The current status of red spruce in the eastern United States: distribution, population trends, and environmental drivers

Treesearch

Gregory Nowacki; Robert Carr; Michael. Van Dyck

2010-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) was affected by an array of direct (logging, fire, and grazing) and indirect human activities (acid deposition) over the past centuries. To adequately assess past impacts on red spruce, thus helping frame its restoration potential, requires a clear understanding of its current status. To achieve this, Forest and...

Status of exotic woody species in big cypress national preserve. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gunderson, L.H.

The current status of exotic woody plants in Big Cypress National Preserve is documented. A map of the distribution of principal pest species, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Schinus terebinthifolius, and Casuarina sp., is presented. Prognoses of population increases of these problem species are determined utilizing the current distributions and assessing environmental conditions. Some potential problem species are also identified.

Current capabilities and limitations of the stable isotope technologies and applied mathematical equations in determining whole body vitamin A status

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vitamin A (VA) stable isotope dilution methodology provides a quantitative estimate of total body VA stores and is the best method currently available for assessing VA status in adults and children. The methodology has also been used to test the efficacy of VA interventions in a number of low-incom...

The Current Status of Indirect Functional Assessment Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dufrene, Brad A.; Kazmerski, Jennifer S.; Labrot, Zachary

2017-01-01

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act requires that functional behavior assessments be conducted under certain circumstances for students with disabilities. Functional assessments may include indirect assessments (e.g., rating scales, interviews), direct-descriptive assessments (e.g., direct observations with conditional…

Current status of chestnut in eastern US forests

Treesearch

William H. McWiliams; Tonya W. Lister; Elizabeth B. LaPoint; Anita K. Rose; John S. Vissage

2006-01-01

The USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program provides the opportunity to assess the current distribution of American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh) and prospective trends. Assessing chestnut using the FIA data was challenging because of the coarse nature of the FIA sample and chestnut's rarity in natural...

Self- Perception of Body Weight Status in Older Dutch Adults.

PubMed

Monteagudo, C; Dijkstra, S C; Visser, M

2015-06-01

The prevalence of obesity is highest in older persons and a correct self-perception of body weight status is necessary for optimal weight control. The aim of this study was to determine self-perception of, and satisfaction with, body weight status, and to compare current versus ideal body image in a large, nationally representative sample of older people. Furthermore, determinants of misperception were explored. A cross-sectional study. The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), conducted in a population-based sample in the Netherlands. 1295 men and women aged 60-96 years. Body weight status was assessed using measured weight and height. Self-perceived body weight status, satisfaction with body weight and current and ideal body image were also assessed. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of age, educational level and objectively measured BMI with underestimation of body weight status. The prevalence of obesity was 19.9% in men and 29.3% in women. The agreement between objective and self-perceived body weight status was low (Kappa < 0.2). Among overweight and obese persons, 42.1% of men and 44.1% of women were (very) dissatisfied with their body weight status and >99% of obese participants desired to be thinner (ideal body image < current image). Only 4.4% of obese men and 12.3% of obese women perceived their body weight status correctly. Higher age (women), lower educational level (men) and higher BMI (all) were associated with greater underestimation of body weight status. Many older persons misperceive their body weight status. Future actions to improve body weight perception in older persons are necessary to increase the impact of public health campaigns focussing on a healthy body weight in old age.

Risk assessment of metal vapor arcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Monika C. (Inventor); Leidecker, Henning W. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A method for assessing metal vapor arcing risk for a component is provided. The method comprises acquiring a current variable value associated with an operation of the component; comparing the current variable value with a threshold value for the variable; evaluating compared variable data to determine the metal vapor arcing risk in the component; and generating a risk assessment status for the component.

Information for Species Status and Environmental Baseline for National-Scale Pesticide Listed Species Assessments

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Guidance to support an analysis of the effects of past and ongoing human and natural factors leading to the current status of the species, its habitat, (including designated critical habitat), and ecosystem.

Region 3 Land Reuse Assessment Reports

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Land Reuse Assessment Reports outlines the history and current status of remediated properties in Region 3. These reports show the transformation of former contaminated sites into community assets.

EG&G Florida, Inc., KSC base operations contractor Launch Readiness Assessment System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geaslen, W. D.

1988-01-01

A computerized Launch Readiness Assessment System (LRAS) which compares 'current status' of readiness against the 'required status' of readiness for the Space Shuttle. The five subsystems of the LRAS are examined in detail. The LRAS Plan specifies the overall system requirements, procedures, and reports. The LRAS Manager drives the operation of the LRAS system. The Responding Units (RU) maintain support plans and procedures which specify the detail requirements for each mission or milestone. The Master Data Tables contain the milestone, responsible RU relationships, and requirements assessment categories. The LRAS Status System serves as the launch readiness assessment reporting system. The relationships between these subsystems are displayed in diagrams.

Nutritional Status Assessment (SMO 016E)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, S. M.; Zwart, S. R.; Heer, M.; Coburn, S. P.; Booth, S. A.; Jones, J. A.; Lupton, J.

2007-01-01

It has not been possible to assess nutritional status of crew members on the ISS during flight because blood and urine could not be collected during ISS missions. Postflight observations of alterations in nutritional status for several nutrients are troubling, and we require the ability to monitor the status of these nutrients during flight to determine if there is a specific impetus or timeframe for these changes. In addition to the monitoring of crew nutritional status during flight, in-flight sample collection would allow better assessment of countermeasure effectiveness. SMO 016E is also designed to expand the current medical requirement for nutritional assessment (MR016L) to include additional normative markers for assessing crew health and countermeasure effectiveness. Additional markers of bone metabolism will be measured to better monitor bone health and the effectiveness of countermeasures to prevent bone resorption. New markers of oxidative damage will be measured to better assess the type of oxidative insults that occur during space flight. The array of nutritional assessment parameters will be expanded to include parameters that will allow us to better understand changes in folate and vitamin B6 status, and related cardiovascular risk factors during and after flight. Additionally, stress hormones and hormones that affect bone and muscle metabolism will also be measured. This additional assessment will allow us to better monitor the health of crew members and make more accurate recommendations for their rehabilitation. Several nutritional assessment parameters are altered at landing, but it is not known how long these changes persist. We extended the current protocol to include an additional postflight blood and urine sample collection 30 days after landing. Data are being collected before, during, and after flight. These data will provide a complete survey of how nutritional status and related systems are affected by space flight. Analyzing the data will help us to define nutritional requirements for long-duration missions. This expanded set of measurements will also aid in the identification of nutritional countermeasures to counteract, for example, the deleterious effects of microgravity on bone and muscle and the effects of space radiation.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM: NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT - LESSONS LEARNED

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's National Coastal Assessment is to estimate the current status, extent, changes, and trends in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's coastal resources on a state, regional and national basis. Bas...

Chapter 11. Conservation status of boreal owls in the United States

Treesearch

Gregory D. Hayward

1994-01-01

Previous chapters outlined the biology and ecology of boreal owls as well as the ecology of important vegetation communities based on literature from North America and Europe. That technical review provides the basis to assess the current conservation status of boreal owls in the United States. By conservation status, we mean the demographic condition of the species as...

Assessment of calcium status in soils of red spruce forests in the northeastern United States

Treesearch

Gergory B. Lawrence; Mark B. David; Scott W. Bailey; Walter C. Shortle

1997-01-01

Long term changes in concentrations of available Ca in soils of red spruce forests have been documented, but remaining questions about the magnitude and regional extent of these changes have precluded an assessment of the current and future status of soil Ca. To address this problem, soil samples were collected in 1992-93 from 12 sites in New York, Vermont, New...

Body composition and functional assessment of nutritional status in adults: a narrative review of imaging, impedance, strength and functional techniques.

PubMed

Smith, S; Madden, A M

2016-12-01

The accurate and valid assessment of body composition is essential for the diagnostic evaluation of nutritional status, identifying relevant outcome measures, and determining the effectiveness of current and future nutritional interventions. Developments in technology and our understanding of the influences of body composition on risk and outcome will provide practitioners with new opportunities to enhance current practice and to lead future improvements in practice. This is the second of a two-part narrative review that aims to critically evaluate body composition methodology in diverse adult populations, with a primary focus on its use in the assessment and monitoring of under-nutrition. Part one focused on anthropometric variables [Madden and Smith (2016) J Hum Nutr Diet 29: 7-25] and part two focuses on the use of imaging techniques, bioelectrical impedance analysis, markers of muscle strength and functional status, with particular reference to developments relevant to practice. © 2016 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

The Current Status of Peer Assessment Techniques and Sociometric Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bukowski, William M.; Castellanos, Melisa; Persram, Ryan J.

2017-01-01

Current issues in the use of peer assessment techniques and sociometric methods are discussed. Attention is paid to the contributions of the four articles in this volume. Together these contributions point to the continual level of change and progress in these techniques. They also show that the paradigm underlying these methods has been unchanged…

Assessing Global Marine Biodiversity Status within a Coupled Socio-Ecological Perspective

PubMed Central

Selig, Elizabeth R.; Longo, Catherine; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Best, Benjamin D.; Hardy, Darren; Elfes, Cristiane T.; Scarborough, Courtney; Kleisner, Kristin M.; Katona, Steven K.

2013-01-01

People value the existence of a variety of marine species and habitats, many of which are negatively impacted by human activities. The Convention on Biological Diversity and other international and national policy agreements have set broad goals for reducing the rate of biodiversity loss. However, efforts to conserve biodiversity cannot be effective without comprehensive metrics both to assess progress towards meeting conservation goals and to account for measures that reduce pressures so that positive actions are encouraged. We developed an index based on a global assessment of the condition of marine biodiversity using publically available data to estimate the condition of species and habitats within 151 coastal countries. Our assessment also included data on social and ecological pressures on biodiversity as well as variables that indicate whether good governance is in place to reduce them. Thus, our index is a social as well as ecological measure of the current and likely future status of biodiversity. As part of our analyses, we set explicit reference points or targets that provide benchmarks for success and allow for comparative assessment of current conditions. Overall country-level scores ranged from 43 to 95 on a scale of 1 to 100, but countries that scored high for species did not necessarily score high for habitats. Although most current status scores were relatively high, likely future status scores for biodiversity were much lower in most countries due to negative trends for both species and habitats. We also found a strong positive relationship between the Human Development Index and resilience measures that could promote greater sustainability by reducing pressures. This relationship suggests that many developing countries lack effective governance, further jeopardizing their ability to maintain species and habitats in the future. PMID:23593188

A NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT OF COASTAL SEDIMENT CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

One element of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's National Coastal Assessment is to estimate the current status, extent, changes and trends in the condition of the Nation's coastal sediments on a national basis. Based on NCA monitoring activities from 1999-2001...

Assessment Processes in Science across the Primary-Secondary Interface: An Australian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skamp, Keith

2016-01-01

Assessment guidelines in the "Australian Curriculum: Science" are outlined after the status and practice of science is overviewed. Available, but dated, empirical reports of teachers' assessment processes and procedures across the interface are compared. Current assessment practices are inferred from indirect research data. Two…

Biomonitoring of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams in Europe: Current practice and priorities to enhance ecological status assessments.

PubMed

Stubbington, Rachel; Chadd, Richard; Cid, Núria; Csabai, Zoltán; Miliša, Marko; Morais, Manuela; Munné, Antoni; Pařil, Petr; Pešić, Vladimir; Tziortzis, Iakovos; Verdonschot, Ralf C M; Datry, Thibault

2018-03-15

Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) are common across Europe and dominate some Mediterranean river networks. In all climate zones, IRES support high biodiversity and provide ecosystem services. As dynamic ecosystems that transition between flowing, pool, and dry states, IRES are typically poorly represented in biomonitoring programmes implemented to characterize EU Water Framework Directive ecological status. We report the results of a survey completed by representatives from 20 European countries to identify current challenges to IRES status assessment, examples of best practice, and priorities for future research. We identify five major barriers to effective ecological status classification in IRES: 1. the exclusion of IRES from Water Framework Directive biomonitoring based on their small catchment size; 2. the lack of river typologies that distinguish between contrasting IRES; 3. difficulties in defining the 'reference conditions' that represent unimpacted dynamic ecosystems; 4. classification of IRES ecological status based on lotic communities sampled using methods developed for perennial rivers; and 5. a reliance on taxonomic characterization of local communities. Despite these challenges, we recognize examples of innovative practice that can inform modification of current biomonitoring activity to promote effective IRES status classification. Priorities for future research include reconceptualization of the reference condition approach to accommodate spatiotemporal fluctuations in community composition, and modification of indices of ecosystem health to recognize both taxon-specific sensitivities to intermittence and dispersal abilities, within a landscape context. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Mediating Role of Physical Self-Concept on Relations between Biological Maturity Status and Physical Activity in Adolescent Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cumming, Sean P.; Standage, Martyn; Loney, Tom; Gammon, Catherine; Neville, Helen; Sherar, Lauren B.; Malina, Robert M.

2011-01-01

The current study examined the mediating role of physical self-concept on relations between biological maturity status and self-reported physical activity in adolescent British females. Biological maturity status, physical self-concept and physical activity were assessed in 407 female British year 7-9 pupils (M age = 13.2 years, SD = 1.0).…

Current status of accreditation for drug testing in hair.

PubMed

Cooper, Gail; Moeller, Manfred; Kronstrand, Robert

2008-03-21

At the annual meeting of the Society of Hair Testing in Vadstena, Sweden in 2006, a committee was appointed to address the issue of guidelines for hair testing and to assess the current status of accreditation amongst laboratories offering drug testing in hair. A short questionnaire was circulated amongst the membership and interested parties. Fifty-two responses were received from hair testing laboratories providing details on the amount and type of hair tests they offered and the status of accreditation within their facilities. Although the vast majority of laboratories follow current guidelines (83%), only nine laboratories were accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for hair testing. A significant number of laboratories reporting that they were in the process of developing quality systems with a view to accrediting their methods within 2-3 years. This study provides an insight into the status of accreditation in hair testing laboratories and supports the need for guidelines to encourage best practice.

The current status of evidence-based practice in juvenile justice.

PubMed

McKee, Esther Chao; Rapp, Lisa

2014-01-01

The advent of evidence-based practice (EBP) has significantly changed the juvenile justice system while producing intense controversy. The intent of this article is to provide an update on the current status of EBP in the juvenile justice system. Specifically, this article will describe the evolution of juvenile justice philosophy as it has informed current juvenile justice policies and programs, discuss the scope of current juvenile justice research regarding EBP, identify barriers to implementing EBP, expound on the development of EBP in juvenile justice, discern the characteristics of evidence-based interventions in the juvenile justice system, and finally describe how to select and assess evidence-based practices and interventions.

American Indian/Alaska Native Students' Use of a University Student Support Office

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Raymond K.; Byers, Steven R.; Fenton, Beverly

2006-01-01

American Indian/Alaska Native college students responded to two surveys: one assessing their overall psychological status; the other, their current commitment to the traditions they learned as children. Students described their psychological status in reliable, yet diverse ways: displaced and lost; comfortable and naturally embedded; sick,…

Correlates of AUDIT Risk Status for Male and Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMartini, Kelly S.; Carey, Kate B.

2009-01-01

Objective: The current study identified gender-specific correlates of hazardous drinker status as defined by the AUDIT. Participants: A total of 462 college student volunteers completed the study in 2006. The sample was predominantly Caucasian (75%) and female (55%). Methods: Participants completed a survey assessing demographics, alcohol use…

Fracture mechanics /Dryden Lecture/. [aerospace structural design applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardrath, H. F.

1974-01-01

A historical outline of the engineering discipline of fracture mechanics is presented, and current analytical procedures are summarized. The current status of the discipline is assessed, and engineering applications are discussed, along with recommended directions for future study.

Expert Technical Committee : Bay Bridge Project Assessment meeting, January 6-8, 2005.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

The Expert Technical Committee (ETC) was formed to provide an independent review and : assessment of the history and current status of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span : Seismic Retrofit Cost Increases.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM: THE NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT ERF 2001, ST. PETE BEACH, NOV 4-8, 2001

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is to estimate the current status, extent, changes, and trends in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's coastal resources on a state, regional and national basi...

On the Road to Assessing Deeper Learning: The Status of Smarter Balanced and PARCC Assessment Consortia. CRESST Report 823

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Joan; Linn, Robert

2013-01-01

Two consortia, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), are currently developing comprehensive, technology-based assessment systems to measure students' attainment of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The consequences of the consortia…

Illness Severity and Work Productivity Loss Among Working Adults With Medically Attended Acute Respiratory Illnesses: US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network 2012–2013

PubMed Central

Petrie, Joshua G.; Cheng, Caroline; Malosh, Ryan E.; VanWormer, Jeffrey J.; Flannery, Brendan; Zimmerman, Richard K.; Gaglani, Manjusha; Jackson, Michael L.; King, Jennifer P.; Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Benoit, Joyce; Robertson, Anne; Thaker, Swathi N.; Monto, Arnold S.; Ohmit, Suzanne E.

2016-01-01

Background. Influenza causes significant morbidity and mortality, with considerable economic costs, including lost work productivity. Influenza vaccines may reduce the economic burden through primary prevention of influenza and reduction in illness severity. Methods. We examined illness severity and work productivity loss among working adults with medically attended acute respiratory illnesses and compared outcomes for subjects with and without laboratory-confirmed influenza and by influenza vaccination status among subjects with influenza during the 2012–2013 influenza season. Results. Illnesses laboratory-confirmed as influenza (ie, cases) were subjectively assessed as more severe than illnesses not caused by influenza (ie, noncases) based on multiple measures, including current health status at study enrollment (≤7 days from illness onset) and current activity and sleep quality status relative to usual. Influenza cases reported missing 45% more work hours (20.5 vs 15.0; P < .001) than noncases and subjectively assessed their work productivity as impeded to a greater degree (6.0 vs 5.4; P < .001). Current health status and current activity relative to usual were subjectively assessed as modestly but significantly better for vaccinated cases compared with unvaccinated cases; however, no significant modifications of sleep quality, missed work hours, or work productivity loss were noted for vaccinated subjects. Conclusions. Influenza illnesses were more severe and resulted in more missed work hours and productivity loss than illnesses not confirmed as influenza. Modest reductions in illness severity for vaccinated cases were observed. These findings highlight the burden of influenza illnesses and illustrate the importance of laboratory confirmation of influenza outcomes in evaluations of vaccine effectiveness. PMID:26565004

Precision nutrition - review of methods for point-of-care assessment of nutritional status.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Balaji; Lee, Seoho; Erickson, David; Mehta, Saurabh

2017-04-01

Precision nutrition encompasses prevention and treatment strategies for optimizing health that consider individual variability in diet, lifestyle, environment and genes by accurately determining an individual's nutritional status. This is particularly important as malnutrition now affects a third of the global population, with most of those affected or their care providers having limited means of determining their nutritional status. Similarly, program implementers often have no way of determining the impact or success of their interventions, thus hindering their scale-up. Exciting new developments in the area of point-of-care diagnostics promise to provide improved access to nutritional status assessment, as a first step towards enabling precision nutrition and tailored interventions at both the individual and community levels. In this review, we focus on the current advances in developing portable diagnostics for assessment of nutritional status at point-of-care, along with the numerous design challenges in this process and potential solutions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current and historical forest conditions and disturbance regimes in the Hoosier-Shawnee ecological assessment area

Treesearch

George R. Parker; Charles M. Ruffner

2004-01-01

We review the historical and current status of forests in the Hoosier-Shawnee Ecological Assessment Area. Native American people influenced the vegetation through fire and agricultural clearing across the region until the early 1800s when European settlers arrived. Clearing of the land for agriculture peaked in the early 1900s after which badly eroded land was...

The Current Status of Graduate Training in Suicide Risk Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebling-Boccio, Dana E.; Jennings, Heather R.

2013-01-01

Directors and coordinators (n = 75) of graduate programs in school psychology approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) were surveyed regarding their training practices in suicide risk assessment. Respondents viewed the assessment of suicide risk as an important part of graduate instruction, and most believed that…

The association of HIV/AIDS treatment side effects with health status, work productivity, and resource use.

PubMed

daCosta DiBonaventura, Marco; Gupta, Shaloo; Cho, Michelle; Mrus, Joseph

2012-01-01

Due to stable incidence and improved survival rates, there are an increasing number of patients living with HIV/AIDS in the USA. Although highly effective, current antiretroviral therapies are associated with a variety of side effects. The role side effects play on health outcomes has not been fully examined. The current study assessed the association of medication side effects with (1) self-assessed health status; (2) work productivity and activity impairment; and (3) healthcare resource utilization. Data were from a cross-sectional patient-reported survey fielded in the USA using a dual methodology of Internet and paper questionnaires. A total of 953 patients living with HIV/AIDS who were currently taking a medication for their condition were included in the analyses. The most frequent side effects reported by patients were fatigue (70.72%), diarrhea (62.96%), insomnia (58.97%), dizziness (52.78%), neuropathy (52.68%), joint pain (52.36%), nausea (51.63%), and abdominal pain (50.37%). The presence of each side effect was associated with reduced self-assessed health status, increased productivity loss, increased activity impairment, and increased healthcare resource use. Controlling for CD4 cell counts in regression modeling did little to diminish the impact of side effects. Although not all side effects were associated with all outcomes, every side effect was associated with worse health status, some measure of increased work productivity loss, and/or some measure of increased healthcare resource use. Patients are living longer with HIV and, therefore, spending a greater length of time on treatment. The results of the current study suggest that many of these patients are experiencing a wide array of side effects from these therapies. These side effects have demonstrated a profound association with self-assessed health, work productivity, and healthcare resource use. Improved management of these side effects or development of treatments with a better side effect profile may have a substantial humanistic and economic benefit.

Long-term temporal and spatial trends in eutrophication status of the Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Andersen, Jesper H; Carstensen, Jacob; Conley, Daniel J; Dromph, Karsten; Fleming-Lehtinen, Vivi; Gustafsson, Bo G; Josefson, Alf B; Norkko, Alf; Villnäs, Anna; Murray, Ciarán

2017-02-01

Much of the Baltic Sea is currently classified as 'affected by eutrophication'. The causes for this are twofold. First, current levels of nutrient inputs (nitrogen and phosphorus) from human activities exceed the natural processing capacity with an accumulation of nutrients in the Baltic Sea over the last 50-100 years. Secondly, the Baltic Sea is naturally susceptible to nutrient enrichment due to a combination of long retention times and stratification restricting ventilation of deep waters. Here, based on a unique data set collated from research activities and long-term monitoring programs, we report on the temporal and spatial trends of eutrophication status for the open Baltic Sea over a 112-year period using the HELCOM Eutrophication Assessment Tool (HEAT 3.0). Further, we analyse variation in the confidence of the eutrophication status assessment based on a systematic quantitative approach using coefficients of variation in the observations. The classifications in our assessment indicate that the first signs of eutrophication emerged in the mid-1950s and the central parts of the Baltic Sea changed from being unaffected by eutrophication to being affected. We document improvements in eutrophication status that are direct consequences of long-term efforts to reduce the inputs of nutrients. The reductions in both nitrogen and phosphorus loads have led to large-scale alleviation of eutrophication and to a healthier Baltic Sea. Reduced confidence in our assessment is seen more recently due to reductions in the scope of monitoring programs. Our study sets a baseline for implementation of the ecosystem-based management strategies and policies currently in place including the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directives and the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. © 2015 The Authors. Biological Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Adolescents' Knowledge of Nuclear Issues and the Effects of Nuclear War.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roscoe, Bruce; Goodwin, Megan P.

1987-01-01

Surveyed 357 college students to assess awareness of the status of nuclear arms development and possible effects of nuclear war on people and environment. Results suggest that older adolescents are extremely uninformed regarding the current status of nuclear issues and consequences of nuclear war. Indicates a strong need to educate young people…

Maternal Parenting Behaviors during Childhood Relate to Weight Status and Fruit and Vegetable Intake of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murashima, Megumi; Hoerr, Sharon L.; Hughes, Sheryl O.; Kattelmann, Kendra K.; Phillips, Beatrice W.

2012-01-01

Objective: Examine how maternal parenting behaviors in childhood, both general and feeding specific, relate to weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in college students. Design: Retrospective surveys on maternal behaviors and assessments on the college-aged child's current anthropometric measures and dietary intakes. Participants:…

An Assessment of Campus Climate among Sexual Minority College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulk, Amber; Murray, Jennifer; Hunt, Andrea; Williams, Yaschica

2017-01-01

While several studies have clearly identified a link between sexual minority status and discrimination, harassment, and victimization on college campuses, less in known about sexual minority students and other indicators of campus climate. The goal of the current study was to examine the association between sexual minority status and students'…

Water quality of Danube Delta systems: ecological status and prediction using machine-learning algorithms.

PubMed

Stoica, C; Camejo, J; Banciu, A; Nita-Lazar, M; Paun, I; Cristofor, S; Pacheco, O R; Guevara, M

2016-01-01

Environmental issues have a worldwide impact on water bodies, including the Danube Delta, the largest European wetland. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) implementation operates toward solving environmental issues from European and national level. As a consequence, the water quality and the biocenosis structure was altered, especially the composition of the macro invertebrate community which is closely related to habitat and substrate heterogeneity. This study aims to assess the ecological status of Southern Branch of the Danube Delta, Saint Gheorghe, using benthic fauna and a computational method as an alternative for monitoring the water quality in real time. The analysis of spatial and temporal variability of unicriterial and multicriterial indices were used to assess the current status of aquatic systems. In addition, chemical status was characterized. Coliform bacteria and several chemical parameters were used to feed machine-learning (ML) algorithms to simulate a real-time classification method. Overall, the assessment of the water bodies indicated a moderate ecological status based on the biological quality elements or a good ecological status based on chemical and ML algorithms criteria.

The use of health status questionnaires in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in clinical practice.

PubMed

van der Molen, Thys; Diamant, Zuzana; Kocks, Jan Willem H; Tsiligianni, Ioanna G

2014-08-01

Current guidelines recommend chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management based on symptoms or health status assessment and lung function parameters. However, COPD is a complex and heterogeneous disease that needs an individualized approach for proper disease management. A structured consultation including health status assessment tools, such as the Clinical COPD Questionnaire and the COPD Assessment Test should improve the quality of the consultation, providing more information than symptoms alone. Both questionnaires are designed to provide the clinician information enabling a more personalized disease approach and subsequent management. Although both Clinical COPD Questionnaire and COPD Assessment Test have good discriminate properties, their use as prognostic markers of severity and their ability to modify disease management has not yet been fully established. New studies are needed to further determine their value on several disease outcomes.

Nutritional requirements and assessing nutritional status in camelids.

PubMed

Van Saun, Robert J

2009-07-01

It has been nearly 30 years since the first imported llamas and alpacas have been commercially raised in the United States. Nutritional requirements for these animals have not been well understood and most feeding practices were based on extrapolated and experiential information. Only recently has a National Research Council committee reviewed the available published information relative to nutrient requirements of llamas and alpacas. This article summarizes current nutrient requirement recommendations and provides some practical feeding recommendations and methods to assess nutritional status.

The Future Value of Serious Games for Assessment: Where Do We Go Now?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Klerk, Sebastiaan; Kato, Pamela M.

2017-01-01

Game-based assessments will most likely be an increasing part of testing programs in future generations because they provide promising possibilities for more valid and reliable measurement of students' skills as compared to the traditional methods of assessment like paper-and-pencil tests or performance-based assessments. The current status of…

Multiple Types of Memory and Everyday Functional Assessment in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Beaver, Jenna

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective Current proxy measures for assessing everyday functioning (e.g., questionnaires, performance-based measures, and direct observation) show discrepancies in their rating of functional status. The present study investigated the relationship between multiple proxy measures of functional status and content memory (i.e., memory for information), temporal order memory, and prospective memory in an older adult sample. Method A total of 197 community-dwelling older adults who did (n = 45) or did not meet (n = 152) criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), completed six different assessments of functional status (two questionnaires, two performance-based tasks, and two direct observation tasks) as well as experimental measures of content memory, prospective memory, and temporal order memory. Results After controlling for demographics and content memory, the temporal order and prospective memory measures explained a significant amount of variance in all proxy functional status measures. When all variables were entered into the regression analyses, content memory and prospective memory were found to be significant predictors of all measures of functional status, whereas temporal order memory was a significant predictor for the questionnaire and direct observation measures, but not performance-based measures. Conclusion The results suggest that direct observation and questionnaire measures may be able to capture components of everyday functioning that require context and temporal sequencing abilities, such as multi-tasking, that are not as well captured in many current laboratory performance-based measures of functional status. Future research should aim to inform the development and use of maximally effective and valid proxy measures of functional ability. PMID:28334170

Communication Aids in Special Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Turnkey Systems, Inc., Falls Church, VA.

One of four reports designed to assess the current state of new technologies, the document reviews the current status of technologically oriented communication aids for the handicapped. Explained are such technological aspects as the characteristics of electronically based devices which permit special students to have access to technological…

Current depression among women in California according to residence in the California-Mexico border region.

PubMed

Ryan-Ibarra, Suzanne; Epstein, Joan Faith; Induni, Marta; Wright, Michael A

2012-05-01

To estimate the prevalence of current depression; examine the relationship between current depression and immigration, health status, health care access, and health behaviors; and assess differences by California-Mexico border region (Imperial and San Diego Counties) among women in California. Using a cross-sectional, representative sample of adult women from the California Women's Health Survey (n = 13 454), a statewide telephone survey, prevalence of current depression and predictors of depression were examined in California and according to border region residence. Depression was assessed with the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire. The prevalence of current depression for women in California was 12.0%. It was similar in the border (13.0%) and the nonborder (11.9%) regions. Odds of current depression in women were lower among recent immigrants (< 5 years or 5 to < 10 years in the United States) than in women born in the United States and in immigrants who had been living in the United States for 10 to < 15 years or longer (P < 0.05). Odds ratios for current depression and health status, health care access, and binge drinking were larger in the border region than outside the border region. Similar prevalences of current depression were observed among those who live in the border region of California and in those who do not, but the relationship between depression and health status, health care access, and binge drinking varied by border region residence. Ideally, future surveillance of depression and its predictors along the Mexico-California border will be conducted binationally to inform interventions and tracking such as the Healthy Border Program's objectives.

Assessing the impact of a food supplement on the nutritional status and body composition of HIV-infected Zambian women on ARVs.

PubMed

Zulu, Rodah M; Byrne, Nuala M; Munthali, Grace K; Chipeta, James; Handema, Ray; Musonda, Mofu; Hills, Andrew P

2011-09-21

Zambia is a sub-Saharan country with one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV, currently estimated at 14%. Poor nutritional status due to both protein-energy and micronutrient malnutrition has worsened this situation. In an attempt to address this combined problem, the government has instigated a number of strategies, including the provision of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment coupled with the promotion of good nutrition. High-energy protein supplement (HEPS) is particularly promoted; however, the impact of this food supplement on the nutritional status of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) beyond weight gain has not been assessed. Techniques for the assessment of nutritional status utilising objective measures of body composition are not commonly available in Zambia. The aim of this study is therefore to assess the impact of a food supplement on nutritional status using a comprehensive anthropometric protocol including measures of skinfold thickness and circumferences, plus the criterion deuterium dilution technique to assess total body water (TBW) and derive fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). This community-based controlled and longitudinal study aims to recruit 200 HIV-infected females commencing ARV treatment at two clinics in Lusaka, Zambia. Data will be collected at four time points: baseline, 4-month, 8-month and 12-month follow-up visits. Outcome measures to be assessed include body height and weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, CD4, viral load and micronutrient status. This protocol describes a study that will provide a longitudinal assessment of the impact of a food supplement on the nutritional status of HIV-infected females initiating ARVs using a range of anthropometric and body composition assessment techniques. Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR201108000303396.

Assessing the impact of a food supplement on the nutritional status and body composition of HIV-infected Zambian women on ARVs

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Zambia is a sub-Saharan country with one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV, currently estimated at 14%. Poor nutritional status due to both protein-energy and micronutrient malnutrition has worsened this situation. In an attempt to address this combined problem, the government has instigated a number of strategies, including the provision of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment coupled with the promotion of good nutrition. High-energy protein supplement (HEPS) is particularly promoted; however, the impact of this food supplement on the nutritional status of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) beyond weight gain has not been assessed. Techniques for the assessment of nutritional status utilising objective measures of body composition are not commonly available in Zambia. The aim of this study is therefore to assess the impact of a food supplement on nutritional status using a comprehensive anthropometric protocol including measures of skinfold thickness and circumferences, plus the criterion deuterium dilution technique to assess total body water (TBW) and derive fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). Methods/Design This community-based controlled and longitudinal study aims to recruit 200 HIV-infected females commencing ARV treatment at two clinics in Lusaka, Zambia. Data will be collected at four time points: baseline, 4-month, 8-month and 12-month follow-up visits. Outcome measures to be assessed include body height and weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, CD4, viral load and micronutrient status. Discussion This protocol describes a study that will provide a longitudinal assessment of the impact of a food supplement on the nutritional status of HIV-infected females initiating ARVs using a range of anthropometric and body composition assessment techniques. Trial Registration Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR201108000303396. PMID:21936938

Assessing nutritional status in children with chronic liver disease.

PubMed

Taylor, Rachel M; Dhawan, Anil

2005-12-01

The metabolic changes compounded by anorexia associated with chronic liver disease adversely affect growth in children. In many cases, this requires the administration of artificial nutritional support. It is important in this group of patients that those who are becoming nutritionally depleted are identified quickly and in those receiving artificial nutritional support, the effectiveness is monitored. The current review is an examination of methods available to assess nutritional status. These include anthropometry, methods available in the laboratory and a selection of less commonly used methods undergoing evaluation at research level. A brief discussion accompanies each technique, outlining the limitations of its use in children with chronic liver disease. The review concludes with an outline of how nutritional status should be assessed in this group of children, and suggests further research.

Prevalence, correlates, and trends in tobacco use and cessation among current, former, and never adult marijuana users with a history of tobacco use, 2005-2014.

PubMed

Schauer, Gillian L; King, Brian A; McAfee, Timothy A

2017-10-01

Approximately 70% of current (past 30-day) adult marijuana users are current tobacco users, which may complicate tobacco cessation. We assessed prevalence and trends in tobacco cessation among adult ever tobacco users, by marijuana use status. Data came from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a cross-sectional, nationally representative, household survey of U.S. civilians. Analyses included current, former, and never marijuana users aged≥18 reporting ever tobacco use (cigarette, cigar, chew/snuff). We computed weighted estimates (2013-2014) of current tobacco use, recent tobacco cessation (quit 30days to 12months), and sustained tobacco cessation (quit>12months) and adjusted trends in tobacco use and cessation (2005-2014) by marijuana use status. We also assessed the association between marijuana and tobacco use status. In 2013-2014, among current adult marijuana users reporting ever tobacco use, 69.1% were current tobacco users (vs. 38.5% of former marijuana users, p<0.0001, and 28.2% of never marijuana users, p<0.0001); 9.1% reported recent tobacco cessation (vs. 8.4% of former marijuana users, p<0.01, and 6.3% of never marijuana users, p<0.001), and 21.8% reported sustained tobacco cessation (vs. 53.1% of former marijuana users, p<0.01, and 65.5% of never marijuana users, p<0.0001). Between 2005 and 2014, current tobacco use declined and sustained tobacco cessation increased among all marijuana use groups. Current marijuana users who ever used tobacco had double the prevalence (vs. never-marijuana users) of current tobacco use, and significantly lower sustained abstinence. Interventions addressing tobacco cessation in the context of use of marijuana and other substances may be warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clothing Professors with Immunity: Points of Law on Academic Freedom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellerman, Ed; Cornelius, Luke

Over the years the Supreme Court has given academic freedom a special First Amendment status. This study reviewed a selected group of recent cases at public universities, focusing particularly on several where rulings were based either on a professor's public comments or in-class verbiage, in an attempt to assess the current status of academic…

Undergraduate, Nonprofessional Pharmacology: Status of Courses Taught by North American Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerald, Michael C.

1989-01-01

A study assessed and compared the current status of undergraduate, nonprofessional pharmacology courses as taught in the U. S. and Canadian colleges of pharmacy and medicine; courses offered by veterinary medicine are also noted. Pharmacy courses seek to increase general drug knowledge and promote rational drug use. (Author/MLW)

The influence of patient factors on patient-reported outcomes of orthopedic surgery involving implantable devices: a systematic review.

PubMed

Waheeb, Androu; Zywiel, Michael G; Palaganas, Marvilyn; Venkataramanan, Viji; Davis, Aileen M

2015-02-01

Recent evidence suggests that patient factors can influence response to medical and surgical treatment and may play an under-recognized role in predicting treatment outcomes. However, the current state of knowledge concerning potential associations following orthopedic surgery in particular is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to systematically review current literature to investigate the currently known associations between pre-operative patient factors and patient-reported outcomes following orthopedic surgery. A systematic review was performed of the PubMed database to identify original studies that investigated the relationships between one or more patient factors and patient-reported outcomes of primary orthopedic surgical procedures involving implantation of a medical device. A total of 10,174 records were identified, with 83 studies included in the final review. The most commonly assessed patient factors included age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), reported in 63%, 55%, and 48% of studies, respectively. The only other patient factors identified were socioeconomic status and race, both of which were assessed in a single study. Considerable heterogeneity was observed in the methods used to stratify subjects by patient factors, patient-reported outcome constructs assessed, and follow-up intervals. Only 10% of studies performed appropriate sample size or power calculations, only 51% used methodologies to control for potentially confounding factors, and 6% assessed responder status. Overall, variable and conflicting findings were seen. While female sex and increasing BMI did appear to be associated with worse absolute outcomes, these differences did not appear to be maintained when differences in baseline status were considered. No clear associations between age and outcomes were identified. The present understanding of these relationships between patient factors and patient-reported outcomes following orthopedic surgery is limited. There is a need for further studies using high-quality methodology, consistent stratification of participants based on patient factors, accepted patient-reported outcome constructs, and appropriate assessment of responder status. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM: CURRENT STATUS OF VIRGINIAN PROVINCE (U.S.) ESTUARIES

EPA Science Inventory

Monitoring of indicators of the ecological condition of bays, tidal rivers, and estuaries within the Virginian Biogeographic Province (Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Cape Henry, Virginia) was conducted annually by the U.S. EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) ...

USEPA REGION 10 REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM: PROGRAM OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA designed and implemented the Environmental Assessment Program (EMAP) to determine the current status, extent, changes, and trends in indicators of the condition of the Nations ecological resources on regional and national scales with known confidence. USEPA Region 10s ...

Expert assessment of the current state of the energy management system in the company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minnullina, Anna; Abdrazakov, Rais

2017-10-01

The authors’ expert assessment of the current state of the energy management system in the company is proposed in the article. The experts are invited to assess the status of the energy management system in the following categories: energy policy, organizational structure, training, motivation, control, communication, investment, and energy consumption culture. For the purposes of interpretation of the results of the expert evaluation obtained, a gradation based on a possible range of values is proposed. The expert evaluation allows representing the status of the energy management system in general and at each of its individual levels, which makes it possible to identify the problem areas more accurately. To confirm the applied nature of the proposed methodology, the authors assessed the opinions of 8 experts, employed by the road construction company of the Tyumen Region and related in one way or another to the process of energy consumption in the company due to the nature of their activities.

Videodiscs in Special Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Turnkey Systems, Inc., Falls Church, VA.

One of four reports designed to assess the current state of new technologies, the document reviews the current and future 5-year status of videodisc technology in special and regular education. Described first are the history, technological features, and prices of videodisc systems (which consist of a player, programing material stored on a disc,…

Development of a Multi-Hazard Landscape for Exposure and Risk Interpretation

EPA Science Inventory

A complete accounting of potential hazard exposures is critical in the development of any model meant to depict the resilience of a system. This allows for a clear ledger to both assess current risk status along with potential ways to improve resilience. The US EPA is currently...

A PHOENIX RISING: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM AND THE COASTAL 2000 NATIONAL SURVEY

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Coastal Resources is to estimate the current status, extent, changes, and trends in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's coastal resources (intertidal, subtidal, and offshore) on a regional and n...

The NASA Suborbital Program: A status review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teeter, R.; Reynolds, B.

1983-01-01

The status of the NASA suborbital program is reviewed and its importance to astrophysical and geophysical programs is assessed. A survey of past scientific and developmental accomplishments, an examination of the trends in program costs, and an analysis of current and future program roles are included. The technical disciplines examined are primarily those of astronomy/astrophysics/solar physics and magnetospheric/ionospheric/ atmospheric physics.

Detecting Cognitive Stress and Impairment Using Keystroke and Linguistic Features of Typed Text: Toward a Method for Continuous Monitoring of Cognitive Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vizer, Lisa Michele

2013-01-01

Systems that can detect cognitive decline or harmful levels of stress could assist users in managing their stress and health. However, current assessments are often obtrusive or require specialized equipment, and not suited to continuous monitoring of cognitive status. This research leverages attributes of everyday keyboard interactions to…

Status of Biology Laboratory and Practical Activities in Some Selected Secondary and Preparatory Schools of Borena Zone, South Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daba, Tolessa Muleta; Anbassa, Baressa; Oda, Bula Kere; Degefa, Itefa

2016-01-01

Science laboratory is a very important resource input for teaching science. Learning science is enhanced and the understanding level is improved when students are engaged in science laboratory for practical experiments. The current study aimed to assess the status of Biology laboratory and practical activities in some selected secondary and…

Multiple Types of Memory and Everyday Functional Assessment in Older Adults.

PubMed

Beaver, Jenna; Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen

2017-06-01

Current proxy measures for assessing everyday functioning (e.g., questionnaires, performance-based measures, and direct observation) show discrepancies in their rating of functional status. The present study investigated the relationship between multiple proxy measures of functional status and content memory (i.e., memory for information), temporal order memory, and prospective memory in an older adult sample. A total of 197 community-dwelling older adults who did (n = 45) or did not meet (n = 152) criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), completed six different assessments of functional status (two questionnaires, two performance-based tasks, and two direct observation tasks) as well as experimental measures of content memory, prospective memory, and temporal order memory. After controlling for demographics and content memory, the temporal order and prospective memory measures explained a significant amount of variance in all proxy functional status measures. When all variables were entered into the regression analyses, content memory and prospective memory were found to be significant predictors of all measures of functional status, whereas temporal order memory was a significant predictor for the questionnaire and direct observation measures, but not performance-based measures. The results suggest that direct observation and questionnaire measures may be able to capture components of everyday functioning that require context and temporal sequencing abilities, such as multi-tasking, that are not as well captured in many current laboratory performance-based measures of functional status. Future research should aim to inform the development and use of maximally effective and valid proxy measures of functional ability. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Joint Precision Approach and Landing System Nunn-McCurdy Breach Root Cause Analysis and Portfolio Assessment Metrics for DOD Weapons Systems. Volume 8

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

evaluation method that identifies the root causes of an undesired outcome and the Summary xix Root Cause of the JPALS Nunn-McCurdy Breach Under current... evaluation (RDT&E) unit (from 12 to 11) and an increase of one procurement unit for a new total of 27 procurement units. The revised procurement quantity...from the status of the overall portfolio of MDAPs and the status of other subportfolios. In assessing a portfolio, analysts may need to evaluate the

STS-114: Discovery Day 6 Post MMT Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Deputy Program Manager and Steve Poulos, Orbiter Program Manager, discuss the damage assessment from the tiles that came off the Space Shuttle Discovery during launch. Poulos presents charts and discusses in detail the following topics: 1) Composite Tile Damage/Gap Filler Sites Evaluation; 2) Protruding Ceramic Shim Aft of the Nose Landing Gear Door (NLGD); 3) Protruding Chine Gap Filler; 4) RH NLGD Tile Damage; 5) RH NLGD Damage Analysis; 6) Left Wing Tile Damage; 7) Comparison of Ground Test Results vs. FD5 Focused Inspection; 8) Current Status: Focused Inspection 721L07-01 ITVC FD5 Image of Panel 7L Apex 9) Current Status: Focused Inspection Lower Panel 7L721L07-02; 10) Current Status Focused Inspection 721L10-02 Lower Panel 10L Close-up view; and 11) Window 1 Blanket. The presentation ends with a question and answer period from the news media.

Current and past menstrual status is an important determinant of femoral neck geometry in exercising women.

PubMed

Mallinson, Rebecca J; Williams, Nancy I; Gibbs, Jenna C; Koehler, Karsten; Allaway, Heather C M; Southmayd, Emily; De Souza, Mary Jane

2016-07-01

Menstrual status, both past and current, has been established as an important determinant of bone mineral density (BMD) in young exercising women. However, little is known regarding the association between the cumulative effect of menstrual status and indices of bone health beyond BMD, such as bone geometry and estimated bone strength. This study explores the association between cumulative menstrual status and indices of bone health assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), including femoral neck geometry and strength and areal BMD (aBMD), in exercising women. 101 exercising women (22.0±0.4years, BMI 21.0±0.2kg/m(2), 520±40min/week of self-reported exercise) participated in this cross-sectional study. Women were divided into three groups as follows based on their self-reported current and past menstrual status: 1) current and past regular menstrual cycles (C+P-R) (n=23), 2) current and past irregular menstrual cycles (C+P-IR) (n=56), 3) and current or past irregular cycles (C/P-RIR) (n=22). Current menstrual status was confirmed using daily urinary metabolites of reproductive hormones. DXA was used to assess estimates of femoral neck geometry and strength from hip strength analysis (HSA), aBMD, and body composition. Cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), cross-sectional area (CSA), strength index (SI), diameter, and section modulus (Z) were calculated at the femoral neck. Low CSMI, CSA, SI, diameter, and Z were operationally defined as values below the median. Areal BMD (g/cm(2)) and Z-scores were determined at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip. Low BMD was defined as a Z-score<-1.0. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression were performed to compare the prevalence and determine the odds, respectively, of low bone geometry, strength, and aBMD among groups. Cumulative menstrual status was identified as a significant predictor of low femoral neck CSMI (p=0.005), CSA (p≤0.024), and diameter (p=0.042) after controlling for confounding variables. C+P-IR or C/P-RIR were four to eight times more likely to exhibit low femoral neck CSMI or CSA when compared with C+P-R. Lumbar spine aBMD and Z-score were lower in C+P-IR when compared with C+P-R (p≤0.003). A significant association between menstrual group and low aBMD was observed at the lumbar spine (p=0.006) but not at the femoral neck or total hip (p>0.05). However, after controlling for confounding variables, cumulative menstrual status was not a significant predictor of low aBMD. In exercising women, the cumulative effect of current and past menstrual irregularity appears to be an important predictor of lower estimates of femoral neck geometry, as observed by smaller CSMI and CSA, which may serve as an another means, beyond BMD, by which menstrual irregularity compromises bone strength. As such, evaluation of both current and past menstrual status is recommended to determine potential risk for relatively small bone geometry at the femoral neck. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment and management of risk factors for the prevention of lifestyle-related disease: a cross-sectional survey of current activities, barriers and perceived training needs of primary care physiotherapists in the Republic of Ireland.

PubMed

O'Donoghue, G; Cunningham, C; Murphy, F; Woods, C; Aagaard-Hansen, J

2014-06-01

To provide a snapshot of current activities, barriers and perceived training needs for the assessment and management of behavioural risk factors in physiotherapy practice in primary care settings in the Republic of Ireland. Cross-sectional survey of primary care physiotherapists. Two hundred and twenty primary care physiotherapists were invited to participate. Each received a questionnaire, consisting of 23 questions, within five key sections. Its main focus was the risk factor management practices of physiotherapists. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were used to analyse the data. A response rate of 74% (163/220) was achieved. Level of physical activity was the most common risk factor assessed at initial and follow-up visits (78%, 127/163), followed by dietary status (55%, 90/163). Few respondents included smoking status and alcohol consumption in their assessment; however, the majority considered them as risk factors that should be addressed. The main reasons why smoking status and alcohol consumption were not assessed were lack of time, limited knowledge and expertise, not traditionally viewed as the physiotherapist's role, and patient's lack of interest in changing their unhealthy behaviour. The findings highlight an untapped potential in relation to physiotherapists addressing lifestyle-related risk factors. A number of strategies are required to improve the systematic assessment and management of these risk factors. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smoking and body weight as markers of fitness for duty among U.S. military personnel.

PubMed

Haddock, C Keith; Pyle, Sara A; Poston, Walker S C; Bray, Robert M; Stein, Risa J

2007-05-01

Both tobacco and overweight present serious threats to public health. Although the military has targeted both health issues, only weight status is included in tests of fitness. This study contrasted the relative utility of body weight and smoking as markers for fitness for duty. Using data from the 2002 Department of Defense Survey of Health-Related Behaviors among Military Personnel (N = 12,149; 24.7% female), troops were categorized according to weight (underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese) and smoking status (never smoker, former smoker, or current smoker). Logistic models were developed to examine the usefulness of smoking status and weight status as predictors of items assessing four domains of military fitness for duty, namely, physical health, mental health, substance abuse, and legal problems. Smoking status was a consistent and strong predictor of items within all four fitness domains. In contrast, weight status was not a consistent predictor of fitness. The military should consider adding smoking status to assessments of military fitness. Also, given that underweight and not overweight status predicted negative outcomes among military members, the services should consider revising their weight status fitness standards.

Iron and infection: An investigation of the optimal iron hypothesis in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Dorsey, Achsah F; Thompson, Amanda L; Kleinman, Ronald E; Duggan, Christopher P; Penny, Mary E

2018-02-19

This article explores the optimal iron hypothesis through secondary data analysis of the association between hemoglobin levels and morbidity among children living in Canto Grande, a peri-urban community located on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Risk ratios were used to test whether lower iron status, assessed using the HemoCue B-Hemoglobin System, was associated with an increased relative risk of morbidity symptoms compared to iron replete status, controlling for infant age, sex, weight for height z-score, maternal education, and repeated measures in 515 infants aged 6-12 months. Infants with fewer current respiratory and diarrheal morbidity symptoms had a lower risk of low iron deficiency compared to participants who were iron replete (P < .10). Infants with fewer current respiratory infection symptoms had a statistically significant (P < .05) reduction in risk of moderate iron deficiency compared to infants who were iron replete. In this study, morbidity status was not predictive of iron deficient status over a six-month interval period, but nonreplete iron status was shown to be associated with current morbidity symptoms. These results support investigating iron status as an allostatic system that responds to infection adaptively, rather than expecting an optimal preinfection value. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Smoking-attributable medical expenditures by age, sex, and smoking status estimated using a relative risk approach☆

PubMed Central

Maciosek, Michael V.; Xu, Xin; Butani, Amy L.; Pechacek, Terry F.

2015-01-01

Objective To accurately assess the benefits of tobacco control interventions and to better inform decision makers, knowledge of medical expenditures by age, gender, and smoking status is essential. Method We propose an approach to distribute smoking-attributable expenditures by age, gender, and cigarette smoking status to reflect the known risks of smoking. We distribute hospitalization days for smoking-attributable diseases according to relative risks of smoking-attributable mortality, and use the method to determine national estimates of smoking-attributable expenditures by age, sex, and cigarette smoking status. Sensitivity analyses explored assumptions of the method. Results Both current and former smokers ages 75 and over have about 12 times the smoking-attributable expenditures of their current and former smoker counterparts 35–54 years of age. Within each age group, the expenditures of formers smokers are about 70% lower than current smokers. In sensitivity analysis, these results were not robust to large changes to the relative risks of smoking-attributable mortality which were used in the calculations. Conclusion Sex- and age-group-specific smoking expenditures reflect observed disease risk differences between current and former cigarette smokers and indicate that about 70% of current smokers’ excess medical care costs is preventable by quitting. PMID:26051203

MONITORING CHANGES IN THE ESTUARIES OF THE UNITED STATES: THE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program/Estuaries (EMAP-E) is to estimate the current status, extent, changes, and trends in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's coastal resources (intertidal, subtidal, and offshore) on a regional and ...

Terrestrial animal species in the Hoosier-Shawnee ecological assessment area

Treesearch

Clark D. McCreedy; Kelly A. Reynolds; Cynthia M. Basile; Matthew C. Nicholson; Katie M. Dugger; Megan E. Gross; Gary M., Jr. Mohr

2004-01-01

We reviewed the current status of amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and selected invertebrates within the Hoosier-Shawnee Ecological Assessment Area. Species selected for this evaluation included those most commonly considered with respect to land management, namely threatened and endangered species, those species with viability concerns, the unique community of...

COMPARISONS OF BOATING AND WADING METHODS USED TO ASSESS THE STATUS OF FLOWING WATERS

EPA Science Inventory

This document has been designed to provide an overview of the biological, physical and chemical methods of selected stream biomonitoring and assessment programs. It was written to satisfy the need to identifiy current methods that exist for sampling large rivers. The primary focu...

Impact of fetal and childhood mercury exposure on immune status in children.

