Market Power and Cultural Imperialism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandy, Oscar H., Jr.

This paper argues that the conditions that have historically supported the regulation of the telecommunications industry in the United States have been reproduced around the world and exist most formidably within the developing nations. In support of this argument, the paper examines several key periods in United States regulatory history. It then…

Toward Effective Water Pipe Tobacco Control Policy in the United States: Synthesis of Federal, State, and Local Policy Texts.

PubMed

Colditz, Jason B; Ton, Jessica N; James, A Everette; Primack, Brian A

2017-07-01

Water pipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is growing in popularity among U.S. young adults and is associated with health risks similar to those of cigarette smoking. The purpose of this study is to examine existing tobacco control policies (TCPs) in order to investigate how they engage WTS. A systematic synthesis of content and legal interactions among federal, state, and local TCP documents. Pennsylvania, which represents a politically and demographically diverse microcosm of the United States. No human subjects. Federal and state TCPs were retrieved via public legal repositories. Local policy searches were conducted via county/municipal Web sites, inclusive of 13 localities that had autonomous health departments or existing TCPs based on a National Cancer Institute report. Full-text TCPs were double coded within a grounded theory framework for health policy analysis. Emergent codes were used to compare and contrast policy texts and to examine legal interactions among TCPs. Examination of policy categories including youth access, use restrictions, and taxation revealed WTS as largely omitted from current TCPs. WTS was sometimes addressed as an "other" tobacco product under older TCPs, though ambiguities in language led to questionable enforceability. State preemptions have rolled back or prevented well-tailored reforms at the local level. Federal preemptions have likewise constrained state TCPs. Outdated, preempted, and unclear policies limit the extent to which TCPs engage WTS. Health advocates might target these aspects of TCP reform.

Examining Understandings of Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilado, Aimee V.; Kallemeyn, Leanne; Phillips, Lauren

2013-01-01

The importance of parent involvement in children's development and learning is increasingly recognized in the research literature and in federal and state policies; however, no unified definition of parent involvement exists. This study examined different understandings and definitions of parent involvement in a sample of administrators of…

Modeling the Mental Health Workforce in Washington State: Using State Licensing Data to Examine Provider Supply in Rural and Urban Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Laura-Mae; Patanian, Miriam M.; Larson, Eric H.; Lishner, Denise M.; Mauksch, Larry B.; Katon, Wayne J.; Walker, Edward; Hart, L. Gary

2006-01-01

Context: Ensuring an adequate mental health provider supply in rural and urban areas requires accessible methods of identifying provider types, practice locations, and practice productivity. Purpose: To identify mental health shortage areas using existing licensing and survey data. Methods: The 1998-1999 Washington State Department of Health files…

Becoming the Change: A Critical Evaluation of the Changing Face of Life Science, as Reflected in the NGSS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Larry L., Jr.; Govett, Aimee L.

2015-01-01

Twenty-six states voluntarily partnered to provide leadership and guidance for the purpose of adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). However, a need exists to examine the NGSS versus state standards to better understand changes in curriculum and instruction to make their implementation successful for all states. The present…

Air quality co-benefits and costs under state, regional, or national cooperation to regulate CO2 from existing power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saari, R.; Selin, N. E.

2015-12-01

We examine the effect of state, regional, and national cooperation on the costs and air quality co-benefits of a policy to limit the carbon intensity of existing electricity generation. Electricity generation is a significant source of both greenhouse gases and air pollutant emissions that harm human health. Previous studies have shown that air quality co-benefits can be substantial compared to the costs of limiting carbon emissions in the energy system. The EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan seeks to impose carbon intensity limits for each state, but allows states to cooperate in order to meet combined limits. We explore how such cooperation might produce trade-offs between lower costs, widespread pollution reductions, and local reductions. We employ a new state-level model of the US energy system and economy to examine the costs and emissions as states reduce demand or deploy cleaner generation. We use an advanced air quality impacts modeling system, including SMOKE, CAMx, and BenMAP, to estimate health-related air quality co-benefits and compare these to costs under different levels of cooperation. We draw conclusions about the potential impacts of cooperation on economic welfare at various scales.

Adverse Health Outcomes, Perpetrator Characteristics, and Sexual Violence Victimization among U.S. Adult Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choudhary, Ekta; Coben, Jeffrey; Bossarte, Robert M.

2010-01-01

In the United States, an estimated three million men are victims of sexual violence each year, yet the majority of existing studies have evaluated the consequences and characteristics of victimization among women alone. The result has been a gap in the existing literature examining the physical and psychological consequences of sexual assault…

Hopf-link topological nodal-loop semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yao; Xiong, Feng; Wan, Xiangang; An, Jin

2018-04-01

We construct a generic two-band model which can describe topological semimetals with multiple closed nodal loops. All the existing multi-nodal-loop semimetals, including the nodal-net, nodal-chain, and Hopf-link states, can be examined within the same framework. Based on a two-nodal-loop model, the corresponding drumhead surface states for these topologically different bulk states are studied and compared with each other. The connection of our model with Hopf insulators is also discussed. Furthermore, to identify experimentally these topologically different semimetal states, especially to distinguish the Hopf-link from unlinked ones, we also investigate their Landau levels. It is found that the Hopf-link state can be characterized by the existence of a quadruply degenerate zero-energy Landau band, regardless of the direction of the magnetic field.

Collaborating for Health: Health in All Policies and the Law.

PubMed

Pepin, Dawn; Winig, Benjamin D; Carr, Derek; Jacobson, Peter D

2017-03-01

This article introduces and defines the Health in All Policies (HiAP) concept and examines existing state legislation, with a focus on California. The article starts with an overview of HiAP and then analyzes the status of HiAP legislation, specifically addressing variations across states. Finally, the article describes California's HiAP approach and discusses how communities can apply a HiAP framework not only to improve health outcomes and advance health equity, but also to counteract existing laws and policies that contribute to health inequities.

Unified messaging solution for biosurveillance and disease surveillance.

PubMed

Abellera, John P; Srinivasan, Arunkumar; Danos, C Scott; McNabb, Scott; Rhodes, Barry

2007-10-11

Biosurveillance and disease surveillance systems serve different purposes. However, the richness and quality of an existing data stream and infrastructure used in biosurveillance may prove beneficial for any state-based electronic disease surveillance system, especially if an electronic laboratory data feed does not exist between a hospital and state-based system. The use of an Enterprise Application Integration(EAI) engine, such as the BioSense Integrator,will be necessary to map heterogeneous messages into standard representations, then validate and route them [1] to a disparate system. This poster illustrates the use of an existing BioSense Integrator in order to create a unified message to support the exchange of electronic lab messages necessary for reportable disease notification. An evaluation of the infrastructure for data messaging will be examined and presented, along with a cost and benefit analysis between hospital and state-based system.

Measuring the performance of livability programs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

This report analyzes the performance measurement processes adopted by five large livability programs throughout the United States. It compares and contrasts these programs by examining existing research in performance measurement methods. The ...

Women and Employment. A Missouri Profile. Summary Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute of Applied Research, St. Louis, MO.

A study examined the barriers that Missouri women encounter when trying to gain access to better-paying jobs; trends in women's employment status in the state; and the services that women receive from the state's existing employment, training, and supportive services. A total of 2,104 women were contacted through a random statewide household…

The Effects of State Funding on Property Tax Rates and School Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

In response to concerns over funding for school construction, the state of Texas has implemented two programs to assist school districts with construction-related debt. This paper examines whether these programs have accomplished their objectives of reducing property taxes (the Existing Debt Allotment (EDA) program) and increasing capital outlays…

Catalog of Reports, Decisions and Opinions, Testimonies and Speeches, GAO Documents 113171-113401. Volume 5. Number 10.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

the various medical centers transmute such liability to the Government. The agency spent must be critically examined to determine whether they can...edu- pational hazards, sexual harassment, and working mothers. cation exist as those identified by the States. In trying to get States to increase the

Bill of Rights in Tribal Constitutions. [First Draft].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rusco, Elmer R.

Because Native American societies are held by United States courts to possess rights of self-government where these rights have not been explicitly withdrawn, the constitutions of 280 Native American governments in the United States (exclusive of 219 in Alaska) were examined as they existed in September 1981 to determine the extent and character…

Attributes and Preconditions of Collaboration between and among Schools, Institutions of Higher Education, and State Education Agencies. Instructional Leadership and School Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Patricia; Cejda, Brent

Recognizing that successful collaboration among schools, institutes of higher education, and state education agencies to is an important factor in the professional development of education personnel, this document examines existing knowledge of interorganizational collaboration and identifies organizational preconditions conducive to the…

Examining Adult Basic Education in Indiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Alishea

2017-01-01

While it is known that over 500,000 individuals in the State of Indiana have not obtained a High School Diploma or Equivalency (StatsIndiana, 2015), limited empirical information exists on Indiana students pursuing adult basic education along with implications for a state that has changed its adult basic education high stakes high school…

Single and multiple vortex rings in three-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates: Existence, stability, and dynamics

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

Wang, Wenlong; Bisset, R. N.; Ticknor, Christopher

In the present work, we explore the existence, stability, and dynamics of single- and multiple-vortex-ring states that can arise in Bose-Einstein condensates. Earlier works have illustrated the bifurcation of such states in the vicinity of the linear limit for isotropic or anisotropic three-dimensional harmonic traps. Here, we extend these states to the regime of large chemical potentials, the so-called Thomas-Fermi limit, and explore their properties such as equilibrium radii and inter-ring distance for multi-ring states, as well as their vibrational spectra and possible instabilities. In this limit, both the existence and stability characteristics can be partially traced to a particlemore » picture that considers the rings as individual particles oscillating within the trap and interacting pairwise with one another. In conclusion, we examine some representative instability scenarios of the multi-ring dynamics, including breakup and reconnections, as well as the transient formation of vortex lines.« less

Single and multiple vortex rings in three-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates: Existence, stability, and dynamics

DOE PAGES

Wang, Wenlong; Bisset, R. N.; Ticknor, Christopher; ...

2017-04-27

In the present work, we explore the existence, stability, and dynamics of single- and multiple-vortex-ring states that can arise in Bose-Einstein condensates. Earlier works have illustrated the bifurcation of such states in the vicinity of the linear limit for isotropic or anisotropic three-dimensional harmonic traps. Here, we extend these states to the regime of large chemical potentials, the so-called Thomas-Fermi limit, and explore their properties such as equilibrium radii and inter-ring distance for multi-ring states, as well as their vibrational spectra and possible instabilities. In this limit, both the existence and stability characteristics can be partially traced to a particlemore » picture that considers the rings as individual particles oscillating within the trap and interacting pairwise with one another. In conclusion, we examine some representative instability scenarios of the multi-ring dynamics, including breakup and reconnections, as well as the transient formation of vortex lines.« less

Mathematical analysis of an age-structured population model with space-limited recruitment.

PubMed

Kamioka, Katumi

2005-11-01

In this paper, we investigate structured population model of marine invertebrate whose life stage is composed of sessile adults and pelagic larvae, such as barnacles contained in a local habitat. First we formulate the basic model as an Cauchy problem on a Banach space to discuss the existence and uniqueness of non-negative solution. Next we define the basic reproduction number R0 to formulate the invasion condition under which the larvae can successfully settle down in the completely vacant habitat. Subsequently we examine existence and stability of steady states. We show that the trivial steady state is globally asymptotically stable if R0 < or = 1, whereas it is unstable if R0 > 1. Furthermore, we show that a positive (non-trivial) steady state uniquely exists if R0 > 1 and it is locally asymptotically stable as far as absolute value of R0 - 1 is small enough.

Oil, industrialization and development in the Arab Gulf States

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

Kubursi, A.

1984-01-01

The Arab states face the prospect that their economic development will not last longer than the life of their hydrocarbon reserves. This book examines what options the Arab states have for countering this threat. It looks in detail at what opportunities exist for the Gulf states to accumulate sufficient productive capital in non-oil sectors of their economies. Particular attention is given to the possibilities for development through cooperation with the Third World as a whole.

Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating: Handwriting in Uruguayan Public Elementary Schools in the 1830s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viacava, Juan

2017-01-01

This article examines the Uruguayan state approach to the teaching of writing in public elementary education during the 1830s, and is an attempt to explain why state officials advanced new pedagogical methods aimed at increasing rationalisation and standardisation. While many different handwriting styles existed in the past, the school system…

Examining the Need for Chinese Language Programs in Mid-Atlantic Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uhey, Ruth Ann Johnson

2012-01-01

Public education reform designed for K-12 and higher education exists to transform teaching and learning within the United States in order to graduate today's student. One specific initiative on the federal, state, and local levels is the implementation of Chinese language programs. Some of the Chinese language programs in the K-12 education…

Indian Tribes: A Continuing Quest for Survival. A Report of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathews, Bonnie, Ed.

Based on Commission public hearings held in 1977 through 1979 and on research conducted since 1977, this report examines state, federal, and tribal governments' role in major conflicts concerning fishing rights, reservation criminal law enforcement, and Eastern Indian land claims existing between Indian tribes and non-Indians. Chapter 1 discusses…

Community Colleges in South Africa: Towards an Inclusive and Vibrant Further Education and Training. Phase One Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoppers, Catherine Odora, Ed.

This report examines the current state of community colleges in South Africa. A pilot study was designed to assess the state of thinking, practice, partnership, possibilities, programming, restructuring, and needs with regards to South African community colleges. Preliminary findings suggest that, where community colleges do exist, there is a…

The State of the Child in Appalachia: Report of a Conference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tracy, Dana Friedman; Pizzo, Peggy Daly

This report of a 13-state conference on the needs of young children in the Appalachian region examines present conditions and changes over the past decade. The conference was organized around three central questions: (1) what are the needs of Appalachian children for healthy development? (2) how do existing child development programs meet these…

Algorithm Visualization: The State of the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, Clifford A.; Cooper, Matthew L.; Alon, Alexander Joel D.; Akbar, Monika; Stewart, Michael; Ponce, Sean; Edwards, Stephen H.

2010-01-01

We present findings regarding the state of the field of Algorithm Visualization (AV) based on our analysis of a collection of over 500 AVs. We examine how AVs are distributed among topics, who created them and when, their overall quality, and how they are disseminated. There does exist a cadre of good AVs and active developers. Unfortunately, we…

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Elementary Student Achievement in Rural South Texas Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez-Perez, Frances A.

2013-01-01

Educational inequalities that exist due to socioeconomic status impact the academic achievement of students and contribute to the achievement gap. This study attempted to examine how the predictors of grade level and socioeconomic status impact the passing of state standardized reading and mathematics exams. The 2012-2013 State of Texas Academic…

Association health plans: what's all the fuss about?

PubMed

Kofman, Mila; Lucia, Kevin; Bangit, Eliza; Pollitz, Karen

2006-01-01

Policymakers have tried to address the problem of the uninsured and to help small businesses with rising premiums by encouraging associations to offer coverage. Although supporters and opponents have made claims about the potential impact of this strategy, the association market has not been studied in depth. Examining current standards might explain why proponents seek changes. This paper discusses states' approaches to regulating health insurance offered by associations, including "self-insurance," as well as existing state exemptions from state insurance laws that otherwise would apply to coverage sold to small businesses, self-employed people, and individual purchasers. We also examine market problems such as insolvency and fraud.

Education in the U.S. and the Netherlands: An Equity Comparison and a Few Big Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owings, William A.; Kaplan, Leslie S.; Volman, Monique

2015-01-01

Using an equity perspective, this article compares the education systems of the United States and the Netherlands. Existing data examining student demographics, the organizational structures, curricula, funding, and student outcomes are examined. The Netherlands appears to be getting a "bigger bang for their buck." We make the case that…

The State of Connecticut: The Report of the Governor's Commission on Tax Reform. Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Governor's Commission on Tax Reform, Hartford, CT.

The Commission evaluated a wide variety of alternative tax sources and examined the existing structure in Connecticut. It specifically evaluated inequities resulting from Connecticut taxes as they affect various classes of citizens and examined the impact of the Connecticut tax structure on business with a view to encouraging economic expansion.…

An Interactive Geometry Program and Its Effect on Elementary Students' Achievement and Understanding of Geometry: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMarinis, Matthew David

2011-01-01

While many studies examining the effectiveness of using dynamic geometry software exist, few studies exist at the elementary school level. An extensive data analysis of student performance on New York State Math Assessments revealed that students in the fifth grade may not have had a clear understanding of interior angles sums of polygons, more…

The One-Hole, One-Dimensional Hubbard Model at U = ∞

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodge, William; Holzwarth, Natalie; Kerr, William

2008-03-01

The Hubbard Hamiltonian is the simplest model that describes interacting electrons on a lattice. In this work, we use the properties of stochastic matrices to examine the ground state with an even number of lattice sites and one electron less than half-filling. We show that there exists a highly symmetric state with energy -2 (in units where t = 1) at all U. At U = ∞ this state becomes the lowest energy state, consistent with the established lower energy bound. ootnotetextS. A. Trugman, Phys. Rev. B 42, 6612 (1990) Using this result, several properties of the strongly coupled ground state are derived, including the chemical potential and momentum distribution. This method may be applicable to other models as well. Disagreements between our results and previous work are examined.

X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis of titanium-implanted soft tissue.

PubMed

Uo, Motohiro; Asakura, Kiyotaka; Yokoyama, Atsuro; Ishikawa, Makoto; Tamura, Kazuchika; Totsuka, Yasunori; Akasaka, Tsukasa; Watari, Fumio

2007-03-01

Tissues contacting Ti dental implants were subjected to X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis to examine the chemical state of Ti transferred from the placed implant into the surrounding tissue. Nine tissues that contacted pure Ti cover screws for several months were excised in a second surgery whereby healing abutments were set. Six tissues that surrounded implants retrieved due to their failure were also excised. Ti distributions in the excised specimens were confirmed by X-ray scanning analytical microscopy (XSAM), and the specimens were subjected to fluorescence XAFS analysis to determine the chemical states of the low concentrations of Ti in the tissues surrounding Ti dental implants. Ti mostly existed in the metallic state and was considered to be debris derived from the abrasion of implant pieces during implant surgery. Oxidized forms of Ti, such as anatase and rutile, were also detected in a few specimens-and existed in either a pure state or mixed state with metallic Ti. It was concluded that the existence of Ti in the tissue did not cause implant failure. Moreover, the usefulness of XAFS for analysis of the chemical states of rarely contained elements in biological tissue was demonstrated.

Lunar Obliquity History Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegler, M.; Bills, B.; Paige, D.

2007-12-01

In preparation for a LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) related study of possible lunar polar volatiles, we re- examined the lunar orbital and rotational history, with primary focus on the obliquity history of the Moon. Though broad models have been made of lunar obliquity, a cohesive obliquity history was not found. We report on a new model of lunar obliquity including secular changes in inclination of the lunar orbit, tidal dissipation, lunar moments of inertia, and details for periods outside of the stable configurations known as Cassini states. For planets, the obliquity, or angle between the spin and orbit poles, is the dominant control on incident solar radiation. For planetary satellites, the radiation pattern can be more complex, as it depends on the mutual inclinations of three poles; the satellite spin and orbit poles, and the planetary heliocentric orbit pole. Presently, the lunar spin pole and orbit pole co-precess about the ecliptic pole, in a stable situation known as a Cassini state. As a result, permanently shadowed regions near the poles are expected to exist and act as cold traps, retaining water or other volatiles delivered to the surface by comets, solar wind, or via outgassing of the lunar interior. However, tidally driven secular changes in the lunar semimajor axis cause changes in precession rates of the spin and orbit poles, and thereby alter or destabilize the Cassini states. Only one prograde Cassini state exists at present (state 2). In the standard Cassini state model of Ward [1975], two other such states would have existed in the past (states 1 and 4) with the Moon starting in the low obliquity state 1, and remaining there until states 1 and 4 merged and disappear, at roughly half the present Earth-Moon distance. At that point, the Moon transitioned into the currently occupied state 2, and briefly attained very high obliquity values during the transition, and then stayed in state 2 until the present. If correct, this model implies that the transition from state 1 to state 2 is the most important event in the histories of lunar obliquity and polar volatiles, as it separates two periods in which current lunar cold traps could have existed with a period of high polar insolation which could have mobilized volatiles into space or to greater depths in the lunar near surface. If incorrect, lunar cold traps may prove only a very recent phenomenon. By including secular orbit changes, our model should help determine if this Cassini state stability really dominated in the past and allow detailed examination of extra-Cassini state periods.

State and Local Governments: Fiscal Pressures Could Have Implications for Future Delivery of Intergovernmental Programs. Report to the Ranking Member, Committee on the Budget, House of Representatives. GAO-10-899

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czerwinski, Stanley J.

2010-01-01

State and local governments work in partnership with the federal government to implement numerous intergovernmental programs. Fiscal pressures for state and local governments may exist when spending is expected to outpace revenues for the long term. GAO (Government Accountability Office) was asked to examine (1) the long-term fiscal pressures…

Rethinking Relativism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathan, George J.

1991-01-01

Discusses Allan Bloom's "The Closing of the American Mind," examining his critique of relativism, particularly cultural relativism. The paper states that the existence of cultural relativism is a cause and sign of significant fragmentation and separateness in modern society and the university. (SM)

Toward a more reliable federal survey for tracking health insurance coverage and access.

PubMed

Kenney, Genevieve; Holahan, John; Nichols, Len

2006-06-01

Examination of the extent to which federal surveys provide the data needed to estimate the coverage/cost impacts of policy alternatives to address the problem of uninsurance. Assessment of the major federal household surveys that regularly provide information on health insurance and access to care based on an examination of each survey instrument and related survey documentation and the methodological literature. Identification of the data needed to address key policy questions on insurance coverage, assessment of how well existing surveys meet this need, definition of the critical elements of an ideal survey, and examination of the potential for building on existing surveys. Collection and critical assessment of pertinent survey documentation and methodological studies. While all the federal surveys examined provide valuable information, the information available to guide key policy decisions still has major gaps. Issues include measurement of insurance coverage and critical content gaps, inadequate sample sizes to support precise state and substate estimates, considerable delays between data collection and availability, and concerns about response rates and item nonresponse. Our assessment is that the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the National Health Interview Survey could be most readily modified to address these issues. The vast resources devoted to health care and the magnitude of the uninsurance problem make it critical that we have a reliable source for tracking health care and coverage at the national and state levels and for major local areas. It is plausible that this could be more cost effectively done by building on existing surveys than by designing and fielding a new one, but further research is needed to make a definitive judgment. At a minimum, the health insurance information collected on the CPS should be revised to address existing measurement problems.

Title: Chimeras in small, globally coupled networks: Experiments and stability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Joseph D.; Bansal, Kanika; Murphy, Thomas E.; Roy, Rajarshi

Since the initial observation of chimera states, there has been much discussion of the conditions under which these states emerge. The emphasis thus far has mainly been to analyze large networks of coupled oscillators; however, recent studies have begun to focus on the opposite limit: what is the smallest system of coupled oscillators in which chimeras can exist? We experimentally observe chimeras and other partially synchronous patterns in a network of four globally-coupled chaotic opto-electronic oscillators. By examining the equations of motion, we demonstrate that symmetries in the network topology allow a variety of synchronous states to exist, including cluster synchronous states and a chimera state. Using the group theoretical approach recently developed for analyzing cluster synchronization, we show how to derive the variational equations for these synchronous patterns and calculate their linear stability. The stability analysis gives good agreement with our experimental results. Both experiments and simulations suggest that these chimera states often appear in regions of multistability between global, cluster, and desynchronized states.

Disparities in access to effective treatment for infertility in the United States: an Ethics Committee opinion.

PubMed

2015-11-01

In the United States, economic, racial, ethnic, geographic, and other disparities exist in access to fertility treatment and in treatment outcomes. This opinion examines the factors that contribute to these disparities and proposes actions to address them. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Invisible Children of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the United States: An Examination of Existing Pre-K Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academy for Educational Development, 2009

2009-01-01

The National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Collaboration Office conducted this small scale study to begin to expand, document and disseminate migrant-specific early learning information and to develop a long-range strategy for addressing/increasing collaboration between MSHS and state Pre-Kindergarten programs serving or having the potential to…

The Relationship between External Accountability Policy and Internal Accountability: A Cross-State Analysis of Charter and Traditional Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Sonja Martin

2011-01-01

Using data from the National Center for Educational Statistics, this article examines the relationship between strength of state accountability policy (i.e., external accountability) and internal accountability, defined as a school-level system in which collective behaviors and conditions exist that direct the attention and effort of the internal…

Implications of Climate Change for State Bioassessment ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This draft report uses biological data collected by four states in wadeable rivers and streams to examine the components of state and tribal bioassessment and biomonitoring programs that may be vulnerable to climate change. The study investigates the potential to identify biological response signals to climate change within existing bioassessment data sets; analyzes how biological responses can be categorized and interpreted; and assesses how they may influence decision-making processes. The analyses suggest that several biological indicators may be used to detect climate change effects and such indicators can be used by state bioassessment programs to document changes at high-quality reference sites. The study investigates the potential to identify biological response signals to climate change within existing bioassessment data sets; analyzes how biological responses can be categorized and interpreted; and assesses how they may influence decision-making processes.

Understanding Obesity Perceptions in America: An Exploratory Study of Public Perceptions of the Problem and Possible Actions for Health Product Marketers.

PubMed

Emmett, Dennis; Chandra, Ashish

2015-01-01

Many healthcare professionals have stated that obesity is a major problem in the United States. The rate of obesity in young people has been rising until just recently, when it was reported to have leveled off. The authors examine the problem in terms of people's perception of how great a problem it is, along with examining their perception of the causes and possible remedies for the problem. If the general population does not believe that a problem exists, then corrective action will be hampered. Then, the authors examine what impact this has on marketing products to address this problem.

Variability and Limits of US State Laws Regulating Workplace Wellness Programs.

PubMed

Pomeranz, Jennifer L; Garcia, Andrea M; Vesprey, Randy; Davey, Adam

2016-06-01

We examined variability in state laws related to workplace wellness programs for public and private employers. We conducted legal research using LexisNexis and Westlaw to create a master list of US state laws that existed in 2014 dedicated to workplace wellness programs. The master list was then divided into laws focusing on public employers and private employers. We created 2 codebooks to describe the variables used to examine the laws. Coders used LawAtlas(SM) Workbench to code the laws related to workplace wellness programs. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia had laws related to workplace wellness programs in 2014. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia had laws dedicated to public employers, and 16 states had laws dedicated to private employers. Nine states and the District of Columbia had laws that did not specify employer type. State laws varied greatly in their methods of encouraging or shaping wellness program requirements. Few states have comprehensive requirements or incentives to support evidence-based workplace wellness programs.

Panethnicity revisited: contested group boundaries in the post-9/11 era

PubMed Central

Bozorgmehr, Mehdi; Ong, Paul; Tosh, Sarah

2016-01-01

Existing theories of panethnicity in the USA concentrate on Asian Americans and Latinos, two umbrella groups that originally coalesced during the 1960s civil rights era. Although the role played by the state is recognized as central to panethnic development, we argue that the influence of this pivotal variable is contingent on historical context. Through a case study of emerging minority groups (Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans in the post-9/11 era), we re-examine the existing conceptualization of panethnicity at a time when the state plays a more punitive than compensatory role. Using a methodology that draws on a range of novel sources, we document the way that pre-existing ethnic, religious and national-origin labels have been reinforced instead of panethnic labels for the populations under study. Accordingly, we develop an updated conceptualization of group formation that incorporates historical context and the role of the state in the post-9/11 era. PMID:27182093

Emergency Contraceptive Pills: A 10-Year Follow-up Survey of Use and Experiences at College Health Centers in the Mid-Atlantic United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Laura McKeller; Sawyer, Robin G.

2006-01-01

The authors conducted a 10-year follow-up study using a telephone survey to investigate the availability of emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) at college health centers in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. They also examined related issues, such as distribution procedure, existence of a written protocol, personnel involved,…

Developing an Enterprise Systems Appropriation Model in the Public Sector: A Case Study of Implementing Payroll System Replacement (PAYSERV) at the New York State Office of the State Comptroller

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamya, Moses M.

2009-01-01

This dissertation examines an enterprise system appropriation process applying structuration theory and adaptive structuration theory (AST). The key research questions are: (1) what structures emerge from the implementation of enterprise information technology (EIT); (2) how do enterprise technologies and existing organization structures influence…

Study of the Applicability of Part 398 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to the Interstate Transportation of Migrant Farmworkers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes (J.A.) Associates, Inc., Washington, DC.

Major components of a study conducted in 1977 and 1978 were: (1) an examination of existing literature on migrant transportation; (2) collection of pertinent empirical data from federal, state, and migrant work camp records; and (3) vehicle counts and observation at 32 selected locations in 11 destination states in the western, midwestern, and…

Comparison of Health-Related Measures of Two Groups of Adolescents in a Rural Southeastern County in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sands, Charles D.; Hensarling, Robert W.; Angel, James B.

2009-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish baseline values on physiological parameters for 7-11 graders (n = 146) in a rural area of Alabama and to examine whether differences existed among the adolescents in the county. Design: Descriptive. Setting: Many adolescents in the southern portion of the United States suffer disproportionately…

Signal systems asset management state-of-the-practice review

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-04-01

The purpose of this project is to obtain a better understanding of operations-level asset management by examining the specific case of signal systems. Key products will include: a synthesis of existing signal systems asset management practices; a gen...

78 FR 68741 - Tebuconazole; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-15

... States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 2003-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, What... Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS), proprietary market surveys... each existing use is derived by combining available public and private market survey data for that use...

An examination of Washington state’s vehicle impoundment law for motorcycle endorsements : traffic tech.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

In July 2007, Washington State modified its vehicle code : to clarify that its existing impoundment law for unlicensed : drivers also applies to operators without specially : endorsed licenses, including motorcycle riders, and : expressly allows law ...

Existence of bound states of a polaron with a breather in soft potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuevas, J.; Kevrekidis, P. G.; Frantzeskakis, D. J.; Bishop, A. R.

2006-08-01

We consider polarons in models of coupled electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom, in the presence of a soft nonlinear substrate potential (Morse potential). In particular, we focus on a bound state of a polaron with a breather, a so-called “polarobreather.” We analyze the existence of these states based on frequency resonance conditions and illustrate their stability using Floquet spectrum techniques. Multisite solutions of this type are also obtained both in the stationary case (bond-centered and twisted polarons) and in the breathing case (bond-centered and twisted polarobreathers). For all the branches examined, the dynamical evolution of instabilities pertinent to the corresponding solutions are also briefly discussed. Finally, a different branch of so-called phantom polarobreathers is also demonstrated.

The effect that state and federal housing policies have on vehicle miles of travel.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-11-07

This report examines the ability of existing and proposed affordable housing policies to align : with sustainable transportation goals in California. First, we compare the ability of Low Income : Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Redevelopment funded pr...

Extensive Green Roof Research Program at Colorado State University

EPA Science Inventory

In the high elevation, semi-arid climate of Colorado, green roofs have not been scientifically tested. This research examined alternative plant species, media blends, and plant interactions on an existing modular extensive green roof in Denver, Colorado. Six plant species were ev...

What Predicts Whether Foreign Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Institutions Stay in the United States: Foreign Doctorate Recipients in Science and Engineering Fields from 2000 to 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roh, Jin-Young

2015-01-01

Using data from the Survey of Earned Doctorates by the National Science Foundation, this study examines factors influencing foreign doctorate recipients' decisions to stay in the United States after they complete their degrees. This study expands the existing literature on human capital theory on migration decision by exploring the variables that…

Examining the Effects of READ 180 with Sixth Grade Students in a Southwest United States School District Based on a Formative Assessment--Measures of Academic Progress--and Its Impact on Leadership Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Daniel A.

2012-01-01

An achievement gap in reading existed in a Southwest United States school district with Hispanic, economically disadvantaged, English Language Learners (ELLs), and special education sixth grade students based on Measures of Academic Progress data. This study investigated the effectiveness of the "READ 180" reading intervention program…

School Meal Programs: Few Instances of Foodborne Outbreaks Reported, but Opportunities Exist To Enhance Outbreak Data and Food Safety Practices. Report to Congressional Requesters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyckman, Lawrence J.

This report details a study by the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) of food safety in public schools. The study examined: (1) the frequency and causes of reported food-borne illness outbreaks associated with the federal school-meal programs; and (2) the practices that federal, state, and local governments, as well as other food…

The Adam Walsh Act: An Examination of Sex Offender Risk Classification Systems.

PubMed

Zgoba, Kristen M; Miner, Michael; Levenson, Jill; Knight, Raymond; Letourneau, Elizabeth; Thornton, David

2016-12-01

This study was designed to compare the Adam Walsh Act (AWA) classification tiers with actuarial risk assessment instruments and existing state classification schemes in their respective abilities to identify sex offenders at high risk to re-offend. Data from 1,789 adult sex offenders released from prison in four states were collected (Minnesota, New Jersey, Florida, and South Carolina). On average, the sexual recidivism rate was approximately 5% at 5 years and 10% at 10 years. AWA Tier 2 offenders had higher Static-99R scores and higher recidivism rates than Tier 3 offenders, and in Florida, these inverse correlations were statistically significant. Actuarial measures and existing state tier systems, in contrast, did a better job of identifying high-risk offenders and recidivists. As well, we examined the distribution of risk assessment scores within and across tier categories, finding that a majority of sex offenders fall into AWA Tier 3, but more than half score low or moderately low on the Static-99R. The results indicate that the AWA sex offender classification scheme is a poor indicator of relative risk and is likely to result in a system that is less effective in protecting the public than those currently implemented in the states studied. © The Author(s) 2015.

Environmental Education in a Region of Rapid Economic Development: The Case of Sarawak.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Stephen.

1995-01-01

Discusses an innovative approach to environmental education that takes into account the interactions between cultural diversity and environmental controversy. Examines the situation in Sarawak, a State of East Malaysia, in the light of existing theoretical work. Contains 21 references. (JRH)

Armed Conflict, Substance Use and HIV: A Global Analysis

PubMed Central

Kerridge, Bradley T.; Saha, Tulshi D.; Hasin, Deborah S.

2015-01-01

Armed conflict is frequently assumed to be a contributor to the global HIV epidemic, but existing evidence is sparse. We examined the relationship between armed conflict between 2002-2008 and HIV disability life years (DALYs) in 2010 among WHO Member States. Using partial least squares analysis we also examined moderation of the armed conflict-HIV link by two susceptibility constructs (background risk, substance use) and one vulnerability mediator (numbers of refugees, people on ART, and total HIV spending). Background risk directly impacted HIV DALYs (p<0.05), substance use moderated the conflict-HIV relationship (p<0.01). The vulnerability construct mediated the conflict-HIV association (p<0.01). Findings underscore the need to align HIV prevention/intervention efforts with pre-existing HIV burden and reduce the impact of natural disasters on the populace in conflict-affected states. Integration of substance prevention/harm reduction programs within national HIV responses, attention to most-at-risk populations and increased surveillance/treatment of drug resistant HIV and TB is warranted. PMID:26286341

Wetland mitigation banking for the oil and gas industry: Assessment, conclusions, and recommendations

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

Wilkey, P.L.; Sundell, R.C.; Bailey, K.A.

1994-01-01

Wetland mitigation banks are already in existence in the United States, and the number is increasing. To date, most of these banks have been created and operated for mitigation of impacts arising from highway or commercial development and have not been associated with the oil and gas industry. Argonne National Laboratory evaluated the positive and negative aspects of wetland mitigation banking for the oil and gas industry by examining banks already created for other uses by federal, state, and private entities. Specific issues addressed in this study include (1) the economic, ecological, and technical effectiveness of existing banks; (2) themore » changing nature of local, state, and federal jurisdiction; and (3) the unique regulatory and jurisdictional problems affecting bank developments associated with the oil and gas industry.« less

California Groundwater Management During Drought: Existing and Future Regulatory Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekdahl, E.; Boland-Brien, S.; Vanderburgh, B.; Landau, K.; Bean, J.; Peltier, T.

2015-12-01

Groundwater has served as an effective buffer to California's crippling drought of 2012-2015, allowing continued agricultural production in many areas where surface water deliveries have been curtailed. However, over-reliance on groundwater has caused plummeting groundwater levels in much of the state's heavily agricultural regions, with annual groundwater overdraft state-wide estimated in the millions of acre-feet per year. Prior to 2015, California water law did not allow for the effective monitoring or assessment of groundwater use; passage of new state regulations will require development of locally-managed plans that, for the first time, require comprehensive groundwater management and groundwater basin sustainability. Because these plans are not required to be implemented for another 25 years, groundwater levels will likely continue to decrease. Some communities that are 100-percent reliant on groundwater as a source of municipal supply may face shortages and supply issues, which may exacerbate known water quality concerns. Examination of community water systems that are reliant on groundwater, their existing water quality issues, and their response to the current drought (through existing mandatory conservation requirements imposed by California state regulators) can identify areas that are particularly susceptible to continued groundwater overdraft.

Professional Learning Communities Impact on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Jan L.

2013-01-01

This study examined the impact of the Professional Learning Community model on student achievement in the state of California. Specifically, the study compared student achievement between two school types: Professional Learning Community schools and Non Professional Learning schools. The research utilized existing API scores for California schools…

Academic Deficiency: Student Experiences of Institutional Labeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barouch-Gilbert, Abraham

2015-01-01

Limited existing research examines how undergraduate students in the United States experience the process of being identified as deficient due to their academic performance. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of college students on academic probation who were labeled academically deficient. Students…

The International Curriculum: Current Trends and Emerging Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richter, Jesse Jones

2015-01-01

This paper examines the current state of tertiary level international curricula and provides groundwork for future research aimed at ongoing needs. Recognized is the premise that existing international curricular programs require maintenance. Burn (1995) called for curriculum reform in international departments two decades ago with the rationale…

What Happens If the Stars Go Out? U.S. Army Dependence on the Global Positioning System

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-11

line in the 1970s has continued to evolve with the technological advances in satellite power management , frequency encryption, and GPS receiver... manage his forces, limitations still exist. As stated by Giles Ebutt from Jane’s International Defense, ―These blue-force tracking (BFT) systems...complexity and thus there exists a need for close examination of the Army’s use, application, and management of GPS data. Chapter 3 guides the reader through

Performing under pressure: Exploring the psychological state underlying clutch performance in sport.

PubMed

Swann, Christian; Crust, Lee; Jackman, Patricia; Vella, Stewart A; Allen, Mark S; Keegan, Richard

2017-12-01

Clutch performance is improved performance under pressure. However, little research has examined the psychological state experienced by athletes in these situations. Therefore, this study qualitatively examined the subjective experience underlying clutch performance across a range of sports (e.g., team, individual) and standards (Olympic to recreational athletes). Sixteen athletes (M age  = 27.08 years; SD = 6.48) took part in in-depth, semi-structured interviews primarily after an exceptional performance (M = 4.38 days later; SD = 3.14). Data were analysed inductively and thematically. Clutch states involved 12 characteristics, including heightened and deliberate concentration, intense effort, and heightened awareness, which distinguished the experience of clutch from other optimal psychological states such as flow. Other characteristics, such as perceptions of control, were also reported and supported previous experimental research on clutch. These findings present in-depth qualitative insights into the psychological state underlying clutch performance, and are discussed in relation to the existing literature on optimal psychological states in sport.

Influence of Marital Status on Attitude of Midwives towards OSCE and Their Performance in the Examination in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, Emon Umoe; Mgbekem, Mary Achi; Nsemo, Alberta David; Ojong-Alacia, Mary Manyo; Nkwonta, Chigozie A.; Mobolaji-Olajide, O. M.

2015-01-01

This quantitative study investigated the influence of marital status on the midwives' attitude towards OSCE and how this affects their performance in the examination. Two hypotheses guided the study. HO 1 sort to find out if there exist a significant influence of marital status of midwives on their attitude towards OSCE as well as performance in…

Drinking-Age Laws: An Evaluation Synthesis of Their Impact on Highway Safety. Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, Committee on Public Works and Transportation, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Program Evaluation and Methodology Div.

This study examined existing evaluations of drinking-age laws to determine the extent to which they provide empirical support for federal and state initiatives to change the legal drinking age. It specifically examined the effects that raising the minimum drinking age has had on traffic accidents, beverage alcohol consumption, driving after…

Wyoming Career and Technical Education Policy Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MPR Associates, Inc., 2009

2009-01-01

This policy analysis was produced for the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information by MPR Associates, Inc. Its purpose was to examine federal and state policy related to career and technical education (CTE) to determine whether existing policy (in the form of statutes, rules, regulations, and guidance) could either promote or impede…

Capital Punishment, Gun Ownership, and Homicide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleck, Gary

1979-01-01

Examines two controversial questions related to the problem of interpersonal violence in America: (1) Does use of the death penalty exert any measurable influence on the rate of homicide in the United States? (2) What relationship, if any, exists between the level of gun ownership and the level of homicide violence? (Author)

School Empowerment Surges Ahead in 2007-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snell, Lisa

2008-01-01

School empowerment and weighted student formula programs continue to grow across the United States. This article explores the key components of school empowerment programs and describes several existing programs from Baltimore to San Francisco. The article examines some of the anecdotal outcomes for these types of public school choice programs.…

Birthin' Babies: The History of Midwifery in Appalachia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Patricia; Parker, Vicky K.; Zajdel, Ruth Hopkins

This paper examines the history of midwifery in Appalachia. Throughout history, women in labor have been supported by other women. Midwives learned as apprentices, gaining skills and knowledge from older women. Eventually, formalized training for midwives was developed in Europe, but no professional training existed in the United States until…

The Effects of Migration on Children: An Ethnographic Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prewitt Diaz, Joseph O.; And Others

This report re-examines previously gathered ethnographic data derived from approximately 3,000 hours of interviews with migrants across the United States to determine what factors associated with migration affect children's educational outcomes. The data suggest the existence of a "culture of migrancy," which is manifested in similar…

Reflections on the New Russian Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boe, Barbara L.

1993-01-01

Describes a trip to Russia by a delegation of educators from the United States to learn about educational reform, examining the 10 principles currently guiding reform efforts in Russia. Participants learned that education there has already changed from the version that existed under the U.S.S.R. governmental structure. (SM)

Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Counseling Services among Chinese International Students: Acculturation, Ethnic Identity, and English Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jiaqi; Marbley, Aretha Faye; Bradley, Loretta J.; Lan, William

2016-01-01

The authors examined the help-seeking attitudes of 109 Chinese international students studying in the United States. Results revealed that significant relationships exist among acculturation, ethnic identity, English proficiency, and attitudes toward seeking professional counseling services. Limitations and recommendations for future research are…

The Unfinished Business of Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Bureau of Adult/Community Education.

A Florida task force investigated the educational levels of the state's elderly population. Data collection included the construction of statistical summaries, examination of existing documents (including a prior study of education and the elderly), and a review of the literature on aging. The following information was gained from the study: a…

Turning around Schools: A View from the Superintendent/Central Office as Policy Implementers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grandson, Charles A., IV

2014-01-01

This single case study examines how stakeholders of a local education agency (LEA) understand and implement state turnaround policy for its chronically underperforming schools. While there is ample research on how to improve chronically underperforming schools, a research gap exists specifically around addressing implementation of mandated…

Informal Adoption Among Black Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Robert B.

This study of informal adoption patterns among black families throughout the United States examines the role of the extended family and the functioning of a kinship network which includes foster care of children by relatives other than parents. The study's basic mode of investigation was secondary analysis of existing data: quantitative national…

Security/Life Safety: A Need for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellsworth, Douglas

2003-01-01

In response to legislation, colleges and universities in several states must prepare to install sprinkler systems. Four basic issues an engineering study should examine include: whether the existing water service has the size, capacity, and pressure to support a sprinkler system; whether the protected facility will have to comply with more…

The Myth of Cognitive Consistency: Psychological Theories and Intimate Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horowitz, Sandra V.

Several psychological theories are viable when examining the victims of intimate violence, specifically battered women. Although cognitive consistency models view individuals as striving toward balanced cognitive states, battered women can exist with the cognitive inconsistency of being harmed by men who love them. The theory of cognitive arousal…

Student Partisan Identity and Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Christopher H.

2017-01-01

Political division in the United States is the subject of much analysis in the fields of political science and psychology. While political partisanship looms large over discussions of the national political climate's influence on schools and classrooms, very little work exists that directly examines the effects of high school students' political…

The foliar chemistry dynamic in eastern hemlock and how it relates to the competitive mechanism between two invasive herbivores: Adelges tsugae and Fiorinia externa.

Treesearch

Mailea R. Miller-Pierce; Evan L. Preisser; Dave A. Orwig

2009-01-01

While invasive species themselves have been examined, little work has addressed the question of competition between two invasive specialists on a shared host. An example of this situation exists in the eastern United States, where...

Early Childhood Professionalism in Serbia: Current Issues and Developments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bankovic, Ivana

2014-01-01

This article explores early childhood professionalism in the Republic of Serbia. The concept of professionalism in this context is examined in light of current international debates about professionalism. More specifically, how the use of specific nomenclature, the existence of multi-professional teams of practitioners and state-regulated but…

Mental/Behavioral Health Services: Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services 1915(c) Waiver Allocation for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

PubMed

Friedman, Carli; Lulinski, Amie; Rizzolo, Mary C

2015-08-01

Research has indicated that people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) appear to be more vulnerable to having a co-existing psychiatric diagnosis. This study examined Medicaid 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver applications for people with IDD to determine the mental/behavioral health services proposed. We found that a large variance exists across states in projected spending for services, spending per participant, annual hours of service per participant, and hourly reimbursement rates. Moreover, compared to overall funding we found a general lack of state commitment to mental/behavioral services. States must shore up the capacity of their HCBS 1915 (c) waivers to support people with behavioral challenges in addition to IDD in order to assure that services continue to be delivered in the least restrictive environment appropriate.

Investigations of possible states for coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism

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

Ham, T.E.

1984-01-01

Ginzburg-Landau theory is used to investigate states in which both superconductivity and ferromagnetism exist simultaneously in certain rare-earth ternary compounds. The spontaneous vortex state of Kuper, Revzen and Ron is reexamined and extended to include magnetic oscillations within each vortex cell and the existence of antiferromagnetically aligned vortices. The linearly polarized state of Greenside, Blount and Varma is reinvestigated in what appears to be a more physically acceptable range of parameters that are used in the Ginzburg-Landau free energy functional. The square antiferromagnetic vortex lattice state proposed by Hu and Ham is investigated here for the first time, energetically comparedmore » to the states proposed by Kuper, et al. and Greenside, et al., and used to model the observed coexistence state observed in ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/. The results show that this square antiferromagnetic vortex lattice state is energetically favored over the linearly polarized state in large parameter and temperature range. Such a lattice also appears to be a good model to explain many of the experimental observations made on ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/. Thus, it is felt that this vortex lattice is the best model, yet examined, to explain the coexistence state in ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/.« less

Nonlinear-optical activity owing to anisotropy of ultrafast nonlinear refraction in cubic materials.

