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Magnetic induction tomography (MIT) is a novel technology for flow measurement offering significant promise in the measurement of multiphase flows containing low-conductivity fluids such as saline water. Such measurements rely on optimal effective shielding to avoid external field interference and extraneous capacitive coupling that can lead to false readings and overestimations of the eddy current-induced fields. The performance of various attenuation materials in the low megahertz frequency spectrum is presented and compared with outcomes from a numerical computational method. The results demonstrate that the shielding mechanism that prevails at low frequencies is that of reflection. Consequently, hard shields such as metals show superior wave attenuation performance for MIT systems operating below 13 MHz. For higher frequencies, the absorption effect on the incident wave path within soft electromagnetic shields presents enhanced shielding properties. This paper also explores the limitations of traditional testing geometry for shielding effectiveness and proposes an alternative approach to near-field, free-space measurement for MIT sensors. The proposed semi-enclosed approach shows enhanced shielding effectiveness measurements compared with the traditional transversal barrier method. The proposed method was used to assess the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of ferromagnetic and various metallic materials.

Longevity risk has emerged as an important risk in the early 21st century for the providers of pension benefits and annuities. Any changes in the assumptions for future mortality rates can have a major financial impact on the valuation of these liabilities and motivates many of the longevity-linked securities that have been proposed to hedge this risk. Using the framework developed in Hunt and Blake (Forward mortality rates in discrete time I), we investigate how these assumptions can change over a one-year period and the potential for hedging longevity risk in an illustrative annuity portfolio, and find that relatively simple hedging strategies can significantly mitigate longevity risk over a one-year period.

One of the key motivations in the construction of ever more sophisticated mortality models was the realisation of the importance of \cohort effects" in the historical data. However, these are often difficult to estimate robustly, due to the identifiability issues present in age/period/cohort mortality models, and exhibit spurious features for the most recent years of birth, for which we have little data. These can cause problems when we project the model into the future. In this study, we show how to ensure that projected mortality rates from the model are independent of the arbitrary identi ability constraints needed to identify the cohort parameters. We then go on to develop a Bayesian approach for projecting the cohort parameters, which allows fully for uncertainty in the recent parameters due to the lack of information for these years of birth, which leads to more reasonable projections of mortality rates in future.

Many users of mortality models are interested in using them to place values on longevity-linked liabilities and securities. Modern regulatory regimes require that the values of liabilities and reserves are consistent with market prices (if available), though the gradual emergence of a traded market in longevity risk needs methods for pricing new types of longevity-linked securities quickly and efficiently. In this study, we develop a new forward mortality framework to enable the efficient pricing of longevity-linked liabilities and securities in a market-consistent fashion. This approach starts from the historical data of the observed mortality rates, i.e., the force of mortality. Building on the dynamics of age/period/cohort models of the observed force of mortality, we develop models of forward mortality rates and then use a change of measure to incorporate whatever market information is available. The resulting forward mortality rates are then used to value a number of different longevity-linked securities, such as q-forwards, s-forwards, and longevity swaps.

The present work assesses the accuracy two phase flow measurement, based on cross-correlation and cross-spectrum velocity computation, using dual plane non-intrusive Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT), over a broad spectrum of horizontal flow configurations, combined with fraction distribution measurements from Gamma-ray Tomography (GRT). The measurement of two-phase flow encompasses the measurement of both the velocity and the phase concentration of the flow components. The accuracy of the flow velocity is still an open discussion and remains a key challenge in the field of multiphase flow measurement. The velocities of the two-phase components vary, both in between them, and across the pipe cross-section. This study assesses the use of cross- correlation techniques as methods for calculating the cross-sectional velocity distribution by deriving the transit time of the fluid flowing through two parallel ECT sensor arrays mounted on the perimeter of a pipe. The spectral distribution of the velocities is assessed for improved accuracy of individual component velocities. A dual-plane ECT is adopted for the velocity measurements and are combined with state-of-the-art density-based cross-sectional phase fraction distribution from a GRT system to measure the volumetric flow rates of the two phases. The results show that the cross-spectrum method provides enhanced velocity estimation for both flow phases over the conventional cross-correlation technique. Further improvement was reported using a simple predictive correction model resulting in flowrate estimation accuracy of ±10%.The method for two-phase flow measurement suggested in this work leverages the accuracy of the tomography systems on accurate fraction measurement and fast data acquisition to lead to potential enhancement in process control by enabling a more accurate prediction of components velocities.

