FRANCE 

Survey suggests geographic inequalities in patient registration versus primary care physician density can exclude patients from comprehensive care access

Presence of primary care physicians and patients’ ability to register: a simulated-patient survey in the Paris region

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

French researchers conducted a large, simulated study to examine the relationship between the presence of primary care physicians (PCPs) and the ability of patients to register with a PCP. The study aimed to analyze local PCP supply based on various indicators, including PCP presence, patient registration availability for office visits, and patient registration availability for home visits. Out of 5,188 census blocks, 55.4% had at least one PCP, with 38.6% of those blocks allowing registration for office visits and 19.46% allowing registration for home visits. The research revealed that geographic inequalities in patient registration were more significant than those related to PCP density, challenging the assumption that patients could easily find and register with a PCP. They found that doctors were less likely to accept new patients who required time-consuming procedures including home visits and complicated services. Additionally, they were also less likely to accept new patients if they worked in areas that required them to take on the highest work loads (lowest PCP density in the most disadvantaged areas). The authors argue that policy decisions mandating patient registration with a PCP to access health care may unintentionally exclude individuals who are unable to register with a PCP, preventing them from benefiting completely  from the health care system.

What We Know: Finding a PCP with whom to register in France is a prerequisite for benefiting fully from the health care system, access to which can be undermined by substantial PCP refusal to register new patients. PCPs can also refuse appointments to unregistered patients.

What This Study Adds: The findings from the study suggest that the number of primary care doctors in a specific area does not correlate with a patient’s ability to register for care from any of those doctors. Patients who requested more complex services or were located in more disadvantaged areas were more likely to be denied registration for a PCP. The researchers contend that the inability of patients to register with a PCP may result in the exclusion of certain patient groups from accessing health care services that require PCP registration. These observations highlight the need for a more nuanced approach in developing policies to ensure equitable health care access for all individuals.

Presence of Primary Care Physicians and Patients’ Ability to Register: A Simulated-Patient Survey in the Paris Region

Raphaëlle Delpech, MD, et al
Department of General Practice, University of Paris-Saclay and CESP (Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health), Inserm U1018, University of Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health Team, Paris, France
Permanent link

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JOURNAL

The Annals of Family Medicine

 

Primary care clinics that improved patient access, identified at-risk patients and expanded services experienced reductions in acute hospitalizations

Reducing acute hospitalizations at high performing CPC+ primary care practice sites: strategies, activities, and facilitators

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

Researchers from Mathematica studied high-performing Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) sites to identify key strategies that contributed to significant reductions in acute hospitalization rates. Researchers identified CPC+ practice sites with the highest likelihood of achieving substantial reductions in Medicare acute hospitalization rates between 2016 and 2018, and referred to them as "Acute Hospitalization Rate (AHR) high-performers." Afterwards, they conducted telephone interviews and within- and cross-case comparative analyses of 14 of these primary care practice sites, with the help of physicians, practice administrators, care managers, and other practice staff including nurses and pharmacists.

AHR high-performers credited various care delivery activities that aligned with three key strategies: (1) improving and promoting timely access to primary care, (2) identifying high-risk patients and providing enhanced care management tailored to their needs, and (3) expanding the range of services offered at the practice site. The AHR high-performers also recognized several factors that facilitated the implementation of these strategies, such as receiving enhanced payments through CPC+, prior experience in transforming primary care practices, utilizing data to identify valuable activities for specific patient subgroups, fostering teamwork, and benefiting from organizational support for innovation. Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that strengthening the local primary care infrastructure through practice-driven and targeted changes in access, care management, and comprehensiveness can support efforts to reduce  incidence of acute hospitalizations. They encourage other primary care clinics to emulate these strategies, tailoring specific activities to fit their context, personnel, patient population and available resources.

What We Know: Access to timely primary care has been linked to reduced hospitalizations among patients. However, the existing health care system often lacks the necessary resources to enable primary care doctors to reach patients before their conditions worsen and require hospitalization. Notably, clinics enrolled in CMS’ Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) program receive both financial and technical support to proactively engage with patients prior to hospitalization. However, researchers aren’t certain what high-performing clinics are doing to reduce acute hospitalization rates. Petersen, et al’s study strives to explain those specific activities.

