An Examination of Ideology among Selected K12 Christian School Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolson, Jimmy L.

2013-01-01

This research project focused on explaining the decision making process of K12 Christian school superintendents whose schools belong to the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) organization. In spite of their similar religious and philosophical beliefs, ACSI K12 Christian school superintendents differed significantly in…

Servant Leadership as Defined by K-12 ACSI Christian School Administrators in Arizona, USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temperley, Austin J.

2016-01-01

This study was designed to understand how ACSI certified Christian School leaders in Arizona lead their schools. There are a variety of leadership models available. Servant leadership, being a fairly recent phenomenon has been studied and implemented by numerous organizations and leaders with great organizational success and buy in. One area of…

Indonesian Christian Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs Offered by ACSI-I and Indonesian National Department of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwani, Amy

2014-01-01

This is a study to examine Indonesian Christian Teachers' Perceptions of the effectiveness of professional development programs offered by the Association of Christian Schools International Indonesia (ACSI-I) and by the Indonesian National Department of Education. The study was focused on how Indonesian Christian teachers perceived the…

Dynamical analysis of surface-insulated planar wire array Z-pinches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang; Sheng, Liang; Hei, Dongwei; Li, Xingwen; Zhang, Jinhai; Li, Mo; Qiu, Aici

2018-05-01

The ablation and implosion dynamics of planar wire array Z-pinches with and without surface insulation are compared and discussed in this paper. This paper first presents a phenomenological model named the ablation and cascade snowplow implosion (ACSI) model, which accounts for the ablation and implosion phases of a planar wire array Z-pinch in a single simulation. The comparison between experimental data and simulation results shows that the ACSI model could give a fairly good description about the dynamical characteristics of planar wire array Z-pinches. Surface insulation introduces notable differences in the ablation phase of planar wire array Z-pinches. The ablation phase is divided into two stages: insulation layer ablation and tungsten wire ablation. The two-stage ablation process of insulated wires is simulated in the ACSI model by updating the formulas describing the ablation process.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: W49A JCMT Spectral Legacy Survey spectroscopy (Nagy+, 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagy, Z.; van der Tak, F. F. S.; Fuller, G. A.; Plume, R.

2015-08-01

We carried out the SLS observations using the 16-receptor (spatial pixel) Heterodyne Array Receiver Programme B (HARP-B, 325-375GHz) and the Auto-Correlation Spectral Imaging System (ACSIS) correlator at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope1 (JCMT) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. We carried out the observations in jiggle position switch mode, sampled every 7.5" for a 2x2-arcmin field centered on RA=19:10:13.4; DE=09:06:14 (J2000). (1 data file).

Supporting the planning for the evolution of the EOSDIS through an in-depth understanding of user requirements for NASA's world-class Earth science data system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, V. L.; Behnke, J.; Maiden, M.; Fontaine, K.

2004-12-01

NASA is planning for the evolution of the Earth Observation System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), a large, complex data system currently supporting over 18 operational NASA satellite missions including the flagship EOS missions: Terra, Aqua, and Aura. A critical underpinning for the evolution planning is developing thorough knowledge of the EOSDIS users and how they use the EOSDIS products in their research and or applications endeavors. This paper provides charts and tables of results from NASA studies that characterized our users, data and techniques. Using these metrics, other projects can apply NASA's 'lessons learned' to the development and operations of their data systems. In 2004, NASA undertook an intensive study of the users and usage of EOSDIS data. The study considered trends in the types and levels of EOS data products being ordered, the expanding number of users requesting products, and the "domains" of those users. The study showed that increasing numbers of users are using the validated, geophysical products produced from the radiance measurements recorded by the EOS instruments; while there remains a steady demand for the radiance products themselves. In 2003, over 2.1 million individuals contacted EOSDIS (as identified by unique email and/or URL) with just over 10% requesting a product or service. The users came from all sectors including 40% from more than 125 countries outside the U.S. University researchers and students (.edu) received over 40% of the some 29 million data and information products disseminated by EOSDIS. The trend in method of delivery for EOSDIS data has been away from receiving data on hard media (tapes, CD-ROM, etc.) to receiving the data over the network. Over 75% of the EOSDIS data products were disseminated via electronic means in 2003 contrasted with just under 30% in 2000. To plan for system-wide evolution you need to know whether the system is meeting the users' needs and expectations. Thus, in 2004 NASA commissioned a comprehensive survey to determine user satisfaction using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) approach. The results show that, overall, the users are highly satisfied with the EOSDIS systems and services as the EOSDIS ACSI score outperformed both the averages for U.S. companies and for Federal Agencies. Noteworthy was the fact that there was no statistical difference in the quality scores received by the various EOSDIS data centers. The response indicated that customer support provided by the EOSDIS Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) is "world class" and that a very high number of users intend to use EOSDIS in the future (90%) and to recommend it to their colleagues (86%). The survey highlighted areas that, if improved, could lead to increased user satisfaction, including overall product quality, product documentation, and product selection and ordering processes. These results will be factored into NASA's evolution planning.

The integration of astro-geodetic data observed with ACSYS to the local geoid models Istanbul-Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halicioglu, Kerem; Ozludemir, M. Tevfik; Deniz, Rasim; Ozener, Haluk; Albayrak, Muge; Ulug, Rasit; Basoglu, Burak

2017-04-01

Astro-geodetic deflections of the vertical components provide accurate and valuable information of Earth's gravity filed. Conventional methods require considerable effort and time whereas new methods, namely digital zenith camera systems (DZCS), have been designed to eliminate drawbacks of the conventional methods, such as observer dependent errors, long observation times, and to improve the observation accuracy. The observation principle is based on capturing star images near zenithal direction to determine astronomical coordinates of the station point with the integration of CCD, telescope, tiltmeters, and GNSS devices. In Turkey a new DZCS have been designed and tested on control network located in Istanbul, of which the geoid height differences were known with the accuracy of ±3.5 cm. Astro-geodetic Camera System (ACSYS) was used to determine the deflections of the vertical components with an accuracy of ±0.1 - 0.3 arc seconds, and results were compared with geoid height differences using astronomical levelling procedure. The results have also been compared with the ones calculated from global geopotential models. In this study the recent results of the first digital zenith camera system of Turkey are presented and the future studies are introduced such as the current developments of the system including hardware and software upgrades as well as the new observation strategy of the ACSYS. We also discuss the contribution and integration of the astro-geodetic deflections of the vertical components to the geoid determination studies in the light of information of current ongoing projects being operated in Turkey.

78 FR 23594 - Importer of Controlled Substances, Notice of Application, Almac Clinical Services, Inc., (ACSI)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

... controlled substances listed in schedule II, which falls under the authority of section 1002(a)(2)(B) of the...), (d), (e), and (f) are satisfied. Dated: April 10, 2013. Joseph T. Rannazzisi, Deputy Assistant...

Automated Removal of Bad-Baseline Spectra from ACSIS/HARP Heterodyne Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Currie, M. J.

2013-10-01

Heterodyne time-series spectral data often exhibit distorted or noisy baselines. These are either transient due to external interference or pickup; or affect a receptor throughout an observation or extended period, possibly due to a poor cable connection. While such spectra can be excluded manually, this is time consuming and prone to omission, especially for the high-frequency interference affecting just one or two spectra in typically several to twenty thousand, yet can produce undesirable artifacts in the reduced spectral cube. Further astronomers have tended to reject an entire receptor if any of its spectra are suspect; as a consequence the reduced products have lower signal-to-noise, and enhanced graticule patterns due to the variable coverage and detector relative sensitivities. This paper illustrates some of the types of aberrant spectra for ACSIS/HARP on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and the algorithms used to identify and remove them, applied within the ORAC-DR pipeline, and compares an integrated map with and without baseline filtering.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Molecular clumps in W51 giant molecular cloud (Parsons+, 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, H.; Thompson, M. A.; Clark, J. S.; Chrysostomou, A.

2013-04-01

The W51 GMC was mapped using the Heterodyne Array Receiver Programme (HARP) receiver with the back-end digital autocorrelator spectrometer Auto-Correlation Spectral Imaging System (ACSIS) on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). Data were taken in 2008 May. (2 data files).

Effects of Brazilian Propolis on Dental Plaque and Gingiva in Patients with Oral Cleft Malformation Treated with Multibracket and Removable Appliances: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Machorowska-Pieniążek, Agnieszka; Skucha-Nowak, Małgorzata; Mertas, Anna; Tanasiewicz, Marta; Niedzielska, Iwona; Morawiec, Tadeusz; Baron, Stefan

2016-01-01

Orthodontic appliances modify the local environment of the oral cavity, increase the accumulation of dental plaque, and affect the condition of the gingiva. The aim of this study is assessment of Brazilian propolis toothpaste's effect on plaque index (PLI) and gingival index (GI) in patients with CL/CLP treated using orthodontic appliances in the 35-day study period. The study population included 96 patients of an Orthodontic Outpatient Clinic, ACSiMS in Bytom. All the patients participated in the active phase of orthodontic treatment using buccal multibracket appliances or removable appliances. During the first examination, each patient was randomly qualified to the propolis group or control group. A statistically significant decrease in GI and PLI in the entire propolis group (P < 0.01) was shown during repeated examination. Insignificant change in GI was in the entire control group during the repeated examination compared to the baseline. Similar result was obtained in patients treated with multibracket and removable appliances. The orthodontic appliance type did not affect the final dental plaque amount and gingival condition in patients using the propolis toothpaste. These results may be clinically useful to improve prevention and control oral infectious diseases during orthodontic treatment patients with oral cleft.

Effects of Brazilian Propolis on Dental Plaque and Gingiva in Patients with Oral Cleft Malformation Treated with Multibracket and Removable Appliances: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Tanasiewicz, Marta; Niedzielska, Iwona

2016-01-01

Orthodontic appliances modify the local environment of the oral cavity, increase the accumulation of dental plaque, and affect the condition of the gingiva. The aim of this study is assessment of Brazilian propolis toothpaste's effect on plaque index (PLI) and gingival index (GI) in patients with CL/CLP treated using orthodontic appliances in the 35-day study period. The study population included 96 patients of an Orthodontic Outpatient Clinic, ACSiMS in Bytom. All the patients participated in the active phase of orthodontic treatment using buccal multibracket appliances or removable appliances. During the first examination, each patient was randomly qualified to the propolis group or control group. A statistically significant decrease in GI and PLI in the entire propolis group (P < 0.01) was shown during repeated examination. Insignificant change in GI was in the entire control group during the repeated examination compared to the baseline. Similar result was obtained in patients treated with multibracket and removable appliances. The orthodontic appliance type did not affect the final dental plaque amount and gingival condition in patients using the propolis toothpaste. These results may be clinically useful to improve prevention and control oral infectious diseases during orthodontic treatment patients with oral cleft. PMID:27672397

Perceptions of High School Biology Teachers in Christian Schools on Relationships between Religious Beliefs and Teaching Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangahas, Ana Marie E.

2017-01-01

This mixed method study explored Christian teachers' beliefs in religious schools on evolution, their attitudes toward evolution, and their perceptions on the effect of those beliefs on the teaching of evolutionary content. Teachers (N = 52) from Association for Christian Schools International (ACSI) accredited schools in California and Hawaii…

Development and Validation of the ACSI: Measuring Students' Science Attitudes, Pro-Environmental Behaviour, Climate Change Attitudes and Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dijkstra, E. M.; Goedhart, M. J.

2012-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Attitudes towards Climate Change and Science Instrument. This 63-item questionnaire measures students' pro-environmental behaviour, their climate change knowledge and their attitudes towards school science, societal implications of science, scientists, a career in science and the urgency…

The Order of Importance of Component Parts of the Biblical Worldview in Christian High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Meter, Kenneth G.

2009-01-01

This micro-ethnographic study is an exploration of the relative degree of importance of the several components of a worldview as articulated by a purposive sample of fourteen upper division students currently enrolled in advance placement classes in ACSI and WASC accredited Christian high schools in Northern California. The research design uses an…

An Investigation of the Factors That Motivate K-12 Christian School Teachers to Participate in Professional Development and the Relationship to Job Satisfaction and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Bonita Wingfield

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to advance knowledge by examining the reasons that motivate teachers to participate in professional development and the relationship to teacher job satisfaction and retention in Christian-based K-12 Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) member schools. The study contributes to the literature in the field…

An Argument for the Use of Biometrics to Prevent Terrorist Access to the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-06

that they are who they claim to be. Remote methods such as facial recognition do not rely on interaction with the individual, and can be used with or...quickly, although there is a relatively high error rate. Acsys Biometric Systems, a leader in facial recognition , reports their best system has only a...change their appearance. The facial recognition system also presents a privacy concern in the minds of many individuals. By remotely scanning without an

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Massive star forming molecular clumps Tkin (Tang+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, X. D.; Henkel, C.; Menten, K. M.; Zheng, X. W.; Esimbek, J.; Zhou, J. J.; Yeh, C. C.; Konig, C.; Yuan, Y.; He, Y. X.; Li, D. L.

2016-10-01

We have selected 30 massive clumps of the Galactic disk at various stages of high-mass star formation and with strong NH3 emission from the ATLASGAL survey (see Table 1). Our observations were carried out in 2015 April, July, and October with the 15m James Clerk Maxwell Telescope telescope (JCMT) on Mauna Kea. The beam size is ~23" and the main-beam efficiency is {eta}mb=Ta*/Tmb~=0.7 at 218GHz. The para-H2CO JKAKC =303-202, 322-221, and 321-220 transitions have rest frequencies of 218.222, 218.475, and 218.760GHz, respectively, which are measured simultaneously by employing the ACSIS digital autocorrelation spectrometer with the special backend configuration RxAH2CO250x3 allowing for three windows, each with a bandwidth of 250MHz. This provides a velocity resolution of 0.084km/s for para-H2CO (303-202 and 322-221) and 0.042km/s for para-H2CO (321-220); CH3OH (422-312) at 218.440GHz is also observed together with para-H2CO (322-221). (6 data files).

Hardware independence checkout software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cameron, Barry W.; Helbig, H. R.

1990-01-01

ACSI has developed a program utilizing CLIPS to assess compliance with various programming standards. Essentially the program parses C code to extract the names of all function calls. These are asserted as CLIPS facts which also include information about line numbers, source file names, and called functions. Rules have been devised to establish functions called that have not been defined in any of the source parsed. These are compared against lists of standards (represented as facts) using rules that check intersections and/or unions of these. By piping the output into other processes the source is appropriately commented by generating and executing parsed scripts.

NASA's EOSDIS, Trust and Certification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H. K.

2017-01-01

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been in operation since August 1994, managing most of NASA's Earth science data from satellites, airborne sensors, filed campaigns and other activities. Having been designated by the Federal Government as a project responsible for production, archiving and distribution of these data through its Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs), the Earth Science Data and Information System Project (ESDIS) is responsible for EOSDIS, and is legally bound by the Office of Management and Budgets circular A-130, the Federal Records Act. It must follow the regulations of the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) and National Archive and Records Administration (NARA). It must also follow the NASA Procedural Requirement 7120.5 (NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management). All these ensure that the data centers managed by ESDIS are trustworthy from the point of view of efficient and effective operations as well as preservation of valuable data from NASA's missions. Additional factors contributing to this trust are an extensive set of internal and external reviews throughout the history of EOSDIS starting in the early 1990s. Many of these reviews have involved external groups of scientific and technological experts. Also, independent annual surveys of user satisfaction that measure and publish the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), where EOSDIS has scored consistently high marks since 2004, provide an additional measure of trustworthiness. In addition, through an effort initiated in 2012 at the request of NASA HQ, the ESDIS Project and 10 of 12 DAACs have been certified by the International Council for Science (ICSU) World Data System (WDS) and are members of the ICSUWDS. This presentation addresses questions such as pros and cons of the certification process, key outcomes and next steps regarding certification. Recently, the ICSUWDS and Data Seal of Approval (DSA) organizations merged their Core Trustworthy Data Repositories Requirements and require that members be recertified every three years. Given the rigor with which NASA manages the ESDIS Project and the DAACs, the recertification through WDSDSA, while involving some additional work, is a relatively simple process.

Outcomes of Patients Presenting With Clinical Indices of Spontaneous Reperfusion in ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Deferred Angiography.

PubMed

Fefer, Paul; Beigel, Roy; Atar, Shaul; Aronson, Doron; Pollak, Arthur; Zahger, Doron; Asher, Elad; Iakobishvili, Zaza; Shlomo, Nir; Alcalai, Ronny; Einhorn-Cohen, Michal; Segev, Amit; Goldenberg, Ilan; Matetzky, Shlomi

2017-07-25

Few data are available regarding the optimal management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients with clinically defined spontaneous reperfusion (SR). We report on the characteristics and outcomes of patients with SR in the primary percutaneous coronary intervention era, and assess whether immediate reperfusion can be deferred. Data were drawn from a prospective nationwide survey, ACSIS (Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey). Definition of SR was predefined as both (1) ≥70% reduction in ST-segment elevation on consecutive ECGs and (2) ≥70% resolution of pain. Of 2361 consecutive ST-elevation-acute coronary syndrome patients in Killip class 1, 405 (17%) were not treated with primary reperfusion therapy because of SR. Intervention in SR patients was performed a median of 26 hours after admission. These patients were compared with the 1956 ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients who underwent primary reperfusion with a median door-to-balloon of 66 minutes (interquartile range 38-106). Baseline characteristics were similar except for slightly higher incidence of renal dysfunction and prior angina pectoris in SR patients. Time from symptom onset to medical contact was significantly greater in SR patients. Patients with SR had significantly less in-hospital heart failure (4% versus 11%) and cardiogenic shock (0% versus 2%) ( P <0.01 for all). No significant differences were found in in-hospital mortality (1% versus 2%), 30-day major cardiac events (4% versus 4%), and mortality at 30 days (1% versus 2%) and 1 year (4% versus 4%). Patients with clinically defined SR have a favorable prognosis. Deferring immediate intervention seems to be safe in patients with clinical indices of spontaneous reperfusion. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Machine learning for prediction of 30-day mortality after ST elevation myocardial infraction: An Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey data mining study.

PubMed

Shouval, Roni; Hadanny, Amir; Shlomo, Nir; Iakobishvili, Zaza; Unger, Ron; Zahger, Doron; Alcalai, Ronny; Atar, Shaul; Gottlieb, Shmuel; Matetzky, Shlomi; Goldenberg, Ilan; Beigel, Roy

2017-11-01

Risk scores for prediction of mortality 30-days following a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have been developed using a conventional statistical approach. To evaluate an array of machine learning (ML) algorithms for prediction of mortality at 30-days in STEMI patients and to compare these to the conventional validated risk scores. This was a retrospective, supervised learning, data mining study. Out of a cohort of 13,422 patients from the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey (ACSIS) registry, 2782 patients fulfilled inclusion criteria and 54 variables were considered. Prediction models for overall mortality 30days after STEMI were developed using 6 ML algorithms. Models were compared to each other and to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) scores. Depending on the algorithm, using all available variables, prediction models' performance measured in an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranged from 0.64 to 0.91. The best models performed similarly to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score (0.87 SD 0.06) and outperformed the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score (0.82 SD 0.06, p<0.05). Performance of most algorithms plateaued when introduced with 15 variables. Among the top predictors were creatinine, Killip class on admission, blood pressure, glucose level, and age. We present a data mining approach for prediction of mortality post-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The algorithms selected showed competence in prediction across an increasing number of variables. ML may be used for outcome prediction in complex cardiology settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparing systems engineering and computing science students in disciplined methods, quantitative, and advanced statistical techniques to improve process performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCray, Wilmon Wil L., Jr.

The research was prompted by a need to conduct a study that assesses process improvement, quality management and analytical techniques taught to students in U.S. colleges and universities undergraduate and graduate systems engineering and the computing science discipline (e.g., software engineering, computer science, and information technology) degree programs during their academic training that can be applied to quantitatively manage processes for performance. Everyone involved in executing repeatable processes in the software and systems development lifecycle processes needs to become familiar with the concepts of quantitative management, statistical thinking, process improvement methods and how they relate to process-performance. Organizations are starting to embrace the de facto Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI RTM) Models as process improvement frameworks to improve business processes performance. High maturity process areas in the CMMI model imply the use of analytical, statistical, quantitative management techniques, and process performance modeling to identify and eliminate sources of variation, continually improve process-performance; reduce cost and predict future outcomes. The research study identifies and provides a detail discussion of the gap analysis findings of process improvement and quantitative analysis techniques taught in U.S. universities systems engineering and computing science degree programs, gaps that exist in the literature, and a comparison analysis which identifies the gaps that exist between the SEI's "healthy ingredients " of a process performance model and courses taught in U.S. universities degree program. The research also heightens awareness that academicians have conducted little research on applicable statistics and quantitative techniques that can be used to demonstrate high maturity as implied in the CMMI models. The research also includes a Monte Carlo simulation optimization model and dashboard that demonstrates the use of statistical methods, statistical process control, sensitivity analysis, quantitative and optimization techniques to establish a baseline and predict future customer satisfaction index scores (outcomes). The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) model and industry benchmarks were used as a framework for the simulation model.