PubMed

Hui, Lai Ling; Chan, Michael Ho Ming; Lam, Hugh Simon; Chan, Peggy Hiu Ying; Kwok, Ka Ming; Chan, Iris Hiu Shuen; Li, Albert Martin; Fok, Tai Fai

2016-01-01

Mercury exposure have been shown to affect immune status in animals as reflected by cytokine expression. It is unclear whether low levels of exposure during fetal and/or childhood periods could impact on immune status in humans. To test the hypothesis that fetal and childhood mercury exposure is associated with childhood cytokine profiles and to investigate whether childhood selenium levels interact with any of the associations found. Children were recruited from a previously established birth cohort between the ages of 6-9 years for assessment and measurement of blood mercury, selenium and cytokine profile (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13 and TNF-alpha). Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the adjusted association of cord blood mercury concentration and current mercury concentrations with levels of the cytokine levels. We tested whether the association with current mercury level varied by current selenium level and cord blood mercury level. IL-10 was negatively associated with current blood mercury concentration. The effect was greatest in cases with low cord blood mercury and low current selenium concentrations. None of the other cytokine levels were associated with either cord blood or current blood mercury concentrations, except that cord blood mercury was negatively associated with IL-6. Childhood mercury exposure was negatively associated with childhood IL-10 levels. It is postulated that while selenium is protective, low levels of fetal mercury exposure may increase the degree of this negative association during childhood. Further studies into the clinical significance of these findings are required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protective Effect of Astaxanthin on Vocal Fold Injury and Inflammation Due to Vocal Loading: A Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Kaneko, Mami; Kishimoto, Yo; Suzuki, Ryo; Kawai, Yoshitaka; Tateya, Ichiro; Hirano, Shigeru

2017-05-01

Professional voice users, such as singers and teachers, are at greater risk of developing vocal fold injury from excessive use of voice; thus, protection of the vocal fold is essential. One of the most important factors that aggravates injury is the production of reactive oxygen species at the wound site. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effect of astaxanthin, a strong antioxidant, on the protection of the vocal fold from injury and inflammation due to vocal loading. This study is an institutional review board-approved human clinical trial. Ten male subjects underwent a 60-minute vocal loading session and received vocal assessments prior to, immediately after, and 30 minutes postvocal loading (AST(-) status). All subjects were then prescribed 24 mg/day of astaxanthin for 28 days, after which they received the same vocal task and assessments (AST(+) status). Phonatory parameters were compared between both groups. Aerodynamic assessment, acoustic analysis, and GRBAS scale (grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain) were significantly worse in the AST(-) status immediately after vocal loading, but improved by 30 minutes after loading. In contrast, none of the phonatory parameters in the AST(+) status were statistically worse, even when measured immediately after vocal loading. No allergic responses or adverse effects were observed after administration of astaxanthin. The current results suggest that astaxanthin can protect the vocal fold from injury and inflammation caused by vocal loading possibly through the regulation of oxidative stress. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Status of the NASA Robotic Mission Conjunction Assessment Effort

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Lauri Kraft

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation discusses NASA's processes and tools used to mitigate threats to NASA's robotic assets. The topics include: 1) Background; 2) Goddard Stakeholders and Mission Support; 3) ESC and TDRS Mission Descriptions; 4) TDRS Conjunction Assessment Process; 5) ESMO Conjunction Assessment Process; 6) Recent Operations Experiences; 7) Statistics Collected for ESC Regime; and 8) Current and Future Analysis Items.

You Are What You Eat? Meal Type, Socio-Economic Status and Cognitive Ability in Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Stumm, Sophie

2012-01-01

The current study tests if the type of children's daily main meal (slow versus fast food) mediates the association of socioeconomic status (SES) with cognitive ability and cognitive growth in childhood. A Scottish birth cohort (Growing Up in Scotland) was assessed at ages 3 (N = 4512) and 5 years (N = 3833) on cognitive ability (i.e. vocabulary…

Status Report on Power System Transformation: A 21st Century Power Partnership Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Mackay; Martinot, Eric; Cox, Sadie

This report has three primary goals: (1) to articulate the concept of power system transformation; (2) to explore the current global landscape of ‘innovations’ that constitute power system transformation and provide evidence of how these innovations are emerging; and (3) to suggest an analytical framework for assessing the status of power system transformation on an on-going basis.

Winds of Change: A Colloquium in Music Education (College Park, Maryland, April 3, 1993). State of the Arts Series No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Charles; Elliott, David J.

The volume contains papers presented at "Winds of Change: A Colloquium in Music Education," and examines the current need for reform in music education. Assessments of music's failure to achieve central curricular status, and outline scenarios for reform and improved status for music education are presented. The reform plans emphasize the value of…

Among a sample of Iranian students, adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is related to childhood ADHD, but not to age, gender, socioeconomic status, or birth order--an exploratory study.

PubMed

Jahangard, Leila; Haghighi, Mohammad; Bajoghli, Hafez; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2013-10-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young adult Iranian students and to examine gender, birth order, socioeconomic status (SES), and history of ADHD as potential predictors of adult ADHD. A total of 387 young adult students (mean age: 19.6 years; 66.3% females) completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 symptom checklist to assess current symptoms of ADHD and the Wender Utah Rating Scale to assess symptoms of ADHD in childhood and adolescence. Experts' ratings were based on Wender-Reimherr Interview. Self-rated and expert-rated prevalence rates were 16.5% and 13.4%, respectively. Past symptoms of ADHD were correlated with current symptoms. Childhood ADHD, current hyperactivity, and disorganization predicted current ADHD. Among a sample of Iranian students, the prevalence rates of ADHD were higher than estimated rates worldwide. Data also show child ADHD to be associated with adult ADHD; gender, age, birth order, and SES did not seem to influence current symptomatology.

Current dietary supplement use of Australian military veterans of Middle East operations.

PubMed

van der Pols, Jolieke C; Kanesarajah, Jeeva; Bell, Alison; Lui, Chi-Wai

2017-12-01

To assess patterns and levels of dietary supplement use among Australian Defence Forces, previously deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations. A cross-sectional study. Participants of a large survey self-completed questions about dietary supplement use, health status, personal and job-related characteristics, and lifestyle factors. Frequency of current use of supplements was assessed in three categories (bodybuilding, energy and weight loss). Middle East Area of Operations post-deployment health survey. Current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel (n 14 032) who deployed to the Middle East between 2001 and 2009. Bodybuilding supplements were used by 17·5 % of participants, energy supplements by 24·5 % and weight-loss supplements by 7·6 %. Overall, 32·3 % of participants used any of these supplements. Bodybuilding and energy supplements were more often used by men, younger persons and those in the Army, while weight-loss supplements were more commonly used by women and Navy personnel. Supplements in all three categories were more commonly used by persons in lower ranks, active service and combat roles. Users of bodybuilding supplements had healthier lifestyles and better health status, while users of energy and weight-loss supplements had less healthy lifestyles and poorer mental and physical health status. Overall, 11·7 % of participants used supplements containing caffeine and 3·6 % used a creatine-containing product. Use of dietary supplements among Australian Defence Force personnel is common, and patterned by lifestyle factors and health status.

CATCH/IT: a data warehouse to support comprehensive assessment for tracking community health.

PubMed Central

Berndt, D. J.; Hevner, A. R.; Studnicki, J.

1998-01-01

A systematic methodology, Comprehensive Assessment for Tracking Community Health (CATCH), for analyzing the health status of communities has been under development at the University of South Florida since the early 1990s. CATCH draws 226 health status indicators from multiple data sources and uses an innovative comparative framework and weighted evaluation criteria to produce a rank-ordered list of community health problems. CATCH has been applied successfully in many Florida counties; focusing attention on high priority health issues and measuring the impact of health expenditures on community health status outcomes. Previously performed manually, we are using information technology (IT) to automate the CATCH methodology with a full-scale data warehouse, user-friendly forms and reports, and extended analysis and data mining capabilities. The automated system, CATCH/IT, will reduce the time to prepare community health status reports from months to days. In this paper, we present the current status of the project, along with the principal research and development issues and future directions of the project. PMID:9929220

CATCH/IT: a data warehouse to support comprehensive assessment for tracking community health.

PubMed

Berndt, D J; Hevner, A R; Studnicki, J

1998-01-01

A systematic methodology, Comprehensive Assessment for Tracking Community Health (CATCH), for analyzing the health status of communities has been under development at the University of South Florida since the early 1990s. CATCH draws 226 health status indicators from multiple data sources and uses an innovative comparative framework and weighted evaluation criteria to produce a rank-ordered list of community health problems. CATCH has been applied successfully in many Florida counties; focusing attention on high priority health issues and measuring the impact of health expenditures on community health status outcomes. Previously performed manually, we are using information technology (IT) to automate the CATCH methodology with a full-scale data warehouse, user-friendly forms and reports, and extended analysis and data mining capabilities. The automated system, CATCH/IT, will reduce the time to prepare community health status reports from months to days. In this paper, we present the current status of the project, along with the principal research and development issues and future directions of the project.

Using Structural Analysis in Natural Settings: A Responsive Functional Assessment Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stichter, Janine Peck; Conroy, Maureen A.

2005-01-01

Since the reauthorization of IDEA (1997), the use of functional assessments to examine factors that are related to students' challenging behaviors has gained increasing attention in the literature. Over the past five years, several groups of investigators have conducted systematic analyses of the current status of the use of functional assessment…

A conservation assessment for the marbled murrelet in southeast Alaska.

Treesearch

Anthony R. DeGange

1996-01-01

This assessment summarizes available information on the marbled murrelet in southeast Alaska and evaluates its current status. Marbled murrelets are broadly distributed across marine waters throughout southeast Alaska. They are abundant, numbering at least in the low hundreds of thousands. Marbled murrelets are believed to be at increasing risk in biogeographic...

Conservation and Environmental Education in Southern Appalachian Schools. A Report of a Needs Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bousquet, Woodward S.; Jarvis, Ralph W.

An assessment of conservation and environmental education needs in southern Appalachian schools is provided in this survey. Superintendents of school districts and teachers within the southern Appalachian region responded to a questionnaire which was designed to determine: (1) the current status of conservation and environmental education; (2)…

A Quantitative Study Exploring Grading and Assessment Practices in the Middle School Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiles, Greg

2013-01-01

Educators are committed to providing students the best possible education by using the practices and tools they know (Zmuda, Kuklis, & Kline, 2004). Unfortunately, the status quo for grading and assessment practices is faulty, outdated, and ineffective. Current practices have unwittingly hindered student progress and motivation (O'Connor,…

Status and Assessment of Chesapeake Bay Wildlife Contamination

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heinz, G.H.; Wiemeyer, Stanley N.; Clark, D.R.; Albers, P.H.; Henry, P.; Batiuk, R.A.

1992-01-01

As an integral component of its priority setting process, the Chesapeake Bay Program`s Toxics Subcommittee has sought the expertise of Chesapeake Bay researchers and managers in developing a series of Chesapeake Bay toxics status and assessment papers. In the report, evidence for historical and current contaminant effects on key bird species, mammals, reptiles and amphibians which inhabit the Chesapeake Bay basin is examined. For each group of wildlife species, a general overview of effects caused by specific toxic substances is followed by detailed accounts of contaminant effects on selected species. Sponsored by Environmental Protection Agency, Annapolis, MD. Chesapeake Bay Program.

Military status and alcohol problems: Former soldiers may be at greater risk.

PubMed

Vest, Bonnie M; Homish, D Lynn; Fillo, Jennifer; Homish, Gregory G

2018-04-13

The goal of this study was to explore differences in alcohol problems as a function of military status (current soldier, previous soldier and civilian spouses), and the possible interaction between sex and military status. We hypothesized that 1) soldiers would be at greater risk for alcohol problems than civilian spouses, and 2) former soldiers would be at greater risk compared to current soldiers. Data were drawn from Operation: SAFETY, a longitudinal study examining physical and mental health among U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers and their partners. The analytic sample included male and female participants who completed both the baseline and first follow-up assessments (N = 772). Negative binomial regression models were used to examine differences between military status group on alcohol problems at follow-up, controlling for sex and alcohol consumption at baseline. Interactions between military status and sex were also examined. Among current soldiers, males experienced significantly more alcohol problems compared to women (4.47, 3.46; p = 0.005). Likewise, among previous soldiers, males experienced significantly more alcohol problems compared to women (6.69, 2.92; p = 0.002). Male previous soldiers had significantly more alcohol problems compared to both male current soldiers and male civilian spouses (6.69, 4.47, p = 0.04; 6.69, 3.96; p = 0.02). Among women, there were no significant differences by military status. Our results indicate that male previous soldiers are at greater risk of alcohol problems than both current soldiers and civilian spouses. Health care and service providers should consider screening and monitoring soldiers who separate from the military, as alcohol use may increase. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interpreting magnesium status to enhance clinical care: key indicators.

PubMed

Costello, Rebecca B; Nielsen, Forrest

2017-11-01

To update advances in identifying factors affecting magnesium (Mg) status that assist in providing improved evidence-based clinical decision-making for assessing Mg status. Findings from recent cohort studies, small randomized control trials, and multiple meta-analyses reinforce earlier work that serum Mg concentrations, urinary Mg excretion, and Mg dietary intakes are inversely associated with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes. These studies indicate that the reference range for serum Mg needs updating, and that individuals with serum Mg in the range of 0.75-0.85 mmol/l and displaying changes in other factors associated with a low Mg status may be Mg deficient. Individuals with serum Mg concentrations below this range most likely are Mg deficient and, above this range, are most likely Mg sufficient. The combined determination of serum Mg concentration, 24-h urinary Mg excretion, and dietary Mg intake is currently the most practical method to obtain a sound assessment of Mg status. The strong correlations of Mg deficiency with increased risk of several chronic diseases, some of which exist as comorbidities, indicate that Mg status should be ascertained in patients presenting such disorder.

A Brief Review of the Current Status of Alternatives of Chlorine Disinfection of Water

PubMed Central

Anderson, A. C.; Reimers, R. S.; DeKernion, P.

1982-01-01

This paper briefly outlines some of the alternative disinfectants being considered in lieu of chlorination. Methods currently in use as well as those in the research stage are included. Each method is assessed with respect to disinfection efficiency and environmental impact. (Am J Public Health 1982; 72:1290-1293.) PMID:7125035

0.4971 and All That--Is There Life after the Calculator?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Peter

1997-01-01

Assesses the status and use of the hand-held calculator in the current school curriculum. Comments on current proposals to restrict its use in the examination room at A-level. Concludes that at the stage of A-level mathematics, calculations that are not practicable without calculating aids cannot be avoided without indefensible contrivance.…

Assessment of research and development (R and D) needs in LPG safety and environmental control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeSteese, J.G.

1982-05-01

The report characterizes the LPG industry covering all operations from production to end use, reviews current knowledge of LPG release phenomenology, summarizes the status of current LPG release prevention and control methodology, and identifies any remaining safety and environmental problems and recommends R and D strategies that may mitigate these problems. (ACR)

Evaluations by Parents of Education Reforms: Evidence from a Parent Survey in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oshio, Takashi; Sano, Shinpei; Ueno, Yuko; Mino, Kouichiro

2010-01-01

We examine how Japanese parents evaluate the current education system and assess possible reforms, based on a nationwide parent survey. Parents who have higher educational background, occupational status, and household income and expect higher education attainment from their children tend to be less satisfied with the current system and more in…

Metabolomics for Assessment of Nutritional Status

PubMed Central

Zivkovic, Angela M.; German, J. Bruce

2010-01-01

Purpose of review The current rise in diet-related diseases continues to be one of the most significant health problems facing both the developed and the developing world. The use of metabolomics – the accurate and comprehensive measurement of a significant fraction of important metabolites in accessible biological fluids – for the assessment of nutritional status, is a promising way forward. The basic toolset, targets, and knowledge are all being developed in the emerging field of metabolomics, yet important knowledge and technology gaps will need to be addressed in order to bring such assessment to practice. Recent findings Dysregulation within the principal metabolic organs (e.g. intestine, adipose, skeletal muscle, liver) are at the center of a diet-disease paradigm that includes metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The assessment of both essential nutrient status, and the more comprehensive systemic metabolic response to dietary, lifestyle, and environmental influences (e.g. metabolic phenotype) are necessary for the evaluation of status in individuals that can identify the multiple targets of intervention needed to address metabolic disease. Summary The first proofs of principle building the knowledge to bring actionable metabolic diagnostics to practice through metabolomics are now appearing. PMID:19584717

Technology and public policy: The process of technology assessment in the federal government

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coates, V. T.

1975-01-01

A study was conducted to provide a descriptive and analytical review of the concept of technology assessment and the current status of its applications in the work of the federal executive agencies. The origin of the term technology assessment was examined along with a brief history of its discussion and development since 1966 and some of the factors influencing that development.

Examining the Relationships among Mathematics Coaches and Specialists, Student Achievement, and Disability Status: A Multilevel Analysis Using National Assessment of Educational Progress Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harbour, Kristin E.; Adelson, Jill L.; Pittard, Caroline M.; Karp, Karen S.

2018-01-01

Using restricted-use data from the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment, the current study examined the relationship between the presence of elementary mathematics coaches and specialists (MCSs) and the mathematics achievement of more than 190,000 fourth-grade students in more than 7,400 schools nationwide. In…

Patient safety in external beam radiotherapy, results of the ACCIRAD project: Current status of proactive risk assessment, reactive analysis of events, and reporting and learning systems in Europe.

PubMed

Malicki, Julian; Bly, Ritva; Bulot, Mireille; Godet, Jean-Luc; Jahnen, Andreas; Krengli, Marco; Maingon, Philippe; Prieto Martin, Carlos; Przybylska, Kamila; Skrobała, Agnieszka; Valero, Marc; Jarvinen, Hannu

2017-04-01

To describe the current status of implementation of European directives for risk management in radiotherapy and to assess variability in risk management in the following areas: 1) in-country regulatory framework; 2) proactive risk assessment; (3) reactive analysis of events; and (4) reporting and learning systems. The original data were collected as part of the ACCIRAD project through two online surveys. Risk assessment criteria are closely associated with quality assurance programs. Only 9/32 responding countries (28%) with national regulations reported clear "requirements" for proactive risk assessment and/or reactive risk analysis, with wide variability in assessment methods. Reporting of adverse error events is mandatory in most (70%) but not all surveyed countries. Most European countries have taken steps to implement European directives designed to reduce the probability and magnitude of accidents in radiotherapy. Variability between countries is substantial in terms of legal frameworks, tools used to conduct proactive risk assessment and reactive analysis of events, and in the reporting and learning systems utilized. These findings underscore the need for greater harmonisation in common terminology, classification and reporting practices across Europe to improve patient safety and to enable more reliable inter-country comparisons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Importance of sexuality in colorectal cancer: predictors, changes, and response to an intimacy enhancement intervention.

PubMed

Reese, Jennifer Barsky; Haythornthwaite, Jennifer A

2016-10-01

The primary objectives were (1) to examine the importance of sexuality within the self-view and cross-sectional correlates for 120 colorectal cancer patients and (2) to determine whether the importance of sexuality changed for 46 colorectal cancer patients and partners participating in an intimacy enhancement intervention. Two newly developed items assessed importance of sexuality within the self-view (1) currently and (2) before cancer; a calculated change score assessed perceived change. In the cross-sectional sample, associations between importance of sexuality and demographic and medical factors and sexual function status were examined. Intervention participants' importance ratings before and after participation were used to calculate effect sizes. For patients, importance of sexuality before cancer was greater (M = 65.7) than current importance (M = 56.8, p = .001). Greater current importance of sexuality was associated with partnered status, non-metastatic disease, and not being in treatment. Scoring in the sexually functional range was associated with greater current importance of sexuality for men and a smaller perceived change in importance for both men and women (p values <.05). Sexual function status also significantly predicted current importance independent of covariates. Small to medium effect sizes for intervention patients (.37) and partners (.60) were found for increases in importance of sexuality. Items showed evidence of test-retest reliability and construct validity. Coping with sexual concerns is important to those affected by colorectal cancer. Findings suggest that the importance of sexuality can decrease through colorectal cancer and associated sexual problems and can increase through participating in an intimacy-focused intervention.

Lifecourse educational status in relation to weight gain in African American women.

PubMed

Coogan, Patricia E; Wise, Lauren A; Cozier, Yvette C; Palmer, Julie R; Rosenberg, Lynn

2012-01-01

Childhood disadvantage has been associated with increased risk of obesity from childhood through adulthood and those who are disadvantaged across the lifecourse are at highest risk. The effect of lifecourse socioeconomic status (SES) is particularly important for Black women due to the higher prevalence of low SES and obesity in Black compared to White women. We assessed associations of lifecourse SES, as indicated by educational status, with adult weight in African American women. We assessed the associations of parental education, current education (education of participant or her spouse), and a combination of parental and current education (lifecourse education) with weight gain among 21,457 women aged < 55 years in the longitudinal Black Women's Health Study, which began in 1995. We estimated the mean difference in weight gain between age 18 and age in 2009, and risk ratios for obesity in 2009, in each level of education compared to the highest level (college graduate). The age- and height-adjusted differences in mean weight gain for the lowest levels of parental and current education compared to the highest levels were 3.29 and 4.49 kg, respectively. The age-adjusted risk ratios for obesity for the lowest level of parental and current education were 1.44 (95% CI 1.32-1.57) and 1.75 (95% CI 1.57-1.95), respectively. Risk of obesity was lowest among those with current education of college graduate, regardless of parental education. Educational level of college graduate may overcome the adverse effects of low parental education on weight gain and obesity risk.

Factors Associated with Smoking in HIV-Infected Patients and Potential Barriers to Cessation

PubMed Central

Kesari, Ravi K.; Glesby, Marshall J.

2013-01-01

Abstract Smoking is common in patients with HIV and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. With the goal of targeting future cessation interventions, we sought to identify factors associated with smoking status, readiness and confidence in cessation, and success in quitting. As part of a larger study in New York City assessing predictors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we enrolled HIV-infected subjects at least 35 years of age without known asthma or COPD. Current smokers received detailed tobacco history, and smoking status was assessed by chart review at 3 and 6 months post-enrollment. Two hundred subjects were enrolled (29% current smokers, 31.5% never smokers, 39.5% former smokers, mean age of 49, 84% male, 64% had AIDS, and 97% were receiving antiretroviral therapy). Current smokers had higher unemployment and increased rates of other substance use than former smokers or never smokers. In multivariate analysis, being unemployed and having used inhalant drugs were associated with current smoking. Substance abuse history was not correlated with readiness to quit or patient estimated cessation. Lower education was associated with decreased readiness to quit. Follow-up smoking status for baseline current smokers was available for 47/58 enrollees at 6 months; 4 (9%) stopped smoking completely, and 17 (36%) decreased the number of packs-per-day. Smoking and concomitant substance abuse is common in HIV, and special attention should be given to this issue, in addition to a patient's readiness to quit, when implementing tobacco cessation protocols, especially in busy urban HIV care centers. PMID:24138488

Comorbidities, polypharmacy, functionality and nutritional status in Turkish community-dwelling female elderly.

PubMed

Bahat, Gulistan; Tufan, Fatih; Bahat, Zumrut; Tufan, Asli; Aydin, Yucel; Akpinar, Timur Selcuk; Nadir, Sevilay; Erten, Nilgun; Karan, Mehmet Akif

2014-06-01

Most elderly persons live in developing countries where current geriatric epidemiological data are scarce. We aimed to study major comorbidities, polypharmacy, functional and nutritional status in a Turkish community-dwelling female elderly clinic population. Female geriatrics outpatient clinic patients were assessed cross-sectionally. Patients underwent comprehensive geriatric cassessment, including identification of chronic diseases, drugs, functionality, and nutrition. Comorbidities and drugs were defined by the review of patients' self-reports and current medications. Geriatric depression and cognition were assessed by 30-item geriatric depression scale and Folstein mini-mental-state-examination. Functional status was assessed by the evaluation of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scales. Nutritional assessment was performed by mini-nutritional-assessment-short form. Five-hundred and fifteen patients were included in this study over an 8-year period. Mean age was 73.4 ± 6.9 years. Mean number of chronic diseases was 2.8. 61.1 % had >3 chronic diseases. Most common 3 diagnoses were hypertension (75.3 %), depression (45.5 %) and dementia (39.4 %). Mean number of drugs was 4.8. Polypharmacy was noted as 63.2 and 47.6 % by definitions as >4 or >5 chronic drug use, respectively. Subjects with at least one dependency of ADL and IADL were 23.4 and 64.0 %. Prevalence of poor nutrition was 39.1 %. In patients with at least one ADL or IADL dependency, undernutrition (p < 0.001), dementia (p < 0.001), cerebrovascular accident, Parkinson's disease, diabetes were more prevalent (p < 0.05) and were taking higher number of drugs (p < 0.01). Polypharmacy and functional dependency seem to be prevalent among female elders in our country. Nutritional status was worse than the other reported urban area of Turkey and also than among males of same region but better than among Iranian counterparts. This study illustrates geographical differences in and between the individual countries and supports the continued need for comprehensive geriatric assessment worldwide.

Nationwide Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblage Multimetric Indices: Identifying Inconsistencies and Limitations in Reporting Stream Impairment Status, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, J. K.; Lauer, T. E.

2015-07-01

The objective of this study was to identify the current status of stream water-quality assessment and reporting methods for four states in the Ohio River basin (Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia), as required by the 305(b) section of the United States (US) Clean Water Act. Specifically, we clarified the discrepancies that exist among stream-impairment status classified by benthic macroinvertebrate multimetric indices (MMIs) and depicted using Geographic Information Systems shapefiles. In addition, we provided guidance in solving some of the comparability problems that arise when developing state-specific MMIs and depicting stream-impairment status using Geographic Information Systems technology. The MMI variation among states and differences in shapefile formats resulted in a nationwide dataset, which cannot be directly compared. Incorporating the changes suggested in this study allow for a uniform assessment and reporting method nationwide. Successful implementation of these changes would strengthen the US Environmental Protection Agency efforts to identify impaired streams and sources of those impairments without the limitations of state-by-state .developed assessment methods.

Changes in Nutritional Status after Deep Brain Stimulation of the Nucleus Basalis of Meynert in Alzheimer's Disease--Results of a Phase I Study.

PubMed

Noreik, M; Kuhn, J; Hardenacke, K; Lenartz, D; Bauer, A; Bührle, C P; Häussermann, P; Hellmich, M; Klosterkötter, J; Wiltfang, J; Maarouf, M; Freund, H-J; Visser-Vandewalle, V; Sturm, V; Schulz, R-J

2015-10-01

The progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with impaired nutritional status. New methods, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), are currently being tested to decrease the progression of AD. DBS is an approved method in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and its suitability for the treatment of AD patients is currently under experimental investigation. To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this new treatment, it is important to assess potential side effects of DBS regarding the nucleus basalis of Meynert; this new treatment is thought to positively affect cognition and might counteract the deterioration of nutritional status and progressive weight loss observed in AD. This study aims to assess the nutritional status of patients with AD before receiving DBS of the nucleus basalis of Meynert and after 1 year, and to analyze potential associations between changes in cognition and nutritional status. A 1-year phase I proof-of-concept study. The Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Cologne. We assessed a consecutive sample of patients with mild to moderate AD (n=6) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and provided written informed consent. Bilateral low-frequency DBS of the nucleus basalis of Meynert. Nutritional status was assessed using a modified Mini Nutritional Assessment, bioelectrical impedance analysis, a completed 3-day food diary, and analysis of serum levels of vitamin B12 and folate. With a normal body mass index (BMI) at baseline (mean 23.75 kg/m²) and after 1 year (mean 24.59 kg/m²), all but one patient gained body weight during the period of the pilot study (mean 2.38 kg, 3.81% of body weight). This was reflected in a mainly stable or improved body composition, assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis, in five of the six patients. Mean energy intake increased from 1534 kcal/day (min 1037, max 2370) at baseline to 1736 kcal/day (min 1010, max 2663) after 1 year, leading to the improved fulfillment of energy needs in four patients. The only nutritional factors that were associated with changes in cognition were vitamin B12 level at baseline (Spearman's rho = 0.943, p = 0.005) and changes in vitamin B12 level (Spearman's rho = -0.829, p = 0.042). Patients with AD that received DBS of the nucleus basalis of Meynert demonstrated a mainly stable nutritional status within a 1-year period. Whether DBS is causative regarding these observations must be investigated in additional studies.

Current status of endoscopic simulation in gastroenterology fellowship training programs.

PubMed

Jirapinyo, Pichamol; Thompson, Christopher C

2015-07-01

Recent guidelines have encouraged gastroenterology and surgical training programs to integrate simulation into their core endoscopic curricula. However, the role that simulation currently has within training programs is unknown. This study aims to assess the current status of simulation among gastroenterology fellowship programs. This questionnaire study consisted of 38 fields divided into two sections. The first section queried program directors' experience on simulation and assessed the current status of simulation at their institution. The second portion surveyed their opinion on the potential role of simulation on the training curriculum. The study was conducted at the 2013 American Gastroenterological Association Training Directors' Workshop in Phoenix, Arizona. The participants were program directors from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited gastroenterology training programs, who attended the workshop. The questionnaire was returned by 69 of 97 program directors (response rate of 71%). 42% of programs had an endoscopic simulator. Computerized simulators (61.5%) were the most common, followed by mechanical (30.8%) and animal tissue (7.7%) simulators, respectively. Eleven programs (15%) required fellows to use simulation prior to clinical cases. Only one program has a minimum number of hours fellows have to participate in simulation training. Current simulators are deemed as easy to use (76%) and good educational tools (65%). Problems are cost (72%) and accessibility (69%). The majority of program directors believe that there is a need for endoscopic simulator training, with only 8% disagreeing. Additionally, a majority believe there is a role for simulation prior to initiation of clinical cases with 15% disagreeing. Gastroenterology fellowship program directors widely recognize the importance of simulation. Nevertheless, simulation is used by only 42% of programs and only 15% of programs require that trainees use simulation prior to clinical cases. No programs currently use simulation as part of the evaluation process.

Geriatric Assessment and Tools for Predicting Treatment Toxicity in Older Adults With Cancer.

PubMed

Li, Daneng; Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Hurria, Arti

Cancer is a disease of older adults, and the majority of new cancer cases and deaths occur in people 65 years or older. However, fewer data are available regarding the risks and benefits of cancer treatment in older adults, and commonly used assessments in oncology fail to adequately evaluate factors that affect treatment efficacy and outcomes in the older patients. The geriatric assessment is a multidisciplinary evaluation that provides detailed information about a patient's functional status, comorbidities, psychological state, social support, nutritional status, and cognitive function. Among older patients with cancer, geriatric assessment has been shown to identify patients at risk of poorer overall survival, and geriatric assessment-based tools are significantly more effective in predicting chemotherapy toxicity than other currently utilized measures. In this review, we summarize the components of the geriatric assessment and provide information about existing tools used to predict treatment toxicity in older patients with cancer.

Block-structured grids for complex aerodynamic configurations: Current status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vatsa, Veer N.; Sanetrik, Mark D.; Parlette, Edward B.

1995-01-01

The status of CFD methods based on the use of block-structured grids for analyzing viscous flows over complex configurations is examined. The objective of the present study is to make a realistic assessment of the usability of such grids for routine computations typically encountered in the aerospace industry. It is recognized at the very outset that the total turnaround time, from the moment the configuration is identified until the computational results have been obtained and postprocessed, is more important than just the computational time. Pertinent examples will be cited to demonstrate the feasibility of solving flow over practical configurations of current interest on block-structured grids.

Health Status of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Symptom Level.

PubMed

Marvel, Jessica; Yu, Tzy-Chyi; Wood, Robert; Higgins, Victoria S; Make, Barry J

2016-05-05

Background: Despite receiving treatment, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often continue to experience symptoms that impact their health status. We determined the relationship between overall symptom burden and health status, and assessed the treatments patients were receiving. Methods: Data from 3 cross-sectional surveys of U.S. patients with COPD (2011-2013) were analyzed. Patients receiving inhaled COPD treatment for ≥3 months completed the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) symptom burden and respiratory health status measure, EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D-3L) general health status questionnaire, and Jenkins Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (JSEQ). CAT scores were used to identify high- (CAT ≥24) and low-symptom patients (CAT <24), who were matched using 1:1 propensity score matching with replacement. Match balance was assessed with standardized mean differences. EQ-5D-3L and JSEQ scores, and current treatment were compared between groups post-matching. Sensitivity was assessed with Rosenbaum bounds. Results: A total of 638 patients were included. Compared with low-symptom patients, high-symptom patients had worse health status and greater sleep disturbance by EQ-5D utility index (0.85 versus 0.71, respectively; p <0.0001) and JSEQ scores (3.73 versus 7.35, respectively; p <0.0001). High-symptom patients were prescribed single-maintenance bronchodilators ± inhaled corticosteroids (46.0%), triple therapy (40.5%), and short-acting therapy only (8.2%). Results were robust and insensitive to unobserved confounders. Conclusions: Increased COPD symptom burden is associated with worse general health status in patients receiving COPD treatment. High-symptom patients frequently received single inhaled medication. The results suggest that health care providers should monitor and tailor therapy, based on level of symptom burden to improve symptom control and health status.

Australian shellfish ecosystems: Past distribution, current status and future direction.

PubMed

Gillies, Chris L; McLeod, Ian M; Alleway, Heidi K; Cook, Peter; Crawford, Christine; Creighton, Colin; Diggles, Ben; Ford, John; Hamer, Paul; Heller-Wagner, Gideon; Lebrault, Emma; Le Port, Agnès; Russell, Kylie; Sheaves, Marcus; Warnock, Bryn

2018-01-01

We review the status of marine shellfish ecosystems formed primarily by bivalves in Australia, including: identifying ecosystem-forming species, assessing their historical and current extent, causes for decline and past and present management. Fourteen species of bivalves were identified as developing complex, three-dimensional reef or bed ecosystems in intertidal and subtidal areas across tropical, subtropical and temperate Australia. A dramatic decline in the extent and condition of Australia's two most common shellfish ecosystems, developed by Saccostrea glomerata and Ostrea angasi oysters, occurred during the mid-1800s to early 1900s in concurrence with extensive harvesting for food and lime production, ecosystem modification, disease outbreaks and a decline in water quality. Out of 118 historical locations containing O. angasi-developed ecosystems, only one location still contains the ecosystem whilst only six locations are known to still contain S. glomerata-developed ecosystems out of 60 historical locations. Ecosystems developed by the introduced oyster Crasostrea gigas are likely to be increasing in extent, whilst data on the remaining 11 ecosystem-forming species are limited, preventing a detailed assessment of their current ecosystem-forming status. Our analysis identifies that current knowledge on extent, physical characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystem services of Australian shellfish ecosystems is extremely limited. Despite the limited information on shellfish ecosystems, a number of restoration projects have recently been initiated across Australia and we propose a number of existing government policies and conservation mechanisms, if enacted, would readily serve to support the future conservation and recovery of Australia's shellfish ecosystems.

An Industry Picture of U. S. Science Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Edward E., Jr.

1986-01-01

Offers perspectives on the status and direction of federal science policy. Assesses current efforts dealing with megaprojects, basic research, and cooperative projects. Provides suggestions for improving federal science policy so as to better promote industrial competitiveness. (ML)

Child Health USA 2013: Postpartum Visit and Well-Baby Care

MedlinePlus

... care provider with the opportunity to assess the mother’s current physical health, including the status of pregnancy-related conditions like gestational diabetes, screen for postpartum depression, provide counseling on infant care and family planning ...

The Association between Maternal Employment and Young Adults' Subsequent Relationships with Their Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guth, Christine M.; Chambliss, Catherine

Noting that few studies have assessed the long-term correlates of maternal employment during infancy, this study assessed the quality of college-age students' current relationships with their parents as a function of the employment status of their parents during the respondents' childhood. Participating in the research were 822 college students…

Projecting other public inventories for the 2005 RPA timber assessment update.

Treesearch

Xiaoping Zhou; John R. Mills; Richard W. Haynes

2007-01-01

This study gives an overview of the current inventory status and the projection of future forest inventories on other public timberland. Other public lands are lands administered by state, local, and federal government but excluding National Forest System lands. These projections were used as part of the 2005 USDA Forest Service Resource Planning Act timber assessment...

What's Wrong with Current Chinese College English Assessment System? Reform or Not?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Fen

2010-01-01

The author expounds the "status quo" of college English assessment system in China and objectively points out some major problems that have negative impacts on college English teaching and learning. On the basis of pros and cons towards the issue, the author intends to come up with some effective countermeasures, including converting the…

26 CFR 54.9802-1 - Prohibiting discrimination against participants and beneficiaries based on a health factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... employees who complete a health risk assessment regarding current health status, without any further action... assessment. (See also § 54.9802-3T for rules prohibiting collection of genetic information.) (iii) Health... and beneficiaries based on a health factor. 54.9802-1 Section 54.9802-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL...

The Assessment of Mangrove Sediment Quality in Mengkabong Lagoon: An Index Analysis Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praveena, Sarva M.; Radojevic, Miroslav; Abdullah, Mohd H.

2007-01-01

The objectives of this study are to use different types of indexes to assess the current pollution status in Mengkabong lagoon and select the best index to describe the Mengkabong sediment quality. The indexes used in this study were Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Marine Sediment Pollution…

Adult Learner Graduation Rates at Four U.S. Community Colleges by Prior Learning Assessment Status and Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Milan S.

2012-01-01

The college completion agenda demands improved graduation rates among adult learners and prior learning assessment (PLA) is a promising solution. PLA permits students to earn college credit for knowledge acquired outside of higher education and is associated with improved student outcomes. The current study expanded the literature regarding adult…

The Questions about Behavioral Function (QABF): Current Status as a Method of Functional Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Tureck, Kimberly; Rieske, Robert

2012-01-01

Functional assessment has now entered the mainstream for evaluation and to aid in the treatment of challenging behaviors, while experimental functional analysis was at the forefront of this movement, this particular methodology has proven to be impractical, and thus has limited utility in real world settings. As a result of these factors…

Status of Emergency Contraceptives in Europe One Year after the European Medicines Agency's Recommendation to Switch Ulipristal Acetate to Non-Prescription Status.

PubMed

Italia, Salvatore; Brand, Helmut

2016-01-01

In November 2014, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended switching the emergency contraceptive (EMC) ulipristal acetate to non-prescription status. This study's objective is to assess the current legal status of the two EMCs ulipristal acetate and levonorgestrel in Europe and to report on the development of sales figures for EMCs since they were made freely available. Health authorities were contacted in autumn 2015 and asked about the current status of EMCs and whether the sales figures had changed after a switch to non-prescription status. Additionally, data on consumption were collected in 18 German community pharmacies. As of November 2015, most countries in the European Union (EU) have followed the EMA recommendation. Hungary kept the prescription-only status. In Malta, EMC drugs are not authorized. Germany and Croatia switched levonorgestrel to non-prescription status as well. Of the EU candidate and European Free Trade Association countries, ulipristal acetate is available without prescription in Norway and Bosnia and Herzegovina only. Several countries reported an increase in EMC sales since the switch. An EMA recommendation can strongly contribute to the harmonization of a drug's legal status in the EU. In most European countries, ulipristal acetate and/or levonorgestrel are now freely available. © 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Protein-energy undernutrition in hospital in-patients.

PubMed

Corish, C A; Kennedy, N P

2000-06-01

Impaired nutritional status has been frequently reported in surveys estimating its prevalence amongst patients in hospital. While there is no doubt that protein-energy undernutrition has serious implications for health, recovery from illness or surgery and hospital costs, lack of nationally or internationally accepted cut-off points and guidelines for most nutrition-related variables make nutritional assessment difficult and proper comparisons between studies impossible. In reviewing published work in which the prevalence of undernutrition has been assessed, it can be seen that each study defined undernutrition, or nutritional risk, using different methodology. This present review aims to highlight the problems which arise when deciphering these studies, and the resulting difficulty in determining the true prevalence of undernutrition and nutritional risk, amongst both general and specific groups of hospital in-patients. It is widely agreed that routine hospital practices can further adversely affect the nutritional status of sick patients in hospital. How this occurs, and the potential effects of impaired nutritional status on clinical outcome are examined. The methods currently available to assess nutritional status are evaluated in the knowledge that such assessments are difficult in clinical practice. The review concludes by proposing that if we want the medical and nursing professions to consider the nutritional status of hospital patients seriously, definitions of undernutrition and nutritional risk, and cut-off values for the nutritional variables measured must be agreed to allow evidence-based practice. Outcome measures which allow clear comparisons between groups and treatments must be used in studies assessing the effects of nutritional interventions.

Analysis and critical assessment of the current and near future plans of the Brazilian satellite applications program and its role in the global space program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator)

1983-01-01

Brazilian programs using satellites for remote sensing, meteorology and communications are analyzed including their current status and near future plans. The experience gained and available information are used to critically discuss some aspects of great importance for the existing and prospective user countries.

A Sociological Demographic Analysis of the Current State and Evolution of the Family

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golod, S. I.

2008-01-01

Starting in the 1960s, researchers in many countries have expressed concern over the state of crisis of monogamy, addressing the phenomenon as a direct function of global social transformations. The author finds it is difficult to agree with the negative assessment of the current status of the family, noting that centuries of evidence confirm the…

North Cascades National Park Service Complex

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Robert; Woodward, Andrea; Haggerty, Patricia K.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Griffin, Paul C.; Adams, Michael J.; Hagar, Joan; Cummings, Tonnie; Duriscoe, Dan; Kopper, Karen; Riedel, Jon; Marin, Lelaina; Mauger, Guillaume S; Bumbaco, Karen; Littell, Jeremy S.

2015-01-01

Natural Resource Condition Assessments (NRCAs) evaluate current conditions for a subset of natural resources and resource indicators in national parks. NRCAs also report on trends in resource condition (when possible), identify critical data gaps, and characterize a general level of confidence for study findings. The resources and indicators emphasized in a given project depend on the park’s resource setting, status of resource stewardship planning and science in identifying high-priority indicators, and availability of data and expertise to assess current conditions for a variety of potential study resources and indicators. Although the primary objective of NRCAs is to report on current conditions relative to logical forms of reference conditions and values, NRCAs also report on trends, when appropriate (i.e., when the underlying data and methods support such reporting), as well as influences on resource conditions. These influences may include past activities or conditions that provide a helpful context for understanding current conditions and present-day threats and stressors that are best interpreted at park, watershed, or landscape scales (though NRCAs do not report on condition status for land areas and natural resources beyond park boundaries). Intensive cause-andeffect analyses of threats and stressors, and development of detailed treatment options, are outside the scope of NRCAs.

Assessment of the Automotive Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair Industry

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-02-01

The study describes the current status of the Inspection/Maintenance/Repair Industry in the U.S., the impact of technological changes and legislation, and related approaches used in Germany and Sweden. Based on these findings suggestions are provided...

A Status Report: A Look ahead at Various Issues from the Standpoint of College and University Attorneys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernard, Pamela; Alger, Jonathan R.; Shur, George; Olswang, Steven; Langhauser, Derek P.; Rothstein, Laura; Irwin, Kathleen S.; Blumer, Dennis H.

2003-01-01

A series of reports assess the current and potential legal issues surrounding college athletics, affirmative action, student affairs, tenure, freedom and regulation of speech, disabilities, academic research, and trustees. (EV)

Does consideration and assessment of effects on health equity affect the conclusions of systematic reviews? A methodology study.

PubMed

Welch, Vivian; Petticrew, Mark; Ueffing, Erin; Benkhalti Jandu, Maria; Brand, Kevin; Dhaliwal, Bharbhoor; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Smylie, Janet; Wells, George Anthony; Tugwell, Peter

2012-01-01

Tackling health inequities both within and between countries remains high on the agenda of international organizations including the World Health Organization and local, regional and national governments. Systematic reviews can be a useful tool to assess effects on equity in health status because they include studies conducted in a variety of settings and populations. This study aims to describe the extent to which the impacts of health interventions on equity in health status are considered in systematic reviews, describe methods used, and assess the implications of their equity related findings for policy, practice and research. We conducted a methodology study of equity assessment in systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers extracted information on the reporting and analysis of impacts of health interventions on equity in health status in a group of 300 systematic reviews collected from all systematic reviews indexed in one month of MEDLINE, using a pre-tested data collection form. Any differences in data extraction were resolved by discussion. Of the 300 systematic reviews, 224 assessed the effectiveness of interventions on health outcomes. Of these 224 reviews, 29 systematic reviews assessed effects on equity in health status using subgroup analysis or targeted analyses of vulnerable populations. Of these, seven conducted subgroup analyses related to health equity which were reported in insufficient detail to judge their credibility. Of these 29 reviews, 18 described implications for policy and practice based on assessment of effects on health equity. The quality and completeness of reporting should be enhanced as a priority, because without this policymakers and practitioners will continue lack the evidence base they need to inform decision-making about health inequity. Furthermore, there is a need to develop methods to systematically consider impacts on equity in health status that is currently lacking in systematic reviews.

Using a two-step method to measure transgender identity in Latin America/the Caribbean, Portugal, and Spain.

PubMed

Reisner, Sari L; Biello, Katie; Rosenberger, Joshua G; Austin, S Bryn; Haneuse, Sebastien; Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Novak, David S; Mimiaga, Matthew J

2014-11-01

Few comparative data are available internationally to examine health differences by transgender identity. A barrier to monitoring the health and well-being of transgender people is the lack of inclusion of measures to assess natal sex/gender identity status in surveys. Data were from a cross-sectional anonymous online survey of members (n > 36,000) of a sexual networking website targeting men who have sex with men in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries/territories in Latin America/the Caribbean, Portugal, and Spain. Natal sex/gender identity status was assessed using a two-step method (Step 1: assigned birth sex, Step 2: current gender identity). Male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) participants were compared to non-transgender males in age-adjusted regression models on socioeconomic status (SES) (education, income, sex work), masculine gender conformity, psychological health and well-being (lifetime suicidality, past-week depressive distress, positive self-worth, general self-rated health, gender related stressors), and sexual health (HIV-infection, past-year STIs, past-3 month unprotected anal or vaginal sex). The two-step method identified 190 transgender participants (0.54%; 158 MTF, 32 FTM). Of the 12 health-related variables, six showed significant differences between the three groups: SES, masculine gender conformity, lifetime suicidality, depressive distress, positive self-worth, and past-year genital herpes. A two-step approach is recommended for health surveillance efforts to assess natal sex/gender identity status. Cognitive testing to formally validate assigned birth sex and current gender identity survey items in Spanish and Portuguese is encouraged.

Using a Two-Step Method to Measure Transgender Identity in Latin America/the Caribbean, Portugal, and Spain

PubMed Central

Reisner, Sari L.; Biello, Katie; Rosenberger, Joshua G.; Austin, S. Bryn; Haneuse, Sebastien; Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Novak, David S.; Mimiaga, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

Few comparative data are available internationally to examine health differences by transgender identity. A barrier to monitoring the health and well-being of transgender people is the lack of inclusion of measures to assess natal sex/gender identity status in surveys. Data were from a cross-sectional anonymous online survey of members (n > 36,000) of a sexual networking website targeting men who have sex with men in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries/ territories in Latin America/the Caribbean, Portugal, and Spain. Natal sex/gender identity status was assessed using a two-step method (Step 1: assigned birth sex, Step 2: current gender identity). Male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) participants were compared to non-transgender males in age-adjusted regression models on socioeconomic status (SES) (education, income, sex work), masculine gender conformity, psychological health and well-being (lifetime suicidality, past-week depressive distress, positive self-worth, general self-rated health, gender related stressors), and sexual health (HIV-infection, past-year STIs, past-3 month unprotected anal or vaginal sex). The two-step method identified 190 transgender participants (0.54%; 158 MTF, 32 FTM). Of the 12 health-related variables, six showed significant differences between the three groups: SES, masculine gender conformity, lifetime suicidality, depressive distress, positive self-worth, and past-year genital herpes. A two-step approach is recommended for health surveillance efforts to assess natal sex/gender identity status. Cognitive testing to formally validate assigned birth sex and current gender identity survey items in Spanish and Portuguese is encouraged. PMID:25030120

Nutritional Status Assessment (SMO 016E)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, S. M.; Zwart, S. R.; Heer, M.; Ericson, K.; Coburn, S. P.; Booth, S. A.; Jones, J. A.; Lupton, J.

2009-01-01

Until 2006, it was not been possible to assess nutritional status of crewmembers on the ISS during flight because blood and urine could not be collected during ISS missions. Postflight observations of alterations in status of several nutrients are troubling, and we require the ability to monitor the status of these nutrients during flight to determine if there is a specific impetus or timeframe for these changes. In addition to the monitoring of crew nutritional status during flight, in-flight sample collection would allow better assessment of countermeasure effectiveness. Collecting samples during flight is one of the objectives of SMO 016E, and it is also designed to expand the current medical requirement for nutritional assessment (MR016L) to include additional normative markers for assessing crew health and countermeasure effectiveness. Additional markers of bone metabolism will be measured to better monitor bone health and the effectiveness of countermeasures to prevent bone resorption. New markers of oxidative damage will be measured to better assess the type of oxidative insults that occur during space flight. The array of nutritional assessment variables will be expanded to include ones that will allow us to better understand changes in folate, vitamin K, and vitamin B6 status, as well as risk factors for cardiovascular and oxidative damage during and after flight. Stress hormones and hormones that affect bone and muscle metabolism will also be measured. Measuring these additional variables will allow us to better monitor the health of crewmembers and make more accurate recommendations for their rehabilitation. Several nutritional assessment variables are altered at landing, but it is not known how long these changes persist. We extended the original protocol to include an additional postflight blood and urine sample collection 30 days after landing. Data are being collected before, during, and after flight. These data will provide a complete survey of how nutritional status and related systems are affected by space flight. Analyzing the data will help us to define nutritional requirements for long-duration missions. This expanded set of measurements will also aid in the identification of nutritional countermeasures to counteract, for example, the deleterious effects of microgravity on bone and muscle and the effects of space radiation.

Health-related quality of life of cataract patients: cross-cultural comparisons of utility and psychometric measures.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Eun; Fos, Peter J; Zuniga, Miguel A; Kastl, Peter R; Sung, Jung Hye

2003-07-01

This study was conducted to assess the presence and/or absence of cross-cultural differences or similarities between Korean and United States cataract patients. A systematic assessment was performed using utility and psychometric measures in the study population. A cross-sectional study design was used to examine the comparison of preoperative outcomes measures in cataract patients in Korea and the United States. Study subjects were selected using non-probabilistic methods and included 132 patients scheduled for cataract surgery in one eye. Subjects were adult cataract patients at Samsung and Kunyang General Hospital in Seoul, Korea, and Tulane University Hospital and Clinics in New Orleans, Louisiana. Preoperative utility was assessed using the verbal rating scale and standard reference gamble techniques. Current preoperative health status was assessed using the SF-36 and VF-14 surveys. Current preoperative Snellen visual acuity was used as a clinical measure of vision status. Korean patients were more likely to be younger (p = 0.001), less educated (p = 0.001), and to have worse Snellen visual acuity (p = 0.002) than United States patients. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that in contrast to Korean patients, United States patients were assessed to have higher scoring in general health, vitality, VF-14, and verbal rating for visual health. This higher scoring trend persisted after controlling for age, gender, education and Snellen visual acuity. The difference in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between the two countries was quite clear, especially in the older age and highly educated group. Subjects in Korea and the United States were significantly different in quality of life, functional status and clinical outcomes. Subjects in the United States had more favorable health outcomes than those in Korea. These differences may be caused by multiple factors, including country-specific differences in economic status, health care system, cultural value system, and health policy. Cross-cultural differences should be considered when making international comparisons of quality of life.

HIV Status Communication with Sex Partners and Associated Factors Among High-Risk MSM and Transgender Women in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Konda, Kelika A; Castillo, Rostislav; Leon, Segundo R; Silva-Santisteban, Alfonso; Salazar, Ximena; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Coates, Thomas J; Cáceres, Carlos F

2017-01-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) are key populations in the HIV epidemic. HIV status communication between sex partners can inform decisions regarding sexual behavior. MSM and TW were asked about HIV status communication with sex partners at baseline, 9- and 18-months. GEE models assessed associations with HIV status communication at baseline using prevalence ratios (PRs) and longitudinally using odds ratios (ORs). At baseline, those who had previously had an HIV test, disclosed their HIV status to 42 % of their sex partners. HIV status communication was associated with knowing their sex partner's HIV status at baseline (aPR 5.20) and longitudinally (aOR 1.86). HIV positivity at baseline was negatively associated with HIV status communication during follow-up (aOR 0.55). All reported aPRs and aORs have p < 0.05. Interventions promoting HIV status communication and more frequent HIV testing should be explored as current efforts are insufficient.

Estimating dead wood during national forest inventories: a review of inventory methodologies and suggestions for harmonization

Treesearch

Christopher W. Woodall; Jacques Rondeux; Pieter J. Verkerk; G& #246; ran St& #229; hl

2009-01-01

Efforts to assess forest ecosystem carbon stocks, biodiversity, and fire hazards have spurred the need for comprehensive assessments of forest ecosystem dead wood (DW) components around the world. Currently, information regarding the prevalence, status, and methods of DW inventories occurring in the world's forested landscapes is scattered. The goal of this study...

Estimating dead wood during national forest inventories: a review of inventory methodologies and suggestions for harmonization

Treesearch

Christopher W. Woodall; Jacques Rondeux; Pieter J. Verkerk; Goran Stahl

2009-01-01

Efforts to assess forest ecosystem carbon stocks, biodiversity, and fire hazards have spurred the need for comprehensive assessments of forest ecosystem dead wood (DW) attributes around the world. Currently, information regarding the prevalence, status, and methods of DW inventories occurring in the world?s forested landscapes is scattered. The goal of this study is to...

Methods for Predicting and Assessing the Impact of Technology on Human Resource Parameters: Report of the Literature. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Norman R.; Dieterly, Duncan L.

The literature review was undertaken to establish the current status of the methodology for forecasting and assessing technology and for quantizing human resource parameters with respect to the impact of incoming technologies. The review of 140 selected documents applicable to the study was undertaken with emphasis on the identification of methods…

EOS Aura MLS, first year post-launch engineering assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Karen A.; Lay, Richard R.; Jarnot, Robert F.; Cofield, Richard E.; Flower, Dennis A.; Pickett, Herbert M.