What This Study Adds: Clinics that successfully reduced acute hospitalization rates implemented several effective strategies. They focused on improving access to primary care, proactively identifying high-risk patients and providing them with enhanced care management. These clinics also expanded the range of services available to patients. Additional contributing factors to their success included receiving enhanced payments through CPC+, prior experience with clinic transformations, utilizing data to identify high-value services for specific patient groups, receiving organizational support for change, and fostering teamwork among health care professionals.

Reducing Acute Hospitalizations at High Performing CPC+ Primary Care Practice Sites: Strategies, Activities, and Facilitators

Dana M. Petersen, MA, MPH, PhD, et al
Mathematica, Oakland, California
Permanent link

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JOURNAL

The Annals of Family Medicine

U$A 

Researchers examine the impact of loan repayment program enrollment on physician workforce equity and patient care access

Impact of service-based student loan repayment program on the primary care workforce

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

Researchers from the American Board of Family Medicine and the University of Minnesota Medical School investigated whether participation in medical school repayment programs impacted the care family physicians provided to patients post graduation. By analyzing data from over 10,000 American Board of Family Medicine National Graduate Survey respondents, the authors examined differences in program participation, participant demographics, scope of practice, and the likelihood of serving medically underserved or rural populations.

The study revealed a significant increase in participation in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program between 2016 and 2020, while participation in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program remained unchanged. Physicians enrolled in the NHSC program were more likely to come from underrepresented groups; exhibited a wider scope of practice; and were more inclined to practice in rural areas (23.29% compared to 10.84% in PSLF). They also were more likely to practice in areas designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (12.5% compared to 3.70% in PSLF), serving medically underserved populations (82.17% compared to 24.22% in PSLF). In contrast, PSLF primarily supported physicians intending to work in public service.

What We Know: With average medical school debt soaring to $200,000 over the last few decades, the escalating financial burden is driving concerns that students may opt out of low-pay but high-value public service careers in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health clinics, and the Indian Health Service. Loan repayment programs – like the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) – play a vital role in making primary care a viable career option by alleviating the burden of high educational costs.

What This Study Adds: The analysis conducted in this study suggests that PSLF may be less effective in supporting family physicians from underrepresented backgrounds, promoting a broader scope of practice, and directing physicians to underserved settings compared to service-based loan repayment programs like NHSC.

Impact of Service-Based Student Loan Repayment Program  on the Primary Care Workforce 
 

Caitlin S. Davis, MD, MSc, et al
Fairfax Family Medicine Program, Fairfax, Virginia
Permanent link

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JOURNAL

The Annals of Family Medicine

 

Calling for cancer centers to lead on climate disaster preparedness

Sylvester researchers, collaborators advocate for NCI-designated centers to take steps to protect vulnerable patients, bolster community resilience

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

MIAMI, FLORIDA (JULY 25, 2023) – Cancer centers are uniquely positioned to protect communities and their most vulnerable residents – cancer patients – from climate-driven disasters by bolstering emergency preparedness, noted researchers with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and collaborating organizations. 

Writing in a commentary in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the researchers noted that all 71* of the country’s NCI-designated cancer centers have been impacted by one or more climate-related disasters during the past decade. 

Wildfires. Floods. Hurricanes and tropical storms. Severe ice and snowstorms. Extreme heat events. Cancer centers have gained experience dealing with all types of climate hazards, according to the researchers. 

Additionally, the centers already have emergency preparedness plans in place as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency overseeing these federal health programs.  

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that cancer centers can adapt quickly to challenging circumstances and develop best practices to prioritize patient and public safety,” said Leticia Nogueira, PhD, ACS’s scientific director for Health Services Research and the paper’s corresponding author, “the same type of prioritization and collaboration between institutions and professionals from different backgrounds is urgently needed to better prepare and response to climate-driven disasters”. 