5 CFR 591.224 - How does OPM adjust price indexes between surveys?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... price indexes between the triennial surveys in each COLA area that is not surveyed in that year. To do this, OPM uses the annual or biennial change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the COLA area... Islands, OPM will adjust as warranted the price indexes and COLA rates for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin...

5 CFR 591.224 - How does OPM adjust price indexes between surveys?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... price indexes between the triennial surveys in each COLA area that is not surveyed in that year. To do this, OPM uses the annual or biennial change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the COLA area... Islands, OPM will adjust as warranted the price indexes and COLA rates for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin...

5 CFR 591.224 - How does OPM adjust price indexes between surveys?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... price indexes between the triennial surveys in each COLA area that is not surveyed in that year. To do this, OPM uses the annual or biennial change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the COLA area... Islands, OPM will adjust as warranted the price indexes and COLA rates for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin...

5 CFR 591.224 - How does OPM adjust price indexes between surveys?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... price indexes between the triennial surveys in each COLA area that is not surveyed in that year. To do this, OPM uses the annual or biennial change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the COLA area... Islands, OPM will adjust as warranted the price indexes and COLA rates for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin...

5 CFR 591.224 - How does OPM adjust price indexes between surveys?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... price indexes between the triennial surveys in each COLA area that is not surveyed in that year. To do this, OPM uses the annual or biennial change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the COLA area... Islands, OPM will adjust as warranted the price indexes and COLA rates for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin...

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Jame Clerk Maxwell Telescope Science Archive (CADC, 2003)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canadian Astronomy Data, Centre

2018-01-01

The JCMT Science Archive (JSA), a collaboration between the CADC and EOA, is the official distribution site for observational data obtained with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The JSA search interface is provided by the CADC Search tool, which provides generic access to the complete set of telescopic data archived at the CADC. Help on the use of this tool is provided via tooltips. For additional information on instrument capabilities and data reduction, please consult the SCUBA-2 and ACSIS instrument pages provided on the JAC maintained JCMT pages. JCMT-specific help related to the use of the CADC AdvancedSearch tool is available from the JAC. (1 data file).

U.S. Geological Survey Near Real-Time Dst Index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, J.L.; Love, J.J.; Friberg, P.A.; Stewart, D.C.; Lisowski, S.W.

2011-01-01

The operational version of the United States Geological Survey one-minute Dst index (a global geomagnetic disturbance-intensity index for scientific studies and definition of space-weather effects) uses either four- or three-station input (including Honolulu, Hawaii; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Hermanus, South Africa; and Kakioka, Japan; or Honolulu, San Juan and Guam) and a method based on the U.S. Geological Survey definitive Dst index, in which Dst is more rigorously calculated. The method uses a combination of time-domain techniques and frequency-space filtering to produce the disturbance time series at an individual observatory. The operational output is compared to the U.S. Geological Survey one-minute Dst index (definitive version) and to the Kyoto (Japan) Final Dst to show that the U.S. Geological Survey operational output matches both definitive indices well.

76 FR 61136 - Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection Request: Commercial Driver...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-03

...,'' submissions; 75 minutes for paper and 70 minutes for electronic Driver Survey and Job Descriptive Index from... paper Driver Survey and Job Descriptive Index x 75 minutes per driver / 60 minutes + 200 CMV drivers completing paper Driver Survey and Job Descriptive Index x 70 minutes per driver / 60 minutes = 26,466 hours...

77 FR 15182 - Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection Request: Commercial Driver...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-14

... Descriptive Index from the Follow-Up Survey submission; and 10 minutes for the Form MCSA-5865, ``Fleet... + 800 CMV drivers completing paper Driver Survey and Job Descriptive Index x 75 minutes per driver/ 60 minutes + 200 CMV drivers completing paper Driver Survey and Job Descriptive Index x 70 minutes per driver...

[Simplified indicator of socioeconomic status in short surveys: a proposal based on assets and services].

PubMed

Díaz-Acosta, Rodrigo; Shiba-Matsumoto, Andrey Ryo; Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo

2015-01-01

To develop a socioeconomic index for brief surveys that allows a classification in relation to a reference population with a parsimonious approach. A socioeconomic index was created using assets and use of services indicators to predict income level within a national representative survey of income (ENIGH, National Survey of Households Income and Expenditures) and then tested with data from a survey among key populations (men who have sex with men/transvestite, transgender, transsexual/female sex workers) and compared to an already published indicator. The concordance for quintiles 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 between the two indexes were 94, 94, 82, 83, and 89%, respectively. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was 0.85. The proposed parsimonious index captures the socioeconomic level heterogeneity in the MSM/TTT/FSW survey. The use of this index is suggested for short surveys because of the next advantages: a) it uses dichotomic variables; b) the variables used do not imply the fulfillment of any statistical assumption; c) it is easily calculated; d) it can be used for comparing groups.

A State-Of-The-Art Survey on Automatic Indexing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebesny, Felix

This survey covers the literature relating to automatic indexing techniques, services, and applications published during 1969-1973. Works are summarized and described in the areas of: (1) general papers on automatic indexing; (2) KWIC indexes; (3) KWIC variants listed alphabetically by acronym with descriptions; (4) other KWIC variants arranged by…

Implementation of a partitioned algorithm for simulation of large CSI problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvin, Kenneth F.; Park, K. C.

1991-01-01

The implementation of a partitioned numerical algorithm for determining the dynamic response of coupled structure/controller/estimator finite-dimensional systems is reviewed. The partitioned approach leads to a set of coupled first and second-order linear differential equations which are numerically integrated with extrapolation and implicit step methods. The present software implementation, ACSIS, utilizes parallel processing techniques at various levels to optimize performance on a shared-memory concurrent/vector processing system. A general procedure for the design of controller and filter gains is also implemented, which utilizes the vibration characteristics of the structure to be solved. Also presented are: example problems; a user's guide to the software; the procedures and algorithm scripts; a stability analysis for the algorithm; and the source code for the parallel implementation.

ASTRONAUTICS INFORMATION. OPEN LITERATURE SURVEY, VOL. III, NO. 5, ENTRIES 30,845-31,145

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

Carringer, E.M.; Hoppe, M.G.; Nichols, B.H. comps.

1961-05-01

An open literature survey dealing with astronautics covering the period of May, 1961 is presented. Three hundred references with abstracts are listed. An index of periodicals, an author index, and a subject index are included. (M.C.G.)

77 FR 76303 - Notice of Availability of Producer Price Index (PPI) Data Users Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-27

... conducted a survey of PPI data users in late 1976 through early 1977. Since that time, numerous new time series data have been introduced with the goal of fulfilling the needs of data users. This survey will... series, and identify areas for future expansion. DATES: The Producer Price Index (PPI) user survey will...

77 FR 59013 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-25

... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer Price Index Housing Survey ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... request (ICR) titled, ``Consumer Price Index Housing Survey,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB...)(D). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change...

Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO) Schwaebisch Hall AAF, DL

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-17

TOTAL NUMSE3 YF OSERYATIONS4 USAFETAC 0-85 (OL-AI ,O Nivowrano ef lAS OM AMt cosmf G;L(3ohL C’LTl 2 "iC %1sAFPT C SURFACE WINDS AIR -ET!ER S PERCENTAGE...78 _ V_ on rm StATW NAM TUBS .’" ALL A-"H CIASS NIa ( LA T.) SPEED 1i I i MEAN ENTS) I! 1.3 4.6 7.10 1.16 17-21 22-27 28-31 .4-40 Al .47 48 55 ? :56...Il 2.4 W mw_ -- I* . Es _ _ _i n - ___; - 4 jSFTA 0I -- La Ic.-’ Mvw m.- i kb~ !ULA Hua6fOUMAI4 QSFTC 0’ ~.)PvWSOh401~ m aCSI El (,i U Ir i5 IJSAFCTA

76 FR 32226 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Producer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-03

... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Producer Price Index Survey ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department... request (ICR) titled, ``Producer Price Index Survey,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for... number) or by e-mail at [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Producer Price Index (PPI...

Index of time-of-travel studies of the US Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boning, Charles W.

1973-01-01

This index identifies locations on streams where the U. S. Geological Survey has investigated the time of travel of a highly soluble material moving through a reach of stream channel. This index provides information only on the location of studied stream reaches; it contains no basic data. It does contain, however, a list of references to published data and analytical reports on time of travel and a list of U.S. Geological Survey offices where basic time-of-travel data are on file.

Density estimation in wildlife surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, Jonathan; Droege, Sam; Geissler, Paul E.; Peterjohn, Bruce G.; Ralph, C. John

2004-01-01

Several authors have recently discussed the problems with using index methods to estimate trends in population size. Some have expressed the view that index methods should virtually never be used. Others have responded by defending index methods and questioning whether better alternatives exist. We suggest that index methods are often a cost-effective component of valid wildlife monitoring but that double-sampling or another procedure that corrects for bias or establishes bounds on bias is essential. The common assertion that index methods require constant detection rates for trend estimation is mathematically incorrect; the requirement is no long-term trend in detection "ratios" (index result/parameter of interest), a requirement that is probably approximately met by many well-designed index surveys. We urge that more attention be given to defining bird density rigorously and in ways useful to managers. Once this is done, 4 sources of bias in density estimates may be distinguished: coverage, closure, surplus birds, and detection rates. Distance, double-observer, and removal methods do not reduce bias due to coverage, closure, or surplus birds. These methods may yield unbiased estimates of the number of birds present at the time of the survey, but only if their required assumptions are met, which we doubt occurs very often in practice. Double-sampling, in contrast, produces unbiased density estimates if the plots are randomly selected and estimates on the intensive surveys are unbiased. More work is needed, however, to determine the feasibility of double-sampling in different populations and habitats. We believe the tension that has developed over appropriate survey methods can best be resolved through increased appreciation of the mathematical aspects of indices, especially the effects of bias, and through studies in which candidate methods are evaluated against known numbers determined through intensive surveys.

Designing community surveys to provide a basis for noise policy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.

1980-01-01

After examining reports from a large number of social surveys, two areas were identified where methodological improvements in the surveys would be especially useful for public policy. The two study areas are: the definition of noise indexes and the assessment of noise impact. Improvements in the designs of surveys are recommended which would increase the validity and reliability of the noise indexes. Changes in interview questions and sample designs are proposed which would enable surveys to provide measures of noise impact which are directly relevant for public policy.

Incidence and Clinical Features of Early Stent Thrombosis in the Era of New P2y12 Inhibitors (PLATIS-2)

PubMed Central

Asher, Elad; Abu-Much, Arsalan; Goldenberg, Ilan; Segev, Amit; Sabbag, Avi; Mazin, Israel; Shlezinger, Meital; Atar, Shaul; Zahger, Doron; Polak, Arthur; Beigel, Roy; Matetzky, Shlomi

2016-01-01

Early stent thrombosis (EST) (≤ 30 days after stent implantation) is a relatively rare but deleterious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Administration of newer P2Y12 inhibitors (prasugrel and ticagrelor) combined with aspirin has been shown to reduce the incidence of sub-acute and late stent thrombosis, compared with clopidogrel. We investigated the “real life” incidence of EST in patients from a large acute coronary syndrome (ACS) national registry, where newer P2Y12 inhibitors are widely used. Patients were derived from the ACS Israeli Survey (ACSIS), conducted during 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 30days were defined as all-cause death, recurrent ACS, EST and stroke.Of the 4717 ACS patients who underwent PCI and stenting, 83% received clopidogrel and 17% newer P2Y12 inhibitors. The rate of EST was similar in both groups (1.7% in the newer P2Y12 inhibitor group vs. 1.4% in the clopidogrel-treated patients, p = 0.42). Results were consistent after multivariate analysis (adjusted HR = 1.06 [p = 0.89]). MACE occurred in 6.4% in the newer P2Y12 inhibitor group compared with 9.2% in the clopidogrel group (P<0.01). However, multivariate logistic regression modeling showed that treatment with newer P2Y12 inhibitors was not significantly associated with the secondary endpoint of MACE when compared with clopidogrel therapy [OR = 1.26 95%CI (0.93–1.73), P = 0.136]. The incidence of "real life" EST at 1month is relatively low, and appears to be similar in patients who receive newer P2Y12 inhibitors as well as in those who receive clopidogrel. PMID:27310147

Incidence and Clinical Features of Early Stent Thrombosis in the Era of New P2y12 Inhibitors (PLATIS-2).

PubMed

Asher, Elad; Abu-Much, Arsalan; Goldenberg, Ilan; Segev, Amit; Sabbag, Avi; Mazin, Israel; Shlezinger, Meital; Atar, Shaul; Zahger, Doron; Polak, Arthur; Beigel, Roy; Matetzky, Shlomi

2016-01-01

Early stent thrombosis (EST) (≤ 30 days after stent implantation) is a relatively rare but deleterious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Administration of newer P2Y12 inhibitors (prasugrel and ticagrelor) combined with aspirin has been shown to reduce the incidence of sub-acute and late stent thrombosis, compared with clopidogrel. We investigated the "real life" incidence of EST in patients from a large acute coronary syndrome (ACS) national registry, where newer P2Y12 inhibitors are widely used. Patients were derived from the ACS Israeli Survey (ACSIS), conducted during 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 30days were defined as all-cause death, recurrent ACS, EST and stroke.Of the 4717 ACS patients who underwent PCI and stenting, 83% received clopidogrel and 17% newer P2Y12 inhibitors. The rate of EST was similar in both groups (1.7% in the newer P2Y12 inhibitor group vs. 1.4% in the clopidogrel-treated patients, p = 0.42). Results were consistent after multivariate analysis (adjusted HR = 1.06 [p = 0.89]). MACE occurred in 6.4% in the newer P2Y12 inhibitor group compared with 9.2% in the clopidogrel group (P<0.01). However, multivariate logistic regression modeling showed that treatment with newer P2Y12 inhibitors was not significantly associated with the secondary endpoint of MACE when compared with clopidogrel therapy [OR = 1.26 95%CI (0.93-1.73), P = 0.136]. The incidence of "real life" EST at 1month is relatively low, and appears to be similar in patients who receive newer P2Y12 inhibitors as well as in those who receive clopidogrel.

[Comparison of reproducibility measurements for calibration of dental caries epidemiological surveys].

PubMed

Assaf, Andréa Videira; Zanin, Luciane; Meneghim, Marcelo de Castro; Pereira, Antonio Carlos; Ambrosano, Gláucia Maria Bovi

2006-09-01

This study compares three measurements (Kappa, general agreement percentage, or GAP, and dice index) used to determine the reproducibility of caries diagnosis in epidemiological surveys under different clinical diagnostic thresholds. Eleven examiners with previous experience in epidemiological surveys were submitted to a theoretical and clinical calibration process. Data analysis used two caries detection thresholds: World Health Organization (WHO) and WHO with the inclusion of initial enamel lesions (WHO + IL). Twenty-three children 6-7 years of age were examined, with and without caries. Mean values for Kappa index, GAP, and Dice were considered high (> 0.90), except for the dice index for the WHO + IL threshold (0.69). Since Kappa is an adjusted agreement index, it can be considered the instrument of choice for calibration of examiners. However, when it is impossible to use, the GAP is recommended together with the dice index in order to orient and improve examiners when examining caries lesions.

Quality and customer satisfaction: A case study in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barcellos, Paulo Fernando Pinto

The dissertation deals with the case of CEEE-Companhia Estadual de Energia Eletrica, an electric power utility located in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Customer satisfaction with the services provided by CEEE is investigated within three groups of consumers: residential, commercial, and industrial. The purpose of the dissertation is to find answers to the following research questions: (1) What is service quality in public utilities, and particularly in an electric power company? (2) What service quality dimensions do customers want to be provided and favor the most? (3) How does the market measure service quality? (4) What should be done by companies, and particularly by an electric utility monopoly, to increase the performance of the rendered service? (5) How does this impact customer satisfaction, retention, and intention to recommend? and (6) How do we start a company-wide quality program provided that the resources are scarce and therefore priorities should be set forth? To investigate the posed questions, the study begins with an exploratory survey of CEEE's Board. The survey is followed by qualitative research of the three customer groups. After qualitative analysis of the data is concluded, questionnaires for the quantitative research, as well as hypothetical models, are developed. Dillman's "Total Design Method" is used to design the questionnaires. The basic ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Model) is used to approach customer satisfaction. Data are processed by PLS (Partial Least Squares) which follows the procedure developed at the National Quality Research Center of the University of Michigan Business School. In summary, commercial customers are the most dissatisfied with the services provided by CEEE, while residential customers are the most satisfied. To improve quality, priority should be placed on commercial customers and include efforts to improve productivity gains throughout the company. Also, CEEE's image should be improved through a better communication process with the market and an intensive and extensive training of personnel. A special marketing campaign could help build a better image by explaining CEEE's goals to improve quality. Finally, a bottom line of satisfaction scores (as quality indicators) should be set for the entire company.

The SWPER index for women's empowerment in Africa: development and validation of an index based on survey data.

PubMed

Ewerling, Fernanda; Lynch, John W; Victora, Cesar G; van Eerdewijk, Anouka; Tyszler, Marcelo; Barros, Aluisio J D

2017-09-01

The Sustainable Development Goals strongly focus on equity. Goal 5 explicitly aims to empower all women and girls, reinforcing the need to have a reliable indicator to track progress. Our objective was to develop a novel women's empowerment indicator from widely available data sources, broadening opportunities for monitoring and research on women's empowerment. We used Demographic and Health Survey data from 34 African countries, targeting currently partnered women. We identified items related to women's empowerment present in most surveys, and used principal component analysis to extract the components. We carried out a convergent validation process using coverage of three health interventions as outcomes; and an external validation process by analysing correlations with the Gender Development Index. 15 items related to women's empowerment were selected. We retained three components (50% of total variation) which, after rotation, were identified as three dimensions of empowerment: attitude to violence, social independence, and decision making. All dimensions had moderate to high correlation with the Gender Development Index. Social independence was associated with higher coverage of maternal and child interventions; attitude to violence and decision making were more consistently associated with the use of modern contraception. The index, named Survey-based Women's emPowERment index (SWPER), has potential to widen the research on women's empowerment and to give a better estimate of its effect on health interventions and outcomes. It allows within-country and between-country comparison, as well as time trend analysis, which no other survey-based index provides. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

High temporal, geographic, and income variation in body mass index among adults in Brazil.

PubMed Central

Sichieri, R; Coitinho, D C; Leão, M M; Recine, E; Everhart, J E

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVES. Population-based data on body mass index for developing countries are scarce. Body mass index data from two Brazilian surveys were examined to determine regional and temporal variations in the prevalences of underweight, overweight, and obesity. METHODS. Nationwide surveys in 1974/75 and 1989 collected anthropometric data in Brazil from 55,000 and 14,455 households, respectively. Trained interviewers used the same methods to measure weight and stature in both surveys, and survey designs were identical. Prevalences of underweight, overweight, and obesity were determined for persons 18 years of age and older. RESULTS. In the 1989 survey, body mass index varied greatly according to region of the country, urbanization, and income. In the wealthier South, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was the highest and the prevalence of underweight was the lowest; in the poorer rural Northeast, these patterns were reversed. For both surveys, overweight/obesity was more common among women than among men and peaked at age 45 to 64 years in both sexes. Over the 15 years between surveys, the prevalence of both overweight and obesity increased strikingly. CONCLUSIONS. In contrast to findings in developed countries, obesity in Brazil was positively associated with income and was much more prevalent among women than among men. For Brazilian women, the overall prevalence of overweight was nearly as high as that among women in the United States. PMID:8179051

Equity trends in ownership of insecticide-treated nets in 19 sub-Saharan African countries.

PubMed

Taylor, Cameron; Florey, Lia; Ye, Yazoume

2017-05-01

To examine the change in equity of insecticide-treated net (ITN) ownership among 19 malaria-endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa before and after the launch of the Cover The Bed Net Gap initiative. To assess change in equity in ownership of at least one ITN by households from different wealth quintiles, we used data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Malaria Indicator Surveys. We assigned surveys conducted before the launch (2003-2008) as baseline surveys and surveys conducted between 2009-2014 as endpoint surveys. We did country-level and pooled multicountry analyses. Pooled analyses based on malaria transmission risk, were done by dividing geographical zones into either low- and intermediate-risk or high-risk. To assess changes in equity, we calculated the Lorenz concentration curve and concentration index (C-index). Out of the 19 countries we assessed, 13 countries showed improved equity between baseline and endpoint surveys and two countries showed no changes. Four countries displayed worsened equity, two favouring the poorer households and two favouring the richer. The multicountry pooled analysis showed an improvement in equity (baseline survey C-index: 0.11; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.10 to 0.11; and endpoint survey C-index: 0.00; 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.00). Similar trends were seen in both low- and intermediate-risk and high-risk zones. The mass ITN distribution campaigns to increase coverage, linked to the launch of the Cover The Bed Net Gap initiative, have led to improvement in coverage of ITN ownership across sub-Saharan Africa with significant reduction in inequity among wealth quintiles.

