joseph Lakowicz of the University of Maryland School of Medicine discussed innovations in plasmon-controlled fluorescence.

Previews the 2005 Minerals, Metals and Materials Society Annual Meeting to be held from February 13 to 17, 2005 in San Francisco, California. Topics included; Implications of the topics on various aspects of the materials science and engineering community.

African-American men who have sex with men (AA MSM) have been disproportionately infected with and affected by HIV and other STIs in San Francisco and the USA. The true scope and scale of the HIV epidemic in this population has not been quantified, in part because the size of this population remains unknown. We used the successive sampling population size estimation (SS-PSE) method, a new Bayesian approach to population size estimation that incorporates network size data routinely collected in respondent-driven sampling (RDS) studies, to estimate the number of AA MSM in San Francisco. This method was applied to data from a 2009 RDS study of AA MSM. An estimate from a separate study of local AA MSM was used to model the prior distribution of the population size. Two-hundred and fifty-six AA MSM were included in the RDS survey. The estimated population size was 4917 (95% CI 1267-28,771), using a flat prior estimated 1882 (95% CI 919-2463) as a lower acceptable bound, and a large prior estimated 6762 (95% CI 1994-13,863) as an acceptable upper bound. Point estimates from the SS-PSE were consistent with estimates from multiplier methods using external data. The SS-PSE method is easily integrated into RDS studies and therefore provides a simple and appealing tool to rapidly produce estimates of the size of key populations otherwise difficult to reach and enumerate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change on Microcystis blooms in San Francisco Estuary are uncertain because factors associated with the abundance and distribution of Microcystis blooms since their inception in 1999 are poorly understood. Discrete and continuous data collected between 2004 and 2008 were used to assess what factors controlled bloom initiation and persistence, if there was an impact of the bloom on mesozooplankton abundance and toxicity or dissolved organic carbon concentration, and how these might vary with climate change. Microcystis abundance was greater in dry years than wet years and both total microcystins concentration and the microcystins content of mesozooplankton tissue increased with abundance. The bloom began in the upstream portions of the estuary and spread farther west during dry years. Bloom initiation required water temperature above 19°C and surface irradiance in the visible range above 100 W m. The bloom persisted during a wide range of water quality conditions but was closely correlated with low turbidity. The intensity of Microcystis blooms will likely increase with climate change due to increased water temperature and low streamflow during droughts. Elevated water temperature earlier in the spring could also extend the duration of Microcystis blooms by up to 3 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directly observed therapy (DOT) of antiretroviral (ARV) medications has beneficial effects on HIV treatment for incarcerated inmates but has been associated with limited continuation after release and inadvertent disclosure of HIV status. Guided self-administered therapy (g-SAT) may be a preferred method of ARV delivery and may encourage medication-taking behavior. We surveyed the preference of 102 HIV-positive jailed inmates at the San Francisco City and County Jails regarding receiving ARVs via DOT versus g-SAT while incarcerated. Participants overwhelmingly preferred g-SAT over DOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on the SciCafé, a series of networking events that help researchers connect with investors and serial entrepreneurs in Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California. SciCafé is designed to connect commercially-oriented academics with the local business community. It will link the best and brightest researchers and business people within a biohub. The relevance of SciCafé to the biotechnology sector is emphasized.