Gaps in Emergency Preparedness  

However, while cancer centers adapted quickly to the challenges posed by the pandemic, the researchers identified some significant shortcomings in emergency preparedness among the cancer centers when it came to climate-related disasters, especially when it came to protecting the health and safety of cancer patients.  

For the analysis, the researchers conducted an extensive audit of the centers’ websites to identify and categorize current preparedness information, guidance and practices. Their review revealed some glaring information gaps and deficiencies, including:  

• Only half of the centers posted preparedness information specifically for cancer patients. 

• Less than 25% contained emergency information for climate disasters, despite their increasing frequency and severity. 

• Less than 10% of centers provided cancer-specific emergency preparedness material related to climate-driven disasters.  

• Only one center’s website included information on maintaining psychological health and well-being during climate disasters. 

Although some websites outlined steps that individuals can take to boost personal preparedness, including making disaster kits and evacuation plans and ensuring pet safety, very few -- about 5% -- included cancer-specific recommendations such as: pre-registering for special-needs shelters, requesting additional medical supplies before disasters, creating portable medical cards containing vital personal health information and stocking medical items in disaster kits.  

“As a psychiatrist, I know firsthand that the diagnosis and treatment of cancer brings about a multitude of stressors related to the physical, psychological and socioeconomic consequences of the disease,” explained Zelde Espinel, M.D., Sylvester clinician and researcher and lead author of the paper. “Patients living with cancer – and their caregivers and care providers – have distinctive needs and vulnerabilities that are further amplified when faced with the risks posed by climate-driven extreme weather events.”  

Roadmap for Cancer-Specific Future Preparedness 

“ NCI-designated cancer centers are well-positioned to advance knowledge and expertise about “climate-proofing” healthcare operations for cancer patients and others,” said Tracy Crane, PhD, RDN, co-lead of Cancer Control and director of Lifestyle Medicine, Prevention and Digital Health at Sylvester, and one of the paper’s authors. “They have greater access to resources through accreditation, established relationships with other healthcare organizations and are trusted entities within their communities.” 

Additionally, the centers already have CMS-compliant emergency-preparedness plans that should be evaluated and revised, as needed, to better protect medically vulnerable populations during climate disasters. 

Moreover, the centers can build on existing resources for centralized information sharing, such as the NCI’s “Emergency Resources for the Cancer Community,” ACS’s “Guide to Getting Ready for a Natural Disaster” and the Department of Health and Human Services’ website with hazard-specific content for actions before, during and after disasters. Other federal and local resources are readily available and should be utilized as appropriate. 

The researchers also recommended structured information sharing among cancer centers to share lessons learned from previous climate disasters and coordinated research efforts that promote collaboration in evidence-gathering, data analysis, implementation strategies and communication methods that can result in best practices. 

“Our research takes on even greater significance during the expansive heatwaves and climate disasters of 2023 as we encourage national cancer centers to pursue innovative strategies for enhancing emergency preparedness for their patients, providers, other staff and care systems in this current era of compounding disasters,” said co-author James M. Shultz, Ph.D., Sylvester researcher and associate professor of public health at UM Miller School of Medicine. His Protect and Promote Population Health in Complex Crises research program focuses on safeguarding medically high-risk patients, particularly cancer patients, from disaster threats. 

“Climate-related disasters are only expected to increase in the coming decade,” added Crane. “Cancer centers have a responsibility and an opportunity to partner with their communities and ensure they are prepared to protect medically vulnerable populations, especially cancer patients.”    

  

# # # 

*With the recent addition of the University of Florida, there are now 72 NCI-designated cancer centers in the United States. When the cancer centers were reviewed UF had not yet received designation. 

DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad139 

# # # 

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Sandy Van 
sandy.van@miami.edu  
808.206.4576 

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JOURNAL

JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute

DOI

10.1093/jnci/djad139 

ARTICLE TITLE

Protecting Vulnerable Patient Populations from Climate Hazards: The Role of the Nations’ Cancer Centers

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

25-Jul-2023

 

Canadian patients report high levels of satisfaction from an integrated model of virtual and in-person care

Investigating patient experience, satisfaction, and trust in an integrated virtual care (IVC) model: a cross-sectional survey

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

 

IMAGE: INVESTIGATING PATIENT EXPERIENCE, SATISFACTION, AND TRUST IN AN INTEGRATED VIRTUAL CARE (IVC) MODEL: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY view more 

CREDIT: ANNALS OF FAMILY MEDICINE

In an effort to increase access to care in underserved communities, researchers from the University of Ottawa evaluated the implementation of an integrated virtual care (IVC) model. Their study evaluated the overall experience and satisfaction of patients receiving care through a combination of virtual and in-person visits. A secondary aim was to compare the experiences of patients who had been previously seen in person by a family physician before transitioning to the IVC clinics with those who met their family physician virtually for the first time in their virtual appointment at participating clinics.

The IVC model helps alleviate the burden on overwhelmed primary care clinicians by leveraging telemedicine technology, allowing family doctors located outside the community to provide care to patients remotely. By utilizing secure messaging, telephone consultations, and video appointments, the IVC model expands the pool of available family doctors, ensuring patients can access care even when local clinicians are overburdened.  In-person care is provided by physicians, nurse practitioners and other allied health professionals including community paramedics within the local family health team.

Using a cross-sectional online survey administered to 121 patients, the researchers determined that across all groups, 90% of patients were very satisfied or satisfied with care from their family physician, and 89% with care from their allied health team. When comparing previous healthcare experiences, 75% of respondents believe that their encounters with IVC were better than or the same as any prior, in-person healthcare encounters. There was no difference in satisfaction or trust between patients who had a previously established in-person relationship with their doctor and those whose first visit was virtual.

What We Know: Health care systems, both in Canada and globally, have long faced challenges in delivering timely and continuous primary care to their populations. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these difficulties, prompting health care organizations to establish virtual care networks to address the evolving needs of patients and ensure access to health care services.

What This Study Adds: Researchers found across all groups, 90% of patients were very satisfied or satisfied with care from their family physician, and 89% with care from their allied health team. When comparing previous healthcare experiences, 75% of respondents believe that their encounters with IVC were better than or the same as any prior, in-person healthcare encounters. Those levels were comparable to traditional in-person models of primary care.

Investigating Patient Experience, Satisfaction, and Trust in an Integrated Virtual Care (IVC) Model: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Jonathan Fitzsimon, MD, et al
Faculty of Medicine and Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Permanent link

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JOURNAL

The Annals of Family Medicine

FOR PROFIT MEDICINE

HPV vaccine cost reimbursement could hinder vaccine access, study suggests

Peer-Reviewed Publication

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

 

IMAGE: DR. KALYANI SONAWANE INVESTIGATED DIFFERENCES IN REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR THE HPV VACCINE. view more 

CREDIT: CLIF RHODES/MUSC HOLLINGS CANCER CENTER

Bare minimum reimbursement rates could be a factor in why some clinics may be struggling to offer HPV vaccination in the U.S.

MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researcher Kalyani Sonawane, Ph.D., and a team of researchers from South Carolina and Texas decided to quantify private insurance reimbursement rates for the HPV vaccine after several qualitative studies noted that health care providers were dissatisfied with HPV vaccine reimbursement by private insurance companies.

The results of their investigation were published July 24 in the Annals of Family Medicine.

They found that non-pediatric specialties were reimbursed at lower rates compared with pediatricians.

Although all specialties received at least the minimum payment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that rate covers only the cost of the vaccine itself, Sonawane said.

Family medicine doctors received an average of 34 cents above the recommended rate, which would have to cover all of the indirect costs of vaccination, like storage, administration, insurance and record-keeping. In contrast, pediatricians received an average of $5.08 above the recommended rate.

“Family physicians – who are so critical and important, especially in rural areas where not all patients have access to pediatricians – are not receiving adequate reimbursement for the HPV vaccine, which is sort of a disincentive for them to offer this critical cancer-preventive vaccine,” Sonawane said.