USE OF ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEEDS INDICES FOR ORAL HEALTH SURVEY.

PubMed

Nakas, Enita; Tiro, Alisa; Vrazalica, Lejla Redzepagic; Hadzihasanovic, Dzana; Dzemidzic, Vildana

2016-04-01

The aim of our study is to compare incidence of orthodontic malocclusion based on occlusal indices and Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), and to evaluate the most commonly used method among the dentists for orthodontic treatment in Sarajevo. The sample consisted of 110 (31 female and 79 male)subjects older than 16 years with complete permanent dentition. Subjects were examined according to Occlusal Index (Angle classification of malocclusion, overjet, overbite, dental arch crowding and tooth rotation) and IOTN index. We conduct survey regarding which indexes are used in deciding on orthodontic treatment need, among primary health care and Orthodontist. The present study show differences between the presence of malocclusion and treatment need as assessed by these two used indices. Based on the survey that we conduct all primary health care doctors use Occlusal Index to decide need for orthodontic treatment, more than 95% of orthodontic specialist use Occlusal Index for treatment need estimation. When measuring and grading treatment needs we should rely on Index of orthodontic treatment need. In such high demand for orthodontic treatment need it is necessary to establish need for the orthodontic treatment as fundamental, so that individuals with greatest treatment need can be assigned priority.

Critical Analysis of Forest Degradation in the Southern Eastern Ghats of India: Comparison of Satellite Imagery and Soil Quality Index

PubMed Central

Ramachandran, Andimuthu; Radhapriya, Parthasarathy; Jayakumar, Shanmuganathan; Dhanya, Praveen; Geetha, Rajadurai

2016-01-01

India has one of the largest assemblages of tropical biodiversity, with its unique floristic composition of endemic species. However, current forest cover assessment is performed via satellite-based forest surveys, which have many limitations. The present study, which was performed in the Eastern Ghats, analysed the satellite-based inventory provided by forest surveys and inferred from the results that this process no longer provides adequate information for quantifying forest degradation in an empirical manner. The study analysed 21 soil properties and generated a forest soil quality index of the Eastern Ghats, using principal component analysis. Using matrix modules and geospatial technology, we compared the forest degradation status calculated from satellite-based forest surveys with the degradation status calculated from the forest soil quality index. The Forest Survey of India classified about 1.8% of the Eastern Ghats’ total area as degraded forests and the remainder (98.2%) as open, dense, and very dense forests, whereas the soil quality index results found that about 42.4% of the total area is degraded, with the remainder (57.6%) being non-degraded. Our ground truth verification analyses indicate that the forest soil quality index along with the forest cover density data from the Forest Survey of India are ideal tools for evaluating forest degradation. PMID:26812397

Methodologies for Crawler Based Web Surveys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thelwall, Mike

2002-01-01

Describes Web survey methodologies used to study the content of the Web, and discusses search engines and the concept of crawling the Web. Highlights include Web page selection methodologies; obstacles to reliable automatic indexing of Web sites; publicly indexable pages; crawling parameters; and tests for file duplication. (Contains 62…

Anthropogenic sedimentation in Pacific Northwest streams inferred from Aquatic Habitat Survey datausing a relative bed stability index

EPA Science Inventory

We evaluated anthropogenic sedimentation in U.S. Pacific Northwest coastal streams using an index of relative bed stability (LRBS*) based on low flow survey data collected using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) fiel...

Equity trends in ownership of insecticide-treated nets in 19 sub-Saharan African countries

PubMed Central

Florey, Lia; Ye, Yazoume

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine the change in equity of insecticide-treated net (ITN) ownership among 19 malaria-endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa before and after the launch of the Cover The Bed Net Gap initiative. Methods To assess change in equity in ownership of at least one ITN by households from different wealth quintiles, we used data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Malaria Indicator Surveys. We assigned surveys conducted before the launch (2003–2008) as baseline surveys and surveys conducted between 2009–2014 as endpoint surveys. We did country-level and pooled multicountry analyses. Pooled analyses based on malaria transmission risk, were done by dividing geographical zones into either low- and intermediate-risk or high-risk. To assess changes in equity, we calculated the Lorenz concentration curve and concentration index (C-index). Findings Out of the 19 countries we assessed, 13 countries showed improved equity between baseline and endpoint surveys and two countries showed no changes. Four countries displayed worsened equity, two favouring the poorer households and two favouring the richer. The multicountry pooled analysis showed an improvement in equity (baseline survey C-index: 0.11; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.10 to 0.11; and endpoint survey C-index: 0.00; 95% CI: −0.01 to 0.00). Similar trends were seen in both low- and intermediate-risk and high-risk zones. Conclusion The mass ITN distribution campaigns to increase coverage, linked to the launch of the Cover The Bed Net Gap initiative, have led to improvement in coverage of ITN ownership across sub-Saharan Africa with significant reduction in inequity among wealth quintiles. PMID:28479633

Association between an individual housing-based socioeconomic index and inconsistent self-reporting of health conditions: a prospective cohort study in the Mayo Clinic Biobank.

PubMed

Ryu, Euijung; Olson, Janet E; Juhn, Young J; Hathcock, Matthew A; Wi, Chung-Il; Cerhan, James R; Yost, Kathleen J; Takahashi, Paul Y

2018-05-14

Using surveys to collect self-reported information on health and disease is commonly used in clinical practice and epidemiological research. However, the inconsistency of self-reported information collected longitudinally in repeated surveys is not well investigated. We aimed to investigate whether a socioeconomic status based on current housing characteristics, HOUsing-based SocioEconomic Status (HOUSES) index linking current address information to real estate property data, is associated with inconsistent self-reporting. We performed a prospective cohort study using the Mayo Clinic Biobank (MCB) participants who resided in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, at the time of enrolment between 2009 and 2013, and were invited for a 4-year follow-up survey (n=11 717). Using repeated survey data collected at the baseline and 4 years later, the primary outcome was the inconsistency in survey results when reporting prevalent diseases, defined by reporting to have 'ever' been diagnosed with a given disease in the baseline survey but reported 'never' in the follow-up survey. Secondary outcome was the response rate for the 4-year follow-up survey. Among the MCB participants invited for the 4-year follow-up survey, 8508/11 717 (73%) responded to the survey. Forty-three per cent had at least one inconsistent self-reported disease. Lower HOUSES was associated with higher inconsistency rates, and the association remained significant after pertinent characteristics such as age and perceived general health (OR=1.46; 95% CI 1.17 to 1.84 for the lowest compared with the highest HOUSES decile). HOUSES was also associated with lower response rate for the follow-up survey (56% vs 77% for the lowest vs the highest HOUSES decile). This study demonstrates the importance of using the HOUSES index that reflects current SES when using self-reporting through repeated surveys, as the HOUSES index at baseline survey was inversely associated with inconsistent self-report and the response rate for the follow-up survey. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Descriptive catalogue of photographs of North American Indians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayden, Ferdinand Vandeveer; Jackson, W.H.

1877-01-01

Miscellaneous Publications of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories is comprised of No. 1-12, some with multiple editions.  Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden is the United States geologist in charge of this series.  Other contributors: United States Army.  List of publications, with contents of each, and author and subject index may be found in "Catalogue and index of the publications of the Hayden, King, Powell, and Wheeler surveys" by L.F. Schmeckebier. 1904. (U.S. Geological Survey. Bulletin no. 222).

Survey of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. Bulletin, 1930, No. 9. Volume II. [Part VII - Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Education, United States Department of the Interior, 1930

1930-01-01

The attached document covers the concluding sections of the second volume of the Survey of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities: Part VII through the index. Part VII, Extension services, is divided into the following sections: (1) Introduction; (2) Position and objectives of Smith-Lever cooperative extension; (3) Administrative organization of…

Socio-Economic Indexes in Surveys for Comparisons between Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batista-Foguet, J. M.; Fortiana, J.; Currie, C.; Villalbi, J. R.

2004-01-01

The study of socio-economic inequalities from a cross-national perspective has been hampered by the lack of adequate common indices of socioeconomic status that can be used in a self-report survey instrument. This paper examines the construction and the properties of global social indexes in general, and of the Family Affluence Scale (henceforth…

Structure, mechanical and tribological properties of TiSiC films deposited by magnetron sputtering segment target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jinlong; He, Kaichen; He, XingXing; Huang, Hao; Pang, Xianjuan; Wei, Zhiqiang

2017-12-01

In this work, the TiSiC films were deposited by magnetron sputtering segment target with various areal ratio of Ti80Si20 to C. The effects of segment target component on the structure, mechanical and tribological properties of the films were investigated. The results revealed that the deposited films exhibited a structural transform from a cubic TiC structure to a nanocomposite structure with nanocrystalline TiC in a-C:Si matrix, and finally x-ray amorphous structures with decreasing areal ratio of Ti80Si20 to C. The TiSiC film deposited at the Ti80Si20:C areal ratio of 7:7 showed superior mechanical and tribological properties such as high hardness (18.6 Gpa), good scratch resistant (46 N), low friction coefficient (0.2) and low wear rate (8.6  ×  10-7 mm3 Nm-1), which suggests that it is a promising candidate for the protective films.

Piezoresistive effect observed in flexible amorphous carbon films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, B.; Jiang, Y. C.; Zhao, R.; Liu, G. Z.; He, A. P.; Gao, J.

2018-05-01

Amorphous carbon (a-C) films, deposited on Si substrates at 500 °C, were transferred onto flexible polyethylene (PE) substrates by a lift-off method, which overcomes the limit of deposition temperature. After transferring, a-C films exhibited a large piezoresistive effect. Such flexible samples could detect the change of bending angle by attaching them onto Cu foils. The ratio of the bending and non-bending resistances reaches as large as ~27.8, which indicates a potential application as a pressure sensor. Also, the a-C/PE sample revealed an enhanced sensitivity to gas pressure compared with the a-C/Si one. By controlling the bending angle, the sensitivity range can be tuned to shift to a low- or high-pressure region. The fatigue test shows a less than 1% change in resistance after 10 000 bending cycles. Our work provides a route to prepare the flexible and piezoresistive carbon-based devices with high sensitivity, controllable pressure-sensing and high stability.

A general class of multinomial mixture models for anuran calling survey data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew; Link, W.A.

2005-01-01

We propose a general framework for modeling anuran abundance using data collected from commonly used calling surveys. The data generated from calling surveys are indices of calling intensity (vocalization of males) that do not have a precise link to actual population size and are sensitive to factors that influence anuran behavior. We formulate a model for calling-index data in terms of the maximum potential calling index that could be observed at a site (the 'latent abundance class'), given its underlying breeding population, and we focus attention on estimating the distribution of this latent abundance class. A critical consideration in estimating the latent structure is imperfect detection, which causes the observed abundance index to be less than or equal to the latent abundance class. We specify a multinomial sampling model for the observed abundance index that is conditional on the latent abundance class. Estimation of the latent abundance class distribution is based on the marginal likelihood of the index data, having integrated over the latent class distribution. We apply the proposed modeling framework to data collected as part of the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP).

Index to river surveys made by the United States Geological Survey and other agencies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Benjamin E.; Helland, Randolph Olaf

1948-01-01

The descriptive list of surveys of rivers in the United States issued by the United States Geological Survey in 1926 as Water-Supply Paper 558 comprised surveys by the Geological Survey and other Federal bureaus and by State, semiofficial, and private agencies. Since then many additional river surveys, most of them now available in published sheets, have been completed by the Geological Survey, and four supplemental lists describing them have been issued in mimeographed form. The first supplement was compiled by B. E. Jones in 1934, the second by R. O. Helland and D. M. Paul in 1938, the third by R. O. Helland in 1940, and the fourth by L. L. Young and N. J. Tubbs in 1944. The present compilation adds to the preliminary index the material issued in the supplements and later information concerning revisions and availability of maps.

The Body Mass Index of Adolescents Attending Seventh-Day Adventist Schools in Australia: 2001-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Bevan A.; Morton, Darren P.; Kent, Lillian M.; Butler, Terry L.; Rankin, Paul M.; Price, Kevin R.

2017-01-01

Background: We examined the body mass index (BMI) of students attending Seventh-day Adventist (Adventist) schools in Australia in 2001 and 2012. Methods: A total of 3069 students attending Adventist schools in Australia responded to a health and lifestyle survey in 2001 (N = 1335) and 2012 (N = 1734). The survey captured self-reported height and…

Density estimation in wildlife surveys

Treesearch

Jonathan Bart; Sam Droege; Paul Geissler; Bruce Peterjohn; C. John Ralph

2004-01-01

Several authors have recently discussed the problems with using index methods to estimate trends in population size. Some have expressed the view that index methods should virtually never be used. Others have responded by defending index methods and questioning whether better alternatives exist. We suggest that index methods are often a costeffective component of valid...

An Evaluation of the Factor Structure of the HRM Survey, Forms 9 and 11

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

Equal Opportunity Index, Social Problems and Processes Equal ...5 2 Equal 64-67 (Form 9) Opportunity 65-68,70 (Form 11) Equal Opportunity, Social Problems and Processes Equal Opportunity, Social ... Social Problems Equal Opportunity Index, Social Problems Drug Abuse Index, Social Problems Alcholism Prevention Index, Social Problems

Measuring Outcomes in a Community Resilience Program: A New Metric for Evaluating Results at the Household Level.

PubMed

Eisenman, David P; Adams, Rachel M; Rivard, Helene

2016-09-28

Community resilience programs require metrics for evaluation but none exist for measuring outcomes at the household and neighborhood level. We develop and describe a new index, the LACCDR index of community resilience, to examine how resilience varied across communities at baseline, prior to implementation of the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project (LACCDR). We surveyed 4700 adult residents in the sixteen LACCDR communities in English, Spanish and Korean. Each of the survey domains were selected a priori as outcome indicators aligned to the theoretical levers of community resilience. Survey questions were drawn and adapted from published studies and national surveys. Factor analysis demonstrated five separate factors composed from 18 items and explaining 46.7% of the variance. The factors were characterized as community engagement, emergency supplies, communication with neighbors, civic engagement, and collective efficacy. Baseline results for the 16 communities are provided. We conclude that the LACCDR community resilience index can be used to measure resilience program outcomes at the neighborhood and household levels.

Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1928-1930. Bulletin, 1931, No. 20. Volume II. [Chapter IV - Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Education, United States Department of the Interior, 1932

1932-01-01

This document contains the four concluding chapters and index of the Biennial Survey of Education, covering the years 1928-1930. Chapter 4, Statistics of universities, colleges, and professional schools, 1929-30, is made up of three parts: (1) Personnel, receipts, and property (Emery M. Foster and Frederick J. Kelley); (2) Expenditures (Henry G.…

Remote Sensing of Earth Resources (1970 - 1973 supplement): A literature survey with indexes. Section 2: Indexes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Documents related to the identification and evaluation by means of sensors in spacecraft and aircraft of vegetation, minerals, and other natural resources, and the techniques and potentialities of surveying and keeping up-to-date inventories of such riches are cited. These documents were announced in the NASA scientific and technical information system between March 1970 and December 1973.

Relative trace-element concern indexes for eastern Kentucky coals

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

Collins, S.L.

Coal trace elements that could affect environmental quality were studied in 372 samples (collected and analyzed by the Kentucky Geological Survey and the United States Geological Survey) from 36 coal beds in eastern Kentucky. Relative trace-element concern indexes are defined as the weighted sum of standarized (substract mean; divide by standard deviation) concentrations. Index R is calculated from uranium and thorium, index 1 from elements of minor concern (antimony, barium, bromine, chloride, cobalt, lithium, manganese, sodium, and strontium), index 2 from elements of moderate concern (chromium, copper, fluorine, nickel, vanadium, and zinc), and index 4 from elements of greatest concernmore » (arsenic, boron, cadmium, lead, mercury, molybdenum, and selenium). Numericals indicate weights, except that index R is weighted by 1, and index 124 is the unweighted sum of indexes 1, 2, and 4. Contour mapping indexes is valid because all indexes have nonnugget effect variograms. Index 124 is low west of Lee and Bell counties, and in Pike County. Index 124 is high in the area bounded by Boyd, Menifee, Knott, and Martin counties and in Owsley, Clay, and Leslie counties. Coal from some areas of eastern Kentucky is less likely to cause environmental problems than that from other areas. Positive correlations of all indexes with the centered log ratios of ash, and negative correlations with centered log ratios of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur indicate that trace elements of concern are predominantly associated with ash. Beneficiation probably would reduce indexes significantly.« less

Quality indexing with computer-aided lexicography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchan, Ronald L.

1992-01-01

Indexing with computers is a far cry from indexing with the first indexing tool, the manual card sorter. With the aid of computer-aided lexicography, both indexing and indexing tools can provide standardization, consistency, and accuracy, resulting in greater quality control than ever before. A brief survey of computer activity in indexing is presented with detailed illustrations from NASA activity. Applications from techniques mentioned, such as Retrospective Indexing (RI), can be made to many indexing systems. In addition to improving the quality of indexing with computers, the improved efficiency with which certain tasks can be done is demonstrated.

Environmental Impact Research Program: Auditory Survey Methods. Section 6.3.5. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wildlife Resources Management Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), American woodcock (Scolopax minor) , northein bobwhite Colijius virgililanus) , and ruffed grouse (Bonasca umbelus...Continued). Auditory survey methods Call counts Avian population indexes Mourning dove survey Avian survey and sampling Ruf fed grouse survey Bobwhite...ENGINEERS WILDLIFE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT MANUAL CONCEPT .... ............. .. 3 RUFFED GROUSE SURVEYS ... ....... 9 MOURNING DOVE SURVEYS

A Survey in Indexing and Searching XML Documents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luk, Robert W. P.; Leong, H. V.; Dillon, Tharam S.; Chan, Alvin T. S.; Croft, W. Bruce; Allan, James

2002-01-01

Discussion of XML focuses on indexing techniques for XML documents, grouping them into flat-file, semistructured, and structured indexing paradigms. Highlights include searching techniques, including full text search and multistage search; search result presentations; database and information retrieval system integration; XML query languages; and…

Development and Validation of the Work-Related Well-Being Index: Analysis of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.

PubMed

Eaton, Jennifer L; Mohr, David C; Hodgson, Michael J; McPhaul, Kathleen M

2018-02-01

To describe development and validation of the work-related well-being (WRWB) index. Principal components analysis was performed using Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) data (N = 392,752) to extract variables representing worker well-being constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to verify factor structure. To validate the WRWB index, we used multiple regression analysis to examine relationships with burnout associated outcomes. Principal Components Analysis identified three positive psychology constructs: "Work Positivity", "Co-worker Relationships", and "Work Mastery". An 11 item index explaining 63.5% of variance was achieved. The structural equation model provided a very good fit to the data. Higher WRWB scores were positively associated with all three employee experience measures examined in regression models. The new WRWB index shows promise as a valid and widely accessible instrument to assess worker well-being.

Development and Validation of the Work-Related Well-Being Index: Analysis of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS).

PubMed

Eaton, Jennifer L; Mohr, David C; Hodgson, Michael J; McPhaul, Kathleen M

2017-10-11

To describe development and validation of the Work-Related Well-Being (WRWB) Index. Principal Components Analysis was performed using Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) data (N = 392,752) to extract variables representing worker well-being constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to verify factor structure. To validate the WRWB index, we used multiple regression analysis to examine relationships with burnout associated outcomes. PCA identified three positive psychology constructs: "Work Positivity", "Co-worker Relationships", and "Work Mastery". An 11 item index explaining 63.5% of variance was achieved. The structural equation model provided a very good fit to the data. Higher WRWB scores were positively associated with all 3 employee experience measures examined in regression models. The new WRWB index shows promise as a valid and widely accessible instrument to assess worker well-being.