2005-01-01

This paper discusses the current status of the MLS instrument which now continuously provides data to produce global maps of targeted chemical species as well as temperature, cloud ice, and gravity wave activity. Performance trends are assessed with respect to characterization during initial on-orbit activiation of the instrument, and with data from ground test verification prior to launch.

Current Status of Mimosa pigra L. Infestation in Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Mansor, Asyraf; Crawley, Micheal J.

2011-01-01

The status and distribution of Mimosa pigra L., a semi-aquatic invasive species in Peninsular Malaysia, were continuously assessed between 2004 and 2007. This assessment investigated its population stand density and related weed management activities. In total, 106 sites of 6 main habitat types i.e., construction site (CS), dam/ reservoir (DM), forest reserve (FR), plantation (PL), river bank/waterway (RB) and roadside (RD) were assessed, and 55 sites were recorded with M. pigra populations. A CS is the most likely habitat to be infested with M. pigra (16 out of 18 assessed sites have this weed), whereas none of the FR visited were found to harbour M. pigra. In terms of population stand density, 41 populations were in the low range of stand density (individual plant of ≤5 m−2), compared to only 9 populations in the high range of stand density (individual plant of >10 m−2). In general, the current impact of M. pigra infestation on natural habitats is relatively low, as its distribution is only confined to disturbed areas. However, continuous monitoring of this weed species is highly recommended, especially in the riparian zone and wetland habitats. PMID:24575208

Assessment of Individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia.

PubMed

Henry, Maya L; Grasso, Stephanie M

2018-07-01

Speech-language pathologists play a crucial role in the assessment and treatment of individuals with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The speech-language evaluation is a critical aspect of the diagnostic and rehabilitative process, informing differential diagnosis as well as intervention planning and monitoring of cognitive-linguistic status over time. The evaluation should include a thorough case history and interview and a detailed assessment of speech-language and cognitive functions, with tasks designed to detect core and associated deficits outlined in current diagnostic criteria. In this paper, we review assessments that can be utilized to examine communication and cognition in PPA, including general aphasia batteries designed for stroke and/or progressive aphasia as well as tests of specific cognitive-linguistic functions, including naming, object/person knowledge, single-word and sentence comprehension, repetition, spontaneous speech/language production, motor speech, written language, and nonlinguistic cognitive domains. The comprehensive evaluation can inform diagnostic decision making and facilitate planning of interventions that are tailored to the patient's current status and likely progression of deficits. As such, the speech-language evaluation allows the medical team to provide individuals with PPA and their families with appropriate recommendations for the present and the future. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

How to Dax? Preschool Children's Prosocial Behavior, But Not Their Social Norm Enforcement Relates to Their Peer Status.

PubMed

Paulus, Markus

2017-01-01

The current study examined correlates of preschool children's ( n = 82) peer status. In particular, we assessed children's prosocial behavior, social problem behavior, norm enforcement, language abilities, and temperament. Children's prosocial behavior, pragmatic language abilities, and gender correlated with peer status. A regression analysis revealed that prosocial behavior and gender were independent predictors. There was some evidence for a mediation effect: The link between pragmatic language and peer status was mediated by prosocial behavior. Children's norm enforcement was not related to peer status, neither was it related to any other factor such as temperament or language. Overall, the study supports approaches claiming that prosocial behavior plays a role in children's social functioning and are in line with social-interactionist accounts to social and social-cognitive development.

Anemia and iron deficiency in gastrointestinal and liver conditions

PubMed Central

Stein, Jürgen; Connor, Susan; Virgin, Garth; Ong, David Eng Hui; Pereyra, Lisandro

2016-01-01

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is associated with a number of pathological gastrointestinal conditions other than inflammatory bowel disease, and also with liver disorders. Different factors such as chronic bleeding, malabsorption and inflammation may contribute to IDA. Although patients with symptoms of anemia are frequently referred to gastroenterologists, the approach to diagnosis and selection of treatment as well as follow-up measures is not standardized and suboptimal. Iron deficiency, even without anemia, can substantially impact physical and cognitive function and reduce quality of life. Therefore, regular iron status assessment and awareness of the clinical consequences of impaired iron status are critical. While the range of options for treatment of IDA is increasing due to the availability of effective and well-tolerated parenteral iron preparations, a comprehensive overview of IDA and its therapy in patients with gastrointestinal conditions is currently lacking. Furthermore, definitions and assessment of iron status lack harmonization and there is a paucity of expert guidelines on this topic. This review summarizes current thinking concerning IDA as a common co-morbidity in specific gastrointestinal and liver disorders, and thus encourages a more unified treatment approach to anemia and iron deficiency, while offering gastroenterologists guidance on treatment options for IDA in everyday clinical practice. PMID:27672287

Anemia and iron deficiency in gastrointestinal and liver conditions.

PubMed

Stein, Jürgen; Connor, Susan; Virgin, Garth; Ong, David Eng Hui; Pereyra, Lisandro

2016-09-21

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is associated with a number of pathological gastrointestinal conditions other than inflammatory bowel disease, and also with liver disorders. Different factors such as chronic bleeding, malabsorption and inflammation may contribute to IDA. Although patients with symptoms of anemia are frequently referred to gastroenterologists, the approach to diagnosis and selection of treatment as well as follow-up measures is not standardized and suboptimal. Iron deficiency, even without anemia, can substantially impact physical and cognitive function and reduce quality of life. Therefore, regular iron status assessment and awareness of the clinical consequences of impaired iron status are critical. While the range of options for treatment of IDA is increasing due to the availability of effective and well-tolerated parenteral iron preparations, a comprehensive overview of IDA and its therapy in patients with gastrointestinal conditions is currently lacking. Furthermore, definitions and assessment of iron status lack harmonization and there is a paucity of expert guidelines on this topic. This review summarizes current thinking concerning IDA as a common co-morbidity in specific gastrointestinal and liver disorders, and thus encourages a more unified treatment approach to anemia and iron deficiency, while offering gastroenterologists guidance on treatment options for IDA in everyday clinical practice.

Lifecourse educational status in relation to weight gain in African American women

PubMed Central

Coogan, Patricia F.; Wise, Lauren A.; Cozier, Yvette C.; Palmer, Julie R.; Rosenberg, Lynn

2013-01-01

Objectives Childhood disadvantage has been associated with increased risk of obesity from childhood through adulthood and those who are disadvantaged across the lifecourse are at highest risk. The effect of lifecourse socioeconomic status (SES) is particularly important for black women due to the higher prevalence of low SES and obesity in black compared to white women. We assessed associations of lifecourse SES, as indicated by educational status, with adult weight in African American women. Design We assessed the associations of parental education, current education (education of participant or her spouse), and a combination of parental and current education (lifecourse education) with weight gain among 21,457 women aged less than age 55 in the longitudinal Black Women’s Health Study which began in 1995. Main Outcome Measures We estimated the mean difference in weight gain between age 18 and age in 2009, and risk ratios for obesity in 2009, in each level of education compared to the highest level (college graduate). Results The age- and height-adjusted differences in mean weight gain for the lowest levels of parental and current education compared to the highest levels were 3.29 and 4.49 kg, respectively. The age-adjusted risk ratios for obesity for the lowest level of parental and current education were 1.44 (95% CI 1.32-1.57) and 1.75 (95% CI 1.57-1.95), respectively. Risk of obesity for was lowest among those with current education of college graduate, regardless of parental education. Conclusions Educational level of college graduate may overcome the adverse effects of low parental education on weight gain and obesity risk. PMID:22764643

Sex Effects on Smoking Cue Perception in Non-Smokers, Smokers, and Ex-Smokers: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Zanchi, Davide; Brody, Arthur; Borgwardt, Stefan; Haller, Sven

2016-01-01

Recent neuroimaging research suggests sex-related brain differences in smoking addiction. In the present pilot study, we assessed gender-related differences in brain activation in response to cigarette-related video cues, investigating non-smokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. First, we compared 29 females (28.6 ± 5.3) vs. 23 males (31.5 ± 6.4), regardless of current smoking status to assess global gender-related effects. Second, we performed a post hoc analysis of non-smokers (9 females and 8 males), smokers (10 females and 8 males), and ex-smokers (10 females and 7 males). Participants performed a block-design functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm contrasting smoking with control cue video exposures. Data analyses included task-related general linear model, voxel-based morphometry of gray matter (GM), and tract-based spatial statistics of white matter (WM). First, the global effect regardless of current smoking status revealed higher activation in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for females compared to males. Second, the analysis according to current smoking status demonstrated higher activation in female vs. male smokers vs. non-smokers in the superior frontal gyrus, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus, and higher activation in female vs. male ex-smokers vs. non-smokers in the right precentral gyrus, in the right insula and ACC. No structural differences were found in GM or WM. The current study identifies gender-related brain functional differences in smokers and ex-smokers compared to non-smokers. The current work can be considered as a starting point for future investigations into gender differences in brain responses to cigarette-related cues.

A Delphic consensus assessment: imaging and biomarkers in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor disease management.

PubMed

Oberg, Kjell; Krenning, Eric; Sundin, Anders; Bodei, Lisa; Kidd, Mark; Tesselaar, Margot; Ambrosini, Valentina; Baum, Richard P; Kulke, Matthew; Pavel, Marianne; Cwikla, Jaroslaw; Drozdov, Ignat; Falconi, Massimo; Fazio, Nicola; Frilling, Andrea; Jensen, Robert; Koopmans, Klaus; Korse, Tiny; Kwekkeboom, Dik; Maecke, Helmut; Paganelli, Giovanni; Salazar, Ramon; Severi, Stefano; Strosberg, Jonathan; Prasad, Vikas; Scarpa, Aldo; Grossman, Ashley; Walenkamp, Annemeik; Cives, Mauro; Virgolini, Irene; Kjaer, Andreas; Modlin, Irvin M

2016-09-01

The complexity of the clinical management of neuroendocrine neoplasia (NEN) is exacerbated by limitations in imaging modalities and a paucity of clinically useful biomarkers. Limitations in currently available imaging modalities reflect difficulties in measuring an intrinsically indolent disease, resolution inadequacies and inter-/intra-facility device variability and that RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) criteria are not optimal for NEN. Limitations of currently used biomarkers are that they are secretory biomarkers (chromogranin A, serotonin, neuron-specific enolase and pancreastatin); monoanalyte measurements; and lack sensitivity, specificity and predictive capacity. None of them meet the NIH metrics for clinical usage. A multinational, multidisciplinary Delphi consensus meeting of NEN experts (n = 33) assessed current imaging strategies and biomarkers in NEN management. Consensus (>75%) was achieved for 78% of the 142 questions. The panel concluded that morphological imaging has a diagnostic value. However, both imaging and current single-analyte biomarkers exhibit substantial limitations in measuring the disease status and predicting the therapeutic efficacy. RECIST remains suboptimal as a metric. A critical unmet need is the development of a clinico-biological tool to provide enhanced information regarding precise disease status and treatment response. The group considered that circulating RNA was better than current general NEN biomarkers and preliminary clinical data were considered promising. It was resolved that circulating multianalyte mRNA (NETest) had clinical utility in both diagnosis and monitoring disease status and therapeutic efficacy. Overall, it was concluded that a combination of tumor spatial and functional imaging with circulating transcripts (mRNA) would represent the future strategy for real-time monitoring of disease progress and therapeutic efficacy. © 2016 The authors.

Perceived health status is associated with hours of exercise per week in older adults independent of physical health.

PubMed

McHugh, Joanna Edel; Lawlor, Brian A

2013-11-01

Perceived health status does not always reflect actual health status. We investigated the association between objective and self-rated measures of health status and hours of exercise per week in older adults. As part of the TRIL clinic assessment, we gathered information from 473 community dwelling adults over the age of 65, regarding hours spent per week exercising, depression, personality, perceived health status, and objective health status (in the form of a comorbidity count). Regression analyses were performed on these data to investigate whether perceived health status, objective health status, personality and mood are associated with hours of exercise per week. Perceived and objective health status were significantly but weakly correlated. Both perceived and objective health status, as well as depression, were independently associated with hours of exercise per week. We conclude that exercise uptake in older adults is contingent on both perceived and objective health status, as well as depression. Perceived health status has a stronger association with exercise uptake in older adults with lower depression levels. The current findings have implications for designing exercise interventions for older adults.

Status of LDEF radiation modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watts, John W.; Armstrong, T. W.; Colborn, B. L.

1995-01-01

The current status of model prediction and comparison with LDEF radiation dosimetry measurements is summarized with emphasis on major results obtained in evaluating the uncertainties of present radiation environment model. The consistency of results and conclusions obtained from model comparison with different sets of LDEF radiation data (dose, activation, fluence, LET spectra) is discussed. Examples where LDEF radiation data and modeling results can be utilized to provide improved radiation assessments for planned LEO missions (e.g., Space Station) are given.

Indicators of Range Health

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Science-based grassland management requires an understanding of the current status of the land relative to its potential. Rangeland health assessments help increase the cost-effectiveness of management by identifying where a change in management may be required, and the types of ecological processes...

[Development of the Oral Assessment Scale for Post-Operational Patients With Oral Cancer].

PubMed

Lee, Yi-Chen; Hsu, Ya-Chuan; Chiang, Hui-Ying

2017-04-01

Current oral assessment scales are designed to assess the severity of oral health in cancer patients who have undergone radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Currently, no scale is available that assesses the overall oral health situation of patients. However, this type of scale is critical for guiding nursing staff to understand the oral status of postoperative patients and for facilitating the development of patient-centered oral nursing treatments. To develop the oral assessment scale for post-operational patients with oral cancer (OASPOCa) and establish its psychometric properties. The ten associated items of the OASPOCa were determined using a series of five professional council meetings and two verifications of content validity by 5 experts in the field of oral cancer care. A pilot study was conducted on 30 participants and a formal study was conducted on 100 participants at the ICU and the oral and maxillofacial surgery ward at a medical center in southern Taiwan. All of the participants were oral cancer patients who had been admitted to excise tumors of oral cancer. None of the participants had been treated previously for oral cancer using chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), internal consistency reliability, and concurrent validity of the OASPOCa were evaluated. A content validity of 1.0 was obtained. The inter-rater reliability assessment in the pilot study yielded ICCs of .97 for two assessment items ("lips" and "tongue") and 1.0 for the remaining eight items. The Cronbach's α coefficient was .72 for the OASPOCa. Further, a statistically significant negative relationship was found between overall oral status and oral comfort level (r = -.93, p < .001). The oral assessment scale for post-operational patients with oral cancer was found to have good reliability and validity. This scale is a reliable tool for assessing the oral status of postoperative oral cancer patients.

Current status of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer in Korea: role and benefits.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Gyun; Lyu, Da Hyun; Park, Chan Mi; Lee, Na Rae; Kim, Jiyoung; Cha, Youngju; Jung, Hwoon-Yong

2018-06-21

This study was aimed to investigate the current clinical status of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) in Korea based on a National Health Insurance (NHI) database between 2011 and 2014. The claims data of ESD for EGC in Korean NHI were reviewed using material codes of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service between November 2011 and December 2014. The current clinical status was analyzed in terms of treatment pattern, in-hospital length of stay (LOS), total medical costs, and en bloc resection rate according to the hospital type. A total of 23,828 cases of ESD for EGC were evaluated. ESD was performed in 67.4% of cases in tertiary care hospitals, 31.8% in general hospitals, and 0.8% in hospitals, respectively. The median LOS was 5 days, and total median medical costs was approximately 1,300 US dollars. En bloc resection rate was 99%; 8.5% of cases underwent additional treatment within 90 days ESD, and 5.5% in 91 to 365 days after ESD. The clinical status was not significantly different according to the year and hospital type. A majority of ESD for EGC were performed in tertiary care hospitals in Korea. The clinical status showed excellent clinical outcomes and did not differ by the year and between the types of hospitals in Korea.

The Current and Historical Distribution of Special Status Amphibians at the Livermore Site and Site 300

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hattem, M V; Paterson, L; Woollett, J

2008-08-20

65 surveys were completed in 2002 to assess the current distribution of special status amphibians at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Livermore Site and Site 300. Combined with historical information from previous years, the information presented herein illustrates the dynamic and probable risk that amphibian populations face at both sites. The Livermore Site is developed and in stark contrast to the mostly undeveloped Site 300. Yet both sites have significant issues threatening the long-term sustainability of their respective amphibian populations. Livermore Site amphibians are presented with a suite of challenges inherent of urban interfaces, most predictably the bullfrog (Ranamore » catesbeiana), while Site 300's erosion issues and periodic feral pig (Sus scrofa) infestations reduce and threaten populations. The long-term sustainability of LLNL's special status amphibians will require active management and resource commitment to maintain and restore amphibian habitat at both sites.« less

Pilot Preferences for Information Provided and Its Format for Status, Alerts, and Controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.

2004-01-01

With the increased use of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in flight decks and the computing power available, it is possible to combine status screens, alerts/procedures screens, and control screens onto a single display. This report presents the results of a survey designed to assess the perceived helpfulness and need of various pieces of information that could be included on status and control screens. The results from the survey indicate that operators want parameter ranges that change depending on the current aircraft configuration shown on bow-tie or dial displays. These displays should show the current value, normal range, alert type and range, and predictive information. Respondents wanted to see system relationships to one another for both component control and menu selection. When bringing up these various displays, this information should come up with a single button push. Finally, checklists should sense when a component has changed to the desired state.

Status of Natural Gas Pipeline System Capacity Entering the 2000-2001 Heating Season

EIA Publications

2000-01-01

This special report looks at the capabilities of the national natural gas pipeline network in 2000 and provides an assessment of the current levels of available capacity to transport supplies from production areas to markets throughout the United States during the upcoming heating season. It also examines how completion of currently planned expansion projects and proposed new pipelines would affect the network.

Status of the assessment phase of the ESA M3 mission candidate LOFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corral van Damme, Carlos; Ayre, Mark; Lumb, David; Short, Alexander D.; Rando, Nicola

2012-09-01

LOFT (Large Observatory For x-ray Timing) is one of four candidates for the M3 slot (launch in 2024, with the option of a launch in 2022) of ESAs Cosmic Vision 2015 - 2025 Plan, and as such it is currently undergoing an initial assessment phase lasting one year. The objective of the assessment phase is to provide the information required to enable the down selection process, in particular: the space segment definition for meeting the assigned science objectives; consideration of and initial definition of the implementation schedule; an estimate of the mission Cost at Completion (CaC); an evaluation of the technology readiness evaluation and risk assessment. The assessment phase is divided into two interleaved components: (i) A payload assessment study, performed by teams funded by member states, which is primarily intended for design, definition and programmatic/cost evaluation of the payload, and (ii) A system industrial study, which has essentially the same objectives for the space segment of the mission. This paper provides an overview of the status of the LOFT assessment phase, both for payload and platform. The initial focus is on the payload design status, providing the reader with an understanding of the main features of the design. Then the space segment assessment study status is presented, with an overview of the principal challenges presented by the LOFT payload and mission requirements, and a presentation of the expected solutions. Overall the mission is expected to enable cutting-edge science, is technically feasible, and should remain within the required CaC for an M3 candidate.

Structured assessment of current mental state in clinical practice: an international study of the reliability and validity of the Current Psychiatric State interview, CPS-50.

PubMed

Falloon, I R H; Mizuno, M; Murakami, M; Roncone, R; Unoka, Z; Harangozo, J; Pullman, J; Gedye, R; Held, T; Hager, B; Erickson, D; Burnett, K

2005-01-01

To develop a reliable standardized assessment of psychiatric symptoms for use in clinical practice. A 50-item interview, the Current Psychiatric State 50 (CPS-50), was used to assess 237 patients with a range of psychiatric diagnoses. Ratings were made by interviewers after a 2-day training. Comparisons of inter-rater reliability on each item and on eight clinical subscales were made across four international centres and between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. A principal components analysis was used to validate these clinical scales. Acceptable inter-rater reliability (intra-class coefficient > 0.80) was found for 46 of the 50 items, and for all eight subscales. There was no difference between centres or between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. The principal components analysis factors were similar to the clinical scales. The CPS-50 is a reliable standardized assessment of current mental status that can be used in clinical practice by all mental health professionals after brief training. Blackwell Munksgaard 2004

Australian shellfish ecosystems: Past distribution, current status and future direction

PubMed Central

Gillies, Chris L.; McLeod, Ian M.; Alleway, Heidi K.; Cook, Peter; Crawford, Christine; Creighton, Colin; Diggles, Ben; Ford, John; Hamer, Paul; Heller-Wagner, Gideon; Lebrault, Emma; Le Port, Agnès; Russell, Kylie; Sheaves, Marcus; Warnock, Bryn

2018-01-01

We review the status of marine shellfish ecosystems formed primarily by bivalves in Australia, including: identifying ecosystem-forming species, assessing their historical and current extent, causes for decline and past and present management. Fourteen species of bivalves were identified as developing complex, three-dimensional reef or bed ecosystems in intertidal and subtidal areas across tropical, subtropical and temperate Australia. A dramatic decline in the extent and condition of Australia’s two most common shellfish ecosystems, developed by Saccostrea glomerata and Ostrea angasi oysters, occurred during the mid-1800s to early 1900s in concurrence with extensive harvesting for food and lime production, ecosystem modification, disease outbreaks and a decline in water quality. Out of 118 historical locations containing O. angasi-developed ecosystems, only one location still contains the ecosystem whilst only six locations are known to still contain S. glomerata-developed ecosystems out of 60 historical locations. Ecosystems developed by the introduced oyster Crasostrea gigas are likely to be increasing in extent, whilst data on the remaining 11 ecosystem-forming species are limited, preventing a detailed assessment of their current ecosystem-forming status. Our analysis identifies that current knowledge on extent, physical characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystem services of Australian shellfish ecosystems is extremely limited. Despite the limited information on shellfish ecosystems, a number of restoration projects have recently been initiated across Australia and we propose a number of existing government policies and conservation mechanisms, if enacted, would readily serve to support the future conservation and recovery of Australia’s shellfish ecosystems. PMID:29444143

The dynamics of HER2 status in esophageal adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Creemers, Aafke; Ebbing, Eva A.; Hooijer, Gerrit K.J.; Stap, Lisanne; Jibodh-Mulder, Rajni A.; Gisbertz, Susanne S.; van Berge Henegouwen, Mark I.; van Montfoort, Maurits L.; Hulshof, Maarten C.C.M.; Krishnadath, Kausilia K.; van Oijen, Martijn G.H.; Bijlsma, Maarten F.; Meijer, Sybren L.; van Laarhoven, Hanneke W.M.

2018-01-01

Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against HER2, has become standard of care for metastatic HER2-overexpressing esophagogastric adenocarcinoma and is currently investigated as (neo)adjuvant treatment option in HER2-positive esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. The HER2 status is commonly determined on archived material of the primary tumor. However, this status may change over the course of treatment or disease progression. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of HER2 status in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with resectable and recurrent disease, and to determine the associations of these changes with clinical outcome. Discordance, defined as any change in HER2 status between matched biopsy and post-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy resection specimen (N = 170), or between matched resection specimen and recurrence of patients not eligible for curative treatment (N = 61), was determined using the standardized HER2 status scoring system. Clinically relevant positive discordance was defined as a change to HER2 positive status, as this would imply eligibility for HER2-targeted therapy. A difference in HER2 status between biopsy and resection specimen and resection specimen and metachronous recurrence was observed in 2.1% (n = 3) and 3.3% (n = 2) of the paired cases, respectively. Clinically relevant discordance was detected in 1.4% (n = 2) of the resectable patients and 1.6% (n = 1) of the patients with recurrent disease. Patients with HER2-positive status tumors before start of neoadjuvant treatment showed better overall survival, but not statistically significant. No association between HER2 status discordance and survival was found. Clinically relevant HER2 status discordance was observed and in order to prevent under-treatment of patients, the assessment of HER2 status in the metastatic setting should preferably be performed on the most recently developed lesions if the previous HER2 assessment on archival material of the primary tumor was negative. PMID:29928485

The dynamics of HER2 status in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Creemers, Aafke; Ebbing, Eva A; Hooijer, Gerrit K J; Stap, Lisanne; Jibodh-Mulder, Rajni A; Gisbertz, Susanne S; van Berge Henegouwen, Mark I; van Montfoort, Maurits L; Hulshof, Maarten C C M; Krishnadath, Kausilia K; van Oijen, Martijn G H; Bijlsma, Maarten F; Meijer, Sybren L; van Laarhoven, Hanneke W M

2018-06-01

Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against HER2, has become standard of care for metastatic HER2-overexpressing esophagogastric adenocarcinoma and is currently investigated as (neo)adjuvant treatment option in HER2-positive esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. The HER2 status is commonly determined on archived material of the primary tumor. However, this status may change over the course of treatment or disease progression. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of HER2 status in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with resectable and recurrent disease, and to determine the associations of these changes with clinical outcome. Discordance, defined as any change in HER2 status between matched biopsy and post-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy resection specimen ( N = 170), or between matched resection specimen and recurrence of patients not eligible for curative treatment ( N = 61), was determined using the standardized HER2 status scoring system. Clinically relevant positive discordance was defined as a change to HER2 positive status, as this would imply eligibility for HER2-targeted therapy. A difference in HER2 status between biopsy and resection specimen and resection specimen and metachronous recurrence was observed in 2.1% ( n = 3) and 3.3% ( n = 2) of the paired cases, respectively. Clinically relevant discordance was detected in 1.4% ( n = 2) of the resectable patients and 1.6% ( n = 1) of the patients with recurrent disease. Patients with HER2-positive status tumors before start of neoadjuvant treatment showed better overall survival, but not statistically significant. No association between HER2 status discordance and survival was found. Clinically relevant HER2 status discordance was observed and in order to prevent under-treatment of patients, the assessment of HER2 status in the metastatic setting should preferably be performed on the most recently developed lesions if the previous HER2 assessment on archival material of the primary tumor was negative.

Tele-yoga for Chronic Pain: Current Status and Future Directions.

PubMed

Mathersul, Danielle C; Mahoney, Louise A; Bayley, Peter J

2018-01-01

Pain is a pervasive, debilitating disorder that is resistant to long-term pharmacological interventions. Although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy demonstrate moderate efficacy, many individuals continue to have ongoing difficulties following treatment. There is a current trend to establish complementary and integrative health interventions for chronic pain, for which yoga has been found to have exciting potential. Nevertheless, an important consideration within the field is accessibility to adequate care. Telehealth can be used to provide real-time interactive video conferencing leading to increased access to health care for individuals located remotely or who otherwise have difficulty accessing services, perhaps through issues of mobility or proximity of adequate services. This article assesses the current status and feasibility of implementing tele-yoga for chronic pain. Methodological limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Tele-yoga for Chronic Pain: Current Status and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Louise A; Bayley, Peter J

2018-01-01

Pain is a pervasive, debilitating disorder that is resistant to long-term pharmacological interventions. Although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy demonstrate moderate efficacy, many individuals continue to have ongoing difficulties following treatment. There is a current trend to establish complementary and integrative health interventions for chronic pain, for which yoga has been found to have exciting potential. Nevertheless, an important consideration within the field is accessibility to adequate care. Telehealth can be used to provide real-time interactive video conferencing leading to increased access to health care for individuals located remotely or who otherwise have difficulty accessing services, perhaps through issues of mobility or proximity of adequate services. This article assesses the current status and feasibility of implementing tele-yoga for chronic pain. Methodological limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed. PMID:29637012

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the NPS : 2005 baseline inventory and preliminary program assessment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-19

This report presents the current status of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) within the 398 national parks managed by the National Park Service (NPS), discusses the potential of ITS to address the often unique transportation challenges faced b...

National survey of drinking and driving attitudes and behaviors : 2008. Volume 1, summary report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

This report presents results from the eighth in a series of national telephone surveys conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety : Administration (NHTSA) to assess current status and trends regarding the publics attitudes, knowledge, and s...

Development of Uniform Sections for PMS Inventory and Application.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-12-01

This report summarizes the findings of the first phase of LTRC research project 04-2P, which is sponsored by LADOTD. : The project is assessing the current status and the state-of-the-practice of the LADOTD pavement management system : (PMS). Results...

Status of Test and Analysis Plans For 915 MHz Wind Profiler Replacement Technology Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Barry C.; Barbre/Jacobs, BJ

2017-01-01

Evaluate the performance and output of instruments that could replace the current 915-MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profiler (DRWP) networks at the Eastern Range (ER) and Western Range (WR) over a three month (12 week) period.

Spaceborne Gravity Gradiometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wells, W. C. (Editor)

1984-01-01

The current status of gravity gradiometers and technology that could be available in the 1990's for the GRAVSAT-B mission are assessed. Problems associated with sensors, testing, spacecraft, and data processing are explored as well as critical steps, schedule, and cost factors in the development plan.

National survey of drinking and driving attitudes and behaviors : 2008. Volume 2, findings report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

This report presents results from the eighth in a series of national telephone surveys conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration : (NHTSA) to assess current status and trends regarding the publics attitudes, knowledge, and s...

Assessing the Utility of Item Response Theory Models: Differential Item Functioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheuneman, Janice Dowd

The current status of item response theory (IRT) is discussed. Several IRT methods exist for assessing whether an item is biased. Focus is on methods proposed by L. M. Rudner (1975), F. M. Lord (1977), D. Thissen et al. (1988) and R. L. Linn and D. Harnisch (1981). Rudner suggested a measure of the area lying between the two item characteristic…

The Observational Determination of the Primordial Helium Abundance: a Y2K Status Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skillman, Evan D.

I review observational progress and assess the current state of the determination of the primordial helium abundance, Yp. At present there are two determinations with non-overlapping errors. My impression is that the errors have been under-estimated in both studies. I review recent work on errors assessment and give suggestions for decreasing systematic errors in future studies.

Nutritional assessment of elderly patients on dialysis: pitfalls and potentials for practice.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Juliana; Cuppari, Lilian; Campbell, Katrina L; Avesani, Carla Maria

2017-11-01

The chronic kidney disease (CKD) population is aging. Currently a high percentage of patients treated on dialysis are older than 65 years. As patients get older, several conditions contribute to the development of malnutrition, namely protein energy wasting (PEW), which may be compounded by nutritional disturbances associated with CKD and from the dialysis procedure. Therefore, elderly patients on dialysis are vulnerable to the development of PEW and awareness of the identification and subsequent management of nutritional status is of importance. In clinical practice, the nutritional assessment of patients on dialysis usually includes methods to assess PEW, such as the subjective global assessment, the malnutrition inflammation score, and anthropometric and laboratory parameters. Studies investigating measures of nutritional status specifically tailored to the elderly on dialysis are scarce. Therefore, the same methods and cutoffs used for the general adult population on dialysis are applied to the elderly. Considering this scenario, the aim of this review is to discuss specific considerations for nutritional assessment of elderly patients on dialysis addressing specific shortcomings on the interpretation of markers, in addition to providing clinical practice guidance to assess the nutritional status of elderly patients on dialysis. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Mental Status Documentation: Information Quality and Data Processes

PubMed Central

Weir, Charlene; Gibson, Bryan; Taft, Teresa; Slager, Stacey; Lewis, Lacey; Staggers, Nancy

2016-01-01

Delirium is a fluctuating disturbance of cognition and/or consciousness associated with poor outcomes. Caring for patients with delirium requires integration of disparate information across clinicians, settings and time. The goal of this project was to characterize the information processes involved in nurses’ assessment, documentation, decisionmaking and communication regarding patients’ mental status in the inpatient setting. VA nurse managers of medical wards (n=18) were systematically selected across the US. A semi-structured telephone interview focused on current assessment, documentation, and communication processes, as well as clinical and administrative decision-making was conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. A thematic analytic approach was used. Five themes emerged: 1) Fuzzy Concepts, 2) Grey Data, 3) Process Variability 4) Context is Critical and 5) Goal Conflict. This project describes the vague and variable information processes related to delirium and mental status that undermine effective risk, prevention, identification, communication and mitigation of harm. PMID:28269919

Mental Status Documentation: Information Quality and Data Processes.

PubMed

Weir, Charlene; Gibson, Bryan; Taft, Teresa; Slager, Stacey; Lewis, Lacey; Staggers, Nancy

2016-01-01

Delirium is a fluctuating disturbance of cognition and/or consciousness associated with poor outcomes. Caring for patients with delirium requires integration of disparate information across clinicians, settings and time. The goal of this project was to characterize the information processes involved in nurses' assessment, documentation, decisionmaking and communication regarding patients' mental status in the inpatient setting. VA nurse managers of medical wards (n=18) were systematically selected across the US. A semi-structured telephone interview focused on current assessment, documentation, and communication processes, as well as clinical and administrative decision-making was conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. A thematic analytic approach was used. Five themes emerged: 1) Fuzzy Concepts, 2) Grey Data, 3) Process Variability 4) Context is Critical and 5) Goal Conflict. This project describes the vague and variable information processes related to delirium and mental status that undermine effective risk, prevention, identification, communication and mitigation of harm.

Reducing the socio-economic status achievement gap at University by promoting mastery-oriented assessment.

PubMed

Smeding, Annique; Darnon, Céline; Souchal, Carine; Toczek-Capelle, Marie-Christine; Butera, Fabrizio

2013-01-01

In spite of official intentions to reduce inequalities at University, students' socio-economic status (SES) is still a major determinant of academic success. The literature on the dual function of University suggests that University serves not only an educational function (i.e., to improve students' learning), but also a selection function (i.e., to compare people, and orient them towards different positions in society). Because current assessment practices focus on the selection more than on the educational function, their characteristics fit better with norms and values shared by dominant high-status groups and may favour high-SES students over low-SES students in terms of performances. A focus on the educational function (i.e., mastery goals), instead, may support low-SES students' achievement, but empirical evidence is currently lacking. The present research set out to provide such evidence and tested, in two field studies and a randomised field experiment, the hypothesis that focusing on University's educational function rather than on its selection function may reduce the SES achievement gap. Results showed that a focus on learning, mastery-oriented goals in the assessment process reduced the SES achievement gap at University. For the first time, empirical data support the idea that low-SES students can perform as well as high-SES students if they are led to understand assessment as part of the learning process, a way to reach mastery goals, rather than as a way to compare students to each other and select the best of them, resulting in performance goals. This research thus provides a theoretical framework to understand the differential effects of assessment on the achievement of high and low-SES students, and paves the way toward the implementation of novel, theory-driven interventions to reduce the SES-based achievement gap at University.

How to Dax? Preschool Children’s Prosocial Behavior, But Not Their Social Norm Enforcement Relates to Their Peer Status

PubMed Central

Paulus, Markus

2017-01-01

The current study examined correlates of preschool children’s (n = 82) peer status. In particular, we assessed children’s prosocial behavior, social problem behavior, norm enforcement, language abilities, and temperament. Children’s prosocial behavior, pragmatic language abilities, and gender correlated with peer status. A regression analysis revealed that prosocial behavior and gender were independent predictors. There was some evidence for a mediation effect: The link between pragmatic language and peer status was mediated by prosocial behavior. Children’s norm enforcement was not related to peer status, neither was it related to any other factor such as temperament or language. Overall, the study supports approaches claiming that prosocial behavior plays a role in children’s social functioning and are in line with social-interactionist accounts to social and social-cognitive development. PMID:29163247

The associations of perceived neighborhood disorder and physical activity with obesity among African American adolescents.

PubMed

Dulin-Keita, Akilah; Kaur Thind, Herpreet; Affuso, Olivia; Baskin, Monica L

2013-05-04

According to recent research studies, the built and socioeconomic contexts of neighborhoods are associated with African American adolescents' participation in physical activity and obesity status. However, few research efforts have been devoted to understand how African American adolescents' perceptions of their neighborhood environments may affect physical activity behaviors and obesity status. The objective of the current study was to use a perceived neighborhood disorder conceptual framework to examine whether physical activity mediated the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and obesity status among African American adolescents. The data were obtained from a cross-sectional study that examined social and cultural barriers and facilitators of physical activity among African American adolescents. The study included a sample of 101 African American adolescents age 12 to 16 years and their parents who were recruited from the Birmingham, Alabama metropolitan area. The primary outcome measure was obesity status which was classified using the International Obesity Task Force cut off points. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed via accelerometry. Perceived neighborhood disorder was assessed using the Perceived Neighborhood Disorder Scale. Mediation models were used to examine whether the relationship between neighborhood disorder and obesity status was mediated by physical activity. Perceived neighborhood disorder was significantly and positively related to obesity status and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was inversely associated with obesity status. However, there was no evidence to support a significant mediating effect of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on the relationship between neighborhood disorder and obesity status. Future studies should longitudinally assess perceived neighborhood disorder characteristics and childhood adiposity to examine the timing, extent, and the mechanisms by which perceived neighborhood disorder characteristics increase the risk of obesity.

Association between Family and Friend Smoking Status and Adolescent Smoking Behavior and E-Cigarette Use in Korea.

PubMed

Joung, Myoung Jin; Han, Mi Ah; Park, Jong; Ryu, So Yeon

2016-11-25

Smoking is harmful to the health of adolescents because their bodies are still growing. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between the smoking status of Korean adolescents' parents and friends and their own smoking behavior. The study assessed a nationwide sample of 72,060 middle and high students from the 10th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2014). Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to probe the association between family and friend smoking status and adolescent smoking behavior. The current cigarette smoking rates were 13.3% of boys and 4.1% of girls. The corresponding rates for electronic cigarette smoking were 4.1% and 1.5%, respectively. Higher exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking by any family member, more friends smoking, and witnessed smoking at school were associated with current smoking and electronic smoking. The smoking status of family and friends was significantly related to adolescent smoking behavior. These results should be considered in designing programs to control adolescent smoking.

Association between Family and Friend Smoking Status and Adolescent Smoking Behavior and E-Cigarette Use in Korea

PubMed Central

Joung, Myoung Jin; Han, Mi Ah; Park, Jong; Ryu, So Yeon

2016-01-01

Smoking is harmful to the health of adolescents because their bodies are still growing. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between the smoking status of Korean adolescents’ parents and friends and their own smoking behavior. The study assessed a nationwide sample of 72,060 middle and high students from the 10th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2014). Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to probe the association between family and friend smoking status and adolescent smoking behavior. The current cigarette smoking rates were 13.3% of boys and 4.1% of girls. The corresponding rates for electronic cigarette smoking were 4.1% and 1.5%, respectively. Higher exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking by any family member, more friends smoking, and witnessed smoking at school were associated with current smoking and electronic smoking. The smoking status of family and friends was significantly related to adolescent smoking behavior. These results should be considered in designing programs to control adolescent smoking. PMID:27898019

HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF POLLUTION STRESS AND RECOVERY IN AN URBAN ESTUARY

EPA Science Inventory

The major problems in the coastal areas result from human overutilization of the environment. Pollution is correlated with population density and there is currently a major effort to monitor estuaries to assess their ecological status. These monitoring efforts are important becau...

California Programs and Services for Students with Serious Emotional Disturbances.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winget, Pat, Ed.; Kirk, Joyce, Ed.

This monograph presents an overview of the current status of programs for students with serious emotional disturbances in California and makes recommendations for program improvements. An introductory chapter summarizes important themes including screening, prevention, and early intervention; definitions; eligibility issues; assessment;…

Functional outcomes of child and adolescent mental disorders. Current disorder most important but psychiatric history matters as well.

PubMed

Ormel, J; Oerlemans, A M; Raven, D; Laceulle, O M; Hartman, C A; Veenstra, R; Verhulst, F C; Vollebergh, W; Rosmalen, J G M; Reijneveld, S A; Oldehinkel, A J

2017-05-01

Various sources indicate that mental disorders are the leading contributor to the burden of disease among youth. An important determinant of functioning is current mental health status. This study investigated whether psychiatric history has additional predictive power when predicting individual differences in functional outcomes. We used data from the Dutch TRAILS study in which 1778 youths were followed from pre-adolescence into young adulthood (retention 80%). Of those, 1584 youths were successfully interviewed, at age 19, using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0) to assess current and past CIDI-DSM-IV mental disorders. Four outcome domains were assessed at the same time: economic (e.g. academic achievement, social benefits, financial difficulties), social (early motherhood, interpersonal conflicts, antisocial behavior), psychological (e.g. suicidality, subjective well-being, loneliness), and health behavior (e.g. smoking, problematic alcohol, cannabis use). Out of the 19 outcomes, 14 were predicted by both current and past disorders, three only by past disorders (receiving social benefits, psychiatric hospitalization, adolescent motherhood), and two only by current disorder (absenteeism, obesity). Which type of disorders was most important depended on the outcome. Adjusted for current disorder, past internalizing disorders predicted in particular psychological outcomes while externalizing disorders predicted in particular health behavior outcomes. Economic and social outcomes were predicted by a history of co-morbidity of internalizing and externalizing disorder. The risk of problematic cannabis use and alcohol consumption dropped with a history of internalizing disorder. To understand current functioning, it is necessary to examine both current and past psychiatric status.

Validating Smoking Data From the Veteran’s Affairs Health Factors Dataset, an Electronic Data Source

PubMed Central

Brandt, Cynthia A.; Skanderson, Melissa; Justice, Amy C.; Shahrir, Shahida; Butt, Adeel A.; Brown, Sheldon T.; Freiberg, Matthew S.; Gibert, Cynthia L.; Goetz, Matthew Bidwell; Kim, Joon Woo; Pisani, Margaret A.; Rimland, David; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C.; Sico, Jason J.; Tindle, Hilary A.; Crothers, Kristina

2011-01-01

Introduction: We assessed smoking data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) electronic medical record (EMR) Health Factors dataset. Methods: To assess the validity of the EMR Health Factors smoking data, we first created an algorithm to convert text entries into a 3-category smoking variable (never, former, and current). We compared this EMR smoking variable to 2 different sources of patient self-reported smoking survey data: (a) 6,816 HIV-infected and -uninfected participants in the 8-site Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS-8) and (b) a subset of 13,689 participants from the national VACS Virtual Cohort (VACS-VC), who also completed the 1999 Large Health Study (LHS) survey. Sensitivity, specificity, and kappa statistics were used to evaluate agreement of EMR Health Factors smoking data with self-report smoking data. Results: For the EMR Health Factors and VACS-8 comparison of current, former, and never smoking categories, the kappa statistic was .66. For EMR Health Factors and VACS-VC/LHS comparison of smoking, the kappa statistic was .61. Conclusions: Based on kappa statistics, agreement between the EMR Health Factors and survey sources is substantial. Identification of current smokers nationally within the VHA can be used in future studies to track smoking status over time, to evaluate smoking interventions, and to adjust for smoking status in research. Our methodology may provide insights for other organizations seeking to use EMR data for accurate determination of smoking status. PMID:21911825

Assessing the immunization status of pediatric cochlear implant recipients using a state-maintained immunization registry.

PubMed

Ou, Henry; Cleary, Patricia; Sie, Kathleen

2010-10-01

To demonstrate the use of a state-maintained database (CHILD Profile) to monitor immunization status of pediatric cochlear implant recipients, and to assess compliance with current vaccination recommendations for cochlear implant users managed at Seattle Children's Hospital. Cross-sectional study. Tertiary academic pediatric hospital. Subjects were 260 patients with cochlear implants managed at Seattle Children's Hospital between July 1, 1995, and May 1, 2008. Patients were stratified by age groups (0-2 years, 2-5 years, 5-10 years, > 10 years). Using a statewide children's immunization registry (CHILD Profile), subjects were assessed with regard to their immunization status for Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccination (HiB), 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV-7), and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV-23). Two hundred twenty-five of 260 subjects (87%) were registered in CHILD Profile; 126 of 225 (56%) were up to date with CDC recommendations for patients with cochlear implants. PPV-23 was the vaccination most likely to be incomplete. Age was predictive of immunization status only with HiB vaccination. A statewide immunization registry can be used to monitor the immunization status of cochlear implant recipients. Subjects were significantly more likely to be incomplete for PPV-23 than for either PCV-7 or HiB vaccinations. Copyright © 2010 American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between psychological and self-assessed health status and smartphone overuse among Korean college students.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Jin; Min, Jin-Young; Kim, Hye-Jin; Min, Kyoung-Bok

2017-09-04

Several studies suggest that subjective health status is closely related to various behavioral addictions, but there are few studies on smartphone overuse. This study investigated the associations between psychological and subjective health conditions and smartphone overuse in Korean college students. A total of 608 college students participated in this study. We investigated the perceived psychological factors, such as stress, depression symptoms and suicidal ideation. Overall health status was evaluated with self-assessed items, including usual health condition and EuroQol-visual analog scales (EQ-VAS) score. Smartphone overuse was evaluated as the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale. Students with psychotic anxiety (i.e. stress, depression and suicidal ideation) showed significant associations with smartphone overuse, indicating an approximately twofold increased risk compared to those without psychological anxiety (all p < 0.05). Students who reported feeling that their usual health is not good were more likely to overuse smartphones than those who are in good health (OR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.22-3.21). The EQ-VAS score, which indicates current self-assessed health status, also showed a similar result with general health status (OR = 2.14; 95% CI = 1.14-4.02). Negative conditions in self-perceived emotional or overall health condition are associated with the increased likelihood of smartphone overuse in Korean college students.

Nutrient Status Assessment in Individuals and Populations for Healthy Aging—Statement from an Expert Workshop

PubMed Central

Péter, Szabolcs; Saris, Wim H. M.; Mathers, John C.; Feskens, Edith; Schols, Annemie; Navis, Gerjan; Kuipers, Folkert; Weber, Peter; Eggersdorfer, Manfred

2015-01-01

A workshop organized by the University Medical Center Groningen addressed various current issues regarding nutrient status of individuals and populations, tools and strategies for its assessment, and opportunities to intervene. The importance of nutrient deficiencies and information on nutrient status for health has been illustrated, in particular for elderly and specific patient groups. The nutrient profile of individuals can be connected to phenotypes, like hypertension or obesity, as well as to socio-economic data. This approach provides information on the relationship between nutrition (nutrient intake and status) and health outcomes and, for instance, allows us to use the findings to communicate and advocate a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition is complex: a broader profile of nutrients should be considered rather than focusing solely on a single nutrient. Evaluating food patterns instead of intake of individual nutrients provides better insight into relationships between nutrition and health and disease. This approach would allow us to provide feedback to individuals about their status and ways to improve their nutritional habits. In addition, it would provide tools for scientists and health authorities to update and develop public health recommendations. PMID:26694458

Osteotomy models - the current status on pain scoring and management in small rodents.

PubMed

Lang, Annemarie; Schulz, Anja; Ellinghaus, Agnes; Schmidt-Bleek, Katharina

2016-12-01

Fracture healing is a complex regeneration process which produces new bone tissue without scar formation. However, fracture healing disorders occur in approximately 10% of human patients and cause severe pain and reduced quality of life. Recently, the development of more standardized, sophisticated and commercially available osteosynthesis techniques reflecting clinical approaches has increased the use of small rodents such as rats and mice in bone healing research dramatically. Nevertheless, there is no standard for pain assessment, especially in these species, and consequently limited information regarding the welfare aspects of osteotomy models. Moreover, the selection of analgesics is restricted for osteotomy models since non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to affect the initial, inflammatory phase of bone healing. Therefore, opioids such as buprenorphine and tramadol are often used. However, dosage data in the literature are varied. Within this review, we clarify the background of osteotomy models, explain the current status and challenges of animal welfare assessment, and provide an example score sheet including model specific parameters. Furthermore, we summarize current refinement options and present a brief outlook on further 3R research. © The Author(s) 2016.

Current employment status, occupational category, occupational hazard exposure and job stress in relation to telomere length: the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

PubMed

Fujishiro, Kaori; Diez-Roux, Ana V; Landsbergis, Paul A; Jenny, Nancy Swords; Seeman, Teresa

2013-08-01

Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of cell senescence, which is associated with a wide array of adverse health outcomes. While work is a major determinant of health, few studies have investigated the association of telomere length with various dimensions of occupation. Accelerated cellular aging could be a common pathway linking occupational exposure to several health outcomes. Leukocyte telomere length was assessed using quantitative PCR in a community-based sample of 981 individuals (age: 45-84 years). Questionnaires were used to collect information on current employment status, current or main occupation before retirement and job strain. The Occupational Resource Network (O*NET) database was linked to the questionnaire data to create five exposure measures: physical activity on the job, physical hazard exposure, interpersonal stressors, job control and job demands. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of occupational characteristics with telomere lengths after adjustment for age, sex, race, socioeconomic position and several behavioural risk factors. There were no mean differences in telomere lengths across current employment status, occupational category, job strain categories or levels of most O*NET exposure measures. There was also no evidence that being in lower status occupational categories or being exposed to higher levels of adverse physical or psychosocial exposures accelerated the association between age and telomere shortening. Cellular aging as reflected by shorter telomeres does not appear to be an important pathway linking occupation to various health outcomes.

Is There an Association Between Smoking Status and Prosthetic Joint Infection After Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?

PubMed

Gonzalez, Amanda I; Luime, Jolanda J; Uçkay, Ilker; Hannouche, Didier; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Lübbeke, Anne

2018-02-23

Recent reports highlighted the association between smoking and higher risk of postsurgical infections. The aim was to compare the incidence of prosthetic joint infection after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) according to smoking status. A prospective hospital registry-based cohort study was performed including all primary knee and hip TJAs performed between March 1996 and December 2013. Smoking status preoperatively was classified into never, former, and current smoker. Incidence rates and hazard ratios (HRs) for prosthetic joint infection according to smoking status were assessed within the first year and beyond. We included 8559 primary TJAs (mean age 69.5 years), and median follow-up was 67 months. There were 5722 never, 1315 former, and 1522 current smokers. Incidence rates of infection within the first year for never, former, and current smokers were, respectively, 4.7, 10.1, and 10.9 cases/1000 person-years, comparing ever vs never smokers, crude and adjusted HRs were 2.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-3.98) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.04-3.2). Beyond the first year, crude and adjusted HRs were 1.37 (95% CI 0.78-2.39) and 1.12 (95% CI 0.61-2.04). Smoking increased the infection risk about 1.8 times after primary hip or knee TJA in both current and former smokers. Beyond the first year, the infection risk was similar to never smokers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing Groundwater Availability in the High Plains Aquifer in Parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Qi, Sharon L.; Christenson, Scott

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's Groundwater Resources Program is conducting an assessment of groundwater availability to gain a clearer understanding of the status of the Nation's groundwater resources and the natural and human factors that can affect those resources. The goals of this national effort are to define the current status and improve understanding of the Nation's groundwater resources, to better estimate availability and suitability of those resources for use in the future, and to provide tools to estimate the future availability of ground-water for its various uses. Assessments will be completed for regional aquifer systems across the Nation to help characterize how much water we have, where groundwater resources are most stressed, how groundwater availability is changing, and where groundwater resources are most available for future use.

Pharmacogenomic Testing for Neuropsychiatric Drugs: Current Status of Drug Labeling, Guidelines for Using Genetic Information, and Test Options

PubMed Central

Drozda, Katarzyna; Müller, Daniel J.; Bishop, Jeffrey R.

2014-01-01

Advancements in pharmacogenomics have introduced an increasing number of opportunities to bring personalized medicine into clinical practice. Understanding how and when to use this technology to help guide pharmacotherapy used to treat neuropsychiatric conditions remains a challenge for many clinicians. Currently, guidelines exist to assist clinicians in the use of genetic information for drug selection and/or dosing for the tricyclic antidepressants, carbamazepine, and phenytoin. Additional language in the product labeling suggests that genetic information may also be useful for assessing the starting and target doses, as well as drug interaction potential, for a number of other medications used to treat psychiatric and neurological conditions. In this review, we outline the current status of pharmacogenomic testing for neuropsychiatric drugs as it pertains to information contained in drug labeling, consensus guidelines, and test panels, as well as considerations related to obtaining tests for patients. PMID:24523097

Nutritional status and height, weight and BMI centiles of school-aged children and adolescents of 6-18-years from Kinshasa (DRC).

PubMed

Buhendwa, Rudahaba Augustin; Roelants, Mathieu; Thomis, Martine; Nkiama, Constant E

2017-09-01

The last study to establish centiles of main anthropometric measurements in Kinshasa was conducted over 60 years ago, which questions its current adequacy to describe or monitor growth in this population. To assess the nutritional status of school-aged children and adolescents and to estimate centile curves of height, weight and body mass index (BMI). A representative sample of 7541 school-aged children and adolescents (48% boys) aged 6-18 years was measured between 2010-2013. Smooth centiles of height, weight and BMI-for-age were estimated with the LMS method and compared with the WHO 2007 reference. Nutritional status was assessed by comparing measurements of height and BMI against the appropriate WHO cut-offs. Compared to the WHO reference, percentiles of height and BMI were generally lower. This difference was larger in boys than in girls and increased as they approached adolescence. The prevalence of short stature (< -2 SD) and thinness (< -2 SD) was higher in boys (9.8% and 12%) than in girls (3.4% and 6.1%), but the prevalence of overweight (> 1 SD) was higher in girls (8.6%) than in boys (4.5%). Children from Kinshasa fall below WHO centile references. This study established up-to-date centile curves for height, weight and BMI by age in children and adolescents. These reference curves describe the current status of these anthropometric markers and can be used as a basis for comparison in future studies.

Influences of gender and socioeconomic status on the motor proficiency of children in the UK.