“We did find that the number of doses administered by each specialty was slightly sensitive to the reimbursement level or the margin that they were receiving through the reimbursements, and family physicians were most sensitive to the change in reimbursement,” she added.

The HPV, or human papillomavirus, vaccine is recommended for adolescents at age 11 or 12, although it can be given starting at age 9 and up to age 45.

It protects men and women against HPV strains that can cause six types of cancer. The Healthy People 2030 goal is to have 80% of adolescents up to date on HPV vaccines by then. Right now, about 62% are up to date.

After lagging behind other states, South Carolina is now on par with national averages. Hollings has made a special effort to increase HPV vaccination rates, launching a statewide campaign in 2019 to improve them.

In 2021, Hollings launched the Community Health Van, which travels across the state offering HPV and other childhood vaccines as well as cancer education.

Sonawane suspects that the lower reimbursement rates for family physicians could contribute to geographic disparities in vaccination rates. Adolescents in rural areas are less likely to be up to date on vaccines than those in urban or suburban areas. Part of the issue is parental hesitancy about vaccines, she said. Lack of availability, though, if doctors in rural areas don’t stock the vaccine, could be another barrier.

“The key message here is that, yes, we are meeting the minimum threshold that the CDC has put out there, but that may not be enough to sustain vaccination programs, particularly in family medicine clinics,” she said.

About MUSC Hollings Cancer Center 

MUSC Hollings Cancer Center is South Carolina’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center with the largest academic-based cancer research program in the state. The cancer center comprises more than 130 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments. It has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $44 million and sponsors more than 200 clinical trials across the state. Dedicated to preventing and reducing the cancer burden statewide, the Hollings Office of Community Outreach and Engagement works with community organizations to bring cancer education and prevention information to affected populations. Hollings offers state-of-the-art cancer screening, diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within its multidisciplinary clinics. Hollings specialists include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and other clinical providers equipped to provide the full range of cancer care. For more information, visit hollingscancercenter.musc.edu. 

 

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JOURNAL

The Annals of Family Medicine

DOI

10.1370/afm.2990 

ARTICLE TITLE

Reimbursement for HPV Vaccine Cost in the Private Sector: A Comparison Across Specialties

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-Jul-2023

COI STATEMENT

A.A.D. reported receiving a consulting fee from Merck on unrelated projects. K.S. has provided consultancy to Value Analytics Labs on unrelated projects. All other authors declare no competing interests.

Family medicine physicians receive lowest HPV vaccine cost reimbursements compared to pediatricians, internal medicine doctors, nurse practitioners and other specialists

Reimbursement for HPV vaccine cost in the private sector: a comparison across specialties

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage has improved in the United States, but privately insured adolescents have lower initiation and completion rates compared to those under public insurance programs. One of the contributing factors to this disparity is the higher cost of the HPV vaccine compared to other routinely recommended adolescent vaccines. While private payers typically reimburse the cost of the HPV vaccine at or above the CDC list price (i.e., $210.99 in 2017-2018), it remains below the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended price (i.e., $263.74). Adequate reimbursement for vaccine costs by third-party payers plays a critical role in enabling doctors and other medical staff to offer and continue providing vaccines.

Researchers investigated the reimbursement rates for HPV vaccine costs across various medical specialties, including pediatricians (as the comparison group), family physicians, internal medicine specialists, nurse practitioners, and other medical practitioners. Additionally, they examined whether the reimbursement amounts were associated with the number of HPV vaccine doses administered by these health care practitioners.

The study analyzed data from over 34,000 unique practitioners and found that family physicians had the lowest net returns per dose ($0.34), while pediatricians had the highest returns ($5.08). On average, during 2017-2018, pediatricians received higher reimbursement for HPV vaccine costs ($216.07) compared to family physicians ($211.33; p<0.0001), internists ($212.97;  p<0.0001), nurse practitioners ($212.91; p<0.0001), and 'other' practitioners ($213.29;  p<0.0001). The researchers also observed that a one-dollar increase in return was associated with a slight increase in HPV vaccine doses administered, particularly among family physicians (0.08% per dollar). Although reimbursement for HPV vaccine costs by private payers is considered adequate, according to the authors, the study highlights that non-pediatric specialties have a very marginal return on investment, which may be insufficient for covering indirect expenses for stocking vaccines (storage cost, personnel cost for monitoring inventory, insurance, waste, and lost opportunity costs). The authors argue that this makes them more sensitive to changes in cost reimbursement, emphasizing the need for an increase in reimbursement rates for these practitioners so that they can continue offering the cancer-preventing HPV vaccine.