Distribution and larval breeding habitats of Aedes mosquito species in residential areas of northwest Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Tiruneh, Moges; Abate, Ebba; Wondimeneh, Yitayih; Damtie, Demekech; Tessema, Belay

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVES The Aedes mosquito is a vector for transmitting many arboviruses. Knowledge of the breeding habitat of this vector is vital for implementing appropriate interventions. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the breeding habitats and presence of Aedes mosquito species in the study areas. METHODS A house-to-house cross-sectional survey of Aedes mosquito breeding habitats was carried out in Metema and Humera, Ethiopia, in August 2017. All available water-holding containers present in and around houses were inspected for the presence of immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes, and they were collected and reared to the adult stage for species identification. In the larval survey, the house index, container index, and Breteau index were computed as risk indices. RESULTS Of the 384 houses surveyed for the presence of Aedes mosquito larval breeding, 98 were found to be positive for larvae. During the survey, a total of 566 containers were inspected, of which 186 were found to be infested with Aedes mosquito larvae, with a container index of 32.9, a house index of 25.5, and a Breteau index of 48.4. The most common Aedes mosquito breeding habitats were discarded tires (57.5%), followed by mud pots (30.0%). Of the 1,077 larvae and pupae collected and reared, Aedes aegypti (49.3%), Ae. vittatus (6.5%), and Culex species (44.2%) were identified. CONCLUSIONS Discarded tires were the most preferred breeding habitats for Aedes mosquitoes. Moreover, Ae. aegypti, the main vector of dengue and other arboviruses, was identified for the first time in this region, suggesting a high potential for arbovirus transmission in the study areas. PMID:29748457

Distribution and larval breeding habitats of Aedes mosquito species in residential areas of northwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Ferede, Getachew; Tiruneh, Moges; Abate, Ebba; Kassa, Wondmeneh Jemberie; Wondimeneh, Yitayih; Damtie, Demekech; Tessema, Belay

2018-01-01

The Aedes mosquito is a vector for transmitting many arboviruses. Knowledge of the breeding habitat of this vector is vital for implementing appropriate interventions. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the breeding habitats and presence of Aedes mosquito species in the study areas. A house-to-house cross-sectional survey of Aedes mosquito breeding habitats was carried out in Metema and Humera, Ethiopia, in August 2017. All available water-holding containers present in and around houses were inspected for the presence of immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes, and they were collected and reared to the adult stage for species identification. In the larval survey, the house index, container index, and Breteau index were computed as risk indices. Of the 384 houses surveyed for the presence of Aedes mosquito larval breeding, 98 were found to be positive for larvae. During the survey, a total of 566 containers were inspected, of which 186 were found to be infested with Aedes mosquito larvae, with a container index of 32.9, a house index of 25.5, and a Breteau index of 48.4. The most common Aedes mosquito breeding habitats were discarded tires (57.5%), followed by mud pots (30.0%). Of the 1,077 larvae and pupae collected and reared, Aedes aegypti (49.3%), Ae. vittatus (6.5%), and Culex species (44.2%) were identified. Discarded tires were the most preferred breeding habitats for Aedes mosquitoes. Moreover, Ae. aegypti , the main vector of dengue and other arboviruses, was identified for the first time in this region, suggesting a high potential for arbovirus transmission in the study areas.

U.S. Geological Survey reports on the water resources of Florida, 1886-1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoy, N.D.; Simmons, James D.; Claiborne, Maude

1981-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has released a listing of its reports on water resources in Florida for the period 1886-1980. Most of the reports contained in the listing were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with numerous public agencies in Florida. The compilation has a full bibliographic list of reports, arranged alphabetically by senior author. In addition, the reports are indexed by geographic areas and by subject. Only two lines are used for each entry in the indexed portions, the complete reference being given only in the bibliographic list. (USGS)

Changing dietary patterns and body mass index over time in Canadian Inuit communities.

PubMed

Sheikh, Nelofar; Egeland, Grace M; Johnson-Down, Louise; Kuhnlein, Harriet V

2011-01-01

The International Polar Year (IPY) Inuit Health Survey provided an opportunity to compare dietary and body mass index (BMI) data with data collected a decade earlier for the same communities. A dietary survey included 1,929 randomly selected participants aged 15 years or older, selected from 18 Inuit communities in 1998-1999. The IPY survey included 2,595 randomly selected participants aged 18 years or older, selected from 36 Inuit communities in 2007-2008. Data from the same 18 communities included in both surveys were compared for adults 20 years and older. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data were analysed to assess the percentage of energy from traditional and market foods by sex and age groups. Body mass index (BMI) was assessed to establish the prevalence of obesity by sex and age groups in both surveys. There was a significant decrease (p≤0.05) in energy contribution from traditional food and a significant increase in market food consumption over time. Sugar-sweetened beverages, chips and pasta all increased as percentages of energy. BMI increased overall for women and for each age stratum evaluated (p<0.05). The nutrition transition continues in the Canadian Arctic with a concurrent increase in BMI.

Children's Stress Index.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Dianne, Ed.

1993-01-01

This double issue of the "ZPG Reporter" focuses on the theme of ZPG's Children's Stress Index", the first national survey of children's well-being based on population- related pressures. Using an extensive list of social, economic, and environmental factors that affect the lives of children, the index ranks 828 cities, counties, and…

Simplified Asset Indices to Measure Wealth and Equity in Health Programs: A Reliability and Validity Analysis Using Survey Data From 16 Countries

PubMed Central

Chakraborty, Nirali M; Fry, Kenzo; Behl, Rasika; Longfield, Kim

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Social franchising programs in low- and middle-income countries have tried using the standard wealth index, based on the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) questionnaire, in client exit interviews to assess clients’ relative wealth compared with the national wealth distribution to ensure equity in service delivery. The large number of survey questions required to capture the wealth index variables have proved cumbersome for programs. Methods: Using an adaptation of the Delphi method, we developed shortened wealth indices and in February 2015 consulted 15 stakeholders in equity measurement. Together, we selected the best of 5 alternative indices, accompanied by 2 measures of agreement (percent agreement and Cohen’s kappa statistic) comparing wealth quintile assignment in the new indices to the full DHS index. The panel agreed that reducing the number of assets was more important than standardization across countries because a short index would provide strong indication of client wealth and be easier to collect and use in the field. Additionally, the panel agreed that the simplified index should be highly correlated with the DHS for each country (kappa ≥ 0.75) for both national and urban-specific samples. We then revised indices for 16 countries and selected the minimum number of questions and question options required to achieve a kappa statistic ≥ 0.75 for both national and urban populations. Findings: After combining the 5 wealth quintiles into 3 groups, which the expert panel deemed more programmatically meaningful, reliability between the standard DHS wealth index and each of 3 simplified indices was high (median kappa = 0.81, 086, and 0.77, respectively, for index B that included only the common questions from the DHS VI questionnaire, index D that included the common questions plus country-specific questions, and index E that found the shortest list of common and country-specific questions that met the minimum reliability criteria of kappa ≥ 0.75). Index E was the simplified index of choice because it was reliable in national and urban contexts while requiring the fewest number of survey questions—6 to 18 per country compared with 25 to 47 in the original DHS wealth index (a 66% average reduction). Conclusion: Social franchise clinics and other types of service delivery programs that want to assess client wealth in relation to a national or urban population can do so with high reliability using a short questionnaire. Future uses of the simplified asset questionnaire include a mobile application for rapid data collection and analysis. PMID:27016550

Simplified Asset Indices to Measure Wealth and Equity in Health Programs: A Reliability and Validity Analysis Using Survey Data From 16 Countries.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Nirali M; Fry, Kenzo; Behl, Rasika; Longfield, Kim

2016-03-01

Social franchising programs in low- and middle-income countries have tried using the standard wealth index, based on the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) questionnaire, in client exit interviews to assess clients' relative wealth compared with the national wealth distribution to ensure equity in service delivery. The large number of survey questions required to capture the wealth index variables have proved cumbersome for programs. Using an adaptation of the Delphi method, we developed shortened wealth indices and in February 2015 consulted 15 stakeholders in equity measurement. Together, we selected the best of 5 alternative indices, accompanied by 2 measures of agreement (percent agreement and Cohen's kappa statistic) comparing wealth quintile assignment in the new indices to the full DHS index. The panel agreed that reducing the number of assets was more important than standardization across countries because a short index would provide strong indication of client wealth and be easier to collect and use in the field. Additionally, the panel agreed that the simplified index should be highly correlated with the DHS for each country (kappa ≥ 0.75) for both national and urban-specific samples. We then revised indices for 16 countries and selected the minimum number of questions and question options required to achieve a kappa statistic ≥ 0.75 for both national and urban populations. After combining the 5 wealth quintiles into 3 groups, which the expert panel deemed more programmatically meaningful, reliability between the standard DHS wealth index and each of 3 simplified indices was high (median kappa = 0.81, 086, and 0.77, respectively, for index B that included only the common questions from the DHS VI questionnaire, index D that included the common questions plus country-specific questions, and index E that found the shortest list of common and country-specific questions that met the minimum reliability criteria of kappa ≥ 0.75). Index E was the simplified index of choice because it was reliable in national and urban contexts while requiring the fewest number of survey questions-6 to 18 per country compared with 25 to 47 in the original DHS wealth index (a 66% average reduction). Social franchise clinics and other types of service delivery programs that want to assess client wealth in relation to a national or urban population can do so with high reliability using a short questionnaire. Future uses of the simplified asset questionnaire include a mobile application for rapid data collection and analysis. © Chakraborty et al.

Indexation of psychiatric journals from low- and middle-income countries: a survey and a case study

PubMed Central

KIELING, CHRISTIAN; HERRMAN, HELEN; PATEL, VIKRAM; MARI, JAIR DE JESUS

2009-01-01

There is a marked underepresentation of low- and middle-income countries (LAMIC) in the psychiatric literature, which may reflect an overall low representation of LAMIC publications in databases of indexed journals. This paper investigates the worldwide distribution of indexed psychiatric journals. A survey in both Medline and ISI Web of Science was performed in order to identify journals in the field of psychiatry according to their country of origin. Two hundred and twenty-two indexed psychiatric journals were found. Of these, 213 originated from high-income countries and only nine (4.1%) from middle-income countries. None were found in low-income countries. We also present the experience of a LAMIC psychiatric journal, the Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, in its recent indexation process. This case study may serve as an example for other LAMIC journals to pursue indexation in major databases as a strategy to widen the international foundation of psychiatric research. There is an important need for the inclusion of LAMIC psychiatric publications in the major indexation databases. This process will require multiple agents to partner with journals from LAMIC to improve their quality and strengthen their chances of being indexed. PMID:19293959

Quality-of-life survey for patients diagnosed with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

PubMed

Abáigar-Pedraza, I; Megías-Garrigós, J; Sánchez-Payá, J

2016-05-01

To determine the reliability and validity of a quality-of-life survey for patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer. A total of 180 patients were included in the study. We developed a survey with 21 questions grouped into 5 areas. The patients filled in this survey and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Bladder Cancer (FACT-BL) survey. To assess reliability, we calculated Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the kappa index. To determine criterion validity, we studied the association between the scores obtained from our survey and those from the FACT-BL survey using the Pearson correlation coefficient. To determine the construct validity (factorial and discriminatory), we performed a factor analysis, comparing it with Student's t-test for the scores obtained according to the tumour characteristics of reduced quality of life (e.g., malignancies located at the trigone of the bladder). Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was .83, and the kappa index varied between .7 and 1. For the association study between the new survey and the FACT-BL survey, we measured an r=.82 for the overall score and between r=.68 (disease) and r=.97 (sex life) in the various measures. In the factor analysis, we measured a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index of .77 and performed the Barlett test (P<.001). The comparison between the scores, in the presence or absence of certain tumour characteristics, has shown a reduced quality of life when those characteristics are present, which was statistically significant (P<.05) in the majority of cases. Our survey to measure the quality of life of patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer is reliable and valid. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Near infrared photographic sky survey - A field index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossano, G. S.; Craine, E. R.

1980-01-01

The book presents an index of previously cataloged objects located in the fields of the northern sky included in the Steward Observatory Near Infrared Photographic Sky Survey, which was intended to be used for identification purposes in an effort to locate extremely red objects. The objects included in the index were taken from 16 catalogs of bright nebulae, dark nebulae, infrared objects, reflection nebulae, supernova remnants and other objects, and appear with their corresponding field numbers, computed field center coordinates, object name and 1950 epoch equatorial coordinates, as well as supplementary descriptive information as available. An appendix is also provided in which the center coordinates of each field are listed.

An Updated Catalog of 521 Social Surveys of Residents' Reactions to Environmental Noise (1943-2000)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, James M.; Shepherd, Kevin P. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This report describes all social surveys of residents' reactions to environmental noise in residential areas that have been located in English language publications from 1943 to December of 2000. A total of 521 surveys are described. The surveys are indexed by country, noise source, and date of survey. The publications and reports from each survey are listed in a bibliography.

Measuring Outcomes in a Community Resilience Program: A New Metric for Evaluating Results at the Household Level

PubMed Central

Eisenman, David P.; Adams, Rachel M.; Rivard, Helene

2016-01-01

Community resilience programs require metrics for evaluation but none exist for measuring outcomes at the household and neighborhood level. Objectives: We develop and describe a new index, the LACCDR index of community resilience, to examine how resilience varied across communities at baseline, prior to implementation of the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project (LACCDR). Methods: We surveyed 4700 adult residents in the sixteen LACCDR communities in English, Spanish and Korean. Each of the survey domains were selected a priori as outcome indicators aligned to the theoretical levers of community resilience. Survey questions were drawn and adapted from published studies and national surveys. Results: Factor analysis demonstrated five separate factors composed from 18 items and explaining 46.7% of the variance. The factors were characterized as community engagement, emergency supplies, communication with neighbors, civic engagement, and collective efficacy. Baseline results for the 16 communities are provided. Conclusions: We conclude that the LACCDR community resilience index can be used to measure resilience program outcomes at the neighborhood and household levels. PMID:27807510

Challenge of Fetal Mortality

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

A catalog of social surveys of residents' reactions to environmental noise, 1943 - 1980

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.

1981-01-01

Two hundred social surveys of people's responses to environmental noise in residential areas are briefly described. The surveys are indexed by country, noise source and date of survey. The publications and reports about each survey are listed in a bibliography. Recent English translations of 14 publications are listed separately. Nineteen surveys are listed which are available for secondary analysis from a data archive.

Astronomical Data Center Bulletin, volume 1, number 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mead, J. M.; Warren, W. H., Jr.; Nagy, T. A.

1983-01-01

A catalog of galactic O-type stars, a machine-readable version of the bright star catalog, a two-micron sky survey, sky survey sources with problematical Durchmusterung identifications, data retrieval for visual binary stars, faint blue objects, the sixth catalog of galactic Wolf-Rayet stars, declination versus magnitude distribution, the SAO-HD-GC-DM cross index catalog, star cross-identification tables, astronomical sources, bibliographical star index search updates, DO-HD and HD-DO cross indices, and catalogs, are reviewed.

Bibliography of selected publications approved by the U.S. Geological Survey on the water resources of New Mexico, 1975-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sandoval, O.M.

1994-01-01

This bibliography of about 500 references authored by U.S. Geological Survey employees has been compiled to assist in the study and development of water resources. The citations are dated from January 1975 to December 1993. Each citation is numbered and indexed by geographic location and discipline. Selected citations are indexed by physiographic province and basin, military, Indian, and other reservations, and topics of special hydrologic interest.

5 CFR 591.218 - How does OPM compute price indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How does OPM compute price indexes? 591... Allowances § 591.218 How does OPM compute price indexes? Except for shelter and energy utilities, OPM averages by item the prices collected in each survey area. For the Washington, DC, area, OPM computes a...

76 FR 27665 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-12

... INFORMATION: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer Price Index Commodities and Services Survey ACTION: Notice...) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Consumer Price Index Commodities and Services...

An Index to Medical Book Reviews: A Computer Experiment

PubMed Central

Atwood, Ruth

1967-01-01

The experimental production of an index to book reviews of medical publications is described. Details of compilation and preparation of data for processing by an IBM 1440 computer are outlined. Results of a survey testing the response to the index in its present form by medical libraries are presented. PMID:6016372

Death in the United States, 2011

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

An updated catalog of 318 social surveys of residents' reactions to environmental noise (1943-1989)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, James M.

1991-01-01

All social surveys of residents' reactions to environmental noise in residential areas which were described in English language publications from 1943 to 1989 are identified. A total of 318 surveys are described. The surveys are indexed by country, noise source, and data of survey. The publications and reports from each survey are listed in a bibliography. Twenty-four surveys are listed which are available for secondary analysis from a data archive.

ASTRONAUTICS INFORMATION. OPEN LITERATURE SURVEY. VOLUME 1, PART D. (Entries 13,166-13,888)

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

None

1960-01-15

An open literature survey dealing with astronautics is presented. The period covered by the survey is October 15 to December 15, 1959. A list of periodical references is presented alphabetically. Author and subject indexes are included. 700 references. (J.R.D.)

Childbearing Differences among Three Generations of U.S. Women

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

5 CFR 591.219 - How does OPM compute shelter price indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... estimates in hedonic regressions (a type of multiple regression) to compute for each COLA survey area the price index for rental and/or rental equivalent units of comparable quality and size between the COLA...

5 CFR 591.219 - How does OPM compute shelter price indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... estimates in hedonic regressions (a type of multiple regression) to compute for each COLA survey area the price index for rental and/or rental equivalent units of comparable quality and size between the COLA...

5 CFR 591.219 - How does OPM compute shelter price indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... estimates in hedonic regressions (a type of multiple regression) to compute for each COLA survey area the price index for rental and/or rental equivalent units of comparable quality and size between the COLA...

5 CFR 591.219 - How does OPM compute shelter price indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... estimates in hedonic regressions (a type of multiple regression) to compute for each COLA survey area the price index for rental and/or rental equivalent units of comparable quality and size between the COLA...

Measuring patients' experiences with rheumatic care: the consumer quality index rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Zuidgeest, Marloes; Sixma, Herman; Rademakers, Jany

2009-12-01

Rheumatologists and other caregivers can learn from patients’ experiences with the quality of care that can be measured with the CQ-index Rheumatoid Arthritis (CQ-index RA) survey. Patients with RA (n = 590) received this survey were they rated their actual experiences and what they find important in rheumatic healthcare. Descriptive analyses and psychometric methods were used to test the reliability. The response rate was 69%. The items in the pilot instrument could be grouped into 10 scales (α ranged from 0.77 to 0.94). The most important quality aspects according to patients concerned the alertness when prescribing medication. Providing patients with information on a special website of the hospital about RA was the highest quality improvement aspect. The results of this study show that the CQ-index RA is a reliable instrument for quality assessment from the patients’ perspective. The instrument provides rheumatologists and other caregivers with feedback for service improvement initiatives.

SNR radio spectral index distribution and its correlation with polarization. a case study: the Lupus Loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borka Jovanović, V.; Jovanović, P.; Borka, D.

2017-04-01

We use radio-continuum all-sky surveys at 1420 and 408 MHz with the aim to investigate properties of the Galactic radio source Lupus Loop. The survey data at 1435 MHz, with the linear polarization of the southern sky, are also used. We calculate properties of this supernova remnant: the brightness temperature, surface brightness and radio spectral index. To determine its borders and to calculate its properties, we use the method we have developed. The non-thermal nature of its radiation is confirmed. The distribution of spectral index over its area is also given. A significant correlation between the radio spectral index distribution and the corresponding polarized intensity distribution inside the loop borders is found, indicating that the polarization maps could provide us information about the distribution of the interstellar medium, and thus could represent one additional way to search for new Galactic loops.

Track/train dynamics test report modal survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vigil, R. A.

1975-01-01

The modal survey vibration test conducted on an 80 ton open hopper freight car is described. The test data, the post-test update of the modal survey test requirements and procedure, and an index to the test data are presented. Photographs of actual measurement locations and the test historical log are included.

75 Years of Mortality in the United States, 1935-2010

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Caloric Intake from Fast Food among Adults: United States, 2007-2010

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

[Study on artificial neural network combined with multispectral remote sensing imagery for forest site evaluation].

PubMed

Gong, Yin-Xi; He, Cheng; Yan, Fei; Feng, Zhong-Ke; Cao, Meng-Lei; Gao, Yuan; Miao, Jie; Zhao, Jin-Long

2013-10-01

Multispectral remote sensing data containing rich site information are not fully used by the classic site quality evaluation system, as it merely adopts artificial ground survey data. In order to establish a more effective site quality evaluation system, a neural network model which combined remote sensing spectra factors with site factors and site index relations was established and used to study the sublot site quality evaluation in the Wangyedian Forest Farm in Inner Mongolia Province, Chifeng City. Based on the improved back propagation artificial neural network (BPANN), this model combined multispectral remote sensing data with sublot survey data, and took larch as example, Through training data set sensitivity analysis weak or irrelevant factor was excluded, the size of neural network was simplified, and the efficiency of network training was improved. This optimal site index prediction model had an accuracy up to 95.36%, which was 9.83% higher than that of the neural network model based on classic sublot survey data, and this shows that using multi-spectral remote sensing and small class survey data to determine the status of larch index prediction model has the highest predictive accuracy. The results fully indicate the effectiveness and superiority of this method.