Multiphase flow measurement aims to accurately quantify the flow rates of the fluids flowing through a pipe. Depending on the measurement principle, the accuracy can be heavily affected by the spatial distribution of flow components. The component distributions or flow patterns vary depending on the fluid properties and process conditions. The present work reports the measurement principles and analysis of the data simultaneously acquired from a multimodal metering device. A combined multimodal analysis, encompassing hard and soft tomography techniques, potentially leads to enhanced accuracy of the flow fractions. The multimodal approach exploited here combines Gamma-Ray tomography (GRT) and Electric Capacitance tomography (ECT). The metering methodology combines the robustness and high resolution of the techniques for density stratification and permittivity distributions imaging. The fundamental principles and imaging capabilities of each technique are addressed here. First results of the multimodal approach performance are also demonstrated using intermittent flow structure data obtained from the multiphase flow loop at NORCE Technology. The challenges and potential improvements are also stated. acceptedVersion

In this work we investigated the spectral dynamics of cesium lead mixed-halide, CsPb(BrxCl1–x)3 perovskite nanocrystals probed with complementary spectral techniques: time-resolved photoluminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy. Mixed-halide perovskite nanocrystals were synthesized via a hot-injection method followed by anion exchange reactions. Our results show that increased Cl content in perovskite nanocrystals (a) diminished the photoluminescence quantum yield and gave rise to rapid radiative recombination of carriers; (b) resulted in rapid thermalization of hot carriers and low carrier temperatures, which suggests weaker hot-phonon bottleneck and Burstein–Moss effects; (c) decreased the bandgap renormalization energy, which suggests high exciton binding energy and poor charge extraction in Cl substituted perovskite nanocrystals; and (d) increased the number of carriers undergoing Auger losses, where Auger processes dominate over trap-assisted recombination. These findings provide a generaliz...

For Pacific Island communities, social change has always been a part of their socio-political lives, while environmental changes were always transient and reversible, so that they understood and engaged with their ocean as a provider for food, culture and life. However, recent unprecedented and irreversible changes brought on by global climate change challenge this norm and alter their lagoons and adjacent oceans into unfamiliar territories. Climate change already is affecting, and has been projected to continue to disproportionately impact, Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) through rising temperatures, sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion of freshwater resources, coastal erosion, an increase in extreme weather events, altered rainfall patterns, coral reef bleaching, and ocean acidification. While knowledge is building about potential impacts on ecosystems and some target stocks, there is little information available for communities, governments and regional institutions on how to respond to these changes and adapt. What are the consequences for marine conservation, fisheries management and coastal planning at local, national and regional scales? What strategies and policies can best support and enable responses to these challenges across different scales? What opportunities exist to finance necessary climate change adaptation and mitigation measures? To consider these urgent issues, this paper synthesises innovative research methods, and studies many of the looming scientific, policy and governance challenges from a diversity of perspectives and disciplines.

We propose a supervised linear dimensionality reduction algorithm.The algorithm reduces the dimensionality of data to K1 for the K-class problem.The linearly reduced data is well-suited for Bayesian classification.Experiments on UCI datasets are performed for the proposed and existing algorithms.The applicability of the algorithm to flow meter diagnostics is also demonstrated. Supervised linear dimensionality reduction (LDR) performed prior to classification often improves the accuracy of classification by reducing overfitting and removing multicollinearity. If a Bayes classifier is to be used, then reduction to a dimensionality of K1 is necessary and sufficient to preserve the classification information in the original feature space for the K-class problem. However, most of the existing algorithms provide no optimal dimensionality to which to reduce the data, thus classification information can be lost in the reduced space if K1 dimensions are used. In this paper, we present a novel LDR technique to reduce the dimensionality of the original data to K1, such that it is well-primed for Bayesian classification. This is done by sequentially constructing linear classifiers that minimise the Bayes error via a gradient descent procedure, under an assumption of normality. We experimentally validate the proposed algorithm on 10 UCI datasets. Our algorithm is shown to be superior in terms of the classification accuracy when compared to existing algorithms including LDR based on Fishers criterion and the Chernoff criterion. The applicability of our algorithm is then demonstrated by employing it in diagnosing the health states of 2 ultrasonic flow meters. As with the UCI datasets, the proposed algorithm is found to have superior performance to the existing algorithms, achieving classification accuracies of 99.4% and 97.5% on the two flow meters. Such high classification accuracies on the flow meters promise significant cost benefits in oil and gas operations.