PubMed

Hutchings, D C

1995-08-01

The evolution of the polarization state in a cubic material with an anisotropic Kerr nonlinearity is examined. It is shown that in certain cases this provides a mechanism for nonlinear-optical activity, leaving the state of the polarization unchanged but causing a signif icant rotation in its major axis. The use of the anisotropic ultrafast nonlinear refraction that exists just beneath the half-gap in semiconductors to demonstrate these effects is discussed.

Examining gender salary disparities: an analysis of the 2003 multistate salary survey.

PubMed

Brown, Lawrence M; Schommer, Jon C; Mott, Dave; Gaither, Caroline A; Doucette, William R; Zgarrick, Dave P; Droege, Marcus

2006-09-01

Pharmacist salary and wage surveys have been conducted at the state and national level for more than 20 years; however, it is not known to what extent, if any, wage disparities due to gender still exist. The overall objective of this study was to determine if wage disparities exist among male and female pharmacists at the multistate and individual state level for each of 6 states studied. A secondary objective was to explore the effect of various demographic variables on the hourly wages of pharmacists. Data were collected from 1,688 pharmacists in 6 states during 2003 using a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. A multiple regression analysis on hourly wage testing the effects of state of practice, practice setting, position, terminal degree, and years in practice was conducted. Subsequent multiple regression analyses were conducted individually for each of the 6 states to test the effects of the above variables on hourly wage for both male and female pharmacists, followed by state-level analyses for male and female pharmacists, respectively. For the pooled data, all variables were found to be significant predictors of hourly wage, except for earning a PharmD degree without a residency or graduate degree. Gender was not a significant predictor of wage disparities in the state-level analyses. Position was the only significant predictor of wage disparities in all states (except Tennessee) such that pharmacists in management positions make significantly higher salaries than those in staff positions. The results of these analyses suggest that wage disparities due to gender do not exist at the state level for the 6 states surveyed, when controlling for practice setting, position, terminal degree, and years in practice. The larger number of men in management positions may explain lower wages for female pharmacists.

Work-related trauma, PTSD, and workers compensation legislation: Implications for practice and policy.

PubMed

Wise, Edward A; Beck, J Gayle

2015-09-01

The current review examines work-related traumatic events, with particular focus on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a potential mental health outcome. Despite considerable empirical knowledge about trauma and PTSD, a gap exists with respect to laws undergirding Workers Compensation (WC) insurance coverage for work-related mental health injuries. In this article, state and federal WC statutes are examined with an eye toward coverage of PTSD following work-related trauma. Examples of differences between states, as well as state-specific idiosyncratic facets of WC laws, are discussed. Federal WC programs are also examined. Two policy issues are highlighted: (a) lack of parity between WC coverage for work-related physical versus mental health injuries and (b) lack of reliance on psychological science in scripting legislation and determining WC benefits. The cost of untreated PTSD following work-related trauma is examined, focusing on costs to the individual, the employer, and society at large. The authors provide 3 recommendations designed to address discrepancies related to compensable psychological injuries following work-related trauma exposure. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The reliability of the clinical examination in predicting hemodynamic status in acute febrile illness in a tropical, resource-limited setting.

PubMed

Moek, Felix; Poe, Poe; Charunwatthana, Prakaykaew; Pan-Ngum, Wirichada; Wattanagoon, Yupaporn; Chierakul, Wirongrong

2018-05-19

The clinical examination alone is widely considered unreliable when assessing fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients. Little evidence exists on the performance of the clinical examination to predict other hemodynamic derangements or more complex hemodynamic states. Patients with acute febrile illness were assessed on admission, both clinically and per non-invasive hemodynamic measurement. Correlations between clinical signs and hemodynamics patterns were analyzed, and the predictive capacity of the clinical signs was examined. Seventy-one patients were included; the most common diagnoses were bacterial sepsis, scrub typhus and dengue infection. Correlations between clinical signs and hemodynamic parameters were only statistically significant for Cardiac Index (r=0.75, p-value <0.01), Systemic Vascular Resistance Index (r=0.79, p-value <0.01) and flow time corrected (r=0.44, p-value 0.03). When assessing the predictive accuracy of clinical signs, the model identified only 62% of hemodynamic states correctly, even less if there was more than one hemodynamic abnormality. The clinical examination is not reliable to assess a patient's hemodynamic status in acute febrile illness. Fluid responsiveness, cardiodepression and more complex hemodynamic states are particularly easily missed.

Energy efficiency in nonprofit agencies: Creating effective program models

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

Brown, M.A.; Prindle, B.; Scherr, M.I.

Nonprofit agencies are a critical component of the health and human services system in the US. It has been clearly demonstrated by programs that offer energy efficiency services to nonprofits that, with minimal investment, they can educe their energy consumption by ten to thirty percent. This energy conservation potential motivated the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to conceive a project to help states develop energy efficiency programs for nonprofits. The purpose of the project was two-fold: (1) to analyze existing programs to determine which design and delivery mechanisms are particularly effective, and (2) to create model programsmore » for states to follow in tailoring their own plans for helping nonprofits with energy efficiency programs. Twelve existing programs were reviewed, and three model programs were devised and put into operation. The model programs provide various forms of financial assistance to nonprofits and serve as a source of information on energy efficiency as well. After examining the results from the model programs (which are still on-going) and from the existing programs, several replicability factors'' were developed for use in the implementation of programs by other states. These factors -- some concrete and practical, others more generalized -- serve as guidelines for states devising program based on their own particular needs and resources.« less

"Color-Blind" Racism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Leslie G.

Examining race relations in the United States from a historical perspective, this book explains how the constitution is racist and how color blindness is actually a racist ideology. It is argued that Justice Harlan, in his dissenting opinion in Plessy v. Ferguson, meant that the constitution and the law must remain blind to the existence of race…

United States forest disturbance trends observed with landsat time series

Treesearch

Jeffrey G. Masek; Samuel N. Goward; Robert E. Kennedy; Warren B. Cohen; Gretchen G. Moisen; Karen Schleweiss; Chengquan Huang

2013-01-01

Disturbance events strongly affect the composition, structure, and function of forest ecosystems; however, existing US land management inventories were not designed to monitor disturbance. To begin addressing this gap, the North American Forest Dynamics (NAFD) project has examined a geographic sample of 50 Landsat satellite image time series to assess trends in forest...

The Uneven Performance of Arizona's Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chingos, Matthew M.; West, Martin R.

2015-01-01

Arizona enrolls a larger share of its students in charter schools than any other state in the country, but no comprehensive examination exists of the impact of those schools on student achievement. Using student-level data covering all Arizona students from 2006 to 2012, we find that the performance of charter schools in Arizona in improving…

A Study of the Leadership Practices of South Carolina Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redish, Carlotta D.

2010-01-01

This dissertation is a report of a mixed method study that examines the leadership practices of black and white public school superintendents in the state of South Carolina. The researcher explored any self-perceived leadership practice differences, if existent, between black and white superintendents and, if so, were the race of the…

The Effectiveness of OSU-PTSD Screening Survey in Natural Disasters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulut, Sefa; Palmer, Linda; Oehler-Stinnett, Judy; Bulut, Solmaz

There is little empirical research existing in the areas of natural disaster's effects on children's mental health. Therefore, the purpose of this study was twofold. First, it examined the effectiveness of the Oklahoma State University Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (OSU-PTSD) Screening Scale after two different types of natural disasters. The…

Job Attainment and Perceived Role Differences of Cyberschool Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jayson W.; Beck, Dennis; LaFrance, Jason; McLeod, Scott

2016-01-01

As cyberschooling options expand, it is vital that we understand the nuances of these particular learning opportunities. Because little research exists on leaders of K-12 cyberschools, this exploratory case study had two purposes. We first examined how 18 cyberschool leaders in the United States obtained their position. Second, we explored the…

Social, Attitudinal, and Demographic Correlates of Adolescent vs College-Age Tobacco Use Initiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockdale, Margaret S.; Dawson-Owens, Hayley L.; Sagrestano, Lynda M.

2005-01-01

Objective: To examine associations between social influences and smoking-related attitudes and age of cigarette use initiation among college students. Methods: Responses from 3 campus surveys (2 random, 1 convenience) were analyzed. The surveys were modeled from existing state or national tobacco surveys and other psychometrically valid surveys.…

Measurement of Ecological Dissonance with Bases of Power.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Shang-Ping

This study examined a new measure of ecological dissonance (ED), whether different degrees of ED existed within levels of a university's power hierarchy, the relationship between ED and worker morale as a function of administrative power levels, and ED theory. Ninety-four faculty members at Mississippi State University completed the Index of Power…

Ageing and People with Learning Disabilities: In Search of Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Carol

2015-01-01

Background: Growing numbers of people with learning disabilities are now living into older age. This study aims to examine the state of knowledge about their lives and the challenges that ageing has for both family carers and policymakers and practitioners. Materials and Methods: The article synthesises existing research in the fields of learning…

University Business Models and Online Practices: A Third Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Beth

2013-01-01

Higher Education is in a state of change, and the existing business models do not meet the needs of stakeholders. This article contrasts the current dominant business models of universities, comparing the traditional non-profit against the for-profit online model, examining the structural features and online teaching practices that underlie each.…

Is Singapore's School Geography Relevant to Our Changing World?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Chew-Hung

2011-01-01

How school geography should be taught has been a longstanding issue for geography educators. In some countries, state or national level curriculum predicates how the subject should be taught in schools. This paper examines these questions in relation to existing frameworks of conceptualizing school geography, such as the International Charter on…

Latin American Investigative Journalism Education: Learning Practices, Learning Gaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitz Weiss, Amy; de Macedo Higgins Joyce, Vanessa; Saldaña, Magdalena; Alves, Rosental Calmon

2017-01-01

This study seeks to examine the state of investigative journalism practices used in higher education in Latin America. Using a meta-theoretical framework called the Community of Practice (CoP), this study seeks to identify whether a particular learning practice exists in this region. Based on an online survey conducted on Latin American educators…

Gun Violence and the Meaning of American Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnick, Bryan R.; Kim, Sang Hyun; Robinson, Shannon

2015-01-01

In the United States, targeted school shootings have become a distinct genre of violence. In this essay, Bryan Warnick, Sang Hyun Kim, and Shannon Robinson examine the social meanings that exist in American society that might contribute to this phenomenon, focusing on the question: "Why are schools conceptualized as appropriate places to…

Study of School District Administration and Staffing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.

School district administration and staffing patterns are examined in this report prepared in response to CRS 22-2-118, which requires the Colorado Department of Education to conduct a study to determine where savings of state and local funds may be realized. Section 1 offers an analysis of district staffing patterns from existing data. The second…

Teachers' Constructions of Democracy: Intersections of Western and Indigenous Knowledge in South Africa and Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubow, Patricia K.

2007-01-01

In this article, the author aims to explore the roles of knowledge in constructions of democracy. First, she discusses theoretical ways to differentiate among some of the existing perspectives on democracy and citizenship within democratic states. She also examines Western conceptions of democracy and democratic citizenship, which draw…

Urban Development and Employment: The Prospects for Calcutta.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubell, Harold

The study, one of the World Employment Program projects, discusses the general state of the economy as it has affected employment in West Bengal and Calcutta. It also examines the body of existing information on migration, employment, and unemployment in Calcutta. A consideration of the economic effect of development of Calcutta's infrastructure…

English Language Learners and Reading Instruction: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Elizabeth; Witmer, Sara E.; Schmitt, Heather

2017-01-01

The growing English language learner (ELL) population in the United States warrants an examination of reading intervention effectiveness with this population. The reading achievement of ELLs is of particular concern due to the importance of reading skills and the innate language barriers that exist for ELLs. This article reviews existing…

An Examination of Superintendent Salaries and Compensation Packages in Kentucky

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Lisa M.

2014-01-01

The salaries and compensation packages of women in the United States fall short of those to men holding similar employment positions. This study will look specifically at the salaries and compensation packages of current Kentucky school superintendents and investigate whether or not there exists discrepencies among them along gender lines. The…

A National Survey of Research Activity and Attitudes in Student Affairs Divisions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Deborah Hazel; Steele, Brenton H.

1984-01-01

Surveyed 100 chief student personnel officers to examine the current state of research in student affairs at colleges and universities and explore institutional variables related to the existence and structure of such research. Focuses on the extent, type, usefulness, and structure of research activity in this area. (JAC)

"The 400-Pound Gorilla": The Role of The Research University in City Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Karri A.; Harris, Michael S.

2018-01-01

In cities across the United States higher education institutions exist in tandem with a range of other socio-cultural and economic organizations, such as businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. The role of colleges and universities in city development is important, and empirical examination of universities' role in and relationship with…

Beyond Abstinence-Only: Relationships between Abstinence Education and Comprehensive Topic Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffries, William L., IV; Dodge, Brian; Bandiera, Frank C.; Reece, Michael

2010-01-01

In the United States, a debate exists as to whether abstinence-only or comprehensive sexuality education strategies are most beneficial for school-age youth. Despite abstinence being a fundamental component of comprehensive education, the two are often characterized as polar opposites. Few studies have examined overlaps between the approaches. The…

Differential games.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varaiya, P. P.

1972-01-01

General discussion of the theory of differential games with two players and zero sum. Games starting at a fixed initial state and ending at a fixed final time are analyzed. Strategies for the games are defined. The existence of saddle values and saddle points is considered. A stochastic version of a differential game is used to examine the synthesis problem.

The Adaptation of Migrant Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portes, Alejandro; Rivas, Alejandro

2011-01-01

Alejandro Portes and Alejandro Rivas examine how young immigrants are adapting to life in the United States. They begin by noting the existence of two distinct pan-ethnic populations: Asian Americans, who tend to be the offspring of high-human-capital migrants, and Hispanics, many of whose parents are manual workers. Vast differences in each, both…

An Alternative Theoretical Model: Examining Psychosocial Identity Development of International Students in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Eunyoung

2012-01-01

Despite the plethora of college student identity development research, very little attention has been paid to the identity formation of international students. Rather than adopting existing identity theories in college student development, this exploratory qualitative study proposes a new psychosocial identity development model for international…

Conservation assessment of current and proposed nature reserves of Tamaulipas State, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cantú, César; Wright, R. Gerald; Scott, J. Michael; Strand, Eva

2003-01-01

The Mexican state of Tamaulipas located in the northeastern portion of the country currently has five state nature reserves covering slightly less than 3% of its land area. These reserves were established for a variety of reasons, many unrelated to the protection of biological resources. In 2000 in response to a growing concern about the lack of organized conservation reserve planning to protect the important biological and physical features of Mexico, the Mexican Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) proposed 13 new terrestrial reserves for Tamaulipas. If established these new reserves would increase the proportion of terrestrial protected lands in the state to over 21%. We compiled a geographic information system (GIS) using existing digital thematic maps of physical and biological features to examine how the existing and proposed reserves might serve to protect the biodiversity and physical features of the state. We found that most of the existing protected sites occur in areas with elevations > 1000-2000 m with temperate climate and dominated by pine forest, oak forest, and cloud forest vegetation cover types. The state's dominant biotic region - low elevation coastal plain with tropical and arid climate types and xeric scrub vegetation - is disproportionately underrepresented in the current reserve system. The creation of the proposed areas would substantially increase the protection of mid and high elevation lands. The largest gap in the protected lands network would be low elevation, level, coastal lands.

Where Is Obesity Prevention on the Map? Distribution and Predictors of Local Health Department Prevention Activities in Relation to County-Level Obesity Prevalence in the US

PubMed Central

Stamatakis, Katherine A.; Leatherdale, Scott T.; Marx, Christine; Yan, Yan; Colditz, Graham A.; Brownson, Ross C.

2013-01-01

Context The system of local health departments (LHD) in the US has potential to advance a locally-oriented public health response in obesity control and reduce geographic disparities. However, the extent to which obesity prevention programs correspond to local obesity levels is unknown. Objective This study examines the extent to which LHDs across the US have responded to local levels of obesity by examining the association between jurisdiction level obesity prevalence and the existence of obesity prevention programs. Design Data on LHD organizational characteristics from the Profile Study of Local Health Departments and county-level estimates of obesity from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were analyzed (n=2,300). Since local public health systems are nested within state infrastructure, multilevel models were used to examine the relationship between county-level obesity prevalence and LHD obesity prevention programming and to assess the impact of state-level clustering. Setting 2,300 local health department jurisdictions defined with respect to county boundaries Participants Practitioners in local health departments who responded to the 2005 Profile Study of Local Health Departments. Main Outcome Measures Likelihood of having obesity prevention activities and association with area-level obesity prevalence Results The existence of obesity prevention activities was not associated with prevalence of obesity in the jurisdiction. A substantial portion of the variance in LHD activities was explained by state-level clustering. Conclusions This paper identified a gap in the local public health response to the obesity epidemic and underscores the importance of multilevel modeling in examining predictors of LHD performance. PMID:22836530

Trophic classification of selected Colorado lakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blackwell, R. J.; Boland, D. H. P.

1979-01-01

Multispectral scanner data, acquired over several Colorado lakes using LANDSAT-1 and aircraft, were used in conjunction with contact-sensed water quality data to determine the feasibility of assessing lacustrine trophic levels. A trophic state index was developed using contact-sensed data for several trophic indicators. Relationships between the digitally processed multispectral scanner data, several trophic indicators, and the trophic index were examined using a supervised multispectral classification technique and regression techniques. Statistically significant correlations exist between spectral bands, several of the trophic indicators and the trophic state index. Color-coded photomaps were generated which depict the spectral aspects of trophic state.

Pathological grief and the activation of latent self-images.

PubMed

Horowitz, M J; Wilner, N; Marmar, C; Krupnick, J

1980-10-01

The authors studied the case material for patients treated with either psychoanalysis or brief therapy to examine the basis for the various states of pathological grief after berevavement. They view these states as intensifications or unusual prolongations of states found in normal grief and describe them in terms of the reemergence of self-images and role relationship models that had been held in check by the existence ofthe deceased person. This conclusion concerning preexisting mental schemata leads to an elaboration and partial revision of theories of regression, ambivalence, and introjection as causes of pathological grief.

USDA snack food and beverage standards: how big of a stretch for the states?

PubMed

Chriqui, Jamie F; Piekarz, Elizabeth; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-06-01

The USDA snack food and beverage standards take effect in school year (SY) 2014-2015. Although the USDA standards will provide nationwide requirements, concerns exist about compliance. This study examined whether existing state laws are aligned with the USDA standards to determine whether some states may be better positioned to facilitate compliance. Codified state statutory and regulatory laws effective for SY 2012-2013 for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia were identified through Boolean keyword searches using the Westlaw and LexisNexis databases. Laws were analyzed for alignment with 18 snack food and beverage provisions contained within the USDA standards. Thirty-eight states had snack food and beverage standards; 33 states' laws exceeded restrictions on foods of minimal nutritional value. Of the 33 states, no states' laws fully met the USDA's standards, 16 states' laws fully met and 10 states' laws partially met at least one USDA provision, and seven states' laws met no USDA provisions. One state's law met 9 of 18 provisions. On average, states met 4 of 18 provisions. States were more likely to meet individual USDA beverage than snack provisions. Implementation and compliance with the USDA standards may be facilitated in states with laws already containing provisions aligned with the USDA standards and may be more difficult in states with fewer or no provisions in alignment, suggesting possible geographic areas for the USDA to target with technical assistance and training efforts and for advocates to work in to facilitate compliance.

Endemic tropical sprue in Rhodesia.

PubMed

Thomas, G; Clain, D J

1976-11-01

The existence of tropical sprue in Africa is controversial. In this paper we present 31 cases seen in Rhodesia over a 15 month period. They have the clinical features, small intestinal morphology, malabsorption pattern, and treatment response of tropical sprue. Other causes of malabsorption, and primary malnutrition, have been excluded. The severity of the clinical state and intestinal malabsorption distinguish these patients from those we have described with tropical enteropathy. The previous work on tropical sprue in Africa is reviewed and it is apparent that, when it has been adequately looked for, it has been found. It is clear that the question of tropical sprue in Africa must be re-examined and that it existence may have hitherto been concealed by the assumption that primary malnutrition is responsible for the high prevalence of deficiency states.

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM FOR WET DEPOSITION SAMPLING AND CHEMICAL ANALYSES FOR THE NATIONAL TRENDS NETWORK.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroder, LeRoy J.; Malo, Bernard A.; ,

1985-01-01

The purpose of the National Trends Network is to delineate the major inorganic constituents in the wet deposition in the United States. The approach chosen to monitor the Nation's wet deposition is to install approximately 150 automatic sampling devices with at least one collector in each state. Samples are collected at one week intervals, removed from collectors, and transported to an analytical laboratory for chemical analysis. The quality assurance program has divided wet deposition monitoring into 5 parts: (1) Sampling site selection, (2) sampling device, (3) sample container, (4) sample handling, and (5) laboratory analysis. Each of these five components is being examined using existing designs or new designs. Each existing or proposed sampling site is visited and a criteria audit is performed.

Management of carbon across sectors and scales: Insights from land use decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilling, L.; Failey, E. L.

2008-12-01

Carbon management is increasingly becoming a topic of interest among policy circles and business entrepreneurs alike. In the United States, while no binding regulatory framework exists, carbon management is nonetheless being pursued both by voluntary actions at a variety of levels, from the individual to the national level, and through mandatory policies at state and local levels. Controlling the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for climate purposes will ultimately require a form of governance that will ensure that the actions taken and being rewarded financially are indeed effective with respect to the global atmosphere on long time scales. Moreover, this new system of governance will need to interface with existing governance structures and decision criteria that have been established to arbitrate among various societal values and priorities. These existing institutions and expressed values will need to be examined against those proposed for effective carbon governance, such as the permanence of carbon storage, the additionality of credited activities, and the prevention of leakage, or displacement of prohibited activities to another region outside the governance boundary. The latter issue suggests that interactions among scales of decision making and governance will be extremely important in determining the ultimate success of any future system of carbon governance. The goal of our study is to understand the current context of land use decision making in different sectors and examine the potential for future carbon policy to be effective given this context. This study examined land use decision making in the U.S. state of Colorado from a variety of ownership perspectives, including US Federal land managers, individual private owners, and policy makers involved in land use at a number of different scales. This paper will report on the results of interviews with land managers and provide insight into the policy context for carbon management through land use. The study also examined the role of information in making decisions, and we will report some interesting contrasts between Federal and private land owner practices. Implications for science policy and the provision of useful information for decision making will be discussed.

Does Money Matter: Earnings Patterns Among a National Sample of the US State Governmental Public Health Agency Workforce

PubMed Central

Castrucci, Brian C.; Leider, Jonathon P.; Liss-Levinson, Rivka; Sellers, Katie

2015-01-01

Context: Earnings have been shown to be a critical point in workforce recruitment and retention. However, little is known about how much governmental public health staff are paid across the United States. Objective: To characterize earnings among state health agency central office employees. Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of state health agency central office employees in late 2014. The sampling approach was stratified by 5 (paired HHS) regions. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to correctly calculate variance estimates, given the complex sampling design. Descriptive and bivariate statistical comparisons were conducted. A linear regression model was used to examine correlates of earnings among full-time employees. Setting and Participants: A total of 9300 permanently employed, full-time state health agency central office staff who reported earnings information. Main Outcome Measure: Earnings are the main outcomes examined in this article. Results: Central office staff earn between $55 000 and $65 000 on average annually. Ascending supervisory status, educational attainment, and tenure are all associated with greater earnings. Those employed in clinical and laboratory positions and public health science positions earn more than their colleagues in administrative positions. Disparities exist between men and women, with men earning more, all else being equal (P < .001). Racial/ethnic disparities also exist, after accounting for other factors. Conclusions: This study provides baseline information to characterize the workforce and key challenges that result from earnings levels, including disparities in earnings that persist after accounting for education and experience. Data from the survey can inform strategies to address earnings issues and help reduce disparities. PMID:26422496

Does Money Matter: Earnings Patterns Among a National Sample of the US State Governmental Public Health Agency Workforce.

PubMed

Castrucci, Brian C; Leider, Jonathon P; Liss-Levinson, Rivka; Sellers, Katie

2015-01-01

Earnings have been shown to be a critical point in workforce recruitment and retention. However, little is known about how much governmental public health staff are paid across the United States. To characterize earnings among state health agency central office employees. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of state health agency central office employees in late 2014. The sampling approach was stratified by 5 (paired HHS) regions. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to correctly calculate variance estimates, given the complex sampling design. Descriptive and bivariate statistical comparisons were conducted. A linear regression model was used to examine correlates of earnings among full-time employees. A total of 9300 permanently employed, full-time state health agency central office staff who reported earnings information. Earnings are the main outcomes examined in this article. Central office staff earn between $55,000 and $65,000 on average annually. Ascending supervisory status, educational attainment, and tenure are all associated with greater earnings. Those employed in clinical and laboratory positions and public health science positions earn more than their colleagues in administrative positions. Disparities exist between men and women, with men earning more, all else being equal (P < .001). Racial/ethnic disparities also exist, after accounting for other factors. This study provides baseline information to characterize the workforce and key challenges that result from earnings levels, including disparities in earnings that persist after accounting for education and experience. Data from the survey can inform strategies to address earnings issues and help reduce disparities.

Gender in Science and Engineering Faculties: Demographic Inertia Revisited.

PubMed

Thomas, Nicole R; Poole, Daniel J; Herbers, Joan M

2015-01-01

The under-representation of women on faculties of science and engineering is ascribed in part to demographic inertia, which is the lag between retirement of current faculty and future hires. The assumption of demographic inertia implies that, given enough time, gender parity will be achieved. We examine that assumption via a semi-Markov model to predict the future faculty, with simulations that predict the convergence demographic state. Our model shows that existing practices that produce gender gaps in recruitment, retention, and career progression preclude eventual gender parity. Further, we examine sensitivity of the convergence state to current gender gaps to show that all sources of disparity across the entire faculty career must be erased to produce parity: we cannot blame demographic inertia.

Sudden death of entanglement and non-locality in two- and three-component quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ann, Kevin

2011-12-01

Quantum entanglement and non-locality are non-classical characteristics of quantum states with phase coherence that are of central importance to physics, and relevant to the foundations of quantum mechanics and quantum information science. This thesis examines quantum entanglement and non-locality in two- and three-component quantum states with phase coherence when they are subject to statistically independent, classical, Markovian, phase noise in various combinations at the local and collective level. Because this noise reduces phase coherence, it can also reduce quantum entanglement and Bell non-locality. After introducing and contextualizing the research, the results are presented in three broad areas. The first area characterizes the relative time scales of decoherence and disentanglement in 2 x 2 and 3 x 3 quantum states, as well as the various subsystems of the two classes of entangled tripartite two-level quantum states. In all cases, it was found that disentanglement time scales are less than or equal to decoherence time scales. The second area examines the finite-time loss of entanglement, even as quantum state coherence is lost only asymptotically in time due to local dephasing noise, a phenomenon entitled "Entanglement Sudden Death" (ESD). Extending the initial discovery in the simplest 2 x 2 case, ESD is shown to exist in all other systems where mixed-state entanglement measures exist, the 2 x 3 and d x d systems, for finite d > 2. The third area concerns non-locality, which is a physical phenomenon independent of quantum mechanics and related to, though fundamentally different from, entanglement. Non-locality, as quantified by classes of Bell inequalities, is shown to be lost in finite time, even when decoherence occurs only asymptotically. This phenomenon was named "Bell Non-locality Sudden Death" (BNSD).

The Effects of Glossary and Read-Aloud Accommodations on English Language Learners' Performance on a Mathematics Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Mikyung Kim; Kim, Jinok; Kao, Jenny

2012-01-01

Glossary and reading aloud test items are commonly allowed in many states' accommodation policies for English language learner (ELL) students for large-scale mathematics assessments. However, little research is available regarding the effects of these accommodations on ELL students' performance. Further, no research exists that examines how…

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…

High School Exit Exams: The Attitudes and Perceptions of Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keenan, Robert A.

2010-01-01

In the U. S. 25 states operate from an assessment based frame of reference that includes some form of high school exit examination. Enhancements for existing assessment and accountability systems need to be explored according to the findings of Elizabeth Towles. The problem addressed in this study was that little research had been conducted to…

Emotional Labour in University Lecturers: Considerations for Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Karen; Cassidy, Simon

2013-01-01

Emotional labour is a state that exists when there is a discrepancy between the emotional demeanour that an individual displays and the genuinely felt emotions that would be inappropriate to display (Mann 1999b).The study examined levels of emotional labour in university lecturers and compared these data to other occupations. Employing a mixed…

Economic Policies and Practices. Programs for Relocating Workers Used by Governments of Selected Countries. Paper-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnitzer, Martin

Government relocation assistance programs, designed to move unemployed workers from areas where suitable employment opportunities do not exist to areas where jobs are available, were examined in detail for Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and the United States and briefly for Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, West Germany, and the…

Urban Health Educators' Perspectives and Practices regarding School Nutrition Education Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaughtry, Nate; Martin, Jeffrey J.; Fahlman, Mariane; Shen, Bo

2012-01-01

Although nutrition-related health education policies exist at national, state and local levels, the degree to which those policies affect the everyday practices of health education teachers who are charged with executing them in schools is often unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the nutrition-related health education policy matrix…

Un-"Chartered" Waters: Balancing Montessori Curriculum and Accountability Measures in a Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Catherine M.

2017-01-01

More than 6,000 charter schools exist in the United States, and of these 120 are Montessori charter schools. When studying charter school practices, researchers often examine issues such as performance accountability measures and effectiveness of charter school curricula. In doing so, the outcomes often overlook the challenges for teachers as they…

An Analysis of the Curriculum Requirements for K-12 Online Teaching Endorsements in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister, Laura; Graham, Charles R.

2016-01-01

This study examined existing K-12 online teacher preparation programs in the United States to ascertain the degree to which teachers are prepared to function in online/blended classroom learning environments. This study used a content analysis approach. Research specifically targeted online teacher preparation programs implemented in institutions…

The Role of Student Academic Beliefs in Perceptions of Instructor Ideological Bias

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linvill, Darren L.; Grant, Will J.

2017-01-01

A common perception exists in the media that university instructors are a liberal elite who use their positions to instill a biased perspective in their students. Exploring student attitudes in the United States and Australia, the present study examined how students' academic beliefs are related to their inferences of instructor ideological bias…

Effects of Marijuana on the Lung and Its Defenses against Infection and Cancer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tashkin, Donald P.

1999-01-01

Examines the many effects of marijuana use on the lungs. States that patients with pre-existing immune deficits are particularly vulnerable to marijuana-related pulmonary infections. However, warns that habitual use of marijuana may lead to respiratory cancer must await epidemiological studies, which are now possible since 30 years have passed…

Asthma Hospitalization Rates among Children, and School Building Conditions, by New York State School Districts, 1991-2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belanger, Erin; Kielb, Christine; Lin, Shao

2006-01-01

School-age children spend a significant portion of their day at school where they can be exposed to asthma triggers, but little information exists regarding potential relationships between childhood asthma and school environmental factors. This study examined patterns of asthma hospitalization and possible factors contributing to asthma…

Relationship among Attachment Security, Emotional Intelligence, Trait Anxiety, and Substance Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Kristyn

2016-01-01

Substance use among college students is a serious problem in the United States. The existing body of literature demonstrates that multiple internal risk factors contribute to the presence of substance use and that often these risk factors co-occur. Based on attachment theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationships…

An Examination of After School Care Programs in North Carolina Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, David A.; Anderson, Patricia J.

Because North Carolina has the nation's highest percentage of mothers working outside of the home, each of the state's 141 public school systems was surveyed with a 33-item questionnaire to identify existing after school care programs. Responses were received from 138 systems. A total of 48 programs serving 51 systems were identified, and…

Conceptualizing Change in the Institutional Diversity of U.S. Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morphew, Christopher C.

2009-01-01

Institutional diversity, or the existence of many different kinds of colleges and universities within a specific higher education system, has long been recognized as a positive and unique attribute of the U.S. higher education system. This paper describes a study that examines the change in institutional diversity across all 50 states between two…

Healthy & Ready to Learn: Examining the Efficacy of an Early Approach to Obesity Prevention and School Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Suzanne M.; Sass, Daniel A.

2011-01-01

The collision of the childhood obesity epidemic with pressure to achieve high academic standards is of serious concern in the United States. Growing numbers of low-income, minority children face double jeopardy as alarming obesity rates further widen existing achievement gaps. Health and education disparities persist when children enter…

United States Armed Forces' Voluntary Education Program: The Effect on Enlisted Servicemember Retention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brauchle, Kenneth C.

The relationship between servicemembers' participation in the U.S. Armed Forces' off-duty voluntary higher education programs and retention of enlisted personnel in military service was examined through a review of existing and new data. The primary data source was a 1992 Department of Defense-sponsored survey of a stratified sample of…

"Freedom Can Only Exist in an Ordered State": Harmony and Civic Education in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Li-Ching

2017-01-01

This paper uses the concept of stories of peoplehood to examine how the Singapore government has constructed a story of harmony and to consider how this story has influenced two important school subjects focused on civic education: Social Studies and Character and Citizenship Education. Stories of peoplehood, including constitutive, economic and…

The Common Sense Guide to the Common Core: Teacher-Tested Tools for Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKnight, Katherine

2014-01-01

Based on the original source document for the Common Core State Standards and tested by 1,000 educators in diverse classrooms across the country, these research-based tools will help readers examine their current practices and adapt existing curriculum. Each of the 40 tools is clearly presented, explained, and exemplified, guiding educators…

On Selective Harvesting of an Inshore-Offshore Fishery: A Bioeconomic Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purohit, D.; Chaudhuri, K. S.

2004-01-01

A bioeconomic model is developed for the selective harvesting of a single species, inshore-offshore fishery, assuming that the growth of the species is governed by the Gompertz law. The dynamical system governing the fishery is studied in depth; the local and global stability of its non-trivial steady state are examined. Existence of a bionomic…

A Comparison of Transition Predictors between Students Following Different Diploma Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vierno, Peter Joseph

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which evidence of two secondary transition predictors, paid employment and independent living, exist in the Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) of students on two pathways to a high school diploma in a southeastern state. The IEPs of 538 students were examined from one urban district in…

Characteristics of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Who Received Services through Community Mental Health Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryson, Stephanie A.; Corrigan, Susan K.; McDonald, Thomas P.; Holmes, Cheryl

2008-01-01

Despite the presence of significant psychiatric comorbidity among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), little research exists on those who receive community-based mental health services. This project examined one year (2004) of data from the database maintained by 26 community mental health centers (CMHCs) in the Midwestern US state of…

An Examination of the State of Imitation Research in Children with Autism: Issues of Definition and Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sevlever, Melina; Gillis, Jennifer M.

2010-01-01

Several authors have suggested that children with autism are impaired in their ability to imitate others. However, diverse methodologies, contradictory findings, and varying theoretical explanations continue to exist in the literature despite decades of research. A comprehensive account of imitation in children with autism is hampered by the lack…

Reverse Brain Drain of South Asian IT Professionals: A Quantitative Repatriation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suppiah, Nithiyananthan

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present quantitative correlational study was to examine if a relationship existed between the RBD phenomenon and cultural, economic, or political factors of the native countries of South Asian IT professionals living in the United States. The study on reverse brain drain was conducted to explore a growing phenomenon in the…

Income inequality: A complex network analysis of US states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogas, Periklis; Gupta, Rangan; Miller, Stephen M.; Papadimitriou, Theophilos; Sarantitis, Georgios Antonios

2017-10-01

This study performs a long-run, inter-temporal analysis of income inequality in the US spanning the period 1916-2012. We employ both descriptive analysis and the Threshold-Minimum Dominating Set methodology from Graph Theory, to examine the evolution of inequality through time. In doing so, we use two alternative measures of inequality: the Top 1% share of income and the Gini coefficient. This provides new insight on the literature of income inequality across the US states. Several empirical findings emerge. First, a heterogeneous evolution of inequality exists across the four focal sub-periods. Second, the results differ between the inequality measures examined. Finally, we identify groups of similarly behaving states in terms of inequality. The US authorities can use these findings to identify inequality trends and innovations and/or examples to investigate the causes of inequality within the US and implement appropriate policies.

[Caries and periodontal state of pregnant women. Part I. Caries status].

PubMed

Radnai, Márta; Gorzó, István; Nagy, Erzsébet; Urbán, Edit; Eller, József; Novák, Tibor; Pál, Attila

2005-04-01

A misconception exists in the society regarding the caries frequency during pregnancy. The condition of the teeth of the child can be influenced by the state of the teeth and the oral hygiene habits of the mother. An examination was conducted among young women soon after delivery in Szeged/Hungary. The number of the examined patients was 161, with the average age of 27.6 years. The DMFT (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth) index was 12.45, while the DMFS (Decayed, Missing, Filled Surfaces) index was 26.07 in the examined population. The DMFT index significantly correlated with age, number of pregnancies, plaque index, probing pocket depth and bleeding on probing, while the DMFT index was not dependent on education level, profession and place of residency. There was no significant correlation between the number of previous pregnancy and the incidence of caries.

Trends in state/territorial obesity prevalence by race/ethnicity among U.S. low-income, preschool-aged children.

PubMed

Pan, L; Grummer-Strawn, L M; McGuire, L C; Park, S; Blanck, H M

2016-10-01

Understanding state/territorial trends in obesity by race/ethnicity helps focus resources on populations at risk. This study aimed to examine trends in obesity prevalence among low-income, preschool-aged children from 2008 through 2011 in U.S. states and territories by race/ethnicity. We used measured weight and height records of 11.1 million children aged 2-4 years who participated in federally funded health and nutrition programmes in 40 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories. We used logistic regression to examine obesity prevalence trends, controlling for age and sex. From 2008 through 2011, the aggregated obesity prevalence declined among all racial/ethnic groups (decreased by 0.4-0.9%) except American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs); the largest decrease was among Asians/Pacific Islanders (A/PIs). Declines were significant among non-Hispanic whites in 14 states, non-Hispanic blacks in seven states/territories, Hispanics in 13 states, A/PIs in five states and AI/ANs in one state. Increases were significant among non-Hispanic whites in four states, non-Hispanic blacks in three states, Hispanics in two states and A/PIs in one state. The majority of the states/territories had no change in obesity prevalence. Our findings indicate slight reductions in obesity prevalence and variations in obesity trends, but disparities exist for some states and racial/ethnic groups. © 2015 World Obesity.

42 CFR 457.440 - Existing comprehensive State-based coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Existing comprehensive State-based coverage. 457... STATES State Plan Requirements: Coverage and Benefits § 457.440 Existing comprehensive State-based coverage. (a) General requirements. Existing comprehensive State-based health benefits is coverage that— (1...

Does state-level context matter for individuals' knowledge about abortion, legality and health? Challenging the 'red states v. blue states' hypothesis.

PubMed

Bessett, Danielle; Gerdts, Caitlin; Littman, Lisa L; Kavanaugh, Megan L; Norris, Alison

2015-01-01

Recently, the hypothesis that state-level political context influences individuals' cultural values--the 'red states v. blue states' hypothesis--has been invoked to explain the hyper-polarisation of politics in the USA. To test this hypothesis, we examined individuals' knowledge about abortion in relation to the political context of their current state of residence. Drawing from an internet-survey of 586 reproductive-age individuals in the USA, we assessed two types of abortion knowledge: health-related and legality. We found that state-level conservatism does not modify the existing relationships between individual predictors and each of the two types of abortion knowledge. Hence, our findings do not support the 'red states' versus 'blue states' hypothesis. Additionally, we find that knowledge about abortion's health effects in the USA is low: 7% of our sample thought abortion before 12 weeks gestation was illegal.

Monopole transition strength function of 12C in a three-α model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, Souichi

2016-12-01

The energy-level structure of the 12C nucleus at a few MeV above the three-α (3 α ) threshold is still unsatisfactorily known. For instance, most microscopic calculations predicted that there exist one 0+ state in this energy region besides the well-known Hoyle state, whereas some experimental and theoretical studies show the existence of two 0+ states. In this paper, I will take a 3 α -boson model for bound and continuum states in 12C and study a transition process from the 12C(01+) ground state to 3 α 0+ continuum states by the electric monopole (E 0 ) operator. The strength distribution of the process will be calculated as a function of 3 α energy using the Faddeev three-body theory. The Hamiltonian for the 3 α system consists of two- and three-α potentials, and some three-α potentials with different range parameters will be examined. Results of the strength function show a double-peaked bump at the low-energy region, which can be considered as two 0+ states. The peak at higher energy may originate from a 3 α resonant state. However, it is unlikely that the peak at the lower energy is related to a resonant state, which suggests that it may be due to a so-called "ghost anomaly." Distributions of decaying particles are also calculated.

Hints of a Fundamental Misconception in Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prather, Edward E.; Slater, Timothy F.; Offerdahl, Erika G.

To explore the frequency and range of student ideas regarding the Big Bang, nearly 1,000 students from middle school, secondary school, and college were surveyed and asked if they had heard of the Big Bang and, if so, to describe it. In analyzing their responses, we uncovered an unexpected result that more than half of the students who stated that they had heard of the Big Bang also provided responses that suggest they believe that the Big Bang was a phenomenon that organized pre-existing matter. To further examine this result, a second group of college students was asked specifically to describe what existed or occurred before, during, and after the Big Bang. Nearly 70% gave responses clearly stating that matter existed prior to the Big Bang. These results are interpreted as strongly suggesting that most students are answering these questions by employing an internally consistent element of knowledge or reasoning (often referred to as a phenomenological primitive, or p-prim), consistent with the idea that "you can't make something from nothing." These results inform the debate about the extent to which college students have pre-existing notions that are poised to interfere with instructional efforts about contemporary physics and astronomy topics.

Testing the interval-level measurement property of multi-item visual analogue scales.

PubMed

Krabbe, Paul F M; Stalmeier, Peep F M; Lamers, Leida M; Busschbach, Jan J V

2006-12-01

Conditions were studied that may invalidate health-state values derived from the visual analogue scale (VAS). Respondents were asked to place cards with descriptions of EQ-5D health states on a 20 cm EuroQol VAS and modified versions of it, positioning them such that the distances between the states reflect their valuation for these states. Anchor-point bias was examined using the standard EuroQol VAS (n = 212) and a modified version (n = 97) with a different lower anchor. Context bias was examined in another group of respondents (n = 112) who valued three different sets of EQ-5D health states. Marker bias was studied in yet another group of respondents (n = 100) who placed the same EQ-5D states on the standard EuroQol VAS and on a modified VAS without anchors, categories, or measurement markers. No indication for the existence of the anchor-point and the marker bias was found. However, the VAS valuations were significantly affected by the context of the set of health states in the scaling task. Advanced methodologies should be incorporated in VAS valuation studies to deal with the context bias.

Modeling and Analysis of a Nonlinear Age-Structured Model for Tumor Cell Populations with Quiescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zijian; Chen, Jing; Pang, Jianhua; Bi, Ping; Ruan, Shigui

2018-05-01

We present a nonlinear first-order hyperbolic partial differential equation model to describe age-structured tumor cell populations with proliferating and quiescent phases at the avascular stage in vitro. The division rate of the proliferating cells is assumed to be nonlinear due to the limitation of the nutrient and space. The model includes a proportion of newborn cells that enter directly the quiescent phase with age zero. This proportion can reflect the effect of treatment by drugs such as erlotinib. The existence and uniqueness of solutions are established. The local and global stabilities of the trivial steady state are investigated. The existence and local stability of the positive steady state are also analyzed. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the results and to examine the impacts of parameters on the nonlinear dynamics of the model.

Quasi-linear theory of electron density and temperature fluctuations with application to MHD generators and MPD arc thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M.

1972-01-01

Fluctuations in electron density and temperature coupled through Ohm's law are studied for an ionizable medium. The nonlinear effects are considered in the limit of a third order quasi-linear treatment. Equations are derived for the amplitude of the fluctuation. Conditions under which a steady state can exist in the presence of the fluctuation are examined and effective transport properties are determined. A comparison is made to previously considered second order theory. The effect of third order terms indicates the possibility of fluctuations existing in regions predicted stable by previous analysis.

Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening and Treatment in the United States: An Update and Recommendation Overview

PubMed Central

Colvin, Loretta J.; Collop, Nancy A.

2016-01-01

No regulatory mandate exists in the United States (U.S.) for comprehensive obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk assessment and stratification for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements are outdated and depend largely on subjective report, a less reliable strategy in an occupational setting. Without FMCSA standards, sleep specialists, occupational medical examiners and employers rely on a collection of medical consensus recommendations to establish standards of care. These recommendations advise OSA risk assessment through a combination of focused medical history, physical examination, questionnaires, and accident history, which increase OSA detection compared to current FMCSA standards. For those diagnosed with OSA, consensus-based risk stratification helps identify CMV drivers who may benefit from OSA treatment and establish minimum standards for assessing treatment efficacy and adherence. Unfortunately no consolidated recommendation exists; rather, publications span medical and governmental literature in a patchwork fashion that no longer fully reflect current practice due to subsequent advances in OSA diagnosis, treatment, and technology. Based on searches of medical literature, internet materials, and reference lists from existing publications, an overview and discussion of key published recommendations regarding OSA assessment and treatment in CMV operators is provided. Suggestions for incorporating these recommendations into clinical sleep medicine practice in the U.S. are presented. The challenge for sleep specialists is maintaining the delicate balance between recommendations impacting standard of care and associated medico-legal impact with stakeholder interests from medical, regulatory, industry and public perspectives while providing high quality and efficient care. Citation: Colvin LJ, Collop NA. Commercial motor vehicle driver obstructive sleep apnea screening and treatment in the United States: an update and recommendation overview. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(1):113–125. PMID:26094916

Steady-states for shear flows of a liquid-crystal model: Multiplicity, stability, and hysteresis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorn, Tim; Liu, Weishi

In this work, we study shear flows of a fluid layer between two solid blocks via a liquid-crystal type model proposed in [C.H.A. Cheng, L.H. Kellogg, S. Shkoller, D.L. Turcotte, A liquid-crystal model for friction, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 21 (2007) 1-5] for an understanding of frictions. A characterization on the existence and multiplicity of steady-states is provided. Stability issue of the steady-states is examined mainly focusing on bifurcations of zero eigenvalues. The stability result suggests that this simple model exhibits hysteresis, and it is supported by a numerical simulation.