What We Know: The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is the most expensive of all routinely recommended pediatric vaccines. Adequate cost reimbursement by third-party payers is important for helping practitioners continue to offer the vaccine.

What This Study Adds: Researchers determined that net returns from HPV vaccine cost reimbursements are lowest for family physicians ($0.34/dose) and highest for pediatricians ($5.08/dose). Furthermore, a one dollar increment in return was associated with an increase in HPV vaccine doses administered (highest for family physicians; 0.08% per dollar). Although reimbursement for HPV vaccine costs by private payers is generally adequate, according to the authors, non-pediatric specialties face very marginal returns on investment. The authors argue that specialties with narrow returns are highly sensitive to changes in cost reimbursement, and therefore, are worthy of increased reimbursement.

Reimbursement for HPV Vaccine Cost in the Private Sector: A Comparison Across Specialties

Kalyani Sonawane, PhD, et al
Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
Permanent link

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JOURNAL

The Annals of Family Medicine

 

Study: An inverse model for food webs and ecosystem stability

In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, authors Gabriel Gellner and Kevin McCann from the University of Guelph and SFI External Professor Alan Hastings (UC Davis) invert a classical approach to modeling food webs

Peer-Reviewed Publication

SANTA FE INSTITUTE

 

IMAGE: INTERACTION STRENGTH RELATIONSHIP WITH GENERALITY OF FEEDING. (IMAGE: GELLNER ET. AL./PNAS, FIG 4. IN PAPER) view more 

CREDIT: (IMAGE: GELLNER ET. AL./PNAS, FIG 4. IN PAPER)

In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, authors Gabriel Gellner and Kevin McCann from the University of Guelph and SFI External Professor Alan Hastings (UC Davis) invert a classical approach to modeling food webs. Instead of trying to replicate stable, complex ecosystems using simplistic representations of species interactions, the authors’ novel inverse method assumes the ecosystems exist and works backward to characterize food webs that support that assumption. Their work represents a significant step toward addressing a fundamental ecological question of how biodiversity promotes ecosystem stability. The findings offer insights into how nature may respond to growing anthropogenic disturbances.

“Rather than start with what’s hard to measure — how species affect each other — we start with how many of each species there are and figure out how they interact in a way that explains their coexistence,” says Hastings.

Earth’s ecosystems display surprisingly stable dynamics, but attempts to understand that stability have flummoxed ecologists for generations. Lord Robert May, a past Chair of the SFI Science Board, drew from economic theory to introduce the community matrix, a mathematical tool to describe the relationships of species in an ecosystem. The matrix uses species interactions as a foundation to explain the role of diversity and complexity in ecosystem stability. The approach is useful because it considers all food web interactions; it comes up short because doing so requires overly simplistic assumptions about how organisms relate to each other. Many models based on this technique show stability decreasing as biodiversity increases, which contradicts observable stable ecosystems.

But understanding how large complex ecosystems persist is a vital question. If we fail to understand the mechanisms that stabilize ecosystems, we cannot preserve them in the face of ever-increasing chaos like severe weather events, rampaging wildfires, or rampant invasive species.

The inverse approach succeeds due to its inclusion of biological constraints in the model. A feasibility constraint dictates that only real interactions get represented in the model. Additionally, an energetic constraint stipulates that a meal cannot yield more energy than the hunt requires because, in a food chain, only 10-20% of a resource’s energy transfers to the consumer.

“We see lots of diverse ecosystems out in the world,” says Hastings. “We showed that if you put the proper biological information into the model, we can simulate large, diverse ecosystems and understand why they are stable.” 