The viscosities of heavy oils and bitumen are significantly above those of water and light crude oil and are found in the oil and gas, polymer, metallurgical, and process industries. Unfortunately, little research attention has been given to the void fraction, and the behaviours of such flows as bubbles rise over them in bubble columns. How the liquid viscosity influences the behaviour of these flows and void fraction were examined using the electrical capacitance tomography (ECT), level swell technique and visual technique with a high-speed camera. It was found that: an excellent agreement was achieved within ±10% for comparison between the obtained void fraction using both techniques for all the liquid viscosities considered. In contradiction to previous findings, an increase in liquid viscosity provokes a corresponding increase in the void fraction, yet the influence is seen to reverse for gas superficial velocities beyond 0.25 m/s. In concordance with Mori et al. (1999)'s observations, a liquid viscosity increment brings about a corresponding decrease in the bubble frequency. The Taylor bubble's rise velocity was heavily dependent on the liquid viscosity range, whereby increases in liquid viscosity bring about a rise in the flow distribution coefficient. The bubble drift velocity, on the contrary, reduces with increasing liquid viscosity.

In industrial operations, the slug flow pattern can lead to serious problems, that are mostly caused by the liquid slugs of the flow. Hence, a detailed description of the slug flow pattern is of special interest. In this context, the temporal flow characteristics that are derived from high-speed video observations of the flow, are compared to tomography measurements. For this, the liquid level time series as well as the temporal slug characteristics of two different slug flow experiments are considered. It is shown that the liquid level time series from the video observations are systematically overestimated, but the slug dynamics are in good agreement.

For oil fields producing high fractions of water, it is critical to be able to accurately meter the water volumetric flowrate for production allocation and field life optimization. This paper reports the measurement principles and experimental results of a multiphase flow meter prototype, capable of non-intrusively measuring the water volumetric flowrate in a multiphase flow. This research prototype is based on a novel concept of combining two tomographic systems—magnetic induction tomography and electromagnetic velocity tomography—for measuring the cross-sectional volumetric fraction and the local axial velocity of the water phase, respectively. The fundamental principles and imaging capability of each technique are shown. First impressions of the prototype performance are demonstrated using experimental data from an in-house flow loop. The challenges and potential improvements are also addressed.

Background: Select patients with rectal adenocarcinoma with metastatic disease at presentation can be cured with multimodality management. However, the optimal components and sequencing of therapy is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate outcomes for patients treated with chemotherapy, short course radiation therapy (SCRT) and surgical resection. Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma who received SCRT from 2010–2016 were identified. All patients were evaluated by a multidisciplinary team and deemed candidates for treatment with curative intent. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Patient, tumor and treatment characteristics were evaluated as prognostic factors using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Thirty-four patients were included with a median [interquartile range (IQR)] follow-up of 25 (14.75–42.25) months; 26 patients (76.5%) received definitive surgery for their rectal tumor, and 24 patients (70.6%) received definitive local management of metastatic disease. One-, 2- and 3-year OS were 97%, 86.2% and 76.0%, respectively, and 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS were 52.1%, 22.7% and 17%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, definitive management of metastases was associated with improved OS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.33]; P=0.003, and ≤2 months of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with decreased OS (HR 11.7, 95% CI: 2.11–106; P=0.004). Conclusions: These findings suggest that SCRT can be successfully integrated into a definitive, multidisciplinary approach to metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma. Benefits to this approach include decreased time off systemic therapy as compared to standard course RT. Further study is needed to determine the optimum interval between SCRT and surgery.

This article provides first-person accounts of ethical issues inherent in an evaluation of the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio (NAICCO) Circles of Care project. Circles of Care is a three-year, infrastructure development program funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which is part of the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The grant program is for American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) tribes and urban Indian communities and includes a strong emphasis on community engagement and community ownership. The Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio received a Circles of Care grant in the fifth cohort of the program. The first author (Project Evaluator) presents views that typically represent a western approach to evaluation, while the second author (Project Director) presents a Native perspective. Ethical issues are defined as well as the authors' efforts to address these concerns.