Technical options for processing additional light tight oil volumes within the United States

EIA Publications

2015-01-01

This report examines technical options for processing additional LTO volumes within the United States. Domestic processing of additional LTO would enable an increase in petroleum product exports from the United States, already the world’s largest net exporter of petroleum products. Unlike crude oil, products are not subject to export limitations or licensing requirements. While this is one possible approach to absorbing higher domestic LTO production in the absence of a relaxation of current limitations on crude exports, domestic LTO would have to be priced at a level required to encourage additional LTO runs at existing refinery units, debottlenecking, or possible additions of processing capacity.

The Association Between Educational Attainment and Diabetes Among Men in the United States

PubMed Central

Whitaker, Shanta M.; Bowie, Janice V.; McCleary, Rachael; Gaskin, Darrell J.; LaVeist, Thomas A.; Thorpe, Roland J.

2015-01-01

Few studies have examined the relationship between education and diabetes among men in the United States and whether this relationship differs by race/ethnicity. This study examined whether racial disparities in diabetes existed by educational attainment in 336,746 non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic men 18 years of age and older in the United States. Logistic regression models were specified to examine the odds of reporting diabetes by educational attainment. Within race/ethnicity, both White and Hispanic men who had less than a high school education (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.19, 1.69], and OR = 1.64, 95% CI = [1.22, 2.21], respectively) had consistently higher odds of diabetes than men with a bachelor’s degree or higher level of educational attainment. Educational attainment did not appear to be associated with reporting a diagnosis of diabetes in non-Hispanic Black men. Identifying why educational attainment is associated with diabetes outcomes in some racial/ethnic groups but not others is essential for diabetes treatment and management. PMID:24429135

Welfare state regimes and population health: integrating the East Asian welfare states.

PubMed

Abdul Karim, Syahirah; Eikemo, Terje A; Bambra, Clare

2010-01-01

Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that population health varies significantly by welfare state regime. However, these studies have focused exclusively on the welfare states of Europe, North America and Australasia. This focus ignores the existence of welfare states in other parts of the world, specifically in East Asia. This study therefore investigates whether the association between population health (Infant Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy at birth) and welfare state regimes is still valid when the welfare states of East Asia are added into the analysis. It also examines whether population health is worse in the East Asian welfare states. Infant Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy at birth as well as GDP per capita and social and health expenditures as a percentage of GDP were examined in 30 welfare states, categorised into six different regimes (Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, Bismarckian, Southern, Eastern European and East Asian). ANOVA analysis showed significant differences by welfare state regime in the magnitude of IMR, LE, SE, HE and GDP per capita. However, when controlling for GDP per capita in the ANCOVA analyses, only Life Expectancy (R(2)=0.58, adjusted R(2)=0.47, p<0.05) and Social Expenditure (R(2)=0.70, adjusted R(2)=0.61, p<0.05) differed significantly by welfare state regime. 47% of the variation in Life Expectancy was explained by welfare state regime type. Further, the East Asian welfare states did not have the worst health outcomes. The study concludes by highlighting the need to expand comparative health analysis both in terms of the range of countries examined and also in terms of incorporating other societal and public health factors-towards a 'public health regime' analysis.

Vacuum friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, Stephen M.; Sonnleitner, Matthias

2018-03-01

We know that in empty space there is no preferred state of rest. This is true both in special relativity but also in Newtonian mechanics with its associated Galilean relativity. It comes as something of a surprise, therefore, to discover the existence a friction force associated with spontaneous emission. The resolution of this paradox relies on a central idea from special relativity even though our derivation of it is non-relativistic. We examine the possibility that the physics underlying this effect might be explored in an ion trap, via the observation of a superposition of different mass states.

Impact of improved information on the structure of world grain trade. [wheat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The benefits to be derived by the United States from improvements in global grain crop forecasting capability are discussed. The improvements in forecasting accuracy, which are a result of the use of satellite technology in conjunction with existing ground based estimating procedures are described. The degree of forecasting accuracy to be obtained from satellite technology is also examined. Specific emphasis is placed on wheat production in seven countries/regions: the United States; Canada; Argentina; Australia; Western Europe; the USSR; and all other countries in a group.

Organized music instruction as a predictor of nursing student success.

PubMed

Cesario, Sandra K; Cesario, Robert J; Cesario, Anthony R

2013-01-01

Stringent admission criteria exist for nursing programs in the United States, but better predictors of success are needed to reduce student attrition. Research indicates that organized music experiences are associated with greater academic success. This exploratory study examined the association between early music experiences and undergraduate nursing student success. Findings suggest that students with a music background were more likely to graduate, have higher grade point averages, and pass the licensure examination. Previous music education might be considered as an additional predictor of nursing student success.

Language and Reading Instruction in Early Years' Classrooms: The Knowledge and Self-Rated Ability of Australian Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Hannah L.; Snow, Pamela C.; Eadie, Patricia A.; Goldfeld, Sharon R.

2016-01-01

This study sought to investigate the level of knowledge of language constructs in a cohort of Australian teachers and to examine their self-rated ability and confidence in that knowledge. Seventy-eight teachers from schools across the Australian state of Victoria completed a questionnaire which included items from existing measures, as well as…

Children of Incarcerated Parents: Cumulative Risk and Children's Living Arrangements. JCPR Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elizabeth Inez; Waldfogel, Jane

This paper examines risk factors that exist in the lives of incarcerated parents and their children, focusing on the living arrangements of the children. It uses data from the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities to address three issues: risk factors present in the lives of incarcerated parents and their children,…

Partnerships in the New Employment and Training System. Survey Report II. Job Training Partnership Act Research Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Elaine

A study examined the level and type of integration and coordination that exist among local employment and training practitioners and local and state educational agencies and institutions in the delivery of employment and training services as mandated by the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). To gather data for the study, researchers conducted…

The Extent of Public Education Nondiscrimination Policy Protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students: A National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Ronald G.

2006-01-01

This article examines education and governmental nondiscrimination policies to determine the status of anti-homophobia protections in the 51 states. A review of existing case law literature is provided to illustrate the effect homophobia has on all students, regardless of their sexual orientation, and to induce the development of new public…

Nonselective Harvesting of a Prey-Predator Fishery with Gompertz Law of Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purohit, D.; Chaudhuri, K. S.

2002-01-01

This paper develops a mathematical model for the nonselective harvesting of a prey-predator system in which both the prey and the predator obey the Gompertz law of growth and some prey avoid predation by hiding. The steady states of the system are determined, and the dynamical behaviour of both species is examined. The possibility of existence of…

All in One Stop? The Accessibility of Work Support Programs at One-Stop Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richer, Elise; Kubo, Hitomi; Frank, Abbey

The accessibility of work support programs at one-stop centers was examined in a study during which 33 telephone directors or managers of one-stop centers in 22 states were interviewed by telephone. The interviews established the existence of extensive differences between one-stop centers from the standpoint of all aspects of their operation,…

Marketing for a Web-Based Master's Degree Program in Light of Marketing Mix Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Cheng-Chang

2012-01-01

The marketing mix model was applied with a focus on Web media to re-strategize a Web-based Master's program in a southern state university in U.S. The program's existing marketing strategy was examined using the four components of the model: product, price, place, and promotion, in hopes to repackage the program (product) to prospective students…

The Relationship between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement for Fourth Grade Students in Southeast Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Jordan

2017-01-01

This study examined the strength and direction of the relationship between the STAAR exam's reading and mathematics portions and the FitnessGRAM's cardiovascular portion for fourth grade students located in Region 6 from the state of Texas. Using existing, archival data consisting of 4,215 students from 36 elementary schools, a non-experimental…

European Innovation Policy Concepts and the Governance of Innovation: Slovenia and the Struggle for Organizational Readiness at the National Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gebhardt, Christiane; Stanovnik, Peter

2016-01-01

This paper examines the interdependency of European Policy and governance of innovation. The authors elaborate on the policy implementation context of Slovenia, a small and less advanced European member state in a transition process. The literature on innovation policy, governance and existing innovation concepts aiming to accelerate economic…

Meeting the Needs of Homeless Youth. A Report of the Homeless Youth Steering Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frawley, Robert; Zafonte, Suzanne M.

This report examines the unique aspects of homelessness among youth ages 16 to 21. Section I reviews existing literature and data on the size, characteristics, and needs of homeless youth. Section II summarizes New York State's current efforts on their behalf. Section III analyzes obstacles to serving this population. Section IV outlines an action…

Unrealized Educational Expectations a Growing or Diminishing Gender Gap? It Depends on Your Definition. Professional File. Article 134, Fall 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seifert, Tricia A.; Wells, Ryan S.; Saunders, Daniel B.; Gopaul, Bryan

2013-01-01

Past research has examined the widening gender gaps in college expectations and enrollment in the United States in which more women than men expect to continue their education and enroll in postsecondary institutions. A discrepancy exists between students' expectations and their enrollment behavior: more students expect to attend college than…

Effective School Board Leadership and Governance: The Impact of Training and Continuous Education on Self-Perceptions of Board Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamson, Michael Taylor

2011-01-01

School board training is promoted throughout the United States as a means whereby school board member can become more effective in the performance of their roles and responsibilities. This study examines whether correlations exist school board members participation in training or continuous education and their overall perceptions of effectiveness…

Efficient and Competitive Rationing

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-01

that state S enterprises can organize markets that implement priority service efficiently. In Section 5 we study the operation of competitive markets ...exposition.) 5. COMPETITIVE RATIONING We examine next the incentives for profit-maximizing firms in competitive markets to offer priority service. Our...importantly, those equilibria that do exist show that firms have an incentive not to differentiate. It seems clear, 59 therefore, that in competitive markets

Winning the Popularity Contest: Researcher Preference When Selecting Resources for Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics Dissertations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotson, Daniel S.; Franks, Tina P.

2015-01-01

More than 53,000 citations from 609 dissertations published at The Ohio State University between 1998-2012 representing four science disciplines--civil engineering, computer science, mathematics and physics--were examined to determine what, if any, preferences or trends exist. This case study seeks to identify whether or not researcher preferences…

Keep Those Kids Out: Nativism and Attitudes toward Access to Public Education for the Children of Undocumented Immigrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Theresa; Burson, Karlye

2017-01-01

Despite the 1982 "Plyler v. Doe" decision guaranteeing education for undocumented children, access appears to be under threat as some states and localities reconsider existing policy. The basis of these attitudes should be better understood. We are unaware of research that has examined nativist sentiment as a predictor of attitudes…

Implications of sustainability for the United States light-duty transportation sector

DOE PAGES

Gearhart, Chris

2016-08-08

This article reviews existing literature to assess the consensus of the scientific and engineering communities concerning the potential for the United States’ light-duty transportation sector to meet a goal of 80% reduction in vehicle emissions and examine what it will take to meet this target. Climate change is a problem that must be solved. The primary cause of this problem is burning of fossil fuels to generate energy. A dramatic reduction in carbon emissions must happen soon, and a significant fraction of this reduction must come from the transportation sector. This paper reviews existing literature to assess the consensus ofmore » the scientific and engineering communities concerning the potential for the United States' light-duty transportation sector to meet a goal of 80% reduction in vehicle emissions and examine what it will take to meet this target. It is unlikely that reducing energy consumption in just vehicles with gasoline-based internal combustion drivetrains will be sufficient to meet GHG emission-reduction targets. This paper explores what additional benefits are possible through the adoption of alternative energy sources, looking at three possible on-vehicle energy carriers: carbon-based fuels, hydrogen, and batteries.« less

The Second Spiking Threshold: Dynamics of Laminar Network Spiking in the Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Forsberg, Lars E.; Bonde, Lars H.; Harvey, Michael A.; Roland, Per E.

2016-01-01

Most neurons have a threshold separating the silent non-spiking state and the state of producing temporal sequences of spikes. But neurons in vivo also have a second threshold, found recently in granular layer neurons of the primary visual cortex, separating spontaneous ongoing spiking from visually evoked spiking driven by sharp transients. Here we examine whether this second threshold exists outside the granular layer and examine details of transitions between spiking states in ferrets exposed to moving objects. We found the second threshold, separating spiking states evoked by stationary and moving visual stimuli from the spontaneous ongoing spiking state, in all layers and zones of areas 17 and 18 indicating that the second threshold is a property of the network. Spontaneous and evoked spiking, thus can easily be distinguished. In addition, the trajectories of spontaneous ongoing states were slow, frequently changing direction. In single trials, sharp as well as smooth and slow transients transform the trajectories to be outward directed, fast and crossing the threshold to become evoked. Although the speeds of the evolution of the evoked states differ, the same domain of the state space is explored indicating uniformity of the evoked states. All evoked states return to the spontaneous evoked spiking state as in a typical mono-stable dynamical system. In single trials, neither the original spiking rates, nor the temporal evolution in state space could distinguish simple visual scenes. PMID:27582693

Forensic examination of ink by high-performance thin layer chromatography--the United States Secret Service Digital Ink Library.

PubMed

Neumann, Cedric; Ramotowski, Robert; Genessay, Thibault

2011-05-13

Forensic examinations of ink have been performed since the beginning of the 20th century. Since the 1960s, the International Ink Library, maintained by the United States Secret Service, has supported those analyses. Until 2009, the search and identification of inks were essentially performed manually. This paper describes the results of a project designed to improve ink samples' analytical and search processes. The project focused on the development of improved standardization procedures to ensure the best possible reproducibility between analyses run on different HPTLC plates. The successful implementation of this new calibration method enabled the development of mathematical algorithms and of a software package to complement the existing ink library. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing cumulative impacts within state environmental review frameworks in the United States

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

Ma Zhao, E-mail: zma@nrc.umass.ed; Becker, Dennis R., E-mail: drbecker@umn.ed; Kilgore, Michael A., E-mail: mkilgore@umn.ed

Cumulative impact assessment (CIA) is the process of systematically assessing a proposed action's cumulative environmental effects in the context of past, present, and future actions, regardless of who undertakes such actions. Previous studies have examined CIA efforts at the federal level but little is known about how states assess the cumulative impacts of nonfederal projects. By examining state environmental review statutes, administrative rules, agency-prepared materials, and a national survey of the administrators of state environmental review programs, this study identifies the legal and administrative frameworks for CIA. It examines current CIA practice, discusses the relationship between CIA policy and itsmore » implementation, and explores the opportunities for improvement. The results of the study show that twenty-nine state environmental review programs across twenty-six states required the assessment of cumulative environmental impacts. More than half of these programs have adopted specific procedures for implementing their policies. Some programs assessed cumulative impacts using a standard review document, and others have created their own documentations incorporated into applications for state permits or funding. The majority of programs have adopted various scales, baselines, significance criteria, and coordination practices in their CIA processes. Mixed methods were generally used for data collection and analysis; qualitative methods were more prevalent than quantitative methods. The results also suggest that a program with comprehensive and consistent environmental review policies and procedures does not always imply extensive CIA requirements and practices. Finally, this study discusses the potential for improving existing CIA processes and promoting CIA efforts in states without established environmental review programs.« less

Interactions between Energy Efficiency Programs funded under the Recovery Act and Utility Customer-Funded Energy Efficiency Programs

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

Goldman, Charles A.; Stuart, Elizabeth; Hoffman, Ian

2011-02-25

Since the spring of 2009, billions of federal dollars have been allocated to state and local governments as grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs. The scale of this American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding, focused on 'shovel-ready' projects to create and retain jobs, is unprecedented. Thousands of newly funded players - cities, counties, states, and tribes - and thousands of programs and projects are entering the existing landscape of energy efficiency programs for the first time or expanding their reach. The nation's experience base with energy efficiency is growing enormously, fed by federal dollars andmore » driven by broader objectives than saving energy alone. State and local officials made countless choices in developing portfolios of ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs and deciding how their programs would relate to existing efficiency programs funded by utility customers. Those choices are worth examining as bellwethers of a future world where there may be multiple program administrators and funding sources in many states. What are the opportunities and challenges of this new environment? What short- and long-term impacts will this large, infusion of funds have on utility customer-funded programs; for example, on infrastructure for delivering energy efficiency services or on customer willingness to invest in energy efficiency? To what extent has the attribution of energy savings been a critical issue, especially where administrators of utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs have performance or shareholder incentives? Do the new ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs provide insights on roles or activities that are particularly well-suited to state and local program administrators vs. administrators or implementers of utility customer-funded programs? The answers could have important implications for the future of U.S. energy efficiency. This report focuses on a selected set of ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs administered by state energy offices: the State Energy Program (SEP) formula grants, the portion of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) formula funds administered directly by states, and the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP). Since these ARRA programs devote significant monies to energy efficiency and serve similar markets as utility customer-funded programs, there are frequent interactions between programs. We exclude the DOE low-income weatherization program and EECBG funding awarded directly to the over 2,200 cities, counties and tribes from our study to keep its scope manageable. We summarize the energy efficiency program design and funding choices made by the 50 state energy offices, 5 territories and the District of Columbia. We then focus on the specific choices made in 12 case study states. These states were selected based on the level of utility customer program funding, diversity of program administrator models, and geographic diversity. Based on interviews with more than 80 energy efficiency actors in those 12 states, we draw observations about states strategies for use of Recovery Act funds. We examine interactions between ARRA programs and utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs in terms of program planning, program design and implementation, policy issues, and potential long-term impacts. We consider how the existing regulatory policy framework and energy efficiency programs in these 12 states may have impacted development of these selected ARRA programs. Finally, we summarize key trends and highlight issues that evaluators of these ARRA programs may want to examine in more depth in their process and impact evaluations.« less

Vector dark-antidark solitary waves in multicomponent Bose-Einstein condensates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danaila, I.; Khamehchi, M. A.; Gokhroo, V.; Engels, P.; Kevrekidis, P. G.

2016-11-01

Multicomponent Bose-Einstein condensates exhibit an intriguing variety of nonlinear structures. In recent theoretical work [C. Qu, L. P. Pitaevskii, and S. Stringari, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 160402 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.160402], the notion of magnetic solitons has been introduced. Here we examine a variant of this concept in the form of vector dark-antidark solitary waves in multicomponent Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). We first provide concrete experimental evidence for such states in an atomic BEC and subsequently illustrate the broader concept of these states, which are based on the interplay between miscibility and intercomponent repulsion. Armed with this more general conceptual framework, we expand the notion of such states to higher dimensions presenting the possibility of both vortex-antidark states and ring-antidark-ring (dark soliton) states. We perform numerical continuation studies, investigate the existence of these states, and examine their stability using the method of Bogoliubov-de Gennes analysis. Dark-antidark and vortex-antidark states are found to be stable for broad parametric regimes. In the case of ring dark solitons, where the single-component ring state is known to be unstable, the vector entity appears to bear a progressively more and more stabilizing role as the intercomponent coupling is increased.

The Costs and Benefits of Compliance with Renewable Portfolio Standards: Reviewing Experience to Date

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

Heeter, Jenny; Barbose, Galen; Bird, Lori

2014-03-12

More than half of U.S. states have renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in place and have collectively deployed approximately 46,000 MW of new renewable energy capacity through year-end 2012. Most of these policies have five or more years of implementation experience, enabling an assessment of their costs and benefits. Understanding RPS benefits and costs is essential for policymakers evaluating existing RPS policies, assessing the need for modifications, and considering new policies. A key aspect of this study is the comprehensive review of existing RPS cost and benefit estimates, in addition to an examination of the variety of methods used to calculatemore » such estimates. Based on available data and estimates reported by utilities and regulators, this study summarizes RPS costs to date. The study considers how those costs may evolve going forward, given scheduled increases in RPS targets and cost containment mechanisms incorporated into existing policies. The report also summarizes RPS benefits estimates, based on published studies for individual states, and discusses key methodological considerations.« less

Assessing biodiversity in Nuevo Leon, Mexico: Are nature reserves the answer?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cantu, C.; Wright, R.G.; Scott, J.M.; Strand, Espen

2004-01-01

The Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, located in the northeastern portion of the country, currently has 26 state and three federal nature reserves covering approximately 4.5% of its land area. These reserves were established for a variety of reasons not necessarily related to conservation purposes. In 2000 in response to a growing concern about the lack of organized conservation reserve planning to protect the important biological and physical features of Mexico, the Mexican Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity proposed 12 new terrestrial reserves for Nuevo Leon. The new reserves, if established, would increase the proportion of protected lands in the state to almost 24% of the state's land area. We compiled a Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis using digital thematic maps of physical and ecological features to examine how well the existing and proposed reserves incorporated the major biological and physical features of the state. The existing reserves are located primarily in regions with elevations > 1,000-1,500 m, on less productive soils, and are dominated by pine and oak forest cover types. As a result, the state's dominant biotic region - low elevation coastal plain with xeric scrub vegetation - is disproportionately under represented in the current reserve system. The new reserves would expand the protection of biophysical resources throughout the state. However, the inclusion of important resources in the low elevation coastal lands would still be limited.

Patent reform in the United States.

PubMed

Mills, Ann; Tereskerz, Patti

2010-01-01

The recent financial meltdown has muted the patent reform debate in the United States. But given that President Obama, as well as many members of Congress, support patent reform, we expect the debate to resurface. In this essay, we look carefully at reports from three prestigious organizations which have been enormously influential in the debate. We examine the empirical basis contained in these reports upon which proposed legislative changes are based. We conclude that the empirical data being used to justify the need for reform either has serious methodological limitations or is non-existent.  Moreover, we review recent court decisions which have already altered the patent environment calling into further question whether the limited data that exists is still applicable. The effect of these recent decisions has not been adequately evaluated or assessed. Thus, we recommend other empirical studies are needed to inform public policy as to whether patent reform is necessary.

Same-sex marriage: a new social phenomenon.

PubMed

Chamie, Joseph; Mirkin, Barry

2011-01-01

Same-sex marriage (SSM) is a new social phenomenon. In modern times SSM did not exist until the 21st century when an increasing number of countries began permitting same-sex couples to marry legally. This study presents statistical and related evidence concerning SSM worldwide, with special attention to the United States, where SSM has evolved into a major political and legal issue. In addition to examining data on levels and trends, differentials between men and women are investigated. The study also considers common arguments for and against SSM and likely changes in laws and policies that may occur. Although same-sex marriage now exists in a small number of countries and US states, its consequences and implications are being felt far beyond the borders of those countries and areas. In coming years same-sex marriage will remain a controversial and salient part of the legal, political, and cultural landscape, locally, nationally, and internationally.

The influence of socializing agents in the female sport-participation process.

PubMed

Higginson, D C

1985-01-01

This study investigated the influence of socializing agents on the female athletes who participated in the Empire State Games in Syracuse, New York (N = 587). When comparisons were made across life-cycle states (under-13, junior high, and senior high), it was discovered that statistically significant differences existed (p less than 0.0001). It was apparent that the socializing agent influences changed from being mostly parental at the under-13 life-cycle stage to mostly coach/teacher oriented during junior and senior high school years. No significant differences occurred across the three life-cycle stages when the following items were examined: (a) the number of sports in which the female athletes participated, (b) the number of sports learned by the female athletes, and (c) the amount of sport interest developed. It was concluded that socializing agent influences do exist, but change during different periods in the life cycle.

Statewide Implementation of Parenting with Love and Limits Among Youth with Co-Existing Internalizing and Externalizing Functional Impairments Reduces Return to Service Rates and Treatment Costs.

PubMed

Sterrett-Hong, Emma M; Karam, Eli; Kiaer, Lynn

2017-09-01

Many community mental health (CMH) systems contain inefficiencies, contributing to unmet need for services among youth. Using a quasi-experimental research design, we examined the implementation of an adapted structural-strategic family intervention, Parenting with Love and Limits, in a state CMH system to increase efficiency of services to youth with co-existing internalizing and externalizing functional impairments (PLL n = 296; Treatment-As-Usual n = 296; 54% male; 81% Caucasian). Youth receiving PLL experienced shorter treatment durations and returned to CMH services at significantly lower rates than youth receiving treatment-as-usual. They also demonstrated significant decreases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms over time. Findings lay the foundation for further examination of the role of an adapted structural-strategic family treatment in increasing the efficiency of CMH systems.

Implementing the Affordable Care Act: state approaches to premium rate reforms in the individual health insurance market.

PubMed

Giovannelli, Justin; Lucia, Kevin W; Corlette, Sabrina

2014-12-01

The Affordable Care Act protects people from being charged more for insurance based on factors like medical history or gender and establishes new limits on how insurers can adjust premiums for age, tobacco use, and geography. This brief examines how states have implemented these federal reforms in their individual health insurance markets. We identify state rating standards for the first year of full implementation of reform and explore critical considerations weighed by policymakers as they determined how to adopt the law's requirements. Most states took the opportunity to customize at least some aspect of their rating standards. Interviews with state regulators reveal that many states pursued implementation strategies intended primarily to minimize market disruption and premium shock and therefore established standards as consistent as possible with existing rules or market practice. Meanwhile, some states used the transition period to strengthen consumer protections, particularly with respect to tobacco rating.

Improving medical device regulation: the United States and Europe in perspective.

PubMed

Sorenson, Corinna; Drummond, Michael

2014-03-01

Recent debates and events have brought into question the effectiveness of existing regulatory frameworks for medical devices in the United States and Europe to ensure their performance, safety, and quality. This article provides a comparative analysis of medical device regulation in the two jurisdictions, explores current reforms to improve the existing systems, and discusses additional actions that should be considered to fully meet this aim. Medical device regulation must be improved to safeguard public health and ensure that high-quality and effective technologies reach patients. We explored and analyzed medical device regulatory systems in the United States and Europe in accordance with the available gray and peer-reviewed literature and legislative documents. The two regulatory systems differ in their mandate and orientation, organization, pre- and postmarket evidence requirements, and transparency of process. Despite these differences, both jurisdictions face similar challenges for ensuring that only safe and effective devices reach the market, monitoring real-world use, and exchanging pertinent information on devices with key users such as clinicians and patients. To address these issues, reforms have recently been introduced or debated in the United States and Europe that are principally focused on strengthening regulatory processes, enhancing postmarket regulation through more robust surveillance systems, and improving the traceability and monitoring of devices. Some changes in premarket requirements for devices are being considered. Although the current reforms address some of the outstanding challenges in device regulation, additional steps are needed to improve existing policy. We examine a number of actions to be considered, such as requiring high-quality evidence of benefit for medium- and high-risk devices; moving toward greater centralization and coordination of regulatory approval in Europe; creating links between device identifier systems and existing data collection tools, such as electronic health records; and fostering increased and more effective use of registries to ensure safe postmarket use of new and existing devices. © 2014 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Improving Medical Device Regulation: The United States and Europe in Perspective

PubMed Central

SORENSON, CORINNA; DRUMMOND, MICHAEL

2014-01-01

Context: Recent debates and events have brought into question the effectiveness of existing regulatory frameworks for medical devices in the United States and Europe to ensure their performance, safety, and quality. This article provides a comparative analysis of medical device regulation in the two jurisdictions, explores current reforms to improve the existing systems, and discusses additional actions that should be considered to fully meet this aim. Medical device regulation must be improved to safeguard public health and ensure that high-quality and effective technologies reach patients. Methods: We explored and analyzed medical device regulatory systems in the United States and Europe in accordance with the available gray and peer-reviewed literature and legislative documents. Findings: The two regulatory systems differ in their mandate and orientation, organization, pre-and postmarket evidence requirements, and transparency of process. Despite these differences, both jurisdictions face similar challenges for ensuring that only safe and effective devices reach the market, monitoring real-world use, and exchanging pertinent information on devices with key users such as clinicians and patients. To address these issues, reforms have recently been introduced or debated in the United States and Europe that are principally focused on strengthening regulatory processes, enhancing postmarket regulation through more robust surveillance systems, and improving the traceability and monitoring of devices. Some changes in premarket requirements for devices are being considered. Conclusions: Although the current reforms address some of the outstanding challenges in device regulation, additional steps are needed to improve existing policy. We examine a number of actions to be considered, such as requiring high-quality evidence of benefit for medium-and high-risk devices; moving toward greater centralization and coordination of regulatory approval in Europe; creating links between device identifier systems and existing data collection tools, such as electronic health records; and fostering increased and more effective use of registries to ensure safe postmarket use of new and existing devices. PMID:24597558

Health Disparities and Relational Well-Being between Multi- and Mono-Ethnic Asian Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Wei

2013-01-01

Focusing on Hawaii, a state with 21.3% of the population being multi-racial according to the 2010 U.S. Census, this study aims to examine the existence and nature of health disparities between mono- and multi-ethnic Asian Americans and the importance of Relational Well-Being in affecting the health of Asian Americans. A series of ordinary least…

Reifying the Ontology of Individualism at the Expense of Democracy: An Examination of University Supervisors' Written Feedback to Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritter, Jason K.; Powell, Dave; Hawley, Todd S.; Blasik, Jessica

2011-01-01

Despite persistent questions about the nature and purpose of social studies education in the United States, there exists general agreement that social studies should be about democratic citizenship. But much depends on how individuals view democracy, and the extent to which they think it has been, or could be, realized through education. This…

Examining the Influence of Family Environments on Youth Violence: A Comparison of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Non-Latino Black, and Non-Latino White Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estrada-Martinez, Lorena M.; Padilla, Mark B.; Caldwell, Cleopatra Howard; Schulz, Amy Jo

2011-01-01

Existing research rarely considers important ethnic subgroup variations in violent behaviors among Latino youth. Thus, their risk for severe violent behaviors is not well understood in light of the immense ethnic and generational diversity of the Latino population in the United States. Grounded in social control theory and cultural analyses of…

8th Grade Student's Skill of Connecting Mathematics to Real Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altay, Mesture Kayhan; Yalvaç, Betül; Yeltekin, Emel

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine 8th grade students' skills of connecting mathematics to real life. This study uses survey design since it aims to determine existing situations regarding to students' skills of connecting mathematics to real life. The study sample consists of 176 students in total, who are studying at a state school in the…

Variable Structure PID Control to Prevent Integrator Windup

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, C. E.; Hodel, A. S.; Hung, J. Y.

1999-01-01

PID controllers are frequently used to control systems requiring zero steady-state error while maintaining requirements for settling time and robustness (gain/phase margins). PID controllers suffer significant loss of performance due to short-term integrator wind-up when used in systems with actuator saturation. We examine several existing and proposed methods for the prevention of integrator wind-up in both continuous and discrete time implementations.

A Comparative Study of the Patterns of Acculturation of Selected Puerto Rican, Protestant and Roman Catholic Families in an Urban Metropolitan Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennon, John J.

This examines the existing state of acculturation of Puerto Rican migrants living in Chicago and the extent to which religion affects their acculturation. Six variables (age, prior urban or rural residence, sex, recency of migration, religion, and religiousness) and the relationship of these variables to acculturation are investigated. The sample…

Factors Affecting Female Attitude Formation toward Science. Specific Reference to 12-14 Year Old Female Adolescents and Their Affective Orientation toward Middle School Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schreiber, Deborah A.

This paper: (1) briefly reviews the existing literature which supports that female adolescents possess significantly more negative attitudes toward middle school science than do males; (2) examines the process of gender socialization in the United States to establish the socio-cultural and social psychological framework within which an attitudinal…

Following the Mobile Student: Can We Develop the Capacity for a Comprehensive Database To Assess Student Progression? Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewell, Peter T.; Schild, Paula R.; Paulson, Karen

A major problem in measuring student success in postsecondary education is the difficulty in tracking students' progress as they transfer from one institution to another. National studies have shown that more than half of students attend more than one institution in their pursuit of a bachelor's degree. This study examined existing state-level…

Absorption spectrum and ultrafast response of monolayer and bilayer transition-metal dichalcogenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turkowski, Volodymyr; Ramirez-Torres, Alfredo; Rahman, Talat S.

2015-03-01

We apply a combined time-dependent density functional theory and many-body theory approach to examine the absorption spectrum and nonequilibrium response of monolayer and bilayer MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2 systems. In particular, we evaluate the possibility of existence of bound states - excitons and trions in the undoped systems. In a previous work we have already demonstrated that the binding energies of these states in the monolayer systems are large which makes them available for room temperature applications. We analyze the possibility of ultrafast electron-hole separation in bilayer systems through inter-layer hole transfer, and show that such a possibility exists, in agreement with experimental observations. For doped systems we consider the possibility of Mahan excitonic states in monolayers and show that the binding energy for these states is of the order of 10 meV. We perform a detailed analysis of the relaxation of doped monolayers excited by ultrafast laser pulse by taking into account electron-phonon scattering effects, and demonstrate that ultrafast (10-100fs) processes, including luminescence, may be relevant for these materials. Work supported in part by DOE Grant No. DOE-DE-FG02-07ER46354.

Play and optimal welfare: Does play indicate the presence of positive affective states?

PubMed

Ahloy-Dallaire, Jamie; Espinosa, Julia; Mason, Georgia

2017-11-16

Play is commonly used to assess affective states in both humans and non-human animals. Play appears to be most common when animals are well-fed and not under any direct threats to fitness. Could play and playfulness therefore indicate pre-existing positive emotions, and thence optimal animal welfare? We examine this question by surveying the internal and external conditions that promote or suppress play in a variety of species, starting with humans. We find that negative affective states and poor welfare usually do suppress play (although there are notable exceptions where the opposite occurs). Furthermore, research in children suggests that beyond the frequency or total duration of play, poor welfare may additionally be reflected in qualitative aspects of this heterogeneous behaviour (e.g. display of solitary over social play; and the 'fragmentation' of play bouts) that are often overlooked in animals. There are surprisingly few studies of play in subjects with pre-existing optimal welfare or in unambiguously highly positive affective states, making it currently impossible to determine whether play can distinguish optimal or good welfare from merely neutral welfare. This therefore represents an important and exciting area for future research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Steady state whistler turbulence and stability of thermal barriers in tandem mirrors

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

Litwin, C.; Sudan, R.N.

The effect of the whistler turbulence on anisotropic electrons in a thermal barrier is examined. The electron distribution function is derived self-consistently by solving the steady state quasilinear diffusion equation. Saturated amplitudes are computed using the resonance broadening theory or convective stabilization. Estimated power levels necessary for sustaining the steady state of a strongly anisotropic electron population are found to exceed by orders of magnitude the estimates based on Fokker--Planck calculations for the range of parameters of tandem mirror (TMX-U and MFTF-B) experiments (Nucl. Fusion 25, 1205 (1985)). Upper limits on the allowed degree of anisotropy for existing power densitiesmore » are calculated.« less

Ethics, law, and commercial surrogacy: a call for uniformity.

PubMed

Drabiak, Katherine; Wegner, Carole; Fredland, Valita; Helft, Paul R

2007-01-01

In the United States at this time, no uniform federal law exists regarding commercial surrogacy, and state statutory schemes vary vastly, ranging from criminalization to legal recognition with contract enforcement. The authors examine how commercial surrogacy agencies utilize the Internet as a means for attracting parents and surrogates by employing emotional cultural rhetoric. By inducing both parents and surrogates to their jurisdiction, agencies circumvent vast discrepancies in state statutory regulative schemes and create a distinct interstate business, absent an efficient regulatory framework or legal recourse in some circumstances. The authors propose a uniform federal regulatory scheme premised upon regulating interstate business transactions to create accountability and legal remedies for both the parents and the surrogate.

Does transbilayer diffusion have a role in membrane transport of drugs?

PubMed Central

Balaz, Stefan

2012-01-01

The existing consensus on coexistence of transbilayer diffusion and carrier-mediated transport as two main mechanisms for drugs crossing biological membranes was recently challenged by a systems biology group. Their transporters-only hypothesis is examined in this article using published experimental evidence. The main focus is on the key claim of their hypothesis, stating that ‘the drug molecules cross pure phospholipid bilayers through transient pores that cannot form in the bilayers of cell membranes, and thus transbilayer drug transport does not exist in cells’. The analysis shows that the prior consensus remains a valid scientific view of the membrane transport of drugs. PMID:22705388

Response of School Districts to the New York State Concussion Awareness and Management Act: Review of Policies and Procedures.

PubMed

Kajankova, Maria; Oswald, Jennifer M; Terranova, Lauren M; Kaplen, Michael V; Ambrose, Anne F; Spielman, Lisa A; Gordon, Wayne A

2017-06-01

By 2014, all states implemented concussion laws that schools must translate into daily practice; yet, limited knowledge exists regarding implementation of these laws. We examined the extent to which concussion management policies and procedure (P&P) documents of New York State school districts comply with the State's Concussion Awareness and Management Act (the Act). We also aimed to identify barriers to compliance. Forty-seven school districts provided P&P documents. We examined compliance with the Act and the relationship between compliance and each district's demographics. Compliance varied across school districts, with higher overall compliance in large city school districts compared to county districts. However, there was low compliance for several critical items. We found no statistically significant relationship between compliance and demographics. School districts need to increase compliance with concussion legislation to ensure the adequate implementation necessary for the law to impact health and educational outcomes. The results provide important information to individuals charged with the responsibility of implementation and ultimately reducing the negative outcomes associated with brain injuries in schools. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Examining cross-cultural differences in autism spectrum disorder: A multinational comparison from Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the United States.

PubMed

Matson, J L; Matheis, M; Burns, C O; Esposito, G; Venuti, P; Pisula, E; Misiak, A; Kalyva, E; Tsakiris, V; Kamio, Y; Ishitobi, M; Goldin, R L

2017-05-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social and communication impairments as well as restricted, repetitive behavior patterns. Despite the fact that ASD is reported worldwide, very little research exists examining ASD characteristics on a multinational scale. Cross-cultural comparisons are especially important for ASD, since cultural differences may impact the perception of symptoms. Identifying behaviors that are similarly reported as problematic across cultures as well as identifying behaviors in which there is cultural variation could aid in the development and refinement of more universally effective measures. The present study sought to examine similarities and differences in caregiver endorsement of symptom severity through scores on the Baby Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT). The BISCUIT was utilized to examine ASD core symptomology in 250 toddlers diagnosed with ASD from Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the United States. Significant differences in overall ASD symptom severity and endorsement were found between multinational groups. Implications of the results are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Extent of Anaemia among Preschool Children in EAG States, India: A Challenge to Policy Makers

PubMed Central

Singh, Rakesh Kumar; Patra, Shraboni

2014-01-01

Background. India is the highest contributor to child anemia. About 89 million children in India are anemic. The study determines the factors that contributed to child anemia and examines the role of the existing programs in reducing the prevalence of child anemia particularly in the EAG states. Methods. The data from the latest round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) is used. Simple bivariate and multinomial logistics regression analyses are used. Results. About 70% children are anemic in all the EAG states. The prevalence of severe anemia is the highest (6.7%) in Rajasthan followed by Uttar Pradesh (3.6%) and Madhya Pradesh (3.4%). Children aged 12 to 17 months are significantly seven times (RR = 7.99, P < 0.001) more likely to be severely anemic compared to children of 36 to 59 months. Children of severely anemic mothers are also found to be more severely anemic (RR = 15.97, P < 0.001) than the children of not anemic mothers. Conclusions. The study reveals that the existing government program fails to control anemia among preschool children in the backward states of India. Therefore, there is an urgent need for monitoring of program in regular interval, particularly for EAG states to reduce the prevalence of anemia among preschool children. PMID:25140250

Prescription practices involving opioid analgesics among Americans with Medicaid, 2010.

PubMed

Mack, Karin A; Zhang, Kun; Paulozzi, Leonard; Jones, Christopher

2015-02-01

Recent state-based studies have shown an increased risk of opioid overdose death in Medicaid populations. To explore one side of risk, this study examines indicators of potential opioid inappropriate use or prescribing among Medicaid enrollees. We examined claims from enrollees aged 18-64 years in the 2010 Truven Health MarketScan® Multi-State Medicaid database, which consisted of weighted and nationally representative data from 12 states. Pharmaceutical claims were used to identify enrollees (n=359,368) with opioid prescriptions. Indicators of potential inappropriate use or prescribing included overlapping opioid prescriptions, overlapping opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions, long acting/extended release opioids for acute pain, and high daily doses. In 2010, Medicaid enrollees with opioid prescriptions obtained an average 6.3 opioid prescriptions, and 40% had at least one indicator of potential inappropriate use or prescribing. These indicators have been linked to opioid-related adverse health outcomes, and methods exist to detect and deter inappropriate use and prescribing of opioids.

Geospatial Indicators of Space and Place: A Review of Multilevel Studies of HIV Prevention and Care Outcomes Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States.

PubMed

Bauermeister, José A; Connochie, Daniel; Eaton, Lisa; Demers, Michele; Stephenson, Rob

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM), particularly YMSM who are racial/ethnic minorities, are disproportionately affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the United States. These HIV disparities have been linked to demographic, social, and physical geospatial characteristics. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the existing evidence from multilevel studies examining how geospatial characteristics are associated with HIV prevention and care outcomes among YMSM populations. Our literature search uncovered 126 peer-reviewed articles, of which 17 were eligible for inclusion based on our review criteria. Nine studies examined geospatial characteristics as predictors of HIV prevention outcomes. Nine of the 17 studies reported HIV care outcomes. From the synthesis regarding the current state of research around geospatial correlates of behavioral and biological HIV risk, we propose strategies to move the field forward in order to inform the design of future multilevel research and intervention studies for this population.

Immigration, Statecraft and Public Health: The 1920 Aliens Order, Medical Examinations and the Limitations of the State in England

PubMed Central

Taylor, Becky

2016-01-01

This article considers the medical measures of the 1920 Aliens Order barring aliens from Britain. Building on existing local and port public health inspection, the requirement for aliens to be medically inspected before landing significantly expanded the duties of these state agencies and necessitated the creation of a new level of physical infrastructure and administrative machinery. This article closely examines the workings and limitations of alien medical inspection in two of England’s major ports—Liverpool and London—and sheds light on the everyday working of the Act. In doing so it reflects on the ambitions, actions and limitations of the state and so extends research by historians of the nineteenth and early twentieth century on the disputed histories of public health and the complexities of statecraft. Overall it suggests the importance of developing nuanced understandings of the gaps and failures arising from the translation of legislation into practice. PMID:27482146

Macroeconomic fluctuations and motorcycle fatalities in the U.S.

PubMed

French, Michael T; Gumus, Gulcin

2014-03-01

The effects of business cycles on health outcomes in general, and on traffic fatalities in particular, have received much attention recently. In this paper, we focus on motorcycle safety and examine the impact of changing levels of economic activity on fatal crashes by motorcyclists in the United States. We analyze state-level longitudinal data with 1,104 state/year observations from the 1988-2010 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Using the extensive motorcycle crash characteristics available in FARS, we examine not only total fatality rates but also rates decomposed by crash type, day, time, and the level of the motorcycle operator's blood alcohol content. Our results are consistent with much of the existing literature showing that traffic fatality rates are pro-cyclical. The estimates suggest that a 10% increase in real income per capita is associated with a 10.4% rise in the total motorcycle fatality rate. Along with potential mechanisms, policymakers and public health officials should consider the effects of business cycles on motorcycle safety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Entanglement of the vacuum between left, right, future, and past: The origin of entanglement-induced quantum radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, Atsushi; Iso, Satoshi; Ueda, Kazushige; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro

2017-10-01

The Minkowski vacuum state is expressed as an entangled state between the left and right Rindler wedges when it is constructed on the Rindler vacuum. In this paper, we further examine the entanglement structure and extend the expression to the future (expanding) and past (shrinking) Kasner spacetimes. This clarifies the origin of the quantum radiation produced by an Unruh-DeWitt detector in uniformly accelerated motion in the four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. We also investigate the two-dimensional massless case where the quantum radiation vanishes but the same entanglement structure exists.

Overview of the Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer; Chwalowski, Pawel; Schuster, David M.; Dalenbring, Mats

2013-01-01

The AIAA Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (AePW) was held in April, 2012, bringing together communities of aeroelasticians and computational fluid dynamicists. The objective in conducting this workshop on aeroelastic prediction was to assess state-of-the-art computational aeroelasticity methods as practical tools for the prediction of static and dynamic aeroelastic phenomena. No comprehensive aeroelastic benchmarking validation standard currently exists, greatly hindering validation and state-of-the-art assessment objectives. The workshop was a step towards assessing the state of the art in computational aeroelasticity. This was an opportunity to discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of existing computer codes and modeling techniques for unsteady flow, and to identify computational and experimental areas needing additional research and development. Three configurations served as the basis for the workshop, providing different levels of geometric and flow field complexity. All cases considered involved supercritical airfoils at transonic conditions. The flow fields contained oscillating shocks and in some cases, regions of separation. The computational tools principally employed Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes solutions. The successes and failures of the computations and the experiments are examined in this paper.

Enigma of drug-induced altered states of consciousness among the !Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.

PubMed

Dobkin De Rios, M

1986-03-01

This article examines data presented in Katz' book, Boiling Energy: Community Healing among the Kalahari Kung, particularly with regard to plant drugs present in the community during the 1968 visit. The author argues that the similarity of the Bushman trance state, kia and that of drug-induced altered states of consciousness has been paid too little attention in the research, and that an enigma currently exists with regard to the degree to which plant drugs may have influenced the !Kung trance phenomenon and healing beliefs. The author discusses the existing evidence for plant drug use based on Katz' research and the specimens currently on hand at the Harvard Botanical Museum herbarium, and presents a Table which contrasts drug-induced behaviors and ideologies of societies known or suspected to have used mind-altering drugs with similar behavior/beliefs of the !Kung. It is suggested that the influence of a number of psychoactive drugs may have played a much more pivotal role in Bushman behavior and belief than is generally acknowledged.

Casino gambling among older adults in North Dakota: a policy analysis.

PubMed

Bjelde, Kristine; Chromy, Barbara; Pankow, Debra

2008-12-01

This article examined social issues surrounding casino gambling among older adults both nationally and in the state of North Dakota. An exploratory review of gambling trends among older adults and an examination of policies to protect older gamblers revealed that older adults are targeted by the gaming industry as a lucrative market (Singh et al. J Retail Leisure Property 2007, 6(1):61-68). The authors used the national literature to frame their qualitative study, which explored gambling issues among older adults in North Dakota from the perspective of six counselors trained in gambling addiction who provide treatment services in the state. Findings indicated that relatively few policies existed at the state and national levels to protect older, more vulnerable adults who gamble. Further, the six casinos in North Dakota were viewed as very effective in marketing their casino gaming opportunities to older citizens by the gambling treatment providers interviewed. Additionally, barriers to gambling addiction treatment involved lack of available services and distance to receive services in this rural state. Based on the findings of this study, social policy changes which could lead to increased protection for older adult gamblers in the state were included.

Differential relationship of recent self-reported stress and acute anxiety with divided attention performance.