PubMed

Morley, David; Till, Kevin; Ogilvie, Paul; Turner, Graham

2015-12-01

As the development of movement skills are so crucial to a child's involvement in lifelong physical activity and sport, the purpose of this study was to assess the motor proficiency of children aged 4-7 years (range=4.3-7.2 years), whilst considering gender and socioeconomic status. 369 children (176 females, 193 males, aged=5.96 ± 0.57 years) were assessed for fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral co-ordination, balance, speed and agility, upper-limb co-ordination and strength. The average standard score for all participants was 44.4 ± 8.9, classifying the participants towards the lower end of the average score. Multivariate analysis of covariance identified significant effects for gender (p<0.001) and socioeconomic status (p<0.001). Females outperformed males for fine motor skills and boys outperformed girls for catch and dribble gross motor skills. High socioeconomic status significantly outperformed middle and/or low socioeconomic status for total, fine and gross motor proficiency. Current motor proficiency of primary children aged 4-7 years in the UK is just below average with differences evident between gender and socioeconomic status. Teachers and sport coaches working with primary aged children should concentrate on the development of movement skills, whilst considering differences between genders and socioeconomic status. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Current status of non-native fish species in the St. Louis River estuary

EPA Science Inventory

The fish community of the St. Louis River estuary is well characterized, thanks to fishery assessment and invasive species early detection monitoring by federal, state, and tribal agencies. This sampling includes long-standing adult/juvenile fish surveys, larval fish surveys beg...

Psychosocial Adjustment to Unsuccessful IVF and GIFT Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Susan M.; Clifford, Ellen; Hay, Douglas M.; Robinson, John

1997-01-01

Couples for whom in vitro fertilization (IVF) or gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) treatment failed (N=20) were followed up and compared with successful couples. Current mental-health status, quality of life, and marital adjustment were assessed via questionnaires; experiences were explored by interview. Results and recommendations for…

Emerging Adulthood: Age-Related Tasks and Underlying Self Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shulman, Shmuel; Feldman, Benni; Blatt, Sidney; Cohen, Omri; Mahler, Amalya

2005-01-01

Seventy-two Israeli emerging adults were interviewed for descriptions of themselves and accounts of their personal, social, and professional dreams, current life status, romantic relationships, and relationships with their parents. Interviews were transcribed and rated on scales assessing self-processes, attainment of professional and romantic…

Examining the Relationship between Math Scores and English Language Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Denfield L.; Nistor, Nicolae; Baltes, Beate

2016-01-01

Multiple studies propose that English proficiency dictates English language learners' (ELLs) performances on mathematics assessments. The current study investigates the predictive power of English proficiency on mathematics scores, while controlling for gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and grade level among ELLs at a south Florida elementary…

Four Futures for Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrissett, Irving

The current status of social studies education provides information for assessing and predicting future trends in social studies education. A 3-year study, "Social Studies Priorities and Needs," found that: social studies/social science educators are concerned with constructing a rationale and definition of social studies; the dominant approach to…

Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): part II. RNs' experience of nursing care for patients with COPD and impaired nutritional status.

PubMed

Odencrants, Sigrid; Ehnfors, Margareta; Grobe, Susan J

2007-03-01

This study is the second part of a project with the main purpose of obtaining a deeper understanding of the consequences of living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) concerning meal-related situations and an impaired nutritional status. COPD is a slowly progressive lung disease that results in several complications, including malnutrition. Nutritional status is an important part of COPD treatment, and there are criteria recommended for nutritional assessment and interventions among patients with COPD. Despite this, patients with extreme malnutrition and unnoticed weight loss are reported. The aim of the study was to investigate how Registered Nurses (RNs) in primary care describe nutritional assessment practices and interventions in COPD patients with impaired nutritional status. An interview approach using semistructured questions and case vignettes was chosen. The sample included 19 RNs working specifically with COPD patients. Data from interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis, and nine categories corresponding to the aim were identified. The RNs reported that their assessment of nutritional status was based largely on intuition. Assessment also included detection of the patients' current beliefs and being sensible about information provision - When and How. Interventions were supportive eating interventions, practical and cognitive participation, and making patients aware of the illness trajectory. An overall category that influenced nursing was respecting patients' feelings of shame and guilt about a self-inflicted disease. It seems that RNs use intuition because of a lack of knowledge of systematic methods of nutritional assessment. The findings also indicate that the RNs attempted to build a relationship of trust with the patients rather than provide early information on sensitive topics (e.g. nutritional information). The study reports areas of nursing care for COPD patients that must be improved in the future.

Profiles of College Drinkers Defined by Alcohol Behaviors at the Week Level: Replication Across Semesters and Prospective Associations With Hazardous Drinking and Dependence-Related Symptoms

PubMed Central

Fairlie, Anne M.; Maggs, Jennifer L.; Lanza, Stephanie T.

2016-01-01

Objective: Types of college drinkers have been identified using traditional measures (e.g., 12-month drinking frequency). We used an alternative multidimensional approach based on daily reports of alcohol behaviors to identify college drinker statuses, each with a unique behavioral profile. The current study aimed to (a) identify drinker statuses at the week level across four semesters, (b) examine the predictive utility of drinker status by testing associations with senior-year hazardous drinking and dependence symptoms, and (c) identify concurrent predictors (gender, drinking motivations, hazardous drinking, any dependence symptoms) of senior-year drinker status. We also compared the week-level drinker statuses with drinker statuses identified using traditional measures. Method: A multi-ethnic sample of U.S. college students completed 14-day bursts of daily web surveys across college (91%–96% completed ≥6 daily reports of the sampled week). Analyses focus on nine alcohol-related behaviors (including estimated blood alcohol concentration, pregaming, and drinking games) assessed daily in spring/sophomore year to fall/senior year and drinking motivations, hazardous drinking, and dependence symptoms assessed fall/senior year (n = 569; 56% women). Results: Four week-level drinker statuses were replicated across semesters: Nondrinker, Light Weekend, Heavy Weekend, and Heavy Frequent. Across semesters, drinker status was associated with senior-year hazardous drinking and any dependence symptoms. Senior-year fun/social motivations were also associated with senior-year drinker status. Differences in behavioral profiles between week-level drinker statuses and those identified using traditional measures were found. Conclusions: Replicable week-level drinker statuses were identified, suggesting consistency in possible types of drinking weeks. Drinker statuses were predictive of senior-year hazardous drinking and dependence symptoms. PMID:26751353

Development and preliminary validation of the EASE: a tool to measure perceived singing voice function.

PubMed

Phyland, Debra J; Pallant, Julie F; Benninger, Michael S; Thibeault, Susan L; Greenwood, Ken M; Smith, Julian A; Vallance, Neil

2013-07-01

Most voice self-rating tools are disease-specific measures and are not suitable for use with healthy voice users. There is a need for a tool that is sensitive to the subtleties of a singer's voice and to perceived physical changes in the singing voice mechanism as a function of load. The aim of this study was to devise and validate a scale to assess singer's perceptions of the current status of their singing voice. Ninety-five vocal health descriptors were collected from focus group interviews of singers. These were reviewed by 25 currently performing music theater (MT) singers. Based on a consensus technique, the number of descriptors was decreased to 42 items. These were administered to a sample of 284 professional MT singers using an online survey to evaluate their perception of current singing voice status. Principal component analysis identified two subsets of items. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate and refine these sets of items to form two 10-item subscales. Both subscales demonstrated good overall fit to the Rasch model, no differential item functioning by sex or age, and good internal consistency reliability. The two subscales were strongly correlated and subsequent Rasch analysis supported their combination to form a single 20-item scale with good psychometric properties. The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) is a concise clinical tool to assess singer's perceptions of the current status of their singing voice with good measurement properties. EASE may prove a useful tool to measure changes in the singing voice as indicators of the effect of vocal load. Furthermore, it may offer a valuable means for the prediction or screening of singers "at risk" of developing voice disorders. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. All rights reserved.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Quality of Sexual Life in Obese Subjects

PubMed Central

Di Lazzaro, Luca; Pinto, Alessandro; Migliaccio, Silvia; Lenzi, Andrea; Donini, Lorenzo M.

2014-01-01

The increased prevalence of obesity represents, currently, one of the major public health issues, due to its consequences on physical and psychological health status as well as on the psychosocial functioning. As defined by the World Health Organization, sexual health is “a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality.” The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between sexual life in obese subjects and quality of life, psychological status, and disability. Methods. 95 obese subjects were recruited from June 2012 to February 2013 and underwent physical examination and measures for the assessment of quality of life, sexual life, psychological status, and disability. Results. In obese subjects sexual life was related to gender, age, psychological status, disability, and quality of life. Conclusion. As obesity is a multifactorial disease, and is accompanied by multiple comorbidities, it is difficult to identify a single causative factor responsible for the impairment of sexual life in obese subjects; thus, a thorough, multidimensional evaluation including sexual function assessment should be performed in obese people. PMID:24707290

Comparative efficacy of benthic biotic indices in assessing the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) of the stressed Ulhas estuary, India.

PubMed

Mulik, Jyoti; Sukumaran, Soniya; Srinivas, Tatiparthi; Vijapure, Tejal

2017-07-15

Ecostatus of Ulhas estuary, one of the most polluted estuaries along the industrialized and urbanized northwest coast of India, was evaluated by six widely accepted benthic indices viz. H'(log 2 ), AMBI, M-AMBI, BENTIX, BOPA and BO2A to test their efficiency in a tropical setting. The mesohaline zone, which presented eutrophic conditions, was classified as 'bad' by all indices due to the azoic status. Despite significant correlations obtained between indices, there were discrepancies in the accurate level of EcoQS assigned to each station. AMBI was observed to be most efficient in indicating a clear spatial variability from a 'poor' to 'bad' ecological quality status in the middle and upstream zones to an improved status in the downstream region. Limitations of all indices are discussed in light of their suitability for assessing the estuarine environmental condition. The present results could provide a fillip to environmental improvement initiatives currently being undertaken in the estuary. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Obesogenic environments: a systematic review of the association between the physical environment and adult weight status, the SPOTLIGHT project

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Understanding which physical environmental factors affect adult obesity, and how best to influence them, is important for public health and urban planning. Previous attempts to summarise the literature have not systematically assessed the methodological quality of included studies, or accounted for environmental differences between continents or the ways in which environmental characteristics were measured. Methods We have conducted an updated review of the scientific literature on associations of physical environmental factors with adult weight status, stratified by continent and mode of measurement, accompanied by a detailed risk-of-bias assessment. Five databases were systematically searched for studies published between 1995 and 2013. Results Two factors, urban sprawl and land use mix, were found consistently associated with weight status, although only in North America. Conclusions With the exception of urban sprawl and land use mix in the US the results of the current review confirm that the available research does not allow robust identification of ways in which that physical environment influences adult weight status, even after taking into account methodological quality. PMID:24602291

Nutritional assessment in intravenous drug users with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Smit, E; Tang, A

2000-10-01

Studying metabolic, endocrine, and gastrointestinal (MEG) disorders in drug abuse and HIV infection is important. Equally important, however, are the tools we use to assess these disorders. Assessment of nutritional status may include any combination of biochemical and body composition measurements, dietary intake assessment, and metabolic studies. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses and there is no perfect tool. When assessing nutritional status in injection drug users (IDU) and in HIV-infected people, the decision on which method or methods to use becomes even more complex. A review of studies reported during the XII World Conference on AIDS reveals that of 64 abstracts on the topic of nutrition in HIV-infected adults, only 11 assessed diet, 41 assessed anthropometry, and 24 assessed some form of biochemical measure. The most commonly reported methods for dietary intake included 24-hour recalls, food records, and food frequencies. The commonest methods used for measuring body composition included height, weight, bioimpedance, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Biochemical measurements included various blood nutrients, lipids, and albumin. Methods varied greatly between studies, and caution should be taken when trying to compare results across studies, especially among those using different methods. Currently, few studies deal with the development of methods that can be used for research in HIV-infected and IDU populations. We need to work toward better tools in dietary intake assessment, body composition, and biochemical measurements, especially methods that will allow us to track changes in nutritional status over time.

New phases of D ge 2 current and diffeomorphism algebras in particle physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tze, Chia-Hsiung.

We survey some global results and open issues of current algebras and their canonical field theoretical realization in D {ge} 2 dimensional spacetime. We assess the status of the representation theory of their generalized Kac-Moody and diffeomorphism algebras. Particular emphasis is put on higher dimensional analogs of fermi-bose correspondence, complex analyticity and the phase entanglements of anyonic solitons with exotic spin and statistics. 101 refs.

Assessing the Safety of Vitamin A Delivered Through Large-Scale Intervention Programs: Workshop Report on Setting the Research Agenda.

PubMed

Tanumihardjo, Sherry A; Mokhtar, Najat; Haskell, Marjorie J; Brown, Kenneth H

2016-06-01

Vitamin A (VA) deficiency (VAD) is still a concern in many parts of the world, and multiple intervention strategies are being implemented to reduce the prevalence of VAD and associated morbidity and mortality. Because some individuals within a population may be exposed to multiple VA interventions, concerns have been raised about the possible risk of hypervitaminosis A. A consultative meeting was held in Vienna, Austria, in March 2014 to (1) review current knowledge concerning the safety and effectiveness of large-scale programs to control VAD, (2) develop a related research agenda, and (3) review current available methods to assess VA status and risk of hypervitaminosis A. Multiple countries were represented and shared their experiences using a variety of assessment methods, including retinol isotope dilution (RID) techniques. Discussion included next steps to refine assessment methodology, investigate RID limitations under different conditions, and review programmatic approaches to ensure VA adequacy and avoid excessive intakes. Fortification programs have resulted in adequate VA status in Guatemala, Zambia, and parts of Cameroon. Dietary patterns in several countries revealed that some people may consume excessive preformed VA from fortified foods. Additional studies are needed to compare biomarkers of tissue damage to RID methods during hypervitaminosis A and to determine what other biomarkers can be used to assess excessive preformed VA intake. © The Author(s) 2016.

Does Consideration and Assessment of Effects on Health Equity Affect the Conclusions of Systematic Reviews? A Methodology Study

PubMed Central

Welch, Vivian; Petticrew, Mark; Ueffing, Erin; Benkhalti Jandu, Maria; Brand, Kevin; Dhaliwal, Bharbhoor; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Smylie, Janet; Wells, George Anthony; Tugwell, Peter

2012-01-01

Introduction Tackling health inequities both within and between countries remains high on the agenda of international organizations including the World Health Organization and local, regional and national governments. Systematic reviews can be a useful tool to assess effects on equity in health status because they include studies conducted in a variety of settings and populations. This study aims to describe the extent to which the impacts of health interventions on equity in health status are considered in systematic reviews, describe methods used, and assess the implications of their equity related findings for policy, practice and research. Methods We conducted a methodology study of equity assessment in systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers extracted information on the reporting and analysis of impacts of health interventions on equity in health status in a group of 300 systematic reviews collected from all systematic reviews indexed in one month of MEDLINE, using a pre-tested data collection form. Any differences in data extraction were resolved by discussion. Results Of the 300 systematic reviews, 224 assessed the effectiveness of interventions on health outcomes. Of these 224 reviews, 29 systematic reviews assessed effects on equity in health status using subgroup analysis or targeted analyses of vulnerable populations. Of these, seven conducted subgroup analyses related to health equity which were reported in insufficient detail to judge their credibility. Of these 29 reviews, 18 described implications for policy and practice based on assessment of effects on health equity. Conclusion The quality and completeness of reporting should be enhanced as a priority, because without this policymakers and practitioners will continue lack the evidence base they need to inform decision-making about health inequity. Furthermore, there is a need to develop methods to systematically consider impacts on equity in health status that is currently lacking in systematic reviews. PMID:22427804

Status report: USGS coal assessment of the Powder River, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luppens, James A.; Rohrbacher, Timothy J.; Haacke, Jon E.; Scott, David C.; Osmonson, Lee M.

2006-01-01

Summary: This publication reports on the status of the current coal assessment of the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana. This slide program was presented at the Energy Information Agency's 2006 EIA Energy Outlook and Modeling Conference in Washington, DC, on March 27, 2006. The PRB coal assessment will be the first USGS coal assessment to include estimates of both regional coal resources and reserves for an entire coal basin. Extensive CBM and additional oil and gas development, especially in the Gillette coal field, have provided an unprecedented amount of down-hole geological data. Approximately 10,000 new data points have been added to the PRB database since the last assessment (2002) which will provide a more robust evaluation of the single most productive U.S. coal basin. The Gillette coal field assessment, including the mining economic evaluation, is planned for completion by the end of 2006. The geologic portion of the coal assessment work will shift to the northern and northwestern portions of the PRB before the end of 2006 while the Gillette engineering studies are finalized.

Back massage therapy promotes psychological relaxation and an increase in salivary chromogranin A release.

PubMed

Noto, Yuka; Kudo, Mihoko; Hirota, Kazuyoshi

2010-12-01

Massage therapy promotes psychosocial relaxation, reduces stress and has been reported to improve the immune function. As such, massage therapy is currently used in palliative care for the relief of anxiety and pain. Although psychosocial status has been evaluated using subjective psychological tests, such as State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), subjective psychological tests are of limited value if the subjects fail to report reliably. Salivary biomarkers have been recently suggested as useful objective markers for assessing psychosocial status. To determine whether salivary biomarkers are useful objective indices for assessing the effects of back massage on the mental status of 25 young healthy female volunteers, we measured heart rate and salivary biomarkers (α-amylase activity, cortisol, and chromogranin A) and assessed the STAI score before and after the back massage. Back massage significantly reduced the heart rate and STAI; however, salivary amylase and cortisol levels did not change. In contrast, the level of salivary chromogranin A significantly increased. We therefore conclude that changes in the salivary biomarkers tested here may not indicate changes in psychological status following massage therapy. However, the increase in chromogranin A release may contribute to the immunologically beneficial effects of massage therapy as chromogranin A has antibacterial and antifungal activity.

Correlates of AUDIT risk status for male and female college students.

PubMed

Demartini, Kelly S; Carey, Kate B

2009-01-01

The current study identified gender-specific correlates of hazardous drinker status as defined by the AUDIT. A total of 462 college student volunteers completed the study in 2006. The sample was predominantly Caucasian (75%) and female (55%). Participants completed a survey assessing demographics, alcohol use patterns, and health indices. Scores of 8 or more on the AUDIT defined the at-risk subsample. Logistic regression models determined which variables predicted AUDIT risk status for men and women. The at-risk participants reported higher alcohol use and related problems, elevated sleep problems and lower health ratings. High typical blood alcohol concentration (BAC), lifetime drug use, and psychosocial problems predicted risk status for males. Binge frequency and psychosocial problems predicted risk status for females. Different behavioral profiles emerged for men and women identified as hazardous drinkers on the AUDIT. The efficacy of brief alcohol interventions could be enhanced by addressing these behavioral correlates.

Major methodological constraints to the assessment of environmental status based on the condition of benthic communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, João Paulo; Pinto, Vanessa; Sá, Erica; Silva, Gilda; Azeda, Carla; Pereira, Tadeu; Quintella, Bernardo; Raposo de Almeida, Pedro; Lino Costa, José; José Costa, Maria; Chainho, Paula

2014-05-01

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) was published in 2008 and requires Member States to take the necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status in aquatic ecosystems by the year of 2020. The MSFD indicates 11 qualitative descriptors for environmental status assessment, including seafloor integrity, using the condition of the benthic community as an assessment indicator. Member States will have to define monitoring programs for each of the MSFD descriptors based on those indicators in order to understand which areas are in a Good Environmental Status and what measures need to be implemented to improve the status of areas that fail to achieve that major objective. Coastal and offshore marine waters are not frequently monitored in Portugal and assessment tools have only been developed very recently with the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The lack of historical data and knowledge on the constraints of benthic indicators in coastal areas requires the development of specific studies addressing this issue. The major objective of the current study was to develop and test and experimental design to assess impacts of offshore projects. The experimental design consisted on the seasonal and interannual assessment of benthic invertebrate communities in the area of future implementation of the structures (impact) and two potential control areas 2 km from the impact area. Seasonal benthic samples were collected at nine random locations within the impact and control areas in two consecutive years. Metrics included in the Portuguese benthic assessment tool (P-BAT) were calculated since this multimetric tool was proposed for the assessment of the ecological status in Portuguese coastal areas under the WFD. Results indicated a high taxonomic richness in this coastal area and no significant differences were found between impact and control areas, indicating the feasibility of establishing adequate control areas in marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, significant differences were found between different seasons and different years, showing that the coastal benthic communities important temporal variations. Although those variations did not affect the status assessment based on metrics that considered the ratio between sensitive and tolerant taxa, diversity indices showed different classifications between seasons and years. These results indicate the need for a temporal stratification of the monitoring programs. That might be achieved by setting different thresholds for specific seasons or selecting specific monitoring seasons. It might also require a regular assessment of the environmental conditions that support the identification of outlier years, which monitoring results should be carefully considered.

A scheme to scientifically and accurately assess cadmium pollution of river sediments, through consideration of bioavailability when assessing ecological risk.

PubMed

Song, Zhixin; Tang, Wenzhong; Shan, Baoqing

2017-10-01

Evaluating heavy metal pollution status and ecological risk in river sediments is a complex task, requiring consideration of contaminant pollution levels, as well as effects of biological processes within the river system. There are currently no simple or low-cost approaches to heavy metal assessment in river sediments. Here, we introduce a system of assessment for pollution status of heavy metals in river sediments, using measurements of Cd in the Shaocun River sediments as a case study. This system can be used to identify high-risk zones of the river that should be given more attention. First, we evaluated the pollution status of Cd in the river sediments based on their total Cd content, and calculated a risk assessment, using local geochemical background values at various sites along the river. Using both acetic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to extracted the fractions of Cd in sediments, and used DGT to evaluate the bioavailability of Cd. Thus, DGT provided a measure of potentially bioavailable concentrations of Cd concentrations in the sediments. Last, we measured Cd contents in plant tissue collected at the same site to compare with our other measures. A Pearson's correlation analysis showed that Cd-Plant correlated significantly with Cd-HAc, (r = 0.788, P < 0.01), Cd-EDTA (r = 0.925, P < 0.01), Cd-DGT (r = 0.976, P < 0.01), and Cd-Total (r = 0.635, P < 0.05). We demonstrate that this system of assessment is a useful means of assessing heavy metal pollution status and ecological risk in river sediments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual Health and Canadian Youth: How Do We Measure Up?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maticka-Tyndale, Eleanor

2001-01-01

Assesses the current sexual health status of Canadian youth in relation to sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy rates, and sexual practices, discussing the social and historical context of adolescence and adolescent sexuality in Canada. The paper draws insights from international comparisons of adolescent sexual health indicators and discusses…

Enhancing Student Learning through Scaffolded Client Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomlinson, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This article reports on the current status of client projects (CPs) in business communication courses, provides a scaffolded model for implementing CP, and assesses student learning in CPs. Using a longitudinal mixed method research design, survey data and qualitative materials from six semesters are presented. The instructor survey indicated need…

Large Deployable Reflector Science and Technology Workshop. Volume 3: Systems and Technology Assessment. Introduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The Large Deployable Reflector (LDR), a proposed 20 m diameter telescope designed for infrared and submillimeter astronomical measurements from space, is discussed in terms of scientific purposes, capabilities, current status, and history of development. The LDR systems goals and functional/telescope requirements are enumerated.

Diagnosis of Disorders of Iron Metabolism in Dogs and Cats.

PubMed

Bohn, Andrea A

2015-09-01

Iron is an essential element and is used by every cell in the body. This article summarizes iron metabolism and disorders associated with iron metabolism in dogs and cats. The diagnostic tests currently in use for assessing iron status are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current Status of Chemical Public Health Risks and Testing Guidelines for Chemical Cardiovascular Safety Assessments

EPA Science Inventory

The cardiovascular system, at all its various developmental and life stages, represents a critical target organ system that can be adversely affected by a variety of chemicals and routes of exposure. A World Health Organization report estimated the impact of environmental chemica...

Opportunities in Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC.

Because of the changes occurring in the chemical sciences, a new survey of chemistry and its intellectual and economic impact was clearly needed. This report presents a current assessment of the status of chemistry and of the future opportunities in the field. This analysis contains: (1) an introductory chapter (establishing the need for the…

Symposium on Dental Health Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Lawrence W., Ed.; And Others

1974-01-01

This document presents papers, critiques, and comments from a symposium which assessed the current status of preventive dental behavior. The field was divided into the following three major areas: (a) mass media programs, (b) school health programs, and (c) effect of the private practitioner. Each author was asked to review the literature, provide…

Scientific Degrees as a Status Characteristic of Russian University Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilina, Irina Yurievna; Kryukova, Elena Mihajlovna; Zotova, Alexandra Ivanovna; Chardymskiy, Maxim Georgiyevich; Skudareva, Nelli Zinnurovna

2015-01-01

This paper gives an assessment of the social and motivational value of scientific degrees of Russian university teachers. The author analyzes the historical experience and current trends in the transformation of the system of degrees. The paper shows the dynamics and structural characteristics of teachers with different professional and…

50 CFR 648.90 - NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and specifications, and flexible area action...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...; survey results; stock status; current estimates of fishing mortality and overfishing levels; social and...; sea sampling and trawl survey data or, if sea sampling data are unavailable, length frequency information from trawl surveys; impact of other fisheries on herring mortality; and any other relevant...

Who Helps Public Schools? Public Education Support Organizations in 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Leon, Erwin; Roeger, Katie L.; De Vita, Carol J.; Boris, Elizabeth T.

2010-01-01

There are more than 19,000 nonprofit organizations devoted to supporting public education in the United States. These organizations include booster clubs, parent-teacher groups, public education funds, scholarship funds, high school alumni associations, and others. This report assesses the current status of education support organizations;…

Status of the World's Soil Resources Report, Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils

EPA Science Inventory

The scope of main objectives of the report are: (a) to provide a global scientific assessment of current and projected soil conditions built on regional data analysis and expertise (b) to explore the implications of these soil conditions for food security, climate change, water q...

Development of uniform sections for pavement management system inventory and application : interim report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-12-01

This report summarizes the findings of the first phase of LTRC research project 04-2P, which is sponsored by LADOTD. The project is assessing the current status and the state-of-the-practice of the LADOTD pavement management system (PMS). Results of ...

The Development of Technological Competence from Adolescence to Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autio, Ossi

2011-01-01

This article builds on earlier research that defined and assessed technological competence among adolescents. It tracks students who took part in a measurements of technical abilities study fifteen years ago. The researcher had no previous knowledge of the test subjects' current employment status, but in favorable circumstances, these test…

Indian Giving: Federal Programs for Native Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levitan, Sar A.; Johnston, William B.

Aimed at highlighting American Indian reservation conditions, outlining the scope of Federal aid to Indians, and suggesting the nature of future Indian problems and choices, this book attempts to assess the current socioeconomic status of the Indian community and its relationship with the Federal Government. Specifically, this book provides both…

Software development environment, appendix F

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riddle, W. E.

1980-01-01

The current status in the area of software development environments is assessed. The purposes of environments, the types of environments, the constituents of an environment, the issue of environment integration, and the problems which must be solved in preparing an environment are discussed. Some general maxims to guide near-term future work are proposed.

Helping the Underachiever in Reading. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quatroche, Diana J.

Noting that the development of effective intervention programs and instructional strategies for the struggling or underachieving reader continues to be a topic of concern, this Digest first reviews the current status of reading performance, based on the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress. It then reports on the importance of early…

The Consumer Movement in Higher Education: Past, Present and Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Ronald H.

1980-01-01

Assesses the development of the model of the student as a consumer of higher education. A short history of the consumer movement and the educational consumer movement is presented. The current status of the latter is reviewed and compared with developing trends in educational consumer rights. (RC)

Commercial potential of European and Japanese space programs, task 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The current and expected future competitive status in the commercialization of space of the two principal programs competitive with NASA: the European Space Agency (ESA) and the program sponsored by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) of Japan are evaluated, quantitatively assessed, and presented in usable format.

Impact of prolonged storm activity on the Ecological Status of intertidal benthic habitats within oyster (Crassostrea gigas) trestle cultivation sites.

PubMed

O'Carroll, Jack P J; Quinn, Christina; Forde, James; Patterson, Adrian; O'Beirn, Francis X; Kennedy, Robert

2016-09-15

The Ecological Status (ES; sensu the Water Framework Directive) of intertidal benthic communities within six oyster trestle cultivation sites was found to be negatively impacted along the access routes to trestles in a 2013 study. All cultivation sites occur within Natura 2000 sites. The current study revisited four of the 2013 cultivation sites in February 2014 one month after the storm activity of winter 2013/14 to test if the compaction effect along access routes persisted after the storms. Three levels of the fixed factor treatment were sampled; immediately below the trestles, along the access route and 300m away from any anthropogenic activity. The compaction effect at the Access treatment persisted in spite of the major storm activity. The current study showed the IQI to be effective for assessing the impacts of aquaculture and highlights the IQI as a tool for monitoring Conservation Status of intertidal communities under the Habitats Directive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review of the key genetic tools to assist imperiled species conservation: analyzing West Indian manatee populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonde, Robert K.; McGuire, Peter M.; Hunter, Margaret E.

2012-01-01

Managers faced with decisions on threatened and endangered wildlife populations often are lacking detailed information about the species of concern. Integration of genetic applications will provide management teams with a better ability to assess and monitor recovery efforts on imperiled species. The field of molecular biology continues to progress rapidly and many tools are currently available. Presently, little guidance is available to assist researchers and managers with the appropriate selection of genetic tools to study the status of wild manatee populations. We discuss several genetic tools currently employed in the application of conservation genetics, and address the utility of using these tools to determine population status to aid in conservation efforts. As an example, special emphasis is focused on the endangered West Indian manatee (Order Sirenia). All four extant species of sirenians are imperiled throughout their range, predominately due to anthropogenic sources; therefore, the need for genetic information on their population status is direly needed.

Measuring impedance in congestive heart failure: Current options and clinical applications

PubMed Central

Tang, W. H. Wilson; Tong, Wilson

2011-01-01

Measurement of impedance is becoming increasingly available in the clinical setting as a tool for assessing hemodynamics and volume status in patients with heart failure. The 2 major categories of impedance assessment are the band electrode method and the implanted device lead method. The exact sources of the impedance signal are complex and can be influenced by physiologic effects such as blood volume, fluid, and positioning. This article provides a critical review of our current understanding and promises of impedance measurements, the techniques that have evolved, as well as the evidence and limitations regarding their clinical applications in the setting of heart failure management. PMID:19249408

The health of homeless immigrants

PubMed Central

Chiu, Shirley; Redelmeier, Donald A.; Tolomiczenko, George; Kiss, Alex; Hwang, Stephen W.

2009-01-01

Background This study examined the association between immigrant status and current health in a representative sample of 1,189 homeless people in Toronto, Canada. Methods Multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between immigrant status and current health status (assessed using the SF-12) among homeless recent immigrants (≤10 years since immigration), non-recent immigrants (>10 years since immigration), and Canadian-born individuals recruited at shelters and meal programs (response rate 73%). Results After adjusting for demographic characteristics and lifetime duration of homelessness, recent immigrants were significantly less likely to have chronic conditions (RR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5 to 0.9), mental health problems (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.7), alcohol problems (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.5), and drug problems (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.4) compared to non-recent immigrants and Canadian-born individuals. Recent immigrants were also more likely to have better mental health status (+3.4 points, SE ±1.6) and physical health status (+2.2 points, SE ±1.3) on scales with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10 in the general population. Conclusion Homeless recent immigrants are a distinct group who are generally healthier and may have very different service needs compared to other homeless people. PMID:19654122

The Relationship between Dignity Status and Quality of Life in Iranian Terminally Ill Patients with Cancer

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Abbas; Rezaei, Masoud; Bahrami, Masoud; Abbasi, Mohammad; Hariri, Hesammodin

2017-01-01

Background: Palliative care is an approach that has been used to care for terminally ill patients. The current study was performed to assess the association between the status of patient dignity and quality of life (QOL) in Iranian terminally ill patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 210 end-stage cancer patients (102 men and 108 women) who were referred to Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, in 2015. To assess dignity status, we used the Patient Dignity Inventory. The Persian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire was used for QOL assessment. Results: There was a significant negative association between total dignity status and QOL scales. In addition, significant negative relationship was observed between dignity-related domains (loss of worth sense: r = −0.50, P < 0.001; anxiety and uncertainty: r = −0.51, P < 0.001; symptom distress: r = −0.62, P < 0.001; and loss of autonomy: r = −0.61, P < 0.001) and functional scale and some subscales of the QOL scale. In contrast, a significant positive relationship was found between dignity-related domains, and total symptom scale and fatigue. No significant relationship was observed between different items of dignity and global health status/QOL scale. Conclusions: High dignity status in terminally ill patients was associated with higher QOL in terms of functional intactness and lower symptom distress. Further studies are necessary to shed light to our findings. PMID:28706540

Stunting, poor iron status and parasite infection are significant risk factors for lower cognitive performance in Cambodian school-aged children.

PubMed

Perignon, Marlene; Fiorentino, Marion; Kuong, Khov; Burja, Kurt; Parker, Megan; Sisokhom, Sek; Chamnan, Chhoun; Berger, Jacques; Wieringa, Frank T

2014-01-01

Nutrition is one of many factors affecting the cognitive development of children. In Cambodia, 55% of children <5 y were anemic and 40% stunted in 2010. Currently, no data exists on the nutritional status of Cambodian school-aged children, or on how malnutrition potentially affects their cognitive development. To assess the anthropometric and micronutrient status (iron, vitamin A, zinc, iodine) of Cambodian schoolchildren and their associations with cognitive performance. School children aged 6-16 y (n = 2443) from 20 primary schools in Cambodia were recruited. Anthropometry, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, transferrin receptors, retinol-binding protein and zinc concentrations, inflammation status, urinary iodine concentration and parasite infection were measured. Socio-economic data were collected in a sub-group of children (n = 616). Cognitive performance was assessed using Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM) and block design and picture completion, two standardized tests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). The prevalence of anemia, iron, zinc, iodine and vitamin A deficiency were 15.7%; 51.2%, 92.8%, 17.3% and 0.7% respectively. The prevalence of stunting was 40.0%, including 10.9% of severe stunting. Stunted children scored significantly lower than non-stunted children on all tests. In RCPM test, boys with iron-deficiency anemia had lower scores than boys with normal iron status (-1.46, p<0.05). In picture completion test, children with normal iron status tended to score higher than iron-deficient children with anemia (-0.81; p = 0.067) or without anemia (-0.49; p = 0.064). Parasite infection was associated with an increase in risk of scoring below the median value in block design test (OR = 1.62; p<0.05), and with lower scores in other tests, for girls only (both p<0.05). Poor cognitive performance of Cambodian school-children was multifactorial and significantly associated with long-term (stunting) and current nutritional status indicators (iron status), as well as parasite infection. A life-cycle approach with programs to improve nutrition in early life and at school-age could contribute to optimal cognitive performance.

Assessing Bisexual Stigma and Mental Health Status: A Brief Report

PubMed Central

Bostwick, Wendy

2013-01-01

Bisexual women often report higher rates of depression and mental health problems than their heterosexual and lesbian counterparts. These disparities likely occur, in part, as a result of the unique stigma that bisexual women face and experience. Such stigma can in turn operate as a stressor, thereby contributing to poor mental health status. The current pilot study tested a new measure of bisexual stigma and its association with mental health. Results suggest a moderate positive correlation between the two, and point to areas for future consideration when measuring bisexual stigma. PMID:24683314

Use of serologic testing to assess immune status of companion animals.

PubMed

Tizard, I; Ni, Y

1998-07-01

At the November 1997 meeting of the AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, the Council recommended that the JAVMA publish an article on the current status of the use of serologic testing in an effort to assist practitioners who must make decisions regarding vaccination of companion animals (i.e., dogs, cats, and horses). It is anticipated that the peer-reviewed article provided here will be of benefit to veterinarians and will facilitate their attempts to maintain animal health through the knowledgeable use of vaccines.

Wyoming Basin Rapid Ecoregional Assessment: Work Plan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Natasha B.; Garman, Steven L.; Walters, Annika; Ray, Andrea; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Wesner, Jeff S.; O’Donnell, Michael S.; Sherrill, Kirk R.; Babel, Nils C.; Bowen, Zachary H.

2013-01-01

The overall goal of the Rapid Ecoregional Assessments (REAs) being conducted for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is to provide information that supports regional planning and analysis for the management of ecological resources. The REA provides an assessment of baseline ecological conditions, an evaluation of current risks from drivers of ecosystem change, and a predictive capacity for evaluating future risks. The REA also may be used for identifying priority areas for conservation or restoration and for assessing the cumulative effects of a variety of land uses. There are several components of the REAs. Management Questions, developed by the BLM and partners for the ecoregion, identify the information needed for addressing land-management responsibilities. Conservation Elements represent regionally significant aquatic and terrestrial species and communities that are to be conserved and (or) restored. The REA also will evaluate major drivers of ecosystem change (Change Agents) currently affecting or likely to affect the status of Conservation Elements. We selected 8 major biomes and 19 species or species assemblages to be included as Conservation Elements. We will address the four primary Change Agents—development, fire, invasive species, and climate change—required for the REA. The purpose of the work plan for the Wyoming Basin REA is to document the selection process for, and final list of, Management Questions, Conservation Elements, and Change Agents. The work plan also presents the overall assessment framework that will be used to assess the status of Conservation Elements and answer Management Questions.

Smokers and non smokers with rheumatoid arthritis have similar clinical status: data from the multinational QUEST-RA database.

PubMed

Naranjo, A; Toloza, S; Guimaraes da Silveira, I; Lazovskis, J; Hetland, M L; Hamoud, H; Peets, T; Mäkinen, H; Gossec, L; Herborn, G; Skopouli, F N; Rojkovich, B; Aggarwal, A; Minnock, P; Cazzato, M; Yamanaka, H; Oyoo, O; Rexhepi, S; Andersone, D; Baranauskaite, A; Hajjaj-Hassouni, N; Jacobs, J W G; Haugeberg, G; Sierakowski, S; Ionescu, R; Karateew, D; Dimic, A; Henrohn, D; Gogus, F; Badsha, H; Choy, E; Bergman, M; Sokka, T

2010-01-01

To analyse clinical severity/activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to smoking status. The QUEST-RA multinational database reviews patients for Core Data Set measures including 28 swollen and tender joint count, physician global estimate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), HAQ-function, pain, and patient global estimate, as well as DAS28, rheumatoid factor (RF), nodules, erosions and number of DMARDs were recorded. Smoking status was assessed by self-report as 'never smoked', 'currently smoking' and 'former smokers'. Patient groups with different smoking status were compared for demographic and RA measures. Among the 7,307 patients with smoking data available, status as 'never smoked,' 'current smoker' and 'former smoker' were reported by 65%, 15% and 20%. Ever smokers were more likely to be RF-positive (OR 1.32;1.17-1.48, p<0.001). Rheumatoid nodules were more frequent in ever smokers (OR 1.41;1.24-1.59, p<0.001). The percentage of patients with erosive arthritis and extra-articular disease was similar in all smoking categories. Mean DAS28 was 4.4 (SD 1.6) in non-smokers vs. 4.0 (SD 1.6) in those who had ever smoked. However, when adjusted by age, sex, disease duration, and country gross domestic product, only ESR remained significantly different among Core Data Set measures (mean 31.7mm in non-smokers vs. 26.8mm in ever smoked category). RA patients who had ever smoked were more likely to have RF and nodules, but values for other clinical status measures were similar in all smoking categories (never smoked, current smokers and former smokers).

Mental health status of varenicline and bupropion users during a quit attempt compared to current smokers, other quitters, and non-smokers.

PubMed

Shewale, Anand R; Borse, Mrudula S; Brown, Joshua D; Li, Chenghui

2015-09-01

Varenicline and bupropion are commonly prescribed non-nicotine containing smoking cessation agents. Post-marketing reports suggest an increased incidence of psychiatric disturbances associated with varenicline and bupropion. However, pre-existing psychiatric disorders may confound the association between these smoking cessation agents and psychiatric disturbances. We compared the mental health status of individuals using varenicline or bupropion to that of people quitting without medication, current smokers, and non-smokers while controlling for pre-existing conditions. A cross-sectional design was used. Data were from 2006-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Mental health status was assessed using the mental component summary (MCS) from the 12-item Short Form survey (SF-12v2), 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), and Kessler 6 Scale (K6). Differences in MCS score were compared using linear regression. Logistic regressions were used to compare positive screenings for depression using PHQ-2 and for psychological distress using K6. Of 578 use episodes, 453 (78.38%) were bupropion and 125 (21.62%) were varenicline. After adjusting for potential confounders, mental health status of varenicline users was not different from current smokers or people who quit smoking without medication, but worse than non-smokers; bupropion was strongly associated with lower mental health status relative to all groups across all three measures. Varenicline was not associated with worse mental health compared to smokers or those who quit without medication, after adjusting for pre-existing psychiatric disorders. Bupropion was associated with worse mental health status than smokers, former smokers who quit without medication, and nonsmokers, even after adjusting for pre-existing psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Value of a College Degree in Outdoor Education or Recreation: Institutional Comparisons Using the College Scorecard and Surveys of Faculty and Employers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seaman, Jayson; Bell, Brent J.; Trauntvein, Nate

2017-01-01

In this article, we report on research undertaken in 2016 to assess a number of trends influencing the current status of degree-granting outdoor programs in the United States, including factors that bear on the value of degrees. We analyze data provided by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and results of a survey comparing 59…

Will cognitive enhancement create post-persons? The use(lessness) of induction in determining the likelihood of moral status enhancement.

PubMed

Mihailov, Emilian; Dragomir, Alexandru

2018-06-01

The prospect of cognitive enhancement well beyond current human capacities raises worries that the fundamental equality in moral status of human beings could be undermined. Cognitive enhancement might create beings with moral status higher than persons. Yet, there is an expressibility problem of spelling out what the higher threshold in cognitive capacity would be like. Nicholas Agar has put forward the bold claim that we can show by means of inductive reasoning that indefinite cognitive enhancement will probably mark a difference in moral status. The hope is that induction can determine the plausibility of post-personhood existence in the absence of an account of what the higher status would be like. In this article, we argue that Agar's argument fails and, more generally, that inductive reasoning has little bearing on assessing the likelihood of post-personhood in the absence of an account of higher status. We conclude that induction cannot bypass the expressibility problem about post-persons. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors Associated With Smoking Status among HIV-Positive Patients in Routine Clinical Care.

PubMed

Zyambo, Cosmas M; Willig, James H; Cropsey, Karen L; Carson, April P; Wilson, Craig; Tamhane, Ashutosh R; Westfall, Andrew O; Burkholder, Greer A

2015-07-01

Treatment-related reductions in morbidity and mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients have been attenuated by cigarette smoking, which increases risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, and neoplastic diseases. This study investigated factors associated with smoking status among HIV-positive patients. This cross-sectional study included 2,464 HIV-positive patients attending the HIV Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between April 2008 and December 2013. Smoking status (current, former, never), psychosocial factors, and clinical characteristics were assessed. Multinomial logistic regression was used to obtain unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of the various factors with smoking status. Among HIV-positive patients (mean age 45 years, 75% male, 55% African-American), the majority reported a history of smoking (39% current and 22% former smokers). In adjusted models, patient characteristics associated with increased odds of current smoking were male gender (OR for heterosexual men, 1.8 [95% CI: 1.3-2.6]; for men who have sex with men, 1.5 [1.1-1.9]), history of respiratory diseases (1.5 [1.2-1.9]), unsuppressed HIV viral load (>50 copies/mL) (1.5 [1.1-1.9]), depression (1.6 [1.3-2.0]), anxiety (1.6 [1.2-2.1]), and prior and current substance abuse (4.7 [3.6-6.1] and 8.3 [5.3-13.3] respectively). Male gender, anxiety, and substance abuse were also associated with being a former smoker. Smoking was common among HIV-positive patients, with several psychosocial factors associated with current and former smoking. This suggests smoking cessation programs in HIV clinic settings may achieve greater impact by integrating interventions that also address illicit substance abuse and mental health.

Childhood socioeconomic status and race are associated with adult sleep.

PubMed

Tomfohr, Lianne M; Ancoli-Israel, Sonia; Dimsdale, Joel E

2010-01-01

Race and current socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with sleep. Parental education, a commonly studied component of childhood SES, is predictive of adult health outcomes; yet, its impact on adult sleep remains unclear. In this study, the sleep of 128 Black and White adults was investigated. Participants with lower childhood SES (assessed via parental education) spent more time in Stage 2 sleep and less time in slow-wave sleep (SWS) than those with higher childhood SES. In addition, women from low childhood SES backgrounds took longer to fall asleep than women from high SES backgrounds. Black participants spent less time in SWS than their White counterparts, and an Age × Race interaction was detected in the prediction of subjective sleep quality. Results were not mediated via current SES or health practices.

Status of the Magma Energy Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, J. C.

The current magma energy project is assessing the engineering feasibility of extracting thermal energy directly from crustal magma bodies. The estimated size of the U.S. resource (50,000 to 500,000 quads) suggests a considerable potential impact on future power generation. In a previous seven-year study, we concluded that there are no insurmountable barriers that would invalidate the magma energy concept. Several concepts for drilling, energy extraction, and materials survivability were successfully demonstrated in Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii. The present program is addressing the engineering design problems associated with accessing magma bodies and extracting thermal energy for power generation. The normal stages for development of a geothermal resource are being investigated: exploration, drilling and completions, production, and surface power plant design. Current status of the engineering program and future plans are described.

Historical range, current distribution, and conservation status of the Swift Fox, Vulpes velox, in North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sovada, Marsha A.; Woodward, Robert O.; Igl, Lawrence D.

2009-01-01

The Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) was once common in the shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies of the Great Plains of North America. The species' abundance declined and its distribution retracted following European settlement of the plains. By the late 1800s, the species had been largely extirpated from the northern portion of its historical range, and its populations were acutely depleted elsewhere. Swift Fox populations have naturally recovered somewhat since the 1950s, but overall abundance and distribution remain below historical levels. In a 1995 assessment of the species' status under the US Endangered Species Act, the US Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that a designation of threatened or endangered was warranted, but the species was "precluded from listing by higher listing priorities." A major revelation of the 1995 assessment was the recognition that information useful for determining population status was limited. Fundamental information was missing, including an accurate estimate of the species' distribution before European settlement and an estimate of the species' current distribution and trends. The objectives of this paper are to fill those gaps in knowledge. Historical records were compiled and, in combination with knowledge of the habitat requirements of the species, the historical range of the Swift Fox is estimated to be approximately 1.5 million km2. Using data collected between 2001 and 2006, the species' current distribution is estimated to be about 44% of its historical range in the United States and 3% in Canada. Under current land use, approximately 39% of the species' historical range contains grassland habitats with very good potential for Swift Fox occupation and another 10% supports grasslands with characteristics that are less preferred (e.g., a sparse shrub component or taller stature) but still suitable. Additionally, land use on at least 25% of the historical range supports dryland farming, which can be suitable for Swift Fox occupation. In the United States, approximately 52% of highest quality habitats currently available are occupied by Swift Foxes.

Vocational technical and adult education: Status, trends and issues related to electronic delivery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothenberg, D.

1973-01-01

Data are analyzed, and trends and issues are discussed to provide information useful to the systems designer who wishes to identify and assess the opportunities for large scale electronic delivery in vocational/technical and adult education. Issues connected with vocational/technical education are investigated, with emphasis on those issues in the current spotlight which are relevant to the possibilities of electronic delivery. The current role of media is examined in vocational/technical instruction.

The link between smoking status and co-morbid conditions in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS).

PubMed

Newland, Pamela; Flick, Louise; Salter, Amber; Dixon, David; Jensen, Mark P

2017-10-01

In individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) comorbidities and quality of life (QOL) may be affected by tobacco use. To evaluate the associations between smoking status, in particular quit attempts, and comorbidities among individuals with MS. We used a web-based survey to obtain cross-sectional data from 335 individuals with MS who were members of the Gateway Chapter of the National MS Society email registry. We then examined the associations between smoking variables (current use, frequency, and quit attempts) and comorbidities. The prevalence of participants who ever smoked was 50%, which is greater than that reported for the general population; 20% were current smokers. Migraine headaches were associated with current use and everyday smoking, and those with recent failed quit attempts had a higher prevalence of depression than those who were current smokers but who did not attempt to quit or had successfully quit in the past year. Given the associations between smoking and comorbidities in individuals with MS, health care providers should both (1) assess smoking history and quit attempts, and (2) encourage individuals with MS who smoke to become non-smokers and refer for treatment, as indicated. In order to increase the chances that individuals will be successful in becoming non-smokers, clinicians would do well to also assess and treat depression in their patients who smoke and are also depressed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technology readiness levels and technology status for selected long term/high payoff technologies on the RLV program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosmait, Russell L.

1996-01-01

The development of a new space transportation system in a climate of constant budget cuts and staff reductions can be and is a difficult task. It is no secret that NASA's current launching system consumes a very large portion of NASA funding and requires a large army of people to operate & maintain the system. The new Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) project and it's programs are faced with a monumental task of making the cost of access to space dramatically lower and more efficient than NASA's current system. With pressures from congressional budget cutters and also increased competition and loss of market share from international agencies RLV's first priority is to develop a 'low-cost, reliable transportation to earth orbit.' One of the RLV's major focus in achieving low-cost, reliable transportation to earth orbit is to rely on the maturing of advanced technologies. The technologies for the RLV are numerous and varied. Trying to assess their current status, within the RLV development program is paramount. There are several ways to assess these technologies. One way is through the use of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL's). This project focused on establishing current (summer 95) 'worst case' TRL's for six selected technologies that are under consideration for use within the RLV program. The six technologies evaluated were Concurrent Engineering, Embedded Sensor Technology, Rapid Prototyping, Friction Stir Welding, Thermal Spray Coatings, and VPPA Welding.

Resistance exercise improves muscle strength, health status and pain intensity in fibromyalgia--a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Larsson, Anette; Palstam, Annie; Löfgren, Monika; Ernberg, Malin; Bjersing, Jan; Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre; Gerdle, Björn; Kosek, Eva; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

2015-06-18

Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by persistent widespread pain, increased pain sensitivity and tenderness. Muscle strength in women with FM is reduced compared to healthy women. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a progressive resistance exercise program on muscle strength, health status, and current pain intensity in women with FM. A total of 130 women with FM (age 22-64 years, symptom duration 0-35 years) were included in this assessor-blinded randomized controlled multi-center trial examining the effects of progressive resistance group exercise compared with an active control group. A person-centred model of exercise was used to support the participants' self-confidence for management of exercise because of known risks of activity-induced pain in FM. The intervention was performed twice a week for 15 weeks and was supervised by experienced physiotherapists. Primary outcome measure was isometric knee-extension force (Steve Strong®), secondary outcome measures were health status (FIQ total score), current pain intensity (VAS), 6MWT, isometric elbow-flexion force, hand-grip force, health related quality of life, pain disability, pain acceptance, fear avoidance beliefs, and patient global impression of change (PGIC). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Long-term follow up comprised the self-reported questionnaires only and was conducted after 13-18 months. Between-group and within-group differences were calculated using non-parametric statistics. Significant improvements were found for isometric knee-extension force (p = 0.010), health status (p = 0.038), current pain intensity (p = 0.033), 6MWT (p = 0.003), isometric elbow flexion force (p = 0.02), pain disability (p = 0.005), and pain acceptance (p = 0.043) in the resistance exercise group (n = 56) when compared to the control group (n = 49). PGIC differed significantly (p = 0.001) in favor of the resistance exercise group at post-treatment examinations. No significant differences between the resistance exercise group and the active control group were found regarding change in self-reported questionnaires from baseline to 13-18 months. Person-centered progressive resistance exercise was found to be a feasible mode of exercise for women with FM, improving muscle strength, health status, and current pain intensity when assessed immediately after the intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov identification number: NCT01226784, Oct 21, 2010.

Current employment status, occupational category, occupational hazard exposure, and job stress in relation to telomere length: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

PubMed Central

Fujishiro, Kaori; Diez-Roux, Ana V; Landsbergis, Paul; Jenny, Nancy Swords; Seeman, Teresa

2014-01-01

Objective Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of cell senescence, which is associated with a wide array of adverse health outcomes. While work is a major determinant of health, few studies have investigated the association of telomere length with various dimensions of occupation. Accelerated cellular aging could be a common pathway linking occupational exposure to several health outcomes. Methods Leukocyte telomere length was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) in a community-based sample of 981 individuals (age: 45–84 years old). Questionnaires were used to collect information on current employment status, current or main occupation before retirement, and job strain. The O*NET (Occupational Resource Network) database was linked to the questionnaire data to create 5 exposure measures: physical activity on the job, physical hazard exposure, interpersonal stressors, job control, and job demands. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of occupational characteristics with telomere lengths after adjustment for age, sex, race, socioeconomic position, and several behavioral risk factors. Results There were no mean differences in telomere lengths across current employment status, occupational category, job strain categories or levels of most O*NET exposure measures. There was also no evidence that being in lower status occupational categories or being exposed to higher levels of adverse physical or psychosocial exposures accelerated the association between age and telomere shortening. Conclusions Cellular aging as reflected by shorter telomeres does not appear to be an important pathway linking occupation to various health outcomes. PMID:23686115

Utility of retrospective pretest ratings of patient satisfaction with health status.

