We use the New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) framework and Vector Autoregressive (VAR) to investigate the usefulness and relevancy of monetary services, augmented to include credit card transaction services. We use the new credit-card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregates in the models to further the existing research on their usefulness and relevancy. In this research, we compare three different monetary aggregates within the New Keynesian framework: (1) the aggregation-theoretic “true” monetary aggregate, (2) the credit-card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregate, and (3) the simple sum monetary aggregate.

We acquire the following primary results. (1) The credit-card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregate tracks the theoretical (true) monetary aggregate, while simple sum does not. Although this result would be expected from the theory in classical economic models, the result is not an immediate implication of the theory in New Keynesian models and therefore needs empirical confirmation. (2) Under the recursive VAR framework, the credit-card-augmented Divisia monetary aggregate serves as a preferable monetary policy indicator compared to the traditional federal funds rate. (3) On theoretical grounds, we find that the separability condition for existence of a monetary aggregator function could fail, if credit card deferred payment services were excluded from the monetary services block, unless all markets are perfect.

Changes in abundance and distribution of marine top predators can indicate environmental change or anthropogenic pressure requiring management response. Here, we used an extensive dataset (21 years) to conduct a spatial and temporal analysis of grey seal strandings in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, close to the southern edge of the breeding range of the species. A total of 2007 strandings were reported from 2000 to 2020, increasing by 474% from 35 to 201 individuals per year during this period. The continued rise in strandings was consistent across all life stages and timeframes (5, 10 and 20 years), underpinning the suggestion of increasing abundance in the region. The observed seasonality differed by life stage, coinciding with the increased presence of animals near the coast for key life phases such as breeding, moulting and pupping. Strandings are widely distributed across the coast of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; however, most strandings were recorded on the north coast of Cornwall (70%) where major pupping and haul out sites are found. Despite hosting several pupping and haul out sites, a small proportion was recorded on the Isles of Scilly (5%) where it is thought that strandings are particularly underreported. Describing baselines in magnitude of strandings and life-stage compositions across space and time allows future deviations in frequency, demographic composition or spatial distribution to be detected and investigated. We demonstrate the utility of long-term citizen science data to provide valuable and cost-effective information on the distribution and abundance of a highly mobile marine mammal.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To describe and evaluate an innovative university-community vaccination and food access model for minority, immigrant, and underserved individuals experiencing food insecurity during a global pandemic. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Purdue University Center for Health Equity and Innovation (CHEqI) partnered with the two largest food banks in the Midwest and Walgreens to offer free COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations alongside food distribution. Goals included addressing food insecurity, increasing vaccine access, and decreasing vaccine hesitancy. CHEqI acquired funding, recruited volunteers and interpreters, assessed interest and addressed vaccine hesitancy. Food bank/pantry partners distributed food and provided access to clientele and marketing assistance. Walgreens procured, administered, and documented vaccinations. The Model accommodated drive-through and indoor processes. Unidentifiable observational and self-report data were collected. Descriptive statistics were computed to characterize program outcomes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: A total of 11 vaccination events occurred between June and October 2021 at three food bank/pantry locations. Of these 11 events, nine (82%) were drive-through and two (18%) took place indoors, eight (72%) offered COVID-19 vaccinations only, and three (27%) offered both COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations. Food was distributed to a total of 5,108 families and 416 vaccines (314 COVID, 102 Flu) were administered. Of the 396 individuals who received at least one vaccine, 20 (5%) received both a COVID and Flu vaccine. Of the 386 individuals who received at least one vaccine and reported their sex, 194 (50%) identified as female and the average age of those who received at least one vaccine was 45 years old. Of those who reported race (N = 228) or ethnicity (N = 253), 43% identified as Black or African American and 53% identified as LatinX. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Findings offer an innovative vaccination and food access model for diverse individuals experiencing food insecurity during a global pandemic. By drawing on cost effective, accessible, and culturally contextualized practices to optimize the reach and quality of vaccination services we can improve access barriers and mitigate health disparities.