PubMed

Petrac, D C; Bedwell, J S; Renk, K; Orem, D M; Sims, V

2009-07-01

There have been relatively few studies on the relationship between recent perceived environmental stress and cognitive performance, and the existing studies do not control for state anxiety during the cognitive testing. The current study addressed this need by examining recent self-reported environmental stress and divided attention performance, while controlling for state anxiety. Fifty-four university undergraduates who self-reported a wide range of perceived recent stress (10-item perceived stress scale) completed both single and dual (simultaneous auditory and visual stimuli) continuous performance tests. Partial correlation analysis showed a statistically significant positive correlation between perceived stress and the auditory omission errors from the dual condition, after controlling for state anxiety and auditory omission errors from the single condition (r = 0.41). This suggests that increased environmental stress relates to decreased divided attention performance in auditory vigilance. In contrast, an increase in state anxiety (controlling for perceived stress) was related to a decrease in auditory omission errors from the dual condition (r = - 0.37), which suggests that state anxiety may improve divided attention performance. Results suggest that further examination of the neurobiological consequences of environmental stress on divided attention and other executive functioning tasks is needed.

'Gendercide', abortion policy, and the disciplining of prenatal sex-selection in neoliberal Europe.

PubMed

Purewal, Navtej; Eklund, Lisa

2018-06-01

This article examines the contours of how sex-selective abortion (SSA) and 'gendercide' have been problematically combined within contemporary debates on abortion in Europe. Analysing the development of policies on the topic, we identify three 'turns' which have become integral to the biopolitics of SSA in Europe: the biomedical turn, the 'gendercide' turn, and the Asian demographic turn. Recent attempts to discipline SSA in the UK and Sweden are examined as a means of showing how the neoliberal state in Europe is becoming increasingly open to manoeuvres to undermine the right to abortion, even where firm laws exist.

The medical examination in United States immigration applications: the potential use of genetic testing leads to heightened privacy concerns.

PubMed

Burroughs, A Maxwell

2005-01-01

The medical examination has been an integral part of the immigration application process since the passing of the Immigration Act of 1891. Failing the medical examination can result in denial of the application. Over the years the medical examination has been expanded to include questioning about diseases that are scientifically shown to be rooted in an individual's genetic makeup. Recent advances in the fields of genomics and bioinformatics are making accurate and precise screening for these conditions a reality. Government policymakers will soon be faced with decisions regarding whether or not to sanction the use of these newly-developed genetic tests in the immigration application procedure. The terror threat currently facing the United States may ultimately bolster the argument in favor of genetic testing and/or DNA collection of applicants. However, the possibility of a government mandate requiring genetic testing raises a host of ethical issues; including the threat of eugenics and privacy concerns. Genetic testing has the ability to uncover a wealth of sensitive medical information about an individual and currently there are no medical information privacy protections afforded to immigration applicants. This article examines the potential for genetic testing in the immigration application process and the ethical issues surrounding this testing. In particular, this article explores the existing framework of privacy protections afforded to individuals living in the United States and how this and newly-erected standards like those released by the Health and Human Services (HHS) might apply to individuals seeking to immigrate to the United States.

Examination of Sex Differences in a Large Sample of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development

PubMed Central

Reinhardt, Vanessa P.; Wetherby, Amy M.; Schatschneider, Christopher

2014-01-01

Despite consistent and substantive research documenting a large male to female ratio in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), only a modest body of research exists examining sex differences in characteristics. This study examined sex differences in developmental functioning and early social communication in children with ASD as compared to children with typical development. Sex differences in adaptive behavior and autism symptoms were also examined in children with ASD. Participants (n = 511) were recruited from the Florida State University FIRST WORDS® Project and University of Michigan Autism and Communication Disorders Center. Analyses did not reveal significant effects of sex or a diagnostic group by sex interaction, suggesting a similar phenotype in males and females early in development. Further research is needed to examine sex differences across development. PMID:25189824

Existence of a new emitting singlet state of proflavine: femtosecond dynamics of the excited state processes and quantum chemical studies in different solvents.

PubMed

Kumar, Karuppannan Senthil; Selvaraju, Chellappan; Malar, Ezekiel Joy Padma; Natarajan, Paramasivam

2012-01-12

Proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine) shows fluorescence emission with lifetime, 4.6 ± 0.2 ns, in all the solvents irrespective of the solvent polarity. To understand this unusual photophysical property, investigations were carried out using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in the pico- and femtosecond time domain. Molecular geometries in the ground and low-lying excited states of proflavine were examined by complete structural optimization using ab initio quantum chemical computations at HF/6-311++G** and CIS/6-311++G** levels. Time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations were performed to study the excitation energies in the low-lying excited states. The steady state absorption and emission spectral details of proflavine are found to be influenced by solvents. The femtosecond fluorescence decay of the proflavine in all the solvents follows triexponential function with two ultrafast decay components (τ(1) and τ(2)) in addition to the nanosecond component. The ultrafast decay component, τ(1), is attributed to the solvation dynamics of the particular solvent used. The second ultrafast decay component, τ(2), is found to vary from 50 to 215 ps depending upon the solvent. The amplitudes of the ultrafast decay components vary with the wavelength and show time dependent spectral shift in the emission maximum. The observation is interpreted that the time dependent spectral shift is not only due to solvation dynamics but also due to the existence of more than one emitting state of proflavine in the solvent used. Time resolved area normalized emission spectral (TRANES) analysis shows an isoemissive point, indicating the presence of two emitting states in homogeneous solution. Detailed femtosecond fluorescence decay analysis allows us to isolate the two independent emitting components of the close lying singlet states. The CIS and TDDFT calculations also support the existence of the close lying emitting states. The near constant lifetime observed for proflavine in different solvents is suggested to be due to the similar dipole moments of the ground and the evolved emitting singlet state of the dye from the Franck-Condon excited state.

State and territorial boards of nursing approaches to the use of unlicensed assistive personnel.

PubMed

Thomas, S A; Barter, M; McLaughlin, F E

2000-03-01

This study examined U.S. state and territorial boards of nursing approaches to the regulation of the use of: unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in acute care hospitals; state and jurisdictional authority, oversight and disciplinary action related to registered nurse (RN) delegation, supervision and assignment; educational preparation requirements for UAP; and future projections for their use. A survey was administered to 53 state and territorial boards of nursing officials in 1998. A majority of the states reported that they had regulations/guidelines for RN's who supervised UAP and regulations that protected the use of the RN title. Few states used the American Nurses Association or National Council of State Boards of Nursing definitions for delegation, supervision, or assignment. The majority have formulated their own definitions. The majority of states reported no standardized curriculum in place for UAP employed in acute care hospitals. More than half of the states reported that no plans existed for developing a curriculum.

Interest Group Conflict Over Medicaid Expansion: The Surprising Impact of Public Advocates.

PubMed

Callaghan, Timothy; Jacobs, Lawrence R

2016-02-01

We examined the potential economic, policy, and political influences on the decisions of the 50 US states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. We related a measure of relative state progress toward Medicaid expansion updated to 2015 to each state's economic circumstances, established policy frameworks in states, partisan control of state government, and lobbyists for businesses, medical professionals, unions, and public interest organizations. The 9201 lobbyists working on health care reform in state capitols exerted a strong and significant impact on Medicaid expansion. Controlling for confounding factors (including partisanship and existing policy frameworks), we found that business and professional lobbyists exerted a negative effect on state Medicaid expansion and, unexpectedly, that public interest advocates exerted a positive effect. There are 3.1 million adults who lack coverage because they live in the 20 states that refused to expand Medicaid. Although political party and lobbyists for private interests present significant barriers in these states, legislative lobbying on behalf of the uninsured appears likely to be effective.

46 CFR 4.05-25 - Reports when state of war exists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reports when state of war exists. 4.05-25 Section 4.05-25 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO THE PUBLIC MARINE... war exists. During the period when a state of war exists between the United States and any foreign...

[Equivalency examinations for foreign physicians in Baden-Wuerttemberg].

PubMed

Farhan, N; Wiesemann, A; Wirsching, M

2014-05-01

Recent years have seen an increasing number of foreign doctors starting to practice medicine in German hospitals (or more rarely, in surgeries). In order to be granted the German license to practice medicine, doctors with a medical degree from outside the European Union have to undergo an equivalency examination. The supervisory authority for this is the examination office of the relevant federal state, which is why different procedures are being applied in the individual states. The aim of this paper is to point out the problems that frequently arise when conducting this specialist exam and to make suggestions as to how to improve the quality of the procedure. 6 senior professors from the examination boards of the 4 medical schools in Baden-Wuerttemberg formed a focus group and discussed the difficulties associated with the exam, recorded problems in its actual implementation and then analysed the minutes of the meeting in a results-based manner in order to compile proposals for optimisation. In view of the deficits in subject knowledge, general communication skills and specific communication skills, the difficulties of the current recognition procedure and the existing equivalency exam fall into 3 categories: structure and content of the exam, examiners and exam candidates. In consultation with the State Examination Office Stuttgart, some processes for optimisation have been devised, e. g., to develop a special curriculum which could be used for guidance and to recruit more examiners. The recommendations of the focus group from Baden-Wuerttemberg are an important step towards more transparency and possibly towards a Germany-wide standardisation of this exam. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Examining Clandestine Social Networks for the Presence of Non-Random Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

illustrating the potential use for the defense community and others. v AFIT/GOR/ENS/07-24 Dedication...potential use it has for the United States Air Force and wider Department of Defense community . 2-1 2. Literature Review 2.1. Introduction In the...Leinhardt successfully found a way to test dyadic ties for probability of existence. Unfortunately, the p1 model was limited to only being able to

Aligning Science Assessment Standards: Oklahoma and the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 022

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timms, Michael; Schneider, Steven; Lee, Cindy; Rolfhus, Eric

2007-01-01

This policy research document is intended for Oklahoma policymakers to use when examining possible changes to the state assessment's alignment with the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The 2009 NAEP test is not yet in existence, so the purpose of this report is to give policymakers a head start in determining where they might,…

The Grog. A Journal of Navy Medical History and Culture. Issue 44

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

medical observation before being sent to sea. All Sailors would now have to undergo physical examination before being transferred or before they could...Wieber. carefully balanced rations, ventilation aboard ships, systematic physical ex- ercise, and general personal hygiene of all men in the Navy...cases helio (light) and occupational therapies . Below are some of the more notable sanitariums that still exist in the United States. Adirondack

Equal Pay for Equal Work in Academic Obstetrics and Gynecology.

PubMed

Eichelberger, Kacey Y

2018-02-01

The most compelling data suggest women in academic obstetrics and gynecology earn approximately $36,000 less than male colleagues per year in regression models correcting for commonly cited explanatory variables. Although residual confounding may exist, academic departments in the United States should consider rigorous examination of their own internal metrics around salary to ensure gender-neutral compensation, commonly referred to as equal pay for equal work.

Jobs Taken by Mothers Moving from Welfare to Work and the Effects of Minimum Wages on This Transition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandon, Peter D.

The potential effects of raising the minimum wage on the earnings of mothers moving from welfare to work were examined by analyzing the differences that existed in the late 1980s in the various states' minimum wage rates and data from three waves of the Survey of Income and Program Participation for the years 1985-1990 (during which time 13 states…

Examination of directed flow as a signal for a phase transition in relativistic nuclear collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinheimer, J.; Auvinen, J.; Petersen, H.; Bleicher, M.; Stöcker, H.

2014-05-01

The sign change of the slope of the directed flow of baryons has been predicted as a signal for a first order phase transition within fluid dynamical calculations. Recently, the directed flow of identified particles was measured by the STAR Collaboration in the beam energy scan program. In this article, we examine the collision energy dependence of directed flow v1 in fluid dynamical model descriptions of heavy ion collisions for √sNN =3-20 GeV. The first step is to reproduce the existing predictions within pure fluid dynamical calculations. As a second step we investigate the influence of the order of the phase transition on the anisotropic flow within a state-of-the-art hybrid approach that describes other global observables reasonably well. We find that, in the hybrid approach, there seems to be no sensitivity of the directed flow on the equation of state and in particular on the existence of a first order phase transition. In addition, we explore more subtle sensitivities such as the Cooper-Frye transition criterion and discuss how momentum conservation and the definition of the event plane affects the results. At this point, none of our calculations matches qualitatively the behavior of the STAR data; the values of the slopes are always larger than in the data.

Conceptualizing Holistic Community Resilience to Climate ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The concept of resilience has been evolving over the past decade as a way to address the current and future challenges nations, states, and cities face from a changing climate. Understanding how the environment (natural and built), climate event risk, societal interactions, and governance reflect community resilience for adaptive management is critical for envisioning urban and natural environments that can persist through extreme weather events and longer-term shifts in climate. To be successful, this interaction of these five domains must result in maintaining quality of life and ensuring equal access to the benefits or the protection from harm for all segments of the population. An exhaustive literature review of climate resilience approaches was conducted examining the two primary elements of resilience—vulnerability and recoverability. The results of this review were examined to determine if any existing frameworks addressed the above five major areas in an integrated manner. While some aspects of a resilience model were available for existing sources, no comprehensive approach was available. A new conceptual model for resilience to climate events is proposed that incorporates some available structures and addresses these five domains at a national, regional, state, and county spatial scale for a variety of climate-induced events ranging from superstorms to droughts and their concomitant events such as wildfires, floods, and pest invasions. This conceptua

The neurocognitive profile of mood disorders - a review of the evidence and methodological issues.

PubMed

Porter, Richard J; Robinson, Lucy J; Malhi, Gin S; Gallagher, Peter

2015-12-01

Cognitive abnormalities are an established part of the symptomatology of mood disorders. However, questions still exist regarding the exact profile of these deficits in terms of the domains most affected, their origins, and their relationship to clinical subtypes. This review aims to examine the current state of the evidence and to examine ways in which the field may be advanced. Studies examining cognitive function in bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar major depression (MDD) were examined. Given the number and variability of such studies, particular attention was paid to meta-analyses and to meta-regression analyses which examined the possible mediators of cognitive impairment. Meta-analyses are available for MDD and BD in both depression and euthymia. Several analyses examine mediators. Results do not support the presence of domain specific deficits but rather a moderate deficit across a range of domains in BD and in MDD. The data on clinical mediators is inconsistent, even with regard to the effect of mood state. A two-tiered approach, with the broad-based application of standardized measures on a large-scale, and the refined application of theoretically driven experimental development would significantly further our understanding of neurocognitive processing in mood disorder. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening and Treatment in the United States: An Update and Recommendation Overview.

PubMed

Colvin, Loretta J; Collop, Nancy A

2016-01-01

No regulatory mandate exists in the United States (U.S.) for comprehensive obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk assessment and stratification for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements are outdated and depend largely on subjective report, a less reliable strategy in an occupational setting. Without FMCSA standards, sleep specialists, occupational medical examiners and employers rely on a collection of medical consensus recommendations to establish standards of care. These recommendations advise OSA risk assessment through a combination of focused medical history, physical examination, questionnaires, and accident history, which increase OSA detection compared to current FMCSA standards. For those diagnosed with OSA, consensus-based risk stratification helps identify CMV drivers who may benefit from OSA treatment and establish minimum standards for assessing treatment efficacy and adherence. Unfortunately no consolidated recommendation exists; rather, publications span medical and governmental literature in a patchwork fashion that no longer fully reflect current practice due to subsequent advances in OSA diagnosis, treatment, and technology. Based on searches of medical literature, internet materials, and reference lists from existing publications, an overview and discussion of key published recommendations regarding OSA assessment and treatment in CMV operators is provided. Suggestions for incorporating these recommendations into clinical sleep medicine practice in the U.S. are presented. The challenge for sleep specialists is maintaining the delicate balance between recommendations impacting standard of care and associated medico-legal impact with stakeholder interests from medical, regulatory, industry and public perspectives while providing high quality and efficient care. © 2016 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

A baseline understanding of state laws governing e-cigarettes.

PubMed

Gourdet, C K; Chriqui, J F; Chaloupka, F J

2014-07-01

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been available for purchase in the USA since 2007, and have grown rapidly in popularity. Currently, there are no federal restrictions on e-cigarettes; therefore, any regulations are under the purview of state and/or local governments. This study examines state laws governing e-cigarettes through youth access restrictions, smoke-free air requirements and/or excise taxation. Codified statutory and administrative laws, attorney general opinions, executive orders, and revenue notices and rulings effective as of 15 November 2013 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, were compiled using Boolean searches in Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw. All laws were analysed by two study authors to determine the presence and components of relevant provisions. Two categories of laws were identified; (1) explicit e-cigarette laws and (2) laws focused on tobacco-derived and/or nicotine-containing products. Thirty-four states' laws address e-cigarettes either explicitly or as part of language applying to tobacco-derived or nicotine-containing products. Laws explicitly addressing e-cigarettes primarily focus on youth access (22 states) or smoke-free air (12 states); only Minnesota imposes an excise tax on e-cigarettes. Similarly, tobacco-derived or nicotine-containing products are primarily regulated through youth access restrictions (6 states), smoke-free air laws (5 states), or excise taxation (2 states). In the current absence of federal law governing e-cigarettes, more than one-half of the states have taken the initiative to regulate these products. The opportunity exists for the remaining states to incorporate e-cigarette-related restrictions into their pre-existing tobacco control laws. 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.

The Hoyle state in 12C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freer, M.; Fynbo, H. O. U.

2014-09-01

The 7.65 MeV, Jπ =0+, second excited state in 12C is known as the Hoyle-state after Fred Hoyle. In the 1950s Hoyle proposed the existence of the state in order to account for the stellar abundance of carbon. Aside from its key role in the synthesis of the elements it is believed to possess a rather unusual structure, where the dominant degrees of freedom are those of α-particle clusters rather than nucleons. An understanding of the properties of the Hoyle state, for example its radius and excitations, has been the focus of a major experimental activity. Similarly, unravelling precisely why a cluster state should arise at precisely the right energy to promote synthesis of carbon has been a central theoretical challenge. To a significant extent, the Hoyle-state has become a cornerstone for state-of-the-art nuclear theory. This review examines the present status of both theory and experiment and indicates directions for future developments to resolve some of the remaining open questions.

Network influences on dissemination of evidence-based guidelines in state tobacco control programs.

PubMed

Luke, Douglas A; Wald, Lana M; Carothers, Bobbi J; Bach, Laura E; Harris, Jenine K

2013-10-01

Little is known regarding the social network relationships that influence dissemination of evidence-based public health practices and policies. In public health, it is critical that evidence-based guidelines, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, are effectively and efficiently disseminated to intended stakeholders. To determine the organizational and network predictors of dissemination among state tobacco control programs, interviews with members of tobacco control networks across eight states were conducted between August 2009 and September 2010. Measures included partner attributes (e.g., agency type) and relationships among network members (frequency of contact, extent of collaboration, and dissemination of Best Practices). Exponential random graph modeling was used to examine attribute and structural predictors of collaboration and dissemination among partners in each network. Although density and centralization of dissemination ties varied across states, network analyses revealed a consistent prediction pattern across all eight states. State tobacco control dissemination networks were less dense but more centralized compared with organizational contact and collaboration networks. Tobacco control partners in each state were more likely to disseminate the Best Practices guidelines if they also had existing contact and collaboration relationships with one another. Evidence-based guidelines in public health need to be efficiently and broadly disseminated if we hope to translate science into practice. This study suggests that funders, advocacy groups, and public health agencies can take advantage of existing public health organizational relationships to support the communication and dissemination of evidence-based practices and policies.

Light-Enhanced Spin Fluctuations and d -Wave Superconductivity at a Phase Boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yao; Chen, Cheng-Chien; Moritz, B.; Devereaux, T. P.

2018-06-01

Time-domain techniques have shown the potential of photomanipulating existing orders and inducing new states of matter in strongly correlated materials. Using time-resolved exact diagonalization, we perform numerical studies of pump dynamics in a Mott-Peierls system with competing charge and spin density waves. A light-enhanced d -wave superconductivity is observed when the system resides near a quantum phase boundary. By examining the evolution of spin, charge, and superconducting susceptibilities, we show that a subdominant state in equilibrium can be stabilized by photomanipulating the charge order to allow superconductivity to appear and dominate. This work provides an interpretation of light-induced superconductivity from the perspective of order competition and offers a promising approach for designing novel emergent states out of equilibrium.

Market definition studies for photovoltaic highway applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Prospects for solar electric power in applications related to highways within the continental United States are examined. Principal prospective users are found to be the highway departments of the various states. Economic analysis is employed to demonstrate that suitable applications can occur when powering apparatus such as signs, crossing signals, or instruments which consume less than 100 watts on the average, provided they are located at least one-half mile from existing utility power. Such applications are projected to occur two or three times per state per year. Attitudes of highway officials toward possible use of solar power are sampled and described. Although falling photovoltaic cell prices are expected to have little effect on sales potential here, methods for federal stimulation of this market are discussed.

Eugenics without the state: anarchism in Catalonia, 1900-1937.

PubMed

Cleminson, Richard

2008-06-01

Current historiography has considered eugenics to be an emanation from state structures or a movement which sought to appeal to the state in order to implement eugenic reform. This paper examines the limitations of that view and argues that it is necessary to expand our horizons to consider particularly working-class eugenics movements that were based on the dissemination of knowledge about sex and which did not aspire to positions of political power. The paper argues that anarchism, with its contradictory practice afforded by the convulsive social situation of the Civil War in Spain, allows us to assess critically the parameters of the social action of eugenics, its many alliances, and its struggle for existence in changing political circumstances not of its own making.

Energy Recovery Hydropower: Prospects for Off-Setting Electricity Costs for Agricultural, Municipal, and Industrial Water Providers and Users; July 2017 - September 2017

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

Levine, Aaron L.; Curtis, Taylor L.; Johnson, Kurt

Energy recovery hydropower is one of the most cost-effective types of new hydropower development because it is constructed utilizing existing infrastructure, and it is typically able to complete Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) review in 60 days. Recent changes in federal and state policy have supported energy recovery hydropower. In addition, some states have developed programs and policies to support energy recovery hydropower, including resource assessments, regulatory streamlining initiatives, and grant and loan programs to reduce project development costs. This report examines current federal and state policy drivers for energy recovery hydropower, reviews market trends, and looks ahead at futuremore » federal resource assessments and hydropower reform legislation.« less

CONCEPTUALIZING BIOPOLITICS: CITIZEN-STATE INTERACTIONS IN THE SECURING OF WATER SERVICES IN SOUTH AFRICA

PubMed Central

Bulled, Nicola

2015-01-01

Despite constitutional obligations to provide clean water to all citizens in South Africa, access to water and related services remains highly contested. The discord between constitutional promises and lived realities of water access, particularly through national infrastructure, provides a platform upon which to examine Foucauldian notions of biopolitics, the control of populations through technologies of governing. Drawing on the situations of residents in the rural Vhembe district in the north eastern corner of the country, I examine how individuals conceptualize the relationship that exists between citizen and state and the responsibilities of each in post-apartheid South Africa as it relates to water access. In addition, I describe strategies employed throughout South Africa to voice rights to water and how these approaches are perceived. Finally, I consider how the three primary forms of ‘water citizenship’ – citizen, agent, and subject – influence the current and future health of vulnerable residents. PMID:26087245

Conceptualizing Biopolitics: Citizen-State Interactions in the Securing of Water Services in South Africa.

PubMed

Bulled, Nicola

2015-01-01

Despite constitutional obligations to provide clean water to all citizens in South Africa, access to water and related services remains highly contested. The discord between constitutional promises and lived realities of water access, particularly through national infrastructure, provides a platform on which to examine Foucauldian notions of biopolitics, the control of populations through technologies of governing. Drawing on the situations of residents in the rural Vhembe district in the north eastern corner of the country, I examine how individuals conceptualize the relationship that exists between citizen and state and the responsibilities of each in post-Apartheid South Africa as it relates to water access. In addition, I describe strategies employed throughout South Africa to voice rights to water and how these approaches are perceived. Finally, I consider how the three primary forms of 'water citizenship'-citizen, agent, and subject-influence the current and future health of vulnerable residents.

[Training of interviewers in the utilization of standardized questionnaires in psychiatry: studies realized with the Present State Examination (PSE)].

PubMed

Lesage, A D; Cyr, M; Toupin, J; Cormier, H; Valiquette, C

1991-01-01

Interview questionnaires offer more validity than self-administered format in exploring psychopathological or psychosocial phenomena of interest in psychiatric research. If used, special care needs to be paid to interviewers' training and ensuring that they maintain their reliability. No widespread training standards exist and each schedule may carry its own procedure. Our aims are to indicate how we trained interviewers with the French version of the Present State Examination (Wing, Cooper and Sartorius, 1974) and how we checked and kept acceptable interraters reliability during one study. We will provide data on the interraters reliability during the training and the study, as well as the test-retest reliability. These results will be used to support some guidelines when using this sort of psychiatric research questionnaires in order to ensure comparability both within the study and between studies.

The myth of the angry atheist.

PubMed

Meier, Brian P; Fetterman, Adam K; Robinson, Michael D; Lappas, Courtney M

2015-01-01

Atheists are often portrayed in the media and elsewhere as angry individuals. Although atheists disagree with the pillar of many religions, namely the existence of a God, it may not necessarily be the case that they are angry individuals. The prevalence and accuracy of angry-atheist perceptions were examined in 7 studies with 1,677 participants from multiple institutions and locations in the United States. Studies 1-3 revealed that people believe atheists are angrier than believers, people in general, and other minority groups, both explicitly and implicitly. Studies 4-7 then examined the accuracy of these beliefs. Belief in God, state anger, and trait anger were assessed in multiple ways and contexts. None of these studies supported the idea that atheists are particularly angry individuals. Rather, these results support the idea that people believe atheists are angry individuals, but they do not appear to be angrier than other individuals in reality.

Data requirements for valuing externalities: The role of existing permitting processes

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

Lee, A.D.; Baechler, M.C.; Callaway, J.M.

1990-08-01

While the assessment of externalities, or residual impacts, will place new demands on regulators, utilities, and developers, existing processes already require certain data and information that may fulfill some of the data needs for externality valuation. This paper examines existing siting, permitting, and other processes and highlights similarities and differences between their data requirements and the data required to value environmental externalities. It specifically considers existing requirements for siting new electricity resources in Oregon and compares them with the information and data needed to value externalities for such resources. This paper also presents several observations about how states can takemore » advantage of data acquired through processes already in place as they move into an era when externalities are considered in utility decision-making. It presents other observations on the similarities and differences between the data requirements under existing processes and those for valuing externalities. This paper also briefly discusses the special case of cumulative impacts. And it presents recommendations on what steps to take in future efforts to value externalities. 35 refs., 2 tabs.« less

A Case Controlled Examination of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide in the Second Half of Life.

PubMed

Van Orden, Kimberly A; Smith, Phillip N; Chen, Tian; Conwell, Yeates

2016-07-02

The interpersonal theory of suicide proposes that the most proximal cause of suicide is the combination of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness coupled with a pre-existing vulnerability of reduced fear of death and increased pain tolerance. This pre-existing vulnerability develops in response to painful and provocative life events. According to the theory, empirically demonstrated risk factors for suicide operate by increasing the likelihood of one or more of the theory's constructs. The current study examined the relations of the major constructs of the interpersonal theory with suicide case status compared to living controls in the second half of life. The current study used a pre-existing psychological autopsy database to compare suicide decedents to living controls 50 years and older. Theory constructs were measured by composite scores of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and painful and provocative experiences using an a priori selection of items comprising each construct. Suicide decedents experienced greater levels of all three of the theory's constructs when examined independently compared to living controls. When examined simultaneously while also controlling for Major Depression, greater perceived burdensomeness and painful and provocative experiences were associated with suicide case status (vs. control). The interpersonal theory is a comprehensive framework that may be useful in understanding risk for death by suicide in the second half of life. Clinical management of suicide risk for adults in the second half of life could include a focus on perceived burdensomeness, as the IPTS proposes that this psychological state is amenable to change via therapeutic intervention.

Energy expenditure estimates during school physical education: Potential vs. reality?

PubMed

Kahan, David; McKenzie, Thomas L

2017-02-01

Schools are salient locations for addressing the high prevalence of overweight and obesity. Most US states require some physical education (PE) and the energy expended during PE has potential to positively affect energy balance. We previously used 2012 data to examine state policies for PE to calculate estimated student energy expenditure (EEE) under potential (i.e., recommendations followed) and existing conditions. Since then, data have been updated on both state policies and the conduct of PE. Based on updated data, we used PE frequency, duration, and intensity, student mass, and class size to calculate EEE for the delivery of PE under (a) national professional recommendations, (b) 2016 state policies, and (c) school-reported conditions. Although increased from four years ago, only 22 states currently have policies mandating specific PE minutes. EEE over 10years shows the enormous impact PE could have on energy balance. For the average recommended-size PE class, resultant annual EEE based on professional recommendations for min/week far exceeded those based on average state (n=22) policy for min/week by 44.5% for elementary, 62.7% for middle, and 59.5% for high schools. Since 2012 more states adopted policies for PE minutes than dropped them, however, EEE over 10years showed a net loss of 1200kcal/student. With no overall recent improvements in state PE policy and professional recommendations currently not being met, PE remains an underutilized public health resource for EEE. Strong policies, coupled with enhanced accountability of PE teachers and administrators, are needed to ensure PE exists in schools. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oiling the system: How activities and the state shaped the politics of petroleum development in Tabasco, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, Heather Dawn

This dissertation analyzes the social, economic and political processes that accompanied the development of petroleum resources in Tabasco, Mexico. Through an historical examination of the case of Tabasco, I explore the general question of how and why state-led development becomes a contested terrain. Why does this sort of activism flourish during some time periods and not others? Under what conditions are relatively marginalized people able to effectively challenge the sort of domination inherent in state-led development plans? To what extent can activists succeed at reshaping the course of development? I argue that protest of state-led development is not necessarily linked to the pace or absolute impact of the social, environmental and economic changes being promoted. Instead, what is most central is the degree to which activists can successfully portray state-led development as an unjust process that contributes to inequality. However, the fact that activists are always constrained by the limits of existing state discourse seriously constrains the range of actions open to marginalized people. In the case of oil development in Tabasco, while activists were free to challenge the uneven distribution of rents, they have not been able to challenge the process itself. Indeed, the promise of material progress is common ground for both activists and the state. I conclude my dissertation with the observation that just as state discourses simultaneously create and limit possibilities for citizen protest, so social movement discourses simultaneously push for change and solidify the existing inequitable social structures.

Doing What's Right: Preparing Iowa's Children for Success in School and Beyond. Field Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Doing What's Right, Focusing on Preparing Iowa's Children for Success in School and beyond (March 10, 2014, Des Moines, IA). Senate Hearing 113-212

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Senate, 2015

2015-01-01

The Federal Government currently funds a number of programs to support early childhood education and care. However, they are well short of meeting existing needs. The Strong Start for America's Children Act significantly expands investments at the Federal level to accelerate the work being done in States to support high-quality pre-K. It also…

Inventory of interbasin transfers of water in the western conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petsch, H.E.

1989-01-01

Information is presented on the quantity of water transferred from one river basin to another in the western conterminous United States. The information is needed by water system managers and planners to develop water budgets for major river basins, to examine the relative extent of existing interbasin transfers, and to define the importance of transferring water to meet regional water demands. All or parts of 11 major water resources regions and 111 complete subregions comprise the study area; water is exported from 39 of these subregions. The average quantity of water exported annually during 1973-82 was about 12 million acre-feet. (USGS)

Lowering the Overhead by Raising the Roof ...and Other Rural Trust Strategies To Reduce the Costs of Your Small School. A Report from the Rural School and Community Trust.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Barbara Kent

Thirteen strategies are presented for reducing the costs of renovating or building a small school. Advice for getting started includes understanding the resistance to small schools, examining existing state policy, questioning the "schools within a school" approach, and planning ahead. The thirteen strategies are: (1) don't build one; (2) maintain…

Disease management in Canada: surmounting barriers to adoption.

PubMed

Gallant, Christopher R; MacKinnon, Neil J; Sprague, Denise A

2007-01-01

Disease Management (DM) programs are used to optimize economic outcomes and improve patient outcomes. Despite this, relative to the United States, Canadian health care organizations have been slow to adopt them. The objective of this article is to examine the concept of DM programs, the existing evidence to support their use and the barriers to their adoption in Canada. Several solutions aimed at overcoming the barriers to DM in Canada are proposed.

Examination of the Physical and Social Environments and Their Effect on Health Promotion Program Participation, Self Initiated Physical Activity and Nutrition Choices among University Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leininger, Lisa Janzen

2011-01-01

The worksite can be an effective arena to elicit health behavior change. Worksite health promotion programs now exist in 90% of all companies with more than 50 employees. These programs have become prevalent due to the high rates of obesity and lifestyle related diseases that are present in the United States. The purpose of this study was to…

Prekindergarten: Four Selected States Expanded Access by Relying on Schools and Existing Providers of Early Education and Care to Provide Services. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-04-852

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaul, Marnie S.

2004-01-01

For nearly 40 years, the federal government has helped provide early childhood development for children of low-income families through Head Start and other programs. This study examined how Georgia, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma expanded their preschool programs for at-risk students to serve more children, focusing on: how programs were…

Solar Photovoltaic Financing: Deployment by Federal Government Agencies

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

Cory, K.; Coggeshall, C.; Coughlin, J.

2009-07-01

The goal of this report is to examine how federal agencies can finance on-site PV projects. It explains state-level cash incentives available, the importance of solar renewable energy certificate revenues (in certain markets), existing financing structures, as well as innovative financing structures being used by federal agencies to deploy on-site PV. Specific examples from the DOD, DOE, and other federal agencies are highlighted to explain federal project financing in detail.

A Case Study Examining the Influence of Black Greek Letter Fraternal Presence, Policies, and Practices on African American Male Student Success at a Predominantly White Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singleton, Stanley Duane

2010-01-01

This qualitative case study was conducted at a mid-sized university in the southeastern United States to determine if a nexus existed among BGLF presence, policies, and practices at a PWI that influences the student success of African American males. This research focused on the analysis of two direct associations--the association between the BGLF…

Rape myth acceptance impacts the reporting of rape to the police: a study of incarcerated women.

PubMed

Heath, Nicole M; Lynch, Shannon M; Fritch, April M; Wong, Maria M

2013-09-01

We examined the association between rape myth acceptance (RMA) and reporting rapes to the police. Situational characteristics of the rape (e.g., stranger attack, injury) are known predictors of reporting, but no existing studies have examined the association between beliefs about rape and reporting. In addition, most studies of RMA do not assess victimization history. Incarcerated women experience high rates of sexual assaults prior to incarceration. We recruited 74 rape survivors from a northwestern state prison. Results suggest that women who endorsed higher levels of RMA were less likely to report their rapes to police; however, participants endorsed few rape myths.

Periodontal effects and dental caries associated with smokeless tobacco use.

PubMed Central

Weintraub, J A; Burt, B A

1987-01-01

The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use has been increasing in the United States with concomitant social, medical, legal, and regulatory ramifications. This paper examines the association between the use of smokeless tobacco and the occurrence of periodontal disease and dental caries. Existing literature consists primarily of case reports and cross-sectional studies among teenagers. The limited evidence suggests an association between smokeless tobacco use and gingival recession. There is insufficient evidence to support any associations between smokeless tobacco use and gingivitis, periodontitis, or dental caries. Methods to improve future epidemiologic research to examine possible associations between smokeless tobacco use and periodontal effects or dental caries are discussed. PMID:3101120

Mineral access status of the federal lands

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

Sowell, E.

1983-01-01

Tables summarize the legal status of federal lands with respect to access for oil and gas exploration and production and a state-by-state description of the acreage formally withdrawn from the operation of the mineral leasing laws. There is likely some overlap between land currently under lease and that which is formally withdrawn because of pre-existing rights, a situation which also exists with land pending wilderness designation. The report examines various types of withdrawal authority: general; for the conservation of minerals; for scenic, historic, or recreational values; to protect fish and wildlife; to protect wild and natural areas; for military uses;more » for multiple use; and lands under lease. The paper concludes that closure of land to mineral leasing has made access to a large portion of federal land impossible. Until information is available on the extent of oil and gas resources, the true significance of the access status will remain unknown. 22 tables.« less

Melatonin in humans: Possible involvement in SIDS, and use in contraceptives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wurtman, Richard J.; Lynch, Harry J.; Sturner, William Q.

1991-01-01

Relatively few tools exist for assessing the possible involvement of melatonin in normal or abnormal physiologlcal and behavioral states. One cannot perform the classic ablation experiment of endocrinologists by cavalierly removing the human's pineal, nor derive the same effect pharmacologically by administering a drug which blocks the actions of the indole on its receptors (because no such drugs, demonstrated to work in humans, exist). About all that can be done is to administer the melatonin and see what happens, or measure its levels in a body fluid and determine whether its temporal patterns track those of the physiological or behavioral variable being examined. The clinical state of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which apparently is associated with abnormalities in melatonin concentrations within body fluids obtained at autopsy is described. New data which suggest that exogenous melatonin has sufficient antigonadal potency to allow it to replace estrogen and, acting in combination with norethisterone, serve as a useful contraceptive agent is summarized.

An investigation into the vertical axis control power requirements for landing VTOL type aircraft onboard nonaviation ships in various sea states

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, M. E.; Roskam, J.

1985-01-01

The problem of determining the vertical axis control requirements for landing a VTOL aircraft on a moving ship deck in various sea states is examined. Both a fixed-base piloted simulation and a nonpiloted simulation were used to determine the landing performance as influenced by thrust-to-weight ratio, vertical damping, and engine lags. The piloted simulation was run using a fixed-based simulator at Ames Research center. Simplified versions of an existing AV-8A Harrier model and an existing head-up display format were used. The ship model used was that of a DD963 class destroyer. Simplified linear models of the pilot, aircraft, ship motion, and ship air-wake turbulence were developed for the nonpiloted simulation. A unique aspect of the nonpiloted simulation was the development of a model of the piloting strategy used for shipboard landing. This model was refined during the piloted simulation until it provided a reasonably good representation of observed pilot behavior.

Patterns of variability in supercritical hadronic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petropoulou, M.; Mastichiadis, A.

2018-07-01

A unique and often overlooked property of a source loaded with relativistic protons is that it can become supercritical, i.e. it can undergo an abrupt transition from a radiatively inefficient to a radiatively efficient state once its proton energy density exceeds a certain threshold. In this paper, we investigate the temporal variability of hadronic systems in this hardly explored regime. We show that there exists a range of proton densities that prevent the system from reaching a steady state, but drive it instead in a quasi-periodic mode. The escaping radiation then exhibits limit cycles, even if all physical parameters are held constant in time. We extend our analysis to cases where the proton injection rate varies with time and explore the variability patterns of escaping radiation as the system moves in and out from the supercritical regime. We examine the relevance of our results to the variability of the prompt gamma-ray burst emission and show that, at least on a phenomenological level, some interesting analogies exist.

Adolescent occupational fatalities in North Carolina (1990-2008): an investigation of child labor and OSHA violations and enforcement.

PubMed

Rauscher, Kimberly; Runyan, Carol

2012-01-01

This study investigated adolescent worker fatalities involving violations of the child labor laws and/or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, as well as the enforcement activity involved in each case. Medical examiner records were used to identify work-related deaths among adolescents ages 11-17 between 1990 and 2008 and child labor violations. Investigations from state and federal Departments of Labor (DOL) were used to determine inspection activity, identify OSHA violations, and confirm child labor violations. Fifty-two percent of cases involved one or more child labor violations. Nine cases were investigated by either the U.S. or North Carolina DOL; among them, four had child labor violations. Eleven cases were investigated by the North Carolina DOL and all involved OSHA violations. Significant child labor and OSHA violations exist in adolescent worker fatalities in North Carolina, and gaps exist in enforcement at both the federal and state level, signaling needed improvements in the protection of adolescent workers.

A taxonomy of state public health preparedness units: an empirical examination of organizational structure.

PubMed

Menachemi, Nir; Yeager, Valerie A; Duncan, W Jack; Katholi, Charles R; Ginter, Peter M

2012-01-01

State public health preparedness units (SPHPUs) were developed in response to federal funding to improve response to disasters: a responsibility that had not traditionally been within the purview of public health. The SPHPUs were created within the existing public health organizational structure, and their placement may have implications for how the unit functions, how communication takes place, and ultimately how well the key responsibilities are performed. This study empirically identifies a taxonomy of similarly structured SPHPUs and examines whether this structure is associated with state geographic, demographic, and threat-vulnerability characteristics. Data representing each SPHPU were extracted from publically available sources, including organizational charts and emergency preparedness plans for 2009. A cross-sectional segmentation analysis was conducted of variables representing structural attributes. Fifty state public health departments. Variables representing "span of control" and "hierarchal levels" were extracted from organizational charts. Structural "complexity" and "centralization" were extracted from state emergency preparedness documents and other secondary sources. On average, 6.6 people report to the same manager as the SPHPU director; 2.1 levels separate the SPHPU director from the state health officer; and a mean of 13.5 agencies collaborate with SPHPU during a disaster. Despite considerable variability in how SPHPUs had been structured, results of the cluster and principal component analysis identified 7 similarly structured groups. Neither the taxonomic groups nor the individual variables representing structure were found to be associated with state characteristics, including threat vulnerabilities. Our finding supports the hypothesis that SPHPUs are seemingly inadvertently (eg, not strategically) organized. This taxonomy provides the basis for which future research can examine how SPHPU structure relates to performance measures and preparedness strategies.

Electronic states of aryl radical functionalized graphenes: Density functional theory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tachikawa, Hiroto; Kawabata, Hiroshi

2016-06-01

Functionalized graphenes are known as a high-performance molecular device. In the present study, the structures and electronic states of the aryl radical functionalized graphene have been investigated by the density functional theory (DFT) method to elucidate the effects of functionalization on the electronic states of graphene (GR). Also, the mechanism of aryl radical reaction with GR was investigated. The benzene, biphenyl, p-terphenyl, and p-quaterphenyl radicals [denoted by (Bz) n (n = 1-4), where n means numbers of benzene rings in aryl radical] were examined as aryl radicals. The DFT calculation of GR-(Bz) n (n = 1-4) showed that the aryl radical binds to the carbon atom of GR, and a C-C single bond was formed. The binding energies of aryl radicals to GR were calculated to be ca. 6.0 kcal mol-1 at the CAM-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. It was found that the activation barrier exists in the aryl radical addition: the barrier heights were calculated to be 10.0 kcal mol-1. The electronic states of GR-(Bz) n were examined on the basis of theoretical results.

Interpreting the macroscopic pointer by analysing the elements of reality of a Schrödinger cat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, M. D.

2017-10-01

We examine Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen’s (EPR) steering nonlocality for two realisable Schrödinger cat-type states where a meso/macroscopic system (called the ‘cat’-system) is entangled with a microscopic spin-1/2 system. We follow EPR’s argument and derive the predictions for ‘elements of reality’ that would exist to describe the cat-system, under the assumption of EPR’s local realism. By showing that those predictions cannot be replicated by any local quantum state description of the cat-system, we demonstrate the EPR-steering of the cat-system. For large cat-systems, we find that a local hidden state model is near-satisfied, meaning that a local quantum state description exists (for the cat) whose predictions differ from those of the elements of reality by a vanishingly small amount. For such a local hidden state model, the EPR-steering of the cat vanishes, and the cat-system can be regarded as being in a mixture of ‘dead’ and ‘alive’ states despite it being entangled with the spin system. We therefore propose that a rigorous signature of the Schrödinger cat-type paradox is the EPR-steering of the cat-system and provide two experimental signatures. This leads to a hybrid quantum/classical interpretation of the macroscopic pointer of a measurement device and suggests that many Schrödinger cat-type paradoxes may be explained by microscopic nonlocality.

Psoriasis and Sexual Behavior in Men: examination of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States.

PubMed

Armstrong, April W; Harskamp, Caitlin T; Schupp, Clayton W

2014-02-01

Epidemiologic data on sexual behavior in psoriasis patients are lacking. We aim to examine and compare the sexual behaviors between men with and without psoriasis in the United States. We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2006 and 2009 to 2010. Responses from male participants to the dermatology and sexual behavior questionnaires of the NHANES were collated and analyzed. Outcome measures included sexual orientation, age of first sexual encounter, number of oral and non-oral sexual partners, and frequency of unprotected sex. Among 6,444 U.S. men that responded to the psoriasis question, 170 (2.6%) reported a physician-given diagnosis of psoriasis. Heterosexual men accounted for 95.5% and nonheterosexual men 4.5% of the overall study population. On multivariate analysis, psoriasis was not associated with differences in sexual orientation (odds ratio 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-4.15). Heterosexual men with psoriasis experienced first sexual encounter at an earlier age than those without psoriasis (weighted difference -0.9 years, P = 0.002). Heterosexual men with psoriasis had significantly fewer female oral sexual partners compared with heterosexual men without psoriasis on multivariate analysis (lifetime partner number: rate ratio [RR] 0.65, 95% CI 0.45-0.95; past-year partner number: RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.97). No significant differences existed between heterosexual men with and without psoriasis regarding frequency of unprotected sex (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.85-1.09). Among nonheterosexual men with and without psoriasis, no significant differences existed in age first had sex, number of sexual partners, or frequency of unprotected sex. Heterosexual men with psoriasis have significantly fewer lifetime female oral sexual partners compared with those without psoriasis. Dermatologists and other healthcare providers need to examine the genital region routinely and initiate appropriate therapy to improve patients' sexual health. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Development of the information model for consumer assessment of key quality indicators by goods labelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshkina, S.; Ostrinskaya, L.

2018-04-01

An information model for “key” quality indicators of goods has been developed. This model is based on the assessment of f standardization existing state and the product labeling quality. According to the authors’ opinion, the proposed “key” indicators are the most significant for purchasing decision making. Customers will be able to use this model through their mobile technical devices. The developed model allows to decompose existing processes in data flows and to reveal the levels of possible architectural solutions. In-depth analysis of the presented information model decomposition levels will allow determining the stages of its improvement and to reveal additional indicators of the goods quality that are of interest to customers in the further research. Examining the architectural solutions for the customer’s information environment functioning when integrating existing databases will allow us to determine the boundaries of the model flexibility and customizability.

Bounded energy states in homogeneous turbulent shear flow: An alternative view

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernard, Peter S.; Speziale, Charles G.

1990-01-01

The equilibrium structure of homogeneous turbulent shear flow is investigated from a theoretical standpoint. Existing turbulence models, in apparent agreement with physical and numerical experiments, predict an unbounded exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate; only the anisotropy tensor and turbulent time scale reach a structural equilibrium. It is shown that if vortex stretching is accounted for in the dissipation rate transport equation, then there can exist equilibrium solutions, with bounded energy states, where the turbulence production is balanced by its dissipation. Illustrative calculations are present for a k-epsilon model modified to account for vortex stretching. The calculations indicate an initial exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate for elapsed times that are as large as those considered in any of the previously conducted physical or numerical experiments on homogeneous shear flow. However, vortex stretching eventually takes over and forces a production-equals-dissipation equilibrium with bounded energy states. The validity of this result is further supported by an independent theoretical argument. It is concluded that the generally accepted structural equilibrium for homogeneous shear flow with unbounded component energies is in need of re-examination.