Sci-Thur PM – Colourful Interactions: Highlights 07: Canadian Computed Tomography Survey: National Diagnostic Reference Levels

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

Wardlaw, Graeme M; Martel, Narine

Purpose: The Canadian Computed (CT) Tomography Survey sought to collect CT technology and dose index data (CTDI and DLP) at the national level in order to establish national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for seven common CT examinations of standard-sized adults and pediatric patients. Methods: A single survey booklet (consisting of four sections) was mailed to and completed for each participating CT scanner. Survey sections collected data on (i) General facility and scanner information, (ii) routine protocols (as available), (iii) individual patient data (as applied) and (iv) manual CTDI measurements. Results: Dose index (CTDIvol and DLP) and associated patient data frommore » 24 280 individual patient exam sequences was analyzed for seven common CT examinations performed in Canada: Adult Head, Chest, Abdomen/Pelvis, and Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis, and Pediatric Head, Chest, and Abdomen. Pediatric examination data was sub-divided into three age ranges: 0–3, 3–7 and 7–13 years. DRLs (75th percentile of dose index distributions) were found for all thirteen groups. Further analysis also permitted segmentation of examination data into 8 sub-groups, whose dose index data was displayed along with group histograms – showing relative contribution of axial vs. helical, contrast use (C+ vs. C-), and application of fixed current vs. dose reduction (DR) – 75th percentiles of DR sub-groups were, in almost all cases, lower than whole group (examination) DRLs. Conclusions: The analysis and summaries presented in the pending survey report can serve to aid local CT imaging optimization efforts within Canada and also contribute further to international efforts in radiation protection of patients.« less

Timing of spring surveys for midcontinent sandhill cranes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearse, Aaron T.; Krapu, Gary L.; Brandt, David A.; Sargeant, Glen A.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has used spring aerial surveys to estimate numbers of migrating sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) staging in the Platte River Valley of Nebraska, USA. Resulting estimates index the abundance of the midcontinent sandhill crane population and inform harvest management decisions. However, annual changes in the index have exceeded biologically plausible changes in population size (>50% of surveys between 1982 and 2013 indicate >±20% change), raising questions about nuisance variation due to factors such as migration chronology. We used locations of cranes marked with very-high-frequency transmitters to estimate migration chronology (i.e., proportions of cranes present within the Platte River Valley). We also used roadside surveys to determine the percentage of cranes staging at the Platte River Valley but outside of the survey area when surveys occur. During March 2001–2007, an average of 86% (71–94%; SD = 7%) of marked cranes were present along the Platte River during scheduled survey dates, and 0–11% of cranes that were present along the Platte River were not within the survey boundaries. Timing of the annual survey generally corresponded with presence of the greatest proportion of marked cranes and with least inter-annual variation; consequently, accuracy of estimates could not have been improved by surveying on different dates. Conducting the survey earlier would miss birds not yet arriving at the staging site; whereas, a later date would occur at a time when a larger portion of birds may have already departed the staging site and when a greater proportion of birds occurred outside of the surveyed area. Index values used to monitor midcontinent sandhill crane abundance vary annually, in part, due to annual variation in migration chronology and to spatial distribution of cranes in the Platte River Valley; therefore, managers should interpret survey results cautiously, with awareness of a continuing need to identify and understand components of variation. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Entomological indices of Aedes aegypti at some international airports and seaports of southern India--a report.

PubMed

Sharma, S N; Kumar, S; Das, B P; Thomas, T G; Kumar, K; Katyal, R; Gill, K S; Bora, D; Lal, S; Saxena, V K

2005-09-01

Entomological surveys were undertaken at some of the international airports/seaports (Bangalore, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Thiruvanathapuram and Vishakapatnam) to find out the breeding prevalence of dengue vector mosquito in diverse breeding containers from 1998 to 2004. Three vector indices (House index, Container index and Breateu index) were used to assess the breeding potential at each airport/seaport. International Health Regulations urged national governments to keep all the international airports/seaports and peripheral areas up to 400 meters free from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, surveys revealed high vector indices at all the airports and seaports. Health authorities of airports/seaports need to take cognizance of these facts and develop action plan for appropriate control measures with emphasis on vector surveillance.

Gun carrying among freshmen and sophomores in Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles public schools: the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007-2013.

PubMed

Kemal, Samaa; Sheehan, Karen; Feinglass, Joe

2018-04-10

This study evaluated trends and risk factors over time for self-reported gun carrying among freshman and sophomore public school students in Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles, chosen as high profile cities with different levels of firearm violence. The study used four biennial waves (2007-2013) of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), an anonymous, voluntary survey of public high school students. Analyses were restricted to freshman and sophomores given significant high school dropout rates among older students. School population weighted results are presented based on the YRBS complex survey design, including comparisons of reported gun carrying across survey waves and cities. A violence index was created from eight survey items that capture students' perceived threat level. Chi square tests and multivariable Poisson regression analyses were used to test the significance of differences across cities and over time in the likelihood of gun carrying controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, mental health risk factors and behavioral risk factors. The study included a total weighted population estimate of 1,137,449 students across the three cities and four survey waves. Mean self-reported gun carrying across all survey waves was 8.89% in Chicago, 4.09% in New York City, and 6.03% in Los Angeles (p < 0.001). There were no significant changes in gun carrying prevalence within each individual city over the survey waves. Multivariable Poisson regression estimates showed increased likelihood for gun carrying among males (IRR 1.41, CI 1.27-1.58), among non-Hispanic Blacks (IRR 1.26, CI 1.07-1.48), and among those who reported a higher violence index. Each additional violence index count increase was associated with a 1.74 times (CI 1.70-1.78) increased likelihood for gun carrying. There was a much higher self-reported rate of gun carrying and a higher burden of violence exposure in Chicago as compared to New York City and Los Angeles. Students' exposure to violence extended to other stressors illuminated by the YRBS including fighting, perceptions of safety, and other high-risk behaviors. Through the violence index we created, we are better able to categorize the most high-risk individuals and describe the magnitude of their increased likelihood to carry a gun.

Trends in Out-of-Hospital Births in the United States, 1990-2012

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

State Variability in Supply of Office-based Primary Care Providers: United States, 2012

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Emergency Department Visits by Persons Aged 65 and Over: United States, 2009-2010

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Popular Tasks in the ForeSee Portal

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Access the robust American Customer Satisfaction Index Portal to obtain information, such as search terms used by survey respondents, satisfaction by audience type, and responses to specific survey questions; and learn how to use various filters.

A roughness-corrected index of relative bed stability for regional stream surveys

EPA Science Inventory

Quantitative regional assessments of streambed sedimentation and its likely causes are hampered because field investigations typically lack the requisite sample size, measurements, or precision for sound geomorphic and statistical interpretation. We adapted an index of relative b...

Methodological considerations concerning the development of oral dental erosion indexes: literature survey, validity and reliability

PubMed Central

Kutschmann, Marcus; Bardehle, Doris

2008-01-01

Within the context of preventing non-communicable diseases, the World Health Report (2002) and the WHO Global Oral Health Program (2003) put forward a new strategy of disease prevention and health promotion. Greater emphasis is placed on developing global policies in oral health promotion and oral disease prevention. The Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index does not meet new challenges in the field of oral health. Dental erosion seems to be a growing problem, and in some countries, an increase in erosion of teeth is associated with an increase in the consumption of beverages containing acids. Therefore, within a revision of the WHO Oral Health Surveys Basic Methods, new oral disease patterns, e.g. dental erosion, have to be taken into account. Within the last 20 years, many studies on dental erosion have been carried out and published. There has been a rapid growth in the number of indexes quantifying dental erosion process in different age groups. However, these indexes are not comparable. This article discusses quality criteria which an index intended for assessing tooth erosion should possess. PMID:18228060

Empirical yield tables for Michigan.

Treesearch

Jerold T. Hahn; Joan M. Stelman

1984-01-01

Describes the tables derived from the 1980 Forest Survey of Michigan and presents ways the tables can be used. These tables are broken down according to Michigan's four Forest Survey Units, 14 forest types, and 5 site-index classes.

Multiple Chronic Conditions among Adults Aged 45 and Over: Trends Over the Past 10 Years

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Use and Characteristics of Electronic Health Record Systems among Office-Based Physician Practices: United States, ...

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Oral health survey and oral health questionnaire for high school students in Tibet, China

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study is to identify the oral health status as well as oral health practices and access for care of graduating senior high school Tibetan students in Shannan prefecture of Tibet. Methods Based on standards of the 3rd Chinese National Oral Epidemiological Survey and WHO Oral Health Surveys, 1907 graduating students from three senior high schools were examined for caries, periodontitis, dental fluorosis, and oral hygiene status. The questionnaire to the students addressed oral health practices and present access to oral medical services. Results Dental caries prevalence (39.96%) and mean DMFT (0.97) were high in Tibetan students. In community periodontal indexes, the detection rate of gingivitis and dental calculus were 59.50% and 62.64%, respectively. Oral hygiene index-simplified was 0.69, with 0.36 and 0.33 in debris index-simplified and calculus index-simplified, respectively. Community dental fluorosis index was 0.29, with 8.13% in prevalence rate. The questionnaire showed students had poor oral health practices and unawareness for their needs for oral health services. It was also noted that the local area provides inadequate oral medical services. Conclusions Tibetan students had higher prevalence of dental diseases and lower awareness of oral health needs. The main reasons were geographical environment, dietary habit, students’ attitude to oral health, and lack of oral health promotion and education. Oral health education and local dentists training should be strengthened to get effective prevention of dental diseases. PMID:24884668

[Geopolitical development inequalities in gender in Spain 1980-2005: a structural determinant of health].

PubMed

Carrasco-Portiño, Mercedes; Ruiz Cantero, María Teresa; Fernández Sáez, José; Clemente Gómez, Vicente; Roca Pérez, Victoria

2010-01-01

Gender is a structural health determinant. This study analyses the changes in gender development inequalities in Spain and its regions (1980-2005). Ecological study of the evolution of Gender Development Index and its components (Education, Income, Life Expectancy at Birth) by sex in Spain and its regions (1980-2005). Information Source: Gender Development Index (1980-2005) from the Human Capital Report, plus construction ad hoc of the Gender Development Index 2005 following the same methodology of Human Capital Report. National Statistics Institute, Active Population Survey, Municipal Register, Ministry of Education, Universities Council, EUROSTAT, and Wage Structure Survey. Spanish Gender Development Index 2005:0,903 and 1980:0,810. The range between regions under Spanish Gender Development Index was 3 times higher in 1980 (DifferenceC.Valenciana-Extremadura:0,068) than in 2005 (DifferenceAsturias-Extremadura:0,023). The regions above the Spanish Gender Development Index did not vary much. The three components (Education, Income, Life Expectancy at Birth) of the Gender Development Index improved from 1980 to 2005. The Spanish Education Index of men was higher than this value in women until 1985; later this index becomes higher in women than in men. The Spanish Income Index of women in 2005 (0,814) is inferior to that of men 25 years before (1980:0,867). Despite the improvement of the gender development happened in Spain between 1980 and 2005, the inter-regional inequalities between north-south persist. In 2005, women have more education level than men. However, the Spanish income media in women in 2005 are inferior to the media of the men in 1980.

Fifty Years of the Index to Dental Literature: A Critical Appraisal

PubMed Central

1971-01-01

The year 1971 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Index to Dental Literature. The Index had a slow and stormy birth, with twenty-three years of hard work put in until the first volume was issued. The first Index is described and the changes in its contents and format are traced through the years until its production in 1965 by the National Library of Medicine. The current Index is analyzed with attention paid to nomenclature, classification scheme, quality of the index entries and cross references. The results of a survey of regular users of the Index are interpreted, and suggestions gleaned for the improvement of this most useful tool in dental research. Images PMID:4947815

77 FR 53208 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment: Survey of Manufactured (Mobile...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-31

... (Mobile) Home Placements serves as the basis for HUD's mandated indexing of loan limits. Section 2145(b) of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008 requires HUD to develop a method of indexing...

78 FR 4157 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment: Survey of Manufactured (Mobile...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-18

... mandated indexing of loan limits. Section 2145 (b) of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008 requires HUD to develop a method of indexing to annually adjust Title I manufactured home loan limits. This...

Indexing Tuition to Cost of Education: The Impact on Students and Institutions. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viehland, Dennis W.; And Others

The emerging trend in state higher education finance policy to use and index to establish tuition and fee levels at public institutions was studied, based on a 1980 national survey of tuition-setting policies. It was found that, increasingly, states are adopting indexing to cost of education as an established policy for determining tuition: 14…

The Consequences of Indexing the Minimum Wage to Average Wages in the U.S. Economy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macpherson, David A.; Even, William E.

The consequences of indexing the minimum wage to average wages in the U.S. economy were analyzed. The study data were drawn from the 1974-1978 May Current Population Survey (CPS) and the 180 monthly CPS Outgoing Rotation Group files for 1979-1993 (approximate annual sample sizes of 40,000 and 180,000, respectively). The effects of indexing on the…

The Establishment and Application of a Labor Quality Index: The Case of Taiwan's Manufacturing Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San,Gee; Huang, Tung-Chun; Huang, Li-Hsuan

2006-01-01

The labor quality index (LQI) not only serves as an important reference for monitoring the progress of the sustainable development of a country, but it can also serve as an important parameter for economic analysis. To compile such an index for Taiwan, we conducted two large-scale surveys of 1000 major enterprises and 844 union leaders,…

Is governance, gross domestic product, inequality, population size or country surface area associated with coverage and equity of health interventions? Ecological analyses of cross-sectional surveys from 80 countries.

PubMed

Wehrmeister, Fernando C; da Silva, Inácio Crochemore M; Barros, Aluisio J D; Victora, Cesar G

2017-01-01

To assess associations between national characteristics, including governance indicators, with a proxy for universal health coverage in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH). Ecological analysis based on data from national standardised cross-sectional surveys. Low-income and middle-income countries with a Demographic and Health Survey or a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey since 2005. 1 246 710 mothers and 2 129 212 children from 80 national surveys. Gross domestic product (GDP), country surface area, population, Gini index and six governance indicators (control of corruption, political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and voice and accountability). Levels and inequality in the composite coverage index (CCI), a weighted average of eight RMNCH interventions. Relative and absolute inequalities were measured through the concentration index (CIX) and slope index of inequality (SII) for CCI, respectively. The average values of CCI (70.5% (SD=13.3)), CIX (5.3 (SD=5.1)) and mean slope index (19.8 (SD=14.7)) were calculated. In the unadjusted analysis, all governance variables and GDP were positively associated with the CCI and negatively with inequalities. Country surface showed inverse associations with both inequality indices. After adjustment, among the governance indicators, only political stability and absence of violence was directly related to CCI (β=6.3; 95% CI 3.6 to 9.1; p<0.001) and inversely associated with relative (CIX; β=-1.4; 95% CI -2.4 to -0.4; p=0.007) and absolute (SII; β=-5.3; 95% CI -8.9 to -1.7; p=0.005) inequalities. The strongest associations with governance indicators were found in the poorest wealth quintile. Similar patterns were observed for GDP. Country surface area was inversely related to inequalities on CCI. Levels and equity in RMNCH interventions are positively associated with political stability and absence of violence, and with GDP, and inversely associated with country surface area.

Is governance, gross domestic product, inequality, population size or country surface area associated with coverage and equity of health interventions? Ecological analyses of cross-sectional surveys from 80 countries

PubMed Central

Wehrmeister, Fernando C; da Silva, Inácio Crochemore M; Barros, Aluisio J D; Victora, Cesar G

2017-01-01

Objective To assess associations between national characteristics, including governance indicators, with a proxy for universal health coverage in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH). Design Ecological analysis based on data from national standardised cross-sectional surveys. Setting Low-income and middle-income countries with a Demographic and Health Survey or a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey since 2005. Participants 1 246 710 mothers and 2 129 212 children from 80 national surveys. Exposures of interest Gross domestic product (GDP), country surface area, population, Gini index and six governance indicators (control of corruption, political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and voice and accountability). Main outcomes Levels and inequality in the composite coverage index (CCI), a weighted average of eight RMNCH interventions. Relative and absolute inequalities were measured through the concentration index (CIX) and slope index of inequality (SII) for CCI, respectively. Results The average values of CCI (70.5% (SD=13.3)), CIX (5.3 (SD=5.1)) and mean slope index (19.8 (SD=14.7)) were calculated. In the unadjusted analysis, all governance variables and GDP were positively associated with the CCI and negatively with inequalities. Country surface showed inverse associations with both inequality indices. After adjustment, among the governance indicators, only political stability and absence of violence was directly related to CCI (β=6.3; 95% CI 3.6 to 9.1; p<0.001) and inversely associated with relative (CIX; β=−1.4; 95% CI −2.4 to −0.4; p=0.007) and absolute (SII; β=−5.3; 95% CI –8.9 to −1.7; p=0.005) inequalities. The strongest associations with governance indicators were found in the poorest wealth quintile. Similar patterns were observed for GDP. Country surface area was inversely related to inequalities on CCI. Conclusions Levels and equity in RMNCH interventions are positively associated with political stability and absence of violence, and with GDP, and inversely associated with country surface area. PMID:29225951

5 CFR 591.220 - How does OPM calculate energy utility cost indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... water, cooking, cleaning, recreation). (2) Step 2. OPM obtains from the shelter survey, a survey of... of heating and cooling equipment and energy types (e.g., electricity, gas, and oil) in each area. (3...

5 CFR 591.220 - How does OPM calculate energy utility cost indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... water, cooking, cleaning, recreation). (2) Step 2. OPM obtains from the shelter survey, a survey of... of heating and cooling equipment and energy types (e.g., electricity, gas, and oil) in each area. (3...

ASTRONAUTICS INFORMATION OPEN LITERATURE SURVEY, VOLUME II, NUMBER 6 (ENTRIES 21,871-22,113)

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

None

1960-06-01

A survey of the open literature for June 1960 on astronautics information is presented. The material presented is organized alphabetically acconding to subject. Cumulative author and subject indexes are given. (W.D.M.)

Diagnostic History and Treatment of School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Special Health Care Needs

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Electronic Health Record Systems and Intent to Apply for Meaningful Use Incentives among Office-based Physician ...

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey Clearinghouse on Health Indexes Statistical Notes for Health ...

Publications - DDS 1 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Surveys Digital Data Series 1, http://doi.org/10.14509/agdi. http://doi.org/10.14509/24504 Publication Products Interactive Interactive Map Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Digital Geospatial Data Digital

Comparison of U.S. Geological Survey and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency fish-collection methods using the index of biotic integrity and modified index of well-being, 1996-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Covert, S. Alex

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) collected data on fish from 10 stream sites in 1996 and 3 stream sites in 1997 as part of a comparative study of fish community assessment methods. The sites sampled represent a wide range of basin sizes (ranging from 132?6,330 square kilometers) and surrounding land-use types (urban, agricultural, and mixed). Each agency used its own fish-sampling protocol. Using the Index of Biotic Integrity and Modified Index of Well-Being, differences between data sets were tested for significance by means of the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test (a = 0.05). Results showed that the median of Index of Biotic Integrity differences between data sets was not significantly different from zero (p = 0.2521); however, the same statistical test showed the median differences in the Modified Index of Well-Being scores to be significantly different from zero (p = 0.0158). The differences observed in the Index of Biotic Integrity scores are likely due to natural variability, increased variability at sites with degraded water quality, differences in sampling methods, and low-end adjustments in the Index of Biotic Integrity calculation when fewer than 50 fish were collected. The Modified Index of Well-Being scores calculated by OEPA were significantly higher than those calculated by the USGS. This finding was attributed to the comparatively large numbers and biomass of fish collected by the OEPA. By combining the two indices and viewing them in terms of the percentage attainment of Ohio Warmwater Habitat criteria, the two agencies? data seemed comparable, although the Index of Biotic Integrity scores were more similar than the Modified Index of Well-Being scores.

5 CFR 591.220 - How does OPM calculate energy utility cost indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... may vary from one COLA survey area to another, OPM compares the utility cost for the same size dwelling in the COLA survey area and the Washington, DC, area. (b) OPM applies the following six-step... and cooling plus all other household energy uses for the COLA survey area and the Washington, DC, area...

5 CFR 591.220 - How does OPM calculate energy utility cost indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... may vary from one COLA survey area to another, OPM compares the utility cost for the same size dwelling in the COLA survey area and the Washington, DC, area. (b) OPM applies the following six-step... and cooling plus all other household energy uses for the COLA survey area and the Washington, DC, area...