Background: Mechanical ventilation is commonly seen in critical ill patients. The vulnerability of these patients is high, and a wide range of associated conditions can stem from this intervention. To objectively identify nosocomial respiratory conditions and provide conformed surveillance definitions of these events, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the ventilator-associated event (VAE) criteria. They denote 3 categories of increasing progression in mechanically ventilated patients from a ventilator-associated condition (VAC) to an infection-related ventilator-associated complication (IVAC) and finally to a possible ventilator-associated pneumonia (PVAP). Manipulation of ventilator settings, such as starting on higher values to not trigger VAC criteria, has been criticized by some experts as not only ‘gaming the system,’ but potentially harming patients. In October 2018, our institution began a baseline of 8 cm H2O as the starting positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) protocol for mechanical ventilation but exempting neurosurgical patients. We sought to determine whether an 8 PEEP protocol is an effective strategy for reducing VAEs in our institution. Methods: We retrospectively examined patient data at our institution from January 2014 through February 2020. VAEs were separated by VAC only and IVAC positive (+), which are a combination of IVACs and PVAPs. Using the days between VAEs, a daily event probability can be calculated based on the geometric distribution. Furthermore, as VAEs occur, the likelihood of the event can be assessed as expected or unexpected using a strict probability limit of 0.99865 to reduce type 1 errors. Results: In total, 307 patients were identified in our hospital’s VAE surveillance. Of those, 180 met CDC-defined VAC-only criteria, and 127 patients met IVAC+ definitions. After implementation of an 8-PEEP protocol, the daily event probability for VACs decreased from 0.083 to 0.047. The last event occurred 162 days after the previous VAC, which was unexpected, because the probability of occurrence extended beyond the probability limit. With regard to IVAC+ events, the daily event probability decreased from 0.057 to 0.039 without significant reduction in the IVAC+ rate. Conclusions: Although a change in the VAC-only rate occurred, signified by a longer time between events, it took more than a year to achieve in our institution. Additionally, we did not see a reduction in the IVAC+ rate. These findings suggest that an 8-PEEP protocol may be able to reduce VAEs due to noninfectious etiologies, such as congestive heart failure and atelectasis.

Funding: No

Disclosure: None

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Red Bird was a Cherokee murdered at the Red Bird River Petroglyph site (15Cy51) and buried at the Red Bird River Rockshelter (15Cy52) during the late eighteenth century, where he left an important record of traditional petroglyphs. His legacy is key to understanding the origins of Sequoyah's Cherokee Syllabary and its relationship to rock art. Personal testimonies of Red Bird's descendants are supported by primary documents and archaeological evidence, including the letters of Sequoyah's maternal uncle, John Watts, and prototypes of Cherokee Syllabary characters engraved at 15Cy52 in 1808, when members of Sequoyah's matrilineal family resided nearby.

Let $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}(m,n)$ (respectively, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}(m,n)$) denote the number of odd-balanced unimodal sequences of size $2n$ and rank $m$ with even parts congruent to $2\!\!\hspace{0.6em}{\rm mod}\hspace{0.2em}4$ (respectively, $0\!\!\hspace{0.6em}{\rm mod}\hspace{0.2em}4$) and odd parts at most half the peak. We prove that two-variable generating functions for $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}(m,n)$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}(m,n)$ are simultaneously quantum Jacobi forms and mock Jacobi forms. These odd-balanced unimodal rank generating functions are also duals to partial theta functions originally studied by Ramanujan. Our results also show that there is a single $C^{\infty }$ function in $\mathbb{R}\times \mathbb{R}$ to which the errors to modularity of these two different functions extend. We also exploit the quantum Jacobi properties of these generating functions to show, when viewed as functions of the two variables $w$ and $q$, how they can be expressed as the same simple Laurent polynomial when evaluated at pairs of roots of unity. Finally, we make a conjecture which fully characterizes the parity of the number of odd-balanced unimodal sequences of size $2n$ with even parts congruent to $0\!\!\hspace{0.6em}{\rm mod}\hspace{0.2em}4$ and odd parts at most half the peak.

The study of white dwarfs, the end stage of stellar evolution for more than 95% of stars, is critical to bettering our understanding of the late stages of the lives of low mass stars. In particular, the post main sequence evolution of binary star systems is complex, and the identification and analysis of double degenerate systems is a crucial step in constraining models of binary star systems. Binary white dwarfs in open star clusters are particularly useful because cluster parameters such as distance, metal content, and total system age are more tightly constrained than for field double degenerates. Here we use the precision astrometry from the Gaia Data Release 2 catalog to study two other white dwarfs which were identified as candidate double degenerates in the field of the open star cluster NGC 6633. One of the two objects, LAWDS 4, is found to have astrometric properties fully consistent with that of the cluster. In such a case, the object is significantly overluminous for a single white dwarf, strongly indicating binarity. The second candidate binary, LAWDS 7, appears to be inconsistent with cluster membership, though a more thorough analysis is necessary to properly quantify the probability. At present we are proceeding to model the photometric and spectroscopic data for both objects as if they were cluster member double degenerates. Results of this latter analysis are forthcoming. Our results will add crucial data to the study of binary star evolution in open star clusters.

This paper proposes the creation and application of maturity models to guide institutional strategic investment in research informatics and information technology (research IT) and to provide the ability to measure readiness for clinical and research infrastructure as well as sustainability of expertise. Conducting effective and efficient research in health science increasingly relies upon robust research IT systems and capabilities. Academic health centers are increasing investments in health IT systems to address operational pressures, including rapidly growing data, technological advances, and increasing security and regulatory challenges associated with data access requirements. Current approaches for planning and investment in research IT infrastructure vary across institutions and lack comparable guidance for evaluating investments, resulting in inconsistent approaches to research IT implementation across peer academic health centers as well as uncertainty in linking research IT investments to institutional goals. Maturity models address these issues through coupling the assessment of current organizational state with readiness for deployment of potential research IT investment, which can inform leadership strategy. Pilot work in maturity model development has ranged from using them as a catalyst for engaging medical school IT leaders in planning at a single institution to developing initial maturity indices that have been applied and refined across peer medical schools.