State-level gonorrhea rates and expedited partner therapy laws: insights from time series analyses.

PubMed

Owusu-Edusei, K; Cramer, R; Chesson, H W; Gift, T L; Leichliter, J S

2017-06-01

In this study, we examined state-level monthly gonorrhea morbidity and assessed the potential impact of existing expedited partner therapy (EPT) laws in relation to the time that the laws were enacted. Longitudinal study. We obtained state-level monthly gonorrhea morbidity (number of cases/100,000 for males, females and total) from the national surveillance data. We used visual examination (of morbidity trends) and an autoregressive time series model in a panel format with intervention (interrupted time series) analysis to assess the impact of state EPT laws based on the months in which the laws were enacted. For over 84% of the states with EPT laws, the monthly morbidity trends did not show any noticeable decreases on or after the laws were enacted. Although we found statistically significant decreases in gonorrhea morbidity within four of the states with EPT laws (Alaska, Illinois, Minnesota, and Vermont), there were no significant decreases when the decreases in the four states were compared contemporaneously with the decreases in states that do not have the laws. We found no impact (decrease in gonorrhea morbidity) attributable exclusively to the EPT law(s). However, these results do not imply that the EPT laws themselves were not effective (or failed to reduce gonorrhea morbidity), because the effectiveness of the EPT law is dependent on necessary intermediate events/outcomes, including sexually transmitted infection service providers' awareness and practice, as well as acceptance by patients and their partners. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Prospective Validation of the Ottawa 3DY Scale by Geriatric Emergency Management Nurses to Identify Impaired Cognition in Older Emergency Department Patients.

PubMed

Wilding, Laura; Eagles, Debra; Molnar, Frank; O'Brien, Jo-Anne; Dalziel, William B; Moors, Joy; Stiell, Ian

2016-02-01

Assessment of older emergency department (ED) patients with cognitive impairment is challenging because few tools exist that can be quickly administered by front-line practitioners. Our objective is to validate the Ottawa 3DY Scale, a 4-question screening tool for cognitive impairment, in older ED patients and compare its performance with that of the Animal Fluency Test. We conducted a prospective cohort study in 2 EDs and enrolled a convenience sample of patients aged 75 years or older with no history of cognitive impairment. Eligible patients were assessed by geriatric emergency management nurses who administered the Mini-Mental State Examination, ordered with the Ottawa 3DY Scale questions first, followed by the Animal Fluency Test. Mini-Mental State Examination score less than 25 was our criterion standard for cognitive impairment. Study patients (N=238) had a mean age of 81.9 years and were 60.1% women, and 26.5% were admitted to the hospital. The Ottawa 3DY Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination were in agreement for 75.6% of cases, with a sensitivity of 93.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 77.8% to 98.9%) and specificity of 72.8% (95% CI 66.1% to 78.7%). The Animal Fluency Test score less than 15 and Mini-Mental State Examination score were in agreement for 46.2% of cases, with sensitivity 90.6% (95% CI 73.8% to 97.5%) and specificity 39.3% (95% CI 32.7% to 46.4%). Both the Ottawa 3DY Scale and the Animal Fluency Test demonstrated excellent sensitivity versus the Mini-Mental State Examination; however, the Animal Fluency Test exhibited poor specificity. The Ottawa 3DY Scale is an effective tool to screen for cognitive impairment in older ED patients, and its use may facilitate improved care in this vulnerable population. Copyright © 2015 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermality and excited state Rényi entropy in two-dimensional CFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Feng-Li; Wang, Huajia; Zhang, Jia-ju

2016-11-01

We evaluate one-interval Rényi entropy and entanglement entropy for the excited states of two-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT) on a cylinder, and examine their differences from the ones for the thermal state. We assume the interval to be short so that we can use operator product expansion (OPE) of twist operators to calculate Rényi entropy in terms of sum of one-point functions of OPE blocks. We find that the entanglement entropy for highly excited state and thermal state behave the same way after appropriate identification of the conformal weight of the state with the temperature. However, there exists no such universal identification for the Rényi entropy in the short-interval expansion. Therefore, the highly excited state does not look thermal when comparing its Rényi entropy to the thermal state one. As the Rényi entropy captures the higher moments of the reduced density matrix but the entanglement entropy only the average, our results imply that the emergence of thermality depends on how refined we look into the entanglement structure of the underlying pure excited state.

Teacher talk about science: An examination of the constructed understanding of science held by four elementary school teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Robert John

The elementary school teacher's personal understanding of science has not been a primary focus of consideration in educational reform discussions. This study examines how four elementary school teachers have constructed their personal understanding of science. The purpose of this study is to explore core understandings about science held by these teachers, and to examine the origins of these ideas. This study assumes that a teacher's understanding of science is unique and constructed on personal experiences affected by influences. This study further explores the relationship of the teachers understanding to the school's stated curriculum. The theoretical framework of this research recognizes three guiding assumptions: science exists as a set of ideas that have developed over time through competing discourses; the teacher plays an important role in the implementation of the science curriculum; and the guiding influences of a teacher's understanding of science are associated with power that emerges from discourse. The methodology in this qualitative study is closely associated with narrative inquiry. Data collection methods include a questionnaire, focus group sessions, and individual interviews. Teachers' stories were collected through collaborative interview opportunities between the researcher and the participants. The findings are presented through the narratives of the four teachers, and are organized through the guiding influences, and talk related to the stated science curriculum. The teachers' talk can be categorized by three broad guiding influences: family, education, and an image of science. The talk related to the stated curriculum illustrates both conflicts, and a relationship between the teachers' understanding of science and the curriculum. The finding of this study provides evidence that each teacher's understanding of science is unique and developed over time. Additionally, this understanding plays a role in how the stated curriculum is discussed and understood. This investigation recommends that teachers' personal understanding of science, as revealed through narrative inquiry, becomes a focus in developing new educational opportunities for elementary school teachers. This study further recommends challenging a hegemony related to positivism that exists in science curricula, and the addition of the valued voice of elementary teachers to the discourse of science education.

Leading Efforts to Increase Organ Donation Through Professionalization of Organ Procurement Organizations and Establishment of Organ and Tissue Donor Registries.

PubMed

Vertanous, T; Czer, L S C; de Robertis, M; Kiankhooy, A; Kobashigawa, J; Esmailian, F; Trento, A

2016-01-01

The influence of new donor registrations through the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry on the local OneLegacy Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) was examined during a 6-year period. Publicly available data from Donate Life America for California were examined for the 6 calendar years of 2009-2014. Performance data from OneLegacy for the same 6 years for organ donors and number of transplants were also examined. The donor designation rate (DDR) was defined as the rate at which new individuals joined the state donor registry as a percentage of all driver licenses and ID cards issued within a calendar year. The total donor designation (TDD) was defined as the sum of the new and existing people who were registered organ donors. Donor designation share (DDS) was the total number of designated donors as a percentage of all residents of the state who were ≥18 years old. The business practices and educational efforts of the OneLegacy OPO were examined as well. In California, from 2009 through 2014, the DDR was 25.5%-28%. When added to the existing donor registrations, the TDD and DDS increased each year from 2009 through 2014. With the current level of growth, it is projected that California will be able to reach a DDS of 50% by 2017. For the OneLegacy OPO, designated donors from the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry made up 15% of the total donations in 2009, and 39% of the total donations in 2014, increasing by ∼5% each year since 2009. By increasing professionalization and transparency, and widening its educational and training efforts, OneLegacy was able to take advantage of an increasing percentage of donors who were designated donors and to increase the overall number of donors and organs transplanted, becoming one of the largest OPOs in the nation. This can be a model for OPOs in other donor service areas, and it may set the stage for the United States to serve as an example to the global community in the practice of organ donation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social capital, ideology, and health in the United States.

PubMed

Herian, Mitchel N; Tay, Louis; Hamm, Joseph A; Diener, Ed

2014-03-01

Research from across disciplines has demonstrated that social and political contextual factors at the national and subnational levels can impact the health and health behavior risks of individuals. This paper examines the impact of state-level social capital and ideology on individual-level health outcomes in the U.S. Leveraging the variation that exists across states in the U.S., the results reveal that individuals report better health in states with higher levels of governmental liberalism and in states with higher levels of social capital. Critically, however, the effect of social capital was moderated by liberalism such that social capital was a stronger predictor of health in states with low levels of liberalism. We interpret this finding to mean that social capital within a political unit-as indicated by measures of interpersonal trust-can serve as a substitute for the beneficial impacts that might result from an active governmental structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Partisan Politics or Public-Health Need? An empirical analysis of state choice during initial implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Mayer, Martin; Kenter, Robert; Morris, John C

2015-01-01

States' policy decisions regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 have often been explained as predominantly, if not solely, partisan. Might rival explanations also apply? Using a cross-sectional 50-state regression model, we studied standard political variables coupled with public-health indicators. This work differs from existing research by employing a dependent variable of five additive measures of ACA support, examining the impact of both political and socioeconomic indicators on state policy decisions. Expanding on recent empirical studies with our more nuanced additive index of support measures, we found that same-party control of a state's executive and legislative branches was indeed by far the single best predictor of policy decisions. Public-health indicators, overwhelmed by partisan effect, did not sufficiently explain state policy choice. This result does not allay the concerns that health policy has become synonymous with health politics and that health politics now has little to do with health itself.

The Supreme Court, the commerce clause, and natural resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Olen Paul

1988-07-01

The Supreme Court's interpretation of the commerce clause controls the balance of power between state and federal governments in the United States. An understanding of the relationship between the different government levels is essential for resource managers concerned with resource and environmental issues. This study examines selected Supreme Court decisions between 1976 and 1988 to answer three questions raised by the commerce clause: (1) Is the regulated item an article of commerce? (2) Do state laws burden interstate commerce? (3) Is federal commerce regulation limited? The balance of power among the justices and the commerce clause theories affecting the federal role in resource management are also examined. Since ratification of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has continuously increased federal power, but states have power to act independently as long as contradictory federal laws do not exist and state law does not impermissively affect commerce. If Congress regulates an individual's use of resources, their power is unquestioned. Future Court decisions will not significantly reduce the federal role in resource management even if the Court's membership changes. Even the supporters of states' rights on the Court realize increased federal power is a necessary part of the country's evolution. The purpose of the commerce clause is to create a national economic unit with free location principles. The Court supports this purpose today and will in the future.

Emergency warning for people with disabilities.

PubMed

Putkovich, Kenneth

2013-01-01

The intent of this article is to assess the current state of Emergency Warning capabilities in the United States and make recommendations on what needs to be done to cost effectively establish a National Emergency Warning System to best serve the people of the United States, including those with disabilities. As part of this assessment, terminology will be defined, existing systems will be examined, critical needs and functions will be explained, and recommendations made for a system to deliver emergency messages to those people immediately at risk from natural and human-caused disasters in a timely and effective manner, regardless of location or situational circumstance. The assessment will include the needs and available technologies for delivering emergency warnings to people with disabilities, which are generally little understood, poorly addressed, and often ignored.

To assist or not to assist: the legal liability of midwives acting as good Samaritans.

PubMed

Newnham, Helen

2006-09-01

At common law no legal duty exists to rescue. This article examines the common law position and whether NSW case of Lowns v Woods 1996 ATR 81-376 creates a new duty to rescue. Recent legislation in some states provides protection from litigation to those who assist in emergencies providing they act in good faith and without gross negligence. The implications for midwives who act as good Samaritans are discussed.

Influences of Three Presidents of the United States on Multicultural Education: A Series of Research Studies in Educational Policy--Third Installment: Examining Presidents John Quincy Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baptiste, H. Prentice; Michal, Emil J., Jr.

2004-01-01

The recognition, development and implementation of multicultural education in America is a relatively new and emerging idea. Prior to the middle of the previous century, the concept of addressing and providing a meaningful educational experience for all students, including students of color, was non-existent. In recent years, through the work of…

Diagnosis and management of xerostomia and hyposalivation

PubMed Central

Villa, Alessandro; Connell, Christopher L; Abati, Silvio

2015-01-01

Xerostomia, the subjective complaint of dry mouth, and hyposalivation remain a significant burden for many individuals. Diagnosis of xerostomia and salivary gland hypofunction is dependent upon a careful and detailed history and thorough oral examination. There exist many options for treatment and symptom management: salivary stimulants, topical agents, saliva substitutes, and systemic sialogogues. The aim of this review is to investigate the current state of knowledge on management and treatment of patients affected by xerostomia and/or hyposalivation. PMID:25653532

Analysis of Oil and Gas Production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

EIA Publications

2004-01-01

This study analyzed the impact on future oil imports and expenditures of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to petroleum development. High, low, and mean ANWR oil resource case projections were compared to the Annual Energy Outlook 2004 reference case. The study also examined whether potential synergies exist in opening ANWR to petroleum development and the construction of an Alaska gas pipeline from the North Slope to the lower 48 states.

Project Cyclops: a Design Study of a System for Detecting Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The requirements in hardware, manpower, time and funding to conduct a realistic effort aimed at detecting the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life are examined. The methods used are limited to present or near term future state-of-the-art techniques. Subjects discussed include: (1) possible methods of contact, (2) communication by electromagnetic waves, (3) antenna array and system facilities, (4) antenna elements, (5) signal processing, (6) search strategy, and (7) radio and radar astronomy.

A Mixed Methods Study of Faculty, Staff, and Student Perceptions of Safety at Central Carolina Community College: An Analysis of Gender, Campus Location, and Specific Factors That Influence These Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wicker, Jamie Frances

2017-01-01

This purpose of this mixed methods study was to fill a gap in existing literature related to examining the perceptions of safety for faculty, staff, and students by utilizing data from a single community college in the southeastern United States within a three-county service area. Central Carolina Community College has three campus locations each…

Behavioral health problems, ex-offender reentry policies, and the "Second Chance Act".

PubMed

Pogorzelski, Wendy; Wolff, Nancy; Pan, Ko-Yu; Blitz, Cynthia L

2005-10-01

The federal "Second Chance Act of 2005" calls for expanding reentry services for people leaving prison, yet existing policies restrict access to needed services for those with criminal records. We examined the interaction between individual-level characteristics and policy-level restrictions related to criminal conviction, and the likely effects on access to resources upon reentry, using a sample of prisoners with Axis I mental disorders (n=3073). We identified multiple challenges related to convictions, including restricted access to housing, public assistance, and other resources. Invisible punishments embedded within existing policies were inconsistent with the call for second chances. Without modification of federal and state policies, the ability of reentry services to foster behavioral health and community reintegration is limited.

Magnon Hall effect on the Lieb lattice.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaodong; Chen, Kai; He, Dahai

2015-04-29

Ferromagnetic insulators without inversion symmetry may show magnon Hall effect (MHE) in the presence of a temperature gradient due to the existence of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). In this theoretical study, we investigate MHE on a lattice with inversion symmetry, namely the Lieb lattice, where the DMI is introduced by adding an external electric field. We show the nontrivial topology of this model by examining the existence of edge states and computing the topological phase diagram characterized by the Chern numbers of different bands. Together with the topological phase diagram, we can further determine the sign and magnitude of the transverse thermal conductivity. The impact of the flat band possessed by this model on the thermal conductivity is discussed by computing the Berry curvature analytically.

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

Silva, R. M. da; Milošević, M. V.; Peeters, F. M.

Vortices carrying fractions of a flux quantum are predicted to exist in multiband superconductors, where vortex core can split between multiple band-specific components of the superconducting condensate. Using the two-component Ginzburg-Landau model, we examine such vortex configurations in a two-band superconducting slab in parallel magnetic field. The fractional vortices appear due to the band-selective vortex penetration caused by different thresholds for vortex entry within each band-condensate, and stabilize near the edges of the sample. We show that the resulting fractional vortex configurations leave distinct fingerprints in the static measurements of the magnetization, as well as in ac dynamic measurements ofmore » the magnetic susceptibility, both of which can be readily used for the detection of these fascinating vortex states in several existing multiband superconductors.« less

Multiple ecosystem services in a working landscape

PubMed Central

Eastburn, Danny J.; O’Geen, Anthony T.; Tate, Kenneth W.; Roche, Leslie M.

2017-01-01

Policy makers and practitioners are in need of useful tools and models for assessing ecosystem service outcomes and the potential risks and opportunities of ecosystem management options. We utilize a state-and-transition model framework integrating dynamic soil and vegetation properties to examine multiple ecosystem services—specifically agricultural production, biodiversity and habitat, and soil health—across human created vegetation states in a managed oak woodland landscape in a Mediterranean climate. We found clear tradeoffs and synergies in management outcomes. Grassland states maximized agricultural productivity at a loss of soil health, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services. Synergies existed among multiple ecosystem services in savanna and woodland states with significantly larger nutrient pools, more diversity and native plant richness, and less invasive species. This integrative approach can be adapted to a diversity of working landscapes to provide useful information for science-based ecosystem service valuations, conservation decision making, and management effectiveness assessments. PMID:28301475

State estimation for networked control systems using fixed data rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qing-Quan; Jin, Fang

2017-07-01

This paper investigates state estimation for linear time-invariant systems where sensors and controllers are geographically separated and connected via a bandwidth-limited and errorless communication channel with the fixed data rate. All plant states are quantised, coded and converted together into a codeword in our quantisation and coding scheme. We present necessary and sufficient conditions on the fixed data rate for observability of such systems, and further develop the data-rate theorem. It is shown in our results that there exists a quantisation and coding scheme to ensure observability of the system if the fixed data rate is larger than the lower bound given, which is less conservative than the one in the literature. Furthermore, we also examine the role that the disturbances have on the state estimation problem in the case with data-rate limitations. Illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Multiple ecosystem services in a working landscape.

PubMed

Eastburn, Danny J; O'Geen, Anthony T; Tate, Kenneth W; Roche, Leslie M

2017-01-01

Policy makers and practitioners are in need of useful tools and models for assessing ecosystem service outcomes and the potential risks and opportunities of ecosystem management options. We utilize a state-and-transition model framework integrating dynamic soil and vegetation properties to examine multiple ecosystem services-specifically agricultural production, biodiversity and habitat, and soil health-across human created vegetation states in a managed oak woodland landscape in a Mediterranean climate. We found clear tradeoffs and synergies in management outcomes. Grassland states maximized agricultural productivity at a loss of soil health, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services. Synergies existed among multiple ecosystem services in savanna and woodland states with significantly larger nutrient pools, more diversity and native plant richness, and less invasive species. This integrative approach can be adapted to a diversity of working landscapes to provide useful information for science-based ecosystem service valuations, conservation decision making, and management effectiveness assessments.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review

PubMed Central

Hull, Jocelyn V.; Jacokes, Zachary J.; Torgerson, Carinna M.; Irimia, Andrei; Van Horn, John Darrell

2017-01-01

Ongoing debate exists within the resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) literature over how intrinsic connectivity is altered in the autistic brain, with reports of general over-connectivity, under-connectivity, and/or a combination of both. Classifying autism using brain connectivity is complicated by the heterogeneous nature of the condition, allowing for the possibility of widely variable connectivity patterns among individuals with the disorder. Further differences in reported results may be attributable to the age and sex of participants included, designs of the resting-state scan, and to the analysis technique used to evaluate the data. This review systematically examines the resting-state fMRI autism literature to date and compares studies in an attempt to draw overall conclusions that are presently challenging. We also propose future direction for rs-fMRI use to categorize individuals with autism spectrum disorder, serve as a possible diagnostic tool, and best utilize data-sharing initiatives. PMID:28101064

Interest Group Conflict Over Medicaid Expansion: The Surprising Impact of Public Advocates

PubMed Central

Callaghan, Timothy

2016-01-01

Objectives. We examined the potential economic, policy, and political influences on the decisions of the 50 US states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Methods. We related a measure of relative state progress toward Medicaid expansion updated to 2015 to each state’s economic circumstances, established policy frameworks in states, partisan control of state government, and lobbyists for businesses, medical professionals, unions, and public interest organizations. Results. The 9201 lobbyists working on health care reform in state capitols exerted a strong and significant impact on Medicaid expansion. Controlling for confounding factors (including partisanship and existing policy frameworks), we found that business and professional lobbyists exerted a negative effect on state Medicaid expansion and, unexpectedly, that public interest advocates exerted a positive effect. Conclusions. There are 3.1 million adults who lack coverage because they live in the 20 states that refused to expand Medicaid. Although political party and lobbyists for private interests present significant barriers in these states, legislative lobbying on behalf of the uninsured appears likely to be effective. PMID:26691109

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: national youth fitness survey plan, operations, and analysis, 2012.

PubMed

Borrud, Lori; Chiappa, Michele M; Burt, Vicki L; Gahche, Jaime; Zipf, George; Johnson, Clifford L; Dohrmann, Sylvia M

2014-04-01

In October 2008, the federal government issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to provide science-based guidance on the types and amounts of physical activity that provide substantial health benefits for Americans (1). Guidelines for children and adolescents recommend 60 minutes or more of aerobic, muscle-strengthening, or bone-strengthening physical activity daily (1). While the number of children in the United States who meet the recommendations in the Physical Activity Guidelines is unknown, the percentage that is physically active in the United States may be declining. No recent national data exist on the fitness levels of children and adolescents. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's (NHANES) National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) was conducted in 2012 and collected data on physical activity and fitness levels for U.S. children and adolescents aged 3-15 years. The objective of NNYFS was to provide national-level estimates of the physical activity and fitness levels of children, based on interview and physical examination data. Results from the survey are intended to contribute to the development of policies and programs to improve youth fitness nationally. The data also may be used in the development of national reference standards for measures of fitness and physical activity. Methods The NNYFS survey design used the design for NHANES, which is a multistage probability sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized resident population of the United States. NNYFS consisted of a household interview and a physical activity and fitness examination in a mobile examination center. A total of 1,640 children and adolescents aged 3-15 were interviewed, and 1,576 were examined. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Multi-year Estimates of Methane Fluxes in Alaska from an Atmospheric Inverse Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S. M.; Commane, R.; Chang, R. Y. W.; Miller, C. E.; Michalak, A. M.; Dinardo, S. J.; Dlugokencky, E. J.; Hartery, S.; Karion, A.; Lindaas, J.; Sweeney, C.; Wofsy, S. C.

2015-12-01

We estimate methane fluxes across Alaska over a multi-year period using observations from a three-year aircraft campaign, the Carbon Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE). Existing estimates of methane from Alaska and other Arctic regions disagree in both magnitude and distribution, and before the CARVE campaign, atmospheric observations in the region were sparse. We combine these observations with an atmospheric particle trajectory model and a geostatistical inversion to estimate surface fluxes at the model grid scale. We first use this framework to estimate the spatial distribution of methane fluxes across the state. We find the largest fluxes in the south-east and North Slope regions of Alaska. This distribution is consistent with several estimates of wetland extent but contrasts with the distribution in most existing flux models. These flux models concentrate methane in warmer or more southerly regions of Alaska compared to the estimate presented here. This result suggests a discrepancy in how existing bottom-up models translate wetland area into methane fluxes across the state. We next use the inversion framework to explore inter-annual variability in regional-scale methane fluxes for 2012-2014. We examine the extent to which this variability correlates with weather or other environmental conditions. These results indicate the possible sensitivity of wetland fluxes to near-term variability in climate.

Improved earthquake monitoring in the central and eastern United States in support of seismic assessments for critical facilities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leith, William S.; Benz, Harley M.; Herrmann, Robert B.

2011-01-01

Evaluation of seismic monitoring capabilities in the central and eastern United States for critical facilities - including nuclear powerplants - focused on specific improvements to understand better the seismic hazards in the region. The report is not an assessment of seismic safety at nuclear plants. To accomplish the evaluation and to provide suggestions for improvements using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey examined addition of new strong-motion seismic stations in areas of seismic activity and addition of new seismic stations near nuclear power-plant locations, along with integration of data from the Transportable Array of some 400 mobile seismic stations. Some 38 and 68 stations, respectively, were suggested for addition in active seismic zones and near-power-plant locations. Expansion of databases for strong-motion and other earthquake source-characterization data also was evaluated. Recognizing pragmatic limitations of station deployment, augmentation of existing deployments provides improvements in source characterization by quantification of near-source attenuation in regions where larger earthquakes are expected. That augmentation also supports systematic data collection from existing networks. The report further utilizes the application of modeling procedures and processing algorithms, with the additional stations and the improved seismic databases, to leverage the capabilities of existing and expanded seismic arrays.

Synergy between publication and promotion: comparing adoption of new evidence in Canada and the United States.

PubMed

Majumdar, Sumit R; McAlister, Finlay A; Soumerai, Stephen B

2003-10-15

Few studies have examined the effect of new evidence from clinical trials on physician practice. We took advantage of differences in promotional activity in Canada and the United States for the Heart Outcomes Prevention and Evaluation (HOPE) study and the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES) to determine if publication of new evidence changes practice, and the extent to which promotion influences adoption of new evidence. We used longitudinal dispensing data, collected from 1998 to 2001, to examine changes in prescribing patterns for ramipril and other angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors before and after the HOPE study. We also obtained estimates for promotional expenditures. We stratified analyses by country, to isolate the effect of promotion, and used interrupted time series methods to adjust for pre-existing prescribing trends. Similar analyses were conducted for spironolactone use before and after RALES. Publication of the HOPE study results was associated with rapid increases in the use of ramipril. After adjusting for pre-existing prescribing trends, ramipril prescribing increased by 12% per month (P = 0.001) in Canada versus 5% per month (P = 0.001) in the United States after the study results were presented and published. One year later, ramipril accounted for 30% of the ACE inhibitor market in Canada versus 6% in the United States. The year before publication of these results, expenditures for detailing increased by 20% in Canada (to 18 US dollars per physician) but decreased by 7% in the United States (to 13 US dollars per physician); the year after publication, spending increased to 27 US dollars per physician in Canada versus 23 US dollars per physician in the United States. In the absence of promotional activity for RALES in either country, publication of results was associated with more modest but similar increases of 2% per month (P = 0.001) in spironolactone use in both countries. Publication of new evidence is associated with modest changes in practice. Promotional activity appears to increase the adoption of evidence. Rather than relying on the publication of articles and creation of guidelines, those wishing to accelerate the adoption of new evidence may need to undertake more active promotion.

On the energetics of tensile and shear void coalescences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, W. H.; Guo, T. F.

2015-09-01

This paper investigates the mechanisms of tensile and shear void coalescences in ductile materials from energetics perspective. By examining and comparing the elastic and plastic energies of a voided cell throughout its deformation history, the onset of and final coalescence can be distinctly established. This energy-based approach offers a single unified method and criterion for determining the occurrences of both mechanisms. This paper also reports a novel micromechanics model that considers general stress states described by three macroscopic normal stresses and one macroscopic shear stress. Detailed formulation of the model is presented that includes the homogenization-based derivation and implementation of a 4×4 orthogonal transformation matrix, which relates the macroscopic deformation rate of the cell to displacement rates of non-physical degrees-of-freedom (DOFs), and the polar decomposition of the macroscopic deformation gradient tensor which admits the explicit determination of the logarithmic strain measures and rotation angle. In terms of stress ratios, ρ1 (=Σ11 /Σ22) ,ρ2 (=Σ12 /Σ22) ,ρ3 (=Σ33 /Σ22), it is analytically shown that multiple macroscopic stress states {ρ1 ,ρ2 ,ρ3 } can exist that result in the same stress triaxiality T and Lode parameter L. Specifically, it is shown that for a prescribed pair of T and L and in the absence of shear stress, at most six stress states {ρ1 , 0 ,ρ3 } are possible. On the other extreme in the presence of shear stress, an infinite number of stress states is possible, due to the existence of Mohr's circle for this stress state. This model, together with the proposed energy-based criteria, is used to examine void coalescence under multiple stress-state conditions for any given T and L. Numerical results have shown that the presence of shear stress has a significant effect of reducing the effective strains for the onset of and final void coalescences. In addition, a relationship has also been established between shear angle and effective strain at the onset of shear void coalescence.

Surface magnetism in a chiral d -wave superconductor with hexagonal symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goryo, Jun; Imai, Yoshiki; Rui, W. B.; Sigrist, Manfred; Schnyder, Andreas P.

2017-10-01

Surface properties are examined in a chiral d -wave superconductor with hexagonal symmetry, whose one-body Hamiltonian possesses intrinsic spin-orbit coupling identical to the one characterizing the topological nature of the Kane-Mele honeycomb insulator. In the normal state, spin-orbit coupling gives rise to spontaneous surface spin currents, whereas in the superconducting state, besides the spin currents, there exist also charge surface currents, due to chiral pairing symmetry. Interestingly, the combination of these two currents results in a surface spin polarization, whose spatial dependence is markedly different on the zigzag and armchair surfaces. We discuss various potential candidate materials, such as SrPtAs, which may exhibit these surface properties.

45 CFR 152.39 - Maintenance of effort.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...-EXISTING CONDITION INSURANCE PLAN PROGRAM Relationship to Existing Laws and Programs § 152.39 Maintenance... the contract is entered. (b) Failure to maintain efforts. In situations where a State enters into a..., against any State that fails to maintain funding levels for existing State high risk pools as required...

Satellites for U.S. education - Needs, opportunities and systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, R. P.; Singh, J. P.; Anderson, B. D.; Greenberg, E.

1972-01-01

This paper presents results of a continuing interdisciplinary study of the potential applications of Fixed- and Broadcast-Satellites for educational information transfer in the United States for the period 1975-1985. The status of U.S. education is examined and needs, trends and issues are discussed. The existing educational telecommunications infrastructure is examined and opportunities for satellite services are defined. Potential uses include networking of educational institutions and service centers for delivery of public and instructional television, computer-aided instruction, computing and information resources to regions and groups not now adequately served. Systems alternatives and some of the organizational and economic issues inherent in the deployment of an educational satellite system are discussed.-

Reply to "Comment on 'Calculations for the one-dimensional soft Coulomb problem and the hard Coulomb limit' ".

PubMed

Gebremedhin, Daniel H; Weatherford, Charles A

2015-02-01

This is a response to the comment we received on our recent paper "Calculations for the one-dimensional soft Coulomb problem and the hard Coulomb limit." In that paper, we introduced a computational algorithm that is appropriate for solving stiff initial value problems, and which we applied to the one-dimensional time-independent Schrödinger equation with a soft Coulomb potential. We solved for the eigenpairs using a shooting method and hence turned it into an initial value problem. In particular, we examined the behavior of the eigenpairs as the softening parameter approached zero (hard Coulomb limit). The commenters question the existence of the ground state of the hard Coulomb potential, which we inferred by extrapolation of the softening parameter to zero. A key distinction between the commenters' approach and ours is that they consider only the half-line while we considered the entire x axis. Based on mathematical considerations, the commenters consider only a vanishing solution function at the origin, and they question our conclusion that the ground state of the hard Coulomb potential exists. The ground state we inferred resembles a δ(x), and hence it cannot even be addressed based on their argument. For the excited states, there is agreement with the fact that the particle is always excluded from the origin. Our discussion with regard to the symmetry of the excited states is an extrapolation of the soft Coulomb case and is further explained herein.

Derivation of data-driven triggers for palliative care consultation in critically ill patients.

PubMed

Hua, May S; Ma, Xiaoyue; Li, Guohua; Wunsch, Hannah

2018-04-30

To examine the ability of existing triggers for intensive care unit (ICU) palliative care consultation to predict 6-month mortality, and derive new triggers for consultation based on risk factors for 6-month mortality. Retrospective cohort study of NY state residents who received intensive care, 2008-2013. We examined sensitivity and specificity of existing triggers for predicting 6-month mortality and used logistic regression to generate patient subgroups at high-risk for 6-month mortality as potential novel triggers for ICU palliative care consultation. Of 1,019,849 patients, 195,847 (19.2%) died within 6 months of admission. Existing triggers were specific but not sensitive for predicting 6-month mortality, (sensitivity 0.3%-11.1%, specificity 96.5-99.9% for individual triggers). Using logistic regression, patient subgroups with the highest predicted probability of 6-month mortality were older patients admitted with sepsis (age 70-79 probability 49.7%, [49.5-50.0]) or cancer (non-metastatic cancer, age 70-79 probability 51.5%, [51.1-51.9]; metastatic cancer, age 70-79 probability 60.3%, [59.9-60.6]). Sensitivity and specificity of novel triggers ranged from 0.05% to 9.2% and 98.6% to 99.9%, respectively. Existing triggers for palliative care consultation are specific, but insensitive for 6-month mortality. Using a data-driven approach to derive novel triggers may identify subgroups of patients at high-risk of 6-month mortality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive Psychology in Cancer Care: A Story Line Resistant to Evidence

PubMed Central

Tennen, Howard; Ranchor, Adelita V.

2010-01-01

Background Aspinwall and Tedeschi (Ann Behav Med, 2010) summarize evidence they view as supporting links between positive psychological states, including sense of coherence (SOC) and optimism and health outcomes, and they refer to persistent assumptions that interfere with understanding how positive states predict health. Purpose We critically evaluate Aspinwall and Tedeschi’s assertions. Methods We examine evidence related to SOC and optimism in relation to physical health, and revisit proposed processes linking positive psychological states to health outcomes, particularly via the immune system in cancer. Results Aspinwall and Tedeschi’s assumptions regarding SOC and optimism are at odds with available evidence. Proposed pathways between positive psychological states and cancer outcomes are not supported by existing data. Aspinwall and Tedeschi’s portrayal of persistent interfering assumptions echoes a disregard of precedent in the broader positive psychology literature. Conclusion Positive psychology’s interpretations of the literature regarding positive psychological states and cancer outcomes represent a self-perpetuating story line without empirical support. PMID:20186581

Implementing Health Impact Assessment Programs in State Health Agencies: Lessons Learned From Pilot Programs, 2009-2011.

PubMed

Goff, Nancy; Wyss, Kerry; Wendel, Arthur; Jarris, Paul

2016-01-01

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has emerged as a promising tool to integrate health considerations into decision making. The growth and success of HIA practice in the United States will be dependent on building the capacity of practitioners. This article seeks to identify the role of state health agencies (SHAs) in building capacity for conducting HIAs and the key components of initiatives that produced effective HIAs and HIA programs. The authors proposed to answer 3 research questions: (1) What can be the role of the SHA in HIA? (2) What are the characteristics of successful state HIA programs? and (3) What are some effective strategies for building capacity for HIA in SHAs and local health departments? The authors reviewed program reports from the ASTHO's pilot state health agencies (California, Minnesota, Oregon, and Wisconsin) that, between 2009 and 2011, created HIA programs to provide HIA training, conduct HIAs, and build practitioner networks. Program reports were examined for shared themes on the role of SHAs in a statewide HIA initiative, the characteristics of successful programs, and effective strategies for building capacity. Despite differences among the programs, many shared themes existed. These include stressing the importance of a basic, sustained infrastructure for HIA practice; leveraging existing programs and networks; and working in partnership with diverse stakeholders. SHAs can build capacity for HIA, and SHAs can both lead and support the completion of individual HIAs. States and territories interested in starting comprehensive statewide HIA initiatives could consider implementing the strategies identified by the pilot programs.

Health care market deviations from the ideal market.

PubMed

Mwachofi, Ari; Al-Assaf, Assaf F

2011-08-01

A common argument in the health policy debate is that market forces allocate resources efficiently in health care, and that government intervention distorts such allocation. Rarely do those making such claims state explicitly that the market they refer to is an ideal in economic theory which can only exist under very strict conditions. This paper explores the strict conditions necessary for that ideal market in the context of health care as a means of examining the claim that market forces do allocate resources efficiently in health care.

Who’s in Charge: The Federal/State Conflict for Control of the National Guard.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-30

35 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................. 37 ’ -’ AiiCeio For L. I, NT~, r N WHC)’S TN CH2ARGE The...eventually attempt to examine the merger bugaboo .... that we would then be fighting literally for the continued existence 7f the National Guard’s...469. 31. In 1956 these sections were codified into positive law as sections 672(b) and 672( d ) of Title 10 U.S.C., Act of August 10, 1956, ch 1041, 70A

Traffic safety in the U.S.: re-examining major opportunities.

PubMed

Sivak, Michael; Luoma, Juha; Flannagan, Michael J; Bingham, C Raymond; Eby, David W; Shope, Jean T

2007-01-01

This article examines five major road-safety risk factors: exceeding posted speed limits, not using safety belts, driving while intoxicated, nighttime driving, and young drivers. The importance of each of these factors is documented, known effective countermeasures (both policy and technology based) are discussed, and impediments to the implementation of these countermeasures in the United States are examined. Based on current understanding of the five major risk factors, and of the available countermeasures, there appear to be a variety of opportunities to make substantial gains in road safety using existing knowledge. The limited implementation of a variety of known countermeasures therefore appears to be inconsistent with high-level, strategic goals to improve road safety. Consequently, a recommendation is made to comprehensively re-examine the balance between the countermeasures discussed in this article and economic, mobility, and privacy concerns. IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY: Such a re-examination is likely to result in broad support for these countermeasures, with a consequent major improvement in road safety.

Chimeralike states in two distinct groups of identical populations of coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premalatha, K.; Chandrasekar, V. K.; Senthilvelan, M.; Lakshmanan, M.

2017-02-01

We show the existence of chimeralike states in two distinct groups of identical populations of globally coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators. The existence of chimeralike states occurs only for a small range of frequency difference between the two populations, and these states disappear for an increase of mismatch between the frequencies. Here the chimeralike states are characterized by the synchronized oscillations in one population and desynchronized oscillations in another population. We also find that such states observed in two distinct groups of identical populations of nonlocally coupled oscillators are different from the above case in which coexisting domains of synchronized and desynchronized oscillations are observed in one population and the second population exhibits synchronized oscillations for spatially prepared initial conditions. Perturbation from such spatially prepared initial condition leads to the existence of imperfectly synchronized states. An imperfectly synchronized state represents the existence of solitary oscillators which escape from the synchronized group in population I and synchronized oscillations in population II. Also the existence of chimera state is independent of the increase of frequency mismatch between the populations. We also find the coexistence of different dynamical states with respect to different initial conditions, which causes multistability in the globally coupled system. In the case of nonlocal coupling, the system does not show multistability except in the cluster state region.

Clinical and evoked pain, personality traits, and emotional states: can familial confounding explain the associations?

PubMed

Strachan, Eric; Poeschla, Brian; Dansie, Elizabeth; Succop, Annemarie; Chopko, Laura; Afari, Niloofar

2015-01-01

Pain is a complex phenomenon influenced by context and person-specific factors. Affective dimensions of pain involve both enduring personality traits and fleeting emotional states. We examined how personality traits and emotional states are linked with clinical and evoked pain in a twin sample. 99 female twin pairs were evaluated for clinical and evoked pain using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and dolorimetry, and completed the 120-item International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and ratings of stress and mood. Using a co-twin control design we examined a) the relationship of personality traits and emotional states with clinical and evoked pain and b) whether genetics and common environment (i.e. familial factors) may account for the associations. Neuroticism was associated with the sensory component of the MPQ; this relationship was not confounded by familial factors. None of the emotional state measures was associated with the MPQ. PANAS negative affect was associated with lower evoked pressure pain threshold and tolerance; these associations were confounded by familial factors. There were no associations between IPIP traits and evoked pain. A relationship exists between neuroticism and clinical pain that is not confounded by familial factors. There is no similar relationship between negative emotional states and clinical pain. In contrast, the relationship between negative emotional states and evoked pain is strong while the relationship with enduring personality traits is weak. The relationship between negative emotional states and evoked pain appears to be non-causal and due to familial factors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rumination and emotions in nonsuicidal self-injury and eating disorder behaviors: a preliminary test of the emotional cascade model.

PubMed

Arbuthnott, Alexis E; Lewis, Stephen P; Bailey, Heidi N

2015-01-01

This study examined relations between repeated rumination trials and emotions in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and eating disorder behaviors (EDBs) within the context of the emotional cascade model (Selby, Anestis, & Joiner, 2008). Rumination was repeatedly induced in 342 university students (79.2% female, Mage = 18.61, standard error = .08); negative and positive emotions were reported after each rumination trial. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to examine the relations between NSSI and EDB history and changes in emotions. NSSI history associated with greater initial increases in negative emotions, whereas EDB history associated with greater initial decreases in positive emotions. Baseline negative emotional states and trait emotion regulation mediated the relation between NSSI/EDB history and emotional states after rumination. Although NSSI and EDBs share similarities in emotion dysregulation, differences also exist. Both emotion dysregulation and maladaptive cognitive processes should be targeted in treatment for NSSI and EDBs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enacted Sexual Stigma, Stigma Consciousness, and Subjective Happiness Scale Adaptation: A Two-Country Study.

PubMed

Strizzi, Jenna; Fernández-Agis, Inmaculada; Parrón-Carreño, Tesifon; Alarcón-Rodríguez, Raquel

2016-01-01

Violence against people due to their sexual orientation is a phenomenon that exists within a framework of sexual stigma and sexual prejudice that can result in enacted stigma. The present study primarily aimed to validate the Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire (SCQ) and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS; for lesbian, gay, and bisexual [LGB] populations) in the Spanish context by using samples from two countries (Spain [N = 157] and the United States [N = 83]). Also, to examine how the construct of stigma consciousness correlates with anti-LGBQ (anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer) hate crime victimization and violent incidents, as well as examine whether the former influences subjective happiness. The population from the United States reported higher stigma consciousness and received more anti-LGBQ threats and insults. Hate crime victimization was the same across the two samples and positively correlated with violent incidents in both samples. Subjective happiness was negatively correlated with SCQ, although its subscales it did not correlate with enacted stigma measures. © The Author(s) 2014.

14 CFR 1203.604 - Mandatory review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... request is made by a United States citizen or permanent resident alien, a Federal agency, or a State or... deny the existence or non-existence of requested information whenever the fact of its existence or non-existence is itself classifiable under “the Order.” (g) Declassification of transferred documents or...

14 CFR 1203.604 - Mandatory review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... request is made by a United States citizen or permanent resident alien, a Federal agency, or a State or... deny the existence or non-existence of requested information whenever the fact of its existence or non-existence is itself classifiable under “the Order.” (g) Declassification of transferred documents or...

Magnetization processes and existence of reentrant phase transitions in coupled spin-electron model on doubly decorated planar lattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čenčariková, Hana; Strečka, Jozef; Gendiar, Andrej

2018-04-01

An alternative model for a description of magnetization processes in coupled 2D spin-electron systems has been introduced and rigorously examined using the generalized decoration-iteration transformation and the corner transfer matrix renormalization group method. The model consists of localized Ising spins placed on nodal lattice sites and mobile electrons delocalized over the pairs of decorating sites. It takes into account a hopping term for mobile electrons, the Ising coupling between mobile electrons and localized spins as well as the Zeeman term acting on both types of particles. The ground-state and finite-temperature phase diagrams were established and comprehensively analyzed. It was found that the ground-state phase diagrams are very rich depending on the electron hopping and applied magnetic field. The diversity of magnetization curves can be related to intermediate magnetization plateaus, which may be continuously tuned through the density of mobile electrons. In addition, the existence of several types of reentrant phase transitions driven either by temperature or magnetic field was proven.

Efficient micromagnetics for magnetic storage devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escobar Acevedo, Marco Antonio

Micromagnetics is an important component for advancing the magnetic nanostructures understanding and design. Numerous existing and prospective magnetic devices rely on micromagnetic analysis, these include hard disk drives, magnetic sensors, memories, microwave generators, and magnetic logic. The ability to examine, describe, and predict the magnetic behavior, and macroscopic properties of nanoscale magnetic systems is essential for improving the existing devices, for progressing in their understanding, and for enabling new technologies. This dissertation describes efficient micromagnetic methods as required for magnetic storage analysis. Their performance and accuracy is demonstrated by studying realistic, complex, and relevant micromagnetic system case studies. An efficient methodology for dynamic micromagnetics in large scale simulations is used to study the writing process in a full scale model of a magnetic write head. An efficient scheme, tailored for micromagnetics, to find the minimum energy state on a magnetic system is presented. This scheme can be used to calculate hysteresis loops. An efficient scheme, tailored for micromagnetics, to find the minimum energy path between two stable states on a magnetic system is presented. This minimum energy path is intimately related to the thermal stability.

Ultrasonic humidification for telecommunications

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

Longo, F.

1994-03-01

This article examines two installations which demonstrate that ultrasonic humidification is an excellent option for large-scale commercial installations. Many existing telephone switching centers constructed 20 to 30 years ago were equipped with electro-mechanical switching equipment that was not sensitive to humidity. Today's sophisticated solid-state telecommunications equipment requires specific levels of relative humidity to operate properly. Over the last several years, Einhorn Yaffee Prescott (formerly Rose Beaton + Rose) designed two of the largest ultrasonic humidification systems at telecommunications buildings located in Cheshire, Conn., and White Plains, N.Y. The Cheshire project was a retrofit to the existing system in a 1960smore » building; the White Plains project involved an upgrade to a totally new air handling system, including an ultrasonic humidification component, in a 1950s building.« less

China's territorial planning problems

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

Cheng Lu

1983-09-01

This article examines China's territorial planning problems. The task of developing and managing national territory means effectively linking manpower resources and natural resources, and accurately coordinating the relationship between man and the natural world. The goals are to examine the state of the national territory, to adapt general methods to local situations in developing soil, water, climatic, biological, mineral, and marine resources, and to develop and allocate productivity in an equitable way. Topics considered include economic zoning as a foundation for national territorial planning, and national territorial plans as a basis for national economic long-range planning. Economic zoning (which ismore » zoning of the entire economy, and which differs from zoning for farming, forestry, and water conservancy) is based on China's natural resources and population distribution, the existing economic foundation for industrial and agricultural production, the condition of communications and transportation, existing major economic centers, and historically formed economic relationships, with the provinces constituting a unit (for convenience in providing direction and making plans). Economic zoning highlights a region's characteristics, points the way toward its economic development, and also provides a scientific basis for territorial planning.« less

[Structures and concepts for nationwide outbreak management in a federal state].