5 CFR 591.220 - How does OPM calculate energy utility cost indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... may vary from one COLA survey area to another, OPM compares the utility cost for the same size dwelling in the COLA survey area and the Washington, DC, area. (b) OPM applies the following six-step... and cooling plus all other household energy uses for the COLA survey area and the Washington, DC, area...

5 CFR 591.219 - How does OPM compute shelter price indexes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... estimates in hedonic regressions (a type of multiple regression) to compute for each COLA survey area the... and rental equivalence prices and/or estimates, OPM obtains for each unit surveyed information about... survey area and the Washington, DC, area. [67 FR 22340, May 3, 2002, as amended at 69 FR 59763, Oct. 6...

Psychosocial impact of adolescent gynecomastia: a prospective case-control study.

PubMed

Nuzzi, Laura C; Cerrato, Felecia E; Erickson, Cameron R; Erikson, Cameron R; Webb, Michelle L; Rosen, Heather; Walsh, Erika M; DiVasta, Amy D; Greene, Arin K; Labow, Brian I

2013-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the physical and psychosocial impact of gynecomastia and its severity on adolescents seeking treatment as compared with healthy adolescent males. The following surveys were administered to adolescents with gynecomastia and healthy male controls, aged 12 to 21 years: Short Form-36 Version 2, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Demographic variables were compared between the two groups, and controls were administered a short chest symptoms survey. Linear regression models, unadjusted and adjusted for body mass index category, were fit to determine the effect of case status and graded severity of gynecomastia on survey score. Forty-seven patients with gynecomastia and 92 male control subjects participated in this study. There was no difference in mean age between the groups, although patients with gynecomastia had a significantly higher body mass index. Gynecomastia subjects had three lower Short Form-36 domain and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores independent of body mass index category as compared with controls, although there was no difference in Eating Attitudes Test-26 scores between the groups. Graded gynecomastia severity had no effect on survey scores, all independent of body mass index category. Gynecomastia has a significant negative impact on primarily the psychosocial well-being of affected adolescent patients, specifically in regard to social functioning, mental health, and self-esteem. Psychosocial impact was not affected by graded severity of disease. Health care providers and patients should be aware of the psychosocial impairments associated with gynecomastia and consider early treatment for adolescents suffering from this condition, regardless of severity.

A GIS application for assessing, mapping, and quantifying the social values of ecosystem services

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherrouse, Benson C.; Clement, Jessica M.; Semmens, Darius J.

2011-01-01

As human pressures on ecosystems continue to increase, research involving the effective incorporation of social values information into the context of comprehensive ecosystem services assessments is becoming more important. Including quantified, spatially explicit social value metrics in such assessments will improve the analysis of relative tradeoffs among ecosystem services. This paper describes a GIS application, Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES), developed to assess, map, and quantify the perceived social values of ecosystem services by deriving a non-monetary Value Index from responses to a public attitude and preference survey. SolVES calculates and maps the Value Index for social values held by various survey subgroups, as distinguished by their attitudes regarding ecosystem use. Index values can be compared within and among survey subgroups to explore the effect of social contexts on the valuation of ecosystem services. Index values can also be correlated and regressed against landscape metrics SolVES calculates from various environmental data layers. Coefficients derived through these analyses were applied to their corresponding data layers to generate a predicted social value map. This map compared favorably with other SolVES output and led to the addition of a predictive mapping function to SolVES for value transfer to areas where survey data are unavailable. A more robust application is being developed as a public domain tool for decision makers and researchers to map social values of ecosystem services and to facilitate discussions among diverse stakeholders involving relative tradeoffs among different ecosystem services in a variety of physical and social contexts.

Automated Water Quality Survey and Evaluation Using an IoT Platform with Mobile Sensor Nodes.

PubMed

Li, Teng; Xia, Min; Chen, Jiahong; Zhao, Yuanjie; de Silva, Clarence

2017-07-28

An Internet of Things (IoT) platform with capabilities of sensing, data processing, and wireless communication has been deployed to support remote aquatic environmental monitoring. In this paper, the design and development of an IoT platform with multiple Mobile Sensor Nodes (MSN) for the spatiotemporal quality evaluation of surface water is presented. A survey planner is proposed to distribute the Sampling Locations of Interest (SLoIs) over the study area and generate paths for MSNs to visit the SLoIs, given the limited energy and time budgets. The SLoIs are chosen based on a cellular decomposition that is composed of uniform hexagonal cells. They are visited by the MSNs along a path ring generated by a planning approach that uses a spanning tree. For quality evaluation, an Online Water Quality Index (OLWQI) is developed to interpret the large quantities of online measurements. The index formulations are modified by a state-of-the-art index, the CCME WQI, which has been developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) for off-line indexing. The proposed index has demonstrated effective and reliable performance in online indexing a large volume of measurements of water quality parameters. The IoT platform is deployed in the field, and its performance is demonstrated and discussed in this paper.

Evaluation of the Predictive Index for Osteoporosis as a Clinical Tool to Identify the Risk of Osteoporosis in Korean Men by Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data.

PubMed

Moon, Ji Hyun; Kim, Lee Oh; Kim, Hyeon Ju; Kong, Mi Hee

2016-11-01

We previously proposed the Predictive Index for Osteoporosis as a new index to identify men who require bone mineral density measurement. However, the previous study had limitations such as a single-center design and small sample size. Here, we evaluated the usefulness of the Predictive Index for Osteoporosis using the nationally representative data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants underwent bone mineral density measurements via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the Predictive Index for Osteoporosis and Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to obtain optimal cut-off points for the Predictive Index for Osteoporosis and Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians, and the predictability of osteoporosis for the 2 indices was compared. Both indices were useful clinical tools for identifying osteoporosis risk in Korean men. The optimal cut-off value for the Predictive Index for Osteoporosis was 1.07 (sensitivity, 67.6%; specificity, 72.7%; area under the curve, 0.743). When using a cut-off point of 0.5 for the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians, the sensitivity and specificity were 71.9% and 64.0%, respectively, and the area under the curve was 0.737. The Predictive Index for Osteoporosis was as useful as the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians as a screening index to identify candidates for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry among men aged 50-69 years.

Research on the key technology of update of land survey spatial data based on embedded GIS and GPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dan; Liu, Yanfang; Yu, Hai; Xia, Yin

2009-10-01

According to the actual needs of the second land-use survey and the PDA's characteristics of small volume and small memory, it can be analyzed that the key technology of the data collection system of field survey based on GPS-PDA is the read speed of the data. In order to enhance the speed and efficiency of the analysis of the spatial data on mobile devices, we classify the layers of spatial data; get the Layer-Grid Index by getting the different levels and blocks of the layer of spatial data; then get the R-TREE index of the spatial data objects. Different scale levels of space are used in different levels management. The grid method is used to do the block management.

1999 Transit customer satisfaction index : final report : results of survey and conclusions

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-10-01

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the results and analysis of the data collected in the 1999 Florida Transit Properties Customer Satisfaction Index project, as well as to briefly review the data sources and the weighting methodo...

Comprehensive evaluation of land quality basing on 3S technology and farmers' survey: A case study in Crisscross Region of Wind-drift Sand Regions along the Great Wall and Loess Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yan-yu; Wang, Jing; Shi, Yan-xi; Li, Yu-huan; Lv, Chun-yan

2005-10-01

The Crisscross Region of Wind-drift Sand Regions along the Great Wall and Loess Plateau locates in southern Ordos Plateau and northern Chinese Loess Plateau, where wind erosion and water erosion coexist and specified environmental and socio-economic factors, especially human activities induce serious land degradation. However, there are only a few studies provide an overall assessment consequences. Integrated land quality assessment considering impacts of soil, topography, vegetation, environmental hazards, social-economic factors and land managements are imperative to the regional sustainable land managements. A pilot study was made in Hengshan County (Shanxi Province) with the objective of developing comprehensive land quality evaluation model integrating data from farmers' survey and Remote Sensing. Surveys were carried out in 107 households of study area in 2003 and 2004 to get farmers' perceptions of land quality and to collect correlative information. It was found out that farmers evaluated land quality by slope, water availability, soil texture, yields, amount of fertilizer, crop performance, sandy erosion degree and water erosion degree. Scientists' indicators which emphasize on getting information by RS technology were introduced to reflecting above indicators information for the sake of developing a rapid, efficient and local-fitted land quality assessment model including social-economic, environmental and anthropogenic factors. Data from satellite and surveys were integrated with socio-economic statistic data using geographical information system (GIS) and three indexes, namely Production Press Index (PPI), Land State Index (LSI) and Farmer Behavior Index (FBI) were proposed to measure different aspects of land quality. A model was further derived from the three indexes to explore the overall land quality of the study area. Results suggest that local land prevalently had a poor quality. This paper shows that whilst the model was competent for its work in the study area and evaluation results would supply beneficial information for management decisions.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Results From the Radiation Oncology Academic Development and Mentorship Assessment Project (ROADMAP)

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

Holliday, Emma B.; Jagsi, Reshma; Thomas, Charles R.

Purpose: To analyze survey information regarding mentorship practices and cross-correlate the results with objective metrics of academic productivity among academic radiation oncologists at US Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited residency training programs. Methods and Materials: An institutional review board-approved survey for the Radiation Oncology Academic Development and Mentorship Assessment Project (ROADMAP) was sent to 1031 radiation oncologists employed at an ACGME-accredited residency training program and administered using an international secure web application designed exclusively to support data capture for research studies. Data collected included demographics, presence of mentorship, and the nature of specific mentoring activities. Productivity metrics, includingmore » number of publications, number of citations, h-index, and date of first publication, were collected for each survey respondent from a commercially available online database, and m-index was calculated. Results: A total of 158 academic radiation oncologists completed the survey, 96 of whom reported having an academic/scientific mentor. Faculty with a mentor had higher numbers of publications, citations, and h- and m-indices. Differences in gender and race/ethnicity were not associated with significant differences in mentorship rates, but those with a mentor were more likely to have a PhD degree and were more likely to have more time protected for research. Bivariate fit regression modeling showed a positive correlation between a mentor's h-index and their mentee's h-index (R{sup 2} = 0.16; P<.001). Linear regression also showed significant correlates of higher h-index, in addition to having a mentor (P=.001), included a longer career duration (P<.001) and fewer patients in treatment (P=.02). Conclusions: Mentorship is widely believed to be important to career development and academic productivity. These results emphasize the importance of identifying and striving to overcome potential barriers to effective mentorship.« less

Social values for ecosystem services (SolVES): A GIS application for assessing, mapping, and quantifying the social values of ecosystem services-Documentation and user manual, version 1.0

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherrouse, Benson C.; Riegle, Jodi L.; Semmens, Darius J.

2010-01-01

In response to the need for incorporating quantified and spatially explicit measures of social values into ecosystem services assessments, the Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center, in collaboration with Colorado State University, has developed a geographic information system application, Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES). SolVES can be used to assess, map, and quantify the perceived social values of ecosystem services. SolVES derives a quantitative social values metric, the Value Index, from a combination of spatial and nonspatial responses to public attitude and preference surveys. SolVES also generates landscape metrics, such as average elevation and distance to water, calculated from spatial data layers describing the underlying physical environment. Using kernel density calculations and zonal statistics, SolVES derives and maps the 10-point Value Index and reports landscape metrics associated with each index value for social value types such as aesthetics, biodiversity, and recreation. This can be repeated for various survey subgroups as distinguished by their attitudes and preferences regarding public uses of the forests such as motorized recreation and logging for fuels reduction. The Value Index provides a basis of comparison within and among survey subgroups to consider the effect of social contexts on the valuation of ecosystem services. SolVES includes regression coefficients linking the predicted value (the Value Index) to landscape metrics. These coefficients are used to generate predicted social value maps using value transfer techniques for areas where primary survey data are not available. SolVES was developed, and will continue to be enhanced through future versions, as a public domain tool to enable decision makers and researchers to map the social values of ecosystem services and to facilitate discussions among diverse stakeholders regarding tradeoffs between different ecosystem services in a variety of physical and social contexts.

GLACiAR: GaLAxy survey Completeness AlgoRithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco, Daniela; Trenti, Michele; Mutch, Simon; Oesch, Pascal

2018-05-01

GLACiAR (GaLAxy survey Completeness AlgoRithm) estimates the completeness and selection functions in galaxy surveys. Tailored for multiband imaging surveys aimed at searching for high-redshift galaxies through the Lyman Break technique, the code can nevertheless be applied broadly. GLACiAR generates artificial galaxies that follow Sérsic profiles with different indexes and with customizable size, redshift and spectral energy distribution properties, adds them to input images, and measures the recovery rate.

Collaborative Filtering Recommendation on Users' Interest Sequences.

PubMed

Cheng, Weijie; Yin, Guisheng; Dong, Yuxin; Dong, Hongbin; Zhang, Wansong

2016-01-01

As an important factor for improving recommendations, time information has been introduced to model users' dynamic preferences in many papers. However, the sequence of users' behaviour is rarely studied in recommender systems. Due to the users' unique behavior evolution patterns and personalized interest transitions among items, users' similarity in sequential dimension should be introduced to further distinguish users' preferences and interests. In this paper, we propose a new collaborative filtering recommendation method based on users' interest sequences (IS) that rank users' ratings or other online behaviors according to the timestamps when they occurred. This method extracts the semantics hidden in the interest sequences by the length of users' longest common sub-IS (LCSIS) and the count of users' total common sub-IS (ACSIS). Then, these semantics are utilized to obtain users' IS-based similarities and, further, to refine the similarities acquired from traditional collaborative filtering approaches. With these updated similarities, transition characteristics and dynamic evolution patterns of users' preferences are considered. Our new proposed method was compared with state-of-the-art time-aware collaborative filtering algorithms on datasets MovieLens, Flixster and Ciao. The experimental results validate that the proposed recommendation method is effective and outperforms several existing algorithms in the accuracy of rating prediction.

Collaborative Filtering Recommendation on Users’ Interest Sequences

PubMed Central

Cheng, Weijie; Yin, Guisheng; Dong, Yuxin; Dong, Hongbin; Zhang, Wansong

2016-01-01

As an important factor for improving recommendations, time information has been introduced to model users’ dynamic preferences in many papers. However, the sequence of users’ behaviour is rarely studied in recommender systems. Due to the users’ unique behavior evolution patterns and personalized interest transitions among items, users’ similarity in sequential dimension should be introduced to further distinguish users’ preferences and interests. In this paper, we propose a new collaborative filtering recommendation method based on users’ interest sequences (IS) that rank users’ ratings or other online behaviors according to the timestamps when they occurred. This method extracts the semantics hidden in the interest sequences by the length of users’ longest common sub-IS (LCSIS) and the count of users’ total common sub-IS (ACSIS). Then, these semantics are utilized to obtain users’ IS-based similarities and, further, to refine the similarities acquired from traditional collaborative filtering approaches. With these updated similarities, transition characteristics and dynamic evolution patterns of users’ preferences are considered. Our new proposed method was compared with state-of-the-art time-aware collaborative filtering algorithms on datasets MovieLens, Flixster and Ciao. The experimental results validate that the proposed recommendation method is effective and outperforms several existing algorithms in the accuracy of rating prediction. PMID:27195787

The order of importance of component parts of the Biblical worldview in Christian high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Meter, Kenneth G.

This micro-ethnographic study is an exploration of the relative degree of importance of the several components of a worldview as articulated by a purposive sample of fourteen upper division students currently enrolled in advance placement classes in ACSI and WASC accredited Christian high schools in Northern California. The research design uses an original questionnaire followed up with a semi-structured interview of the student using the responses on the questionnaire as a guide for the interview. The questionnaire uses a Likert scale in asking the students to rate the importance of seven components of a worldview and then to rank those same components in order of importance. Results suggest that the subjects of God, morality and truth are of highest importance, and the human predicament and origins are of least importance. The subjects of the purpose of human existence and the resolution to the human predicament were intermediate in importance. Additional themes of temporal immediacy and the ability to connect worldview components into a comprehensive whole were also identified. The influence of the family unit as of primary importance in worldview development was affirmed. Suggestions for strengthening instructional practices and curriculum for Christian school educators are provided.

[Application of Delphi method in traditional Chinese medicine clinical research].

PubMed

Bi, Ying-fei; Mao, Jing-yuan

2012-03-01

In recent years, Delphi method has been widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical research. This article analyzed the present application situation of Delphi method in TCM clinical research, and discussed some problems presented in the choice of evaluation method, classification of observation indexes and selection of survey items. On the basis of present application of Delphi method, the author analyzed the method on questionnaire making, selection of experts, evaluation of observation indexes and selection of survey items. Furthermore, the author summarized the steps of application of Delphi method in TCM clinical research.

Computing discharge using the index velocity method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levesque, Victor A.; Oberg, Kevin A.

2012-01-01

Application of the index velocity method for computing continuous records of discharge has become increasingly common, especially since the introduction of low-cost acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) in 1997. Presently (2011), the index velocity method is being used to compute discharge records for approximately 470 gaging stations operated and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this report is to document and describe techniques for computing discharge records using the index velocity method. Computing discharge using the index velocity method differs from the traditional stage-discharge method by separating velocity and area into two ratings—the index velocity rating and the stage-area rating. The outputs from each of these ratings, mean channel velocity (V) and cross-sectional area (A), are then multiplied together to compute a discharge. For the index velocity method, V is a function of such parameters as streamwise velocity, stage, cross-stream velocity, and velocity head, and A is a function of stage and cross-section shape. The index velocity method can be used at locations where stage-discharge methods are used, but it is especially appropriate when more than one specific discharge can be measured for a specific stage. After the ADVM is selected, installed, and configured, the stage-area rating and the index velocity rating must be developed. A standard cross section is identified and surveyed in order to develop the stage-area rating. The standard cross section should be surveyed every year for the first 3 years of operation and thereafter at a lesser frequency, depending on the susceptibility of the cross section to change. Periodic measurements of discharge are used to calibrate and validate the index rating for the range of conditions experienced at the gaging station. Data from discharge measurements, ADVMs, and stage sensors are compiled for index-rating analysis. Index ratings are developed by means of regression techniques in which the mean cross-sectional velocity for the standard section is related to the measured index velocity. Most ratings are simple-linear regressions, but more complex ratings may be necessary in some cases. Once the rating is established, validation measurements should be made periodically. Over time, validation measurements may provide additional definition to the rating or result in the creation of a new rating. The computation of discharge is the last step in the index velocity method, and in some ways it is the most straight-forward step. This step differs little from the steps used to compute discharge records for stage-discharge gaging stations. The ratings are entered into database software used for records computation, and continuous records of discharge are computed.

Assessing risk of draft survey by AHP method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guangcheng; Zhao, Kuimin; Zuo, Zhaoying; Liu, Gang; Jian, Binguo; Lin, Yan; Fan, Yukun; Wang, Fei

2018-04-01

The paper assesses the risks of vessel floating in the seawater for draft survey by using the analytic hierarchy process. On this basis, the paper established draft survey risk index from the view of draft reading, ballast water, fresh water, and calculation process and so on. Then the paper proposes the method to deal with risk assessment using one concrete sample.

78 FR 26526 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-07

... base-case model using nine years of an acoustic survey biomass index as well as catches to estimate the scale of the current hake stock. The 2012 acoustic-trawl survey result was a relative biomass 1,380,000... series. The age-composition data from the aggregated fisheries (1975-2012) and the acoustic survey...

Construction of an adaptable European transnational ecological deprivation index: the French version.

PubMed

Pornet, Carole; Delpierre, Cyrille; Dejardin, Olivier; Grosclaude, Pascale; Launay, Ludivine; Guittet, Lydia; Lang, Thierry; Launoy, Guy

2012-11-01

Studying social disparities in health implies the ability to measure them accurately, to compare them between different areas or countries and to follow trends over time. This study proposes a method for constructing a French European deprivation index, which will be replicable in several European countries and is related to an individual deprivation indicator constructed from a European survey specifically designed to study deprivation. Using individual data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey, goods/services indicated by individuals as being fundamental needs, the lack of which reflect deprivation, were selected. From this definition, which is specific to a cultural context, an individual deprivation indicator was constructed by selecting fundamental needs associated both with objective and subjective poverty. Next, the authors selected among variables available both in the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey and French national census those best reflecting individual experience of deprivation using multivariate logistic regression. An ecological measure of deprivation was provided for all the smallest French geographical units. Preliminary validation showed a higher association between the French European Deprivation Index (EDI) score and both income and education than the Townsend index, partly ensuring its ability to measure individual socioeconomic status. This index, which is specific to a particular cultural and social policy context, could be replicated in 25 other European countries, thereby allowing European comparisons. EDI could also be reproducible over time. EDI could prove to be a relevant tool in evidence-based policy-making for measuring and reducing social disparities in health issues and even outside the medical domain.

