Population-Based Pragmatic Trial of Advance Care Planning in Primary Care in the University of California Health System.

Varying intensity of advance care planning (ACP) interventions at the population level has not been compared among seriously ill patients in primary care. This project will implement, test, and disseminate real-world scalable ACP interventions among primary care clinics across three University of California Health systems. The three ACP interventions are (1) distribution of an advance directive (AD) with targeted ACP messaging, (2) the AD, messaging, plus prompting patients to engage with the website (PREPARE), and (3) the AD, messaging, PREPARE, plus Care Coordinator engagement with patients and clinicians.

Participatory methods to support team science development for predictive analytics in health.

Predictive analytics in health is a complex, transdisciplinary field requiring collaboration across diverse scientific and stakeholder groups. Pilot implementation of participatory research to foster team science in predictive analytics through a partnered-symposium and funding competition. In total, 85 stakeholders were engaged across diverse translational domains, with a significant increase in perceived importance of early inclusion of patients and communities in research.

Influence of growth rate on the physiological response of marine Synechococcus to phosphate limitation.

Phosphate (P) is an important nutrient potentially limiting for primary productivity, yet, we currently know little about the relationship between growth rate and physiological response to P limitation in abundant marine Cyanobacteria. Thus, the aim of this research was to determine how variation in growth rate affected the physiology of marine Synechococcus WH8102 and CC9311 when growing under high N:P conditions. Experiments were carried out in chemostats with a media input N:P of 441 and we estimated the half saturation concentration for growth under P limiting conditions (K s,p ) and cellular C:N:P ratios.

A low-literacy medication education tool for safety-net hospital patients.

Background: To improve medication adherence in cardiac patients, in partnership with a safety-net provider, this research team developed and evaluated a low-literacy medication education tool.

Methods: Using principles of community-based participatory research, the team developed a prototype of a low-literacy hospital discharge medication education tool, customizable for each patient, featuring instruction-specific icons and pictures of pills. In 2007, a randomized controlled clinical trial was performed, testing the tool's effect on posthospitalization self-reported medication adherence and knowledge, 2 weeks postdischarge in English- and Spanish-speaking safety-net inpatients.

Life raft entry from water: effect of strength, tallness, and weight burden in men and women.

Background: The recurring failure of survivors of accidental water immersion to self-board a life raft prompted us to quantify the requisite physical attributes for successful self-boarding for predictive purposes.

Methods: There were 24 men and 24 women (18 to 52 yr) who attempted to self-board an inflated double-tube life raft using ladder, ramp, and over-the-side (OTS) entry methods while wearing a lifejacket in warm, calm water. The OTS method was also tested under weight-bearing conditions to determine the subject's 'reserve' capacity (i.

The impact of prior coffee consumption on the subsequent ergogenic effect of anhydrous caffeine.

This study examined whether the prior consumption of coffee (COF) decreased the ergogenic effect of the subsequent ingestion of anhydrous caffeine (CAF). Thirteen subjects performed 6 rides to exhaustion at 80 % VO2max 1.5 h after ingesting combinations of COF, decaffeinated coffee (DECOF), CAF, or placebo.

Caffeine improves physical performance during 24 h of active wakefulness.

Background: Reductions in both cognitive and physical performance occur during periods of sleep loss with sustained operations. It was the purpose of this study to examine the effects of caffeine on activities chosen to simulate the physical challenges that might occur during a military scenario involving a period of sleep loss.

Methods: There were 16 subjects (26.

Effect of modafinil on core temperature during sustained wakefulness and exercise in a warm environment.

Background: Previous studies have revealed that modafinil elevates resting core temperature during periods of sustained wakefulness. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of modafinil on core temperature during rest and exercise throughout 40 h of sustained wakefulness in a warm environment.

Methods: Ten males performed a drug session (three 100 mg doses per day) and a placebo session that involved a control day, 40 h of sustained wakefulness, and a recovery sleep.