PubMed

Leidel, J; Feil, F

2013-01-01

With pandemic influenza in 2009/2010 and an EHEC outbreak in 2011, the Federal Republic of Germany experienced two extensive outbreaks in the course of only 3 years. Although both infectiological crises were comparatively successfully coped with, certain aspects have been critically examined. One point of criticism has been the presumption that federal structures may not be well suited for the management of a nationwide outbreak. This has been linked to the request for a central authority with responsibility. In fact, centralized as well as federal structures have advantages and disadvantages during infectiological crises. However, the "first response," i.e., immediate action against the spreading of infectious diseases, has to take place locally anyway. Regional differences, even in the context of a nationwide outbreak, might well demand regional action. After all, the federal structure of the Republic of Germany is deliberately firmly rooted in the German constitution, and there are no indications that this may change in the near future. Suitable concepts and structures should be used so as to benefit from the advantages and avoid the disadvantages of a federal state. The current structures are described, and improvements that may be necessary are discussed. The existing structures are shown to be entirely appropriate in allowing necessary decisions to be made and a fast transmission of information even in a federal state. Occasional shortcomings are seen as mainly due to the inadequate implementation of already existing regulations and partly to the ambition of a few spotlight seekers rather than to actual inadequacies of existing federal structures.

Feasibility and Design Options for a Potential Entity to Research the Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Treatments.

PubMed

Hussey, Peter S; Gillen, Emily M; McGlynn, Elizabeth A

2011-01-01

In 2008, the Massachusetts state legislature mandated an examination of the feasibility of the state's participation in establishing a comparative effectiveness center (CEC) and requested recommendations for the entity's design. "Comparative effectiveness" research involves the direct comparative assessment of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of health care interventions and strategies. The center's findings would guide purchasing and payment decisions related to medical procedures, devices, drugs, and biologics by public- and private-sector organizations. The state has several options in terms of its approach to comparative effectiveness research. It could establish an interstate CEC that synthesizes existing findings for regional decisionmakers, it could establish an interstate CEC that supports new research, it could join an existing CEC, it could join the Drug Effectiveness Review Project and the Medicare Evidence-Based Decisions Project and also establish a regional center, or it could elect not to establish a CEC at all. An exploration of the options and the types of research that could be sponsored reveals that all of the options are potentially feasible, but the legislature's decision with regard to design must consider the level of prioritization of comparative effectiveness research relative to other approaches to improving health care quality and reducing spending growth.

Coprecipitation of gold(III) complex ions with manganese(II) hydroxide and their stoichiometric reduction to atomic gold (Au(0)): analysis by Mössbauer spectroscopy and XPS.

PubMed

Yamashita, Mamiko; Ohashi, Hironori; Kobayashi, Yasuhiro; Okaue, Yoshihiro; Kurisaki, Tsutomu; Wakita, Hisanobu; Yokoyama, Takushi

2008-03-01

To elucidate the formation process of precursor of gold-supported manganese dioxide (MnO2), the coprecipitation behavior of [AuCl4-n(OH)n](-) (n=0-4) (Au(III)) complex ions with manganese(II) hydroxide (Mn(OH)2 and the change in their chemical state were examined. The Au(III) complex ions were rapidly and effectively coprecipitated with Mn(OH)(2) at pH 9. According to the Mössbauer spectra for gold (Au) coprecipitated with Mn(OH)2, below an Au content of 60 wt% in the coprecipitates, all of the coprecipitated Au existed in the atomic state (Au(0)), while, above an Au content of 65 wt%, part of the gold existed in the Au(III) state, and the proportion increased with increasing coprecipitated Au content. Based on the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Mn(II) in Mn(OH)2 converted to Mn(IV) in conjunction with coprecipitation of Au(III) complex ions. These results indicate that the rapid stoichiometric reduction of Au(III) to Au(0) is caused by electron transfer from Mn(II) in Mn(OH)2 to the Au(III) complex ion through an Mn-O-Au bond.

Divergent marijuana trajectories among men: Socioeconomic, relationship, and life satisfaction outcomes in the mid-30s

PubMed Central

White, Helene R.; Bechtold, Jordan; Loeber, Rolf; Pardini, Dustin

2016-01-01

Background Given recent changes in marijuana policy in the United States, it is important to understand the long-term effects of marijuana use on adult functioning. We examined whether men who displayed different trajectories of marijuana use from adolescence through emerging adulthood (age ~15–26) differed in terms of socioeconomic, social, and life satisfaction outcomes in their mid-30s. Methods Data came from a longitudinal sample of men who were recruited in early adolescence (N = 506) and followed into adulthood. Four trajectory groups based on patterns of marijuana use from adolescence into emerging adulthood were compared on adult outcomes (age ~36) before and after controlling for co-occurring use of other substances and several pre-existing confounding factors in early adolescence. The potential moderating effect of race was also examined. Results Although there were initially group differences across all domains, once pre-existing confounds and co-occurring other substance use were included in the model, groups only differed in terms of partner and friend marijuana use. Chronic marijuana users reported the highest proportions of both. Frequent and persistent marijuana use was associated with lower socioeconomic status (SES) for Black men only. Conclusions After statistically accounting for confounding variables, chronic marijuana users were not at a heightened risk for maladjustment in adulthood except for lower SES among Black men. Chronic users were more likely to have friends and partners who also used marijuana. Future studies should take into account pre-existing differences when examining outcomes of marijuana use. PMID:26365837

Adoption and Diffusion of Evidence-Based Addiction Medications in Substance Abuse Treatment

PubMed Central

Heinrich, Carolyn J; Cummings, Grant R

2014-01-01

ObjectiveTo examine the roles of facility-and state-level factors in treatment facilities’ adoption and diffusion of pharmaceutical agents used in addiction treatment. Data SourcesSecondary data from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Alcohol Policy Information System, and Kaiser Family Foundation. Study DesignWe estimate ordered logit and multinomial logit models to examine the relationship of state and treatment facility characteristics to the adoption and diffusion of three pharmaceutical agents over 4 years when each was at a different stage of adoption or diffusion. Data CollectionN-SSATS data with facility codes, obtained directly from SAMHSA, were linked by state identifiers to the other publicly available, secondary data. Principal FindingsThe analysis confirms the importance of awareness and exposure to the adoption behavior of others, dissemination of information about the feasibility and effectiveness of innovations, geographical clustering, and licensing and accreditation in legitimizing facilities’ adoption and continued use of pharmacotherapies in addiction treatment. ConclusionsPolicy and administrative levers exist to increase the availability of pharmaceutical technologies and their continued use by substance abuse treatment facilities. PMID:23855719

Investigation of the asymptotic state of rotating turbulence using large-eddy simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squires, Kyle D.; Chasnov, Jeffrey R.; Mansour, Nagi N.; Cambon, Claude

1993-01-01

Study of turbulent flows in rotating reference frames has long been an area of considerable scientific and engineering interest. Because of its importance, the subject of turbulence in rotating reference frames has motivated over the years a large number of theoretical, experimental, and computational studies. The bulk of these previous works has served to demonstrate that the effect of system rotation on turbulence is subtle and remains exceedingly difficult to predict. A rotating flow of particular interest in many studies, including the present work, is examination of the effect of solid-body rotation on an initially isotropic turbulent flow. One of the principal reasons for the interest in this flow is that it represents the most basic turbulent flow whose structure is altered by system rotation but without the complicating effects introduced by mean strains or flow inhomogeneities. The assumption of statistical homogeneity considerably simplifies analysis and computation. The principal objective of the present study has been to examine the asymptotic state of solid-body rotation applied to an initially isotropic, high Reynolds number turbulent flow. Of particular interest has been to determine the degree of two-dimensionalization and the existence of asymptotic self-similar states in homogeneous rotating turbulence.

Behavioral Risk Profiles of Homeschooled Adolescents in the United States: A Nationally Representative Examination of Substance Use Related Outcomes.

PubMed

Hodge, David R; Salas-Wright, Christopher P; Vaughn, Michael G

2017-02-23

The homeschool population continues to grow in size and now accounts for 3.4% of all students in the United States. Given the heterogeneous nature of the population, this study examines the relationship between different types of homeschoolers and a number of substance use related outcomes. To conduct this study, we used pooled data (2002-2013) from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Respondents aged 12-17 who reported they had been homeschooled at any time during the previous 12 months were classified as homeschoolers (N = 1,321). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify latent subgroups of homeschoolers and multinomial regression was executed to assess the relationship between the subgroups and perceived substance use risk, availability, and past 12-month use. The LPA yielded four subgroups, which were summarized as (1) highly religious and engaged, (2) limited parental monitoring, (3) high parental warmth and support, and (4) secular permissive. Of these, the highly religious and engaged subgroup was the least likely to report using substances. The results underscore the variation that exists among homeschoolers and the importance of examining the relationship between different types of homeschoolers and outcomes of interest.

9 CFR 145.94 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with...)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have existed in...

9 CFR 145.94 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with...)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have existed in...

9 CFR 145.94 - Terminology and classification; States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... classification; States. (a) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State. (1) A State will be declared a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State when it has been determined by the Service that: (i) The State is in compliance with...)(i) through (vii). (ii) No pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is known to exist nor to have existed in...

Representation of natural vegetation in protected areas: Capturing the geographic range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, J.M.; Murray, M.; Wright, R.G.; Csuti, B.; Morgan, P.; Pressey, R.L.

2001-01-01

Current conservation strategies for plant and animal species rarely address the need to protect the species throughout its geographic range thereby capturing potential genetic and ecological variation. We examined the degree that existing protected areas in the western United States satisfied this goal for four widespread vegetation cover types. We used latitude and longitude to stratify the distribution of these types into 16 cells, each of which was further stratified by up to five elevation classes. While protection of some vegetation types was high in parts of their range, it was minimal to nonexistent in other parts. While it is yet to be shown that protecting a given species throughout its geographic range is essential for its long-term existence, in the face of often unpredictable environmental changes, it seems a prudent course to follow. Our results suggest that if full range protection is a conservation goal, the existing network of protected areas may be inadequate for the task.

Challenges To Reducing Discrimination And Health Inequity Through Existing Civil Rights Laws.

PubMed

Chandra, Amitabh; Frakes, Michael; Malani, Anup

2017-06-01

More than fifty years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, health care for racial and ethnic minorities remains in many ways separate and unequal in the United States. Moreover, efforts to improve minority health care face challenges that differ from those confronted during de jure segregation. We review these challenges and examine whether stronger enforcement of existing civil rights legislation could help overcome them. We conclude that stronger enforcement of existing laws-for example, through executive orders to strengthen enforcement of the laws and congressional action to allow private individuals to bring lawsuits against providers who might have engaged in discrimination-would improve minority health care, but this approach is limited in what it can achieve. Complementary approaches outside the legal arena, such as quality improvement efforts and direct transfers of money to minority-serving providers-those seeing a disproportionate number of minority patients relative to their share of the population-might prove to be more effective. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

12 CFR 403.7 - Mandatory review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of a request by a United States citizen or permanent resident alien, a Federal agency, or a State or... material on grounds other than classification. (i) The Bank shall refuse to confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of requested information whenever the fact of its existence or non-existence is...

12 CFR 403.7 - Mandatory review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of a request by a United States citizen or permanent resident alien, a Federal agency, or a State or... material on grounds other than classification. (i) The Bank shall refuse to confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of requested information whenever the fact of its existence or non-existence is...

12 CFR 403.7 - Mandatory review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of a request by a United States citizen or permanent resident alien, a Federal agency, or a State or... material on grounds other than classification. (i) The Bank shall refuse to confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of requested information whenever the fact of its existence or non-existence is...

12 CFR 403.7 - Mandatory review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of a request by a United States citizen or permanent resident alien, a Federal agency, or a State or... material on grounds other than classification. (i) The Bank shall refuse to confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of requested information whenever the fact of its existence or non-existence is...

12 CFR 563b.435 - What happens to my corporate existence after conversion?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What happens to my corporate existence after... What happens to my corporate existence after conversion? Your corporate existence will continue following your conversion, unless you convert to a state-chartered stock savings association and state law...

A Small Molecule Causes a Population Shift in the Conformational Landscape of an Intrinsically Disordered Protein.

PubMed

Ban, David; Iconaru, Luigi I; Ramanathan, Arvind; Zuo, Jian; Kriwacki, Richard W

2017-10-04

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have roles in myriad biological processes and numerous human diseases. However, kinetic and amplitude information regarding their ground-state conformational fluctuations has remained elusive. We demonstrate using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based relaxation dispersion that the D2 domain of p27 Kip1 , a prototypical IDP, samples multiple discrete, rapidly exchanging conformational states. By combining NMR with mutagenesis and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we show that these states involve aromatic residue clustering through long-range hydrophobic interactions. Theoretical studies have proposed that small molecules bind promiscuously to IDPs, causing expansion of their conformational landscapes. However, on the basis of previous NMR-based screening results, we show here that compound binding only shifts the populations of states that existed within the ground state of apo p27-D2 without changing the barriers between states. Our results provide atomic resolution insight into how a small molecule binds an IDP and emphasize the need to examine motions on the low microsecond time scale when probing these types of interactions.

Topologically invariant double Dirac states in bismuth-based perovskites: Consequence of ambivalent charge states and covalent bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khamari, Bramhachari; Kashikar, Ravi; Nanda, B. R. K.

2018-01-01

Density functional calculations and model tight-binding Hamiltonian studies are carried out to examine the bulk and surface electronic structure of the largely unexplored perovskite family of A BiO3 , where A is a group I-II element. From the study, we reveal the existence of two TI states, one in valence band (V-TI) and the other in conduction band (C-TI), as the universal feature of A BiO3 . The V-TI and C-TI are, respectively, born out of bonding and antibonding states caused by Bi-{s ,p } -O-{p } coordinated covalent interactions. Further, we outline a classification scheme in this family where one class follows spin orbit coupling and the other follows the second neighbor Bi-Bi hybridization to induce s-p band inversion for the realization of C-TI states. Below a certain critical thickness of the film, which varies with A , TI states of top and bottom surfaces couple to destroy the Dirac type linear dispersion and consequently to open narrow surface energy gaps.

Time-varying causality between energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and economic growth: evidence from US states.

PubMed

Tzeremes, Panayiotis

2018-02-01

This study is the first attempt to investigate the relationship between CO 2 emissions, energy consumption, and economic growth at a state level, for the 50 US states, through a time-varying causality approach using annual data over the periods 1960-2010. The time-varying causality test facilitates the better understanding of the causal relationship between the covariates owing to the fact that it might identify causalities when the time-constant hypothesis is rejected. Our findings indicate the existence of a time-varying causality at the state level. Specifically, the results probe eight bidirectional time-varying causalities between energy consumption and CO 2 emission, six cases of two-way time-varying causalities between economic growth and energy consumption, and five bidirectional time-varying causalities between economic growth and CO 2 emission. Moreover, we examine the traditional environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for the states. Notably, our results do not endorse the validity of the EKC, albeit the majority of states support an inverted N-shaped relationship. Lastly, we can identify multiple policy implications based on the empirical results.

Session: What can we learn from developed wind resource areas

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

Thelander, Carl; Erickson, Wally

This session at the Wind Energy and Birds/Bats workshop was composed of two parts intended to examine what existing science tells us about wind turbine impacts at existing wind project sites. Part one dealt with the Altamont Wind Resource area, one of the older wind projects in the US, with a paper presented by Carl Thelander titled ''Bird Fatalities in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area: A Case Study, Part 1''. Questions addressed by the presenter included: how is avian habitat affected at Altamont and do birds avoid turbine sites; are birds being attracted to turbine strings; what factors contributemore » to direct impacts on birds by wind turbines at Altamont; how do use, behavior, avoidance and other factors affect risk to avian species, and particularly impacts those species listed as threatened, endangered, or of conservation concern, and other state listed species. The second part dealt with direct impacts to birds at new generation wind plants outside of California, examining such is sues as mortality, avoidance, direct habitat impacts from terrestrial wind projects, species and numbers killed per turbine rates/MW generated, impacts to listed threatened and endangered species, to USFWS Birds of Conservation Concern, and to state listed species. This session focused on newer wind project sites with a paper titled ''Bird Fatality and Risk at New Generation Wind Projects'' by Wally Erickson. Each paper was followed by a discussion/question and answer period.« less

45 CFR 261.80 - How do existing welfare reform waivers affect a State's penalty liability under this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ENSURING THAT RECIPIENTS WORK How Do Welfare Reform Waivers Affect State Penalties? § 261.80 How do existing welfare reform waivers affect a State's penalty... 45 Public Welfare 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How do existing welfare reform waivers affect a...

History and challenges of national examination as a quality measurement for high school students in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozamuri, Arif Murti; Suradi, Nur Riza Mohd

2015-02-01

Education in Indonesia has been established before the Indonesian state. Therefore, the history of Education in Indonesia is quite long. Education that has existed since ancient times, and then forwarded to the days of the Hindu and Buddhist religious influence, then the influence of Islamic religious era, the education in the colonial era until education in independence era. At Indonesia for senior high school students, the quality measured by national exam. The national examination has a long history and full of pros and cons in determining the quality of students. With different level social economic status, and teacher quality in each schools, the student quality would be assessed within a period of three years. The interesting part is whether the national examination, able to measure the quality of students?. Is the quality of students can only be measured through the national exam?. Then various fraud taint the education particularly in the implementation of national examination. This research would explain long history of national examination and various problems that occur in national examination.

Clinical governance in pre-hospital care.

PubMed Central

Robertson-Steel, I; Edwards, S; Gough, M

2001-01-01

This article seeks to discover and recognize the importance of clinical governance within a new and emerging quality National Health Service (NHS) system. It evaluates the present state of prehospital care and recommends how change, via clinical governance, can ensure a paradigm shift from its currently fragmented state to a seamless ongoing patient care episode. Furthermore, it identifies the drivers of a quality revolution, examines the monitoring and supervision of quality care, and evaluates the role of evidence-based practice. A frank and open view of immediate care doctors is presented, with recommendations to improve the quality of skill delivery and reduce the disparity that exists. Finally, it reviews the current problems with pre-hospital care and projects a future course for quality and patient care excellence. PMID:11383428

Care of the Chronically Ill at Home: An Unresolved Dilemma in Health Policy for the United States

PubMed Central

Buhler-Wilkerson, Karen

2007-01-01

The problems of caring for patients with disabling illnesses who neither get well nor die are not new. Such patients have always required assistance at home from family, benevolent volunteers, or paid caregivers. Despite two centuries of experimentation, however, no agreement exists concerning the balance between the public and private resources to be allocated through state funding, private insurance, and family contributions for the daily and routine care at home for chronically ill persons of all ages. This article examines these issues and the unavoidable tensions between fiscal reality and legitimate need. It also uses historical and policy analyses to explain why home care has never become the cornerstone for caring for the chronically ill. PMID:18070332

Current and Future Developments in Air Traffic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Joseph; Green, Steven M.

1999-01-01

Current and future energy demands, end uses, and cost used to characterize typical applications services in the industrial sector of the United States are examined. A review and evaluation of existing industrial energy data bases was undertaken to assess their potential for supporting SERI research market suitability analysis; (2) market development; (3) end use matching; (4) industrial application studies; and (5) identification of cost and performance goals for solar systems and typical information requirements for industrial energy end use. The focus was on fuels and electric energy used for heat and power purchased by the manufacturing subsector and listed by 2, 3, and 4 digit SIC, primary fuel. The effects of federal and state industrial energy conservation programs on future industrial sector demands were assessed.

Explaining the Geographical Variation of HIV Among Injection Drug Users in the United States

PubMed Central

Ciccarone, D.; Bourgois, P.

2005-01-01

Distinct physical and chemical types of street heroin exist worldwide, but their impact on behavior and disease acquisition is not well understood or documented. This article presents a hypothesis to explain the unequal diffusion of HIV among injection drug users in the United States by examining the distribution and use of one type of heroin—“Mexican black tar.” Drawing on ethnographic, clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory data, we suggest that the chemical properties of black tar heroin promote the following safer injection practices: (1) the rinsing of syringes with water to prevent clogging; (2) the heating of cookers to promote dissolution; and (3) a rapid transition from venous injection to subcutaneous or intramuscular injections. PMID:14677781

Re-examining Potential for Geothermal Energy in United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

New technological initiatives, along with potential policy and economic incentives, could help to bring about a resurgence in geothermal energy development in the United States, said several experts at a 22 May forum in Washington, D.C. The forum was sponsored by the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucuses, the Sustainable Energy Coalition, and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Among these initiatives is an ambitious program of the U.S. Department of Energy to expand existing geothermal energy fields and potentially create new fields through ``enhanced geothermal systems.'' In addition, a program of the Bush administration encourages geothermal development on some public lands, and current legislation would provide tax credits and other incentives for geothermal development.

Trends in amphibian occupancy in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, Michael J.; Miller, David A.W.; Muths, Erin; Corn, Paul Stephen; Grant, Evan H. Campbell; Bailey, Larissa L.; Fellers, Gary M.; Fisher, Robert N.; Sadinski, Walter J.; Waddle, Hardin; Walls, Susan C.

2013-01-01

Though a third of amphibian species worldwide are thought to be imperiled, existing assessments simply categorize extinction risk, providing little information on the rate of population losses. We conducted the first analysis of the rate of change in the probability that amphibians occupy ponds and other comparable habitat features across the United States. We found that overall occupancy by amphibians declined 3.7% annually from 2002 to 2011. Species that are Red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declined an average of 11.6% annually. All subsets of data examined had a declining trend including species in the IUCN Least Concern category. This analysis suggests that amphibian declines may be more widespread and severe than previously realized.

Carrots and sticks: compliance provisions in state competitive food laws-examples for state and local implementation of the updated USDA standards.

PubMed

Gourdet, Camille K; Chriqui, Jamie F; Piekarz, Elizabeth; Dang, Quang; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-07-01

Competitive foods remain prevalent in schools even though the majority of states' laws have addressed this for several years. Whereas updated federal standards take effect during school year 2014-2015, aspects of competitive food regulation will remain relegated to the states and districts and concerns exist about compliance with the federal standards. This study examined compliance provisions codified into state law that focused on incentives, monetary penalties, or contracts which could provide examples for other jurisdictions. Codified statutory and administrative laws effective as of January 2013 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia were compiled using Boolean searches in Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw. All laws were analyzed by 2 study authors to determine the presence and components of relevant provisions. Eighteen states' laws contained compliance mechanisms including financial and/or programmatic incentives (5 states), contract provisions (11 states), and monetary penalties for noncompliance (7 states). Five states' laws contained a combination of approaches. Compliance measures help to strengthen competitive food laws by providing state agencies with an enforcement mechanism. Enforcing such provisions will help to create healthier school environments. This study will provide useful insight for governments at all levels as they implement competitive food laws. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Enhancing emotional-based target prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosnell, Michael; Woodley, Robert

2008-04-01

This work extends existing agent-based target movement prediction to include key ideas of behavioral inertia, steady states, and catastrophic change from existing psychological, sociological, and mathematical work. Existing target prediction work inherently assumes a single steady state for target behavior, and attempts to classify behavior based on a single emotional state set. The enhanced, emotional-based target prediction maintains up to three distinct steady states, or typical behaviors, based on a target's operating conditions and observed behaviors. Each steady state has an associated behavioral inertia, similar to the standard deviation of behaviors within that state. The enhanced prediction framework also allows steady state transitions through catastrophic change and individual steady states could be used in an offline analysis with additional modeling efforts to better predict anticipated target reactions.

76 FR 80865 - Approval and Promulgation of State Plans for Designated Facilities and Pollutants; State of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-27

... Promulgation of State Plans for Designated Facilities and Pollutants; State of Florida; Control of Hospital/ Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerator (HMIWI) Emissions From Existing Facilities AGENCY: Environmental... Guidelines (EGs) applicable to existing Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators (HMIWIs). These EGs...

Clean Energy-Related Economic Development Policy across the States: Establishing a 2016 Baseline

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

Cook, Jeffrey J.

States implement clean energy-related economic development policy to spur innovation, manufacturing, and to address other priorities. This report focuses on those policies most directly related to expanding new and existing manufacturing. The extent to which states invest in this policymaking depends on political drivers and jurisdictional economic development priorities. To date, no one source has collected all of the clean energy-related economic development policies available across the 50 states. Thus, it is unclear how many policies exist within each state and how these policies, when implemented, can drive economic development. Establishing the baseline of existing policy is a critical firstmore » step in determining the potential holistic impact of these policies on driving economic growth in a state. The goal of this report is to document the clean energy-related economic development policy landscape across the 50 states with a focus on policy that seeks to expand new or existing manufacturing within a state. States interested in promoting clean energy manufacturing in their jurisdictions may be interested in reviewing this landscape to determine how they compare to peers and to adjust their policies as necessary. This report documents over 900 existing clean energy-related economic development laws, financial incentives (technology-agnostic and clean energy focused), and other policies such as agency-directed programs and initiatives across the states.« less

Trauma-related dissociation and altered states of consciousness: a call for clinical, treatment, and neuroscience research

PubMed Central

Lanius, Ruth A.

2015-01-01

The primary aim of this commentary is to describe trauma-related dissociation and altered states of consciousness in the context of a four-dimensional model that has recently been proposed (Frewen & Lanius, 2015). This model categorizes symptoms of trauma-related psychopathology into (1) those that occur within normal waking consciousness and (2) those that are dissociative and are associated with trauma-related altered states of consciousness (TRASC) along four dimensions: (1) time; (2) thought; (3) body; and (4) emotion. Clinical applications and future research directions relevant to each dimension are discussed. Conceptualizing TRASC across the dimensions of time, thought, body, and emotion has transdiagnostic implications for trauma-related disorders described in both the Diagnostic Statistical Manual and the International Classifications of Diseases. The four-dimensional model provides a framework, guided by existing models of dissociation, for future research examining the phenomenological, neurobiological, and physiological underpinnings of trauma-related dissociation. PMID:25994026

Shock wave equation of state of serpentine to 150 GPa - Implications for the occurrence of water in the earth's lower mantle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tyburczy, James A.; Duffy, Thomas S.; Ahrens, Thomas J.; Lange, Manfred A.

1991-01-01

The shock wave equation of state of Mg end-member serpentine was determined to 150 GPa by examining the shock properties of three polycrystalline serpentines: (1) a lizardite serpentine found near Globe (Arizona), (2) an antigorite serpentine from Thurman (New York), and (3) a chrysotile serpentine from Quebec (Canada). The shock wave experiments were carried out using either a two-stage light gas gun or a 40-mm bore propellant. The shock equation of state that was obtained is shown to exhibit four distinct regions: a low-pressure phase, a mixed phase region, a high-pressure phase, and a very high-pressure phase. The high-pressure density and sound speed of an H2O-rich magnesium silicate determined from these experiments indicate that the observed seismic properties of the lower mantle allow the existence of several weight percent of water in the lower mantle.

Ideal affect in daily life: implications for affective experience, health, and social behavior.

PubMed

Tsai, Jeanne L

2017-10-01

Over the last decade, researchers have increasingly demonstrated that ideal affect-the affective states that people value and ideally want to feel-shapes different aspects of daily life. Here I briefly review Affect Valuation Theory (AVT), which integrates ideal affect into existing models of affect and emotion by identifying the causes and consequences of variation in ideal affect. I then describe recent research that applies AVT to the valuation of negative states as well as more complex states, examines how ideal affect shapes momentary affective experience, suggests that ideal affect has both direct and indirect effects on health, and illustrates that people's ideal affect shapes how they judge and respond to others. Finally, I discuss the implications of cultural and individual differences in ideal affect for clinical, educational, work, and leisure settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regulating genetically modified food. Policy trajectories, political culture, and risk perceptions in the U.S., Canada, and EU.

PubMed

Wohlers, Anton E

2010-09-01

This paper examines whether national differences in political culture add an explanatory dimension to the formulation of policy in the area of biotechnology, especially with respect to genetically modified food. The analysis links the formulation of protective regulatory policies governing genetically modified food to both country and region-specific differences in uncertainty tolerance levels and risk perceptions in the United States, Canada, and European Union. Based on polling data and document analysis, the findings illustrate that these differences matter. Following a mostly opportunistic risk perception within an environment of high tolerance for uncertainty, policymakers in the United States and Canada modified existing regulatory frameworks that govern genetically modified food in their respective countries. In contrast, the mostly cautious perception of new food technologies and low tolerance for uncertainty among European Union member states has contributed to the creation of elaborate and stringent regulatory policies governing genetically modified food.

The patient-consumer-advocate nexus: the marketing and dissemination of gardasil, the human papillomavirus vaccine, in the United States.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Samantha D

2013-09-01

The 2006 availability of Merck's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, Gardasil, in the United States provides an opportunity to examine the pharmaceutical company's creation of patient awareness for one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and its related cancer. In spite of the ubiquity of gynecological screening, prior to the vaccine's dissemination, most U.S. women were not familiar with either the infection or its association with cancer. Merck's role in encouraging a patient advocacy community mimics existing breast cancer patient advocacy culture in the United States while also demonstrating marked popular culture differences between the two women's health concerns and their respective advocacy groups. This article draws on ethnographic fieldwork with an HPV/cervical cancer advocacy organization to demonstrate how the group and its members engaged in an activism of awareness that disavows larger political aims. © 2013 by the American Anthropological Association.

Critical examination of quantum oscillations in SmB6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riseborough, Peter S.; Fisk, Z.

2017-11-01

We critically review the results of magnetic torque measurements on SmB6 that show quantum oscillations. Similar studies have been given two different interpretations. One interpretation is based on the existence of metallic surface states, while the second interpretation is in terms of a three-dimensional Fermi surface involving neutral fermionic excitations. We suggest that the low-field oscillations that are seen by both groups for B fields as small as 6 T might be due to metallic surface states. The high-field three-dimensional oscillations are only seen by one group for fields B >18 T. The phenomenon of magnetic breakthrough occurs at high fields and involves the formation of Landau orbits that produces a directional-dependent suppression of Bragg scattering. We argue that the measurements performed under higher-field conditions are fully consistent with expectations based on a three-dimensional semiconducting state with magnetic breakthrough.

40 CFR 403.4 - State or local law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true State or local law. 403.4 Section 403.4... GENERAL PRE-TREAT-MENT REGULATIONS FOR EXIST-ING AND NEW SOURCES OF POLLUTION § 403.4 State or local law... prohibitions, established by State or local law as long as the State or local requirements are not less...

40 CFR 403.4 - State or local law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true State or local law. 403.4 Section 403.4... GENERAL PRE-TREAT-MENT REGULATIONS FOR EXIST-ING AND NEW SOURCES OF POLLUTION § 403.4 State or local law... prohibitions, established by State or local law as long as the State or local requirements are not less...

What are the consequences of disregarding a "do not resuscitate directive" in the United States?

PubMed

Saitta, Nicole Marie; Hodge, Samuel D

2013-12-01

Does a valid cause of action exist against a health care provider who intentionally disregards a "do-not resuscitate order," prolonging a patient's life? Wrongful prolongation of life has not gained traction in the United States. Although the issue has garnered media attention and has raised awareness of advanced directives, physicians still may disregard a patient's last wishes for fear of legal reprisal or due to lack of communication. This article examines key cases and explains the differences between living wills, advanced directives and proxies. Claims have been advanced under theories of battery, Constitutional violations, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, and negligence, but no cause of action has allowed monetary damages. Courts maintain that it is not their place to judge an impaired life as being less valuable than no life. A state-by-state analysis of legislation concerning advanced directives follows along with a discussion of the Patient Self-Determination Act.

Toward an implicit measure of emotions: ratings of abstract images reveal distinct emotional states.

PubMed

Bartoszek, Gregory; Cervone, Daniel

2017-11-01

Although implicit tests of positive and negative affect exist, implicit measures of distinct emotional states are scarce. Three experiments examined whether a novel implicit emotion-assessment task, the rating of emotion expressed in abstract images, would reveal distinct emotional states. In Experiment 1, participants exposed to a sadness-inducing story inferred more sadness, and less happiness, in abstract images. In Experiment 2, an anger-provoking interaction increased anger ratings. In Experiment 3, compared to neutral images, spider images increased fear ratings in spider-fearful participants but not in controls. In each experiment, the implicit task indicated elevated levels of the target emotion and did not indicate elevated levels of non-target negative emotions; the task thus differentiated among emotional states of the same valence. Correlations also supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the implicit task. Supporting the possibility that heuristic processes underlie the ratings, group differences were stronger among those who responded relatively quickly.

Structural characterization/correlation of calorimetric properties of coal fluids: Final report, September 1, 1985--August 31, 1988

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

Starling, K.E.; Mallinson, R.G.; Li, M.H.

The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between the calorimetric properties of coal fluids and their molecular functional group composition. Coal fluid samples which have had their calorimetric properties measured are characterized using proton NMR, IR, and elemental analysis. These characterizations are then used in a chemical structural model to determine the composition of the coal fluid in terms of the important molecular functional groups. These functional groups are particularly important in determining the intramolecular based properties of a fluid, such as ideal gas heat capacities. Correlational frameworks for ideal gas heat capacities are then examined withinmore » an existing equation of state methodology to determine an optimal correlation. The optimal correlation for obtaining the characterization/chemical structure information and the sensitivity of the correlation to the characterization and structural model is examined. 8 refs.« less

Structural characterization/correlation of calorimetric properties of coal fluids: Second annual report, September 1, 1986-August 31, 1987

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

Starling, K.E.; Mallinson, R.G.; Li, M.H.

The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between the calorimetric properties of coal fluids and their molecular functional group composition. Coal fluid samples which have had their calorimetric properties measured are characterized using proton NMR, ir, and elemental analysis. These characterizations are then used in a chemical structural model to determine the composition of the coal fluid in terms of the important molecular functional groups. These functional groups are particularly important in determining the intramolecular based properties of a fluid, such as ideal gas heat capacities. Correlational frameworks for ideal gas heat capacities are then examined withinmore » an existing equation of state methodology to determine an optimal correlation. The optimal correlation for obtaining the characterization/chemical structure information and the sensitivity of the correlation to the characterization and structural model is examined.« less

Structural characterization/correlation of calorimetric properties of coal fluids. First annual report, September 1, 1985-August 31, 1986

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

Starling, K.E.; Mallinson, R.G.; Li, M.H.

The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between the calorimetric properties of coal liquids and their molecular functional group composition. Coal liquid samples which have had their calorimetric properties measured are characterized using proton NMR, ir and elemental analysis. These characterizations are then used in a chemical structural model to determine the composition of the coal liquid in terms of the important molecular functional groups. These functional groups are particularly important in determining the intramolecular based properties of a fluid, such as ideal gas heat capacities. Correlational frameworks for heat capacities will then be examined within anmore » existing equation of state methodology to determine an optimal correlation. Also, the optimal recipe for obtaining the characterization/chemical structure information and the sensitivity of the correlation to the characterization and structural model will be examined and determined. 7 refs.« less

45 CFR 152.40 - Relation to State laws.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Relation to State laws. 152.40 Section 152.40...-EXISTING CONDITION INSURANCE PLAN PROGRAM Relationship to Existing Laws and Programs § 152.40 Relation to State laws. The standards established under this section shall supersede any State law or regulation...

A compendium of existing HOV lane facilities in the United States

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

The compendium provides an assembly of available information on existing HOV lane facilities in the United States. While it is comprehensive and thought to include virtually all existing facilities at this time, it is possible that there are isolated...

Verbal and non-verbal semantic impairment: From fluent primary progressive aphasia to semantic dementia

PubMed Central

Senaha, Mirna Lie Hosogi; Caramelli, Paulo; Porto, Claudia Sellitto; Nitrini, Ricardo

2007-01-01

Selective disturbances of semantic memory have attracted the interest of many investigators and the question of the existence of single or multiple semantic systems remains a very controversial theme in the literature. Objectives To discuss the question of multiple semantic systems based on a longitudinal study of a patient who presented semantic dementia from fluent primary progressive aphasia. Methods A 66 year-old woman with selective impairment of semantic memory was examined on two occasions, undergoing neuropsychological and language evaluations, the results of which were compared to those of three paired control individuals. Results In the first evaluation, physical examination was normal and the score on the Mini-Mental State Examination was 26. Language evaluation revealed fluent speech, anomia, disturbance in word comprehension, preservation of the syntactic and phonological aspects of the language, besides surface dyslexia and dysgraphia. Autobiographical and episodic memories were relatively preserved. In semantic memory tests, the following dissociation was found: disturbance of verbal semantic memory with preservation of non-verbal semantic memory. Magnetic resonance of the brain revealed marked atrophy of the left anterior temporal lobe. After 14 months, the difficulties in verbal semantic memory had become more severe and the semantic disturbance, limited initially to the linguistic sphere, had worsened to involve non-verbal domains. Conclusions Given the dissociation found in the first examination, we believe there is sufficient clinical evidence to refute the existence of a unitary semantic system. PMID:29213389

Directional Sensitivity in Light-Mass Dark Matter Searches with Single-Electron-Resolution Ionization Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadribasic, Fedja; Mirabolfathi, Nader; Nordlund, Kai; Sand, Andrea E.; Holmström, Eero; Djurabekova, Flyura

2018-03-01

We propose a method using solid state detectors with directional sensitivity to dark matter interactions to detect low-mass weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) originating from galactic sources. In spite of a large body of literature for high-mass WIMP detectors with directional sensitivity, no available technique exists to cover WIMPs in the mass range <1 GeV /c2 . We argue that single-electron-resolution semiconductor detectors allow for directional sensitivity once properly calibrated. We examine the commonly used semiconductor material response to these low-mass WIMP interactions.

Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC): State of the Council 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nambiar, Raghunath; Wakou, Nicholas; Carman, Forrest; Majdalany, Michael

The Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC) is a non-profit corporation founded to define transaction processing and database benchmarks and to disseminate objective, verifiable performance data to the industry. Established in August 1988, the TPC has been integral in shaping the landscape of modern transaction processing and database benchmarks over the past twenty-two years. This paper provides an overview of the TPC's existing benchmark standards and specifications, introduces two new TPC benchmarks under development, and examines the TPC's active involvement in the early creation of additional future benchmarks.

Cultural intensity and planting density effects on individual tree stem growth, stand and crown attributes, and stand dynamics in thinned loblolly pine plantations during the age 12- to age 15- year period in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the Southeastern United States

Treesearch

Evan Johnson; Michael Kane; Dehai Zhao; Robert Teskey

2015-01-01

Three existing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) installations in the Plantation Management Research Cooperative's Upper Coastal Plain/Piedmont Culture Density Study were used to examine the effects of two cultural intensities, four initial planting densities, and their interactions on stem growth at the individual tree level from age 12 to 15 years and at the stand...

Health Care Market Deviations from the Ideal Market

PubMed Central

Mwachofi, Ari; Al-Assaf, Assaf F.

2011-01-01

A common argument in the health policy debate is that market forces allocate resources efficiently in health care, and that government intervention distorts such allocation. Rarely do those making such claims state explicitly that the market they refer to is an ideal in economic theory which can only exist under very strict conditions. This paper explores the strict conditions necessary for that ideal market in the context of health care as a means of examining the claim that market forces do allocate resources efficiently in health care. PMID:22087373

Coastal watershed management across an international border in the Tijuana River watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Linda

2005-05-01

The paper develops and applies a game theoretic model of upstream and downstream countries to examine cooperative and noncooperative strategies of a common watershed. The application to the Tijuana River watershed shared by the United States and Mexico provides quantification of the strategies for internalizing water quality externalities to upstream and downstream originating from sedimentation. Results show that different transfer payments, such as the Chander/Tulkens cost sharing rule and the Shapley value, imply the size of the existing transfer from downstream to upstream could increase the amount currently allocated.

The current state of GMO governance: are we ready for GM animals?

PubMed

Vàzquez-Salat, Núria; Salter, Brian; Smets, Greet; Houdebine, Louis-Marie

2012-01-01

Given the history of GMO conflict and debate, the GM animal future is dependent on the response of the regulatory landscape and its associated range of interest groups at national, regional and international levels. Focusing on the EU and the USA, this article examines the likely form of that multi-level response, the increased role of cultural values, the contribution of new and existing interest groups and the consequent implications for the commercialization of both green and red GM animal biotechnology. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Whole-Genome Screening of Newborns? The Constitutional Boundaries of State Newborn Screening Programs

PubMed Central

King, Jaime S.; Smith, Monica E.

2016-01-01

State newborn screening (NBS) programs routinely screen nearly all of the 4 million newborns in the United States each year for ~30 primary conditions and a number of secondary conditions. NBS could be on the cusp of an unprecedented expansion as a result of advances in whole-genome sequencing (WGS). As WGS becomes cheaper and easier and as our knowledge and understanding of human genetics expand, the question of whether WGS has a role to play in state NBS programs becomes increasingly relevant and complex. As geneticists and state public health officials begin to contemplate the technical and procedural details of whether WGS could benefit existing NBS programs, this is an opportune time to revisit the legal framework of state NBS programs. In this article, we examine the constitutional underpinnings of state-mandated NBS and explore the range of current state statutes and regulations that govern the programs. We consider the legal refinements that will be needed to keep state NBS programs within constitutional bounds, focusing on 2 areas of concern: consent procedures and the criteria used to select new conditions for NBS panels. We conclude by providing options for states to consider when contemplating the use of WGS for NBS. PMID:26729704

I saw the sign: the new federal menu-labeling law and lessons from local experience.

PubMed

Banker, Michelle I

2010-01-01

Following the lead of several state and local governments, Congress recently imposed menu-labeling requirements on chain restaurants as part of the federal health care reform bill signed into law in March 2010. Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires restaurant chains with 20 or more locations nationwide to display calorie information for standard menu items on menus, menu boards, and drive-thru displays. This paper examines the new federal law in light of existing state and local regulations and considers the arguments for and against mandatory calorie labeling at restaurants as a federal tool for preventing obesity. Specifically, this paper examines the provisions of the new federal law, highlights how it differs from the municipal and state menu-labeling laws already in effect, reviews early studies of the effectiveness of these state and local laws, and considers the propriety of requiring restaurants to disclose calorie information on menus by discussing arguments for and against menu labeling generally and calorie labeling in particular. This paper finds that based on initial studies of state and local menu-labeling regulations, the efficacy of compulsory menu labeling as a tool to combat obesity remains uncertain. Finally, this paper raises practical considerations associated with the new federal law, including implementation issues, potential collateral effects of the law, a survey of legal challenges that may arise, and a discussion of the Food and Drug Administration's competence to enforce a menu-labeling requirement against restaurants.

A temporal examination of co-activated emotion valence networks in schizophrenia and schizotypy

PubMed Central

Cohen, Alex S.; Callaway, Dallas A.; Mitchell, Kyle R.; Larsen, Jeff T.; Strauss, Gregory P.

2016-01-01

Emotional abnormalities are prominent across the schizophrenia spectrum. To better define these abnormalities, we examined state emotional functions across opposing ends of the spectrum, notably in chronic outpatients with schizophrenia (Study 1) and college students with psychometrically defined schizotypy (Study 2). In line with existing studies, we predicted that individuals with schizophrenia would show unusually co-activated positive and negative emotions while college students with schizotypy would show abnormally low positive and abnormally high negative emotions. Drawing from the affective science literature, we employed continuous emotion ratings in response to a dynamic and evocatively “bittersweet” stimulus. Participants included 27 individuals with schizophrenia, 39 individuals with psychometrically defined schizotypy and 26 community and 35 college control participants. Participants continuously rated their state happiness and sadness throughout a six-minute clip from a tragicomic film (i.e., Life is Beautiful). In contrast to expectations as well as the extant literature, there were no state emotional abnormalities noted from either schizophrenia-spectrum group. Of particular note, neither individuals with schizophrenia nor individuals with schizotypy were abnormal in their experience of state negative, positive or coactivated emotions. Conversely, abnormalities in trait emotion were observed in both groups relative to their respective control groups. These results help confirm that the schizophrenia-spectrum is not characterized by deficits in state emotional experience and suggest that sadness is not abnormally co-activated with pleasant emotions. These results are critical for clarifying the “chronometry” of emotional dysfunctions across the schizophrenia-spectrum. PMID:26711714

NO PSEUDOSYNCHRONOUS ROTATION FOR TERRESTRIAL PLANETS AND MOONS

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

Makarov, Valeri V.; Efroimsky, Michael, E-mail: vvm@usno.navy.mil, E-mail: michael.efroimsky@usno.navy.mil

2013-02-10

We re-examine the popular belief that a telluric planet or a satellite on an eccentric orbit can, outside a spin-orbit resonance, be captured in a quasi-static tidal equilibrium called pseudosynchronous rotation. The existence of such configurations was deduced from oversimplified tidal models assuming either a constant tidal torque or a torque linear in the tidal frequency. A more accurate treatment requires that the torque be decomposed into the Darwin-Kaula series over the tidal modes, and that this decomposition be combined with a realistic choice of rheological properties of the mantle, which we choose to be a combination of the Andrademore » model at ordinary frequencies and the Maxwell model at low frequencies. This development demonstrates that there exist no stable equilibrium states for solid planets and moons, other than spin-orbit resonances.« less

A comparison of policies on nurse faculty workload in the United States.

PubMed

Ellis, Peggy A

2013-01-01

This article describes nurse faculty workload policies from across the nation in order to assess current practice. There is a well-documented shortage of nursing faculty leading to an increase in workload demands. Increases in faculty workload results in difficulties with work-life balance and dissatisfaction threatening to make nursing education less attractive to young faculty. In order to begin an examination of faculty workload in nursing, existing workloads must be known. Faculty workload data were solicited from nursing programs nationwide and analyzed to determine the current workloads. The most common faculty teaching workload reported overall for nursing is 12 credit hours per semester; however, some variations exist. Consideration should be given to the multiple components of the faculty workload. Research is needed to address the most effective and efficient workload allocation for nursing faculty.

Food Insecurity and Healthcare Costs: Research Strategies Using Local, State, and National Data Sources for Older Adults12

PubMed Central

Lee, Jung Sun

2013-01-01

Food insecurity in older adults is a clinically relevant problem with important implications for healthcare costs; however, few studies have examined the relationship between food insecurity and the healthcare cost burden in older adults. It may be due in part to lack of appropriate data and methods to examine these issues in the existing datasets. It is critical to identify and obtain the data necessary for estimating healthcare costs associated with food insecurity and to explore specific mechanisms by which food insecurity is related to adverse health outcomes and associated healthcare costs. This paper discusses how to best utilize and link available, nationally representative datasets and develop infrastructure and procedures to establish state and local datasets. As an example, an innovative approach tested in Georgia to establish a state-level dataset in a sample of low-income, older adults in need of food assistance is discussed. In this approach, data from the state aging services client database and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data were linked. Such efforts are essential to estimate the healthcare cost burden of food-insecure older adults who have a particularly higher burden of chronic diseases and direct future research, program, and policy decisions to improve the food and healthcare security of low-income, older adults. PMID:23319122

Inflammatory cytokine levels and breast cancer risk factors: racial differences of healthy Caucasian and African American women.