PubMed

Kreulen, Grace J; Stommel, Manfred; Gutek, Barbara A; Burns, Lawton R; Braden, Carrie Jo

2002-06-01

Outcomes assessment is often difficult to accomplish in evaluation research studies in situations where the gathering of pretest data is impossible or prohibitively expensive. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the substitutability of retrospective pretest ratings for actual pretest ratings in indexing change in patient satisfaction with health status. The sample consisted of 251 women receiving medical treatment for breast cancer enrolled in the Self-Help Intervention Project (SHIP). ANOVA, ordinary least-squares regression, and pooled time-series regression analysis revealed that retrospective assessments were not significantly different from their prospective counterparts in means and variances and that they differed from current assessments taken at the same time (p<.01). In addition, prospective assessments emerged as a significant independent predictor of corresponding retrospective scores (p<.01), accounting for up to 30% of the recall scores. These findings have implications for inclusion of retrospective pre-post comparisons in outcomes evaluation research. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 25:233-241, 2002

Female-to-male transmasculine adult health: a mixed-methods community-based needs assessment.

PubMed

Reisner, Sari L; Gamarel, Kristi E; Dunham, Emilia; Hopwood, Ruben; Hwahng, Sel

2013-01-01

There is a dearth of health research about transgender people. This mixed-methods study sought to formatively investigate the health and perceived health needs of female-to-male transmasculine adults. A cross-sectional quantitative needs assessment (n = 73) and qualitative open-ended input (n = 19) were conducted in June 2011. A latent class analysis modeled six binary health indicators (depression, alcohol use, current smoking, asthma, physical inactivity, overweight status) to identify clusters of presenting health issues. Four clusters of health indicators emerged: (a) depression; (b) syndemic (all indicators); (c) alcohol use, overweight status; and (d) smoking, physical inactivity, overweight status. Transphobic discrimination in health care and avoiding care were each associated with membership in the syndemic class. Qualitative themes included personal health care needs, community needs, and resilience and protective factors. Findings fill an important gap about the health of transmasculine communities, including the need for public health efforts that holistically address concomitant health concerns.

Characteristics and clinical relevance of postgastrectomy syndrome assessment scale (PGSAS)-45: newly developed integrated questionnaires for assessment of living status and quality of life in postgastrectomy patients.

PubMed

Nakada, Koji; Ikeda, Masami; Takahashi, Masazumi; Kinami, Shinichi; Yoshida, Masashi; Uenosono, Yoshikazu; Kawashima, Yoshiyuki; Oshio, Atsushi; Suzukamo, Yoshimi; Terashima, Masanori; Kodera, Yasuhiro

2015-01-01

Lack of a suitable instrument to comprehensively assess symptoms, living status, and quality of life in postgastrectomy patients prompted the authors to develop postgastrectomy syndrome assessment scale (PGSAS)-45. PGSAS-45 consists of 45 items in total: 8 items from SF-8, 15 items from GSRS, and an additional 22 items selected by 47 gastric surgeons. Using the PGSAS-45, a multi-institutional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of postgastrectomy syndrome and its impact on everyday life among patients who underwent various types of gastrectomy. Eligible data were obtained from 2,368 patients operated and followed at 52 institutions in Japan. Of these, data from 1,777 patients were used in the current study in which symptom subscales of the PGSAS-45 were determined. We also considered the characteristics of the postgastrectomy syndrome and to what extent these symptoms influence patients' living status and quality of life (QOL). By factor analysis, 23 symptom-related items of PGSAS-45 were successfully clustered into seven symptom subscales that represent esophageal reflux, abdominal pain, meal-related distress, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, and dumping. These seven symptom subscales and two other subscales measuring quality of ingestion and dissatisfaction for daily life, respectively, had good internal consistency in terms of Cronbach's α (0.65-0.88). PGSAS-45 provides a valid and reliable integrated index for evaluation of symptoms, living status, and QOL in gastrectomized patients.

Safety assessment and detection methods of genetically modified organisms.

PubMed

Xu, Rong; Zheng, Zhe; Jiao, Guanglian

2014-01-01

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), are gaining importance in agriculture as well as the production of food and feed. Along with the development of GMOs, health and food safety concerns have been raised. These concerns for these new GMOs make it necessary to set up strict system on food safety assessment of GMOs. The food safety assessment of GMOs, current development status of safety and precise transgenic technologies and GMOs detection have been discussed in this review. The recent patents about GMOs and their detection methods are also reviewed. This review can provide elementary introduction on how to assess and detect GMOs.

History of co-occurring disorders and current mental health status among homeless veterans.

PubMed

Ding, Kele; Slate, Matthew; Yang, Jingzhen

2018-06-18

Homeless veterans are at high risk for co-occurring disorders (COD), defined as mental illnesses that include at least one alcohol or other drug use disorder and at least one non-drug related mental disorder. However, epidemiological studies examining the prevalence of COD and associated mental health status in this population are limited. The objectives of the study were: (1) to describe a history of diagnosed mental disorders among homeless veterans admitted to a transitional housing program, and (2) to examine the associations of the prior diagnosed COD and other mental disorders with current mental health status. Study participants were male homeless veterans admitted to a transitional housing program from July 2015 to September 2017 in a large municipal area in Northeast Ohio, the United States. Cross-sectional, self-reported data from the admission assessment were included and analyzed. History of mental disorder diagnoses were aggregated into five categories for the purpose of this study: no mental disorders, only alcohol or other drug use disorder(s), one non-drug related mental disorder, two or more non-drug related mental disorders, and COD. Current mental status were measured as empowerment, mental component summary score (MCS) and physical component summary score (PCS) of health related quality of life (VR-12), and perceived overall well-being. Sample distribution of the five categories and their associations with current mental status were examined using Generalized Linear Model test. Of all participants, 76.7% had at least one prior diagnosed mental disorder, including 47.4% with any drug-related disorders. Over one-third (37.2%) reported having COD. Compared to those with no mental disorder history, those with COD scored significantly lower on MCS and empowerment scores; those with any prior diagnosed non-drug related mental disorders also scored significantly lower on MCS. No significant differences, however, were found in current mental health status between those with COD and those with mental disorders but not COD. COD prevalence among homeless veterans was within the parameter of other literature reports. Veterans with COD compared to veterans with no history of mental disorders tended to have lower MCS and empowerment scores. Veterans with COD had the same mental health status as those with other mental disorders.

Technical Risk Assessment. The Status of Current DoD Efforts

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-01

naililgocrsf .rv iC’.ti-I ’N tpi). 33-51 andti 62-7, 1 Prinicipal Findings Risk Assessment Guidance [will hats lidft i1fied many technical risk appro ach...8217Ertjvhcs Firt licr. ino st1andlard d1efiitio ’ n oft eciunival ris.k extsts. wit tim twitl.. A t iorifti nv. many program offivi-t have develtoped t he...based ol (fhe technical risk assessnient for the system. Assessment has many % possible approar!:"s. 1 ’siiahly. one- or moh re tech- nical experts

Methodology, status, and plans for development and assessment of the RELAP5 code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, G.W.; Riemke, R.A.

1997-07-01

RELAP/MOD3 is a computer code used for the simulation of transients and accidents in light-water nuclear power plants. The objective of the program to develop and maintain RELAP5 was and is to provide the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with an independent tool for assessing reactor safety. This paper describes code requirements, models, solution scheme, language and structure, user interface validation, and documentation. The paper also describes the current and near term development program and provides an assessment of the code`s strengths and limitations.

Status of Cognitive Testing of Adults in India

PubMed Central

Porrselvi, A. P.; Shankar, V.

2017-01-01

The assessment of cognitive function is a challenging yet an integral component of psychological, psychiatric, and neurological evaluation. Cognitive assessment tools either can be administered quickly for screening for neurocognitive disorders or can be comprehensive and detailed to identify cognitive deficits for the purpose of localization, diagnosis, and rehabilitation. This article is a comprehensive review of published research that discusses the current challenges for cognitive testing in India, available tools used for the assessment of cognitive function in India, and future directions for cognitive testing in India. PMID:29184333

Chemical properties of forest soils

Treesearch

Charles H. Perry; Michael C. Amacher

2007-01-01

Why Is Soil Chemistry Important? The soil quality indicator was initially developed as a tool for assessing the current status of forest soil resources and predicting potential changes in soil properties. Soil chemistry data can be used to diagnose tree vigor and document the deposition of atmospheric pollutants (e.g., acid rain). This chapter focuses on two chemical...

Representations of Attachment Relationships in Children of Incarcerated Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poehlmann, Julie

2005-01-01

Representations of attachment relationships were assessed in 54 children ages 2.5 to 7.5 years whose mothers were currently incarcerated. Consistent with their high-risk status, most (63%) children were classified as having insecure relationships with mothers and caregivers. Secure relationships were more likely when children lived in a stable…

75 FR 9232 - Measuring Progress on Food Safety: Current Status and Future Directions; Public Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... for assessing progress in food safety and associated methodological issues and to discuss potential.... The FoodNet also conducts special studies to determine risk factors for acquiring those illnesses... production, studies on the prevalence of specific pathogens in specific classes of food, and studies of...

More Hurdles to Clear: Women and Girls in Competitive Athletics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, DC.

This publication reviews the history of women and girls in athletics, assesses the current status of female participation in high school and college competitive athletics, and summarizes recent policy interpretations by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The historical review…

ADHD in the Context of Finnish Basic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honkasilta, J.; Sandberg, E.; Närhi, V.; Jahnukainen, M.

2014-01-01

Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are a growing group served under special education services in many western societies. This article describes the history and current state of the services, as well as the assessment procedure. Our conclusion is that the status of students with ADHD in Finnish basic education (Grades 1…

Essays of a peripheral mind: Picking up rocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 2008 the Heinz Center released its report “The State of the Nation’s Ecosystems, 2008.” The current report provides sets of assessments on the status of the nation’s rangelands an area of approximately 1 billion acres. Unfortunately, on numerous occasions the report contains the phase “Data Gap...

Chapter 1: Introduction of the conservation assessment concept

Treesearch

Deborah M. Finch

2000-01-01

The goal of this document is to describe the current status, ecology, habitat, and threats of the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus); to offer guidance for managing and protecting this Neotropical migrant and its habitats; and to identify gaps in our knowledge of the bird and its requirements. Goals, processes, and target...

Career Progression of NATO Postdoctoral Fellows. National Science Foundation Report 88-130.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.

The study analyzes the records of 833 persons who received North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Postdoctoral Fellowships from 1959 through 1981. To assess the program's long-term effects, the study focuses on information about the current career status of fellowship recipients and compares them with two similar groups: National Science…

Programme Note: Realities and Opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchet, Chi Nguyen

1996-01-01

The current status of street children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is characterized by marginalization from society through street vending, begging, theft, and prostitution. Evaluation of a drop-in center serving children without family linkages indicates need for needs assessments, follow-up activities, measurement of individual child progress,…

77 FR 2943 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Endangered Status for the Chupadera...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-20

... economic analysis, and draft environmental assessment on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at... designations and current or planned activities in the subject areas and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat. (4) Any foreseeable economic, national security, or other relevant impacts that may...

Information Literacy in Oman's Higher Education: A Descriptive-Inferential Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Aufi, Ali; Al-Azri, Hamed

2013-01-01

This study aims to identify the current status of information literacy among the students at Sultan Qaboos University in their final year through using the Big6 model for solving information problems. The study utilizes self-assessment survey approach, with the questionnaire as a tool for data collection. It surveyed undergraduate students of…

An Assessment of Educational Interests of Women over 60.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Jong, Shirley

Educational interests of women aged 60 and over were studied, and a correlation between the respondents' ages, educational levels, marital status, as well as the number and types of educational topics they chose was investigated. The subjects' preferences as to selected program design questions were also identified. One hundred current members of…

Predictors of Daily Blood Glucose Monitoring in Appalachian Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raffle, Holly; Ware, Lezlee J.; Ruhil, Anirudh V. S.; Hamel-Lambert, Jane; Denham, Sharon A.

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine factors contributing to successful diabetes self-management in Appalachia, as evidenced by daily blood glucose monitoring. Methods: A telephone survey (N = 3841) was conducted to assess health status and health care access. The current investigation is limited to the subset of this sample who report having diabetes (N =…

A Socioeconomic Comparison of Emergent Literacy and Home Literacy in Australian Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Michelle M.

2016-01-01

Family socioeconomic status (SES) and home literacy practices impact upon children's early literacy development. The present study explored where current emergent literacy and home literacy differences lie in Australian preschoolers aged three to five years from lower SES (n = 49) and higher SES (n = 52) homes. Children were assessed on letter…

Development of the Long-Term Agro-ecosystem Research (LTAR) Network: Current status and future trends

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Long-term research conducted at multiple scales is critical to assessing the effects of key long term drivers (e.g., global population growth; land-use change; increased competition for natural resources; climate variability and change) on our ability to sustain or enhance agricultural production to...

50 CFR 648.90 - NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and specifications, and flexible area action...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...; survey results; stock status; current estimates of fishing mortality and overfishing levels; social and... survey data or, if sea sampling data are unavailable, length frequency information from trawl surveys... size; sea sampling, port sampling, and survey data or, if sea sampling data are unavailable, length...

Scientific Human Resources: Profiles and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falk, Charles E.

This publication is a report in which past trends and events relative to scientific manpower in the form of scientists and engineers are reviewed, the current status of the scientific manpower situation is described, and various assessments of possible future situations are compared. Within the last 25 years the situation has changed from one in…

75 FR 36124 - Construction Reactor Oversight Process Request for Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-24

..., and the assessment of licensee safety culture. In SECY-10-0038, ``Update Status on the Development of... commenter supports or does not support an aspect of this plan. The use of examples is encouraged. (1) The... ROP, the NRC currently assigns safety culture component aspects to findings when appropriate...

States Clear Initial Hurdle on ELL Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zehr, Mary Ann

2007-01-01

A new report finds that all states and the District of Columbia have now ushered in new English-language-proficiency tests to comply with No Child Left Behind Act requirements for those still learning the language. The report, "English Language Proficiency Assessment in the Nation: Current Status and Future Practice," released by the University of…

Vocational and Technical Education in Lebanon: Strategic Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karam, Gebran

2006-01-01

The current status of the Lebanese vocational and technical education (VTE) system is assessed and the strategic issues and challenges facing it are identified. In addition to the economic and social challenges that are common to many developing countries, the Lebanese system suffers from idiosyncratic problems, which may require innovative and…

America's Children 1976: A Bicentennial Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Virginia; And Others

This factbook presents 87 pages of pictures, graphs, diagrams, quotations, statistics, and text aimed at portraying the current status of children in America. The major areas examined include: (1) children in poverty; (2) child health; (3) family changes and day care; and (4) special child care needs for handicapped, abused, or neglected children.…

Leadership and Accountability--The Role of Professors and Practitioners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stine, Deborah E.; Hill, Jim

This paper examines the current status of standards and assessment in California, focusing on the system's successes and failures, and on how professors of educational administration can be involved and of assistance to administrators and teachers in this endeavor. At this time, the California accountability system and other mandated factors have…

Integrating Learning Outcome Typologies for HRD: Review and Current Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Doo Hun; Yoon, Seung Won; Park, Sunyoung

2013-01-01

This study reports the result of literature review in regards to learning outcome studies and presents a framework that integrates content types with learning outcomes. Analysis of learning outcome studies between 1992 and 2006 using the ERIC database indicated that most empirical studies have assessed the learning outcome at lower levels of…

Improving Articulation and Transfer Relationships. New Directions for Community Colleges, Number 39.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kintzer, Frederick C., Ed.

1982-01-01

With the intent of revitalizing the study of educational articulation and transfer, this collection of essays describes and assesses the current status of transfer education, points to particular problems and concerns, and highlights specific techniques, activities, and practices. The volume includes "The Transfer Function--One of Many,"…

Conservation assessment for the northern goshawk in southeast Alaska.

Treesearch

George C. Iverson; Gregory D. Hayward; Kimberly Titus; Eugene DeGayner; Richard E. Lowell; D. Coleman Crocker-Bedford; Philip F. Schempf; John Lindell

1996-01-01

The conservation status of northern goshawks in southeast Alaska is examined through developing an understanding of goshawk ecology in relation to past, present, and potential future habitat conditions in the region under the current Tongass land management plan. Forest ecosystem dynamics are described, and a history of forest and goshawk management in the Tongass...

Associations of current marital status and living arrangements with HIV and syphilis risk: findings from a community-based sample of men who have sex with men in China.

PubMed

Liu, Yu; Li, Dongliang; Vermund, Sten H; Zhang, Chen; Ruan, Yuhua; Yin, Lu; Liu, Hongjie; Amico, K Rivet; Shao, Yiming; Qian, Han-Zhu

2016-11-01

Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionally affected by HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but little is known about the role of current marital status and living arrangements in shaping their HIV/syphilis risk. A cross-sectional study was conducted among MSM in Beijing, China to assess their sociodemographic/behavioral characteristics between married and single MSM, and test the hypothesis that currently married MSM have a lower odds of being HIV- and/or syphilis-infected. Participants were recruited via short message services, peer referral, internet, and community outreach. Data collection was based on a questionnaire survey and self-report. Infection status was lab-confirmed. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to assess the association of marital status and living arrangement with HIV/syphilis risk. Of the 3588 MSM, infection prevalence was high (HIV = 12.7%; syphilis = 7.5%). Compared to single MSM living with their boyfriends or male sex partners, single/alone MSM and married MSM living with wives were less likely to practice condomless insertive (CIAI) or receptive (CRAI) anal intercourse with men; while married MSM living with boyfriends or male sex partner were more likely to practice CIAI and CRAI, and married MSM were more likely to practice condomless vaginal sex. Compared to men living with boyfriends/sexual partners, significantly reduced odds of being HIV-positive were seen among married MSM who were living alone (aOR: 0.52; 95%CI: 0.28, 0.94) or living with their wives (aOR: 0.53; 95%CI: 0.31, 0.89). Similarly, single MSM living alone (aOR: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.48, 0.95) and married MSM living with their wives were comparatively less likely to be syphilis-infected (aOR: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.23, 0.79). Future efforts should consider characteristics of marital status and living arrangements for designing subgroup-specific risk reduction strategies among Chinese MSM.

Postlung transplant survival is equivalent regardless of cytomegalovirus match status.

PubMed

Russo, Mark J; Sternberg, David I; Hong, Kimberly N; Sorabella, Robert A; Moskowitz, Alan J; Gelijns, Annetine C; Wilt, Jessie R; D'Ovidio, Frank; Kawut, Steve M; Arcasoy, Selim M; Sonett, Joshua R

2007-10-01

The purpose of this study was to assess (1) the relationship between donor-recipient cytomegalovirus (CMV) serologic status and posttransplant survival in the current era and (2) temporal changes in posttransplant survival by CMV matching status. De-identified data were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing. Based on pretransplant CMV serologic status (+ or -) of recipients (R) and donors (D), posttransplant survival was compared among three groups: D+ /R-, D+/- /R+, and D- /R-. Primary analysis focused on transplants performed January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004, in recipients 18 years of age or older. To assess temporal trends in survival among groups, all lung transplants occurring between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2004, were considered and divided into three periods based on transplant year: 1990 through 1994, 1995 through 1999, and 2000 through 2004. The primary outcome measure was survival, reported as rate of death per 100 patient-years. Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test was used for time-to-event analysis. During the current era (2000 through 2004), D+ /R- (n = 951), D+/- /R+ (n = 2,676), and D- /R- (n = 772) exhibited no differences in survival (p = 0.561), with rates of death per 100 patient-years of 16.6 (95% confidence interval, 14.9 to 18.5), 15.0 (95% confidence interval, 14.0 to 16.0), and 14.7 (95% confidence interval, 13.0 to 16.6), respectively. However, survival was significantly different for groups in the earlier eras of 1990 through 1994 (p < 0.001) and 1995 through 1999 (p < 0.001). During the three periods, survival improved significantly in D+ /R- (p < 0.001) and D+/- /R+ (p < 0.001), but survival in D- /R- (p = 0.351) did not change significantly with time. In the current era, survival after lung transplantation is statistically equivalent regardless of CMV match status. Although in previous eras survival was worse among the D+/- /R+ and D+ /R- groups, in this era of aggressive CMV prophylaxis, CMV mismatch should not be sufficient grounds to decline a lung allograft offer.

Status Update on Translation of Integrated Primary Dental-Medical Care Delivery for Management of Diabetic Patients.

PubMed

Glurich, Ingrid; Nycz, Gregory; Acharya, Amit

2017-06-01

Escalating prevalence of both diabetes and periodontal disease, two diseases associated with bi-directional exacerbation, has been reported. Periodontal disease represents a modifiable risk factor that may reduce diabetes onset or progression, and integrated models of cross-disciplinary care are needed to establish and manage glycemic control in affected patients. An ad-hoc environmental scan of current literature and media sought to characterize factors impacting status of integrated care models based on review of the existing evidence base in literature and media surrounding: (1) current cross-disciplinary practice patterns, (2) epidemiological updates, (3) status on risk assessment and screening for dysglycemia in the dental setting, (4) status on implementation of quality metrics for oral health, (5) care model pilots, and (6) public health perspectives. The survey revealed: escalating prevalence of diabetes and periodontitis globally; greater emphasis on oral health assessment for diabetic patients in recent medical clinical practice guidelines; high knowledgeability surrounding oral-systemic impacts on diabetes and growing receptivity to medical-dental integration among medical and dental providers; increasing numbers of programs/studies reporting on positive impact of emerging integrated dental-medical care models on diabetic patient healthcare access and health outcomes; a growing evidence base for clinically significant rates of undiagnosed dysglycemia among dental patients reported by point-of-care pilot studies; no current recommendation for population-based screening for dysglycemia in dental settings pending a stronger evidence base; improved definition of true periodontitis prevalence in (pre)/diabetics; emerging recognition of the need for oral health quality indicators and tracking; evidence of persistence in dental access disparity; updated status on barriers to integration. The potential benefit of creating clinically-applicable integrated care models to support holistic management of an escalating diabetic population by targeting modifiable risk factors including periodontitis is being recognized by the health industry. Cross-disciplinary efforts supported by high quality research are needed to mitigate previously- and newly-defined barriers of care integration and expedite development and implementation of integrated care models in various practice settings. Implementation of quality monitoring in the dental setting will support definition of the impact and efficacy of interventional clinical care models on patient outcomes. © 2017 Marshfield Clinic.

Parental perception and child's nutritional status.

PubMed

Yalçın, S Songül; Serdaroğlu, Esra; İnce, O Tolga

2016-01-01

Childhood obesity is a health hazard increasing worldwide. Preschool period which is under supervision of parents is a critical period to detect overweight and take precautions. We studied the factors affecting parental estimation of their preschool child's weight. Three hundred sixty seven mothers completed questionnaires consisting of child's and parents' anthropometric measurements, parents' assessment of their child's and their own weight status, and general information about their lifestyle. Mothers also chose their wish for current and future body image of their child from child drawings representing percentiles. Child body mass index-for-age z score (BAZ) was related to birth weight and child's appetite. BAZ was not related to child's gender, presence of chronic disease, family pattern, parental age, education or income. 43.1 % of mothers correctly assessed child's BAZ verbally. Maternal verbal estimation was correlated with maternal visual estimation, paternal verbal estimation and child's BAZ. Mothers' wish for future figure of the child was not related to child's BAZ, but showed correlation with mothers' wish for current figure of the child. Mother's correct perception of her child's weight was found to be high, consistent with her spouse and related to child's BAZ.

[Role of vitamin D in allergic diseases: Current research status].

PubMed

Sperl, A; Klimek, L

2015-05-01

Recent research has focused on the relationship between vitamin D and allergy development. Results show that on the one hand a vitamin D deficiency can be responsible for the emergence of allergies, however, on the other hand a vitamin-D (over-) substitution was also seen in context with an increased allergy development. This article provides an overview on the current state of research and points at the problematic aspects that accompany the assessment of these studies. The paradoxic effect of vitamin D is currently being explained by epigenetic programming in pregnancy, by too low vitamin-D levels or excessive supplementation in newborns. Very recently, a gender-specific impact of vitamin D is also being discussed. For a final assessment of vitamin-D effects on the emergence of allergies, further research is necessary. Due to a high level of heterogeneity among current observational studies regarding central aspects of the discussion, randomised clinical trials are recommended.

Impact of New Regulations On Assessing Driving Status (INROADS): a South Australian seizure clinic cohort.

PubMed

Hafner, Jessica; Horn, Sharon; Robinson, Martin; Purdie, Grant; Jannes, Jim

2014-11-01

The ability to drive is important to patients and driving restriction often leads to restriction of employment and social opportunities. In March 2012, Austroads released revised Assessing Fitness to Drive Guidelines (AFTDG) with significant changes for drivers with seizures and epilepsy. Our study aimed to assess the impact of the 2012 AFTDG on a Seizure Clinic cohort compared to the previous 2003 AFTDG and an individual's current driving status. We also aimed to quantify the difference in AFTDG interpretation between expert and non-expert doctors. We performed a retrospective observational audit of case notes for all patients managed in a public hospital outpatient Seizure Clinic between 1 March 2010 and 1 March 2012. A total of 142 patients were included in the analysis. Comparison between the 2003 and 2012 AFTDG resulted in reduced eligibility to drive a private vehicle by 2.1% (52.5% versus 50.4%) and commercial vehicle by 2.2% (4.5% versus 2.3%). The proportion of those currently driving against guideline recommendations increased (private 8.8% versus 19%; commercial 50% versus 100%) and the non-expert assessor was more likely to agree with the experts with the 2012 AFTDG. In summary, the 2012 AFTDG has had a measurable impact on driving eligibility in individuals with seizure although it is easier to interpret for non-expert doctors. Greater awareness of the 2012 AFTDG is required to reduce the proportion of patients driving against current recommendations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Change in lean body mass is a major determinant of change in areal bone mineral density of the proximal femur: a 12-year observational study.

PubMed

Liu-Ambrose, T; Kravetsky, L; Bailey, D; Sherar, L; Mundt, C; Baxter-Jones, A; Khan, K M; McKay, H A

2006-09-01

Our objective was to assess the contribution of lean body mass (LBM) and fat body mass (FBM) to areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in women during the years surrounding menopause. We used a 12-year observational design. Participants included 75 Caucasian women who were premenopausal, 53 of whom were available for follow-up. There were two measurement periods: baseline and 12-year follow-up. At both measurement periods, bone mineral content and aBMD of the proximal femur, posterior-anterior lumbar spine, and total body was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). LBM and FBM were derived from the total-body scans. General health, including current menopausal status, hormone replace therapy use, medication use, and physical activity, was assessed by questionnaires. At the end of the study, 44% of the women were postmenopausal. After controlling for baseline aBMD, current menopausal status, and current hormone replacement therapy, we found that change in LBM was independently associated with change in aBMD of the proximal femur (P = 0.001). The cross-sectional analyses also indicated that LBM was a significant determinant of aBMD of all three DXA-scanned sites at both baseline and follow-up. These novel longitudinal data highlight the important contribution of LBM to the maintenance of proximal femur bone mass at a key time in women's life span, the years surrounding menopause.

Advancing Implementation of Evidence-Based Public Health in China: An Assessment of the Current Situation and Suggestions for Developing Regions.

PubMed

Shi, Jianwei; Jiang, Chenghua; Tan, Duxun; Yu, Dehua; Lu, Yuan; Sun, Pengfei; Pan, Ying; Zhang, Hanzhi; Wang, Zhaoxin; Yang, Beilei

2016-01-01

Objective. Existing research shows a serious scarcity of EBPH practice in China and other developing regions; as an exploratory study, this study aimed to assess the current EBPH implementation status in Shanghai of China qualitatively. Methods. Using semistructured key informant interviews, we examined the status of and impediments to the lagging EBPH in China. Data were analyzed based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results. Chinese public health practitioners knew more about evidence-based medicine but less about EBPH. The situation was worse in community healthcare centers. Participants perceived that evidence sources were limited and the quality of evidence was low. Concerning the inner setting factors, the structural characteristics, networks and communications, implementation climate, and leadership engagement were confronted with many problems. Among the outer setting factors, external government policies and incentives and low patient compliance were the key problems. Additionally, public health practitioners in Shanghai lacked sufficient awareness of EBPH. Furthermore, the current project-based EBPH lacks a systematic implementation system. Conclusions. Existing practical perspectives on EBPH indicate a lag in the advocacy of this new ideology in China. It would be advisable for healthcare institutions to take the initiative to explore feasible and multiple methods of EBPH promotion.

Design and implementation of a status at a glance user interface for a power distribution expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liberman, Eugene M.; Manner, David B.; Dolce, James L.; Mellor, Pamela A.

1993-01-01

A user interface to the power distribution expert system for Space Station Freedom is discussed. The importance of features which simplify assessing system status and which minimize navigating through layers of information are examined. Design rationale and implementation choices are also presented. The amalgamation of such design features as message linking arrows, reduced information content screens, high salience anomaly icons, and color choices with failure detection and diagnostic explanation from an expert system is shown to provide an effective status-at-a-glance monitoring system for power distribution. This user interface design offers diagnostic reasoning without compromising the monitoring of current events. The display can convey complex concepts in terms that are clear to its users.

Rotorcraft aviation icing research requirements: Research review and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, A. A.; Dadone, L.; Bevan, A.

1981-01-01

The status of rotorcraft icing evaluation techniques and ice protection technology was assessed. Recommendations are made for near and long term icing programs that describe the needs of industry. These recommended programs are based on a consensus of the major U.S. helicopter companies. Specific activities currently planned or underway by NASA, FAA and DOD are reviewed to determine relevance to the overall research requirements. New programs, taking advantage of current activities, are recommended to meet the long term needs for rotorcraft icing certification.

EHV systems technology - A look at the principles and current status. [Electric and Hybrid Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtz, D. W.; Levin, R. R.

1983-01-01

An examination of the basic principles and practices of systems engineering is undertaken in the context of their application to the component and subsystem technologies involved in electric and hybrid vehicle (EHV) development. The limitations of purely electric vehicles are contrasted with hybrid, heat engine-incorporating vehicle technology, which is inherently more versatile. A hybrid vehicle concept assessment methodology is presented which employs current technology and yet fully satisfies U.S. Department of Energy petroleum displacement goals.

Disaster Preparedness Among University Students in Guangzhou, China: Assessment of Status and Demand for Disaster Education.

PubMed

Tan, Yibing; Liao, Xiaolan; Su, Haihao; Li, Chun; Xiang, Jiagen; Dong, Zhaoyang

2017-06-01

This study had 2 aims. First, we evaluated the current levels of disaster preparedness among university students in southern China. Second, we assessed students' demands for future disaster education. In addition, we examined the influence of demographic factors on current disaster preparedness status and demand. A cross-sectional design was used. The data were collected from 1893 students in 10 universities in the Guangzhou Higher Education Mega (GHEM) center. A self-administered questionnaire developed for this study was administered to assess the current status and demand for disaster education. The results are based on 1764 valid questionnaires. Among the participants, 77.8% reported having had disaster education experiences before, 85.5% indicated their desire for a systematic disaster course, and 75.4% expressed their willingness to take such a course upon its availability. The total mean score for demand for disaster course content (5-point Likert scale) was 4.17±0.84, with items relating to rescue skills given the highest scores. These results suggested that students had high desires for disaster preparedness knowledge, especially knowledge concerning rescue skills. We observed significant differences in disaster education experiences between male and female students and across programs, school years, and home locations. Furthermore, we observed significant differences in demand for disaster course content between male and female students and across universities, student programs, years of school, and students' majors. A systematic disaster course focused on rescue skills is needed by all types of universities. To improve the disaster education system in universities, disaster drills should be performed on a semester basis as a refresher and to enhance disaster preparedness. The government and universities should support building a simulated disaster rescue center and recruit faculty from the emergency department, especially those who have had disaster relief experience. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:310-317).

Longitudinal construct validity: establishment of clinical meaning in patient evaluative instruments.

PubMed

Liang, M H

2000-09-01

Although widely used and reported in research for the evaluation of groups, measures of health status and health-related quality of life have had little application in clinical practice for the assessment of individual patients. One of the principal barriers is the demonstration that these measures add clinically significant information to measures of function or symptoms alone. Here, we review the methods for evaluation of construct validity in longitudinal studies and make recommendations for nomenclature, reporting of study results, and future research agenda. Analytical review. The terms "sensitivity" and "responsiveness" have been used interchangeably, and there are few studies that evaluate the extent to which health status or health-related quality-of life measures capture clinically important changes ("responsiveness"). Current methods of evaluating responsiveness are not standardized or evaluated. Approaches for the assessment of a clinically significant or meaningful change are described; rather than normative information, however, standardized transition questions are proposed. They would be reported routinely and as separate axes of description to capture individual perceptions. Research in methods to assess the subject's evaluation of the importance and magnitude of a measured change are critical if health status and health-related quality-of-life measures are to have an impact on patient care.

Health status assessment of workers during construction phase of highway rehabilitation projects around lahore, Pakistan.

PubMed

Abrar, Amina; Cheema, Kausar Jamal; Saif, Samia; Mahmood, Asim

2017-01-24

The study focused on assessment of the health status of workers during construction phase of highway rehabilitation projects at six selected sites of N5 around Lahore, including Kala Shah Kaku, Muridke, Kamuki, Bhaipheru, Pattoki, and Okara. The study was based on multi-methods approach involving hazard identification through survey and checklist as well as a questionnaire for health status assessment and measurements of health parameters including peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and audiometric screening of 300 subjects. The study revealed non-congenial working conditions at the sites. Noise, vibrations, dust, asphalt fumes, poor work postures, and injuries were found to be major health hazards. PEFR of most of the workers was found to be significantly lower than the reference value. Average PEFR±SEM values were 187±5.1 l/min, 178±4.3 l/min, and 266±5.3 l/min in ground preparation workers, asphalt workers, and heavy vehicle drivers, respectively. The highest rate (29%) of hearing loss was recorded among heavy vehicle drivers. Musculoskeletal problems were found to be more common among ground preparation workers. Data revealed unsatisfactory health status of most of the workers. Direct relationship between health outcomes and the type of construction activities were observed. The current study focuses on the importance of including occupational health and safety plan in the execution phase of every developmental project that involves construction activities.

Dexamethasone exacerbates cerebral edema and brain injury following lithium-pilocarpine induced status epilepticus☆

PubMed Central

Duffy, B.A.; Chun, K.P.; Ma, D.; Lythgoe, M.F.; Scott, R.C.

2014-01-01

Anti-inflammatory therapies are the current most plausible drug candidates for anti-epileptogenesis and neuroprotection following prolonged seizures. Given that vasogenic edema is widely considered to be detrimental for outcome following status epilepticus, the anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone is sometimes used in clinic for alleviating cerebral edema. In this study we perform longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging in order to assess the contribution of dexamethasone on cerebral edema and subsequent neuroprotection following status epilepticus. Lithium-pilocarpine was used to induce status epilepticus in rats. Following status epilepticus, rats were either post-treated with saline or with dexamethasone sodium phosphate (10 mg/kg or 2 mg/kg). Brain edema was assessed by means of magnetic resonance imaging (T2 relaxometry) and hippocampal volumetry was used as a marker of neuronal injury. T2 relaxometry was performed prior to, 48 h and 96 h following status epilepticus. Volume measurements were performed between 18 and 21 days after status epilepticus. Unexpectedly, cerebral edema was worse in rats that were treated with dexamethasone compared to controls. Furthermore, dexamethasone treated rats had lower hippocampal volumes compared to controls 3 weeks after the initial insult. The T2 measurements at 2 days and 4 days in the hippocampus correlated with hippocampal volumes at 3 weeks. Finally, the mortality rate in the first week following status epilepticus increased from 14% in untreated rats to 33% and 46% in rats treated with 2 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg dexamethasone respectively. These findings suggest that dexamethasone can exacerbate the acute cerebral edema and brain injury associated with status epilepticus. PMID:24333865

Foreign civil aviation competition: 1976 summary and implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alford, W. J., Jr.; Maddalon, D. V.

1976-01-01

A summary assessment is made of foreign civil aviation as it relates to the posture of the United States civil aviation industry. Major findings include: (1) Main competitors - European Economic Community (EEC) and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). (2) Largest commercial market - Transport aircraft. (3) Current market status and projections - U.S. currently dominates the civil aviation market but foreign markets show greater growth trends. (4) Competitive comparisons - Status comparisons are made in technology (aerodynamics, structures and materials, propulsion, avionics, systems, design coordination, and manufacturing); production runs; marketing; and postsales support. The U.S. generally leads except in aerodynamics and propulsion. (5) Multinational ventures - Joint U.S. industry/foreign government development of advanced technology engines is well developed; airframe industry discussions are now underway. (6) Implications - Although the U.S., is currently preeminent in most areas, this may be only a temporary condition. Past U.S. success in aviation has provided many benefits to the nation. These benefits may be lost.

Geomagnetically induced currents: Science, engineering, and applications readiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulkkinen, A.; Bernabeu, E.; Thomson, A.; Viljanen, A.; Pirjola, R.; Boteler, D.; Eichner, J.; Cilliers, P. J.; Welling, D.; Savani, N. P.; Weigel, R. S.; Love, J. J.; Balch, C.; Ngwira, C. M.; Crowley, G.; Schultz, A.; Kataoka, R.; Anderson, B.; Fugate, D.; Simpson, J. J.; MacAlester, M.

2017-07-01

This paper is the primary deliverable of the very first NASA Living With a Star Institute Working Group, Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC) Working Group. The paper provides a broad overview of the current status and future challenges pertaining to the science, engineering, and applications of the GIC problem. Science is understood here as the basic space and Earth sciences research that allows improved understanding and physics-based modeling of the physical processes behind GIC. Engineering, in turn, is understood here as the "impact" aspect of GIC. Applications are understood as the models, tools, and activities that can provide actionable information to entities such as power systems operators for mitigating the effects of GIC and government agencies for managing any potential consequences from GIC impact to critical infrastructure. Applications can be considered the ultimate goal of our GIC work. In assessing the status of the field, we quantify the readiness of various applications in the mitigation context. We use the Applications Readiness Level (ARL) concept to carry out the quantification.

Geomagnetically induced currents: Science, engineering, and applications readiness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pulkkinen, Antti; Bernabeu, E.; Thomson, A.; Viljanen, A.; Pirjola, R.; Boteler, D.; Eichner, J.; Cilliers, P.J.; Welling, D.; Savani, N.P.; Weigel, R.S.; Love, Jeffrey J.; Balch, Christopher; Ngwira, C.M.; Crowley, G.; Schultz, Adam; Kataoka, R.; Anderson, B.; Fugate, D.; Simpson, J.J.; MacAlester, M.

2017-01-01

This paper is the primary deliverable of the very first NASA Living With a Star Institute Working Group, Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC) Working Group. The paper provides a broad overview of the current status and future challenges pertaining to the science, engineering, and applications of the GIC problem. Science is understood here as the basic space and Earth sciences research that allows improved understanding and physics-based modeling of the physical processes behind GIC. Engineering, in turn, is understood here as the “impact” aspect of GIC. Applications are understood as the models, tools, and activities that can provide actionable information to entities such as power systems operators for mitigating the effects of GIC and government agencies for managing any potential consequences from GIC impact to critical infrastructure. Applications can be considered the ultimate goal of our GIC work. In assessing the status of the field, we quantify the readiness of various applications in the mitigation context. We use the Applications Readiness Level (ARL) concept to carry out the quantification.

The ABPN Maintenance of Certification Program for psychiatrists: past history, current status, and future directions.

PubMed

Faulkner, Larry R; Tivnan, Patricia W; Winstead, Daniel K; Reus, Victor I; Andrade, Naleen N; Brooks, Beth Ann; Colenda, Christopher C; Mrazek, David A; Reifler, Burton V; Schneidman, Barbara

2008-01-01

To describe the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Maintenance of Certification Program, its underlying rationale, how it will be implemented now, and what it might look like in the future. The authors describe the philosophical foundation, specific components, and the implementation timeline of the ABPN Maintenance of Certification Program; the development of specific products that might be used by ABPN diplomates to meet its requirements; and several unanswered questions about its current status and future development. The ABPN Maintenance of Certification Program consists of specific requirements pertaining to professional standing, self-assessment and lifelong learning, performance in practice, and cognitive expertise that will be implemented incrementally over the next decade. The ABPN Maintenance of Certification Program has been implemented in a manner that is as consistent as possible with its underlying philosophical beliefs as well as the current and expected public and political concerns, diplomate needs, and the requirements of organizations responsible for licensure, credentialing, privileging, accreditation, professional development, and physician reimbursement.

[Management and new current French recommendations for tetanus care].

PubMed

Nicolai, Dominique; Farcet, Anaïs; Molines, Catherine; Delalande, Géraldine; Retornaz, Frédérique

2015-06-01

Tetanus is an acute severe disease induced by an exotoxin, often lethal. All cases occur in untreated or inadequately vaccinated patients and mainly in elderly patients who accumulate many risk factors. The current management of wounds faced difficulties in the assessment of immunization status and wound risks status. Indeed, all injuries can potentially lead to tetanus. Minor risks and chronic wounds are mainly found as tetanus cause. Vaccination remains the key element in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with tetanus. It is estimated that the vaccine's coverage is fairly good, but decreases with age. To improve tetanus prevention, new vaccine recommendations have been established which recommend vaccine's injections at fixed age, but their impact seems to be limited especially in the elderly. The immunochromatographic tests have demonstrated cost-effectiveness in the Emergency department settings. They are currently not available outside hospital while general practionners also face a significant risk. Effectiveness of these tests should be studied in outpatients population including cost-effectiveness.

Birth weight, current anthropometric markers, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein in Brazilian school children.

PubMed

Boscaini, Camile; Pellanda, Lucia Campos

2015-01-01

Studies have shown associations of birth weight with increased concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein. This study assessed the relationship between birth weight, anthropometric and metabolic parameters during childhood, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein. A total of 612 Brazilian school children aged 5-13 years were included in the study. High sensitivity C-reactive protein was measured by particle-enhanced immunonephelometry. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index, waist circumference, and skinfolds. Total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, and glucose were measured by enzymatic methods. Insulin sensitivity was determined by the homeostasis model assessment method. Statistical analysis included chi-square test, General Linear Model, and General Linear Model for Gamma Distribution. Body mass index, waist circumference, and skinfolds were directly associated with birth weight (P < 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.015, resp.). Large for gestational age children showed higher high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (P < 0.001) than small for gestational age. High birth weight is associated with higher levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein, body mass index, waist circumference, and skinfolds. Large for gestational age altered high sensitivity C-reactive protein and promoted additional risk factor for atherosclerosis in these school children, independent of current nutritional status.

Validity and test-retest reliability in assessing current body size with figure drawings in Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Lo, Wing-Sze; Ho, Sai-Yin; Wong, Bonny Yee-Man; Mak, Kwok-Kei; Lam, Tai-Hing

2011-06-01

The reliability and validity of Stunkard's Figure Rating Scale (FRS) as a measure of current body size (CBS) was established in Western adolescent girls but not in non-Western population. We examined the validity and test-retest reliability of Stunkard's FRS in assessing CBS among Chinese adolescents. Methods. In a school-based survey in Hong Kong, 5666 adolescents (boys: 45.1%; mean age 14.7 years) provided data on self-reported height and weight, CBS, perceived weight status, and health-related quality of life using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form version 2 (SF-12v2). Height and weight were also objectively measured. Spearman's correlation was used to assess construct validity, concurrent validity and test-retest reliability. Convergent and discriminant validity were good: CBS correlated strongly with weight and self-reported/measured BMI, but only weakly with SF-12v2. CBS correlated strongly with perceived weight status, showing concurrent validity. Spearman's correlation (r) for CBS was 0.78 for girls and 0.72 for boys indicating good test-retest reliability. Validity and reliability results did not differ significantly between senior and junior grade adolescents. Our findings support the use of Stunkard's FRS to measure body size among Chinese adolescents.

Smoke-free home and vehicle rules by tobacco use status among US adults.

PubMed

Kruger, Judy; Jama, Amal; Homa, David M; Babb, Stephen D; King, Brian A

2015-09-01

To assess the prevalence and characteristics of smoke-free home and vehicle rules by tobacco use. Data came from the 2012-2013 National Adult Tobacco Survey, a telephone survey of adults aged ≥18. Respondents who reported smoking is 'never allowed' inside their home or any family vehicle were considered to have smoke-free home and vehicle rules, respectively. Prevalence and characteristics of smoke-free rules were assessed overall and by current tobacco use (combustible only, noncombustible only, combustible and noncombustible, no current tobacco use). Assessed characteristics included: sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, income, region, and sexual orientation. Nationally, 83.7% of adults (n=48,871) had smoke-free home rules and 78.1% (n=46,183) had smoke-free vehicle rules. By tobacco use, prevalence was highest among nonusers of tobacco (homes: 90.8%; vehicles: 88.9%) and lowest among combustible-only users (homes: 53.7%; vehicles: 34.2%). Prevalence of smoke-free home and vehicle rules was higher among males, adults with a graduate degree, and adults living in the West. Most adults have smoke-free home and vehicle rules, but differences exist by tobacco use. Opportunities exist to educate adults about the dangers of secondhand smoke and the benefits of smoke-free environments, particularly among combustible tobacco users. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Assessing scientists for hiring, promotion, and tenure.

PubMed

Moher, David; Naudet, Florian; Cristea, Ioana A; Miedema, Frank; Ioannidis, John P A; Goodman, Steven N

2018-03-01

Assessment of researchers is necessary for decisions of hiring, promotion, and tenure. A burgeoning number of scientific leaders believe the current system of faculty incentives and rewards is misaligned with the needs of society and disconnected from the evidence about the causes of the reproducibility crisis and suboptimal quality of the scientific publication record. To address this issue, particularly for the clinical and life sciences, we convened a 22-member expert panel workshop in Washington, DC, in January 2017. Twenty-two academic leaders, funders, and scientists participated in the meeting. As background for the meeting, we completed a selective literature review of 22 key documents critiquing the current incentive system. From each document, we extracted how the authors perceived the problems of assessing science and scientists, the unintended consequences of maintaining the status quo for assessing scientists, and details of their proposed solutions. The resulting table was used as a seed for participant discussion. This resulted in six principles for assessing scientists and associated research and policy implications. We hope the content of this paper will serve as a basis for establishing best practices and redesigning the current approaches to assessing scientists by the many players involved in that process.

Assessing scientists for hiring, promotion, and tenure

PubMed Central

Naudet, Florian; Cristea, Ioana A.; Miedema, Frank; Ioannidis, John P. A.; Goodman, Steven N.

2018-01-01

Assessment of researchers is necessary for decisions of hiring, promotion, and tenure. A burgeoning number of scientific leaders believe the current system of faculty incentives and rewards is misaligned with the needs of society and disconnected from the evidence about the causes of the reproducibility crisis and suboptimal quality of the scientific publication record. To address this issue, particularly for the clinical and life sciences, we convened a 22-member expert panel workshop in Washington, DC, in January 2017. Twenty-two academic leaders, funders, and scientists participated in the meeting. As background for the meeting, we completed a selective literature review of 22 key documents critiquing the current incentive system. From each document, we extracted how the authors perceived the problems of assessing science and scientists, the unintended consequences of maintaining the status quo for assessing scientists, and details of their proposed solutions. The resulting table was used as a seed for participant discussion. This resulted in six principles for assessing scientists and associated research and policy implications. We hope the content of this paper will serve as a basis for establishing best practices and redesigning the current approaches to assessing scientists by the many players involved in that process. PMID:29596415

Academic Status of Plastic Surgery in the United States and the Relevance of Independence.

PubMed

Liu, P; Singh, M; Eriksson, E

2016-04-01

The basic administrative structures at most academic institutions were implemented more than 50 years ago and have remained largely unchanged. Since the surgical specialties were in nascent stages during that time, they were clubbed together within the department of surgery. There has been extensive growth in the breadth and depth of plastic surgery over the past few decades and current administrative structures might not truly reflect the current standing of plastic surgery. The goal of this article was to review the academic status of Plastic Surgery in the United States and assess the relevance of independence from the department of surgery. A national survey of 94 hospitals with plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States was conducted to investigate the academic status of plastic surgery. 25 out of those 94 programs had department status with their respective hospitals while another 9 programs were actively planning on transitioning to department status. Out of the 25 plastic surgery hospital departments, 17 programs were also University departments. The number of plastic surgery departments has more than doubled over the past 10 years and continues to rise as more plastic surgery divisions seek department status. There are multiple advantages to seeking department status such as financial and administrative autonomy, ability to participate in medical school curricula, easier access to interdepartmental institutes and faculties, parity with other specialties, and increased control of resident education. There has been concerted advocacy for separating from surgery departments and seeking independent departmental status for plastic surgery. However, the transition from a division to department is a slow and demanding process and requires a well-planned strategy. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A systematic review of the interrelation between diet- and surgery-induced weight loss and vitamin D status.

PubMed

Himbert, Caroline; Ose, Jennifer; Delphan, Mahmoud; Ulrich, Cornelia M

2017-02-01

Obesity is a major global health problem and has been associated with vitamin D deficiency. Intentional weight loss may alter vitamin D status and, conversely, vitamin D supplementation has been hypothesized to aid in weight loss. A systematic literature search in PubMed/Medline identified 3173 articles of which 37 studies (randomized controlled trials (RCT) [n=17], non-RCTs [n=20]) are summarized as effect of: (I) diet-induced weight loss on vitamin D status (n=7), (II) vitamin D supplementation on diet-induced weight loss (n=11), (III) surgery-induced weight loss on vitamin D status (n=15), and (IV) vitamin D supplementation after surgery-induced weight loss on vitamin D status (n=5). While all studies on the effect of diet-induced weight loss on vitamin D status have consistently reported increased vitamin D levels, the targeted percentage of weight loss that is necessary for an increase has varied between 5% and >10%. N=11 RCTs testing the effect of vitamin D supplementation observe that vitamin D supplementation does not result in increased weight loss, but may affect body fat loss. Vitamin D deficiency and subsequent hyperparathyroidism have been detected in post-surgery patients, and there is evidence that vitamin D supplementation improves these post-surgery complications. We review the current evidence addressing the role of vitamin D status and supplementation in diet- and surgery-induced weight loss. Subsequently, we highlight gaps in current research and suggest directions for future research including differences in vitamin D supplementation dosages, indoor vs. outdoor exercise, and the assessment of vitamin D status in different body pools. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Positron emission tomography imaging approaches for external beam radiation therapies: current status and future developments

PubMed Central

Price, P M; Green, M M

2011-01-01

In an era in which it is possible to deliver radiation with high precision, there is a heightened need for enhanced imaging capabilities to improve tumour localisation for diagnostic, planning and delivery purposes. This is necessary to increase the accuracy and overall efficacy of all types of external beam radiotherapy (RT), including particle therapies. Positron emission tomography (PET) has the potential to fulfil this need by imaging fundamental aspects of tumour biology. The key areas in which PET may support the RT process include improving disease diagnosis and staging; assisting tumour volume delineation; defining tumour phenotype or biological tumour volume; assessment of treatment response; and in-beam monitoring of radiation dosimetry. The role of PET and its current developmental status in these key areas are overviewed in this review, highlighting the advantages and drawbacks. PMID:21427180

Contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasonography: advance and current status

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) technology has undergone a great deal of progress along with the color and power Doppler imaging, three-dimensional imaging, electronic scanning, tissue harmonic imaging, and elastography, and one of the most important developments is the ability to acquire contrast-enhanced images. The blood flow in small vessels and the parenchymal microvasculature of the target lesion can be observed non-invasively by contrast-enhanced EUS (CE-EUS). Through a hemodynamic analysis, CE-EUS permits the diagnosis of various gastrointestinal diseases and differential diagnoses between benign and malignant tumors. Recently, mechanical innovations and the development of contrast agents have increased the use of CE-EUS in the diagnostic field, as well as for the assessment of the efficacy of therapeutic agents. The advances in and the current status of CE-EUS are discussed in this review. PMID:25038805

Microbiological risk factors in dentistry. Current status of knowledge.

PubMed

Szymańska, Jolanta

2005-01-01

Dentists belong to a professional group potentially exposed to harmful biological factors which most often are infectious microorganisms, less frequently - allergenic or toxic microorganisms. The fundamental routes of spreading harmful microorganisms in a dental surgery are: blood-borne, saliva-droplet, direct contact with a patient and with infected equipment, and water-droplet infections. In this paper, the current status of knowledge on microbiological hazards in a dentist's work is presented. Groups of microorganisms, such as prions, viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa, to which a dentist is, or may be exposed, are discussed. Epidemiological assessment of microbiological hazards in a dentist's work was performed and the basic principles of prevention formulated. Special attention was given to microflora in dental unit waterlines, and the biofilm persisting in them, as a source of occupational hazards specific for a dentist's workplace.

Advanced Group Support Systems and Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K. (Compiler); Malone, John B. (Compiler)

1999-01-01

The document contains the proceedings of the Workshop on Advanced Group Support Systems and Facilities held at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, July 19-20, 1999. The workshop was jointly sponsored by the University of Virginia Center for Advanced Computational Technology and NASA. Workshop attendees came from NASA, other government agencies, industry, and universities. The objectives of the workshop were to assess the status of advanced group support systems and to identify the potential of these systems for use in future collaborative distributed design and synthesis environments. The presentations covered the current status and effectiveness of different group support systems.

Current status of environmental, health, and safety issues of nickel metal-hydride batteries for electric vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corbus, D; Hammel, C J; Mark, J

1993-08-01

This report identifies important environment, health, and safety issues associated with nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and assesses the need for further testing and analysis. Among the issues discussed are cell and battery safety, workplace health and safety, shipping requirements, and in-vehicle safety. The manufacture and recycling of Ni-MH batteries are also examined. This report also overviews the ``FH&S`` issues associated with other nickel-based electric vehicle batteries; it examines venting characteristics, toxicity of battery materials, and the status of spent batteries as a hazardous waste.