Indexed Captioned Searchable Videos: A Learning Companion for STEM Coursework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuna, Tayfun; Subhlok, Jaspal; Barker, Lecia; Shah, Shishir; Johnson, Olin; Hovey, Christopher

2017-02-01

Videos of classroom lectures have proven to be a popular and versatile learning resource. A key shortcoming of the lecture video format is accessing the content of interest hidden in a video. This work meets this challenge with an advanced video framework featuring topical indexing, search, and captioning (ICS videos). Standard optical character recognition (OCR) technology was enhanced with image transformations for extraction of text from video frames to support indexing and search. The images and text on video frames is analyzed to divide lecture videos into topical segments. The ICS video player integrates indexing, search, and captioning in video playback providing instant access to the content of interest. This video framework has been used by more than 70 courses in a variety of STEM disciplines and assessed by more than 4000 students. Results presented from the surveys demonstrate the value of the videos as a learning resource and the role played by videos in a students learning process. Survey results also establish the value of indexing and search features in a video platform for education. This paper reports on the development and evaluation of ICS videos framework and over 5 years of usage experience in several STEM courses.

Breeding of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in urban housing of Sibu town, Sarawak.

PubMed

Seng, C M; Jute, N

1994-09-01

An Aedes survey using various larval survey methods was conducted in 12 urban housing areas and 29 vacant lands in Sibu town proper. Aedes albopictus larvae were found in all areas surveyed while Aedes aegypti larvae were present in 10 localities and 4 vacant lands. There were no significant difference in the house index, breteau and larval density index of these two Aedes (Stegomyia) species from the survey areas. The proportion of containers positive with Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in area outside the house compound and near the house fencing were 3.2 times higher than outdoor compound. The indoor/outdoor breeding ratio for Ae. aegypti alone is 1.6:1. The most preferred breeding habitats outdoor were plastic cups and used tires while indoor habitats were ant traps and flower vases. In the vacant lands, the average number of larvae per containers was significantly higher than in houses and over 51% of the containers inspected were positive. Shared breeding between Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus larvae accounted for 9% in house surveys and 4.5% in vacant land survey. The use of various methods in Aedes larval survey may provide essential information in the study of vector epidemiology in dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever transmission.

The potential of small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems for the rapid detection of threatened unimproved grassland communities using an Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index.

PubMed

Strong, Conor J; Burnside, Niall G; Llewellyn, Dan

2017-01-01

The loss of unimproved grassland has led to species decline in a wide range of taxonomic groups. Agricultural intensification has resulted in fragmented patches of remnant grassland habitat both across Europe and internationally. The monitoring of remnant patches of this habitat is critically important, however, traditional surveying of large, remote landscapes is a notoriously costly and difficult task. The emergence of small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) equipped with low-cost multi-spectral cameras offer an alternative to traditional grassland survey methods, and have the potential to progress and innovate the monitoring and future conservation of this habitat globally. The aim of this article is to investigate the potential of sUAS for rapid detection of threatened unimproved grassland and to test the use of an Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (ENDVI). A sUAS aerial survey is undertaken at a site nationally recognised as an important location for fragmented unimproved mesotrophic grassland, within the south east of England, UK. A multispectral camera is used to capture imagery in the visible and near-infrared spectrums, and the ENDVI calculated and its discrimination performance compared to a range of more traditional vegetation indices. In order to validate the results of analysis, ground quadrat surveys were carried out to determine the grassland communities present. Quadrat surveys identified three community types within the site; unimproved grassland, improved grassland and rush pasture. All six vegetation indices tested were able to distinguish between the broad habitat types of grassland and rush pasture; whilst only three could differentiate vegetation at a community level. The Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (ENDVI) was the most effective index when differentiating grasslands at the community level. The mechanisms behind the improved performance of the ENDVI are discussed and recommendations are made for areas of future research and study.

The potential of small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems for the rapid detection of threatened unimproved grassland communities using an Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index

PubMed Central

Strong, Conor J.; Llewellyn, Dan

2017-01-01

The loss of unimproved grassland has led to species decline in a wide range of taxonomic groups. Agricultural intensification has resulted in fragmented patches of remnant grassland habitat both across Europe and internationally. The monitoring of remnant patches of this habitat is critically important, however, traditional surveying of large, remote landscapes is a notoriously costly and difficult task. The emergence of small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) equipped with low-cost multi-spectral cameras offer an alternative to traditional grassland survey methods, and have the potential to progress and innovate the monitoring and future conservation of this habitat globally. The aim of this article is to investigate the potential of sUAS for rapid detection of threatened unimproved grassland and to test the use of an Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (ENDVI). A sUAS aerial survey is undertaken at a site nationally recognised as an important location for fragmented unimproved mesotrophic grassland, within the south east of England, UK. A multispectral camera is used to capture imagery in the visible and near-infrared spectrums, and the ENDVI calculated and its discrimination performance compared to a range of more traditional vegetation indices. In order to validate the results of analysis, ground quadrat surveys were carried out to determine the grassland communities present. Quadrat surveys identified three community types within the site; unimproved grassland, improved grassland and rush pasture. All six vegetation indices tested were able to distinguish between the broad habitat types of grassland and rush pasture; whilst only three could differentiate vegetation at a community level. The Enhanced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (ENDVI) was the most effective index when differentiating grasslands at the community level. The mechanisms behind the improved performance of the ENDVI are discussed and recommendations are made for areas of future research and study. PMID:29023504

Post-precipitation bias in band-tailed pigeon surveys conducted at mineral sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Overton, C.T.; Schmitz, R.A.; Casazza, Michael L.

2005-01-01

Many animal surveys to estimate populations or index trends include protocol prohibiting counts during rain but fail to address effects of rainfall preceding the count. Prior research on Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata monilis) documented declines in use of mineral sites during rainfall. We hypothesized that prior precipitation was associated with a short-term increase in use of mineral sites following rain. We conducted weekly counts of band-tailed pigeons at 19 Pacific Northwest mineral sites in 2001 and 20 sites in 2002. Results from regression analysis indicated higher counts ???2 days after rain (11.31??5.00% [x????SE]) compared to ???3 days. Individual index counts conducted ???2 days after rain were biased high, resulting in reduced ability to accurately estimate population trends. Models of band-tailed pigeon visitation rates throughout the summer showed increased mineral-site counts during both June and August migration periods, relative to the July breeding period. Our research supported previous studies recommending that mineral-site counts used to index the band-tailed pigeon population be conducted during July. We further recommend conducting counts >3 days after rain to avoid weather-related bias in index estimation. The design of other population sampling strategies that rely on annual counts should consider the influence of aberrant weather not only coincident with but also preceding surveys if weather patterns are thought to influence behavior or detection probability of target species.

Inequity of healthcare utilization on mammography examination and Pap smear screening in Thailand: Analysis of a population-based household survey

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Healthcare in Thailand is not equally distributed, and not all people can equally access healthcare resources even if they are covered by health insurance. To examine factors associated with the utilization of mammography examination for breast cancer and Pap smear screening for cervical cancer, data from the national reproductive health survey conducted by the National Statistical Office of Thailand in 2009 was examined. The survey was carried out on 15,074,126 women aged 30–59 years. The results showed that the wealthier respondents had more mammograms than did the lower-income groups. The concentration index was 0.144. The data on Pap smears for cervical cancer also showed that the wealthier respondents were more likely to have had a Pap smear than their lower-income counterparts. The concentration index was 0.054. Determinants of mammography examination were education, followed by health welfare and wealth index, whereas the determinants of Pap smear screening were wealth index, followed by health welfare and education. The government should support greater education for women because education was associated with socioeconomic status and wealth. There should be an increase in the number of screening campaigns, mobile clinics, and low-cost mammograms and continued support for accessibility to mammograms, especially in rural areas and low-income communities. PMID:28282430

Topical index and bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements and related reports

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtis, Diane; Houser, Shirley S.

1952-01-01

Part 1, the topical index, lists the titles of reports prepared from 1941 to December 1952, in conjunction with the Geological Survey's program of uranium and other elements of related interest. It includes not only completed Trace Elements reports and those now in preparation, but also Survey publications, publications by Survey personnel in scientific journals, and open-fie releases. The titles are grouped topically under the headings listed in the table of contents. Entries in each category are listed alphabetically, by author, and numbered consecutively. Many of the reports have been cross-indexed, where appropriate. The classification of the Trace Elements reports, insofar as it is known, has been indicated after the title of the report. The classification of some of the earlier Trace Elements reports is uncertain. The Geological Survey does not have additional copies of most of the reports listed, but copies of some of the completed reports can be loaned on request to organizations officially cooperating with the Atomic Energy Commission. Many Trace Elements reports have been made available to the public, either by open-file release, reproduction by Technical Information Service, Oak Ridge (referred to as TIS), by publication as a Geological Survey circular or bulletin or by a publication in a scientific journal. This information is given, following the title of the report. If the abstract of a Trace Element report has been published in Nuclear Science Abstracts, it is noted by the initials NSA following the title of the report. Part 2 is a reference guide to information on the Trace Elements program that is available to the public. This information is categorized according to the type of publication or release.

Impact of Dry Eye Symptoms and Daily Activities in a Modern Office.

PubMed

van Tilborg, Mirjam M; Murphy, Paul J; Evans, Katharine S

2017-06-01

Modern offices and the use of electronic devices are increasing factors in work-related eye symptoms. However, symptoms of eye fatigue or dry eye sensation can be mixed and confusing. This study surveys the eye symptoms reported during a working day at modern offices to investigate the possible inhibition on daily work activities. Two online digital surveys were sent to three different work locations, by direct e-mail. Survey A consisted of 14 questions that investigated eye symptoms experienced during daily activities at work and the impact on daily activities. Survey B consisted of four general questions, the Dutch Ocular Surface Disease Index, the Work Productivity and Activity Index, and the Illness Perception Questionnaire. A total of 505 participants completed survey A, and 213 completed survey B. The participants reported that a high proportion of their day was spent working on a computer (60%). The majority experienced an air draft (79.1%) and had no adjustable light (81.5%) at their workspace. Dry eye-related symptoms were reported at a significantly higher frequency at work than at home (P < .001). Up to 70% experienced some inhibition of daily activity at work due to eye symptoms, with more than 5% experiencing symptoms most or all of the time. Indoor environment, work environment, and general health were perceived as the main reasons for developing dry eye. Compared with males, females showed a statistically significant higher Ocular Surface Disease Index score (P < .001) and experienced more inhibition and adverse effects on daily life and work productivity. This investigation shows that dry eye symptoms have a negative impact on daily activities at work. These findings suggest that multidisciplinary understanding of the negative impact of dry eye by a range of specialists will be of help in managing work-related dry eye.

Examining Progress and Equity in Information Received by Women Using a Modern Method in 25 Developing Countries.

PubMed

Jain, Anrudh K

2016-09-01

The information exchanged during a contraceptive visit is important because providers need to understand clients' reproductive intentions and clients need to receive adequate information about methods and possible method-related side effects and problems. Little is known about how information exchange has changed over time and how it might vary across countries or subgroups within a country. Demographic and Health Survey data from 25 developing countries were used to calculate the Method Information Index (MII), a Family Planning 2020 indicator that reflects some aspects of contraceptive information exchanged between providers and clients. For each country, the MII was calculated from each of two surveys about five years apart to examine change in the indicator over time. In addition, the MII was examined for all countries combined and by region. The average MII for all 25 countries increased from 34% at the earlier survey time to 39% at the later survey time; the index values of individual countries ranged from 19% to 64% at survey time 1 and from 13% to 65% at survey time 2. The MII increased over time in 15 countries and declined in 10. In analyses by contraceptive method type, the MII tended to be highest among implant users and lowest among women relying on sterilization. The index was generally higher among women living in urban areas than among those in rural areas, and tended to rise with increases in women's education and household wealth. On the basis of the MII, developing countries have room to improve information exchange between providers and clients. Such improvements would require concerted efforts by programs and donors.

Nature of the annoyance and noise annoyance relation around airports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francois, J.

1981-01-01

A survey of 5,000 individuals living around Orly Airport is described. The psobic index was used as the noise index which indicated the intensity of the annoyance experienced by people living around the airport. The results indicate that sensitivity to noise is related to certain personal factors.

Using a relative bed stability index to define a reference condition for assessing anthropogenic sedimentation

EPA Science Inventory

We developed an index of relative bed stability (LRBS) based on low flow survey data collected using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) field methods to assess anthropogenic sedimentation in streams. LRBS is the log ...

Concussion Education for High School Football Players: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manasse-Cohick, Nancy J.; Shapley, Kathy L.

2014-01-01

This survey study compared high school football players' knowledge and attitudes about concussion before and after receiving concussion education. There were no significant changes in the Concussion Attitude Index. Results revealed a statistically significant difference in the athletes' scores for the Concussion Knowledge Index, "t"(244)…

CORRELATION OF RED-SHOULDERED HAWK ABUNDANCE AND MACROHABITAT CHARACTERISTICS IN SOUTHERN OHIO

EPA Science Inventory

We measured an index of Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) abundance along streams in southern Ohio and related differences in abundance index to landscape scale habitat characteristics within the surveyed areas. Fifteen study sites, each a 5.8-km reach of permanent stream, we...

Site classification for northern forest species

Treesearch

Willard H. Carmean

1977-01-01

Summarizes the extensive literature for northern forest species covering site index curves, site index species comparisons, growth intercepts, soil-site studies, plant indicators, physiographic site classifications, and soil survey studies. The advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research using each of these methods....

2010 NCCA oligochaete trophic index results to inform benthic index development for the Great Lakes

EPA Science Inventory

Over 400 sites were sampled in the nearshore of the U.S. Great Lakes during the National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) field survey in summer 2010. To assess benthic ecological condition, 393 PONARs were attempted, and collected macroinvertebrates were identified and enume...

Connection to Nature: Children's Affective Attitude toward Nature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Judith Chen-Hsuan; Monroe, Martha C.

2012-01-01

A connection to nature index was developed and tested to measure children's affective attitude toward the natural environment. The index was employed through a survey that investigates students' attitude toward Lagoon Quest, a mandatory environmental education program for all fourth-grade, public school students in Brevard County, Florida. Factor…

DEVELOPMENT OF A BIRD INTEGRITY INDEX: USING BIRD ASSEMBLAGES AS INDICATORS OF RIPARIAN CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

We describe the development of a Bird Integrity Index (BII) that uses bird assemblage information to assess human impacts on 13 stream reaches in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. We used bird survey field data to test 62 candidate metrics representing aspects of bird taxonomic ric...

Geographic Distribution of Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) in U.S. Homes

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to quantify and describe the distribution of the 36 settled dust molds that make up the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI). Materials and Methods. As part of the 2006 American Healthy Homes Survey, settled dust samples were analyzed by ...

Psychophysiological effects of aging : developing a functional age index for pilots. I., A survey of the pertinent literature.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-01-01

This report gives a survey about selected material concerning age and aviation-related psychophysiological functions. The author analyzes the results obtained by many investigators from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies that may be useful for ...

Publications - DDS 5 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Geologic Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications DDS 5 main content

Publications - MP 146 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Geologic Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications MP 146 main content

Publications - MP 159 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Geologic Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications MP 159 main content

Evaluation of Nine Consensus Indices in Delphi Foresight Research and Their Dependency on Delphi Survey Characteristics: A Simulation Study and Debate on Delphi Design and Interpretation.

PubMed

Birko, Stanislav; Dove, Edward S; Özdemir, Vural

2015-01-01

The extent of consensus (or the lack thereof) among experts in emerging fields of innovation can serve as antecedents of scientific, societal, investor and stakeholder synergy or conflict. Naturally, how we measure consensus is of great importance to science and technology strategic foresight. The Delphi methodology is a widely used anonymous survey technique to evaluate consensus among a panel of experts. Surprisingly, there is little guidance on how indices of consensus can be influenced by parameters of the Delphi survey itself. We simulated a classic three-round Delphi survey building on the concept of clustered consensus/dissensus. We evaluated three study characteristics that are pertinent for design of Delphi foresight research: (1) the number of survey questions, (2) the sample size, and (3) the extent to which experts conform to group opinion (the Group Conformity Index) in a Delphi study. Their impacts on the following nine Delphi consensus indices were then examined in 1000 simulations: Clustered Mode, Clustered Pairwise Agreement, Conger's Kappa, De Moivre index, Extremities Version of the Clustered Pairwise Agreement, Fleiss' Kappa, Mode, the Interquartile Range and Pairwise Agreement. The dependency of a consensus index on the Delphi survey characteristics was expressed from 0.000 (no dependency) to 1.000 (full dependency). The number of questions (range: 6 to 40) in a survey did not have a notable impact whereby the dependency values remained below 0.030. The variation in sample size (range: 6 to 50) displayed the top three impacts for the Interquartile Range, the Clustered Mode and the Mode (dependency = 0.396, 0.130, 0.116, respectively). The Group Conformity Index, a construct akin to measuring stubbornness/flexibility of experts' opinions, greatly impacted all nine Delphi consensus indices (dependency = 0.200 to 0.504), except the Extremity CPWA and the Interquartile Range that were impacted only beyond the first decimal point (dependency = 0.087 and 0.083, respectively). Scholars in technology design, foresight research and future(s) studies might consider these new findings in strategic planning of Delphi studies, for example, in rational choice of consensus indices and sample size, or accounting for confounding factors such as experts' variable degrees of conformity (stubbornness/flexibility) in modifying their opinions.

Evaluation of Nine Consensus Indices in Delphi Foresight Research and Their Dependency on Delphi Survey Characteristics: A Simulation Study and Debate on Delphi Design and Interpretation

PubMed Central

Birko, Stanislav; Dove, Edward S.; Özdemir, Vural

2015-01-01

The extent of consensus (or the lack thereof) among experts in emerging fields of innovation can serve as antecedents of scientific, societal, investor and stakeholder synergy or conflict. Naturally, how we measure consensus is of great importance to science and technology strategic foresight. The Delphi methodology is a widely used anonymous survey technique to evaluate consensus among a panel of experts. Surprisingly, there is little guidance on how indices of consensus can be influenced by parameters of the Delphi survey itself. We simulated a classic three-round Delphi survey building on the concept of clustered consensus/dissensus. We evaluated three study characteristics that are pertinent for design of Delphi foresight research: (1) the number of survey questions, (2) the sample size, and (3) the extent to which experts conform to group opinion (the Group Conformity Index) in a Delphi study. Their impacts on the following nine Delphi consensus indices were then examined in 1000 simulations: Clustered Mode, Clustered Pairwise Agreement, Conger’s Kappa, De Moivre index, Extremities Version of the Clustered Pairwise Agreement, Fleiss’ Kappa, Mode, the Interquartile Range and Pairwise Agreement. The dependency of a consensus index on the Delphi survey characteristics was expressed from 0.000 (no dependency) to 1.000 (full dependency). The number of questions (range: 6 to 40) in a survey did not have a notable impact whereby the dependency values remained below 0.030. The variation in sample size (range: 6 to 50) displayed the top three impacts for the Interquartile Range, the Clustered Mode and the Mode (dependency = 0.396, 0.130, 0.116, respectively). The Group Conformity Index, a construct akin to measuring stubbornness/flexibility of experts’ opinions, greatly impacted all nine Delphi consensus indices (dependency = 0.200 to 0.504), except the Extremity CPWA and the Interquartile Range that were impacted only beyond the first decimal point (dependency = 0.087 and 0.083, respectively). Scholars in technology design, foresight research and future(s) studies might consider these new findings in strategic planning of Delphi studies, for example, in rational choice of consensus indices and sample size, or accounting for confounding factors such as experts’ variable degrees of conformity (stubbornness/flexibility) in modifying their opinions. PMID:26270647

Predicting preference-based SF-6D index scores from the SF-8 health survey.

PubMed

Wang, P; Fu, A Z; Wee, H L; Lee, J; Tai, E S; Thumboo, J; Luo, N

2013-09-01

To develop and test functions for predicting the preference-based SF-6D index scores from the SF-8 health survey. This study was a secondary analysis of data collected in a population health survey in which respondents (n = 7,529) completed both the SF-36 and the SF-8 questionnaires. We examined seven ordinary least-square estimators for their performance in predicting SF-6D scores from the SF-8 at both the individual and the group levels. In general, all functions performed similarly well in predicting SF-6D scores, and the predictions at the group level were better than predictions at the individual level. At the individual level, 42.5-51.5% of prediction errors were smaller than the minimally important difference (MID) of the SF-6D scores, depending on the function specifications, while almost all prediction errors of the tested functions were smaller than the MID of SF-6D at the group level. At both individual and group levels, the tested functions predicted lower than actual scores at the higher end of the SF-6D scale. Our study developed functions to generate preference-based SF-6D index scores from the SF-8 health survey, the first of its kind. Further research is needed to evaluate the performance and validity of the prediction functions.