PubMed

Park, Na-Jin; Kang, Duck-Hee

2013-09-01

To examine racial differences in inflammatory cytokine levels (interleukin [IL]-6 and interferon-gamma [IFN-γ]) and breast cancer (BC) risk factors between healthy Caucasian and African American women; to examine differences in relationships of inflammatory cytokine levels with BC risk factors between these groups of women; and to determine the independent contribution of race to IL-6 and IFN-γ after controlling for relevant covariates. Cross-sectional and correlational descriptive design. Community surrounding a state university health system in the southeastern United States. 113 healthy women (65 Caucasians and 48 African Americans) aged 20 years or older and not pregnant. Secondary analysis of data collected from self-report questionnaires and blood samples. Inflammatory cytokine levels, BC risk factors (age, age at menarche, age at first live birth, family history of BC, breast biopsy, breastfeeding history and duration, body mass index, and physical activity), and race. Significant racial differences were noted in IL-6 and IFN-γ levels, reproductive or hormonal and lifestyle BC risk factors, and relationships between African American and Caucasian women. Controlling for all other effects, race appeared to be a significant predictor for IL-6 and IFN-γ. Racial differences in inflammatory cytokines and BC risk factors may provide partial evidence for existing racial disparities in BC for African American and Caucasian women. Additional studies are needed to confirm that potential. Additional biobehavioral research in racial disparities in BC may help to inform nurses to target race-specific modifications of lifestyle and behavioral factors to reduce BC health disparity between African American and Caucasian women. Being an African American woman predicted a higher level of inflammatory cytokine production after controlling for selected BC risk factors. Great potential exists for inflammatory responses as one of the underlying biologic mechanisms for existing BC disparity and for culturally tailored lifestyle or behavioral modification interventions for reducing BC risk and racial disparity.

26 CFR 1.672(f)-4 - Recharacterization of purported gifts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... existence of any trust, if a United States person (United States donee) directly or indirectly receives a... section, and without regard to the existence of any trust, if a United States donee directly or indirectly... Commissioner that either— (i) A United States citizen or resident alien individual who directly or indirectly...

26 CFR 1.672(f)-4 - Recharacterization of purported gifts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... existence of any trust, if a United States person (United States donee) directly or indirectly receives a... section, and without regard to the existence of any trust, if a United States donee directly or indirectly... Commissioner that either— (i) A United States citizen or resident alien individual who directly or indirectly...

26 CFR 1.672(f)-4 - Recharacterization of purported gifts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... existence of any trust, if a United States person (United States donee) directly or indirectly receives a... section, and without regard to the existence of any trust, if a United States donee directly or indirectly... Commissioner that either— (i) A United States citizen or resident alien individual who directly or indirectly...

26 CFR 1.672(f)-4 - Recharacterization of purported gifts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... existence of any trust, if a United States person (United States donee) directly or indirectly receives a... section, and without regard to the existence of any trust, if a United States donee directly or indirectly... Commissioner that either— (i) A United States citizen or resident alien individual who directly or indirectly...

Race/ethnicity and geographic access to Medicaid substance use disorder treatment facilities in the United States.

PubMed

Cummings, Janet R; Wen, Hefei; Ko, Michelle; Druss, Benjamin G

2014-02-01

Although substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent and associated with adverse consequences, treatment rates remain low. Unlike physical and mental health problems, treatment for SUDs is predominantly provided in a separate specialty sector and more heavily financed by public sources. Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has the potential to increase access to treatment for SUDs but only if an infrastructure exists to serve new enrollees. To examine the availability of outpatient SUD treatment facilities that accept Medicaid across US counties and whether counties with a higher percentage of racial/ethnic minorities are more likely to have gaps in this infrastructure. We used data from the 2009 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services public use file and the 2011-2012 Area Resource file to examine sociodemographic factors associated with county-level access to SUD treatment facilities that serve Medicaid enrollees. Counties in all 50 states were included. We estimated a probit model with state indicators to adjust for state-level heterogeneity in demographics, politics, and policies. Independent variables assessed county racial/ethnic composition (ie, percentage black and percentage Hispanic), percentage living in poverty, percentage living in a rural area, percentage insured with Medicaid, percentage uninsured, and total population. Dichotomous indicator for counties with at least 1 outpatient SUD treatment facility that accepts Medicaid. Approximately 60% of US counties have at least 1 outpatient SUD facility that accepts Medicaid, although this rate is lower in many Southern and Midwestern states than in other areas of the country. Counties with a higher percentage of black (marginal effect [ME],  -3.1; 95% CI,  -5.2% to -0.9%), rural (-9.2%; -11.1% to -7.4%), and/or uninsured (-9.5%; -13.0% to -5.9%) residents are less likely to have one of these facilities. The potential for increasing access to SUD treatment via Medicaid expansion may be tempered by the local availability of facilities to provide care, particularly for counties with a high percentage of black and/or uninsured residents and for rural counties. Although states that opt in to the expansion will secure additional federal funds for the SUD treatment system, additional policies may need to be implemented to ensure that adequate geographic access exists across local communities to serve new enrollees.

Spacetime from unentanglement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Yasunori; Rath, Pratik; Salzetta, Nico

2018-05-01

The past decade has seen a tremendous effort toward unraveling the relationship between entanglement and emergent spacetime. These investigations have revealed that entanglement between holographic degrees of freedom is crucial for the existence of bulk spacetime. We examine this connection from the other end of the entanglement spectrum and clarify the assertion that maximally entangled states have no reconstructable spacetime. To do so, we first define the conditions for bulk reconstructability. Under these terms, we scrutinize two cases of maximally entangled holographic states. One is the familiar example of AdS black holes; these are dual to thermal states of the boundary conformal field theory. Sending the temperature to the cutoff scale makes the state maximally entangled and the respective black hole consumes the spacetime. We then examine the de Sitter limit of Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) spacetimes. This limit is maximally entangled if one formulates the boundary theory on the holographic screen. Paralleling the anti-de Sitter (AdS) black hole, we find the resulting reconstructable region of spacetime vanishes. Motivated by these results, we prove a theorem showing that maximally entangled states have no reconstructable spacetime. Evidently, the emergence of spacetime is endemic to intermediate entanglement. By studying the manner in which intermediate entanglement is achieved, we uncover important properties about the boundary theory of FRW spacetimes. With this clarified understanding, our final discussion elucidates the natural way in which holographic Hilbert spaces may house states dual to different geometries. This paper provides a coherent picture clarifying the link between spacetime and entanglement and develops many promising avenues of further work.

40 CFR 62.1350 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF STATE PLANS FOR DESIGNATED FACILITIES AND POLLUTANTS Colorado Landfill Gas Emissions from Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills § 62.1350 Identification of plan. “111(d) Plan for Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills Existing in Colorado” and the associated State regulations in Part...

Who Is Learning About Climate Change in American Schools? An Analysis of Climate Change in Curriculum Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golden, B. W.; Francis, T. K.

2014-12-01

This work attempts to answer the question "how much, if any, climate change, exists in middle and high school curricula in the United States?" A necessary first step towards this answer involves an examination of Global Climate Change (GCC) coverage in the requisite standards documents. Until recently, each state had its own science framework, with four states (at the time of writing) having already adopted the new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Achieve, Inc, 2013). This work reports on an analysis of the extent to which GCC exists within the content frameworks of each state, including the NGSS. The analysis began with a word search for such content as "climate change", "greenhouse effect", and "global warming". We then searched through the remainder of the documents in question to understand the nuance of each framework. Each framework was then scored on a scale form zero (no mention of climate change) to four (climate change is explicit, an anthropogenic potential cause is emphasized, and GCC appears within at least one standard of its own). Eighteen states scored a zero, while only five states scored a four. This is particularly troubling, in light of recent statements of scientific consensus (AAAS, 2006; 2009; AGU, 2013; IPCC, 2007). While the NGSS scored well, it is unclear what this means in terms of actual students encountering the subject of climate change in actual classroom. Attention is given to some still-problematic aspects of GCC content are addressed, including its focus largely within courses not required for graduation, as well as the murky details of the yet-to-be determined processes by which individual states will choose to test, or not to test, the subject matter. The authors conclude that as of 2013, there is little evidence that students in most states are required to take courses which include significant aspects of GCC in their curricula.

Compressive residual strength of graphite/epoxy laminates after impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guy, Teresa A.; Lagace, Paul A.

1992-01-01

The issue of damage tolerance after impact, in terms of the compressive residual strength, was experimentally examined in graphite/epoxy laminates using Hercules AS4/3501-6 in a (+ or - 45/0)(sub 2S) configuration. Three different impactor masses were used at various velocities and the resultant damage measured via a number of nondestructive and destructive techniques. Specimens were then tested to failure under uniaxial compression. The results clearly show that a minimum compressive residual strength exists which is below the open hole strength for a hole of the same diameter as the impactor. Increases in velocity beyond the point of minimum strength cause a difference in the damage produced and cause a resultant increase in the compressive residual strength which asymptotes to the open hole strength value. Furthermore, the results show that this minimum compressive residual strength value is independent of the impactor mass used and is only dependent upon the damage present in the impacted specimen which is the same for the three impactor mass cases. A full 3-D representation of the damage is obtained through the various techniques. Only this 3-D representation can properly characterize the damage state that causes the resultant residual strength. Assessment of the state-of-the-art in predictive analysis capabilities shows a need to further develop techniques based on the 3-D damage state that exists. In addition, the need for damage 'metrics' is clearly indicated.

Simultaneous Estimation of Microphysical Parameters and Atmospheric State Variables With Radar Data and Ensemble Square-root Kalman Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, M.; Xue, M.

2006-12-01

An important source of model error for convective-scale data assimilation and prediction is microphysical parameterization. This study investigates the possibility of estimating up to five fundamental microphysical parameters, which are closely involved in the definition of drop size distribution of microphysical species in a commonly used single-moment ice microphysics scheme, using radar observations and the ensemble Kalman filter method. The five parameters include the intercept parameters for rain, snow and hail/graupel, and the bulk densities of hail/graupel and snow. Parameter sensitivity and identifiability are first examined. The ensemble square-root Kalman filter (EnSRF) is employed for simultaneous state and parameter estimation. OSS experiments are performed for a model-simulated supercell storm, in which the five microphysical parameters are estimated individually or in different combinations starting from different initial guesses. When error exists in only one of the microphysical parameters, the parameter can be successfully estimated without exception. The estimation of multiple parameters is found to be less robust, with end results of estimation being sensitive to the realization of the initial parameter perturbation. This is believed to be because of the reduced parameter identifiability and the existence of non-unique solutions. The results of state estimation are, however, always improved when simultaneous parameter estimation is performed, even when the estimated parameters values are not accurate.

Narrative review of the safety and efficacy of marijuana for the treatment of commonly state-approved medical and psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Belendiuk, Katherine A; Baldini, Lisa L; Bonn-Miller, Marcel O

2015-04-21

The present investigation aimed to provide an objective narrative review of the existing literature pertaining to the benefits and harms of marijuana use for the treatment of the most common medical and psychological conditions for which it has been allowed at the state level. Common medical conditions for which marijuana is allowed (i.e., those conditions shared by at least 80 percent of medical marijuana states) were identified as: Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cachexia/wasting syndrome, cancer, Crohn's disease, epilepsy and seizures, glaucoma, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, multiple sclerosis and muscle spasticity, severe and chronic pain, and severe nausea. Post-traumatic stress disorder was also included in the review, as it is the sole psychological disorder for which medical marijuana has been allowed. Studies for this narrative review were included based on a literature search in PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. Findings indicate that, for the majority of these conditions, there is insufficient evidence to support the recommendation of medical marijuana at this time. A significant amount of rigorous research is needed to definitively ascertain the potential implications of marijuana for these conditions. It is important for such work to not only examine the effects of smoked marijuana preparations, but also to compare its safety, tolerability, and efficacy in relation to existing pharmacological treatments.

Quantifying the history dependency of muscle recovery from a fatiguing intermittent task.

PubMed

Rashedi, Ehsan; Nussbaum, Maury A

2017-01-25

Muscle fatigue and recovery are complex processes influencing muscle force generation capacity. While fatigue reduces this capacity, recovery acts to restore the unfatigued muscle state. Many factors can potentially affect muscle recovery, and among these may be a task dependency of recovery following an exercise. However, little has been reported regarding the history dependency of recovery after fatiguing contractions. We examined the dependency of muscle recovery subsequent to four different histories of fatiguing muscle contractions, imposed using two cycle times (30 and 60s) during low to moderate levels (15% and 25% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)) of intermittent static exertions involving index finger abduction. MVC and low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFES) measures (i.e., magnitude, rise and relaxation rates) of muscle capacity were used, all of which indicated a dependency of muscle recovery on the muscle capacity state existing immediately after fatiguing exercise. This dependency did not appear to be modified by either the cycle time or exertion level leading to that state. These results imply that the post-exercise rate of recovery is primarily influenced by the immediate post-exercise muscle contractile status (estimated by MVC and LFES measures). Such results may help improve existing models of muscle recovery, facilitating more accurate predictions of localized muscle fatigue development and thereby helping to enhance muscle performance and reduce the risk of injury. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Outer magnetospheric fluctuations and pulsar timing noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, K. S.

1987-01-01

The Cheng, Ho, and Ruderman (1986) outer-magnetosphere gap model was used to investigate the stability of Crab-type outer magnetosphere gaps for pulsars having the parameter (Omega-square B) similar to that of the Crab pulsar. The Lamb, Pines, and Shaham (1978) fluctuating magnetosphere noise model was applied to the Crab pulsar to examine the type of the equation of state that best describes the structure of the neutron star. The noise model was also applied to other pulsars, and the theoretical results were compared with observational data. The results of the comparison are consistent with the stiff equation of state, as suggested by the vortex creep model of the neutron star interior. The timing-noise observations also contribute to the evidence for the existence of superfluid in the core of the neutron star.

Computer simulation and high level virial theory of Saturn-ring or UFO colloids.

PubMed

Bates, Martin A; Dennison, Matthew; Masters, Andrew

2008-08-21

Monte Carlo simulations are used to map out the complete phase diagram of hard body UFO systems, in which the particles are composed of a concentric sphere and thin disk. The equation of state and phase behavior are determined for a range of relative sizes of the sphere and disk. We show that for relatively large disks, nematic and solid phases are observed in addition to the isotropic fluid. For small disks, two different solid phases exist. For intermediate sizes, only a disordered fluid phase is observed. The positional and orientational structure of the various phases are examined. We also compare the equations of state and the nematic-isotropic coexistence densities with those predicted by an extended Onsager theory using virial coefficients up to B(8).

Computer simulation and high level virial theory of Saturn-ring or UFO colloids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bates, Martin A.; Dennison, Matthew; Masters, Andrew

2008-08-01

Monte Carlo simulations are used to map out the complete phase diagram of hard body UFO systems, in which the particles are composed of a concentric sphere and thin disk. The equation of state and phase behavior are determined for a range of relative sizes of the sphere and disk. We show that for relatively large disks, nematic and solid phases are observed in addition to the isotropic fluid. For small disks, two different solid phases exist. For intermediate sizes, only a disordered fluid phase is observed. The positional and orientational structure of the various phases are examined. We also compare the equations of state and the nematic-isotropic coexistence densities with those predicted by an extended Onsager theory using virial coefficients up to B8.

The state of science: violence and HIV infection in women.

PubMed

Manfrin-Ledet, Linda; Porche, Demetrius J

2003-01-01

Violence and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are two critical public health problems affecting the lives of millions of women today. The purpose of this article is to review the state of science that exists in linking the phenomena of violence and HIV infection in women. The history and scope of violence and HIV infection is presented. Theoretical models for the phenomena of violence and abuse against women and HIV risk behavior reduction are explored. The literature review consists of 44 research articles that examine risk factors for violence and HIV, violence associated with HIV/AIDS disclosure, history of violence and HIV/AIDS, forced or coercive sex and HIV/AIDS, and violence associated with HIV self-protection conduct. Implications for nursing practice and nursing research are presented.

A State of the Art Survey of Fraud Detection Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flegel, Ulrich; Vayssière, Julien; Bitz, Gunter

With the introduction of IT to conductbusiness we accepted the loss of a human control step.For this reason, the introductionof newIT systemswas accompanied by the development of the authorization concept. But since, in reality, there is no such thing as 100 per cent security; auditors are commissioned to examine all transactions for misconduct. Since the data exists in digital form already, it makes sense to use computer-based processes to analyse it. Such processes allow the auditor to carry out extensive checks within an acceptable timeframe and with reasonable effort. Once the algorithm has been defined, it only takes sufficient computing power to evaluate larger quantities of data. This contribution presents the state of the art for IT-based data analysis processes that can be used to identify fraudulent activities.

Mathematical modeling and analysis of heat pipe start-up from the frozen state

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jang, Jong Hoon; Faghri, Amir; Chang, Won Soon; Mahefkey, Edward T.

1989-01-01

The start-up process of a frozen heat pipe is described and a complete mathematical model for the start-up of the frozen heat pipe is developed based on the existing experimental data, which is simplified and solved numerically. The two-dimensional transient model for the wall and wick is coupled with the one-dimensional transient model for the vapor flow when vaporization and condensation occur at the interface. A parametric study is performed to examine the effect of the boundary specification at the surface of the outer wall on the successful start-up from the frozen state. For successful start-up, the boundary specification at the outer wall surface must melt the working substance in the condenser before dry-out takes place in the evaporator.

Mathematical modeling and analysis of heat pipe start-up from the frozen state

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jang, J. H.; Faghri, A.; Chang, W. S.; Mahefkey, E. T.

1990-01-01

The start-up process of a frozen heat pipe is described and a complete mathematical model for the start-up of the frozen heat pipe is developed based on the existing experimental data, which is simplified and solved numerically. The two-dimensional transient model for the wall and wick is coupled with the one-dimensional transient model for the vapor flow when vaporization and condensation occur at the interface. A parametric study is performed to examine the effect of the boundary specification at the surface of the outer wall on the successful start-up from the frozen state. For successful start-up, the boundary specification at the outer wall surface must melt the working substance in the condenser before dry-out takes place in the evaporator.

Bipartite entangled stabilizer mutually unbiased bases as maximum cliques of Cayley graphs

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

Dam, Wim van; Howard, Mark; Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106

2011-07-15

We examine the existence and structure of particular sets of mutually unbiased bases (MUBs) in bipartite qudit systems. In contrast to well-known power-of-prime MUB constructions, we restrict ourselves to using maximally entangled stabilizer states as MUB vectors. Consequently, these bipartite entangled stabilizer MUBs (BES MUBs) provide no local information, but are sufficient and minimal for decomposing a wide variety of interesting operators including (mixtures of) Jamiolkowski states, entanglement witnesses, and more. The problem of finding such BES MUBs can be mapped, in a natural way, to that of finding maximum cliques in a family of Cayley graphs. Some relationships withmore » known power-of-prime MUB constructions are discussed, and observables for BES MUBs are given explicitly in terms of Pauli operators.« less

Bipartite entangled stabilizer mutually unbiased bases as maximum cliques of Cayley graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dam, Wim; Howard, Mark

2011-07-01

We examine the existence and structure of particular sets of mutually unbiased bases (MUBs) in bipartite qudit systems. In contrast to well-known power-of-prime MUB constructions, we restrict ourselves to using maximally entangled stabilizer states as MUB vectors. Consequently, these bipartite entangled stabilizer MUBs (BES MUBs) provide no local information, but are sufficient and minimal for decomposing a wide variety of interesting operators including (mixtures of) Jamiołkowski states, entanglement witnesses, and more. The problem of finding such BES MUBs can be mapped, in a natural way, to that of finding maximum cliques in a family of Cayley graphs. Some relationships with known power-of-prime MUB constructions are discussed, and observables for BES MUBs are given explicitly in terms of Pauli operators.

A Study of State Mandates and Competencies for Economics Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brennan, Dennis C.; Banaszak, Ronald A.

The purpose of this project was to conduct a complete survey of the various states to determine the existence and content of state mandates and competency statements as they relate to economic literacy. The data collection procedure involved surveying the 50 state departments of education to determine the existence of mandates and/or competency…

Assessing barriers to immunization.

PubMed

Niederhauser, Victoria; Ferris, Catherine

2016-05-03

Parental barriers to childhood immunizations vary among countries, states and communities. There is a plethora of studies that exist to examine barriers to immunizations including many intervention studies designed to improve immunization rates in children. Often, intervention studies designed to minimize barriers and increase immunization uptake among children lack the inclusion of a standardized instrument to measure accurately parental barriers to childhood immunizations before and after interventions. The Searching for Hardships and Obstacles To Shots (SHOTS) survey is a standardized survey instrument to measure parental barriers to childhood immunizations. In several studies, the SHOTS survey has demonstrated consistent reliability and has been validated in diverse populations. The inclusion of the SHOTS survey instrument in studies to examine barriers to childhood immunization will provide researchers and clinicians with a better understanding of parents' individualized barriers to immunizations. Furthermore, use of the SHOTS survey instrument to collect information about parental barriers to immunizations can lead to targeted interventions to minimize these obstacles at the individual and community level and to help us to achieve our national, state and community childhood immunization goals.

Microbial arsenic reduction in polluted and unpolluted soils from Attica, Greece.

PubMed

Vaxevanidou, K; Giannikou, S; Papassiopi, N

2012-11-30

Indigenous soil microorganisms often affect the mobility of heavy metals and metalloids by altering their oxidation state. Under anaerobic conditions, the microbial transformation is usually reduction and may cause the mobilization of contaminants, as happens in the case of arsenic, which is much more stable in the pentavalent state compared to the reduced trivalent form. The aim of this work was to investigate the occurrence of such a microbial activity in representative Greek soils. Five soil samples, with As levels varying between 14 and 259 mg/kg, were examined. The samples were artificially contaminated, by adding 750 mg of As(V) per kg of soil. Initial sorption of As(V) ranged between 70 and 85%. Microbial reduction of arsenic was observed in three of the examined soils, without any obvious correlation with pre-existing levels of contamination. Reduction reached high percentages, i.e. up to 99%, and was accompanied by the corresponding release of reduced As in the aqueous solution. A simultaneous iron reducing activity was also observed in four of the five soil samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Astrophysics: The State of the Pah Model and a Possible Tracer of Nitrogen in Carbon-Rich Dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudgins, Douglas M.; Allamandola, Louis J.

2003-01-01

Over the past fifteen years, thanks to significant, parallel advancements in observational, experimental, and theoretical techniques, tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of the role aromatic materials play in the interstellar medium (ISM). Twenty years ago, the possible existence of an abundant population of large, carbon-rich molecules in the ISM was unthinkable. Today, the unmistakable spectroscopic signatures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules (PAHs) - shockingly large molecules by the standards of traditional interstellar chemistry - are recognized throughout the Universe. In this paper, we will examine the current state of the interstellar PAH model and its utility as a diagnostic tool to derive insight into the nature of the interstellar PAH population. As an example of this application, we will examine the results of our recent spectroscopic studies of polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycles (PANHs)-PAHs with an atom of nitrogen substituted into the aromatic skeleton-and discuss a possible tracer of such species amongst the interstellar PAH emission bands in the latest observational data.

Restaurant Inspection Scores and Foodborne Disease

PubMed Central

Pavlin, Boris I.; LaFleur, Bonnie J.; Ingram, L. Amanda; Schaffner, William

2004-01-01

Restaurants in the United States are regularly inspected by health departments, but few data exist regarding the effect of restaurant inspections on food safety. We examined statewide inspection records from January 1993 through April 2000. Data were available from 167,574 restaurant inspections. From 1993 to 2000, mean scores rose steadily from 80.2 to 83.8. Mean inspection scores of individual inspectors were 69–92. None of the 12 most commonly cited violations were critical food safety hazards. Establishments scoring <60 had a mean improvement of 16 points on subsequent inspections. Mean scores of restaurants experiencing foodborne disease outbreaks did not differ from restaurants with no reported outbreaks. A variety of factors influence the uniformity of restaurant inspections. The restaurant inspection system should be examined to identify ways to ensure food safety. PMID:15200861

No information flow using statistical fluctuations and quantum cryptography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsson, Jan-Åke

2004-04-01

The communication protocol of Home and Whitaker [

Environmental assessment of SP-100 ground engineering system test site: Hanford Site, Richland, Washington

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1988-12-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to modify an existing reactor containment building (decommissioned Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor (PRTR) 309 Building) to provide ground test capability for the prototype SP-100 reactor. The 309 Building (Figure 1.1) is located in the 300 Area on the Hanford Site in Washington State. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that Federal agencies assess the potential impacts that their actions may have on the environment. This Environmental Assessment describes the consideration given to environmental impacts during reactor concept and test site selection, examines the environmental effects of the DOE proposal to ground test the nuclear subsystem, describes alternatives to the proposed action, and examines radiological risks of potential SP-100 use in space.

Social Effects of Health Care Reform: Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act and changes in Volunteering

PubMed Central

Sohn, Heeju; Timmermans, Stefan

2017-01-01

Do public health policy interventions result in pro-social behaviors? The Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s Medicaid expansions were responsible for the largest gains in public insurance coverage since its inception in 1965. These gains were concentrated in states that opted to expand Medicaid eligibility and provide a unique opportunity to study not just medical but also social consequences of increased public health coverage. This article examines the association between Medicaid and volunteer work. Volunteerism is implicated in individuals’ health and well-being yet it is highly correlated with a person’s existing socioeconomic resources. Medicaid expansions improved financial security and a sense of health—two factors that predict volunteer work—for a socioeconomic group that has had low levels of volunteerism. Difference-in-difference analyses of the Volunteer Supplement of the Current Population Survey (2010–2015) find increased reports of formal volunteering for organizations as well as informal helping behaviors between neighbors for low-income non-elderly adults who would have likely benefited from expansions. Furthermore, increased volunteer work associated with Medicaid was greater among minority groups and narrowed existing ethnic differences in volunteerism in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility. PMID:29142907

Development of a lunar infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, J. D.

If humans are to reside continuously and productively on the Moon, they must be surrounded and supported there by an infrastructure having some attributes of the support systems that have made advanced civilization possible on Earth. Building this lunar infrastructure will, in a sense, be an investment. Creating it will require large resources from Earth, but once it exists it can do much to limit the further demands of a lunar base for Earthside support. What is needed for a viable lunar infrastructure? This question can be approached from two directions. The first is to examine history, which is essentially a record of growing information structures among humans on Earth (tribes, agriculture, specialization of work, education, ethics, arts and sciences, cities and states, technology). The second approach is much less secure but may provide useful insights: it is to examine the minimal needs of a small human community - not just for physical survival but for a stable existence with a net product output. This paper presents a summary, based on present knowledge of the Moon and of the likely functions of a human community there, of some of these infrastructure requirements, and also discusses possible ways to proceed toward meeting early infrastructure needs.

The role of race and poverty on steps to kidney transplantation in the Southeastern United States.

PubMed

Patzer, R E; Perryman, J P; Schrager, J D; Pastan, S; Amaral, S; Gazmararian, J A; Klein, M; Kutner, N; McClellan, W M

2012-02-01

Racial disparities in access to renal transplantation exist, but the effects of race and socioeconomic status (SES) on early steps of renal transplantation have not been well explored. Adult patients referred for renal transplant evaluation at a single transplant center in the Southeastern United States from 2005 to 2007, followed through May 2010, were examined. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from patient's medical records and then linked with United States Renal Data System and American Community Survey Census data. Cox models examined the effect of race on referral, evaluation, waitlisting and organ receipt. Of 2291 patients, 64.9% were black, the mean age was 49.4 years and 33.6% lived in poor neighborhoods. Racial disparities were observed in access to referral, transplant evaluation, waitlisting and organ receipt. SES explained almost one-third of the lower rate of transplant among black versus white patients, but even after adjustment for demographic, clinical and SES factors, blacks had a 59% lower rate of transplant than whites (hazard ratio = 0.41; 95% confidence interval: 0.28-0.58). Results suggest that improving access to healthcare may reduce some, but not all, of the racial disparities in access to kidney transplantation. © 2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Anticipatory processes under academic stress: an ERP study.

PubMed

Duan, Hongxia; Yuan, Yiran; Yang, Can; Zhang, Liang; Zhang, Kan; Wu, Jianhui

2015-03-01

It is well known that preparing for and taking high-stakes exams has a significant influence on the emotional and physiological wellbeing of exam-takers, but few studies have investigated the resulting cognitive changes. The current study examined the effect of examination-induced academic stress on anticipation in information processing. Anticipation was indexed using the contingent negative variation (CNV). Electroencephalograms (EEG) were collected from 42 participants using the classic S1-S2 paradigm. These participants were preparing for the Chinese National Postgraduate Entrance Exam (NPEE). EEGs were also collected from 21 age-matched, non-exam comparison participants. The levels of perceived stress and state anxiety were higher and both the initial CNV (iCNV) and the late CNV (lCNV) were more negative in the exam group than in the non-exam group. These results suggest that participants under academic stress experienced greater anticipation of upcoming events. More important, for the non-exam group, state anxiety was positively related to both the iCNV and lCNV amplitude, and this correlation existed when trait anxiety was controlled; however, there was no such relationship in the exam group. These results suggested that the cortical anticipatory activity in the high-stressed exam group reached the maximum ceiling, leaving little room for transient increases in state anxiety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Risk Profiles of Homeschooled Adolescents in the United States: A Nationally Representative Examination of Substance Use Related Outcomes

PubMed Central

Hodge, David R.; Salas-Wright, Christopher P.; Vaughn, Michael G.

2016-01-01

Background The homeschool population continues to grow in size and now accounts for 3.4% of all students in the United States. Objective Given the heterogeneous nature of the population, this study examines the relationship between different types of homeschoolers and a number of substance use related outcomes. Methods To conduct this study, we used pooled data (2002–2013) from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Respondents aged 12–17 who reported they had been homeschooled at any time during the previous 12 months were classified as homeschoolers (N = 1,321). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify latent subgroups of homeschoolers and multinomial regression was executed to assess the relationship between the subgroups and perceived substance use risk, availability, and past 12-month use. Results The LPA yielded four subgroups, which were summarized as (1) highly religious and engaged, (2) limited parental monitoring, (3) high parental warmth and support, and (4) secular permissive. Of these, the highly religious and engaged subgroup was the least likely to report using substances. Conclusion The results underscore the variation that exists among homeschoolers and the importance of examining the relationship between different types of homeschoolers and outcomes of interest. PMID:27759472

Observation of interface carrier states in no-common-atom heterostructures ZnSe/BeTe.

PubMed

Gurevich, A S; Kochereshko, V P; Bleuse, J; Mariette, H; Waag, A; Akimoto, R

2011-09-07

The existence of intrinsic carrier interface states in heterostructures with no common atom at the interface (such as ZnSe/BeTe) is shown experimentally by ellipsometry and photoluminescence spectroscopy. These states are located on interfaces and lie inside the effective bandgap of the structure; they are characterized by a high density and a long lifetime. A tight binding model confirms theoretically the existence of these states in ZnSe/BeTe heterostructures for a ZnTe-type interface, in contrast to the case of the BeSe-type interface for which they do not exist.

Observation of interface carrier states in no-common-atom heterostructures ZnSe/BeTe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurevich, A. S.; Kochereshko, V. P.; Bleuse, J.; Mariette, H.; Waag, A.; Akimoto, R.

2011-09-01

The existence of intrinsic carrier interface states in heterostructures with no common atom at the interface (such as ZnSe/BeTe) is shown experimentally by ellipsometry and photoluminescence spectroscopy. These states are located on interfaces and lie inside the effective bandgap of the structure; they are characterized by a high density and a long lifetime. A tight binding model confirms theoretically the existence of these states in ZnSe/BeTe heterostructures for a ZnTe-type interface, in contrast to the case of the BeSe-type interface for which they do not exist.

The Scopes trial and creation thought since 1925

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaid, Mark Richard

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the Scopes Trial of 1925 as the beginning of the battle between Creation Thought and Evolutionary Science in the public school classrooms. Historical analysis of events, legislation and a legal case study was used to synthesize the ideas and philosophies that guided events this century leading up the trial in Dayton, Tennessee during July of 1925. The study examined the development of the concept of a wall of separation between Church and State that began with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and developed into the key component of the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. This concept was applied to the case analysis, legislation and school district policies regarding Creation and Evolution. The concepts of Creation and Evolution were examined and compared as a basis for understanding the conflict that exists between the Religious Right and the scientific community. The main personalities and their motives on both sides were highlighted because of the fact that the conflict still continues. The study sought solutions for practicing administrators who are faced with the controversy of Creation and Evolution in their schools. The question that guided the study was, "Is Accommodation possible or is Separation necessary?" The study examined legislation and court cases seeking the right answer for schools in their constant struggle with the two diametrically opposed philosophies. Analysis of the historical evidence and the events surrounding the issue since the inception of the United States concluded that there is no room for Accommodation with the First Amendment. Separation has been and should continue to be the guiding principle whenever the line between Church and State begins to blur. The collaboration between Church and State can prove harmful for both and the best way to insure their survival and proliferation is to keep them separate.

Understanding the potential of state-based public health genomics programs to mitigate disparities in access to clinical genetic services.

PubMed

Senier, Laura; Tan, Catherine; Smollin, Leandra; Lee, Rachael

2018-06-12

State health agencies (SHAs) have developed public health genomics (PHG) programs that play an instrumental role in advancing precision public health, but there is limited research on their approaches. This study examines how PHG programs attempt to mitigate or forestall health disparities and inequities in the utilization of genomic medicine. We compared PHG programs in three states: Connecticut, Michigan, and Utah. We analyzed 85 in-depth interviews with SHA internal and external collaborators and program documents. We employed a qualitative coding process to capture themes relating to health disparities and inequities. Each SHA implemented population-level approaches to identify individuals who carry genetic variants that increase risk of hereditary cancers. However, each SHA developed a unique strategy-which we label public health action repertoires-to reach specific subgroups who faced barriers in accessing genetic services. These strategies varied across states given demographics of the state population, state-level partnerships, and availability of healthcare services. Our findings illustrate the imperative of tailoring PHG programs to local demographic characteristics and existing community resources. Furthermore, our study highlights how integrating genomics into precision public health will require multilevel, multisector collaboration to optimize efficacy and equity.

[Rooming-in and cesarean section in maternity hospitals in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

de Oliveira, M I; Leal, M do C

1997-12-01

To disclose the existence of rooming-in (RI) in public and government contracted private hospitals that offer obstetric beds, in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to examine whether there is any association between RI and another quality care indicator which influences breastfeeding, namely the rate of cesarean section operations performed in these hospitals. A survey was made of the existence of RI through a questionnaire sent to the Municipal Health Offices, the information collected being confirmed by telephone with each maternity hospital. The C-section rate data was obtained from the Rio de Janeiro State Health Office and divided into 2 groups: "below 40%" and "40% and above". The prevalence ratio was applied to the measurement of the association between the variables. A rooming-in rate of 65.2% was found for the State as a whole, with regional variations: a better situation in the capital (84.8%), an intermediate one in the interior (69.9%), and a worse one in the metropolitan belt (44.2%). The public maternity hospitals revealed a higher rate (89.7%) than that of the government contracted private hospitals (53.3%). A direct relation between the practice of RI and low C-section rates was found in the hospitals. However, this association did not present the same weight in all regions of the State. The lowest proportion of hospitals adopting RI was verified in the metropolitan belt, whereas the highest relative number of hospitals with high C-section rates was observed in the interior. It is concluded that to reverse the observed status, government authorities must fulfil their gerencial role within their own health system, as well as in the government contracted private hospitals.

Luminescence Anisotropy and Thermal Effect of Magnetic and Electric Dipole Transitions of Cr3+ Ions in Yb:YAG Transparent Ceramic.

PubMed

Tang, Fei; Ye, Honggang; Su, Zhicheng; Bao, Yitian; Guo, Wang; Xu, Shijie

2017-12-20

In this article, we present an in-depth optical study on luminescence spectral features and the thermal effect of the magnetic dipole (MD) transitions (e.g., the R lines of 2 E → 4 A 2 ) and the associated electric dipole transitions (e.g., phonon-induced sidebands of the R lines) of Cr 3+ ions in ytterbium-yttrium aluminum garnet polycrystalline transparent ceramic. The doubly split R lines predominately due to the doublet splitting of the 2 E level of the Cr 3+ ion in an octahedral crystal field are found to show a very large anisotropy in both emission intensity and thermal broadening. The large departure from the intensity equality between them could be interpreted in terms of large difference in coupling strength with phonons for the doubly split states of the 2 E level. For the large anisotropy in thermal broadening, very different effective Debye temperatures for the two split states may be responsible for it. Besides the 2 E excited state, the higher excited states, for example, 4 T 1 and 4 T 2 of the Cr 3+ ion, also exhibit a very large inequality in coupling strength with phonons at room temperature. By examining the Stokes phonon sidebands of the MD R lines at low temperatures with the existing ion-phonon coupling theory, we reveal that they indeed carry fundamental information of phonons. For example, their broad background primarily reflects Debye density of states of acoustic phonons. These new results significantly enrich our existing understanding on interesting but challenging luminescence mechanisms of ion-phonon coupling systems.

The Global Health Policies of the EU and its Member States: A Common Vision?

PubMed Central

Steurs, Lies; Van de Pas, Remco; Delputte, Sarah; Orbie, Jan

2018-01-01

Background: This article assesses the global health policies of the European Union (EU) and those of its individual member states. So far EU and public health scholars have paid little heed to this, despite the large budgets involved in this area. While the European Commission has attempted to define the ‘EU role in Global Health’ in 2010, member states are active in the domain of global health as well. Therefore, this article raises the question to what extent a common ‘EU’ vision on global health exists. Methods: This is examined through a comparative framing analysis of the global health policy documents of the European Commission and five EU member states (France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Denmark). The analysis is informed by a two-layered typology, distinguishing global health from international health and four ‘global health frames,’ namely social justice, security, investment and charity. Results: The findings show that the concept of ‘global health’ has not gained ground the same way within European policy documents. Consequently, there are also differences in how health is being framed. While the European Commission, Belgium, and Denmark clearly support a social justice frame, the global health strategies of the United Kingdom, Germany, and France put an additional focus on the security and investment frames. Conclusion: There are different understandings of global/international health as well as different framings within relevant documents of the EU and its member states. Therefore, the existence of an ‘EU’ vision on global health is questionable. Further research is needed on how this impacts on policy implementation. PMID:29764107

Exploring the effects of state highway safety laws and sociocultural characteristics on fatal crashes.

PubMed

Dong, Chunjiao; Nambisan, Shashi S; Clarke, David B; Sun, Jian

2017-04-03

Distinguished from the traditional perspectives in crash analyses, which examined the effects of geometric design features, traffic factors, and other relevant attributes on the crash frequencies of roadway entities, our study focuses on exploring the effects of highway safety laws, as well as sociocultural characteristics, on fatal crashes across states. Law and regulation related data were collected from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, State Highway Safety Offices, and Governors Highway Safety Association. A variety of sociodemographic characteristics were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau. In addition, cultural factors and other attributes from a variety of resources are considered and incorporated in the modeling process. These data and fatal crash counts were collected for the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and were analyzed using zero-truncated negative binomial (ZTNB) regression models. The results show that, in law and regulation-related factors, the use of speed cameras, no handheld cell phone ban, limited handheld cell phone ban, and no text messaging ban are found to have significant effects on fatal crashes. Regarding sociocultural characteristics, married couples with both husband and wife in the labor force are found to be associated with lower crash frequencies, the ratios of workers traveling to work by carpool, those driving alone, workers working outside the county of residence, language other than English and limited English fluency, and the number of licensed drivers are found to be associated with higher crash frequencies. Through reviewing and modeling existing state highway safety laws and sociocultural characteristics, the results reveal new insights that could influence policy making. In addition, the results would benefit amending existing laws and regulations and provide testimony about highway safety issues before lawmakers consider new legislation.

Pre-existing differences in motivation for food and sensitivity to cocaine-induced locomotion in obesity-prone rats.

PubMed

Vollbrecht, Peter J; Nobile, Cameron W; Chadderdon, Aaron M; Jutkiewicz, Emily M; Ferrario, Carrie R

2015-12-01

Obesity is a significant problem in the United States, with roughly one third of adults having a body mass index (BMI) over thirty. Recent evidence from human studies suggests that pre-existing differences in the function of mesolimbic circuits that mediate motivational processes may promote obesity and hamper weight loss. However, few preclinical studies have examined pre-existing neurobehavioral differences related to the function of mesolimbic systems in models of individual susceptibility to obesity. Here, we used selectively bred obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats to examine 1) the effect of a novel "junk-food" diet on the development of obesity and metabolic dysfunction, 2) over-consumption of "junk-food" in a free access procedure, 3) motivation for food using instrumental procedures, and 4) cocaine-induced locomotor activity as an index of general mesolimbic function. As expected, eating a sugary, fatty, "junk-food" diet exacerbated weight gain and increased fasted insulin levels only in obesity-prone rats. In addition, obesity-prone rats continued to over-consume junk-food during discrete access testing, even when this same food was freely available in the home cage. Furthermore, when asked to press a lever to obtain food in an instrumental task, rates of responding were enhanced in obesity-prone versus obesity-resistant rats. Finally, obesity-prone rats showed a stronger locomotor response to 15 mg/kg cocaine compared to obesity-resistant rats prior to any diet manipulation. This enhanced sensitivity to this dose of cocaine is indicative of basal differences in the function of mesolimbic circuits in obesity-prone rats. We speculate that pre-existing differences in motivational systems may contribute to over-consumption and enhanced motivation in susceptible individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Survey of Cost Estimating Methodologies for Distributed Spacecraft Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foreman, Veronica; Le Moigne, Jacqueline; de Weck, Oliver

2016-01-01

Satellite constellations present unique capabilities and opportunities to Earth orbiting and near-Earth scientific and communications missions, but also present new challenges to cost estimators. An effective and adaptive cost model is essential to successful mission design and implementation, and as Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSM) become more common, cost estimating tools must become more representative of these types of designs. Existing cost models often focus on a single spacecraft and require extensive design knowledge to produce high fidelity estimates. Previous research has examined the shortcomings of existing cost practices as they pertain to the early stages of mission formulation, for both individual satellites and small satellite constellations. Recommendations have been made for how to improve the cost models for individual satellites one-at-a-time, but much of the complexity in constellation and DSM cost modeling arises from constellation systems level considerations that have not yet been examined. This paper constitutes a survey of the current state-of-the-art in cost estimating techniques with recommendations for improvements to increase the fidelity of future constellation cost estimates. To enable our investigation, we have developed a cost estimating tool for constellation missions. The development of this tool has revealed three high-priority weaknesses within existing parametric cost estimating capabilities as they pertain to DSM architectures: design iteration, integration and test, and mission operations. Within this paper we offer illustrative examples of these discrepancies and make preliminary recommendations for addressing them. DSM and satellite constellation missions are shifting the paradigm of space-based remote sensing, showing promise in the realms of Earth science, planetary observation, and various heliophysical applications. To fully reap the benefits of DSM technology, accurate and relevant cost estimating capabilities must exist; this paper offers insights critical to the future development and implementation of DSM cost estimating tools.

A Survey of Cost Estimating Methodologies for Distributed Spacecraft Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foreman, Veronica L.; Le Moigne, Jacqueline; de Weck, Oliver

2016-01-01

Satellite constellations present unique capabilities and opportunities to Earth orbiting and near-Earth scientific and communications missions, but also present new challenges to cost estimators. An effective and adaptive cost model is essential to successful mission design and implementation, and as Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSM) become more common, cost estimating tools must become more representative of these types of designs. Existing cost models often focus on a single spacecraft and require extensive design knowledge to produce high fidelity estimates. Previous research has examined the limitations of existing cost practices as they pertain to the early stages of mission formulation, for both individual satellites and small satellite constellations. Recommendations have been made for how to improve the cost models for individual satellites one-at-a-time, but much of the complexity in constellation and DSM cost modeling arises from constellation systems level considerations that have not yet been examined. This paper constitutes a survey of the current state-of-theart in cost estimating techniques with recommendations for improvements to increase the fidelity of future constellation cost estimates. To enable our investigation, we have developed a cost estimating tool for constellation missions. The development of this tool has revealed three high-priority shortcomings within existing parametric cost estimating capabilities as they pertain to DSM architectures: design iteration, integration and test, and mission operations. Within this paper we offer illustrative examples of these discrepancies and make preliminary recommendations for addressing them. DSM and satellite constellation missions are shifting the paradigm of space-based remote sensing, showing promise in the realms of Earth science, planetary observation, and various heliophysical applications. To fully reap the benefits of DSM technology, accurate and relevant cost estimating capabilities must exist; this paper offers insights critical to the future development and implementation of DSM cost estimating tools.

Pre-existing differences in motivation for food and sensitivity to cocaine-induced locomotion in obesity-prone rats

PubMed Central

Vollbrecht, Peter J.; Nobile, Cameron W.; Chadderdon, Aaron M.; Jutkiewicz, Emily M.; Ferrario, Carrie R.

2015-01-01

Obesity is a significant problem in the United States, with roughly one third of adults having a body mass index (BMI) over thirty. Recent evidence from human studies suggests that pre-existing differences in the function of mesolimbic circuits that mediate motivational processes may promote obesity and hamper weight loss. However, few preclinical studies have examined pre-existing neurobehavioral differences related to the function of mesolimbic systems in models of individual susceptibility to obesity. Here, we used selectively bred obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats to examine 1) the effect of a novel “junk-food” diet on the development of obesity and metabolic dysfunction, 2) over-consumption of “junk-food” in a free access procedure, 3) motivation for food using instrumental procedures, and 4) cocaine-induced locomotor activity as an index of general mesolimbic function. As expected, eating a sugary, fatty, “junk-food” diet exacerbated weight gain and increased fasted insulin levels only in obesity-prone rats. In addition, obesity-prone rats continued to over-consume junk-food during discrete access testing, even when this same food was freely available in the home cage. Furthermore, when asked to press a lever to obtain food in an instrumental task, rates of responding were enhanced in obesity-prone versus obesity-resistant rats. Finally, obesity-prone rats showed a stronger locomotor response to 15 mg/kg cocaine compared to obesity-resistant rats prior to any diet manipulation. This enhanced sensitivity to this dose of cocaine is indicative of basal differences in the function of mesolimbic circuits in obesity-prone rats. We speculate that pre-existing differences in motivational systems may contribute to over-consumption and enhanced motivation in susceptible individuals. PMID:26423787

Geriatric forensics - Part 2 "Prevalence of elder abuse and their potential forensic markers among medical and dental patients".