Current status of herbal product: Regulatory overview

PubMed Central

Sharma, Sanjay

2015-01-01

A review of the regulatory status of herbal drugs/products was done for few countries forming part of Asia, Africa, America, Europe, and Australia, to understand various categories under which the trade of herbal products is permitted and their premarketing requirements. A critical assessment was done, to know the hindrances in the process of harmonization of herbal products. It has been found that there is a lack of harmonization in the regulatory requirements of herbal products internationally, besides the issues of availability of herbs and their conservation. These are hindering the international trade and growth of the herbal products segment. PMID:26681886

Current status of herbal product: Regulatory overview.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjay

2015-01-01

A review of the regulatory status of herbal drugs/products was done for few countries forming part of Asia, Africa, America, Europe, and Australia, to understand various categories under which the trade of herbal products is permitted and their premarketing requirements. A critical assessment was done, to know the hindrances in the process of harmonization of herbal products. It has been found that there is a lack of harmonization in the regulatory requirements of herbal products internationally, besides the issues of availability of herbs and their conservation. These are hindering the international trade and growth of the herbal products segment.

Smoking Is Associated with Acute and Chronic Prostatic Inflammation: Results from the REDUCE Study.

PubMed

Moreira, Daniel M; Nickel, J Curtis; Gerber, Leah; Muller, Roberto L; Andriole, Gerald L; Castro-Santamaria, Ramiro; Freedland, Stephen J

2015-04-01

Both anti- and proinflammatory effects of cigarette smoking have been described. As prostate inflammation is common, we hypothesized smoking could contribute to prostate inflammation. Thus, we evaluated the association of smoking status with acute and chronic inflammation within the prostate of men undergoing prostate biopsy. We retrospectively analyzed 8,190 men ages 50 to 75 years with PSA levels between 2.5 and 10 ng/mL enrolled in the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events study. Smoking status was self-defined as never, former, or current. Prostate inflammation was assessed by systematic central review blinded to smoking status. The association of smoking with inflammation in the baseline, 2-year, and 4-year biopsies was evaluated with univariable and multivariable logistic regressions. At study enrollment, 1,233 (15%), 3,203 (39%), and 3,754 (46%) men were current, former, and never smokers, respectively. Current smokers were significantly younger and had smaller prostates than former and never smokers (all P < 0.05). Former smokers were significantly heavier than current and never smokers (P < 0.001). Acute and chronic prostate inflammations were identified in 1,261 (15%) and 6,352 (78%) baseline biopsies, respectively. In univariable analysis, current smokers were more likely to have acute inflammation than former (OR, 1.35; P, 0.001) and never smokers (OR, 1.36; P, 0.001). The results were unchanged at 2- and 4-year biopsies. In contrast, current smoking was linked with chronic inflammation in the baseline biopsy, but not at 2- and 4-year biopsies. In conclusion, among men undergoing prostate biopsy, current smoking was independently associated with acute and possibly chronic prostate inflammations. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Self-reported sleep difficulty during the menopausal transition: results from a prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Tom, Sarah E.; Kuh, Diana; Guralnik, Jack M.; Mishra, Gita

2011-01-01

Objective To examine the relationship between menopausal transition status and self-reported sleep difficulty. Methods Using data on women participating in the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development who have been followed up from birth in March 1946 (n = 962), relationships between menopausal transition status and self-reported sleep difficulty were assessed annually between ages 48 – 54. Results Menopausal transition status was related to severe self-reported sleep difficulty. Odds of reporting severe self-reported sleep difficulty were increased approximately 2 to 3.5 fold (95% CI ranges from (1.08, 3.27) – (1.99, 6.04)) for most menopausal transition statuses, compared to women who remained premenopausal. After adjustment for current psychological, vasomotor, and somatic symptoms and waking frequently at night to use the toilet, only women with hysterectomy remained at an increased risk for moderate sleep difficulty. Conclusions The modest relationship between menopausal transition status and moderate sleep difficulty may be related to greater variation in individual definitions of moderate difficulty. Attention to the level of sleep difficulty in this group of women will assist in the decision to address current health symptoms versus sleep itself. Women without prior health problems may experience severe self-reported sleeping difficulty during the menopausal transition and require tailored care from health professionals. PMID:20551846

21 CFR 210.1 - Status of current good manufacturing practice regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Status of current good manufacturing practice... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING, PACKING, OR HOLDING OF DRUGS; GENERAL § 210.1 Status of current good manufacturing practice regulations...

Current distribution, habitat, and status of Category 2 candidate plant species on and near the U.S. Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blomquist, Kevin W.; Lindemann, Tim A.; Lyon, Glen E.

1995-12-31

Results of surveys conducted between 1991 and 1995 were used to document the distribution and habitat of 11 Category 2 candidate plant species known to occur on or near the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Approximately 200 areas encompassing about 13,000 ha were surveyed. Distributions of all species except Frasera-pahutensis and Phaceliaparishii were increased, and the ranges of Camissonia megalantha, Galium hilendiae ssp. kingstonense, Penstemon albomarginatus, and Penstemon pahutensis were expanded. The status of each species was assessed based on current distribution population trends, and potential threats. Recommendations were made to reclassi& the following five species to Category 3C: Arctomecon merriamii,more » F. pahutensis, P. pahutensis, Phacelia beatleyae, and Phaceliaparishii. Two species, C. megalantha and Cymopterus ripIeyi var. saniculoides, were recommended for reclassification to Category 3B status. No recommendation was made to reclassify Astragalus funereus, G. hilendiae ssp. kingstonense, P. albomarginatus, or Penstemon fruticiformis var. amargosae from their current Category 2 status. Populations of these four species are not threatened on NTS, but the NTS populations represent only a.small portion of each species’ range and the potential threats of mining or grazing activities off NTS on these species was notassessed. Conservation measures recommended included the development of an NTS ecosystem conservation plan, continued conduct of preactivity and plant surveys on NTS, and protection of plant type localities on NTS.« less

The Accuracy Of Fuzzy Sugeno Method With Antropometry On Determination Natural Patient Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syahputra, Dinur; Tulus; Sawaluddin

2017-12-01

Anthropometry is one of the processes that can be used to assess nutritional status. In general anthropometry is defined as body size in terms of nutrition, then anthropometry is reviewed from various age levels and nutritional levels. Nutritional status is a description of the balance between nutritional intake with the needs of the body individually. Fuzzy logic is a logic that has a vagueness between right and wrong or between 0 and 1. Sugeno method is used because in the process of calculating nutritional status so far is still done by anthropometry. Currently information technology is growing in any aspect, one of them in the aspect of calculation with data taken from anthropometry. In this case the calculation can use the Fuzzy Sugeno Method, in order to know the great accuracy obtained. Then the results obtained using fuzzy sugeno integrated with anthropometry has an accuracy of 81.48%.

Marital status, childlessness, and social support among older Canadians.

PubMed

Penning, Margaret J; Wu, Zheng

2014-12-01

Despite evidence of increasing diversification of family structures, little is known regarding implications of marital and parental status for access to social support in later life. Using data from Statistics Canada's 2007 General Social Survey, this study assessed the impact of marital and parental status intersections on social support among adults aged 60 and older (n = 11,503). Two-stage probit regression models indicated that among those who were currently married or separated/divorced, childless individuals were more likely to report instrumental (domestic, transportation) and emotional support from people outside the household. Conversely, among never-married or widowed older adults, being childless was associated with reduced domestic support but without differences in other support domains. Findings suggest that marital and parental status intersections are not uniformly positive, neutral, or negative regarding implications for extra-household social support. Future work should address complexities of these relationships in order to better understand rapidly changing family structures.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Reasons for Living—Older Adults Scale: A Suicide Risk Assessment Inventory

PubMed Central

Edelstein, Barry A.; Heisel, Marnin J.; McKee, Deborah R.; Martin, Ronald R.; Koven, Lesley P.; Duberstein, Paul R.; Britton, Peter C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purposes of these studies were to develop and initially evaluate the psychometric properties of the Reasons for Living Scale—Older Adult version (RFL-OA), an older adults version of a measure designed to assess reasons for living among individuals at risk for suicide. Design and Methods: Two studies are reported. Study 1 involved instrument development with 106 community-dwelling older adults, and initial psychometric evaluation with a second sample of 119 community-dwelling older adults. Study 2 evaluated the psychometric properties of the RFL-OA in a clinical sample. One hundred eighty-one mental health patients 50 years or older completed the RFL-OA and measures of depression, suicide ideation at the current time and at the worst point in one's life, and current mental status and physical functioning. Results: Strong psychometric properties were demonstrated for the RFL-OA, with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient). Convergent validity was evidenced by negative associations among RFL-OA scores and measures of depression and suicide ideation. RFL-OA scores predicted current and worst-episode suicide ideation above and beyond current depression. Discriminant validity was evidenced with measures of current mental status and physical functioning. Criterion-related validity was also demonstrated with respect to lifetime history of suicidal behavior. Implications: These findings provide preliminary support for the validity and reliability of the RFL-OA. The findings also support the potential value of attending to reasons for living during clinical treatment with depressed older adults and others at risk for suicide. PMID:19546114

An Assessment of the State of the Art of Curriculum Materials and a Status Assessment of Training Programs for Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians. Task Analysis and Descriptions of Required Job Competencies of Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Daniel M.; Lovett, James E.

This report presents the results of research conducted to determine the current state of the art of robotics/automated systems technician (RAST) training offered in the United States. Section I discusses the RAST curriculum project, of which this state-of-the-art review is a part, and offers a RAST job description. Section II describes the…

Online Bibliographic Databases in South Central Pennsylvania: Current Status and Training Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townley, Charles

A survey of libraries in south central Pennsylvania was designed to identify those that are using or planning to use databases and assess their perceived training needs. This report describes the methodology and analyzes the responses received form the 57 libraries that completed the questionnaire. Data presented in eight tables are concerned with…

Reliability, Maintenance and Risk Assessment in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Education in the US.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inozu, Bahadir; Ayyub, Bilal A.

1999-01-01

Examines the current status of existing curricula, accreditation requirements, and new developments in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering education in the United States. Discusses the emerging needs of the maritime industry in light of advances in information technology and movement toward risk-based, reliability-centered rule making in the…

Mapping landscape fire frequency for fire regime condition class

Treesearch

Dale A. Hamilton; Wendel J. Hann

2015-01-01

Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) is a departure index that compares the current amounts of the different vegetation succession classes, fire frequency, and fire severity to historic reference conditions. FRCC assessments have been widely used for evaluating ecosystem status in many areas of the U.S. in reports such as land use plans, fire management plans, project...

Urban Alabama Physicians and the Electronic Medical Record: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tiggle, Michele

2012-01-01

The electronic medical record (EMR) is an information technology tool supporting the examination, treatment, and care of a patient. The EMR allows physicians to view a patient's record showing current medications, a history of visits from health care providers with notes from those visits, a problem list, a functional status assessment, a schedule…

Investigating Web Sites of Faculties of Education: The Case of Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutluca, Tamer; Aydin, Serhat; Baki, Adnan

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore the current status of the web sites of the Faculties of Education (FOEs) in Turkey. Bearing this in mind, a "Web Site Assessment Form" comprising thirty-seven items was developed and the web sites of the FOEs were evaluated with respect to "Content," "Currency," "Structure…

Canonical Correlation Analysis on Life Stress and Learning Burnout of College Students in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Yun-Chen; Lin, Shu Hui

2010-01-01

With rapid social changes, stress in life has increased significantly for everyone including college students. Understanding life stress among college students and how it may affect learning burnout has become an important concern for education researchers. The purposes of this study were (1) to assess the current status and factor structures of…

Employment Opportunities for New Academic Librarians: Assessing the Availability of Entry Level Jobs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tewell, Eamon C.

2012-01-01

This study examines the availability of entry level positions in academic libraries to better illuminate the status of the job market for current students and recent graduates of Library & Information Science programs. Over a twelve month period from 2010-2011, 1385 job advertisements were collected, with content analysis methods used to evaluate…

Iowa Water Center | Iowa Water Center

Science.gov Websites

:42 Advancing the state of water knowledge and management The Iowa Water Center is a part of a 10% of that original resource remains, and little to no information exists on the current status or information to assess the condition of wetlands. Information gathered from monitoring wetlands may help answer

Unfinished Agendas: New and Continuing Gender Challenges in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer-Raymo, Judith, Ed.

2008-01-01

This revealing volume examines the current role and status of women in higher education--and suggests a direction for the future. Judith Glazer-Raymo and other distinguished scholars and administrators assess the progress of women in academe using three lenses: the feminist agenda as a work in progress, growing internal and external challenges to…

Large-Scale Educational Telecommunications Systems for the U.S.: An Analysis of Educational Needs and Technological Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Robert P.; And Others

Opportunities for utilizing large-scale educational telecommunications delivery systems to aid in meeting needs of U.S. education are extensively analyzed in a NASA-funded report. Status, trends, and issues in various educational subsectors are assessed, along with current use of telecommunications and technology and factors working for and…

An overview of the floristic richness and conservation of the arid regions of northern Mexico

Treesearch

Laura Arriaga; Elizabeth Moreno; Claudia Aguilar

2005-01-01

The arid and semiarid regions of Northern Mexico harbor diverse, highly endemic, and geographically complex ecosystems. These share topographic and biogeographic similarities that can be used as an analytical framework to assess biodiversity patterns. This study presents the current status of vascular plant inventories for Mexican Aridamerica. The spatial distribution...

Alternative approaches for vertebrate ecotoxicity tests in the 21st century: A review of developments over the last 2 decades and current status

EPA Science Inventory

The need for alternative approaches to the use of vertebrate animals for hazard assessing chemicals and pollutants has become of increasing importance. It is now the first consideration when initiating a vertebrate ecotoxicity test, to ensure that unnecessary use of vertebrate or...

Results of a Research Evaluating Quality of Computer Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Záhorec, Ján; Hašková, Alena; Munk, Michal

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of an international research on a comparative assessment of the current status of computer science education at the secondary level (ISCED 3A) in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Belgium. Evaluation was carried out based on 14 specific factors gauging the students' point of view. The authors present qualitative…

From University to Comprehensive Higher Education: On the Widening Gap between "Lehre und Leben."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertilsson, Margareta

1992-01-01

The theory of Wilhelm von Humboldt concerning the role of the university is discussed, focusing on four imperatives regulating its activities--unity of research and teaching; the empirical sciences; science and socialization; and science and universal enlightenment. The current status of the university is assessed in relation to these ideals. (MSE)

The Education and Training of Archivists. Status Report of Archival Training Programmes and Assessment of Manpower Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, M.

This overview of the current situation in archival training and education worldwide describes the regional characteristics of training schools in Europe, North America, Latin America, the Arab states, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The training capacities of both developed and developing nations are discussed, as well as technical training in…

Configuration study for a 30 GHz monolithic receive array: Technical assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nester, W. H.; Cleaveland, B.; Edward, B.; Gotkis, S.; Hesserbacker, G.; Loh, J.; Mitchell, B.

1984-01-01

The current status of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) in phased array feeds is discussed from the point of view of cost performance, reliability, and design considerations. Transitions to MMICs, compatible antenna radiating elements and reliability considerations are addressed. Hybrid antennas, feed array antenna technology, and offset reflectors versus phased arrays are examined.

Current status and future needs of the BehavePlus Fire Modeling System

Treesearch

Patricia L. Andrews

2014-01-01

The BehavePlus Fire Modeling System is among the most widely used systems for wildland fire prediction. It is designed for use in a range of tasks including wildfire behaviour prediction, prescribed fire planning, fire investigation, fuel hazard assessment, fire model understanding, communication and research. BehavePlus is based on mathematical models for fire...

Research Directions for the 70's in Child Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparling, Joseph J.; Gallagher, James J.

This booklet is based on a series of 1971 conferences attended by 22 prominent individuals in the field of child development research. Conference participants met in three working panels (on infancy, the preschool child, and the school age child) to assess the current status of the child development research field and to project research needs for…

Assessing Psychological Symptoms and Well-Being: Application of a Dual-Factor Mental Health Model to Understand College Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antaramian, Susan

2015-01-01

A dual-factor mental health model includes measures of positive psychological well-being in addition to traditional indicators of psychopathology to comprehensively determine mental health status. The current study examined the utility of this model in understanding the psychological adjustment and educational functioning of college students. A…

A Study of the Alignment of National Standards, State Standards, and Science Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burry-Stock, Judith A.; Casebeer, Cindy M.

Educational reform efforts are currently at the top of the nation's agenda. Policymakers are hearing increasing calls from members of the public to improve standardized test scores. These reform calls are a response to the perceived inadequacy of science teaching in our nation. Data were collected from participating states regarding the status of…

Parents' Perceptions of Children's Weight: The Accuracy of Ratings and Associations to Strategies for Feeding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tremblay, Line; Rinaldi, Christina M.; Lovsin, Tanya; Zecevic, Cheryl

2012-01-01

The general objective of this study was to assess parents' perceptions of their preschooler's body weight, and the association between children's current weight status and parental feeding strategies. A sample of 150 parents of three- to five-year-old children (72 girls and 78 boys) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic information,…

Can More Become Less? Effects of an Intensive Assessment Environment on Students' Learning Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khawaja, M. Asif; Prusty, Gangadhara B.; Ford, Robin A. J.; Marcus, Nadine; Russell, Carol

2013-01-01

Online interactive systems offer the beguiling prospect of an improved environment for learning at minimum extra cost. We have developed online interactive tutorials that adapt the learning environment to the current learning status of each individual student. These Adaptive Tutorials (ATs) modify the tasks given to each student according to their…

Land cover change map comparisons using open source web mapping technologies

Treesearch

Erik Lindblom; Ian Housman; Tony Guay; Mark Finco; Kevin Megown

2015-01-01

The USDA Forest Service is evaluating the status of current landscape change maps and assessing gaps in their information content. These activities have been occurring under the auspices of the Landscape Change Monitoring System (LCMS) project, which is a joint effort between USFS Research, USFS Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC), USGS Earth Resources...

The impact of remote sensing on United States' geography: The past in perspective, present realities, future potentials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, J. E.; Jensen, J. R.; Simonett, D. S.

1977-01-01

The use of remotely sensed data by cartographers and other physical geographers is reviewed. The current status of remote sensing in the academic, governmental, and private sector is assessed, as well as its capability for providing information within the context of the explanatory forms used by geographers.

Examining Residence Status as a Risk Factor for Health Risk Behaviors among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiBello, Angelo M.; Benz, Madeline B.; Miller, Mary Beth; Merrill, Jennifer E.; Carey, Kate B.

2018-01-01

Objective: The current study is aimed to evaluate college student residence as a unique risk factor for a range of negative health behaviors. Participants: We examined data from 63,555 students (66% females) from 157 campuses who completed the National College Health Assessment Survey in Spring 2011. Methods: Participants answered questions about…

Liquid Biopsy in Metastasized Breast Cancer as Basis for Treatment Decisions.

PubMed

Krawczyk, Natalia; Fehm, Tanja; Banys-Paluchowski, Malgorzata; Janni, Wolfgang; Schramm, Amelie

2016-01-01

According to current guidelines, the additional biopsy of breast cancer metastases to analyze the receptor status for phenotype assessment is recommended. However, due to clinical difficulties in performing biopsies of metastatic lesions, the phenotype of the primary tumor most often determines the treatment decisions in metastatic breast cancer. Liquid biopsy allows the analysis of several circulating biomarkers like circulating tumor cells (CTCs) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in peripheral blood samples of cancer patients. Thus, it is an elegant and easily practicable technique that delivers information on the current disease status. Determination of the CTC phenotype regarding the hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status might replace additional tissue biopsy for planning further therapy strategies. Liquid biopsy is a crucial step towards a more individualized cancer therapy. In contrast to the conventional concept of tissue biopsy, it offers an easy, less invasive acquisition of biomaterial. In addition, it allows multiple repetitions and real-time monitoring of metastasized disease in the clinical routine. However, the clinical utility of liquid biopsy still needs to be evaluated. © 2016 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Vitamin D deficiency in HIV-infected postmenopausal Hispanic and African-American women

PubMed Central

Stein, E. M.; McMahon, D. J.; Shu, A.; Zhang, C. A.; Ferris, D. C.; Colon, I.; Dobkin, J. F.; Hammer, S. M.; Shane, E.

2011-01-01

Summary We evaluated vitamin D status in HIV+ and HIV− postmenopausal African-American (AA) and Hispanic women. Most women (74–78%) had insufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels, regardless of HIV status. 25OHD was lower in AA women and women lacking supplement use, providing support for screening and supplementation. Among HIV+ women, 25OHD was associated with current CD4 but not type of antiretroviral therapy. Introduction To evaluate vitamin D status and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in HIV-infected (HIV+) postmenopausal minority women. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 89 HIV+ and 95 HIV− postmenopausal women (33% AA and 67% Hispanic) underwent assessment of 25OHD, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results The prevalence of low 25OHD did not differ by HIV status; the majority of both HIV+ and HIV− women (74–78%) had insufficient levels (<30 ng/ml). Regardless of HIV status, 25OHD was significantly lower in AA subjects, and higher in subjects who used both calcium and multi-vitamins. In HIV+ women on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 25OHD was directly associated with current CD4 count (r= 0.32; p<0.01) independent of age, ethnicity, BMI, or history of AIDS-defining illness. No association was observed between 1,25(OH)2D and CD4 count or between serum 25OHD, 1,25(OH)2D or PTH and type of ART. Conclusions In postmenopausal minority women, vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent and associated with AA race and lack of supplement use, as well as lower current CD4 cell count. These results provide support for screening and repletion of vitamin D in HIV+ patients. PMID:20585939

[Birth weight and later nutritional status, cognitive development and job status: a critical revision].

PubMed

Villegas, S; Ivanovic, R; Pérez, H; Almagià, A; Urrutia, M S; Rodríguez, M del P; Larrain, C; Ivanovic, D

2009-12-01

The impact of prenatal nutritional status, assessed through birth weight (BW) and their effects in the short, medium and long-term on nutritional status, cognitive development and job status in the adult life, has been a problem of interest for several researchers; as regards, some of these report a positive and significant association between these variables and others do not find any relation. Children with insufficient, low or very low BW despite the early more deteriorate nutritional status should present higher risk for brain maturation, failure cognitive development and lowered head circumference which implies both lowered brain volume and intellectual development. In the short and medium-term, this situation damages the learning process at school-age, while in the long-term this might condition the quality of jobs. At present, the body of knowledge pinpoints that findings related to these associations is not conclusive verifying a great controversy in these matters. This review article has the purpose of analyzing the current evidence, in order to stimulate research about to these aspects which are relevant for child development and their future life.

Noninvasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of orofacial pain.

PubMed

Fricova, Jitka; Englerova, Katerina; Rokyta, Richard

2016-10-01

tDCS is a promising method for the treatment of chronic pain. Electrode placement locations must be chosen in accordance with the density and the time course of the current in order to prevent pathological changes in the underlying tissue. In order to reduce current spatial variability, more electrodes of the same polarity are placed in a circle around the second electrode of the opposite polarity. The applied current produced the greatest changes directly beneath the electrodes: the cathode reduces the excitability of cortical neurons, while the anode has the opposite effect. Based on inclusion criteria, 10 patients with chronic orofacial pain, secondary trigeminal neuralgia after oral surgery, were enrolled and underwent both anode and cathode stimulation. Before the first session we measured pain intensity on a numeric pain rating scale and tactile and thermal stimulation were used to assess somatosensory status. tDCS was applied for five consecutive days. At the end of tDCS application, somatosensory status was assessed again. From our results we can conclude that the application of tDCS improves the perception of some types of pain. When we increase our sample size, we would expect confirmation not only on our positive results, but also some additional findings for explaining the pathophysiology of orofacial pain. These pathophysiological findings and explanations are very important for the application of tDCS in the treatment of orofacial pain and also for other types of neuropathic pain.

Serum free light chains, interferon-alpha, and interleukins in systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Jolly, M; Francis, S; Aggarwal, R; Mikolaitis, R A; Niewold, T B; Chubinskaya, S; Block, J A; Scanzello, C; Sequeira, W

2014-08-01

Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-alpha (IFN-α), and free light chains (FLCs: lambda, kappa) have all been noted to be of importance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, we quantified and explored the relationship between these inflammatory mediators and disease activity in SLE; and stratified by their current anti-dsDNA antibody status. Seventy-seven SLE patients underwent assessment of disease activity using the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). Serum FLC (lambda, kappa, and total), IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-α were quantified. Demographics of disease characteristics were determined by chart reviews. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney test, chi square, and linear regression analyses. Mean (SD) age of the patients was 44.9 ± 12.7 years; SLEDAI (mean ± SD) was 3.4 ± 4.0. Serum lambda FLC levels had a moderate correlation (r = 0.46 with physician global assessment, 0.44 with SLEDAI) and the strongest correlation with disease activity as compared with other inflammatory mediators including current dsDNA antibody status. After adjusting for prednisone use, the correlation of lambda FLC with PGA (r = 0.48) and SLEDAI (r = 0.52) was better than of current dsDNA antibody status with PGA (r = 0.33) and adjusted SLEDAI (r = 0.24), respectively. IL-10 and IFN-α activity did not correlate with disease activity. Serum FLC and IL-6 levels could differentiate between active and inactive SLE patients. Serum lambda FLC and IL-6 levels differed significantly among patients with and without current dsDNA antibodies. Serum lambda FLC levels accounted for 31% of variance in SLEDAI scores. Serum FLC and IL-6 are potentially useful biomarkers of disease activity in SLE. Further studies, with larger study sample and longitudinal design, are indicated. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Multi-channel electrical impedance tomography for regional tissue hydration monitoring.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaohui; Kao, Tzu-Jen; Ashe, Jeffrey M; Boverman, Gregory; Sabatini, James E; Davenport, David M

2014-06-01

Poor assessment of hydration status during hemodialysis can lead to under- or over-hydration in patients with consequences of increased morbidity and mortality. In current practice, fluid management is largely based on clinical assessments to estimate dry weight (normal hydration body weight). However, hemodialysis patients usually have co-morbidities that can make the signs of fluid status ambiguous. Therefore, achieving normal hydration status remains a major challenge for hemodialysis therapy. Electrical impedance technology has emerged as a promising method for hydration monitoring due to its non-invasive nature, low cost and ease-of-use. Conventional electrical impedance-based hydration monitoring systems employ single-channel current excitation (either 2-electrode or 4-electrode methods) to perturb and extract averaged impedance from bulk tissue and use generalized models from large populations to derive hydration estimates. In the present study, a prototype, single-frequency electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system with simultaneous multi-channel current excitation was used to enable regional hydration change detection. We demonstrated the capability to detect a difference in daily impedance change between left leg and right leg in healthy human subjects, who wore a compression sock only on one leg to reduce daily gravitational fluid accumulation. The impedance difference corresponded well with the difference of lower leg volume change between left leg and right leg measured by volumetry, which on average is ~35 ml, accounting for 0.7% of the lower leg volume. We have demonstrated the feasibility of using multi-channel EIT to extract hydration information in different tissue layers with minimal skin interference. Our simultaneous, multi-channel current excitation approach provides an effective method to separate electrode contact impedance and skin condition artifacts from hydration signals. The prototype system has the potential to be used in clinical settings for helping optimize patient fluid management during hemodialysis as well as for home monitoring of patients with congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, diabetes and other diseases with peripheral edema symptoms.

A cluster randomised trial testing an intervention to improve parents' recognition of their child's weight status: study protocol.

PubMed

Parkinson, Kathryn N; Jones, Angela R; Tovee, Martin J; Ells, Louisa J; Pearce, Mark S; Araujo-Soares, Vera; Adamson, Ashley J

2015-06-12

Parents typically do not recognise their child's weight status accurately according to clinical criteria, and thus may not take appropriate action if their child is overweight. We developed a novel visual intervention designed to improve parental perceptions of child weight status according to clinical criteria for children aged 4-5 and 10-11 years. The Map Me intervention comprises age- and sex-specific body image scales of known body mass index and supporting information about the health risks of childhood overweight. This cluster randomised trial will test the effectiveness of the Map Me intervention. Primary schools will be randomised to: paper-based Map Me; web-based Map Me; no information (control). Parents of reception (4-5 years) and year 6 (10-11 years) children attending the schools will be recruited. The study will work with the National Child Measurement Programme which measures the height and weight of these year groups and provides feedback to parents about their child's weight status. Before receiving the feedback, parents will complete a questionnaire which includes assessment of their perception of their child's weight status and knowledge of the health consequences of childhood overweight. The control group will provide pre-intervention data with assessment soon after recruitment; the intervention groups will provide post-intervention data after access to Map Me for one month. The study will subsequently obtain the child height and weight measurements from the National Child Measurement Programme. Families will be followed-up by the study team at 12 months. The primary outcome is any difference in accuracy in parental perception of child weight status between pre-intervention and post-intervention at one month. The secondary outcomes include differences in parent knowledge, intention to change lifestyle behaviours and/or seek advice or support, perceived control, action planning, coping planning, and child weight status at 12 month follow-up. The Map Me tool has potential to make a positive impact on children's health at a population level by introducing it into current intervention programmes to improve accuracy of parental perception of child's weight status. This trial will inform the action of researchers, educators, health professionals and policy makers. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN91136472. Registered 3 May 2013.

2002 Small Mammal Inventory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Site 300

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, E; Woollett, J

2004-11-16

To assist the University of California in obtaining biological assessment information for the ''2004 Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)'', Jones & Stokes conducted an inventory of small mammals in six major vegetation communities at Site 300. These communities were annual grassland, native grassland, oak savanna, riparian corridor, coastal scrub, and seep/spring wetlands. The principal objective of this study was to assess the diversity and abundance of small mammal species in these communities, as well as the current status of any special-status small mammal species found in these communities. Surveys in the native grasslandmore » community were conducted before and after a controlled fire management burn of the grasslands to qualitatively evaluate any potential effects of fire on small mammals in the area.« less

Factors affecting poor nutritional status after small bowel resection in patients with Crohn disease.

PubMed

Jang, Ki Ung; Yu, Chang Sik; Lim, Seok-Byung; Park, In Ja; Yoon, Yong Sik; Kim, Chan Wook; Lee, Jong Lyul; Yang, Suk-Kyun; Ye, Byong Duk; Kim, Jin Cheon

2016-07-01

In Crohn disease, bowel-preserving surgery is necessary to prevent short bowel syndrome due to repeated operations. This study aimed to determine the remnant small bowel length cut-off and to evaluate the clinical factors related to nutritional status after small bowel resection in Crohn disease.We included 394 patients (69.3% male) who underwent small bowel resection for Crohn disease between 1991 and 2012. Patients who were classified as underweight (body mass index < 17.5) or at high risk of nutrition-related problems (modified nutritional risk index < 83.5) were regarded as having a poor nutritional status. Preliminary remnant small bowel length cut-offs were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Variables associated with poor nutritional status were assessed retrospectively using Student t tests, chi-squared tests, Fisher exact tests, and logistic regression analyses.The mean follow-up period was 52.9 months and the mean patient ages at the time of the last bowel surgery and last follow-up were 31.2 and 35.7 years, respectively. The mean remnant small bowel length was 331.8 cm. Forty-three patients (10.9%) underwent ileostomy, 309 (78.4%) underwent combined small bowel and colon resection, 111 (28.2%) had currently active disease, and 105 (26.6%) underwent at least 2 operations for recurrent disease. The mean body mass index and modified nutritional risk index were 20.6 and 100.8, respectively. The independent factors affecting underweight status were remnant small bowel length ≤240 cm (odds ratio: 4.84, P < 0.001), ileostomy (odds ratio: 4.70, P < 0.001), and currently active disease (odds ratio: 4.16, P < 0.001). The independent factors affecting high nutritional risk were remnant small bowel length ≤230 cm (odds ratio: 2.84, P = 0.012), presence of ileostomy (odds ratio: 3.36, P = 0.025), and currently active disease (odds ratio: 4.90, P < 0.001).Currently active disease, ileostomy, and remnant small bowel length ≤230 cm are risk factors affecting the poor nutritional status of patients with Crohn disease after small bowel resection.

Examination of iodine status in the German population: an example for methodological pitfalls of the current approach of iodine status assessment.

PubMed

Johner, S A; Thamm, M; Schmitz, R; Remer, T

2016-04-01

Preliminary iodine concentration (UIC) measurements in spot urines of the representative German adult study DEGS indicated a severe worsening of iodine status compared to previous results in German children (KiGGS study). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate adult iodine status in detail and to investigate the impact of hydration status on UIC. UIC and creatinine concentrations were measured in 6978 spot urines from the German nationwide DEGS study (2008-2011). Twenty-four-hour iodine excretions (24-h UIE) were estimated by relating iodine/creatinine ratios to age- and sex-specific 24-h creatinine reference values. Urine osmolality was measured in two subsamples of spot urines (n = 100 each) to determine the impact of hydration status on UIC. In DEGS, median UIC was 69 µg/L in men and 54 µg/L in women, lying clearly below the WHO cutoff for iodine sufficiency (100 µg/L). Estimated median 24-h UIE was 113 µg/day, accompanied by 32 % of DEGS adults, lying below the estimated average requirement (EAR) for iodine. Comparative analysis with the KiGGS data (>14,000 spot urines of children; median UIC 117 µg/L) revealed a comparable percentage

Relationship between ghrelin levels, alcohol craving, and nutritional status in current alcoholic patients.

PubMed

Addolorato, Giovanni; Capristo, Esmeralda; Leggio, Lorenzo; Ferrulli, Anna; Abenavoli, Ludovico; Malandrino, Noemi; Farnetti, Sara; Domenicali, Marco; D'Angelo, Cristina; Vonghia, Luisa; Mirijello, Antonio; Cardone, Silvia; Gasbarrini, Giovanni

2006-11-01

Ghrelin is a peptide produced mainly by the gut and hypothalamus. Ghrelin is able to stimulate food-seeking behavior. Alcohol-craving and food-seeking behavior could share common neural circuits. Ghrelin is related to nutritional status, but few data are available in alcoholic patients on the relationship between ghrelin and nutritional disorders. Plasma ghrelin was evaluated in 15 current alcoholic male patients compared with 15 healthy male volunteers. Craving was evaluated by the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Energy substrate utilization was evaluated by indirect calorimetry. Ghrelin was significantly reduced in alcohol-dependent patients with respect to healthy subjects (p=0.0278). A significant positive correlation was found between ghrelin and craving (r=0.55; p=0.034). A preferential utilization of lipids as an energy substrate with a reduction of the fat mass (p=0.01) and an increase of the free fat mass (p=0.0091) was found in alcoholic patients. Within our sample showing low ghrelin levels probably related to the impaired nutritional status; patients with higher levels of ghrelin showed higher levels of alcohol craving. These preliminary data indicate that ghrelin could be implicated in the neurobiological mechanisms of alcohol craving, other than a hormone influenced by the nutritional status.

Status Report on Irradiation Capsules Containing Welded FeCrAl Specimens for Radiation Tolerance Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Field, Kevin G.; Howard, Richard H.

2016-02-26

This status report provides the background and current status of a series of irradiation capsules, or “rabbits”, that were designed and built to test the contributions of microstructure, composition, damage dose, and irradiation temperature on the radiation tolerance of candidate FeCrAl alloys being developed to have enhanced weldability and radiation tolerance. These rabbits will also test the validity of using an ultra-miniature tensile specimen to assess the mechanical properties of irradiated FeCrAl base metal and weldments. All rabbits are to be irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to damage doses up tomore » ≥15 dpa at temperatures between 200-550°C.« less

Marginal regression approach for additive hazards models with clustered current status data.

PubMed

Su, Pei-Fang; Chi, Yunchan

2014-01-15

Current status data arise naturally from tumorigenicity experiments, epidemiology studies, biomedicine, econometrics and demographic and sociology studies. Moreover, clustered current status data may occur with animals from the same litter in tumorigenicity experiments or with subjects from the same family in epidemiology studies. Because the only information extracted from current status data is whether the survival times are before or after the monitoring or censoring times, the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator of survival function converges at a rate of n(1/3) to a complicated limiting distribution. Hence, semiparametric regression models such as the additive hazards model have been extended for independent current status data to derive the test statistics, whose distributions converge at a rate of n(1/2) , for testing the regression parameters. However, a straightforward application of these statistical methods to clustered current status data is not appropriate because intracluster correlation needs to be taken into account. Therefore, this paper proposes two estimating functions for estimating the parameters in the additive hazards model for clustered current status data. The comparative results from simulation studies are presented, and the application of the proposed estimating functions to one real data set is illustrated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Documenting legal status: a systematic review of measurement of undocumented status in health research.

PubMed

Young, Maria-Elena De Trinidad; Madrigal, Daniel S

2017-01-01

Undocumented status is rarely measured in health research, yet it influences the lives and well-being of immigrants. The growing body of research on undocumented status and health shows the need to assess the measurement of this legal status. We discuss the definition of undocumented status, conduct a systematic review of the methodological approaches currently taken to measure undocumented status of immigrants in the USA, and discuss recommendations for advancement of measurement methods. We conducted a systematic review of 61 studies indexed in PubMed, conducted in the USA, and published from 2004 to 2014. We categorized each of the studies' data source and type, measurement type, and information for classifying undocumented participants. Studies used self-reported or proxy measures of legal status. Information to classify undocumented participants included self-reported status, possession of a Social Security number, possession of health insurance or institutional resources, concern about deportation, and participant characteristics. Findings show it is feasible to collect self-reported measures of undocumented status. We recommend that researchers collect self-reported measures of undocumented status whenever possible and limit the use of proxy measures. Validated and standardized measures are needed for within and across country measurement. Authors should provide methodological information about measurement in publications. Finally, individuals who are undocumented should be included in the development of these methodologies. This systematic review is not registered.

Can We Spin Straw Into Gold? An Evaluation of Immigrant Legal Status Imputation Approaches

PubMed Central

Van Hook, Jennifer; Bachmeier, James D.; Coffman, Donna; Harel, Ofer

2014-01-01

Researchers have developed logical, demographic, and statistical strategies for imputing immigrants’ legal status, but these methods have never been empirically assessed. We used Monte Carlo simulations to test whether, and under what conditions, legal status imputation approaches yield unbiased estimates of the association of unauthorized status with health insurance coverage. We tested five methods under a range of missing data scenarios. Logical and demographic imputation methods yielded biased estimates across all missing data scenarios. Statistical imputation approaches yielded unbiased estimates only when unauthorized status was jointly observed with insurance coverage; when this condition was not met, these methods overestimated insurance coverage for unauthorized relative to legal immigrants. We next showed how bias can be reduced by incorporating prior information about unauthorized immigrants. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of the best-performing statistical method for increasing power. We used it to produce state/regional estimates of insurance coverage among unauthorized immigrants in the Current Population Survey, a data source that contains no direct measures of immigrants’ legal status. We conclude that commonly employed legal status imputation approaches are likely to produce biased estimates, but data and statistical methods exist that could substantially reduce these biases. PMID:25511332

Social status and biological dysregulation: the "status syndrome" and allostatic load.

PubMed

Seeman, Melvin; Stein Merkin, Sharon; Karlamangla, Arun; Koretz, Brandon; Seeman, Teresa

2014-10-01

Data from a national sample of 1255 adults who were part of the MIDUS (Mid-life in the U.S.) follow-up study and agreed to participate in a clinic-based in-depth assessment of their health status were used to test the hypothesis that, quite part from income or educational status, perceptions of lower achieved rank relative to others and of relative inequality in key life domains would be associated with greater evidence of biological health risks (i.e., higher allostatic load). Results indicate that over a variety of status indices (including, for example, the person's sense of control, placement in the community rank hierarchy, perception of inequality in the workplace) a syndrome of perceived relative deprivation is associated with higher levels of biological dysregulation. The evidence is interpreted in light of the well-established associations between lower socio-economic status and various clinically identified health morbidities. The present evidence serves, in effect, both as a part of the explanation of how socio-economic disparities produce downstream morbidity, and as an early warning system regarding the ultimate health effects of currently increasing status inequalities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Assessment of nutritional status in patients with chronic kidney disease on maintance hemodialysis].

PubMed

Mikolašević, Ivana; Orlić, Lidija; Vidrih, Suzana; Poje, Berislav; Bubić, Ivan; Vujičić, Božidar; Rački, Sanjin

2014-04-01

It is well established that nutritional status is an important factor affecting the outcome and recovery from disease or injury. Assessment of nutritional status is an integral part of care for patients with chronic kidney disease, especially for those treated with dialysis procedures. According to available literature, 18%-80% of patients on dialysis have some form of nutritional deficiency. Furthermore, in patients treated with dialysis procedures there is a rule called 'reverse epidemiology', according which patients with better nutritional status have better survival rate. Therefore, nutritional assessment should detect malnutrition and rate the overall nutritional status of each patient through clinical data categories: medical history, physical examination, nutrition physical examination, psychosocial history, demographics, physical activity, and current medical/surgical issues. Consequently, the main aim of our study was to analyze the nutritional status of our patients treated with hemodialysis procedures. Another aim was to analyze the applicability of measuring skinfold by caliper as a method of nutritional status assessment. During a six-month period, we analyzed 129 patients (57.4% of men and 42.6% of women), mean age 68.1 ± 12.4 years, treated with hemodialysis procedures (24.8% of patients were treated with online hemodiafiltration and 75.2% with standard, conventional hemodialysis) as the method of choice of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for more than 6 months. All patients were dialyzed three times a week for four hours on biocompatible synthetic membranes. The patients treated with online hemodiafiltration were dialyzed on high-flux helixone membranes, while those treated with standard, conventional hemodialysis were dialyzed on polysulfone membranes and helixone low-flux membranes. The mean time of RRT was 71.2 ± 56.7 months. During the study period, in each patient we followed medical history, and clinical and laboratory parameters of nutritional status at 3 and 6 months. To assess the nutritional status, we used dry weight (DW), body mass index (BMI), skinfold caliper measurement (result is correlated with total body fat, FAT), and common laboratory indicators of nutritional status (serum albumin and cholesterol). RE- SULTS: Analyzing the efficiency of skinfold thickness measurement with caliper, we found that the FAT obtained by caliper showed a statistically significant positive correlation with clinical indicators of nutritional status, and with BMI (r = 0.364, p < 0.0001), DW (r = 0.206, p = 0.005) and volume of muscle circumference (r = 0.399, p < 0.0001). Also, FAT showed statistically significant positive correlation with laboratory indicators of nutritional status, including serum albumin (r = 0.299, p = 0.01) and cholesterol (r = 0.225, p = 0.002). There was no statistically significant correlation between the duration of RRT and FAT (p = NS). In clinical practice, as well as for regular evaluation of nutritional status, it is important that the method we used proved efficient, precise, relatively fast and posing less economic burden. From our experience, the measurement of skinfold with caliper is an applicable, relatively quick and inexpensive method for regular assessment of nutritional status in patients treated with hemodialysis proce- dures. Therefore, all patients treated with RRT should undergo nutritional screening and expert help should be available from dietitians or nutritional support teams in order to identify this problem properly in its early stage and to reduce its high prevalence.

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crewmember Immune Function SDBI-1900, SMO-015 - Integrated Immune

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crucian, Brian; Stowe, Raymond; Mehta, Satish; Uchakin, Peter; Nehlsen-Cannarella, Sandra; Morukov, Boris; Pierson, Duane; Sams, Clarence

2007-01-01

There is ample evidence to suggest that space flight leads to immune system dysregulation. This may be a result of microgravity, confinement, physiological stress, radiation, environment or other mission-associated factors. The clinical risk from prolonged immune dysregulation during space flight are not yet determined, but may include increased incidence of infection, allergy, hypersensitivity, hematological malignancy or altered wound healing. Each of the clinical events resulting from immune dysfunction has the potential to impact mission critical objectives during exploration-class missions. To date, precious little in-flight immune data has been generated to assess this phenomenon. The majority of recent flight immune studies have been post-flight assessments, which may not accurately reflect the in-flight condition. There are no procedures currently in place to monitor immune function or its effect on crew health. The objective of this Supplemental Medical Objective (SMO) is to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. This SMO will assess the clinical risks resulting from the adverse effects of space flight on the human immune system and will validate a flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy. Characterization of the clinical risk and the development of a monitoring strategy are necessary prerequisite activities prior to validating countermeasures. This study will determine, to the best level allowed by current technology, the in-flight status of crewmembers immune system. Pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight assessments of immune status, immune function, viral reactivation and physiological stress will be performed. The in-flight samples will allow a distinction between legitimate in-flight alterations and the physiological stresses of landing and readaptation which are believed to alter landing day assessments. The overall status of the immune system during flight (activation, deficiency, dysregulation) and the response of the immune system to specific latent virus reactivation (known to occur during space flight) will be thoroughly assessed. Following completion of the SMO the data will be evaluated to determine the optimal set of assays for routine monitoring of crewmember immune system function, should the clinical risk warrant such monitoring.

Mechanisms and assessment of water eutrophication*

PubMed Central

Yang, Xiao-e; Wu, Xiang; Hao, Hu-lin; He, Zhen-li

2008-01-01

Water eutrophication has become a worldwide environmental problem in recent years, and understanding the mechanisms of water eutrophication will help for prevention and remediation of water eutrophication. In this paper, recent advances in current status and major mechanisms of water eutrophication, assessment and evaluation criteria, and the influencing factors were reviewed. Water eutrophication in lakes, reservoirs, estuaries and rivers is widespread all over the world and the severity is increasing, especially in the developing countries like China. The assessment of water eutrophication has been advanced from simple individual parameters like total phosphorus, total nitrogen, etc., to comprehensive indexes like total nutrient status index. The major influencing factors on water eutrophication include nutrient enrichment, hydrodynamics, environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, carbon dioxide, element balance, etc., and microbial and biodiversity. The occurrence of water eutrophication is actually a complex function of all the possible influencing factors. The mechanisms of algal blooming are not fully understood and need to be further investigated. PMID:18357622

Personality predictors of mortality in cardiac transplant candidates and recipients.

PubMed

Brandwin, M; Trask, P C; Schwartz, S M; Clifford, M

2000-08-01

Emotional factors are generally recognized as impacting the care of end-stage heart disease and mortality following cardiac transplants. Equally important, however, are predictors of pretransplant mortality. The current study examined the utility of the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) as a predictor of pre- and posttransplant mortality. A total of 103 cardiac transplant candidates were assessed with the MBHI as part of a pretransplant evaluation that included baseline demographic variables and cardiac status. Time to transplant and mortality status at 1 and 5 years was also obtained. Cluster analysis of MBHI response scores elicited two clusters characterized by high and low distress. Cluster membership predicted survival status at 1-year and 5-year follow-up, with high distress cluster patients having significantly higher mortality in both the total sample and a subgroup of patients who did receive a heart transplant. These results support the value of the MBHI for assessing personality attributes that may dispose toward unfavorable outcome in heart transplant candidates. Further understanding of psychosocial contributions to illness course and outcome may enable more effective selection of treatment interventions with cardiac patients.

Assessment and Recommendations of Compounding Education in AACP Member Institutions

PubMed Central

Augustine, Sam; Birnie, Christine; Nagel, Karen; Ray, Dipan; Ruble, James; Scolaro, Kelly; Athay Adams, Jennifer

2012-01-01

In August 2009, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Council of Sections established a Task Force to assess the current status of compounding education at its member institutions and to provide recommendations for future direction. The Task Force conducted a survey in late June 2010 of faculty members enrolled in the AACP Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice sections to gain qualitative information of the current state of compounding education. The survey results were then organized around eight curricular topics for which the Task Force members provided interpretations and recommendations. A final report was sent to the AACP Council of Sections on February 15, 2011. This publication provides the information contained in that final report to the professional community. PMID:23049115

Food insecurity among Cambodian refugee women two decades post resettlement.

PubMed

Peterman, Jerusha Nelson; Wilde, Parke E; Silka, Linda; Bermudez, Odilia I; Rogers, Beatrice Lorge

2013-04-01

Resettled refugees have high rates of chronic disease, which may be partially due to persistent food insecurity. This study describes food experiences on arrival in the U.S. and current food security status and examines characteristics related to food insecurity in a well-established refugee community. Focus groups and a survey assessed food security status and personal characteristics of Cambodian women in Lowell, MA, USA. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine relationships with food insecurity. Current rates of food insecurity are high. In multivariate models, food insecurity was positively associated with being depressed and being widowed, and negatively associated with higher income and acculturation. Early arrivers (1980s) had difficulty in the U.S. food system on arrival, while later arrivers (1990s-2000s) did not. Refugee agencies should consider strategically devoting resources to ensure successful early transition to the U.S. food environment and long-term food security of refugees.

Preparation of physical therapists to work with handicapped infants and their families: current status and training needs.

PubMed

Cochrane, C G; Farley, B G; Wilhelm, I J

1990-06-01

The purposes of this study were to determine the current status of physical therapists' preparation to work with handicapped and at-risk infants and their families and to identify needs for infant- and family-focused training materials and curricula. Results of a telephone survey of 73 physical therapy programs and a follow-up mail survey of 14 physical therapy programs with infancy specialization options are presented. Students in entry-level programs and postprofessional master's degree programs with infancy specializations commonly received instruction in infancy-related topics. Many students received minimal or no exposure to family-related content. Family assessment and intervention were identified as the areas of highest priority for development of training materials and curricula. The results of this study provide direction for the design of infant- and family-focused training materials and curricula in physical therapy.

Current status of African swine fever virus in a population of wild boar in eastern Poland (2014-2015).

PubMed

Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Kozak, Edyta; Kowalczyk, Andrzej; Łyjak, Magdalena; Pomorska-Mól, Małgorzata; Niemczuk, Krzysztof; Pejsak, Zygmunt

2016-01-01

African swine fever virus (ASFV) was detected in wild boar in eastern Poland in early 2014. So far, 65 cases of ASFV infection in wild boar have been recognised. The methods used for ASFV detection included highly specific real-time PCR with a universal probe library (UPL), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and an immunoperoxidase test (IPT) for identification of anti-ASFV antibodies. The positive ASF cases were located near the border with Belarus in Sokółka and Białystok counties. Some of the countermeasures for disease prevention include early ASF diagnosis by ASFV DNA identification as well as detection of specific antibodies by systematic screening. The aim of this study was to assess the current ASF status in a Polish population of wild boar during the last two years (2014-2015).

An Overview of the NIRA Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, William

2003-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has been tasked by NASA JSC's ISS Payloads Office to perform the NIRA (Non-Isolated Rack Assessment) microgravity prediction analysis task for the International Space Station. Previously, the NIRA analysis task had been performed by Boeing/Houston. Boeing's last NIRA analysis was released in 1999 and was denoted as "NIRA 99." GRC is currently close to completing our first full-NIRA analysis (encompassing the frequency range from 0 to 50 Hz) to be released as "NIRA 2003." This presentation will focus on describing the NIRA analysis, the transition of this analysis task from Boeing to GRC, and the current status and schedule for release of the NIRA 2003 results. Additionally, the results obtained from a mini-NIRA analysis requested by ESA and completed by GRC in the Spring of 2003 will be shown. This mini-analysis focused solely on predicting the microgravity environment at the COF-EPF (Columbus Orbiting Facility - External Payload Facility).

Hulun Lake's ecological health and evaluation of its' eutrophication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, W.; Yang, W.; Wang, X.; Huang, J.; Sun, B.; Li, X.

2013-12-01

Hulun Lake is the largest lake in the north of china. The special geological location determines its important position in regional environmental protection. In terms of Hulun Lake's current situation, this paper chooses the indexes of lake system, lake structure and lake condition. Based on the calculation of these indexes and related theory , the evaluation standards of Hulun Lake's ecological healthy system are worked out. The author used Analytic Hierarchy Process to determine the weight of each indicator layer and criteria layer, and then applied fuzzy-pattern recognition model to calculate, finally, identifying the status of Hulun Lake according to the degrees of all levels. At the same time, the author used an integrated nutrition state index method to do the eutrophication assessment. Evaluation results show that the current status of Hulun Lake is healthy and it is in the moderate level of eutrophication.

Status of Current and Future Remote Sensing with EO-1 Hyperion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ungar, Stephen

2006-01-01

The Earth Observing-One (EO-1) satellite, launched in November of 2000, will complete six full years of operation near the end of this year. Observations from the Hyperion Imaging Spectrometer on board EO-1 have contributed to over 300 papers in refereed journals, conference proceeds and other presentations. Hyperion has been used to study a variety of natural and anthropogenic phenomena including hazards and catastrophes, agricultural health and productivity, ecological disturbance/development, and land use/land cover change. As an example, Hyperion has been used in hazard and catastrophe studies to monitor and assess effects of tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, wild-fires (natural and human ignited), oil spills, and the aftermath of world trade center bombing. This presentation summarizes the current status of EO-1 Hyperion in terms of key scientific findings to date and future plans for operation of this instrument through 2007.

Status and future of Lake Huron fish communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ebener, M.P.; Johnson, J.E.; Reid, D.M.; Payne, N.P.; Argyle, R.L.; Wright, G.M.; Krueger, K.; Baker, J.P.; Morse, T.; Weise, J.; Munawar, M.; Edsall, T.; Leach, J.