The authors highlight that the inverse approach offers major theoretical advantages over May’s classical approach, introduced more than 40 years ago. “While Robert May’s approach operated with a statistical universe…, the inverse approach has the novel property that it allows us to only look at the collection of webs corresponding to realistic feasible solutions.”

May’s community matrix catalyzed ecological theory for nearly half a century. Just as May drew from economics to rethink diversity–stability relationships, Hastings and his coauthors draw on recent efforts in genomics for inspiration. The authors believe their inverse approach is, likewise, “rich in potential for theoretical advances.” 

Read the paper, "Stable diverse food webs become more common when interactions are more biologically constrained," in PNAS  (July 24, 2023). doi: 10.1073/pnas.2212061120

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2212061120 

ARTICLE TITLE

Stable diverse food webs become more common when interactions are more biologically constrained

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-Jul-2023

SCI-FI-TEK

Department of Energy announces $4.6 million for research on public-private partnership awards to advance fusion energy

Projects span enabling technologies, materials science, modeling and simulation, and plasma diagnostics for fusion energy

Grant and Award Announcement

DOE/US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $4.6 million in funding for 18 projects at national laboratories and U.S. universities. The awards are provided through the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy, or INFUSE, program, which was established in 2019. The program is sponsored by the Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program office within DOE’s Office of Science and is focused on accelerating fusion energy development through public-private research partnerships.

“The latest round of INFUSE selections demonstrates the growing interest from private industry in partnering with national laboratories and U.S. universities,” said Jean Paul Allain, DOE Associate Director of Science for Fusion Energy Sciences. “INFUSE is attracting interest from both fusion developers and from companies seeking to serve as their suppliers or partners. We are seeing this program evolve and continue to encourage contributions to a vibrant fusion ecosystem in the U.S.”

“Six of these awards are to companies in the rising ‘fusion-adjacent industry.’ These companies won’t design fusion power plants on their own, but they will serve as domestic suppliers. By partnering with companies like those in the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, these suppliers enable technologies that advance fusion in the U.S.,” said Allain.

Projects include enabling technologies, materials science, modeling and simulation, as well as plasma diagnostics. The funded projects will provide companies with access to the leading expertise and capabilities available at DOE national laboratories and U.S. universities to address critical scientific and technological challenges in pursuing fusion energy systems. The program solicited proposals from the fusion industry and selected projects for one- or two-year awards between $100,000 and $750,000 each, with a 20% (or greater) cost share from industry partners.

The 18 projects for the 2023 INFUSE Request for Applications were selected via a competitive peer review process managed by the INFUSE leadership team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Total funding is $4.6 million for projects lasting up to two years in duration, with all the funding from Fiscal Year 2023 dollars. The full list of planned awards can be found under “Latest Topical Funding Opportunity Awards” on the FES website. Full abstracts for each project are available on the INFUSE website.

 

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.   

 

Study shows that the shape of objects could be perceived via vision and touch

The inferolateral occipitotemporal cortex selectively encodes object shape even in people who become blind from a very early age, suggesting that the brain is organized as operators that execute a given function regardless of input senses

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PLOS

 

IMAGE: STUDY SHOWS THAT THE SHAPE OF OBJECTS COULD BE PERCEIVED VIA VISION AND TOUCH. view more 

CREDIT: RON LACH, PEXELS (CC0, HTTPS://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/PUBLICDOMAIN/ZERO/1.0/)

Study shows that the shape of objects could be perceived via vision and touch; the inferolateral occipitotemporal cortex selectively encodes object shape even in people who become blind from a very early age, suggesting that the brain is organized as operators that execute a given function regardless of input senses.

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In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper in PLOS Biology: http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001930

Article Title: Similar object shape representation encoded in the inferolateral occipitotemporal cortex of sighted and early blind people

Author Countries: Italy, Switzerland, Belgium

Funding: see manuscript

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JOURNAL

PLoS Biology

DOI

10.1371/journal.pbio.3001930