The present study is based on a suite of surface samples from exposures of eroded laterite, considered to be Tertiary in age, and nearby soils in the Sahelian region of SW Niger and Burkina Faso. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Computer Controlled Scanning Electron Microscopy (CCSEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Diffuse UV/Visual Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and a suite of magnetic measurements have been used to shed light on the origin of the soils and their possible derivation from the adjacent, eroded laterite outcrops. On the basis of the wide range of data obtained, we conclude that the mineralogy and magnetic properties of the soils precludes direct derivation from the laterites without further weathering and modification. Nor does the evidence support the view that the soils have evolved entirely independently, uninfluenced by input from the laterites. The only conclusion that is consistent with all the lines of evidence is that the erosion of the laterites provided at least a significant part of the material upon which soil formation took place. This must have occurred at a time early enough to permit a long period of subsequent soil development during which the iron oxides, specifically haematite and ferrimagnetic minerals, were significantly modified. From this, we infer that eroded material from discontinuous laterite exposures has contributed significantly to the remotely sensed, distinctive reflectance characteristics of the Sahel surfaces. The magnetic properties of the soils provide evidence for the in situ neo-formation of fine, secondary, pedogenic magnetite/maghemite grains typical of those found in many soils across the Sahel region and elsewhere in both temperate and tropical environments.

We present a novel and effective method for sintering ceramic coatings onto metallic substrates. This new technique, called Flame-assisted flash sintering (FAFS), utilizes a flame as both a heating source and a conformal, current-carrying top electrode to facilitate flash sintering. Using this method, Yttria-stabilized Zirconia (8 mol% Y, 8YSZ) coatings are sintered onto stainless steel substrates to controlled degrees of porosity in rapid fashion. Flame-assisted flash sintering utilizes a dynamic soft electrode for flash sintering and has commercial potential to sinter ceramic coatings on complex-shaped substrates for a variety of applications including tribological or thermal protection coatings.

We derive a linear classifier for heteroscedastic linear discriminant analysis.The proposed scheme efficiently minimises the Bayes error for binary classification.A local neighbourhood search is also proposed for non-normal distributions.The proposed schemes are experimentally validated on twelve datasets. Under normality and homoscedasticity assumptions, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) is known to be optimal in terms of minimising the Bayes error for binary classification. In the heteroscedastic case, LDA is not guaranteed to minimise this error. Assuming heteroscedasticity, we derive a linear classifier, the Gaussian Linear Discriminant (GLD), that directly minimises the Bayes error for binary classification. In addition, we also propose a local neighbourhood search (LNS) algorithm to obtain a more robust classifier if the data is known to have a non-normal distribution. We evaluate the proposed classifiers on two artificial and ten real-world datasets that cut across a wide range of application areas including handwriting recognition, medical diagnosis and remote sensing, and then compare our algorithm against existing LDA approaches and other linear classifiers. The GLD is shown to outperform the original LDA procedure in terms of the classification accuracy under heteroscedasticity. While it compares favourably with other existing heteroscedastic LDA approaches, the GLD requires as much as 60 times lower training time on some datasets. Our comparison with the support vector machine (SVM) also shows that, the GLD, together with the LNS, requires as much as 150 times lower training time to achieve an equivalent classification accuracy on some of the datasets. Thus, our algorithms can provide a cheap and reliable option for classification in a lot of expert systems.

This work reported a novel two-step process to fabricate high-performance supercapacitor films that contain microscale domains of nano-interspaced, re-stacked graphene sheets oriented perpendicular to the surface of current collector substrate, i.e., carbon fiber paper. In the two-step process, we first used ligand molecules to modify the surface of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and manipulate the interspacing between the re-stacked GO sheets. The ligand-modified GOs, i.e., m-GOs, were then reduced to obtain more conductive graphene (m-rGO), where X-ray diffraction measurement results indicated well-controlled interlayer spacing between the restacked m-rGO sheets up to 1 nm. The typical lateral dimension of the restacked m-rGO sheets were ~40 µm. Then, electrical field was introduced during m-rGO slurry deposition process to induce the vertical orientation of the m-rGO sheets/stacks in the film deposit. The direct current electrical field induced the orientation of the domains of m-rGO stacks along the direction perpendicular to the surface of deposit film, i.e., direction of electric field. Also, the applied electric field increased the interlayer spacing further, which should enhance the diffusion and accessibility of electrolyte ions. As compared with the traditionally deposited “control” films, the field-processed film deposits that contain oriented structure of graphene sheets/stacks have shown up to ~1.6 times higher values in capacitance (430 F/g at 0.5 A/g) and ~67% reduction in equivalent series resistance. The approach of using electric field to tailor the microscopic architecture of graphene-based deposit films is effective to fabricate film electrodes for high performance supercapacitors.