PubMed

Mattoo, Khurshid A; Garg, Rishabh; Kumar, Shalabh

2015-01-01

This study is a continuation of the earlier studies and has been extended to investigate the potential forensic markers of elder abuse. To determine the prevalence of elder abuse in various outpatient departments (OPDs). To study the associated parameters related to the abuser and the abused. To determine the existence of potential forensic markers of elder abuse. The subjects were randomly selected from the medical and the dental OPDs of the university. Eight hundred and thirty two elderly subjects in the age range 40-60 years were interviewed using a questionnaire to determine the existence of elder abuse. The subjects were investigated and examined for weight, nutrition and hydration, vital signs, habits, existing visual and auditory capabilities, medications, disclosure of wills/deeds, signs of depression, and documented cleanliness. The mini-mental state examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Clock drawing test, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale were used to determine the potential forensic markers. Mean values in percentage were determined by dividing the number of determined subjects by the total number of subjects for that parameter. About 37% in medical and 41% in dental OPDs were found to have suffered from abuse, mostly in the age group 60-70 years. Females received more abuse and a combination of son and daughter-in-law constituted most abusers. Various potential markers of elder abuse and neglect investigated among the elder abuse victims included depression (89%), signs of improper feeding (83%), changes in personal hygiene (69%), need for medical/dental treatment (78%), medication misuse (67%), changes in wills/deeds (26%), decubiti (10%), bruises (17%), skin tears (27%), and confusion (23%). Elder abuse exists in one or more forms in both medical and dental OPDs among both males and females in all age groups.

Merging long range transportation planning with public health: a case study from Utah's Wasatch Front.

PubMed

Burbidge, Shaunna K

2010-01-01

US transportation systems have been identified as a problem for public health, as they often encourage automobile transportation and discourage physical activity. This paper provides a case study examination of the Public Health Component of the Wasatch Front Regional Council's Regional Transportation Plan. This plan provides an example of what transportation planners at Utah's largest metropolitan planning organization (MPO) are doing to encourage physical activity through transportation. Existing active living research was used to guide recommendations using a process that included a comprehensive literature review and a review of existing state programs, advisory group and stakeholder meetings, and policy recommendations based on existing local conditions. Stakeholders from a diversity of background and interests came together with one common goal: to improve public health. Based on this collaborative process, nine policy approaches were specifically recommended for approval and integration in the Wasatch Front Regional Transportation Plan. By using current research as a guide and integrating a variety of interests, the Wasatch Front Regional Council is setting a new standard for a collaborative multi-modal focus in transportation planning, which can be replicated nationwide.

Space transportation activities in the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabris, Edward A.

1994-01-01

The status of the existing space transportation systems in the U.S. and options for increased capability is being examined in the context of mission requirements, options for new vehicles, cost to operate the existing vehicles, cost to develop new vehicles, and the capabilities and plans of other suppliers. This assessment is addressing the need to build and resupply the space station, to maintain necessary military assets in a rapidly changing world, and to continue a competitive commercial space transportation industry. The Department of Defense (DOD) and NASA each conducted an 'access to space' study using a common mission model but with the emphasis on their unique requirements. Both studies considered three options: maintain and improve the existing capability, build a new launch vehicle using contemporary technology, and build a new launch vehicle using advanced technology. While no decisions have been made on a course of action, it will be influenced by the availability of funds in the U.S. budget, the changing need for military space assets, the increasing competition among space launch suppliers, and the emerging opportunity for an advanced technology, low cost system and international partnerships to develop it.

Scale-dependent feedbacks between patch size and plant reproduction in desert grassland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Svejcar, Lauren N.; Bestelmeyer, Brandon T.; Duniway, Michael C.; James, Darren K.

2015-01-01

Theoretical models suggest that scale-dependent feedbacks between plant reproductive success and plant patch size govern transitions from highly to sparsely vegetated states in drylands, yet there is scant empirical evidence for these mechanisms. Scale-dependent feedback models suggest that an optimal patch size exists for growth and reproduction of plants and that a threshold patch organization exists below which positive feedbacks between vegetation and resources can break down, leading to critical transitions. We examined the relationship between patch size and plant reproduction using an experiment in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland. We tested the hypothesis that reproductive effort and success of a dominant grass (Bouteloua eriopoda) would vary predictably with patch size. We found that focal plants in medium-sized patches featured higher rates of grass reproductive success than when plants occupied either large patch interiors or small patches. These patterns support the existence of scale-dependent feedbacks in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands and indicate an optimal patch size for reproductive effort and success in B. eriopoda. We discuss the implications of these results for detecting ecological thresholds in desert grasslands.

76 FR 40258 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of NE

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... the CAA and EPA's policies addressing such excess emissions (``SSM''); and (ii) existing provisions... believes that some states may have existing SIP approved SSM provisions that are contrary to the CAA and... State provisions with regard to excess emissions during SSM of operations at facilities.'' EPA further...

National Evaluation of US Newborn Screening System Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Therrell, Bradford L.; Hannon, W. Harry

2006-01-01

Newborn screening has existed as a state-based public health service since the early 1960s. Every state and most territorial jurisdictions have comprehensive newborn screening programs in place, but in the United States a national newborn screening policy does not exist. This results in different administrative infrastructures, screening…

SPATIALLY-BALANCED SURVEY DESIGN FOR GROUNDWATER USING EXISTING WELLS

EPA Science Inventory

Many states have a monitoring program to evaluate the water quality of groundwater across the state. These programs rely on existing wells for access to the groundwater, due to the high cost of drilling new wells. Typically, a state maintains a database of all well locations, in...

Relationship between teacher preparedness and inquiry-based instructional practices to students' science achievement: Evidence from TIMSS 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Lynn A.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers' self-reported preparedness for teaching science content and their instructional practices to the science achievement of eighth grade science students in the United States as demonstrated by TIMSS 2007. Six hundred eighty-seven eighth grade science teachers in the United States representing 7,377 students responded to the TIMSS 2007 questionnaire about their instructional preparedness and their instructional practices. Quantitative data were reported. Through correlation analysis, the researcher found statistically significant positive relationships emerge between eighth grade science teachers' main area of study and their self-reported beliefs about their preparedness to teach that same content area. Another correlation analysis found a statistically significant negative relationship existed between teachers' self-reported use of inquiry-based instruction and preparedness to teach chemistry, physics and earth science. Another correlation analysis discovered a statistically significant positive relationship existed between physics preparedness and student science achievement. Finally, a correlation analysis found a statistically significant positive relationship existed between science teachers' self-reported implementation of inquiry-based instructional practices and student achievement. The data findings support the conclusion that teachers who have feelings of preparedness to teach science content and implement more inquiry-based instruction and less didactic instruction produce high achieving science students. As science teachers obtain the appropriate knowledge in science content and pedagogy, science teachers will feel prepared and will implement inquiry-based instruction in science classrooms.

Risk Perceptions on Hurricanes: Evidence from the U.S. Stock Market

PubMed Central

Feria-Domínguez, José Manuel; Paneque, Pilar; Gil-Hurtado, María

2017-01-01

This article examines the market reaction of the main Property and Casualty (P & C) insurance companies listed in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to seven most recent hurricanes that hit the East Coast of the United States from 2005 to 2012. For this purpose, we run a standard short horizon event study in order to test the existence of abnormal returns around the landfalls. P & C companies are one of the most affected sectors by such events because of the huge losses to rebuild, help and compensate the inhabitants of the affected areas. From the financial investors’ perception, this kind of events implies severe losses, which could influence the expected returns. Our research highlights the existence of significant cumulative abnormal returns around the landfall event window in most of the hurricanes analyzed, except for the Katrina and Sandy Hurricanes. PMID:28587237

Risk Perceptions on Hurricanes: Evidence from the U.S. Stock Market.

PubMed

Feria-Domínguez, José Manuel; Paneque, Pilar; Gil-Hurtado, María

2017-06-05

This article examines the market reaction of the main Property and Casualty (P & C) insurance companies listed in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to seven most recent hurricanes that hit the East Coast of the United States from 2005 to 2012. For this purpose, we run a standard short horizon event study in order to test the existence of abnormal returns around the landfalls. P & C companies are one of the most affected sectors by such events because of the huge losses to rebuild, help and compensate the inhabitants of the affected areas. From the financial investors' perception, this kind of events implies severe losses, which could influence the expected returns. Our research highlights the existence of significant cumulative abnormal returns around the landfall event window in most of the hurricanes analyzed, except for the Katrina and Sandy Hurricanes.

A generic guide to the larvae of the Nearctic Tanytarsini, (Chironomidae:diptera)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steiner, J.W.; Doughman, J.S.; Moore, C.R.

1982-01-01

Larvae of the tribe Tanytarsini occur in nearly every aquatic habitat in North America where they act as primary consumers in the food chain. This new taxonomic guide overcomes some deficiencies in existing keys to this tribe and the reviewed and updated taxonomy enables identification of the larvae that may be useful as ecological indicators. Over 2,000 specimens from 26 states were examined, identified and measured in this study. The following genera were included: Stempellinell, Zavrelia, Stempellina, Constempellina, Corynocera, Cladotanytarsus,.. Paratanytarsus, Rheotanytarsus,. Micropsectra, Lauterbornia, Nimbocera, Tanytarsus and Neozavrelia. Photographs illustrate mature larvae of these genera with the exception of Zavrelia and Neozavrelia which are not known to exist in North America. The morphological data, Which are summarized in a table of distinctive characteristics and the dichotomous key, enable identification to genus. Notes on range, habitat and food preference are included, and species identifications are presented where applicable.

Trumpet intonation pedagogy in the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flunker, Joel Kent

Although a wealth of pedagogical material exists for most aspects of trumpet performance, there is a comparatively small body of such material devoted to intonation. In addition, while there is general agreement that good intonation is essential to a successful performance, there is no widely accepted methodology for helping students achieve it. This study first identifies the factors that influence trumpet intonation and explores the reasons why intonation receives less pedagogical emphasis than other performance elements. It continues with an examination of how intonation is addressed in existing published materials. This summary of the approaches used in pedagogical publications is compared with methods practiced in applied trumpet studios, based on interviews with respected trumpet professors in major music schools and conservatories. The goal of the study is to define and highlight issues that can help provide a clear focus for future attempts to improve the way intonation is taught and studied.

Necrotizing Enterocolitis Risk

PubMed Central

Gephart, Sheila M.; McGrath, Jacqueline M.; Effken, Judith A.; Halpern, Melissa D.

2012-01-01

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common cause of gastrointestinal-related morbidity and mortality in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Its onset is sudden and the smallest, most premature infants are the most vulnerable. Necrotizing enterocolitis is a costly disease, accounting for nearly 20% of NICU costs annually. Necrotizing enterocolitis survivors requiring surgery often stay in the NICU more than 90 days and are among those most likely to stay more than 6 months. Significant variations exist in the incidence across regions and units. Although the only consistent independent predictors for NEC remain prematurity and formula feeding, others exist that could increase risk when combined. Awareness of NEC risk factors and adopting practices to reduce NEC risk, including human milk feeding, the use of feeding guidelines, and probiotics, have been shown to reduce the incidence of NEC. The purpose of this review is to examine the state of the science on NEC risk factors and make recommendations for practice and research. PMID:22469959

Spatially indirect excitons in coupled quantum wells

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

Lai, Chih-Wei Eddy

2004-03-01

Microscopic quantum phenomena such as interference or phase coherence between different quantum states are rarely manifest in macroscopic systems due to a lack of significant correlation between different states. An exciton system is one candidate for observation of possible quantum collective effects. In the dilute limit, excitons in semiconductors behave as bosons and are expected to undergo Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) at a temperature several orders of magnitude higher than for atomic BEC because of their light mass. Furthermore, well-developed modern semiconductor technologies offer flexible manipulations of an exciton system. Realization of BEC in solid-state systems can thus provide new opportunitiesmore » for macroscopic quantum coherence research. In semiconductor coupled quantum wells (CQW) under across-well static electric field, excitons exist as separately confined electron-hole pairs. These spatially indirect excitons exhibit a radiative recombination time much longer than their thermal relaxation time a unique feature in direct band gap semiconductor based structures. Their mutual repulsive dipole interaction further stabilizes the exciton system at low temperature and screens in-plane disorder more effectively. All these features make indirect excitons in CQW a promising system to search for quantum collective effects. Properties of indirect excitons in CQW have been analyzed and investigated extensively. The experimental results based on time-integrated or time-resolved spatially-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and imaging are reported in two categories. (i) Generic indirect exciton systems: general properties of indirect excitons such as the dependence of exciton energy and lifetime on electric fields and densities were examined. (ii) Quasi-two-dimensional confined exciton systems: highly statistically degenerate exciton systems containing more than tens of thousands of excitons within areas as small as (10 micrometer) 2 were observed. The spatial and energy distributions of optically active excitons were used as thermodynamic quantities to construct a phase diagram of the exciton system, demonstrating the existence of distinct phases. Optical and electrical properties of the CQW sample were examined thoroughly to provide deeper understanding of the formation mechanisms of these cold exciton systems. These insights offer new strategies for producing cold exciton systems, which may lead to opportunities for the realization of BEC in solid-state systems.« less

Dynamic Imaging by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Identifies Diverse Populations of Polyglutamine Oligomers Formed in Vivo*

PubMed Central

Beam, Monica; Silva, M. Catarina; Morimoto, Richard I.

2012-01-01

Protein misfolding and aggregation are exacerbated by aging and diseases of protein conformation including neurodegeneration, metabolic diseases, and cancer. In the cellular environment, aggregates can exist as discrete entities, or heterogeneous complexes of diverse solubility and conformational state. In this study, we have examined the in vivo dynamics of aggregation using imaging methods including fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), to monitor the diverse biophysical states of expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) proteins expressed in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that monomers, oligomers and aggregates co-exist at different concentrations in young and aged animals expressing different polyQ-lengths. During aging, when aggregation and toxicity are exacerbated, FCS-based burst analysis and purified single molecule FCS detected a populational shift toward an increase in the frequency of brighter and larger oligomeric species. Regardless of age or polyQ-length, oligomers were maintained in a heterogeneous distribution that spans multiple orders of magnitude in brightness. We employed genetic suppressors that prevent polyQ aggregation and observed a reduction in visible immobile species with the persistence of heterogeneous oligomers, yet our analysis did not detect the appearance of any discrete oligomeric states associated with toxicity. These studies reveal that the reversible transition from monomers to immobile aggregates is not represented by discrete oligomeric states, but rather suggests that the process of aggregation involves a more complex pattern of molecular interactions of diverse intermediate species that can appear in vivo and contribute to aggregate formation and toxicity. PMID:22669943

Changes in Data Sharing and Data Reuse Practices and Perceptions among Scientists Worldwide

PubMed Central

Tenopir, Carol; Dalton, Elizabeth D.; Allard, Suzie; Frame, Mike; Pjesivac, Ivanka; Birch, Ben; Pollock, Danielle; Dorsett, Kristina

2015-01-01

The incorporation of data sharing into the research lifecycle is an important part of modern scholarly debate. In this study, the DataONE Usability and Assessment working group addresses two primary goals: To examine the current state of data sharing and reuse perceptions and practices among research scientists as they compare to the 2009/2010 baseline study, and to examine differences in practices and perceptions across age groups, geographic regions, and subject disciplines. We distributed surveys to a multinational sample of scientific researchers at two different time periods (October 2009 to July 2010 and October 2013 to March 2014) to observe current states of data sharing and to see what, if any, changes have occurred in the past 3–4 years. We also looked at differences across age, geographic, and discipline-based groups as they currently exist in the 2013/2014 survey. Results point to increased acceptance of and willingness to engage in data sharing, as well as an increase in actual data sharing behaviors. However, there is also increased perceived risk associated with data sharing, and specific barriers to data sharing persist. There are also differences across age groups, with younger respondents feeling more favorably toward data sharing and reuse, yet making less of their data available than older respondents. Geographic differences exist as well, which can in part be understood in terms of collectivist and individualist cultural differences. An examination of subject disciplines shows that the constraints and enablers of data sharing and reuse manifest differently across disciplines. Implications of these findings include the continued need to build infrastructure that promotes data sharing while recognizing the needs of different research communities. Moving into the future, organizations such as DataONE will continue to assess, monitor, educate, and provide the infrastructure necessary to support such complex grand science challenges. PMID:26308551

Changes in data sharing and data reuse practices and perceptions among scientists worldwide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tenopir, Carol; Dalton, Elizabeth D.; Allard, Suzie; Frame, Mike; Pjesivac, Ivanka; Birch, Ben; Pollock, Danielle; Dorsett, Kristina

2015-01-01

The incorporation of data sharing into the research lifecycle is an important part of modern scholarly debate. In this study, the DataONE Usability and Assessment working group addresses two primary goals: To examine the current state of data sharing and reuse perceptions and practices among research scientists as they compare to the 2009/2010 baseline study, and to examine differences in practices and perceptions across age groups, geographic regions, and subject disciplines. We distributed surveys to a multinational sample of scientific researchers at two different time periods (October 2009 to July 2010 and October 2013 to March 2014) to observe current states of data sharing and to see what, if any, changes have occurred in the past 3–4 years. We also looked at differences across age, geographic, and discipline-based groups as they currently exist in the 2013/2014 survey. Results point to increased acceptance of and willingness to engage in data sharing, as well as an increase in actual data sharing behaviors. However, there is also increased perceived risk associated with data sharing, and specific barriers to data sharing persist. There are also differences across age groups, with younger respondents feeling more favorably toward data sharing and reuse, yet making less of their data available than older respondents. Geographic differences exist as well, which can in part be understood in terms of collectivist and individualist cultural differences. An examination of subject disciplines shows that the constraints and enablers of data sharing and reuse manifest differently across disciplines. Implications of these findings include the continued need to build infrastructure that promotes data sharing while recognizing the needs of different research communities. Moving into the future, organizations such as DataONE will continue to assess, monitor, educate, and provide the infrastructure necessary to support such complex grand science challenges.

Oocyte stem cells: fact or fantasy?

PubMed

Horan, Corrina J; Williams, Suzannah A

2017-07-01

For many decades, the dogma prevailed that female mammals had a finite pool of oocytes at birth and this was gradually exhausted during a lifetime of reproductive function. However, in 2004, a new era began in the field of female oogenesis. A study was published that appeared to detect oocyte-stem cells capable of generating new eggs within mouse ovaries. This study was highly controversial and the years since this initial finding have produced extensive research and even more extensive debate into their possibility. Unequivocal evidence testifying to the existence of oocyte-stem cells (OSCs) has yet to be produced, meanwhile the spectrum of views from both sides of the debate are wide-ranging and surprisingly passionate. Although recent studies have presented some convincing results that germ cells exist and are capable of creating new oocytes, many questions remain. Are these cells present in humans? Do they exist in physiological conditions in a dormant state? This comprehensive review first examines where and how the dogma of a finite pool was established, how this has been challenged over the years and addresses the most pertinent questions as to the current status of their existence, their role in female fertility, and perhaps most importantly, if they do exist, how can we harness these cells to improve a woman's oocyte reserve and treat conditions such as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI: also known as premature ovarian failure, POF). © 2017 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Disparity in Dental Coverage Among Older Adult Populations: A Comparative Analysis Across Selected European Countries and the United States

PubMed Central

Manski, Richard; Moeller, John; Chen, Haiyan; Widström, Eeva; Lee, Jinkook; Listl, Stefan

2014-01-01

Background Insurance against the cost risks associated with prevention and treatment of oral diseases can reduce inequalities in dental care use and oral health. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of variation in dental insurance coverage for older adult populations within and between the United States and various European countries. Method The analyses relied on 2006/2007 data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and 2004-2006 data from of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in the United States for respondents aged 51 years and older. A series of logistic regression models was estimated to identify disparities in dental coverage. Results The highest extent of significant insurance differences between various population subgroups was found for the United States. In comparison with countries belonging to the Eastern and Southern welfare state regimes, a lower number of significant coverage differences occurred for Scandinavian countries. Countries categorized as having comprehensive public insurance coverage showed a tendency towards less insurance variation within their populations than countries categorized as not having comprehensive public coverage, exceptions being Poland and Switzerland. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that significant variations in dental coverage exist within all elderly populations examined and the extent of inequalities also differs between countries. By and large, the observed variations corroborate the perception that population dental coverage is more equally distributed under public subsidy. This could be relevant information for decision makers who seek to improve policies towards more equitable dental coverage. PMID:25363376

Quantitative controls on submarine slope failure morphology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, H.J.; Schwab, W.C.; Edwards, B.D.; Kayen, R.E.

1991-01-01

The concept of the steady-state of deformation can be applied to predicting the ultimate form a landslide will take. The steady-state condition, defined by a line in void ratio-effective stress space, exists at large levels of strain and remolding. Conceptually, if sediment initially exists with void ratio-effective stress conditions above the steady-state line, the sediment shear strength will decrease during a transient loading event, such as an earthquake or storm. If the reduced shear strength existing at the steady state is less than the downslope shear stress induced by gravity, then large-scale internal deformation, disintegration, and flow will occur. -from Authors

Stationary states in quantum walk search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

PrÅ«sis, Krišjānis; Vihrovs, Jevgěnijs; Wong, Thomas G.

2016-09-01

When classically searching a database, having additional correct answers makes the search easier. For a discrete-time quantum walk searching a graph for a marked vertex, however, additional marked vertices can make the search harder by causing the system to approximately begin in a stationary state, so the system fails to evolve. In this paper, we completely characterize the stationary states, or 1-eigenvectors, of the quantum walk search operator for general graphs and configurations of marked vertices by decomposing their amplitudes into uniform and flip states. This infinitely expands the number of known stationary states and gives an optimization procedure to find the stationary state closest to the initial uniform state of the walk. We further prove theorems on the existence of stationary states, with them conditionally existing if the marked vertices form a bipartite connected component and always existing if nonbipartite. These results utilize the standard oracle in Grover's algorithm, but we show that a different type of oracle prevents stationary states from interfering with the search algorithm.

CERT tribal internship program. Final intern report: Manuel Steele, 1995

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

NONE

The purpose of this internship was to facilitate transfer of advancements in renewable energy to Native American lands for economic and educational benefits and to assist in evaluation of proposals submitted for government funding under Title 26 Indian Energy Resources Program. Specific objectives were to examine specific cost factors stated by each Tribe for economic assessment of each proposal; assess environmental impacts of proposed scope of work presented by each Tribe; monitor existing grants for disbursement of requested funds; and provide Tribal governments with a fair and impartial review of grant proposals for funding by the Department of Energy.

Introduction to Mars Sampling Handling Workshop Series. Workshop on Life Detection: Issues and Topics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rummel, John D.

2001-01-01

Before martian soil and rock samples can be distributed to the research community, the returned materials will initially be quarantined and examined in a proposed BSL-4 containment facility to assure that no putative martian microorganisms or attendant potential biohazards exist. During the initial quarantine, state-of-the-art life detection and biohazard testing of the returned martian samples will be conducted. Life detection, as defined here in regard to Mars sample return missions, is the detection of living organisms and/or materials that have been derived from living organisms that may be present in the sample.

The financial performance of diversified hospital subsidiaries.

PubMed Central

Clement, J P; D'Aunno, T; Poyzer, B L

1993-01-01

Despite its proliferation, we know relatively little about the impact of hospital restructuring to offer new services. This exploratory study examines the relationship between types of services offered and financial performance among separately incorporated subsidiaries of acute care hospitals. We draw data from the subsidiaries of all hospital firms operating in one state (Virginia) that requires reporting by all such firms. Results from multiple regression analyses of 1987 data indicate that units that existed longer, produced health care or related products, or were nonprofit subsidiaries of nonprofit firms tended to be more profitable than the other subsidiaries. PMID:8428811

States of Cybersecurity: Electricity Distribution System Discussions

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

Pena, Ivonne; Ingram, Michael; Martin, Maurice

State and local entities that oversee the reliable, affordable provision of electricity are faced with growing and evolving threats from cybersecurity risks to our nation's electricity distribution system. All-hazards system resilience is a shared responsibility among electric utilities and their regulators or policy-setting boards of directors. Cybersecurity presents new challenges and should be a focus for states, local governments, and Native American tribes that are developing energy-assurance plans to protect critical infrastructure. This research sought to investigate the implementation of governance and policy at the distribution utility level that facilitates cybersecurity preparedness to inform the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),more » Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis; states; local governments; and other stakeholders on the challenges, gaps, and opportunities that may exist for future analysis. The need is urgent to identify the challenges and inconsistencies in how cybersecurity practices are being applied across the United States to inform the development of best practices, mitigations, and future research and development investments in securing the electricity infrastructure. By examining the current practices and applications of cybersecurity preparedness, this report seeks to identify the challenges and persistent gaps between policy and execution and reflect the underlying motivations of distinct utility structures as they play out at the local level. This study aims to create an initial baseline of cybersecurity preparedness within the distribution electricity sector. The focus of this study is on distribution utilities not bound by the cybersecurity guidelines of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to examine the range of mechanisms taken by state regulators, city councils that own municipal utilities, and boards of directors of rural cooperatives.« less

The Effects of Prior Authorization Policies on Medicaid-Enrolled Children's Use of Antipsychotic Medications: Evidence from Two Mid-Atlantic States

PubMed Central

Leckman-Westin, Emily; Okeke, Edward; Scharf, Deborah M.; Sorbero, Mark; Chen, Qingxian; Chor, Ka Ho Brian; Finnerty, Molly; Wisdom, Jennifer P.

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of prior authorization policies on the receipt of antipsychotic medication for Medicaid-enrolled children. Methods: Using de-identified administrative Medicaid data from two large, neighboring, mid-Atlantic states from November 2007 through June 2011, we identified subjects <18 years of age using antipsychotics, from the broader group of children and adolescents receiving behavioral health services or any psychotropic medication. Prior authorization for antipsychotics was required for children in State A <6 years of age from September 2008, and for children <13 years of age from August 2009. No such prior authorizations existed in State B during that period. Filled prescriptions were identified in the data using national drug codes. Using a triple-difference strategy (using differences among the states, time periods, and differences in antidepressant prescribing rates among states over the same time periods), we examined the effect of the prior authorization policy on the rate at which antipsychotic prescriptions were filled for Medicaid-enrolled children and adolescents. Results: The impact of prior authorization policies on antipsychotic medication use varied by age: Among 6–12 year old children, the impact of the prior authorization policy on antipsychotic medication prescribing was a modest but statistically significant decrease of 0.47% after adjusting for other factors; there was no effect of the prior authorization among children 0–5 years. Conclusions: Prior authorization policies had a modest but statistically significant effect on antipsychotic use in 6–12 year old children, but had no impact in younger children. Future research is needed to understand the utilization and clinical effects of prior authorization and other policies and interventions designed to influence antipsychotic use in children. PMID:25144909

20 CFR 404.1251 - Final reports-for wages paid prior to 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... entity. The report shall include each coverage group whose existence ceases with that of the entity. It... State shall submit a statement showing the title and business address of the State official responsible... records for each coverage group whose existence is ended. The State shall also identify, as prescribed by...

Stability and properties of quasi-stable conformational states in the LH2 light-harvesting complex of Rbl. acidophilus bacteria formed by hexacoordination of bacteriochlorophyll a magnesium atom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belov, Aleksandr S.; Khokhlov, Daniil V.; Glebov, Ilya O.; Poddubnyy, Vladimir V.; Eremin, Vadim V.

2017-06-01

Single-molecule spectroscopic experiments on several light-harvesting complexes revealed the existence of a set of metastable conformational states with different spectroscopic properties and lifetimes spanning from milliseconds to tens of seconds. In the absence of explicit structural data, a number of probable structural changes underlying the observed spectroscopic shifts were proposed. We examine the donor-acceptor interaction between the magnesium atom and the acetyl group of the adjacent bacteriochlorophylls a as a possible origin of metastable conformational states in the LH2 light-harvesting complex of Rbl. acidophilus bacteria. The results of QM/MM and molecular dynamics simulations show that such ligation can occur at room temperature and leads to one metastable coordination bond per pair of bacteriochlorophylls in the B850 ring. According to the results of Poisson-TrESP modeling, such coordination lowers the energies of the excited states of the complex by up to 163 cm-1 which causes red spectral shift of the B850 band.

The Pattern of Indoor Smoking Restriction Law Transitions, 1970–2009: Laws Are Sticky

PubMed Central

Sanders-Jackson, Ashley; Gonzalez, Mariaelena; Zerbe, Brandon; Song, Anna V.

2013-01-01

Objectives. We examined the pattern of the passage of smoking laws across venues (government and private workplaces, restaurants, bars) and by strength (no law to 100% smoke-free). Methods. We conducted transition analyses of local and state smoking restrictions passed between 1970 and 2009, with data from the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Ordinance Database. Results. Each decade, more laws were enacted, from 18 passed in the 1970s to 3172 in the first decade of this century, when 91% of existing state laws were passed. Most laws passed took states and localities from no law to some level of smoking restriction, and most new local (77%; 5148/6648) and state (73%; 115/158) laws passed in the study period did not change strength. Conclusions. Because these laws are “sticky”—once a law has passed, strength of the law and venues covered do not change often—policymakers and advocates should focus on passing strong laws the first time, rather than settling for less comprehensive laws with the hope of improving them in the future. PMID:23763408

Nation-building policies in Timor-Leste: disaster risk reduction, including climate change adaptation.

PubMed

Mercer, Jessica; Kelman, Ilan; do Rosario, Francisco; de Deus de Jesus Lima, Abilio; da Silva, Augusto; Beloff, Anna-Maija; McClean, Alex

2014-10-01

Few studies have explored the relationships between nation-building, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Focusing on small island developing states, this paper examines nation-building in Timor-Leste, a small island developing state that recently achieved independence. Nation-building in Timor-Leste is explored in the context of disaster risk reduction, which necessarily includes climate change adaptation. The study presents a synopsis of Timor-Leste's history and its nation-building efforts as well as an overview of the state of knowledge of disaster risk reduction including climate change adaptation. It also offers an analysis of significant gaps and challenges in terms of vertical and horizontal governance, large donor presence, data availability and the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for nation-building in Timor-Leste. Relevant and applicable lessons are provided from other small island developing states to assist Timor-Leste in identifying its own trajectory out of underdevelopment while it builds on existing strengths. © 2014 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2014.

Weyl Magnon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fei-Ye; Li, Yao-Dong; Yu, Yue; Kim, Yong Baek; Balents, Leon; Chen, Gang

Conventional magnetic orders in Mott insulators are often believed to be trivial as they are simple product states. In this talk, we argue that this belief is not always right. We study a realistic spin model on the breathing pyrochlore lattice. We find that, although the system has a magnetic ordered ground state, the magnetic excitation is rather nontrivial and supports linear band touchings in its spectrum. This linear band touching is a topological property of the magnon band structure and is thus robust against small perturbation. We thus name this magnon band touching as ``Weyl magnon''. Just like the Weyl fermion, the existence of Weyl magnon suggests the presence of chiral magnon surface states. Unlike the surface Fermi arcs for the Weyl fermions, the chiral surface state for Weyl magnon appears at a finite energy due to the bosonic nature of the magnons. Moreover, the external magnetic field only couples to the spins with a Zeeman term and thus can readily shift the Weyl node position. This provides a way to control the Weyl magnon. Our work will inspire a re-examination of the excitation spectrum of many magnetic ordered systems. Chggst@gmail.com.

Quality of Vegetables Based on Total Phenolic Concentration Is Lower in More Rural Consumer Food Environments in a Rural American State.

PubMed

Ahmed, Selena; Byker Shanks, Carmen

2017-08-17

While daily consumption of fruits and vegetables (FVs) is widely recognized to be associated with supporting nutrition and health, disparities exist in consumer food environments regarding access to high-quality produce based on location. The purpose of this study was to evaluate FV quality using total phenolic (TP) scores (a phytochemical measure for health-promoting attributes, flavor, appearance, and shelf-life) in consumer food environments along a rural to urban continuum in the rural state of Montana, United States. Significant differences were found in the means of the FV TP scores ( p < 0.0001) and vegetable TP scores ( p < 0.0001) on the basis of rurality, while no significant difference was found for fruit TP scores by rurality ( p < 0.2158). Specifically, FV TP scores and vegetable TP scores were highest for the least rural stores and lowest for the most rural stores. Results indicate an access gap to high-quality vegetables in more rural and more health-disparate consumer food environments of Montana compared to urban food environments. Findings highlight that food and nutrition interventions should aim to increase vegetable quality in rural consumer food environments in the state of Montana towards enhancing dietary quality and food choices. Future studies are called for that examine TP scores of a wide range of FVs in diverse food environments globally. Studies are further needed that examine linkages between FV quality, food choices, diets, and health outcomes towards enhancing food environments for public health.

SCHIP premiums, enrollment, and expenditures: a two state, competing risk analysis.

PubMed

Marton, James; Ketsche, Patricia G; Zhou, Mei

2010-07-01

Faced with state budget troubles, policymakers may introduce or increase State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) premiums for children in the highest program income eligibility categories. In this paper we compare the responses of SCHIP recipients in a state (Kentucky) that introduced SCHIP premiums for the first time at the end of 2003 with the responses of recipients in a state (Georgia) that increased existing SCHIP premiums in mid-2004. We start with a theoretical examination of how these different policies create different changes to family budget constraints and produce somewhat different financial incentives for recipients. Next we empirically model the impact of these policies using a competing risk approach to differentiate exits due to transfers to other eligibility categories of public coverage from exiting the public health insurance system. In both states we find a short-run increase in the likelihood that children transfer to lower- income eligibility/lower-premium categories of SCHIP. We also find a short-run increase in the rate at which children transfer from SCHIP to Medicaid in Kentucky, which is consistent with our theoretical model. These findings have important financial implications for state budgets, as the matching rates and premium levels are different for different eligibility categories of public coverage. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Topologically protected bound states in photonic parity-time-symmetric crystals.

PubMed

Weimann, S; Kremer, M; Plotnik, Y; Lumer, Y; Nolte, S; Makris, K G; Segev, M; Rechtsman, M C; Szameit, A

2017-04-01

Parity-time (PT)-symmetric crystals are a class of non-Hermitian systems that allow, for example, the existence of modes with real propagation constants, for self-orthogonality of propagating modes, and for uni-directional invisibility at defects. Photonic PT-symmetric systems that also support topological states could be useful for shaping and routing light waves. However, it is currently debated whether topological interface states can exist at all in PT-symmetric systems. Here, we show theoretically and demonstrate experimentally the existence of such states: states that are localized at the interface between two topologically distinct PT-symmetric photonic lattices. We find analytical closed form solutions of topological PT-symmetric interface states, and observe them through fluorescence microscopy in a passive PT-symmetric dimerized photonic lattice. Our results are relevant towards approaches to localize light on the interface between non-Hermitian crystals.

Existence conditions for unknown input functional observers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernando, T.; MacDougall, S.; Sreeram, V.; Trinh, H.

2013-01-01

This article presents necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and design of an unknown input Functional observer. The existence of the observer can be verified by computing a nullspace of a known matrix and testing some matrix rank conditions. The existence of the observer does not require the satisfaction of the observer matching condition (i.e. Equation (16) in Hou and Muller 1992, 'Design of Observers for Linear Systems with Unknown Inputs', IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 37, 871-875), is not limited to estimating scalar functionals and allows for arbitrary pole placement. The proposed observer always exists when a state observer exists for the unknown input system, and furthermore, the proposed observer can exist even in some instances when an unknown input state observer does not exist.

Public attitudes about different types of anti-bullying laws: results from a national survey.

PubMed

Puhl, Rebecca M; Luedicke, Joerg; King, Kelly M

2015-02-01

State anti-bullying laws have been enacted across the United States to address bullying both by and of youths. Although these statutes can provide critical protection to youth, there is debate about whether such laws should enumerate protected classes of youth. Weight-based bullying is an increasingly prevalent form of harassment and it has been overlooked in policy initiatives. Enumeration in existing laws might help protect overweight victims. As no research has examined this issue, we conducted a national survey of American adults (N=1155) to assess public opinion about enactment of anti-bullying laws that vary according to whether or not they enumerate distinguishing characteristics. Our results demonstrated substantial public agreement (ranging from 2/3 to 3/4 of participants) with enactment of state and federal anti-bullying laws that enumerate distinguishing characteristics, including physical appearance and weight, which are currently absent in most statutes. Our evidence can inform policy and legal approaches to protect youth effectively from bullying.

Spectroscopic Investigations of Catalase Compound II: Characterization of an Iron(IV) Hydroxide Intermediate in a Non-thiolate-Ligated Heme Enzyme

PubMed Central

Yosca, Timothy H.; Langston, Matthew C.; Krest, Courtney M.; Onderko, Elizabeth L.; Grove, Tyler L.; Livada, Jovan; Green, Michael T.

2018-01-01

We report on the protonation state of Helicobacter pylori catalase compound II. UV/visible, Mössbauer, and X-ray absorption spectroscopies have been used to examine the intermediate from pH 5 to 14. We have determined that HPC-II exists in an iron(IV) hydroxide state up to pH 11. Above this pH, the iron(IV) hydroxide complex transitions to a new species (pKa = 13.1) with Mössbauer parameters that are indicative of an iron(IV)-oxo intermediate. Recently, we discussed a role for an elevated compound II pKa in diminishing the compound I reduction potential. This has the effect of shifting the thermodynamic landscape toward the two-electron chemistry that is critical for catalase function. In catalase, a diminished potential would increase the selectivity for peroxide disproportionation over off-pathway one-electron chemistry, reducing the buildup of the inactive compound II state and reducing the need for energetically expensive electron donor molecules. PMID:27960340

Measuring disaster recovery: bouncing back or reaching the counterfactual state?

PubMed

Cheng, Shaoming; Ganapati, Emel; Ganapati, Sukumar

2015-07-01

How should one measure the recovery of a locale from a disaster? The measurement is crucial from a public policy and administration standpoint to determine which places should receive disaster assistance, and it affects the performance evaluation of disaster recovery programmes. This paper compares two approaches to measuring recovery: (i) bouncing back to pre-disaster conditions; and (ii) attaining the counterfactual state. The former centres on returning to normalcy following disaster-induced losses, whereas the latter focuses on attaining the state, using quasi-experimental design, which would have existed if the disaster had not occurred. Both are employed here to assess two housing recovery indicators (total new units and their valuations) in Hurricane Katrina-affected counties (rural and urban). The examination reveals significantly different outcomes for the two approaches: counties have not returned to their pre-disaster housing conditions, but they do exhibit counterfactual recovery. Moreover, rural counties may not be as vulnerable as assumed in the disaster recovery literature. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

Gnathostoma spinigerum in live Asian swamp eels (Monopterus spp.) from food markets and wild populations, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, Rebecca A.; Choudhury, Anindo; Nico, Leo G.; Griffin, Kathryn M.

2014-01-01

In Southeast Asia, swamp eels (Synbranchidae: Monopterus spp.) are a common source of human gnathostomiasis, a foodborne zoonosis caused by advanced third-stage larvae (AL3) of Gnathostoma spp. nematodes. Live Asian swamp eels are imported to US ethnic food markets, and wild populations exist in several states. To determine whether these eels are infected, we examined 47 eels from markets and 67 wild-caught specimens. Nematodes were identified by morphologic features and ribosomal intergenic transcribed spacer–2 gene sequencing. Thirteen (27.7%) M. cuchia eels from markets were infected with 36 live G. spinigerum AL3: 21 (58.3%) in liver; 7 (19.4%) in muscle; 5 (13.8%) in gastrointestinal tract, and 3 (8.3%) in kidneys. Three (4.5%) wild-caught M. albus eels were infected with 5 G. turgidum AL3 in muscle, and 1 G. lamothei AL3 was found in a kidney (both North American spp.). Imported live eels are a potential source of human gnathostomiasis in the United States.

[Entomological study of Trypanosoma cruzi vectors in the rural communities of Sucre state, Venezuela].

PubMed

García-Jordán, Noris; Berrizbeitia, Mariolga; Concepción, Juan Luis; Aldana, Elis; Cáceres, Ana; Quiñones, Wilfredo

2015-01-01

The ecological niche of Reduvidae vectors has been modified due to environmental changes and human encroachment into the rural areas. This study evaluates the current entomological indices of triatomines responsible for Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Sucre State, Venezuela. A cross-sectional and prospective study was conducted in 95 towns and 577 dwellings in the 15 municipalities of the state of Sucre, Venezuela, from August to November, 2008. Triatomine bugs were identified on the basis of morphological characteristics, and their feces examined for T. cruzi infection through direct microscopy. Positive slides were stained with Giemsa and parasites were identified by morphologic characterization. The entomological indices expressing the highest values were dispersion (16.67%) and household colonization (33.33%). The triatomine species captured were: Rhodnius prolixus , Rhodnius main intradomiciliary vector. Despite the low index of vector infection (1.72%), the existence of species with domiciliary and peridomiciliary reproductive success ensures the persistence of the epidemiological chain both for the disease and the parasite.

Gnathostoma spinigerum in live Asian swamp eels (Monopterus spp.) from food markets and wild populations, United States.

PubMed

Cole, Rebecca A; Choudhury, Anindo; Nico, Leo G; Griffin, Kathryn M

2014-04-01

In Southeast Asia, swamp eels (Synbranchidae: Monopterus spp.) are a common source of human gnathostomiasis, a foodborne zoonosis caused by advanced third-stage larvae (AL3) of Gnathostoma spp. nematodes. Live Asian swamp eels are imported to US ethnic food markets, and wild populations exist in several states. To determine whether these eels are infected, we examined 47 eels from markets and 67 wild-caught specimens. Nematodes were identified by morphologic features and ribosomal intergenic transcribed spacer-2 gene sequencing. Thirteen (27.7%) M. cuchia eels from markets were infected with 36 live G. spinigerum AL3: 21 (58.3%) in liver; 7 (19.4%) in muscle; 5 (13.8%) in gastrointestinal tract, and 3 (8.3%) in kidneys. Three (4.5%) wild-caught M. albus eels were infected with 5 G. turgidum AL3 in muscle, and 1 G. lamothei AL3 was found in a kidney (both North American spp.). Imported live eels are a potential source of human gnathostomiasis in the United States.

Attention control learning in the decision space using state estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharaee, Zahra; Fatehi, Alireza; Mirian, Maryam S.; Nili Ahmadabadi, Majid

2016-05-01

The main goal of this paper is modelling attention while using it in efficient path planning of mobile robots. The key challenge in concurrently aiming these two goals is how to make an optimal, or near-optimal, decision in spite of time and processing power limitations, which inherently exist in a typical multi-sensor real-world robotic application. To efficiently recognise the environment under these two limitations, attention of an intelligent agent is controlled by employing the reinforcement learning framework. We propose an estimation method using estimated mixture-of-experts task and attention learning in perceptual space. An agent learns how to employ its sensory resources, and when to stop observing, by estimating its perceptual space. In this paper, static estimation of the state space in a learning task problem, which is examined in the WebotsTM simulator, is performed. Simulation results show that a robot learns how to achieve an optimal policy with a controlled cost by estimating the state space instead of continually updating sensory information.

The Impact of United States Monetary Policy in the Crude Oil futures market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padilla-Padilla, Fernando M.

This research examines the empirical impact the United States monetary policy, through the federal fund interest rate, has on the volatility in the crude oil price in the futures market. Prior research has shown how macroeconomic events and variables have impacted different financial markets within short and long--term movements. After testing and decomposing the variables, the two stationary time series were analyzed using a Vector Autoregressive Model (VAR). The empirical evidence shows, with statistical significance, a direct relationship when explaining crude oil prices as function of fed fund rates (t-1) and an indirect relationship when explained as a function of fed fund rates (t-2). These results partially address the literature review lacunas within the topic of the existing implication monetary policy has within the crude oil futures market.

Intelligent manufacturing: the challenge for manufacturing strategy in China in the 21st century--what we will do

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shuzi; Lei, Ming; Guan, Zai-Lin; Xiong, Youlun

1995-08-01

This paper first introduces the project of intelligent manufacturing in China and the research state of the IIMRC (Intelligent and Integrated Manufacturing Research Centre) of HUST (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), then reviews the recent advances in object- oriented and distributed artificial intelligence and puts forth the view that these advances open up the prospect of systems that will enable the true integration of enterprises. In an attempt to identify domain requirements and match them with research achievements, the paper examines the current literature and distinguishes 14 features that are common. It argues that effective enterprise-wide support could be greatly facilitated by the existence of intelligent software entities with autonomous processing capabilities, that possess coordination and negotiation facilities and are organized in distributed hierarchical states.

Workshop on Cosmic Ray and High Energy Gamma Ray Experiments for the Space Station Era, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, October 17-20, 1984, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. V. (Editor); Wefel, J. P. (Editor)

1985-01-01

The potential of the Space Station as a platform for cosmic-ray and high-energy gamma-ray astronomy is discussed in reviews, reports, and specific proposals. Topics examined include antiparticles and electrons, science facilities and new technology, high-energy nuclear interactions, nuclear composition and energy spectra, Space Shuttle experiments, Space Station facilities and detectors, high-energy gamma rays, and gamma-ray facilities and techniques. Consideration is given to universal-baryon-symmetry testing on the scale of galactic clusters, particle studies in a high-inclination orbit, balloon-borne emulsion-chamber results on ultrarelativistic nucleus-nucleus interactions, ionization states of low-energy cosmic rays, a large gamma-ray telescope for point-source studies above 1 GeV, and the possible existence of stable quark matter.

Nonmagnetic impurity resonances as a signature of sign-reversal pairing in FeAs-based superconductors.

PubMed

Zhang, Degang

2009-10-30

The energy band structure of FeAs-based superconductors is fitted by a tight-binding model with two Fe ions per unit cell and two degenerate orbitals per Fe ion. Based on this, superconductivity with extended s-wave pairing symmetry of the form cosk(x)+cosk(y) is examined. The local density of states near an impurity is also investigated by using the T-matrix approach. For the nonmagnetic scattering potential, we found that there exist two major resonances inside the gap. The height of the resonance peaks depends on the strength of the impurity potential. These in-gap resonances are originated in the Andreev's bound states due to the quasiparticle scattering between the hole Fermi surfaces around Gamma point with positive order parameter and the electron Fermi surfaces around M point with negative order parameter.

Parental consent requirements and privacy rights of minors: the contraceptive controversy.

PubMed

1975-03-01

That the adult zone of privacy recognized by the Supreme Court during the past decade embraces access to contraceptives is suggested. 2 further questions are examined: 1) whether the right of children to have access to contraceptives is fundamental and 2) whether countervailing interests of parents and state should outweigh whatever interest the child has in obtaining contraceptives. More fundamentally, 3 complex issues relative to an analysis of minors' rights to obtain contraceptives are discussed: 1) the scope of the constitutional right of adults to obtain contraceptives remains uncertain; 2) courts have not yet articulated the special factors that determine how existing frameworks for analyzing the rights of adults are to be applied to minors; and 3) the question of minors' access to contraceptive involves a particularly complex mixture of the interests of minors, parents, and the state.