A robust biomedical informatics infrastructure is essential for academic health centers engaged in translational research. There are no templates for what such an infrastructure encompasses or how it is funded. An informatics workgroup within the Clinical and Translational Science Awards network conducted an analysis to identify the scope, governance, and funding of this infrastructure. After we identified the essential components of an informatics infrastructure, we surveyed informatics leaders at network institutions about the governance and sustainability of the different components. Results from 42 survey respondents showed significant variations in governance and sustainability; however, some trends also emerged. Core informatics components such as electronic data capture systems, electronic health records data repositories, and related tools had mixed models of funding including, fee-for-service, extramural grants, and institutional support. Several key components such as regulatory systems (e.g., electronic Institutional Review Board [IRB] systems, grants, and contracts), security systems, data warehouses, and clinical trials management systems were overwhelmingly supported as institutional infrastructure. The findings highlighted in this report are worth noting for academic health centers and funding agencies involved in planning current and future informatics infrastructure, which provides the foundation for a robust, data-driven clinical and translational research program.

A monetary production model of financial firms is employed to investigate supply-side inside-money aggregation, augmented to include credit card transaction services. Inside money is a supply-side concept. Financial firms are conceived to produce monetary and credit card transaction services as outputs through financial intermediation. While credit cards provide transactions services, credit cards have never been included into measures of the money supply. The reason is accounting conventions, which do not permit adding liabilities to assets. However, index number theory measures service flows and is based on microeconomic aggregation theory, not accounting. We derive theory needed to measure the supply of the joint services of credit cards and inside money, needed to estimate the output supply function and to compute value added. The data needed for empirical implementation of our theory are available online from the Center for Financial Stability in New York City.

A silver-palladium alloy with structural formula close to AgPd has been found in laterite from the Bahia lateritic gold deposit. The alloy occurs in a void of an iron oxide nodule, associated with goethite and hematite. The angular shape and protuberances of the alloy grains suggest crystal growth in a lateritic environment, indicating that the alloy is a secondary mineral precipitated during lateritisation. The oxidation of sulphides of the parent rocks probably favoured the migration of palladium and silver as transient thiosulphate and sulphite complexes. Destruction of the thiosulphate and sulphite ligands could result in precipitation of both palladium and silver as an alloy. Eh-pH phase diagrams for Pd-H2O-C1 and Ag-H2O-C1 systems show that both palladium and silver are stable in lateritic environments under lower redox potentials. Such an environment may exist at the top of the ferruginous zone due to the abundant organic matter near the surface.

While credit cards provide transactions services, as do currency and demand deposits, credit cards have never been included in measures of the money supply. The reason is accounting conventions, which do not permit adding liabilities, such as credit card balances, to assets, such as money. However, economic aggregation theory and index number theory measure service flows and are based on microeconomic theory, not accounting. Barnett et al. derived the aggregation and index number theory needed to measure the joint services of credit cards and money. They derived and applied the theory under the assumption of risk neutrality. But since credit card interest rates are high and volatile, risk aversion may not be negligible. We extend the theory by removing the assumption of risk neutrality to permit risk aversion in the decision of the representative consumer.

This paper analyzes the dynamical properties of monetary models with regime switching. We start with the analysis of the evolution of inflation when policy is guided by a simple monetary rule where coefficients switch with the policy regime. We rule out the possibility of a Hopf bifurcation and demonstrate the possibility of a period-doubling bifurcation. As a result, a small change in the parameters (e.g., a more active policy response) can lead to a drastic change in the path of inflation. We show that the New Keynesian model with a current-looking Taylor rule is not prone to bifurcations. A New Keynesian model with a hybrid rule, however, exhibits the same pattern of period-doubling bifurcations as the analysis with a simple monetary rule.

Previous greenhouse studies with a noncommercial glyphosate-resistant sugarbeet variety indicated that susceptibility to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot could increase after glyphosate was applied. Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to determine if glyphosate influenced disease severity in potential commercially available varieties of glyphosate-resistant sugarbeet. In the first greenhouse experiment in 2008, Hilleshög 9027RR, the most tolerant variety to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot, exhibited an increase in disease severity when glyphosate was applied. There were no significant differences between herbicide treatments in Hilleshög 9028RR, and glyphosate decreased disease severity in Hilleshög 9032RR when compared with the no-herbicide treatment. Experiments conducted to determine if glyphosate influenced Rhizoctonia solani growth in vitro indicated that glyphosate did not increase the radial growth of R. solani, except at 10× (190 µg ae ml−1) the normal rate of glyphosate plus ammonium sulfate (AMS). Field and additional greenhouse experiments were conducted using four commercial varieties. Differences in disease severity were observed when comparing varieties, but glyphosate did not significantly influence the severity of Rhizoctonia crown and root rot when compared with the no-herbicide control. Choosing a glyphosate-resistant sugarbeet variety with the best demonstrated tolerance to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot is an important factor in reducing disease severity and maintaining sugarbeet yield.