Interest and participation in triathlon has grown rapidly over the past 20 yr and with this growth, there has been an increase in the number of new events. To maximize the safety of participation, triathlons require medical directors to plan and oversee medical care associated with event participation. Provision of proper medical care requires knowledge of staffing requirements, common triathlon medical conditions, impact of course design, communication skill, and a familiarity of administrative requirements. These guidelines serve as a tool for triathlon medical and race directors to improve race safety for athletes.

Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) monothalamous agglutinated foraminifers are described for the first time from strata of the Lashkarak Formation of the Simeh-Kuh section, AlborzMountains, northern Iran. One new genus Damghanites Nestell and Ghobadi Pour with the type species D. lashkarakensis, and three new species Amphitremoida simehkuhensis, Sorosphaera iranensis and S. darriwiliensis are described. Analysis of the foraminiferal wall of some of these species has revealed the presence of quartz, feldspar, products of feldspar degradation and rare grains of anatase, and also the presence of iron. Conodonts fromthe lower part of the Lashkarak Formation indicate an age within the interval of the Lenodus variabilis to Eoplacognathus? pseudoplanus zones of the lower Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician).

Multifilamentary Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x (Bi-2212) wire made by the powder-in-tube technique is the only high-temperature superconductor made in the round shape preferred by magnet builders. The critical current density (J C ) of Bi-2212 round wire was improved significantly by the development of overpressure heat treatment in the past few years. Bi-2212 wire is commercially available in multiple architectures and kilometer-long pieces and is a very promising conductor for very high-field NMR and accelerator magnets. We studied the effects of precursor powder and heat treatment conditions on the superconducting properties and microstructure of recent Bi-2212 wires. Short samples of recent wire with optimized overpressure processing showed J C (4.2 K, 15 T) = 6640 A/mm 2 and J C (4.2 K, 30 T) = 4670 A/mm 2 , which correspond to engineering critical current densities J E (4.2 K, 15 T) = 1320 A/mm 2 and J E (4.2 K, 30 T) = 930 A/mm 2 .

High-temperature superconductors (HTS) could enable high-field magnets stronger than is possible with Nb-Ti and Nb3Sn, but two challenges have so far been the low engineering critical current density JE, especially in high-current cables, and the danger of quenches. Most HTS magnets made so far have been made out of REBCO coated conductor. Here we demonstrate stable, reliable and training-quench-free performance of Bi-2212 racetrack coils wound with a Rutherford cable fabricated from wires made with a new precursor powder. These round multifilamentary wires exhibited a record JE up to 950 A/mm2 at 30 T at 4.2 K. These coils carried up to 8.6 kA while generating 3.5 T at 4.2 K at a JE of 1020 A/mm2. Different from the unpredictable training performance of Nb-Ti and Nb3Sn magnets, these Bi-2212 magnets showed no training quenches and entered the flux flow state in a stable manner before thermal runaway and quench occurred. Also different from Nb-Ti, Nb3Sn, and REBCO magnets for which localized thermal runaways occur at unpredictable locations, the quenches of Bi-2212 magnets consistently occurred in the high field regions over a long conductor length. These characteristics make quench detection simple, enabling safe protection, and suggest a new paradigm of constructing quench-predictable superconducting magnets from Bi-2212.