1995-01-01

In 1993, fishery management agencies with jurisdiction over Lake Huron fish populations developed draft fish community objectives in response to the Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries. The Joint Strategic Plan charged the Great Lakes Fishery Commission sponsored Lake Huron Committee to define objectives for what the fish community of Lake Huron should look like in the future, and to develop means for measuring progress toward the objectives. The overall management objective for Lake Huron is to 'over the next two decades restore an ecologically balanced fish community dominated by top predators and consisting largely of self-sustaining, indigenous and naturalized species and capable of sustaining annual harvests of 8.9 million kg'. This paper represents the first attempt at consolidating current biological information from different management agencies on a lake-wide basis for the purpose of assessing the current status and dynamics of Lake Huron fishes.

Nutritional supplements for people being treated for active tuberculosis: A technical summary.

PubMed

Grobler, L; Durao, S; Van der Merwe, S M; Wessels, J; Naude, C E

2017-12-13

Tuberculosis and nutrition are intrinsically linked in a complex relationship. Altered metabolism and loss of appetite associated with tuberculosis may result in undernutrition, which in turn may worsen the disease or delay recovery. We highlight an updated Cochrane review assessing the effects of oral nutritional supplements in people with active tuberculosis who are receiving antituberculosis drug therapy. The review authors conducted a comprehensive search (February 2016) for all randomised controlled trials comparing any oral nutritional supplement, given for at least 4 weeks, with no nutritional intervention, placebo or dietary advice only in people receiving antituberculosis treatment. Of the 35 trials (N=8 283 participants) included, seven assessed the provision of free food or high-energy supplements, six assessed multi-micronutrient supplementation, and 21 assessed single- or dual-micronutrient supplementation. There is currently insufficient evidence to indicate whether routinely providing free food or high-energy supplements improves antituberculosis treatment outcomes (i.e. reduced death and increased cure rates at 6 and 12 months), but it probably improves weight gain in some settings. Plasma levels of zinc, vitamin D, vitamin E and selenium probably improve with supplementation, but currently no reliable evidence demonstrates that routine supplementation with multi-, single or dual micronutrients above the recommended daily intake has clinical benefits (i.e. reduced death, increased cure rate at 6 and 12 months, improved nutritional status) in patients receiving antituberculosis treatment. In South Africa, most provinces implement a supplementation protocol based on nutritional assessment and classification of individuals rather than on disease diagnosis or treatment status.

Mobile Phone-Based Measures of Activity, Step Count, and Gait Speed: Results From a Study of Older Ambulatory Adults in a Naturalistic Setting

PubMed Central

Aung, Thawda; Whittington, Jackie; High, Robin R; Goulding, Evan H; Schenk, A Katrin

2017-01-01

Background Cellular mobile telephone technology shows much promise for delivering and evaluating healthcare interventions in cost-effective manners with minimal barriers to access. There is little data demonstrating that these devices can accurately measure clinically important aspects of individual functional status in naturalistic environments outside of the laboratory. Objective The objective of this study was to demonstrate that data derived from ubiquitous mobile phone technology, using algorithms developed and previously validated by our lab in a controlled setting, can be employed to continuously and noninvasively measure aspects of participant (subject) health status including step counts, gait speed, and activity level, in a naturalistic community setting. A second objective was to compare our mobile phone-based data against current standard survey-based gait instruments and clinical physical performance measures in order to determine whether they measured similar or independent constructs. Methods A total of 43 ambulatory, independently dwelling older adults were recruited from Nebraska Medicine, including 25 (58%, 25/43) healthy control individuals from our Engage Wellness Center and 18 (42%, 18/43) functionally impaired, cognitively intact individuals (who met at least 3 of 5 criteria for frailty) from our ambulatory Geriatrics Clinic. The following previously-validated surveys were obtained on study day 1: (1) Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI); (2) Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly (SAFFE); (3) Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), short form version 1.0 Physical Function 10a (PROMIS-PF); and (4) PROMIS Global Health, short form version 1.1 (PROMIS-GH). In addition, clinical physical performance measurements of frailty (10 foot Get up and Go, 4 Meter walk, and Figure-of-8 Walk [F8W]) were also obtained. These metrics were compared to our mobile phone-based metrics collected from the participants in the community over a 24-hour period occurring within 1 week of the initial assessment. Results We identified statistically significant differences between functionally intact and frail participants in mobile phone-derived measures of percent activity (P=.002, t test), active versus inactive status (P=.02, t test), average step counts (P<.001, repeated measures analysis of variance [ANOVA]) and gait speed (P<.001, t test). In functionally intact individuals, the above mobile phone metrics assessed aspects of functional status independent (Bland-Altman and correlation analysis) of both survey- and/or performance battery-based functional measures. In contrast, in frail individuals, the above mobile phone metrics correlated with submeasures of both SAFFE and PROMIS-GH. Conclusions Continuous mobile phone-based measures of participant community activity and mobility strongly differentiate between persons with intact functional status and persons with a frailty phenotype. These measures assess dimensions of functional status independent of those measured using current validated questionnaires and physical performance assessments to identify functional compromise. Mobile phone-based gait measures may provide a more readily accessible and less-time consuming measure of gait, while further providing clinicians with longitudinal gait measures that are currently difficult to obtain. PMID:28974482

Stratified charge rotary engine for general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mount, R. E.; Parente, A. M.; Hady, W. F.

1986-01-01

A development history, a current development status assessment, and a design feature and performance capabilities account are given for stratified-charge rotary engines applicable to aircraft propulsion. Such engines are capable of operating on Jet-A fuel with substantial cost savings, improved altitude capability, and lower fuel consumption by comparison with gas turbine powerplants. Attention is given to the current development program of a 400-hp engine scheduled for initial operations in early 1990. Stratified charge rotary engines are also applicable to ground power units, airborne APUs, shipboard generators, and vehicular engines.

Predicting Violent Behavior: What Can Neuroscience Add?

PubMed

Poldrack, Russell A; Monahan, John; Imrey, Peter B; Reyna, Valerie; Raichle, Marcus E; Faigman, David; Buckholtz, Joshua W

2018-02-01

The ability to accurately predict violence and other forms of serious antisocial behavior would provide important societal benefits, and there is substantial enthusiasm for the potential predictive accuracy of neuroimaging techniques. Here, we review the current status of violence prediction using actuarial and clinical methods, and assess the current state of neuroprediction. We then outline several questions that need to be addressed by future studies of neuroprediction if neuroimaging and other neuroscientific markers are to be successfully translated into public policy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Membrane separation technology in the 1980s

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lonsdale, H. K.

1982-01-01

The current status of membrane technology is assessed and industrial processes in which membrane technology could effect energy savings or other advantages are identified. The extension of current trends is recommended; i.e., the development of ultrathin and highly permselective membranes, the use of specific carriers to enhance permselectivity and permit 'uphill' diffusion, and the improvement of separation efficiency. Membranes are predicted to be important in biotechnology and in the production of solar energy. Guidelines indicating where and how to look for opportunities where evolving membrane technology might fit are provided.

Urban Automation Networks: Current and Emerging Solutions for Sensed Data Collection and Actuation in Smart Cities.

PubMed

Gomez, Carles; Paradells, Josep

2015-09-10

Urban Automation Networks (UANs) are being deployed worldwide in order to enable Smart City applications. Given the crucial role of UANs, as well as their diversity, it is critically important to assess their properties and trade-offs. This article introduces the requirements and challenges for UANs, characterizes the main current and emerging UAN paradigms, provides guidelines for their design and/or choice, and comparatively examines their performance in terms of a variety of parameters including coverage, power consumption, latency, standardization status and economic cost.

Urban Automation Networks: Current and Emerging Solutions for Sensed Data Collection and Actuation in Smart Cities

PubMed Central

Gomez, Carles; Paradells, Josep

2015-01-01

Urban Automation Networks (UANs) are being deployed worldwide in order to enable Smart City applications. Given the crucial role of UANs, as well as their diversity, it is critically important to assess their properties and trade-offs. This article introduces the requirements and challenges for UANs, characterizes the main current and emerging UAN paradigms, provides guidelines for their design and/or choice, and comparatively examines their performance in terms of a variety of parameters including coverage, power consumption, latency, standardization status and economic cost. PMID:26378534

Do repeated assessments of performance status improve predictions for risk of death among patients with cancer? A population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Su, Jiandong; Barbera, Lisa; Sutradhar, Rinku

2015-06-01

Prior work has utilized longitudinal information on performance status to demonstrate its association with risk of death among cancer patients; however, no study has assessed whether such longitudinal information improves the predictions for risk of death. To examine whether the use of repeated performance status assessments improve predictions for risk of death compared to using only performance status assessment at the time of cancer diagnosis. This was a population-based longitudinal study of adult outpatients who had a cancer diagnosis and had at least one assessment of performance status. To account for each patient's changing performance status over time, we implemented a Cox model with a time-varying covariate for performance status. This model was compared to a Cox model using only a time-fixed (baseline) covariate for performance status. The regression coefficients of each model were derived based on a randomly selected 60% of patients, and then, the predictive ability of each model was assessed via concordance probabilities when applied to the remaining 40% of patients. Our study consisted of 15,487 cancer patients with over 53,000 performance status assessments. The utilization of repeated performance status assessments improved predictions for risk of death compared to using only the performance status assessment taken at diagnosis. When studying the hazard of death among patients with cancer, if available, researchers should incorporate changing information on performance status scores, instead of simply baseline information on performance status. © The Author(s) 2015.

Health status assessment of workers during construction phase of highway rehabilitation projects around lahore, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Abrar, Amina; Cheema, Kausar Jamal; Saif, Samia; Mahmood, Asim

2016-01-01

Objective: The study focused on assessment of the health status of workers during construction phase of highway rehabilitation projects at six selected sites of N5 around Lahore, including Kala Shah Kaku, Muridke, Kamuki, Bhaipheru, Pattoki, and Okara. Methods: The study was based on multi-methods approach involving hazard identification through survey and checklist as well as a questionnaire for health status assessment and measurements of health parameters including peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and audiometric screening of 300 subjects. Results: The study revealed non-congenial working conditions at the sites. Noise, vibrations, dust, asphalt fumes, poor work postures, and injuries were found to be major health hazards. PEFR of most of the workers was found to be significantly lower than the reference value. Average PEFR±SEM values were 187±5.1 l/min, 178±4.3 l/min, and 266±5.3 l/min in ground preparation workers, asphalt workers, and heavy vehicle drivers, respectively. The highest rate (29%) of hearing loss was recorded among heavy vehicle drivers. Musculoskeletal problems were found to be more common among ground preparation workers. Conclusion: Data revealed unsatisfactory health status of most of the workers. Direct relationship between health outcomes and the type of construction activities were observed. The current study focuses on the importance of including occupational health and safety plan in the execution phase of every developmental project that involves construction activities. PMID:27853055

The Delivery, Financing, and Assessment of Professional Development in Education: Pre-Service Preparation and In-Service Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neville, Katherine S.; Robinson, Casey J.

In December 2003, The Finance Project staff published and disseminated a paper that synthesizes the delivery and financing of professional development in education and gives an objective summary of the various debates in the field. This paper outlines the current status of both pre-service and in-service professional development for teachers,…

Stability of Infant-Mother Attachment and Its Relationship to Changing Life Circumstances in an Unselected Middle-Class Sample.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Ross A.; And Others

1982-01-01

Forty-three infants and mothers were observed in the Strange Situation when infants were 12.5 and 19.5 months old. Following each assessment, mothers completed a questionnaire concerning changes in family and care-giving circumstances. Results indicate that security of attachment reflects the current status of infant-mother interaction and that…

Going Covert: Inner and Private Speech in Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Guerrero, María C. M.

2018-01-01

Roughly 30 years ago researchers in the second language acquisition (SLA) field started to take a focused interest in the study of inner speech (IS) and private speech (PS) processes in second language (L2) learning and use. The purpose of this review is to assess the status of current research and the progress made during the last ten years on…

Forest resources of the United States, 2002: mapping the renewable resource planning act data

Treesearch

Cassandra M. Kurtz; Daniel J. Kaisershot; Dale D. Gormanson; Jeffery S. Wazenegger

2009-01-01

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), a national program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts and maintains comprehensive inventories of the forest resources in the United States. The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974 mandates a comprehensive assessment of past trends, current status, and the future potential...

Factors Associated with the Social Competence and Emotional Well-Being among Young Children in an Asian Urban City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Lawrence T.; Wong, Emmy M. Y.

2018-01-01

This cross-sectional observational study aims to examine the current status and familial factors associated with social competence and emotional well-being among young children in an urban city in the East Asia region. Early childhood teachers assessed the social competence and the emotional state of preschool children with the Social Competence…

The Effect of Land Use Changes on Blue Oak Regeneration and Recruitment

Treesearch

Scott Mensing

1991-01-01

Lack of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) saplings and seedlings throughout much of its range has prompted research into the regeneration status of the species. Our ability to assess whether the current lack of regeneration is a natural pattern or a response to human induced environmental change is limited by lack of data on the history of blue oak...

Understanding the Role of "SES," Ethnicity, and Discipline Infractions in Students' Standardized Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koca, Fatih

2017-01-01

The goal of the current study is to examine the impact of students' social economic status, ethnicity, and discipline infractions on their standardized test scores in Indiana, the USA. Data from this study extracted from Indiana Department of Education. ISTEP is a criterion-referenced standardized test. It consists of items that assess a student's…

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: In-plant survey of targeted carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, value, and marketing of fed steers and heifers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National Beef Quality Audit – 2011 (NBQA-2011) assessed the current status of quality and consistency of fed steers and heifers. Beef carcasses (n = 9,802), representing approximately 10 percent of each production lot in 28 beef processing facilities, were selected randomly for the survey. Car...

Democratic Experience and the Democratic Challenge: A Historical and Comparative Citizenship Education Study of Scandinavian Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieberkind, Jonas

2015-01-01

In Scandinavian schools, there is a significant tradition for creating a democratic context of experience; this tradition is gradually being challenged by new political and economic movements and increasing focus on tests, assessments, knowledge, and skills. The purpose of this study is to analyze and discuss the status of the current context of…

Lens opacities in women in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin: is there evidence of an effect of sex hormones?

PubMed Central

Klein, B E

1993-01-01

Analyses reported here suggest a protective effect of estrogen status on lens opacities, which are very common in adult Americans. Clinical trials are currently underway to assess protective effects of past menopausal estrogens on other disease. Evaluation of lenses of the participants would shed light on effects in the lens. PMID:8140704

Responding to the Psychological Needs of Children after 9/11: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooker, Karen E.; Friedman, Howard

2005-01-01

Having a body of literature on psychological sequelae of victims, assessments, and interventions following a trauma can help mental health workers to better understand the prior treatment responses and to plan for the future. In this article, we review the current status of published mental health research on children following September 11,…

An assessment of the performance of Monitor for AeRosols and GAses in ambient air (MARGA): a semi-continuous method for soluble compounds

EPA Science Inventory

Ambient air monitoring as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA’s) Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) currently uses filter packs to measure weekly integrated concentrations. The U.S. EPA is interested in supplementing CASTNet with semi-continuou...

Automotive technology status and projections. Volume 2: Assessment report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dowdy, M.; Burke, A.; Schneider, H.; Edmiston, W.; Klose, G. J.; Heft, R.

1978-01-01

Current and advanced conventional engines, advanced alternative engines, advanced power train components, and other energy conserving automobile modifications which could be implemented by the end of this century are examined. Topics covered include gas turbine engines, Stirling engines, advanced automatic transmissions, alternative fuels, and metal and ceramic technology. Critical problems are examined and areas for future research are indicated.

The Effect of Healthcare Transformation in a Turkish Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aktan, Ahmet O.; Gulluoglu, Bahadir M.

2017-01-01

In Turkey there are 83 medical schools and the oldest six are regarded as the best institutions. Marmara University School of Medicine (MUSM) is one of the 6 leading institutions. MUSM Hospital was delivered to Turkish Ministry of Health (TMoH) for its operational management in 2010. In this study, we aim to assess the current status and trend of…

Emotional and Affective Temperaments in Smoking Candidates for Bariatric Surgery.

PubMed

Mombach, Karin Daniele; de Souza Brito, Cesar Luis; Padoin, Alexandre Vontobel; Casagrande, Daniela Schaan; Mottin, Claudio Cora

2016-01-01

The prevalence of smoking habits in severe obesity is higher than in the general population. There is some evidence that smokers have different temperaments compared to non-smokers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations between smoking status (smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers) and temperament characteristics in bariatric surgery candidates. We analyzed data on temperament of 420 bariatric surgery candidates, as assessed by the AFECTS scale, in an exploratory cross-sectional survey of bariatric surgery candidates who have been grouped into smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. We detected significant statistical differences in temperament related to the smoking status in this population after controlling the current use of psychiatric medication. Smokers had higher anxiety and lower control than non-smokers. Ex-smokers with BMI >50 kg/m(2) presented higher coping and control characteristics than smokers. Smoking in bariatric surgery candidates was associated with lower control and higher anxious temperament, when controlled by current use of psychiatric medication. Smokers with BMI >50 kg/m(2) presented lower coping and control than ex-smokers. Assessment of temperament in bariatric surgery candidates may help in decisions about smoking cessation treatment and prevention of smoking relapse after surgery.

Assessing the Readiness of Nursing Sectors in Low- and Middle-Income Countries to Adopt Holistic Practice: Rwanda as Exemplar.

PubMed

Rosa, William

Over the past several years, holistic nursing education has become more readily available to nurses working in high-income nations, and holistic practice has become better defined and promoted through countless organizational and governmental initiatives. However, global nursing community members, particularly those serving in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) within resource-constrained health care systems, may not find holistic nursing easily accessible or applicable to practice. The purpose of this article is to assess the readiness of nursing sectors within these resource-constrained settings to access, understand, and apply holistic nursing principles and practices within the context of cultural norms, diverse definitions of the nursing role, and the current status of health care in these countries. The history, current status, and projected national goals of professional nursing in Rwanda is used as an exemplar to forward the discussion regarding the readiness of nurses to adopt holistic education into practice in LMICs. A background of holistic nursing practice in the United States is provided to illustrate the multifaceted aspects of support necessary in order that such a specialty continues to evolve and thrive within health care arenas and the communities it cares for.

Symptoms and Etiological Attribution: A Cross-Sectional Study in Mexican Outpatients with Psychosis and Their Relatives.

PubMed

Gómez-de-Regil, Lizzette; Ros-Morente, Agnès; Rodríguez-Hansen, Gisela

2016-01-01

This cross-sectional study aimed at identifying the most common attributions of their mental disorder in a Mexican patients who have experienced psychosis and their relatives and exploring how having experienced or not characteristic psychotic symptoms and their present clinical status might affect their etiological attributions. Past and current symptom profiles of 66 patients were as assessed with the SCID-I (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders) and the PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale), respectively. The etiological attribution of psychosis of patients (n = 62) and the relatives (n = 65) was assessed with the Angermeyer and Klusmann scale comprising 30 items into five categories: biology, personality, family, society, and esoteric. Patients and relatives attribute psychosis mainly to social factors. Relatives' attributions were not influenced by clinical profile of patients, whereas in the case of patients it was only current clinical status that showed a difference, with those in nonremission scoring higher personality and family factors. Acknowledging patients' and relatives' beliefs about mental disorders at onset and later on is particularly important in psychosis, a mental condition with severe and/or persistent symptoms, in order to promote better involvement in treatment and in consequence efficacy and recovery.

Determinants of Problem Drinking and Depression among Latino Day Laborers

PubMed Central

Bacio, Guadalupe A.; Moore, Alison A.; Karno, Mitchell P.; Ray, Lara

2014-01-01

Little is known about alcohol misuse and depression among Latino day laborers despite the fact that they encounter multiple stressors (e.g. job instability, unsafe work environments). A structural equation model tested the relationships among laborer stress, social support, health status, current alcohol misuse, and depression. A sample of 89 male, urban Latino day laborers completed measures assessing these constructs in 2011. Stress was negatively related to physical health status, which was associated with depression. Findings suggest that stressors specific to being a day laborer resulting from their work and living conditions generate and maintain health disparities in this vulnerable population. PMID:24779503

Assessing self-efficacy to reduce one's drinking: further evaluation of the Alcohol Reduction Strategies-Current Confidence questionnaire.

PubMed

Kraus, Shane W; Rosenberg, Harold; Bonar, Erin E; Hoffmann, Erica; Kryszak, Elizabeth; Young, Kathleen M; Ashrafioun, Lisham; Bannon, Erin E

2012-01-01

To evaluate the psychometric properties of a previously published questionnaire designed to assess young drinkers' self-efficacy to employ 31 cognitive-behavioral alcohol reduction strategies. Undergraduates (n = 353) recruited from a large Midwestern university completed the previously published Alcohol Reduction Strategies-Current Confidence questionnaire (and other measures) for a self-selected heavy drinking setting. Item loadings from a principal components analysis, a high internal consistency reliability coefficient, and a moderate mean inter-item correlation suggested that all 31 items comprised a single scale. Correlations of questionnaire scores with selected aspects of drinking history and personality provided support for criterion and discriminant validity, respectively. Women reported higher current confidence to use these strategies than did men, but current confidence did not vary as a function of recent binge status. Given this further demonstration of its psychometric qualities, this questionnaire holds promise as a clinical tool to identify clients who lack confidence in their ability to employ cognitive-behavioral coping strategies to reduce their drinking.

Quality of life, health status, and health service utilization related to a new measure of health literacy: FLIGHT/VIDAS.

PubMed

Ownby, Raymond L; Acevedo, Amarilis; Jacobs, Robin J; Caballero, Joshua; Waldrop-Valverde, Drenna

2014-09-01

Researchers have identified significant limitations in some currently used measures of health literacy. The purpose of this paper is to present data on the relation of health-related quality of life, health status, and health service utilization to performance on a new measure of health literacy in a nonpatient population. The new measure was administered to 475 English- and Spanish-speaking community-dwelling volunteers along with existing measures of health literacy and assessments of health-related quality of life, health status, and healthcare service utilization. Relations among measures were assessed via correlations and health status and utilization was tested across levels of health literacy using ANCOVA models. The new health literacy measure is significantly related to existing measures of health literacy as well as to participants' health-related quality of life. Persons with lower levels of health literacy reported more health conditions, more frequent physical symptoms, and greater healthcare service utilization. The new measure of health literacy is valid and shows relations to measures of conceptually related constructs such as quality of life and health behaviors. FLIGHT/VIDAS may be useful to researchers and clinicians interested in a computer administered and scored measure of health literacy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing health status and quality-of-life instruments: attributes and review criteria.

PubMed

Aaronson, Neil; Alonso, Jordi; Burnam, Audrey; Lohr, Kathleen N; Patrick, Donald L; Perrin, Edward; Stein, Ruth E

2002-05-01

The field of health status and quality of life (QoL) measurement - as a formal discipline with a cohesive theoretical framework, accepted methods, and diverse applications--has been evolving for the better part of 30 years. To identify health status and QoL instruments and review them against rigorous criteria as a precursor to creating an instrument library for later dissemination, the Medical Outcomes Trust in 1994 created an independently functioning Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). In the mid-1990s, the SAC defined a set of attributes and criteria to carry out instrument assessments; 5 years later, it updated and revised these materials to take account of the expanding theories and technologies upon which such instruments were being developed. This paper offers the SAC's current conceptualization of eight key attributes of health status and QoL instruments (i.e., conceptual and measurement model; reliability; validity; responsiveness; interpretability; respondent and administrative burden; alternate forms; and cultural and language adaptations) and the criteria by which instruments would be reviewed on each of those attributes. These are suggested guidelines for the field to consider and debate; as measurement techniques become both more familiar and more sophisticated, we expect that experts will wish to update and refine these criteria accordingly.

Biological maturation of youth athletes: assessment and implications.

PubMed

Malina, Robert M; Rogol, Alan D; Cumming, Sean P; Coelho e Silva, Manuel J; Figueiredo, Antonio J

2015-07-01

The search for talent is pervasive in youth sports. Selection/exclusion in many sports follows a maturity-related gradient largely during the interval of puberty and growth spurt. As such, there is emphasis on methods for assessing maturation. Commonly used methods for assessing status (skeletal age, secondary sex characteristics) and estimating timing (ages at peak height velocity (PHV) and menarche) in youth athletes and two relatively recent anthropometric (non-invasive) methods (status-percentage of predicted near adult height attained at observation, timing-predicted maturity offset/age at PHV) are described and evaluated. The latter methods need further validation with athletes. Currently available data on the maturity status and timing of youth athletes are subsequently summarised. Selection for sport and potential maturity-related correlates are then discussed in the context of talent development and associated models. Talent development from novice to elite is superimposed on a constantly changing base-the processes of physical growth, biological maturation and behavioural development, which occur simultaneously and interact with each other. The processes which are highly individualised also interact with the demands of a sport per se and with involved adults (coaches, trainers, administrators, parents/guardians). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Predictive Toxicology: Current Status and Future Outlook (EBI ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Slide presentation at the EBI-EMBL Industry Programme Workshop on Predictive Toxicology and the currently status of Computational Toxicology activities at the US EPA. Slide presentation at the EBI-EMBL Industry Programme Workshop on Predictive Toxicology and the currently status of Computational Toxicology activities at the US EPA.

The health status burden of people with fibromyalgia: a review of studies that assessed health status with the SF-36 or the SF-12

PubMed Central

Hoffman, D L; Dukes, E M

2008-01-01

Objective The current review describes how the health status profile of people with fibromyalgia (FM) compares to that of people in the general population and patients with other health conditions. Methods A review of 37 studies of FM that measured health status with the 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) or the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results Studies performed worldwide showed that FM groups were significantly more impaired than people in the general population on all eight health status domains assessed. These domains include physical functioning, role functioning difficulties caused by physical problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality (energy vs. fatigue), social functioning, role functioning difficulties caused by emotional problems and mental health. FM groups had mental health summary scores that fell 1 standard deviation (SD) below the general population mean, and physical health summary scores that fell 2 SD below the general population mean. FM groups also had a poorer overall health status compared to those with other specific pain conditions. FM groups had similar or significantly lower (poorer) physical and mental health status scores compared to those with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myofacial pain syndrome, primary Sjögren's syndrome and others. FM groups scored significantly lower than the pain condition groups mentioned above on domains of bodily pain and vitality. Health status impairments in pain and vitality are consistent with core features of FM. Conclusions People with FM had an overall health status burden that was greater in magnitude compared to people with other specific pain conditions that are widely accepted as impairing. Review Criteria Studies in this review were identified through a search of electronic databases (MEDLINE: 1990–2006; EMBASE: 1990–2006). Search terms included: ‘fibromyalgia’, ‘health status’, ‘quality of life’, ‘SF-36’ and ‘SF-12’. Reference lists from published articles were also searched. Studies were selected if they were published in the English language between 1990 and (March) 2006 and assessed health status with a validated version of the SF-36 or the SF-12. Message for the Clinic Although FM is a controversial construct, studies performed worldwide showed that the health status profile of people with FM was remarkably consistent. People with FM had significant impairments in both mental and physical health status domains. People with FM had a poorer overall health status than people with specific pain conditions that are widely accepted as impairing. PMID:18039330

Prevalence and correlates of tobacco smoking, awareness of hazards, and quitting behavior among persons aged 30 years or above in a resettlement colony of Delhi, India.

PubMed

Garg, Ankur; Singh, Mongjam Meghachandra; Gupta, Vimal Kishore; Garg, Suneela; Daga, Mradul Kumar; Saha, Renuka

2012-10-01

To assess the prevalence and correlates of current smoking, awareness of hazards, and quitting behavior among smokers 30 years and above. Cross-sectional; Gokulpuri, a resettlement colony in East Delhi, India; 911, persons aged 30 years and above using systematic random sampling; Study tools: Semi-structured questionnaire. Prevalence of current smoking was found to be 24.6% (95% CI 21.90 - 27.49). Majority 198 (88.4%) of current smokers smoked bidi exclusively, and on an average 13.5 bidi/cigarette were smoked per day. Multivariate analysis showed the factors associated with current smoking as male sex, advancing age, illiteracy, skilled occupation, low socio-economic status, and low BMI (P < 0.001). 64.2% were aware of the hazards of smoking. 63 (21.9%) had quit smoking in the past, majority due to the health problems. Low educational status was associated with poor hazard awareness and quitting behavior. Smoking is a significant problem among poor and illiterate males, shows an increasing trend with an advancing age and is directly associated with skilled occupation and low BMI. There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding hazards of smoking.

Report of the DOE Review Committee on the baseline validation of the Superconducting Super Collider

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-08-01

The Secretary of Energy directed that an independent review of the current cost and schedule baseline for the SSC be conducted. The purpose of this independent review was to validate the current cost and schedule baseline and to ensure that the project status is accurate as currently reported. Through May 1993, approximately $1.5 billion of the baseline cost of $8.249 billion had been expended, with project completion forecasted on the baseline schedule as of September 1999. This report documents the findings of the SSC Baseline Validation Review Committee (the Committee). The report is organized into five parts. The first sectionmore » is the Executive Summary. This introduction is followed by a discussion of the project progress/status as determined by the Committee. The next section describes the Committee`s estimate of the cost at completion for the SSC project, followed by an assessment of the adequacy of the business management systems currently being used to manage the project. The final section presents the Committee`s conclusions and recommendations. The main body of the report is followed by the subcommittee reports and appendices.« less

Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in undergraduate medical education in the UK: current status.

PubMed Central

Walley, T; Bligh, J; Orme, M; Breckenridge, A

1994-01-01

1. Medical undergraduate education is currently undergoing major changes in the UK in response to calls for the development of a core curriculum. Teaching in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics will also change to meet these demands. A postal survey was conducted to assess the current status of teaching in these subjects. 2. A questionnaire based on previous similar surveys conducted elsewhere was sent to departments or individuals in 27 medical schools in the UK; 22 (81%) replied. 3. Departmental priorities were defined as (in order): clinical research, undergraduate teaching, basic scientific research and clinical service provision. No change in these priorities in the future was foreseen by respondents. 4. Teaching methods were for the most part traditional, with the lecture as the most widely used and important technique. Specific clinical teaching was conducted by some and was considered very important by them. Teaching by problem solving was much less common. 5. Respondents were asked for free text comments; many of the remarks suggested dissatisfaction with the resources and time currently available for teaching in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. Some expressed significant concerns that their teaching commitment would be reduced further by the development of the core curriculum. PMID:8186059

The reliability and validity of the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in Serious Mental Illness Scale.

PubMed

Drapalski, Amy L; Medoff, Deborah; Dixon, Lisa; Bellack, Alan

2016-05-30

The current study aims to further evaluate the psychometric properties of the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in Serious Mental Illness (MARS), a relatively new instrument designed to assess personal recovery status in individuals with serious mental illness. Two hundred and fifty individuals with serious mental illness receiving outpatient mental health treatment completed a baseline assessment which included the MARS and measures to assess recovery-related constructs, clinical outcomes, and social and community functioning. The MARS demonstrated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Good construct validity was evidenced by strong positive relationships between the MARS and recovery-related constructs (e.g. hope, empowerment, self-efficacy, and personal agency) and a strong negative relationship with self-stigma. Divergent validity was demonstrated by weaker relationships with cognitive and social functioning. The confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the unitary factor structure found in previous research. Given the equivocal result of the CFA, additional exploratory work is needed to determine if a more complex factor structure is present. This study provides addition support for the psychometric soundness of the MARS and subsequently, its potential use as a measure of personal recovery status in people with serious mental illness. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

PTEN Loss as Determined by Clinical-grade Immunohistochemistry Assay Is Associated with Worse Recurrence-free Survival in Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Lotan, Tamara L; Wei, Wei; Morais, Carlos L; Hawley, Sarah T; Fazli, Ladan; Hurtado-Coll, Antonio; Troyer, Dean; McKenney, Jesse K; Simko, Jeffrey; Carroll, Peter R; Gleave, Martin; Lance, Raymond; Lin, Daniel W; Nelson, Peter S; Thompson, Ian M; True, Lawrence D; Feng, Ziding; Brooks, James D

2016-06-01

PTEN is the most commonly deleted tumor suppressor gene in primary prostate cancer (PCa) and its loss is associated with poor clinical outcomes and ERG gene rearrangement. We tested whether PTEN loss is associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) in surgically treated PCa patients with known ERG status. A genetically validated, automated PTEN immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocol was used for 1275 primary prostate tumors from the Canary Foundation retrospective PCa tissue microarray cohort to assess homogeneous (in all tumor tissue sampled) or heterogeneous (in a subset of tumor tissue sampled) PTEN loss. ERG status as determined by a genetically validated IHC assay was available for a subset of 938 tumors. Associations between PTEN and ERG status were assessed using Fisher's exact test. Kaplan-Meier and multivariate weighted Cox proportional models for RFS were constructed. When compared to intact PTEN, homogeneous (hazard ratio [HR] 1.66, p = 0.001) but not heterogeneous (HR 1.24, p = 0.14) PTEN loss was significantly associated with shorter RFS in multivariate models. Among ERG-positive tumors, homogeneous (HR 3.07, p < 0.0001) but not heterogeneous (HR 1.46, p = 0.10) PTEN loss was significantly associated with shorter RFS. Among ERG-negative tumors, PTEN did not reach significance for inclusion in the final multivariate models. The interaction term for PTEN and ERG status with respect to RFS did not reach statistical significance ( p = 0.11) for the current sample size. These data suggest that PTEN is a useful prognostic biomarker and that there is no statistically significant interaction between PTEN and ERG status for RFS. We found that loss of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene in prostate tumors as assessed by tissue staining is correlated with shorter time to prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Vitamin D supplement consumption is required to achieve a minimal target 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of > or = 75 nmol/L in older people.

PubMed

Baraké, Roula; Weiler, Hope; Payette, Hélène; Gray-Donald, Katherine

2010-03-01

Population level data on how older individuals living at high latitudes achieve optimal vitamin D status are not fully explored. Our objective was to examine the intake of vitamin D among healthy older individuals with 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations > or =75 nmol/L and to describe current sources of dietary vitamin D. We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of 404 healthy men and women aged 69 to 83 y randomly selected from the NuAge longitudinal study in Québec, Canada. Dietary intakes were assessed by 6 24-h recalls. We examined the contribution of foods and vitamin/mineral supplements to vitamin D intake. Serum 25(OH)D was assessed by RIA. We assessed smoking status, season of 25(OH)D measurement, physical activity, and anthropometric and sociodemographic variables. Vitamin D status was distributed as follows: 7% (<37.5 nmol/L), 48% (37.5-74.9 nmol/L), and 45% (> or = 75 nmol/L). Vitamin D intake from supplements varied across the 3 vitamin D status groups: 0.5, 4.1, and 8.9 microg/d, respectively (P < 0.0001). Adding food sources, these total intakes were 4.6, 8.7, and 14.1 microg/d, respectively. In multivariate analysis, vitamin D from foods and supplements and by season was associated with vitamin D status. These healthy, community-dwelling older men and women with 25(OH)D concentrations >75 nmol/L had mean intakes of 14.1 microg/d from food and supplements. Supplement use is an important contributor to achieve a minimal target of 25(OH)D concentration > or = 75 nmol/L.

Assessment of health status by molecular measures in adults ranging from middle-aged to old: Ready for clinical use?

PubMed

Waaijer, M E C; Westendorp, R G J; Goldeck, D; Gunn, D A; Pawelec, G; Stijntjes, M; Slagboom, P E; Maier, A B

2017-01-01

In addition to measures already used in clinical practice, molecular measures have been proposed to assess health status, but these have not yet been introduced into clinical practice. We aimed to test the association of functional capacity measures used in current practice and molecular measures with age and health status. The cohort consisted of 178 middle-aged to old participants of the Leiden Longevity Study (range 42-82years). We tested associations between functional capacity measures (physical tests: grip strength, 4-meter walk, chair stand test; cognitive tests: Stroop test, digit symbol substitution test and 15-picture learning test) with age and with cardiovascular or metabolic disease as a measure of the health status. These associations with age and health status were also tested for molecular measures (C reactive protein (CRP), numbers of senescent p16INK4a positive cells in the epidermis and dermis and putative immunosenescence (presence of CD57+ T cells)). All functional capacity measures were associated with age. CRP and epidermal p16INK4a positivity were also associated with age, but with smaller estimates. Grip strength and the Stroop test were associated with cardiovascular or metabolic disease, as was epidermal p16INK4a positivity. All associations with cardiovascular or metabolic disease attenuated when adjusting for age. In conclusion, in middle-aged to old persons, the molecular measures tested here were more weakly associated with age and health status than functional capacity measures. Whether these molecular measures associate more closely with health status in the elderly or in specific groups of patients needs to be explored further. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stability and change in political conservatism following the global financial crisis.

PubMed

Milojev, Petar; Greaves, Lara; Osborne, Danny; Sibley, Chris G

2015-01-01

The current study analyzes data from a national probability panel sample of New Zealanders (N = 5,091) to examine stability and change in political orientation over four consecutive yearly assessments (2009-2012) following the 2007/2008 global financial crisis. Bayesian Latent Growth Modeling identified systematic variation in the growth trajectory of conservatism that was predicted by age and socio-economic status. Younger people (ages 25-45) did not change in their political orientation. Older people, however, became more conservative over time. Likewise, people with lower socio-economic status showed a marked increase in political conservatism. In addition, tests of rank-order stability showed that age had a cubic relationship with the stability of political orientation over our four annual assessments. Our findings provide strong support for System Justification Theory by showing that increases in conservatism in the wake of the recent global financial crisis occurred primarily among the poorest and most disadvantaged.

Using biological effects tools to define Good Environmental Status under the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

PubMed

Lyons, B P; Thain, J E; Stentiford, G D; Hylland, K; Davies, I M; Vethaak, A D

2010-10-01

The use of biological effects tools offer enormous potential to meet the challenges outlined by the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) whereby Member States are required to develop a robust set of tools for defining 11 qualitative descriptors of Good Environmental Status (GES), such as demonstrating that "Concentrations of contaminants are at levels not giving rise to pollution effects" (GES Descriptor 8). This paper discusses the combined approach of monitoring chemical contaminant levels, along side biological effect measurements relating to the effect of pollutants, for undertaking assessments of GES across European marine regions. We outline the minimum standards that biological effects tools should meet if they are to be used for defining GES in relation to Descriptor 8 and describe the current international initiatives underway to develop assessment criteria for these biological effects techniques. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constellation Program Mission Operations Project Office Status and Support Philosophy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Ernest; Webb, Dennis

2007-01-01

The Constellation Program Mission Operations Project Office (CxP MOP) at Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas is preparing to support the CxP mission operations objectives for the CEV/Orion flights, the Lunar Lander, and and Lunar surface operations. Initially the CEV will provide access to the International Space Station, then progress to the Lunar missions. Initial CEV mission operations support will be conceptually similar to the Apollo missions, and we have set a challenge to support the CEV mission with 50% of the mission operations support currently required for Shuttle missions. Therefore, we are assessing more efficient way to organize the support and new technologies which will enhance our operations support. This paper will address the status of our preparation for these CxP missions, our philosophical approach to CxP operations support, and some of the technologies we are assessing to streamline our mission operations infrastructure.

Atmospheric Effects of Aviation: First Report of the Subsonic Assessment Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M. (Editor); Friedl, Randall R. (Editor); Wesoky, Howard L. (Editor)

1996-01-01

This document is the first report from the Office of Aeronautics Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program's Subsonic Assessment (SASS) Project. This effort, initiated in late 1993, has as its objective the assessment of the atmospheric effects of the current and predicted future aviation fleet. The two areas of impact are ozone (stratospheric and tropospheric) and radiative forcing. These are driven, respectively, by possible perturbations from aircraft emissions of NOX and soot and/or sulfur-containing particles. The report presents the major questions to which project assessments will be directed (Introduction) and the status of six programmatic elements: Emissions Scenarios, Exhaust Characterization, Near-Field Interactions, Kinetics and Laboratory Studies, Global Modeling, and Atmospheric Observations (field studies).

Helicopter noise prediction - The current status and future direction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brentner, Kenneth S.; Farassat, F.

1992-01-01

The paper takes stock of the progress, assesses the current prediction capabilities, and forecasts the direction of future helicopter noise prediction research. The acoustic analogy approach, specifically, theories based on the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equations, are the most widely used for deterministic noise sources. Thickness and loading noise can be routinely predicted given good plane motion and blade loading inputs. Blade-vortex interaction noise can also be predicted well with measured input data, but prediction of airloads with the high spatial and temporal resolution required for BVI is still difficult. Current semiempirical broadband noise predictions are useful and reasonably accurate. New prediction methods based on a Kirchhoff formula and direct computation appear to be very promising, but are currently very demanding computationally.

Effects of intensive nutrition education on nutritional status and quality of life among postgastrectomy patients.

PubMed

Lee, Hye Ok; Han, So Ra; Choi, Sung Il; Lee, Jung Joo; Kim, Sang Hyun; Ahn, Hong Seok; Lim, Hyunjung

2016-02-01

We examined the effects of 3 months of intensive education (IE) after hospital discharge compared to conventional education (CE) on nutritional status and quality of diet and life among South Korean gastrectomy patients. The study was conducted among 53 hospitalized gastrectomy in-patients (IE group, n = 28; CE group, n = 25) at Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong. Baseline data were collected from electronic medical records and additional information was gathered via anthropometric measurements, assessment of nutritional status through a patient-generated, subjective global assessment (PG-SGA), diet assessment, and measures of self-efficacy and satisfaction with meals for 3 months following hospital discharge. Total PG-SGA scores were significantly higher in the CE group than in the IE group at 3-week post-discharge (5.2 in the IE group vs. 10.4 in the CE group, P < 0.001), with higher scores indicating a greater severity of malnutrition. Energy intake over the 3 months increased in both the IE group (from 1,390 to 1,726 kcal/day) and the CE group (from 1,227 to 1,540 kcal/day). At 3-week post-discharge, the IE group had significantly higher daily protein and fat intake (P < 0.05). Self-efficacy improved in each category (P < 0.001), except for 'difficulty eating adequate food'. When assessing satisfaction with meals, there was a difference in the 'satisfaction with the current meal size' (P < 0.001) and 'satisfaction with the menu content' (P < 0.001). Nutritional status among gastrectomy patients in the IE group improved. Relative to the CE control, the IE group demonstrated improved self-efficacy and meal satisfaction 3-week post-discharge.

Review article: Paediatric status epilepticus in the pre-hospital setting: An update.

PubMed

Furyk, Jeremy; Watt, Kerriane; Emeto, Theophilus I; Dalziel, Stuart; Bodnar, Daniel; Riney, Kate; Babl, Franz E

2017-08-01

Paediatric status epilepticus (SE) is a medical emergency and a common critical condition confronting pre-hospital providers. Management in the pre-hospital environment is challenging but considered extremely important as a potentially modifiable factor on outcome. Recent data from multicentre clinical trials, quality observational studies and consensus documents have influenced management in this area, and is important to both pre-hospital providers and emergency physicians. The objective of this review was to: (i) present an overview of the available evidence relevant to pre-hospital care of paediatric SE; and (ii) assess the current pre-hospital practice guidelines in Australia and New Zealand. The review outlines current definitions and guidelines of SE management, regional variability in pre-hospital protocols within Australasia and aspects of pre-hospital care that could potentially be improved. Contemporary data is required to determine current practice in our setting. It is important that paediatric neurologists, emergency physicians and pre-hospital care providers are all engaged in future endeavours to improve clinical care and knowledge translation efforts for this patient group. © 2017 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Clinical value of nutritional status in neurodegenerative diseases: What is its impact and how it affects disease progression and management?

PubMed

Tsagalioti, Eftyhia; Trifonos, Christina; Morari, Aggeliki; Vadikolias, Konstantinos; Giaginis, Constantinos

2018-04-01

Neurodegenerative diseases constitute a major problem of public health that is associated with an increased risk of mortality and poor quality of life. Malnutrition is considered as a major problem that worsens the prognosis of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. In this aspect, the present review is aimed to critically collect and summarize all the available existing clinical data regarding the clinical impact of nutritional assessment in neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting on the crucial role of nutritional status in disease progression and management. According to the currently available clinical data, the nutritional status of patients seems to play a very important role in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. A correct nutritional evaluation of neurodegenerative disease patients and a right nutrition intervention is essential in monitoring their disease.

Structural dynamics technology research in NASA: Perspective on future needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The perspective of a NASA ad hoc study group on future research needs in structural dynamics within the aerospace industry is presented. The common aspects of the design process across the industry are identified and the role of structural dynamics is established through a discussion of various design considerations having their basis in structural dynamics. The specific structural dynamics issues involved are identified and assessed as to their current technological status and trends. Projections of future requirements based on this assessment are made and areas of research to meet them are identified.

HIV Disclosure and Transmission Risks to Sex Partners Among HIV-Positive Men

PubMed Central

Kalichman, Moira O.; Cherry, Chauncey; Grebler, Tamar

2016-01-01

Abstract Disclosure of HIV-positive status to sex partners is critical to protecting uninfected partners. In addition, people living with HIV often risk criminal prosecution when they do not inform sex partners of their HIV status. The current study examined factors associated with nondisclosure of HIV status by men living with HIV in Atlanta, GA (92% African African, mean age = 43.8), who engage in condomless sex with uninfected sex partners. Sexually active HIV-positive men (N = 538) completed daily electronic sexual behavior assessments over the course of 28 days and completed computerized interviews, drug testing, medication adherence assessments, and HIV viral load retrieved from medical records. Results showed that 166 (30%) men had engaged in condomless vaginal or anal intercourse with an HIV-uninfected or unknown HIV status sex partner to whom they had not disclosed their HIV status. Men who engaged in nondisclosed condomless sex were less adherent to their HIV treatment, more likely to have unsuppressed HIV, demonstrated poorer disclosure self-efficacy, enacted fewer risk reduction communication skills, and held more beliefs that people with HIV are less infectious when treated with antiretroviral therapy. We conclude that undisclosed HIV status is common and related to condomless sex with uninfected partners. Men who engage in nondisclosed condomless sex may also be more infectious given their nonadherence and viral load. Interventions are needed in HIV treatment as prevention contexts that attend to disclosure laws and enhance disclosure self-efficacy, improve risk reduction communication skills, and increase understanding of HIV infectiousness. PMID:27158850

Socioeconomic status and response to antiretroviral therapy in high-income countries: a literature review.

PubMed

Burch, Lisa S; Smith, Colette J; Phillips, Andrew N; Johnson, Margaret A; Lampe, Fiona C

2016-05-15

It has been shown that socioeconomic factors are associated with the prognosis of several chronic diseases; however, there is no recent systematic review of their effect on HIV treatment outcomes. We aimed to review the evidence regarding the existence of an association of socioeconomic status with virological and immunological response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We systematically searched the current literature using the database PubMed. We identified and summarized original research studies in high-income countries that assessed the association between socioeconomic factors (education, employment, income/financial status, housing, health insurance, and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic factors) and virological response, immunological response, and ART nonadherence among people with HIV-prescribed ART. A total of 48 studies met the inclusion criteria (26 from the United States, six Canadian, 13 European, and one Australian), of which 14, six, and 35 analysed virological, immunological, and ART nonadherence outcomes, respectively. Ten (71%), four (67%), and 23 (66%) of these studies found a significant association between lower socioeconomic status and poorer response, and none found a significant association with improved response. Several studies showed that adjustment for nonadherence attenuated the association between socioeconomic status and ART response. Our review provides strong support that socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with poorer response to ART. However, most studies have been conducted in settings such as the United States without universal free healthcare access. Further study in settings with free access to ART could help assess the impact of socioeconomic status on ART outcomes and the mechanisms by which it operates.

Obesity and Cigarette Smoking: Extending the Link to E-cigarette/Vaping Use.

PubMed

Lanza, H Isabella; Pittman, Patricia; Batshoun, Jennifer

2017-05-01

In recent years, electronic tobacco (e-cigarette/vaping) use among young adults has grown exponentially. Given past research linking obesity and cigarette smoking, assessing whether this relationship extends to electronic tobacco use is warranted. The current study examined weight status as a correlate of substance use patterns reflecting electronic tobacco use. Survey data were collected from a convenience sample of 452 (59% female) undergraduates attending a large, public university during the 2015-2016 academic year. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify substance use classes and examine weight status as a covariate of class membership. LCA analyses identified 4 classes: High Substance Use (19%), Risky Alcohol Use (14%), Cigarette/Electronic Tobacco Use (17%), and Low Substance Use (50%). Both obesity status and greater deviation from one's group body mass index (BMI) norm were associated with a higher likelihood of belonging to the Cigarette/Electronic Tobacco Use class. Findings suggest that electronic tobacco use may fit well into previously established relationships between higher weight status and tobacco use. Future research should examine the longitudinal processes and pathways underlying the relationship between weight status and electronic tobacco use.

Adverse childhood experiences and smoking status in five states.

PubMed

Ford, Earl S; Anda, Robert F; Edwards, Valerie J; Perry, Geraldine S; Zhao, Guixiang; Li, Chaoyang; Croft, Janet B

2011-09-01

Our objective was to examine the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and smoking behavior among a random sample of adults living in five U.S. states. We used data from 25,809 participants of the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to assess the relationship of each of the 8 adverse childhood experiences and the adverse childhood experience score to smoking status. Some 59.4% of men and women reported at least one adverse childhood experience. Each of the eight adverse childhood experiences measures was significantly associated with smoking status after adjustment for demographic variables. The prevalence ratios for current and ever smoking increased in a positive graded fashion as the adverse childhood experience score increased. Among adults who reported no adverse childhood experiences, 13.0% were currently smoking and 38.3% had ever smoked. Compared to participants with an adverse childhood experience score of 0, those with an adverse childhood experience score of 5 or more were more likely to be a current smoker (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 2.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.92-2.57) and to have ever smoked (aPR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.67-1.93). Further research is warranted to determine whether the prevention of and interventions for adverse childhood experiences might reduce the burden of smoking-related illness in the general population. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pediatric neurology training in Canada: current status and future directions.

PubMed

Doja, Asif

2012-05-01

Child neurology training in Canada has changed considerably over time, with increasing requirements for standardized teaching of the fundamentals of child neurology and the CanMEDS competencies. We sought to determine the current status of child neurology training in Canada as well future directions for training. A web-based survey was sent to program directors (PD's) of active pediatric neurology training programs. General questions about the programs were asked, as well as about success at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) exam, breakdown of rotations, views on CanMEDS roles and questions on the future of pediatric neurology. 9/9 PD's completed the survey. 96.5% of all trainees successfully passed their RCPSC exam from 2001-2006. Breakdowns of the number and type of rotations for each year of training were provided. All CanMEDS roles were deemed to be important by PD's and programs have developed unique strategies to teach and assess these roles.92.6% of trainees chose to go into academic practice, with the most popular subspecialty being epilepsy. All PD's favour joint training sessions particularly for neurogenetics and neuromuscular disease. Overall, PD's suggest recruitment for future child neurologists at the medical student level but are divided as to whether we are currently training too few or too many child neurologists. This survey provides a view of the current state of pediatric neurology training in Canada and suggestions for further development of post-graduate training. In particular, attention should be given to joint educational programs as well as urgently assessing the manpower needs of child neurologists.

Associations Between Pain, Current Tobacco Smoking, Depression, and Fibromyalgia Status Among Treatment-Seeking Chronic Pain Patients.

PubMed

Goesling, Jenna; Brummett, Chad M; Meraj, Taha S; Moser, Stephanie E; Hassett, Afton L; Ditre, Joseph W

2015-07-01

As smoking impacts physiological pathways in the central nervous system, it is important to consider the association between smoking and fibromyalgia, a pain condition caused predominantly by central nervous system dysfunction. The objectives were to assess the prevalence of current smoking among treatment-seeking chronic pain patients with (FM+) and without (FM-) a fibromyalgia-like phenotype; test the individual and combined influence of smoking and fibromyalgia on pain severity and interference; and examine depression as a mediator of these processes. Questionnaire data from 1566 patients evaluated for a range of conditions at an outpatient pain clinic were used. The 2011 Survey Criteria for Fibromyalgia were used to assess the presence of symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Current smoking was reported by 38.7% of FM+ patients compared to 24.7% of FM- patients. FM+ smokers reported higher pain and greater interference compared to FM+ nonsmokers, FM- smokers, and FM- nonsmokers. There was no interaction between smoking and fibromyalgia. Significant indirect effects of fibromyalgia and smoking via greater depression were observed for pain severity and interference. Current smoking and positive fibromyalgia status were associated with greater pain and impairment among chronic pain patients, possibly as a function of depression. Although FM+ smokers report the most negative clinical symptomatology (i.e., high pain, greater interference) smoking does not appear to have a unique association with pain or functioning in FM+ patients, rather the effect is additive. The 38.7% smoking rate in FM+ patients is high, suggesting FM+ smokers present a significant clinical challenge. © 2015 American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Associations Between Pain, Current Tobacco Smoking, Depression, and Fibromyalgia Status Among Treatment-Seeking Chronic Pain Patients

PubMed Central

Goesling, Jenna; Brummett, Chad M.; Meraj, Taha S.; Moser, Stephanie E.; Hassett, Afton L.; Ditre, Joseph W.