BACKGROUND: Prognosis is critical in individualizing care for older adults with late life disability. Evidence suggests that preferences for prognostic information may be culturally determined. Yet little is known about the preferences of diverse elders for discussing prognosis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the preferences for discussing prognosis of a diverse sample of older adults with late-life disability DESIGN & PARTICIPANTS: We interviewed 60 older adults with mean age 78 and mean 2.5 Activities of Daily Living dependencies. Participants were recruited from San Francisco's On Lok program, the first Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Participants were interviewed in English, Spanish, and Cantonese, and responded to scenarios in which their doctors estimated they had 5 years and 1 year left to live. Open-ended questions explored the reasons for their responses. Results were analyzed qualitatively using grounded theory. KEY RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of participants wanted to discuss the prognosis if their doctor estimated they had <5 years to live and 75% if the estimate was <1 year. Three themes were prominent among patients who wanted to discuss prognosis: to prepare, to make the most of the life they had left, and to make medical or health-related decisions. Those who preferred not to discuss prognosis described emotional difficulty, the uncertainty of prognosis, or that it would not be useful. Nearly all participants said that doctors should not make assumptions based on race or ethnicity, though differences between ethnic groups emerged. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients in this diverse sample of disabled elders were interested in discussing prognosis, while a substantial minority was not. Among those participants who preferred to discuss prognosis, many said that prognostic information would be important as they made difficult medical and personal decisions in late-life. Clinicians should inquire about preferences for discussing prognosis before sharing prognostic estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their role as a source of sterile syringes, pharmacies are ideally situated to provide additional services to injection drug users (IDUs). Expanding pharmacy services to IDUs may address the low utilization rates of healthcare services among this population. This qualitative study of active IDUs in San Francisco explored perspectives on proposed health services and interventions offered in pharmacy settings, as well as facilitators and barriers to service delivery. Eleven active IDUs participated in one-on-one semistructured interviews at a community field site and at a local syringe exchange site between February and May 2010. Results revealed that most had reservations about expanding services to pharmacy settings, with reasons ranging from concerns about anonymity to feeling that San Francisco already offers the proposed services in other venues. Of the proposed health services, this group of IDUs prioritized syringe access and disposal, clinical testing and vaccinations, and provision of methadone. Pharmacists' and pharmacy staff's attitudes were identified as a major barrier to IDUs' comfort with accessing services. The findings suggest that although IDUs would like to see some additional services offered within pharmacy settings, this is contingent upon pharmacists and their staff receiving professional development trainings that cultivate sensitivity towards the needs and experiences of IDUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future development and climate change pose potentially serious threats to estuarine fish populations around the world. We examined how habitat suitability for delta smelt ( Hypomesus transpacificus), a state and federally protected species, might be affected by changes in outflow in the San Francisco Estuary due to future development and climate change. Forty years of sampling data collected during fall from 1967 to 2008 were examined to define abiotic habitat suitability for delta smelt as a function of salinity and water transparency, and to describe long-term trends in habitat conditions. The annual habitat index we developed, which incorporated both quantity and quality of habitat, decreased by 78% over the study period. Future habitat index values under seven different development and climate change scenarios, representing a range of drier and wetter possibilities, were predicted using a model which related estuarine outflow to the habitat index. The results suggested that each of the scenarios would generally lead to further declines in delta smelt habitat across all water year types. Recovery targets for delta smelt will be difficult to attain if the modeled habitat conditions are realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical reversals highlight a basic methodological problem: is it possible to treat two successive periods both as independent cases to compare for causal analysis and as parts of a single historical sequence? I argue that one strategy for doing so, using models of path dependency, imposes serious limits on explanation. An alternative model which treats successive periods as contrasting solutions for recurrent problems offers two advantages. First, it more effectively combines analytical comparisons of different periods with narratives of causal sequences spanning two or more periods. Second, it better integrates scholarly accounts of historical reversals with actors’ own narratives of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative methods are needed to systematically track the HIV epidemic and appropriately target prevention and care programs in vulnerable populations of women. We conducted sentinel surveillance among women entering the jail system of San Francisco from 1999 to 2001 to track trends in HIV incidence, HIV prevalence, and related risk behavior. Using geographic information software (GIS), we triangulated findings to examine the spatial distribution of risk and disease. A total of 1,577 female arrestees voluntarily screened for sexually transmitted diseases at intake were included. HIV incidence, estimated using the serologic testing algorithm for recent HIV seroconversion (STARHS), was 0.4% per year (95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 0.1–2.1). HIV prevalence was 1.8% (95%CI = 1.1–2.4). HIV infection was independently associated with age 30 to 39 years compared to all other ages, African-American race/ethnicity vs. non-African-American, and recent injection drug use. Maps showed that the communities in which arrested women reside are also those with the highest concentrations of newly detected female HIV cases, AIDS cases, and clients of substance use programs. The combined strategy of using sentinel surveillance in the jail setting and GIS to map the spatial distribution of disease provides a useful tool to identify patterns of risk in hard-to-reach, vulnerable populations of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]