Here we describe the first automated fully integrated in-microscope broad ion beam (BIB) system. Ar+-BIB has several advantages over Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB) and Xe+ plasma-FIB (PFIB) methods inducing less beam damage, especially for ion beam sensitive materials. It can mill areas several orders of magnitude larger (up to millimetre scale), and is not confined to the edge of the sample with associated curtaining issues. BIB is shown to have sputter rates up to five times higher than comparable FIB techniques. This new coupled BIB–SEM system (commercial name ‘iPrep™II’) enables in-microscope surface polishing to remove contaminants or damage for two dimensional (2D) imaging, as well as automated serial section tomography (SST) by milling and imaging hundreds of slices, cost and time efficiently. The milled slice thickness can be controlled from a few nanometers up to a micrometre. A novel sample transfer, handling and interlock system allows automated and sequential BIB polishing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analysis by secondary electron (SE) imaging, electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) for 3D microstructure analysis. Furthermore, insulating surfaces can be sputter coated after milling each slice to reduce charging during SEM analysis. The performance of the instrument is demonstrated through a series of case studies across the materials, earth and life sciences exploiting the imaging, crystallographic and chemical mapping capabilities. These include the study of butterfly defects in bearing steels, meta-stable intermetallic phases in bronze bearings, shale gas rock, aluminium plasma electrolytic oxide (PEO) coatings as well as liver and mouse brain tissues.

Background Patient activation describes the skills, abilities and confidence someone has to actively manage their health. The most common way of capturing patient activation is by using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), and the NHS has begun to integrate use of the measure into services as an outcome measure or as a tool to tailor care. The PAM has been widely adopted and used in a variety of populations both within the NHS and internationally, but case studies have reported that some patients found that the PAM was too broad to capture the skills they used to manage their health. There has been limited research gathering patients’ perceptions of the suitability and acceptability of the PAM, particularly within a rheumatology context. Objectives To gather participants’ opinions on the PAM as a method of capturing patient activation. Methods Seventeen participants living with a rheumatic condition in the South West of England participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a wider qualitative study investigating perceptions of patient activation. Participants completed the PAM at the beginning of the interview. In the last phase of the interview, they were asked to review and reflect on the PAM, including individual survey items and how closely they matched their experiences. Relevant sections of the interviews were analysed iteratively and participants’ perspectives were grouped into themes. Results Participants’ feedback on the PAM ranged, and some participants reported that the PAM entirely captured how they perceived patient activation and the way that they managed their conditions. However, this was not the case for all participants. Aspects of the PAM that participants felt were not sufficiently recognised included how they managed the psychological impact of their condition, and how they discussed their condition with loved ones. Participants commonly reported that they thought the phrasing of certain PAM items did not match the lived experience of their conditions. For example, PAM items capturing how well patients could prevent further problems was identified as a challenge for participants living with a fluctuating condition, and participants commented that the PAM does not check from where participants received or sought this information. The distinction between whether patients independently researched information about diagnoses and medications or received this passively from healthcare professionals also appeared important to some participants, as well as whether this information was accurate. Conclusion The PAM survey is generally considered a reliable and valid measure of patient activation, but there may be aspects of it that do not capture the realities of living with a long-term fluctuating condition. Rather than a stand-alone measure, the PAM would be best used in conjunction with healthcare professionals’ clinical judgement to capture peoples’ understanding of their conditions and how well they are able to recognise and respond to flare-ups and fluctuations. Acknowledgement This work was funded by a PhD scholarship by Versus Arthritis (Grant Number 20971). Disclosure of Interests Bethan Jones: None declared, Andrew Hunt: None declared, Diana Harcourt: None declared, Sarah Hewlett Grant/research support from: Has previously received an independent learning grant from Pfizer, however the work has been completed and the grant has been closed., Emma Dures Grant/research support from: Has previously received an independent learning grant from Pfizer, however the work has been completed and the grant has been closed.

OBJECTIVES: All 50 states have implemented a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in efforts to control prescription drug abuse. Many now mandate PDMP checks before clinicians prescribe controlled substances. The aim of this study was to characterize the associations between patient characteristics, red flags found on PDMP reports, and prescriber behavior at community mental health agencies. METHODS: Prescribers at 9 practice sites, in five regional community mental health centers, were recruited by a practice-based research network (PBRN) to participate in a Card Study. Prescribers completed a PDMP attitudes survey, and cards were completed for patients who had PDMP reports checked. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Thirty nine providers completed cards for n=249 unique patient encounters. Over 1/3 of all patients reported an addiction disorder (38%) or a diagnosis of chronic pain (34%). Twenty percent of PDMP reports were found to have red flags, most commonly multiple prescribers or multiple pharmacies. Red flags were associated with race (p