2016-01-01

Objective As smoking impacts physiological pathways in the central nervous system, it is important to consider the association between smoking and fibromyalgia, a pain condition caused predominantly by central nervous system dysfunction. The objectives were to assess the prevalence of current smoking among treatment-seeking chronic pain patients with (FM+) and without (FM−) a fibromyalgia-like phenotype; test the individual and combined influence of smoking and fibromyalgia on pain severity and interference; and examine depression as a mediator of these processes. Methods Questionnaire data from 1566 patients evaluated for a range of conditions at an outpatient pain clinic were used. The 2011 Survey Criteria for Fibromyalgia were used to assess the presence of symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Results Current smoking was reported by 38.7% of FM+ patients compared to 24.7% of FM− patients. FM+ smokers reported higher pain and greater interference compared to FM+ nonsmokers, FM− smokers, and FM− nonsmokers. There was no interaction between smoking and fibromyalgia. Significant indirect effects of fibromyalgia and smoking via greater depression were observed for pain severity and interference. Conclusions Current smoking and positive fibromyalgia status were associated with greater pain and impairment among chronic pain patients, possibly as a function of depression. Although FM+ smokers report the most negative clinical symptomatology (i.e., high pain, greater interference) smoking does not appear to have a unique association with pain or functioning in FM+ patients, rather the effect is additive. The 38.7% smoking rate in FM+ patients is high, suggesting FM+ smokers present a significant clinical challenge. PMID:25801019

Challenges in coupling LTER with environmental assessments: An insight from potential and reality of the Chinese Ecological Research Network in servicing environment assessments.

PubMed

Xia, Shaoxia; Liu, Yu; Yu, Xiubo; Fu, Bojie

2018-08-15

Environmental assessments estimate, evaluate and predict the consequences of natural processes and human activities on the environment. Long-term ecosystem observation and research networks (LTERs) are potentially valuable infrastructure to support environmental assessments. However, very few environmental assessments have successfully incorporated them. In this study, we try to reveal the current status of coupling LTERs with environmental assessments and look at the challenges involved in improving this coupling through exploring the role that Chinese Ecological Research Network (CERN), the LTER of China, currently plays in regional environment assessments. A review of official protocols and standards, regional assessments and CERN researches related to ecosystems and environment shows that there is great potential for coupling CERN with environment assessments. However in practice, CERN does not currently play the expected role. Remote sensing and irregular inventory data are still the main data sources currently used in regional assessments. Several causes led to the present situation: (1) insufficient cross-site research and failure to scale up site-level variables to the regional scale; (2) data barriers resulting from incompatible protocols and low data usability due to lack of data assimilation and scaling; and (3) absence of indicators relevant to human activities in existing monitoring protocols. For these reasons, enhancing cross-site monitoring and research, data assimilation and scaling up are critical steps required to improve coupling of LTER with environmental assessments. Site-focused long-term monitoring should be combined with wide-scale ground surveys and remote sensing to establish an effective connection between different environmental monitoring platforms for regional assessments. It is also necessary to revise the current monitoring protocols to include human activities and their impacts on the ecosystem, or change the LTERs into Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) networks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preclinical assessment of abuse liability of biologics: In defense of current regulatory control policies.

PubMed

Gauvin, David V; Zimmermann, Zachary J; Baird, Theodore J

2015-10-01

Current regulatory policies of both the US Food and Drug Administration and Drug Enforcement Administration do not delineate automatic exceptions for biologics with respect to preclinical assessments for abuse liability of all new entities. As defined in current guidance documents and drug control policies, an exception may be given upon thorough review of available data, therapeutic target and in consultation with the Controlled Substances Staff within the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the FDA, but a blanket exception for all biological entities is not currently available. We review the abuse liability testing of four known biologics with definitive positive abuse liability signals in the three core abuse liability assays, self-administration, drug discrimination, and dependence potential described in the FDA draft guidance document. Interestingly, while all four examplars have positive abuse liability signals in all three assays, two of these biologics are controlled under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control Act (CSA, 1970) and the other two are not currently controlled. Admittedly, these four biologics are small molecule entities. However, there is no reference to "molecular size" in the legally-binding statutory definition of biologics under the FD&C act or in the Controlled Substances Act. Neither of these drug control policy mandates have a bifurcated control status in which to make exceptions based solely on molecular size. With the current pharmaceutical focus on new technologies, such as "Trojan Horses", targeting the active transport of large molecule entities directly into the CNS, an argument to automatically exempt new molecular entities solely on molecular size is untenable. We argue that for the safety and health of general public the current regulatory control status be maintained until definitive criteria for exceptions can be identified and amended to both the FD&CA and CSA, if warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Juvenile offenders: competence to stand trial.

PubMed

Soulier, Matthew

2012-12-01

This article details the legal background and assists the reader in the preparation and practical conduct of evaluations regarding juvenile adjudicative competency. The material is presented to be useful as a guide to direct questions of competency and covers aspects of evaluation that include: legal standard for competency to stand trial, developmental immaturity, current practice in juvenile competency to stand trial, forensic evaluation of juvenile competency to stand trial, organizing the evaluation, collateral sources of information, psychiatric evaluation of juvenile adjudicative competency, assessment of mental disorder and intellectual disability, assessment of developmental status, assessment of functional abilities for adjudicative competence, and reaching the forensic opinion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutrition in peri-operative esophageal cancer management.

PubMed

Steenhagen, Elles; van Vulpen, Jonna K; van Hillegersberg, Richard; May, Anne M; Siersema, Peter D

2017-07-01

Nutritional status and dietary intake are increasingly recognized as essential areas in esophageal cancer management. Nutritional management of esophageal cancer is a continuously evolving field and comprises an interesting area for scientific research. Areas covered: This review encompasses the current literature on nutrition in the pre-operative, peri-operative, and post-operative phases of esophageal cancer. Both established interventions and potential novel targets for nutritional management are discussed. Expert commentary: To ensure an optimal pre-operative status and to reduce peri-operative complications, it is key to assess nutritional status in all pre-operative esophageal cancer patients and to apply nutritional interventions accordingly. Since esophagectomy results in a permanent anatomical change, a special focus on nutritional strategies is needed in the post-operative phase, including early initiation of enteral feeding, nutritional interventions for post-operative complications, and attention to long-term nutritional intake and status. Nutritional aspects of pre-optimization and peri-operative management should be incorporated in novel Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programs for esophageal cancer.

Association between smoking status and the parameters of vascular structure and function in adults: results from the EVIDENT study.

PubMed

Recio-Rodriguez, Jose I; Gomez-Marcos, Manuel A; Patino Alonso, Maria C; Martin-Cantera, Carlos; Ibañez-Jalon, Elisa; Melguizo-Bejar, Amor; Garcia-Ortiz, Luis

2013-12-01

The present study analyses the relation between smoking status and the parameters used to assess vascular structure and function. This cross-sectional, multi-centre study involved a random sample of 1553 participants from the EVIDENT study. The smoking status, peripheral augmentation index and ankle-brachial index were measured in all participants. In a small subset of the main population (265 participants), the carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity were also measured. After controlling for the effect of age, sex and other risk factors, present smokers have higher values of carotid intima-media thickness (p = 0.011). Along the same lines, current smokers have higher values of pulse wave velocity and lower mean values of ankle-brachial index but without statistical significance in both cases. Among the parameters of vascular structure and function analysed, only the IMT shows association with the smoking status, after adjusting for confounders.

Association between smoking status and the parameters of vascular structure and function in adults: results from the EVIDENT study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The present study analyses the relation between smoking status and the parameters used to assess vascular structure and function. Methods This cross-sectional, multi-centre study involved a random sample of 1553 participants from the EVIDENT study. Measurements: The smoking status, peripheral augmentation index and ankle-brachial index were measured in all participants. In a small subset of the main population (265 participants), the carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity were also measured. Results After controlling for the effect of age, sex and other risk factors, present smokers have higher values of carotid intima-media thickness (p = 0.011). Along the same lines, current smokers have higher values of pulse wave velocity and lower mean values of ankle-brachial index but without statistical significance in both cases. Conclusions Among the parameters of vascular structure and function analysed, only the IMT shows association with the smoking status, after adjusting for confounders. PMID:24289208

Extinction Risk and Overfishing: Reconciling Conservation and Fisheries Perspectives on the Status of Marine Fishes

PubMed Central

Davies, Trevor D.; Baum, Julia K.

2012-01-01

Anthropogenic disturbances are ubiquitous in the ocean, but their impacts on marine species are hotly debated. We evaluated marine fish statuses using conservation (Red List threatened or not) and fisheries (above or below reference points) metrics, compared their alignment, and diagnosed why discrepancies arise. Whereas only 13.5% of Red Listed marine fishes (n = 2952) are threatened, 40% and 21% of populations with stock assessments (n = 166) currently are below their more conservative and riskier reference points, respectively. Conservation and fisheries metrics aligned well (70.5% to 80.7%), despite their mathematical disconnect. Red Listings were not biased towards exaggerating threat status, and egregious errors, where populations were categorized at opposite extremes of fisheries and conservation metrics, were rare. Our analyses suggest conservation and fisheries scientists will agree on the statuses of exploited marine fishes in most cases, leaving only the question of appropriate management responses for populations of mutual concern still unresolved. PMID:22872806

Extinction risk and overfishing: reconciling conservation and fisheries perspectives on the status of marine fishes.

PubMed

Davies, Trevor D; Baum, Julia K

2012-01-01

Anthropogenic disturbances are ubiquitous in the ocean, but their impacts on marine species are hotly debated. We evaluated marine fish statuses using conservation (Red List threatened or not) and fisheries (above or below reference points) metrics, compared their alignment, and diagnosed why discrepancies arise. Whereas only 13.5% of Red Listed marine fishes (n = 2952) are threatened, 40% and 21% of populations with stock assessments (n = 166) currently are below their more conservative and riskier reference points, respectively. Conservation and fisheries metrics aligned well (70.5% to 80.7%), despite their mathematical disconnect. Red Listings were not biased towards exaggerating threat status, and egregious errors, where populations were categorized at opposite extremes of fisheries and conservation metrics, were rare. Our analyses suggest conservation and fisheries scientists will agree on the statuses of exploited marine fishes in most cases, leaving only the question of appropriate management responses for populations of mutual concern still unresolved.

Interactive relations among maternal depressive symptomatology, nutrition, and parenting.

PubMed

Aubuchon-Endsley, Nicki L; Thomas, David G; Kennedy, Tay S; Grant, Stephanie L; Valtr, Tabitha

2012-01-01

Theoretical models linking maternal nutrition, depressive symptomatology, and parenting are underdeveloped. However, existing literature suggests that iron status and depressive symptomatology interact in relation to problematic parenting styles (authoritarian, permissive). Therefore, in the current study the authors investigate these interactive relations in a sample of breastfeeding mothers (n = 105) interviewed at three months postpartum. Participants completed questionnaires (from December 2008 to January 2011) regarding their depressive symptomatology and parenting styles. Iron status (i.e., hemoglobin, soluble transferrin receptors, and serum ferritin concentrations) was assessed from blood samples. Significant interactions were found between iron status and depressive symptomatology in relation to authoritarian parenting style (low warmth, high punishment and directiveness). For those women with hemoglobin below 14.00 g/dL, depressive symptomatology was positively related to authoritarian parenting style (p < 0.001). Thus, screening for poor iron status and depressive sympatomology in postpartum women may help to identify those at risk for problematic parenting. Dietary interventions may help to eliminate relations between depressive symptoms and problematic parenting.

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crewmember Immune Function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crucian, Brian; Stowe, Raymond; Mehta, Satish; Uchakin, Peter; Quiriarte, Heather; Pierson, Duane; Sams, Clarence

2008-01-01

There is ample evidence to suggest that space flight leads to immune system dysregulation. This may be a result of microgravity, confinement, physiological stress, radiation, environment or other mission-associated factors. The clinical risk (if any) from prolonged immune dysregulation during exploration-class space flight has not yet been determined, but may include increased incidence of infection, allergy, hypersensitivity, hematological malignancy or altered wound healing. Each of the clinical events resulting from immune dysfunction has the potential to impact mission critical objectives during exploration-class missions. To date, precious little in-flight immune data has been generated to assess this phenomenon. The majority of recent flight immune studies have been post-flight assessments, which may not accurately reflect the in-flight status of immunity as it resolves over prolonged flight. There are no procedures currently in place to monitor immune function or its effect on crew health. The objective of this Supplemental Medical Objective (SMO) is to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. This SMO will assess immunity, latent viral reactivation and physiological stress during both short and long duration flights. Upon completion, it is expected that any clinical risks resulting from the adverse effects of space flight on the human immune system will have been determined. In addition, a flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy will have been developed with which countermeasures validation could be performed. This study will determine, to the best level allowed by current technology, the in-flight status of crewmembers' immune systems. The in-flight samples will allow a distinction between legitimate in-flight alterations and the physiological stresses of landing and readaptation which are believed to alter R+0 assessments. The overall status of the immune system during flight (activation, deficiency, dysregulation) and the response of the immune system to specific latent virus reactivation (known to occur during space flight) will be thoroughly assessed. The first in-flight activity for integrated immunity very recently occurred during the STS-120 Space Shuttle mission. The protocols functioned well from a technical perspective, and accurate in-flight data was obtained from 1 Shuttle and 2 ISS crewmembers. Crew participation rates for the study continue to be robust.

Conservation status of freshwater gastropods of Canada and the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Paul D.; Bogan, Arthur E.; Brown, Kenneth M.; Burkhead, Noel M.; Cordeiro, James R.; Garner, Jeffrey T.; Hartfield, Paul D.; Lepitzki, Dwayne A.; Mackie, Gerry L.; Pip, Eva; Tarpley, Thomas A.; Tiemann, Jeremy S.; Whelan, Nathan V.; Strong, Ellen E.

2013-01-01

This is the first American Fisheries Society conservation assessment of freshwater gastropods (snails) from Canada and the United States by the Gastropod Subcommittee (Endangered Species Committee). This review covers 703 species representing 16 families and 93 genera, of which 67 species are considered extinct, or possibly extinct, 278 are endangered, 102 are threatened, 73 are vulnerable, 157 are currently stable, and 26 species have uncertain taxonomic status. Of the entire fauna, 74% of gastropods are imperiled (vulnerable, threatened, endangered) or extinct, which exceeds imperilment levels in fishes (39%) and crayfishes (48%) but is similar to that of mussels (72%). Comparison of modern to background extinction rates reveals that gastropods have the highest modern extinction rate yet observed, 9,539 times greater than background rates. Gastropods are highly susceptible to habitat loss and degradation, particularly narrow endemics restricted to a single spring or short stream reaches. Compilation of this review was hampered by a paucity of current distributional information and taxonomic uncertainties. Although research on several fronts including basic biology, physiology, conservation strategies, life history, and ecology are needed, systematics and curation of museum collections and databases coupled with comprehensive status surveys (geographic limits, threat identification) are priorities.

CosmicSIG science and plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olinto, Angela V.

2014-03-01

Recent activities of the Cosmic Ray Science Interest Group (CosmicSIG) of the Physics of the Cosmos PAG will be reviewed. CosmicSIG was formed to provide an assessment to NASA HQ and the PCOS program office of the status of current and future missions in the area of cosmic-ray astrophysics. CosmicSIG also strives to act as a focal point and forum for the cosmic ray community.

Methodological Trends in Disability and Higher Education Research: Historical Analysis of the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faggella-Luby, Michael; Lombardi, Allison; Lalor, Adam R.; Dukes, Lyman, III

2014-01-01

In order to assess the status of the research base that informs "what works" for students with disabilities in higher education, it is necessary to conduct an examination of the methodologies used in the literature. The authors of the current study analyzed the methodological trends across the thirty-year lifespan of the "Journal of…

Overview of Sweeteners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Jerry W.

1995-08-01

The techniques for assessing the relative sweetness of different compounds are discussed. The search for new, sweet compounds continues to be of interest to the food industry. In addition to sugars, sweet compounds with a variety of structures are surveyed and range from small inorganic molecules to large proteins. Emphasis is placed on artificial sweeteners and their current status in the marketplace. The recent theories of sweetness are briefly covered.

Vocational Education for Youth under the Custody of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services: Findings and Recommendations. Volume I. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttall, Ronald L.; And Others

This study was conducted to accomplish four objectives: (1) determine the current status of vocational education services available to youth under the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS); (2) assess the characteristics of DYS youth and their need for additional vocational programs; (3) determine employer and labor union…

Diversification of energy sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The concept of energy source diversification was introduced as a substitution conservation action. The current status and philosophy behind a diversification program is presented in the context of a national energy policy. Advantages, disadvantages (constraints), and methods of implementation for diversification are discussed. The energy source systems for diversification are listed and an example impact assessment is outlined which deals with the water requirements of the specific energy systems.

Public Libraries in the United States: Trends, Problems and Recommendations. A Report Prepared for the National Advisory Commission on Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Advisory Commission on Libraries, Washington, DC.

Objectives of this study were to assess public library history, current status, trends, and problems and to suggest approaches to improvement. Trends indicate a new era of library and information services, making it necessary for librarians to decide whether the public library will be an active or passive institution for public enlightenment and…

Myocardial blood flow: Roentgen videodensitometry techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, H. C.; Robb, R. A.; Wood, E. H.

1975-01-01

The current status of roentgen videodensitometric techniques that provide an objective assessment of blood flow at selected sites within the coronary circulation were described. Roentgen videodensitometry employs conventional radiopaque indicators, radiological equipment and coronary angiographic techniques. Roentgen videodensitometry techniques developed in the laboratory during the past nine years, and for the past three years were applied to analysis of angiograms in the clinical cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Dietary Intake and Omega-3 DHA Status in Pregnant Women Who Are Overweight.

PubMed

Gaitán, Adriana V; Drewery, Merritt L; Thaxton, Carly A; Carabante, Kennet M; Seidemann, Ericka; Elkind-Hirsch, Karen; Lammi-Keefe, Carol J

2018-05-01

To estimate dietary intake of pregnant women who are overweight, assess their omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status, and compare results between Black and White women. Cross-sectional study with a longitudinal component (dietary assessment). Outpatient clinics at Woman's Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and telephone calls. Pregnant women (N = 21) who were overweight (body mass index = 25.0-29.9 kg/m 2 ). Repeated 24-hour dietary recalls using the University of Minnesota Nutrition Data System for Research were conducted to determine nutrient intakes. Red blood cell fatty acids were analyzed with gas chromatography to determine omega-3 DHA status. Descriptive statistics, one- and two-sample t tests, Fisher's exact tests, chi-square test, and analysis of covariance were used to analyze data. On average, participants consumed 72 ± 63 mg omega-3 DHA/day. Age, race, and socioeconomic status did not affect the probability of achieving recommended omega-3 DHA dietary intake (p > .05). Black women had lower omega-3 DHA status (7.98 ± 0.94 weight percentage) than White women (9.29 ± 1.68 weight percentage; p ≤ .05). Analysis of our data suggests a need for nutrition education regarding the benefits of omega-3 DHA consumption during pregnancy for women of childbearing age. The current finding warrants further exploration. Copyright © 2018 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Descriptive epidemiology of physical activity in university graduates with locomotor disabilities.

PubMed

Washburn, R; Hedrick, B N

1997-09-01

The descriptive epidemiology of physical activity in a sample of 577 University of Illinois graduates (1952-1991) with locomotor disabilities was assessed by mail survey. The survey requested basic demographic information, age, gender, marital status, household income. Respondents were asked to rate their current activity levels and activity levels during their college years compared to others their age on a 5 point scale: (1) much less active to (5) much more active. Completed surveys were received from 229 alumni (40%); 59 semi-ambulatory, 115 paraplegic, 55 quadriplegic. Results indicated current physical activity was associated with mobility limitation. With more severe mobility limitations the percentage reporting being less/much less active increased (42.4% semi-ambulatory, 56.5% paraplegic, 66.7% quadriplegic, P < 0.001) and the percentage reporting being more active decreased (20.3% semi-ambulatory, 16.5% paraplegic, 13.0% quadriplegic, P < 0.001). Current physical activity was significantly lower (P < 0.05) with increasing age, lower self-rated health, higher disability severity and among those who were sedentary during college. Physical activity did not differ by gender, marital status or household income. Multiple regression analysis indicated that health status was a significant predictor of current physical activity in all mobility categories (P < 0.001) after controlling for age, gender, income, disability severity and college activity. Among both paraplegics and quadriplegics physical activity during college was significantly associated (P < 0.001 paraplegic; P < 0.01 quadriplegic) with current physical activity. These results document a low level of physical activity in a well-educated sample of individuals with locomotor disabilities and suggest that exposure to physical activity in an educational setting may be an effective technique for increasing physical activity in individuals with locomotor disabilities.

Current Status of a NASA High-Altitude Balloon-Based Observatory for Planetary Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varga, Denise M.; Dischner, Zach

2015-01-01

Recent studies have shown that progress can be made on over 20% of the key questions called out in the current Planetary Science Decadal Survey by a high-altitude balloon-borne observatory. Therefore, NASA has been assessing concepts for a gondola-based observatory that would achieve the greatest possible science return in a low-risk and cost-effective manner. This paper addresses results from the 2014 Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS) mission, namely successes in the design and performance of the Fine Pointing System. The paper also addresses technical challenges facing the new Gondola for High Altitude Planetary Science (GHAPS) reusable platform, including thermal control for the Optical Telescope Assembly, power generation and management, and weight-saving considerations that the team will be assessing in 2015 and beyond.

Emotion regulation strategies and childhood obesity in high risk preschoolers.

PubMed

Power, Thomas G; Olivera, Yadira A; Hill, Rachael A; Beck, Ashley D; Hopwood, Veronica; Garcia, Karina Silva; Ramos, Guadalupe G; Fisher, Jennifer Orlet; O'Connor, Teresia M; Hughes, Sheryl O

2016-12-01

The current study examined the relationships between the specific strategies that preschool children use to regulate their emotions and childhood weight status to see if emotion regulation strategies would predict childhood weight status over and above measures of eating self-regulation. 185 4- to 5-year-old Latino children were recruited through Head Start centers in a large city in the southeastern U.S. Children completed both a delay of gratification task (emotion regulation) and an eating in the absence of hunger task (eating regulation). Eating regulation also was assessed by maternal reports. Four emotion regulation strategies were examined in the delay of gratification task: shut out stimuli, prevent movement, distraction, and attention to reward. Hierarchical linear regressions predicting children's weight status showed that both measures of eating regulation negatively predicted child obesity, and the use of prevent movement negatively predicted child obesity. Total wait time during the delay of gratification tasks was not a significant predictor. The current findings are consistent with studies showing that for preschool children, summary measures of emotion regulation (e.g., wait time) are not concurrently associated with child obesity. In contrast, the use of emotion regulation strategies was a significant predictor of lower child weight status. These findings help identify emotion regulation strategies that prevention programs can target for helping children regulate their emotions and decrease their obesity risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae): a review of conservation status.

PubMed

Wibisono, Hariyo T; Pusparini, Wulan

2010-12-01

The majority of wild Sumatran tigers are believed to live in 12 Tiger Conservation Landscapes covering approximately 88,000 km(2) . However, the actual distribution of tigers across Sumatra has never been accurately mapped. Over the past 20 years, conservation efforts focused on the Sumatran tigers have increased, but the population continues to decline as a result of several key threats. To identify the status of the Sumatran tiger distribution across the island, an island-wide questionnaire survey comprised of 35 respondents from various backgrounds was conducted between May and June 2010. The survey found that Sumatran tigers are positively present in 27 habitat patches larger than 250 km(2) and possibly present in another 2. In addition, a review on major published studies on the Sumatran tiger was conducted to identify the current conservation status of the Sumatran tiger. Collectively, these studies have identified several key factors that have contributed to the decline of Sumatran tiger populations, including: forest habitat fragmentation and loss, direct killing of tigers and their prey, and the retaliatory killing of tigers due to conflict with villagers. The present paper provides management authorities and the international community with a recent assessment and a base map of the actual distribution of Sumatran tigers as well as a general overview on the current status and possible future conservation challenges of Sumatran tiger management. © 2010 ISZS, Blackwell Publishing and IOZ/CAS.

Emotion Regulation Strategies and Childhood Obesity in High Risk Preschoolers

PubMed Central

Power, Thomas G.; Olivera, Yadira A.; Hill, Rachael A.; Beck, Ashley D.; Hopwood, Veronica; Garcia, Karina Silva; Ramos, Guadalupe G.; Fisher, Jennifer Orlet; O’Connor, Teresia M.; Hughes, Sheryl O.

2016-01-01

The current study examined the relationships between the specific strategies that preschool children use to regulate their emotions and childhood weight status to see if emotion regulation strategies would predict childhood weight status over and above measures of eating self-regulation. 185 4- to 5-year-old Latino children were recruited through Head Start centers in a large city in the southeastern U.S. Children completed both a delay of gratification task (emotion regulation) and an eating in the absence of hunger task (eating regulation). Eating regulation also was assessed by maternal reports. Four emotion regulation strategies were examined in the delay of gratification task: shut out stimuli, prevent movement, distraction, and attention to reward. Hierarchical linear regressions predicting children’s weight status showed that both measures of eating regulation negatively predicted child obesity, and the use of prevent movement negatively predicted child obesity. Total wait time during the delay of gratification tasks was not a significant predictor. The current findings are consistent with studies showing that for preschool children, summary measures of emotion regulation (e.g., wait time) are not concurrently associated with child obesity. In contrast, the use of emotion regulation strategies was a significant predictor of lower child weight status. These findings help identify emotion regulation strategies that prevention programs can target for helping children regulate their emotions and decrease their obesity risk. PMID:27620645

The assessment of function. Part II: clinical perspective of a javelin thrower with low back and groin pain

PubMed Central

Reiman, Michael P; Manske, Robert C

2012-01-01

Assessment of an individual’s functional ability can be complex. This assessment should also be individualized and adaptable to changes in functional status. In the first article of this series, we operationally defined function, discussed the construct of function, examined the evidence as it relates to assessment methods of various aspects of function, and explored the multi-dimensional nature of the concept of function. In this case report, we aim to demonstrate the utilization of a multi-dimensional assessment method (functional performance testing) as it relates to a high-level athlete presenting with pain in the low back and groin. It is our intent to demonstrate how the clinician should continually adapt their assessment dependent on the current functional abilities of the patients. PMID:23633887

Advanced Sensors and Controls for Building Applications: Market Assessment and Potential R&D Pathways

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brambley, Michael R.; Haves, Philip; McDonald, Sean C.

2005-04-13

Significant energy savings can be achieved in commercial building operation, along with increased comfort and control for occupants, through the implementation of advanced technologies. This document provides a market assessment of existing building sensors and controls and presents a range of technology pathways (R&D options) for pursuing advanced sensors and building control strategies. This paper is actually a synthesis of five other white papers: the first describes the market assessment including estimates of market potential and energy savings for sensors and control strategies currently on the market as well as a discussion of market barriers to these technologies. The othermore » four cover technology pathways: (1) current applications and strategies for new applications, (2) sensors and controls, (3) networking, security, and protocols and standards, and (4) automated diagnostics, performance monitoring, commissioning, optimal control and tools. Each technology pathway chapter gives an overview of the technology or application. This is followed by a discussion of needs and the current status of the technology. Finally, a series of research topics is proposed.« less

Novel biomarkers for cardiovascular risk assessment: current status and future directions.

PubMed

MacNamara, James; Eapen, Danny J; Quyyumi, Arshed; Sperling, Laurence

2015-09-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the modern world. Traditional risk algorithms may miss up to 20% of CVD events. Therefore, there is a need for new cardiac biomarkers. Many fields of research are dedicated to improving cardiac risk prediction, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. To date, even the most promising biomarkers have only demonstrated modest associations and predictive ability. Few have undergone randomized control trials. A number of biomarkers are targets to new therapies aimed to reduce cardiovascular risk. Currently, some of the most promising risk prediction has been demonstrated with panels of multiple biomarkers. This article reviews the current state and future of proteomic biomarkers and aggregate biomarker panels.

Relationship between the depression status of patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer and their family members in China.

PubMed

Wu, Xian-Ning; Su, Dan; Li, Hui-Ping; Wang, Wei-Li; Wu, Wei-Qin; Yang, Ya-Juan; Yu, Feng-Lei; Zhang, Jing-Ping

2013-10-01

Less work on depression status has been done with family members of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study investigated depression status of patients and their family members; and the relationship of the depression status between these two groups. This cross-sectional study enrolled 194 patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer as well as their family members. In this study, a self-administered General Information Questionnaire was used to collect general information and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) to assess depression status. Linear correlation analysis was used to probe the relationship of the depression status between patients and their family members. Of the 194 patients, 148 (76.3%) showed symptoms of depression. 148 (76.3%) family members had depression symptoms. The severity of depression in patients was positively correlated with that of family members (r = 0.577, p < 0.01). Patients with lung cancer and their family members suffered depression, and the two were correlated. A prospective study might prove helpful in determining the real relationship existing between the two groups' mental status and whether early detection and intervention might ameliorate this current situation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term survivors of childhood cancer report quality of life and health status in parity with a comparison group.

PubMed

Sundberg, Kay K; Doukkali, Eva; Lampic, Claudia; Eriksson, Lars E; Arvidson, Johan; Wettergren, Lena

2010-08-01

There is a need for more knowledge about how survivors of childhood cancer perceive their lives and what influence current health status has on their quality of life. The purpose was to describe this among a group of long-term survivors and among a comparison group. Telephone interviews were performed with a cohort of 246 long-term survivors and 296 randomly selected from the general population using the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life-Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW). The participants nominated the areas they considered to be most important in life and rated the current status of each area on a seven-point category scale. An overall individual index score was calculated as a measure of quality of life. Self-reported health status was assessed using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Long-term survivors rated their overall quality of life and self-reported health status almost in parity with the comparison group. In both groups, family life, relations to other people, work and career, interests and leisure activities were the areas most frequently reported to influence quality of life. The survivors only differed from the comparison group on one of eight SF-36 scales reflecting problems with daily activities owing to physical health. Health status was not shown to have a major impact on overall quality of life, indicating that health and quality of life should be evaluated distinctively as different constructs. This should be taken in consideration in clinical care of children with childhood cancer and long-term survivors. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Assessment of Diastolic Function in Single Ventricle Patients Following the Fontan Procedure

PubMed Central

Margossian, Renee; Sleeper, Lynn A.; Pearson, Gail D.; Barker, Piers C.; Mertens, Luc; Quartermain, Michael D.; Su, Jason T.; Shirali, Girish; Chen, Shan; Colan, Steven D.

2016-01-01

Objectives Patients with functional single ventricles (FSV) following the Fontan procedure have abnormal cardiac mechanics. We sought to determine factors that influence diastolic function and to describe associations of diastolic function with current clinical status. Methods Echocardiograms were obtained as part of the Pediatric Heart Network Fontan Cross-Sectional Study. Diastolic function grade (DFG) was assessed as normal (grade 0), impaired relaxation (grade 1), pseudonormalization (grade 2), restrictive (grade 3). Studies were also classified dichotomously (restrictive pattern present or absent). Relationships between DFG and pre-Fontan variables (e.g., ventricular morphology, age at Fontan, history of volume-unloading surgery), and current status (e.g., systolic function, valvar regurgitation, exercise performance) were explored. Results DFG was calculable in 326/546 subjects (60%); mean age = 11.7±3.3 years. Overall, 32% of patients had grade 0, 9% grade 1, 37% grade 2, and 22% grade 3. Although there was no association between ventricular morphology and DFG, there was an association between ventricular morphology and E’, which was lowest in those with right ventricular morphology (p<.001); this association remained significant when using z-scores adjusted for age (p=<.001). DFG was associated with achieving maximal effort on exercise testing (p=.004); the majority (64%) of those not achieving maximal effort had DFG 2 or 3.No additional significant associations of DFG with laboratory or clinical measures were identified. Conclusion Assessment of diastolic function by current algorithms results in a high percentage of patients with abnormal DFG, but we found few clinically or statistically significant associations. This may imply a lack of impact of abnormal diastolic function upon clinical outcome in this cohort, or may indicate that the methodology may not be applicable to pediatric FSV patients. PMID:27624592

Implementation options for DNA-based identification into ecological status assessment under the European Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Hering, Daniel; Borja, Angel; Jones, J Iwan; Pont, Didier; Boets, Pieter; Bouchez, Agnes; Bruce, Kat; Drakare, Stina; Hänfling, Bernd; Kahlert, Maria; Leese, Florian; Meissner, Kristian; Mergen, Patricia; Reyjol, Yorick; Segurado, Pedro; Vogler, Alfried; Kelly, Martyn

2018-07-01

Assessment of ecological status for the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is based on "Biological Quality Elements" (BQEs), namely phytoplankton, benthic flora, benthic invertebrates and fish. Morphological identification of these organisms is a time-consuming and expensive procedure. Here, we assess the options for complementing and, perhaps, replacing morphological identification with procedures using eDNA, metabarcoding or similar approaches. We rate the applicability of DNA-based identification for the individual BQEs and water categories (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters) against eleven criteria, summarised under the headlines representativeness (for example suitability of current sampling methods for DNA-based identification, errors from DNA-based species detection), sensitivity (for example capability to detect sensitive taxa, unassigned reads), precision of DNA-based identification (knowledge about uncertainty), comparability with conventional approaches (for example sensitivity of metrics to differences in DNA-based identification), cost effectiveness and environmental impact. Overall, suitability of DNA-based identification is particularly high for fish, as eDNA is a well-suited sampling approach which can replace expensive and potentially harmful methods such as gill-netting, trawling or electrofishing. Furthermore, there are attempts to replace absolute by relative abundance in metric calculations. For invertebrates and phytobenthos, the main challenges include the modification of indices and completing barcode libraries. For phytoplankton, the barcode libraries are even more problematic, due to the high taxonomic diversity in plankton samples. If current assessment concepts are kept, DNA-based identification is least appropriate for macrophytes (rivers, lakes) and angiosperms/macroalgae (transitional and coastal waters), which are surveyed rather than sampled. We discuss general implications of implementing DNA-based identification into standard ecological assessment, in particular considering any adaptations to the WFD that may be required to facilitate the transition to molecular data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of anamnestic responses to rabies vaccination in dogs and cats with current and out-of-date vaccination status.

PubMed

Moore, Michael C; Davis, Rolan D; Kang, Qing; Vahl, Christopher I; Wallace, Ryan M; Hanlon, Cathleen A; Mosier, Derek A

2015-01-15

To compare anamnestic antibody responses of dogs and cats with current versus out-of-date vaccination status. Cross-sectional study. 74 dogs and 33 cats. Serum samples were obtained from dogs and cats that had been exposed to rabies and brought to a veterinarian for proactive serologic monitoring or that had been brought to a veterinarian for booster rabies vaccination. Blood samples were collected on the day of initial evaluation (day 0) and then again 5 to 15 days later. On day 0, a rabies vaccine was administered according to label recommendations. Paired serum samples were analyzed for antirabies antibodies by means of a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. All animals had an antirabies antibody titer ≥ 0.5 IU/mL 5 to 15 days after booster vaccination. Dogs with an out-of-date vaccination status had a higher median increase in titer, higher median fold increase in titer, and higher median titer following booster vaccination, compared with dogs with current vaccination status. Most (26/33) cats, regardless of rabies vaccination status, had a titer ≥ 12 IU/mL 5 to 15 days after booster vaccination. Results indicated that dogs with out-of-date vaccination status were not inferior in their antibody response following booster rabies vaccination, compared with dogs with current vaccination status. Findings supported immediate booster vaccination followed by observation for 45 days of dogs and cats with an out-of-date vaccination status that are exposed to rabies, as is the current practice for dogs and cats with current vaccination status.

Female androgen insufficiency: the Princeton consensus statement on definition, classification, and assessment.

PubMed

Bachmann, Gloria; Bancroft, John; Braunstein, Glenn; Burger, Henry; Davis, Susan; Dennerstein, Lorraine; Goldstein, Irwin; Guay, Andre; Leiblum, Sandra; Lobo, Rogerio; Notelovitz, Morris; Rosen, Raymond; Sarrel, Philip; Sherwin, Barbara; Simon, James; Simpson, Evan; Shifren, Jan; Spark, Richard; Traish, Abdul

2002-04-01

To evaluate the evidence for and against androgen insufficiency as a cause of sexual and other health-related problems in women and to make recommendations regarding definition, diagnosis, and assessment of androgen deficiency states in women. Evaluation of peer-review literature and consensus conference of international experts. Multinational conference in the United States. Premenopausal and postmenopausal women with androgen deficiency. Evaluation of peer-review literature and development of consensus panel guidelines. The term "female androgen insufficiency" was defined as consisting of a pattern of clinical symptoms in the presence of decreased bioavailable T and normal estrogen status. Currently available assays were found to be lacking in sensitivity and reliability at the lower ranges, and the need for an equilibrium dialysis measure was strongly emphasized. Causes of androgen insufficiency in women were classified as ovarian, adrenal, hypothalamic-pituitary, drug-related, and idiopathic. A simplified management algorithm and clinical guidelines were proposed to assist clinicians in diagnosis and assessment. Androgen replacement is currently available in several forms, although none has been approved for treatment of sexual dysfunction or other common symptoms of female androgen insufficiency. Potential risks associated with treatment were identified, and the need for informed consent and careful monitoring was noted. Finally, the panel identified key goals and priorities for future research. A new definition of androgen insufficiency in women has been proposed along with consensus-based guidelines for clinical assessment and diagnosis. A simplified management algorithm for women with low androgen in the presence of clinical symptoms and normal estrogen status has also been proposed.

At the Heart of the Industrial Boom: Australian Snubfin Dolphins in the Capricorn Coast, Queensland, Need Urgent Conservation Action

PubMed Central

Cagnazzi, Daniele; Parra, Guido J.; Westley, Shane; Harrison, Peter L.

2013-01-01

The recent industrial boom along the Australian coastline has increased concerns about the long term conservation of snubfin dolphins along the Queensland coast. National assessment of the conservation status and management of the Australian snubfin dolphin is currently hindered by the lack of adequate biological and ecological information throughout most of its range. In response to the issue of determining the conservation status of species with broad ranges, the IUCN has provided a framework for assessing the threatened status of regional populations. In this study we assessed the conservation status of a small geographically isolated population of snubfin dolphins living in the Fitzroy River region, Queensland, Australia, against the IUCN criteria for regional populations. A review of all available sightings data and stranding information indicates that this is the southernmost resident population of snubfin dolphins in Australian waters. The Fitzroy River snubfin dolphin population is composed of less than 100 individuals, with a representative range and core area of less than 400 and 300 km2 respectively. The area most often used by snubfin dolphins within the representative range and core area was estimated to be about 292 and 191 km2, respectively. A decrease in representative range, core area and preferred habitat between 14 and 25% is projected to occur if a planned industrial port development were to occur. These results are robust to uncertainty and considering the low level of formal protection and future threats, a classification of this subpopulation under the IUCN Red List as “Endangered” is appropriate. PMID:23437225

Driving and legal status of Spanish opioid-dependent patients.

PubMed

Roncero, Carlos; Álvarez, F Javier; Barral, Carmen; Gómez-Baeza, Susana; Gonzalvo, Begoña; Rodríguez-Cintas, Laia; Brugal, M Teresa; Jacas, Carlos; Romaguera, Anna; Casas, Miguel

2013-06-03

Opioid dependent patients have legal problems, driving violations and accidents more frequently than the general population. We have hypothesized that those patients currently driving may have better legal outcomes than those who do not possess a valid driving license. With this aim we have analyzed the information gathered in the PROTEUS study regarding the legal and driving statuses and assessed the possible association between them. The PROTEUS study was an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, multicenter nationwide representative study, conducted in Spanish healthcare centers for opioid dependent patients. The driving and legal statuses of a population of opioid dependent patients ≥ 18 years and enrolled in Opioid Agonist Therapy treatment centers in Spain, were assessed using a short specific questionnaire and the EuropASI questionnaire to highlight distinct individual clinical needs. 621 patients were evaluable (84% men, 24.5% active workers). 321 patients (52%) drove on a regular basis. Nineteen percent of patients had some problem with the criminal justice system. There was a significant difference (p = 0.0433) in status, according to the criminal justice system, between patients who drove on a regular basis and those who did not, with a higher percentage of patients with non-pending charges among usual drivers. Regular drivers showed fewer legal problems than non-regular drivers, with the exception of those related to driving (driving violations and drunk driving). Driving is a good prognostic factor for the social integration of the patients and policies should be implemented to enable these patients to drive safely under medical authorization. The legal description will be useful to assess treatment efficacy.

Driving and legal status of Spanish opioid-dependent patients

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Opioid dependent patients have legal problems, driving violations and accidents more frequently than the general population. We have hypothesized that those patients currently driving may have better legal outcomes than those who do not possess a valid driving license. With this aim we have analyzed the information gathered in the PROTEUS study regarding the legal and driving statuses and assessed the possible association between them. The PROTEUS study was an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, multicenter nationwide representative study, conducted in Spanish healthcare centers for opioid dependent patients. Findings The driving and legal statuses of a population of opioid dependent patients ≥18 years and enrolled in Opioid Agonist Therapy treatment centers in Spain, were assessed using a short specific questionnaire and the EuropASI questionnaire to highlight distinct individual clinical needs. 621 patients were evaluable (84% men, 24.5% active workers). 321 patients (52%) drove on a regular basis. Nineteen percent of patients had some problem with the criminal justice system. There was a significant difference (p = 0.0433) in status, according to the criminal justice system, between patients who drove on a regular basis and those who did not, with a higher percentage of patients with non-pending charges among usual drivers. Conclusions Regular drivers showed fewer legal problems than non-regular drivers, with the exception of those related to driving (driving violations and drunk driving). Driving is a good prognostic factor for the social integration of the patients and policies should be implemented to enable these patients to drive safely under medical authorization. The legal description will be useful to assess treatment efficacy. PMID:23731546

At the heart of the industrial boom: Australian snubfin dolphins in the Capricorn Coast, Queensland, need urgent conservation action.

PubMed

Cagnazzi, Daniele; Parra, Guido J; Westley, Shane; Harrison, Peter L

2013-01-01

The recent industrial boom along the Australian coastline has increased concerns about the long term conservation of snubfin dolphins along the Queensland coast. National assessment of the conservation status and management of the Australian snubfin dolphin is currently hindered by the lack of adequate biological and ecological information throughout most of its range. In response to the issue of determining the conservation status of species with broad ranges, the IUCN has provided a framework for assessing the threatened status of regional populations. In this study we assessed the conservation status of a small geographically isolated population of snubfin dolphins living in the Fitzroy River region, Queensland, Australia, against the IUCN criteria for regional populations. A review of all available sightings data and stranding information indicates that this is the southernmost resident population of snubfin dolphins in Australian waters. The Fitzroy River snubfin dolphin population is composed of less than 100 individuals, with a representative range and core area of less than 400 and 300 km(2) respectively. The area most often used by snubfin dolphins within the representative range and core area was estimated to be about 292 and 191 km(2), respectively. A decrease in representative range, core area and preferred habitat between 14 and 25% is projected to occur if a planned industrial port development were to occur. These results are robust to uncertainty and considering the low level of formal protection and future threats, a classification of this subpopulation under the IUCN Red List as "Endangered" is appropriate.

Chemical vapor deposition modeling: An assessment of current status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gokoglu, Suleyman A.

1991-01-01

The shortcomings of earlier approaches that assumed thermochemical equilibrium and used chemical vapor deposition (CVD) phase diagrams are pointed out. Significant advancements in predictive capabilities due to recent computational developments, especially those for deposition rates controlled by gas phase mass transport, are demonstrated. The importance of using the proper boundary conditions is stressed, and the availability and reliability of gas phase and surface chemical kinetic information are emphasized as the most limiting factors. Future directions for CVD are proposed on the basis of current needs for efficient and effective progress in CVD process design and optimization.

Lactate biosensors: current status and outlook.

PubMed

Rassaei, Liza; Olthuis, Wouter; Tsujimura, Seiya; Sudhölter, Ernst J R; van den Berg, Albert

2014-01-01

Many research efforts over the last few decades have been devoted to sensing lactate as an important analytical target in clinical care, sport medicine, and food processing. Therefore, research in designing lactate sensors is no longer in its infancy and now is more directed toward viable sensors for direct applications. In this review, we provide an overview of the most immediate and relevant developments toward this end, and we discuss and assess common transduction approaches. Further, we critically describe the pros and cons of current commercial lactate sensors and envision how future sensing design may benefit from emerging new technologies.

Data on energy conservation activity in multifamily housing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-07-01

A policy review to determine how the multifamily building sector is responding to market signals and to evaluate what role the federal government should play in encouraging conservation in this subsector is presented. Available data is used to assess the current status of weatherization in multifamily housing and the current trends in adding weatherization measures on using them in new construction are identified and catalogued. Data on energy practices in multifamily housing and other energy related characteristics are also identified. The purpose, the sources covered, and the findings and recommendations are described. The data are summarized.

Current Status of Programs and Research within the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bacon, Jack

2016-01-01

The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) is the world's longest-standing orbital debris research organization. It supports all aspects of international and US national policy-making related to the orbital environment and to spacecraft life cycle requirements. Representing more than just NASA projects, it is the United States' center of expertise in the field. The office continues to advance research in all aspects of orbital debris, including its measurement, modeling, and risk assessment for both orbital and ground safety concerns. This presentation will highlight current activities and recent progress in all aspects of the ODPO's mission.

Pressure vessel burst test program - Initial program paper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cain, Maurice R.; Sharp, Douglas E.; Coleman, Michael D.; Webb, Bobby L.

1990-01-01

The current status of a pressure vessel burst test program, aimed at the study of the blast waves and fragmentation characteristics of ruptured gas-filled pressure vessels, is reported. The program includes a series of test plans, each involving multiple bursts with burst pressures ranging to 7500 psig. The discussion covers the identification of concerns and hazards, application of the data generated, and a brief review of the current methods for assessing vessel safety and burst parameters. Attention is also given to pretest activities, including completed vessel and facility/instrumentation preparation and results of completed preliminary burst tests.

Computer-assisted cartography: an overview.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guptill, S.C.; Starr, L.E.

1984-01-01

An assessment of the current status of computer-assisted cartography, in part, is biased by one's view of the cartographic process as a whole. From a traditional viewpoint we are concerned about automating the mapping process; from a progressive viewpoint we are concerned about using the tools of computer science to convey spatial information. On the surface these viewpoints appear to be in opposition. However, it is postulated that in the final analysis, they face the same goal. This overview uses the perspectives from two viewpoints to depict the current state of computer-assisted cartography and speculate on future goals, trends, and challenges.-Authors

Global Conservation Priorities for Marine Turtles

PubMed Central

Wallace, Bryan P.; DiMatteo, Andrew D.; Bolten, Alan B.; Chaloupka, Milani Y.; Hutchinson, Brian J.; Abreu-Grobois, F. Alberto; Mortimer, Jeanne A.; Seminoff, Jeffrey A.; Amorocho, Diego; Bjorndal, Karen A.; Bourjea, Jérôme; Bowen, Brian W.; Briseño Dueñas, Raquel; Casale, Paolo; Choudhury, B. C.; Costa, Alice; Dutton, Peter H.; Fallabrino, Alejandro; Finkbeiner, Elena M.; Girard, Alexandre; Girondot, Marc; Hamann, Mark; Hurley, Brendan J.; López-Mendilaharsu, Milagros; Marcovaldi, Maria Angela; Musick, John A.; Nel, Ronel; Pilcher, Nicolas J.; Troëng, Sebastian; Witherington, Blair; Mast, Roderic B.

2011-01-01

Where conservation resources are limited and conservation targets are diverse, robust yet flexible priority-setting frameworks are vital. Priority-setting is especially important for geographically widespread species with distinct populations subject to multiple threats that operate on different spatial and temporal scales. Marine turtles are widely distributed and exhibit intra-specific variations in population sizes and trends, as well as reproduction and morphology. However, current global extinction risk assessment frameworks do not assess conservation status of spatially and biologically distinct marine turtle Regional Management Units (RMUs), and thus do not capture variations in population trends, impacts of threats, or necessary conservation actions across individual populations. To address this issue, we developed a new assessment framework that allowed us to evaluate, compare and organize marine turtle RMUs according to status and threats criteria. Because conservation priorities can vary widely (i.e. from avoiding imminent extinction to maintaining long-term monitoring efforts) we developed a “conservation priorities portfolio” system using categories of paired risk and threats scores for all RMUs (n = 58). We performed these assessments and rankings globally, by species, by ocean basin, and by recognized geopolitical bodies to identify patterns in risk, threats, and data gaps at different scales. This process resulted in characterization of risk and threats to all marine turtle RMUs, including identification of the world's 11 most endangered marine turtle RMUs based on highest risk and threats scores. This system also highlighted important gaps in available information that is crucial for accurate conservation assessments. Overall, this priority-setting framework can provide guidance for research and conservation priorities at multiple relevant scales, and should serve as a model for conservation status assessments and priority-setting for widespread, long-lived taxa. PMID:21969858

Mount Rainier National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Robert; Woodward, Andrea; Haggerty, Patricia K.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Griffin, Paul C.; Adams, Michael J.; Hagar, Joan; Cummings, Tonnie; Duriscoe, Dan; Kopper, Karen; Riedel, Jon; Samora, Barbara; Marin, Lelaina; Mauger, Guillaume S.; Bumbaco, Karen; Littell, Jeremy S.

2014-01-01

Natural Resource Condition Assessments (NRCAs) evaluate current conditions for a subset of natural resources and resource indicators in national parks. NRCAs also report on trends in resource condition (when possible), identify critical data gaps, and characterize a general level of confidence for study findings. The resources and indicators emphasized in a given project depend on the park’s resource setting, status of resource stewardship planning and science in identifying high-priority indicators, and availability of data and expertise to assess current conditions for a variety of potential study resources and indicators. Although the primary objective of NRCAs is to report on current conditions relative to logical forms of reference conditions and values, NRCAs also report on trends, when appropriate (i.e., when the underlying data and methods support such reporting), as well as influences on resource conditions. These influences may include past activities or conditions that provide a helpful context for understanding current conditions and present-day threats and stressors that are best interpreted at park, watershed, or landscape scales (though NRCAs do not report on condition status for land areas and natural resources beyond park boundaries). Intensive cause-andeffect analyses of threats and stressors, and development of detailed treatment options, are outside the scope of NRCAs. It is also important to note that NRCAs do not address resources that lack sufficient data for assessment. For Mount Rainier National Park, this includes most invertebrate species and many other animal species that are subject to significant stressors from climate change and other anthropogenic sources such as air pollutants and recreational use. In addition, we did not include an analysis of the physical hydrology associated with streams (such as riverine landforms, erosion and aggradation which is significant in MORA streams), due to a loss of staff expertise from the USGS-BRD staff conducting the work, and human disturbance landcover issues such as the effects of roads, trails, and other anthropogenic developments due to lack of funds.

A 7-year follow-up study on the mental health of North Korean defectors in South Korea.

PubMed

Jeon, Woo-Taek; Eom, Jin-Sup; Min, Sung Kil

2013-02-01

This study was conducted to describe the relationship of past trauma and current stress on the mental health of North Korean (NK) defectors living in South Korea 7 years after a baseline assessment. Of the 200 who participated in the initial study, 106 participated in follow-up. Previous data regarding past traumatic events experienced in North Korea and during defection, past posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and their current stress levels were correlated with the participants' current mental health status including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The rate of PTSD in the sample and the scores on the PTSD symptom scale decreased significantly from the baseline. The participants' current mental health was negatively related to previous traumatic experiences in North Korea and past symptoms of PTSD, but unrelated to previous trauma experienced during defection. In addition, although current mental health was negatively related to only current culture-related stress, it was unrelated to the level of current ordinary life stress. The results of this study suggest that PTSD symptoms decreased during the 7 years between assessments, and that current culture-related stress is the most important variable related to the mental health of NK defectors living in South Korea. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Overview of mycotoxin methods, present status and future needs.

PubMed

Gilbert, J

1999-01-01

This article reviews current requirements for the analysis for mycotoxins in foods and identifies legislative as well as other factors that are driving development and validation of new methods. New regulatory limits for mycotoxins and analytical quality assurance requirements for laboratories to only use validated methods are seen as major factors driving developments. Three major classes of methods are identified which serve different purposes and can be categorized as screening, official and research. In each case the present status and future needs are assessed. In addition to an overview of trends in analytical methods, some other areas of analytical quality assurance such as participation in proficiency testing and reference materials are identified.

Status of the NEXT Ion Engine Wear Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soulas, George C.; Domonkos, Matthew T.; Kamhawi, Hani; Patterson, Michael J.; Gardner, Michael M.

2003-01-01

The status of the NEXT 2000 hour wear test is presented. This test is being conducted with a 40 cm engineering model ion engine, designated EM1, at a beam current higher than listed on the NEXT throttle table. Pretest performance assessments demonstrated that EM1 satisfies all thruster performance requirements. As of 7/3/03, the ion engine has accumulated 406 hours of operation at a thruster input power of 6.9 kW. Overall ion engine performance, which includes thrust, thruster input power, specific impulse, and thrust efficiency, has been steady to date with no indications of performance degradation. Images of the downstream discharge cathode, neutralizer, and accelerator aperture surfaces have exhibited no significant erosion to date.

Livestock production systems in developing countries: status, drivers, trends.

PubMed

Steinfeld, H; Wassenaar, T; Jutzi, S

2006-08-01

This paper describes and assesses the current status of livestock production systems, the drivers of global livestock production, and the major trends in such production. The analysis covers the six major livestock species: cattle and buffaloes, goats and sheep, pigs and chickens. Global drivers of the livestock sector include economic growth and income, demographic and land use changes, dietary adjustments and technological change. The rate of change and direction of livestock development vary greatly among world regions, with Asia showing the most rapid growth and structural change. The paper also examines system dynamics, by analysing the ways livestock production has adjusted to external forces. A brief discussion of how these trends link to food safety concludes the paper.