On Building an A-Posteriori Index from Survey Data: A Case for Educational Planners' Assessment of Attitudes towards an Educational Innovation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazquez-Abad, Jesus; DePauw, Karen

To simplify data from a large survey, it is desirable to classify subjects according to their attitudes toward certain issues, as measured by questions in the survey. Responses to 12 questions were identified as indicative of attitudes toward deschooling education. These attitudes were explained by means of patterns exhibited within the responses…

A Usability Survey of a Contents-Based Video Retrieval System by Combining Digital Video and an Electronic Bulletin Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haga, Hirohide; Kaneda, Shigeo

2005-01-01

This article describes the survey of the usability of a novel content-based video retrieval system. This system combines video streaming and an electronic bulletin board system (BBS). Comments submitted to the BBS are used to index video data. Following the development of the prototype system an experimental survey with ten subjects was performed.…

Mapping the functional assessment of cancer therapy-breast (FACT-B) to the 5-level EuroQoL Group's 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) utility index in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

PubMed

Cheung, Yin Bun; Luo, Nan; Ng, Raymond; Lee, Chun Fan

2014-12-12

To develop an algorithm for mapping the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) to the 5-level EuroQoL Group's 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) utility index. A survey of 238 breast cancer patients in Singapore was conducted. Models using various regression methods with or without recognizing the upper boundary of utility values at 1 were fitted to predict the EQ-5D-5L utility index based on the five subscale scores of the FACT-B. Data from a follow-up survey of these patients were used to validate the results. A model that maps the physical, emotional, functional well-being and the breast cancer concerns subscales of the FACT-B to the EQ-5D-5L utility index was derived. The social well-being subscale was not associated to the utility index. Although theoretical assumptions may not be valid, ordinary least square outperformed other regression methods. The mean predicted utility index within each performance status level at follow-up deviated from the observed mean less than the minimally important difference of EQ-5D for cancer patients. The mapping algorithm converts the FACT-B to the EQ-5D utility index. This enables oncologists, clinical researchers and policy makers to obtain a quantitative utility summary of a patient's health status when only the FACT-B is assessed.

[Health status identification and their relationship with socieconomics and geographic characteristics: a population survey analysis in México].

PubMed

Vargas-Palacios, Armando; Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo; Carreón-Rodríguez, Víctor

2006-01-01

To estimate the effectiveness of using standardized health vignettes to adjust self-reported health taking into account household and community variables to correct for systematic bias. The national health survey "Evaluación del Desempeño 2002" (Mexican component of the World Health Survey) was used. This survey analyzed subject's health perception based on their responses to hypothetical questions referring to third parties in the vignettes within eight domains. Variations in responses were attributed to socio-demographic, socioeconomic, community, differences of the subjects. To assess those variations, an index for each domain was constructed and used as a variable in a series of linear regression models to estimate the relation between health perceptions, self-reported health, socioeconomic and socio-demographic characteristics. The health perception index derived from the vignettes showed a positive, logarithmic correlation with household expenditure for each health domain, after controlling for socio-demographic, health and community characteristics. No relationship was found between the health status described in the vignettes and self-reported health status. In no case was the explanatory power above 10%. The low explanatory power of the models, and the lack of correlation between self reported health status and the health perception index, suggest that the variability in the vignettes responses cannot be explained by differences in self-reported health status or socioeconomic and socio-demographic characteristics. These results from Mexico suggest that vignette-based methods to correct for systematic variability in perception of own health status are of limited efficacy and reinforce the importance of collecting objective measures of health status in health surveys.

Improving NMDOT's pavement distress survey methodology and developing correlations between FHWA's HPMS distress data and PMS data.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) has a program to collect distress data through visual surveys and uses this information at the network level, together with roughness and rutting data, to calculate its pavement serviceability index...

ASTRONAUTICS INFORMATION. OPEN LITERATURE SURVEY, VOL. IV, NO. 3, ENTRIES 40,454-40,728

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

Carringer, E.M.; Hoppe, M.G.; Nichols, B.H. comps.

1961-09-01

An open literature survey dealing with astronautics covering the period of September 1961 is presented. A compilation was made of 274 references on space flight and applicable data and techniques. Author, subject, and periodical indexes are included. (M.C.G.)

Index of surface-water records to December 31, 1963: Part 10. - The Great Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eisenhuth, H.P.

1965-01-01

This report lists the streamflow and reservoir stations in The Great Basin·for which records have been or are to be published in reports of the Geological Survey for periods through December 31, 1963. It supersedes Geological Survey Circular 390.

Index of surface-water records to September 30, 1967: Part 10. - The Great Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eisenhuth, H.P.

1968-01-01

This report lists the streamflow and reservoir stations in The Great Basin for which records have been or are to be published in reports of the Geological Survey for periods through September 30, 1967. It supersedes Geological Survey Circular 510.

Index to limnological data for southcentral Alaska Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maurer, M.A.; Woods, P.F.

1987-01-01

South-central Alaska lakes are a valuable natural resource and provide a variety of recreational opportunities to the public. Lakeside development has increased significantly in the past 10 years and several south-central Alaskan lakes have documented pollution problems. Cultural eutrophication, the process by which man-induced nutrient loading to a lake results in large increases in biological productivity, can also produce noxious algae blooms, dissolved oxygen depletion at depth, reduced water transparency, and fish kills. The potential for cultural eutrophication of south-central Alaska lakes prompted the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources Division and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources-Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (ADGGS) to provide lake researchers, managers, and the public with this index of published historical and current limnological references. The purpose of the index is to provide reference to the data which can be used to identify and monitor cultural eutrophication of south-central Alaska lakes. (Lantz-PTT)

Far Ultraviolet Refractive Index of Optical Materials for Solar Blind Channel (SBC) Filters for HST Advanced Camera for Surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B.; Madison, Timothy J.; Petrone, Peter

1998-01-01

Refractive index measurements using the minimum deviation method have been carried out for prisms of a variety of far ultraviolet optical materials used in the manufacture of Solar Blind Channel (SBC) filters for the HST Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Some of the materials measured are gaining popularity in a variety of high technology applications including high power excimer lasers and advanced microlithography optics operating in a wavelength region where high quality knowledge of optical material properties is sparse. Our measurements are of unusually high accuracy and precision for this wavelength region owing to advanced instrumentation in the large vacuum chamber of the Diffraction Grating Evaluation Facility (DGEF) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Index values for CaF2, BaF2, LiF, and far ultraviolet grades of synthetic sapphire and synthetic fused silica are reported and compared with values from the literature.

Automated Water Quality Survey and Evaluation Using an IoT Platform with Mobile Sensor Nodes

PubMed Central

Li, Teng; Xia, Min; Chen, Jiahong; Zhao, Yuanjie; de Silva, Clarence

2017-01-01

An Internet of Things (IoT) platform with capabilities of sensing, data processing, and wireless communication has been deployed to support remote aquatic environmental monitoring. In this paper, the design and development of an IoT platform with multiple Mobile Sensor Nodes (MSN) for the spatiotemporal quality evaluation of surface water is presented. A survey planner is proposed to distribute the Sampling Locations of Interest (SLoIs) over the study area and generate paths for MSNs to visit the SLoIs, given the limited energy and time budgets. The SLoIs are chosen based on a cellular decomposition that is composed of uniform hexagonal cells. They are visited by the MSNs along a path ring generated by a planning approach that uses a spanning tree. For quality evaluation, an Online Water Quality Index (OLWQI) is developed to interpret the large quantities of online measurements. The index formulations are modified by a state-of-the-art index, the CCME WQI, which has been developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) for off-line indexing. The proposed index has demonstrated effective and reliable performance in online indexing a large volume of measurements of water quality parameters. The IoT platform is deployed in the field, and its performance is demonstrated and discussed in this paper. PMID:28788098

A Critical Review of Air Pollution Index Systems in the United States and Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ott, Wayne R.; Thom, Gary C.

1976-01-01

An extensive survey of air pollution indices reveals great diversity in calculation and descriptor categories. This lack of uniformity creates confusion, suggests questionable technical validity, and discourages a national picture. The authors recombined indices currently in use to develop a Standardized Urban Air Quality Index for national use.…

Effects of landscape and riparian condition on a fish index of biotic integrity in a large southeastern Brazil river

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental conditions of a large river in southeastern Brazil were assessed by evaluating fish assemblage structure (index of biotic integrity, IBI), landscape use (forest, pasture, urban area, and tributary water) and riparian condition. A survey of the 338 km-long middle rea...

Diet quality on meatless days: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2012

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: To compare diet quality scores between adult non-meat eaters and meat eaters, and to compare the consumption of diet components across quintiles of diet quality. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) we...

DEVELOPMENT OF A BIRD INTEGRITY INDEX: MEASURING AVIAN RESPONSE TO DISTURBANCE IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, USA

EPA Science Inventory

The Bird Integrity Index (BII) presented here uses bird assemblage information to assess human impacts to 28 stream reaches in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Eighty-one candidate metrics were extracted from bird survey data for testing. The metrics represented aspects of ...

Exploring the Effects of Active Parental Mediation of Television Content.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Erica Weintraub

1993-01-01

Reports on a 1988 survey of adolescents from two San Francisco Bay Area schools that tested an index of the frequency with which parents actively mediate children's interpretations of television messages. The predictive ability of the index for skepticism, media use, and involvement in public affairs was tested; and several family communication…

Management: A continuing literature survey with indexes, 1971

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

An annotated bibliography of selected reports, journal articles, and other documents on the subject of management is presented. There are 450 references to documents which were originally announced in the 1971 issues of Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports (STAR) or International Aerospace Abstracts (IAA). Subject, personal author, and corporate source indexes are included.

DEVELOPMENT OF A BIRD INTEGRITY INDEX: USING BIRD ASSEMBLAGES AS INDICATORS OF RIPARIAN CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

We describe the development of a Bird Integrity Index (Bll) that uses bird assemblage information to assess human impacts on 13 stream reaches in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. We used bird survey field data to test 62 candidate metrics that were expected to respond positively or...

Determination of Factors Effected Dietary Glycemic Index in Turkish University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gumus, Huseyin; Akdevelioglu, Yasemin; Bulduk, Sidika

2014-01-01

We aimed to determine how factors such as smoking, regular activity, etc. affected dietary glycemic index in university students. Methods: This study was carried out at Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. The participants were 577 randomly selected Turkish healthy female university students aged 17-32 years. The survey included a questionnaire that…

Prevalence of Gingivitis, Plaque accumulation and Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth among slum population in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Hannan, M A; Chowdhury, M T H; Khan, M A I; Chowdhury, A F M A; Shahidullah, K M; Saha, A K; Anjum, A

2014-08-01

A cross-sectional survey, using cluster sampling technique, of slum population, was done to explore the oral health status and the prevalence of common oral diseases. A close ended questionnaire comprising Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index, Gingival Index (Löe and Silness) and Plaque Index was applied to evaluate and record oral diseases, in both male and female population, covering a wide range of age groups. Clinical examination was carried out in different shum set ups, including slum schools by trained and calibrated examiners. Three thousand nine hundred and four (3904) slum dwellers participated in the survey. Prevalence of Caries was expressed in mean DMFT, recording of gingival status followed the method of Löe and Silness, oral hygiene status was evaluated using Plaque index. Mean decayed component, of the DMFT, was significantly higher than filling and missing component. Both decayed and missing components showed increasing trend, and filling components decreased as the age progressed. Prevalence of gingivitis and plaque accumulation was remarkably high among slum dwellers. Significantly high level of common oral diseases was found among Tongi slum dwellers.

Disease prevalence and the index of detectability: a survey of studies of lung cancer detection by chest radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundel, Harold L.

2000-04-01

A survey of 12 studies of lung cancer detection with cancer prevalence ranging from 0.9 to 476 cancers per 1000 showed that the unit-slope index of detectability, d', decreased from a high value of 3.9 at low prevalence to 1.4 at high prevalence. A proposed explanation is that the readers are operating on an ROC curve with a slope that is less than unity approximating 0.6. On such a curve, a shift to more stringent criteria that occurs with decreasing prevalence in order to minimize false positives, would result in a increased unity- slope d'.

Measuring urban water conservation policies: Toward a comprehensive index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hess, David; Wold, Christopher; Worland, Scott C.; Hornberger, George M.

2017-01-01

This article (1) discusses existing efforts to measure water conservation policies (WCPs) in the United States (U.S.); (2) suggests general methodological guidelines for creating robust water conservation indices (WCIs); (3) presents a comprehensive template for coding WCPs; (4) introduces a summary index, the Vanderbilt Water Conservation Index (VWCI), which is derived from 79 WCP observations for 197 cities for the year 2015; and (5) compares the VWCI to WCP data extracted from the 2010 American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water and Wastewater Rates survey. Existing approaches to measuring urban WCPs in U.S. cities are limited because they consider only a portion of WCPs or they are restricted geographically. The VWCI consists of a more comprehensive set of 79 observations classified as residential, commercial/industrial, billing structure, drought plan, or general. Our comparison of the VWCI and AWWA survey responses indicate reasonable agreement (ρ = 0.76) between the two WCIs for 98 cities where the data overlap. The correlation suggests the AWWA survey responses can provide fairly robust longitudinal WCP information, but we argue the measurement of WCPs is still in its infancy, and our approach suggests strategies for improving existing methods.

Construction of an adaptable European transnational ecological deprivation index: the French version

PubMed Central

Delpierre, Cyrille; Dejardin, Olivier; Grosclaude, Pascale; Launay, Ludivine; Guittet, Lydia; Lang, Thierry; Launoy, Guy

2012-01-01

Background Studying social disparities in health implies the ability to measure them accurately, to compare them between different areas or countries and to follow trends over time. This study proposes a method for constructing a French European deprivation index, which will be replicable in several European countries and is related to an individual deprivation indicator constructed from a European survey specifically designed to study deprivation. Methods and Results Using individual data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey, goods/services indicated by individuals as being fundamental needs, the lack of which reflect deprivation, were selected. From this definition, which is specific to a cultural context, an individual deprivation indicator was constructed by selecting fundamental needs associated both with objective and subjective poverty. Next, the authors selected among variables available both in the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey and French national census those best reflecting individual experience of deprivation using multivariate logistic regression. An ecological measure of deprivation was provided for all the smallest French geographical units. Preliminary validation showed a higher association between the French European Deprivation Index (EDI) score and both income and education than the Townsend index, partly ensuring its ability to measure individual socioeconomic status. Conclusion This index, which is specific to a particular cultural and social policy context, could be replicated in 25 other European countries, thereby allowing European comparisons. EDI could also be reproducible over time. EDI could prove to be a relevant tool in evidence-based policy-making for measuring and reducing social disparities in health issues and even outside the medical domain. PMID:22544918

Spectral Index Properties of millijansky Radio Sources in ATLAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randall, Kate; Hopkins, A. M.; Norris, R. P.; Zinn, P.; Middelberg, E.; Mao, M. Y.; Sharp, R. G.

2012-01-01

At the faintest radio flux densities (S1.4GHz < 10 milliJansky (mJy)), the spectral index properties of radio sources are not well constrained. The bright radio source population (S1.4GHz > 10 mJy) is well studied and is predominantly comprised of AGN. At fainter flux densities, particularly into the microJansky regime, star-forming galaxies begin to dominate the radio source population. Understanding these faint radio source populations is essential for understanding galaxy evolution, and the link between AGN and star formation. Conflicting results have recently arisen regarding whether there is a flattening of the average spectral index between a low radio frequency (325 or 610 MHz) and 1.4 GHz at these faint flux densities. To explore this issue, we have investigated the spectral index properties of a new catalogue of 843 MHz radio sources in the ELAIS-S1 (the European Large Area ISO Survey - South 1 Region) field. Our results support previous work showing a tendency towards flatter radio spectra at fainter flux densities. This catalogue is cross-matched to the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS), the widest deep radio survey to date at 1.4 GHz, with complementary 2.3 GHz, optical and infrared Spitzer Wide-area Infra-Red Extragalactic data. The variation of spectral index properties have been explored as a function of redshift, luminosity and flux density. [These new measurements have been used to identify a population of faint Compact Steep Spectrum sources, thought to be one of the earliest stages of the AGN life-cycle. Exploring this population will aid us in understanding the evolution of AGN as a whole.

Empirical yield tables for Wisconsin.

Treesearch

Burton L. Essex; Jerold T. Hahn

1976-01-01

Describes the tables derived from the 1968 forest survey of Wisconsin. These tables are broken down according to Wisconsin's 5 Forest Survey Units, 12 forest types, and 5 site index classes. Presents 18 tables as examples of the more than 500 that can be ordered by using the order form enclosed in the publication.

Advertising Agency Libraries: 30 Years of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christianson, Elin B.; Waldron, Anne M.

1988-01-01

Reports on a survey of advertising agency libraries and compares results of the current study with similar surveys from 1954 and 1969. Characteristics of the parent agency, organizational status and location, budgets, users, staff, collections, indexes and databases, reference books, and library services are the areas addressed. Data are presented…

College Choice in the Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Christine Joy

2009-01-01

This descriptive and correlational study examined the applicability of major U.S. college choice factors to Philippine high school seniors. A sample of 226 students from a private school in Manila completed the College Choice Survey for High School Seniors. Cronbach's alpha for the survey composite index was 0.933. The purposes of this…

Standardised survey method for identifying catchment risks to water quality.

PubMed

Baker, D L; Ferguson, C M; Chier, P; Warnecke, M; Watkinson, A

2016-06-01

This paper describes the development and application of a systematic methodology to identify and quantify risks in drinking water and recreational catchments. The methodology assesses microbial and chemical contaminants from both diffuse and point sources within a catchment using Escherichia coli, protozoan pathogens and chemicals (including fuel and pesticides) as index contaminants. Hazard source information is gathered by a defined sanitary survey process involving use of a software tool which groups hazards into six types: sewage infrastructure, on-site sewage systems, industrial, stormwater, agriculture and recreational sites. The survey estimates the likelihood of the site affecting catchment water quality, and the potential consequences, enabling the calculation of risk for individual sites. These risks are integrated to calculate a cumulative risk for each sub-catchment and the whole catchment. The cumulative risks process accounts for the proportion of potential input sources surveyed and for transfer of contaminants from upstream to downstream sub-catchments. The output risk matrices show the relative risk sources for each of the index contaminants, highlighting those with the greatest impact on water quality at a sub-catchment and catchment level. Verification of the sanitary survey assessments and prioritisation is achieved by comparison with water quality data and microbial source tracking.

Validity and reliability of survey items and pictograms for use in a national household survey of tobacco use in Cambodia.

PubMed

Singh, Pramil N; Khieng, Sothy; Yel, Daravuth; Nguyen, Duc; Job, Jayakaran S

2013-09-01

The validity of survey measures of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in the Western Pacific Region is often unknown. We conducted a validation study (n = 201) in a random sample of rural adults in Cambodia. A comparison with salivary cotinine indicated (1) that survey items and pictograms of current tobacco use had an 87% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 78%-93%) sensitivity, 94% specificity (95% CI = 87%-98%), and 93% (95% CI = 85%-97%) positive predictive value in detecting cotinine levels >10 ng/mL; (2) a positive correlation with number of cigarettes smoked (R = 0.34; P = .01); and (3) a positive correlation with the amount of tobacco chewed (R = 0.44; P = .02). The validity of the index for the amount of smokeless tobacco used was enhanced by adding to the index the data from pictograms that were utilized to help participants estimate the amount of loose tobacco used per session. These tobacco items and pictograms were found to have excellent reliability (κ = 0.80-1) over 2 to 3 weeks. Interviewer-administered survey items and pictograms can provide an accurate, quantitative measure of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in rural Cambodia.

ASTRONAUTICS INFORMATION. OPEN LITERATURE SURVEY, VOLUME III, NO. 2 (ENTRIES 30,202-30,404)

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

None

1961-02-01

<>15:014925. An annotated list of references on temperature control of satellite and space vehicles is presented. Methods and systems for maintaining vehicles within tolerable temperature bounds while operating outside planetary atmospheres are outlined. Discussions of the temperature environment in space and how it might affect vehicle operation are given. Re-entry heating problems are not included. Among the sources used were: Engineering Index, Applied Science and Technology Index, Astronautics Abstracts, PAL uniterm index, ASTIA, and LMSD card catalog. (auth)

Index to water data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The U.S. Geological Survey recently published the seventh edition of the index to the information catalog on surface and ground water data. The data, collected at more than 100,000 sites across the country, are based on information provided by federal, state, and local agencies. The index also includes data for parts of Canada and Mexico.The catalog does not contain the actual data, but it does provide information on where and by whom data are being collected, the types of data acquired, and how to obtain the data.

Application of the MERIT survey in the multi-criteria quality assessment of occupational health and safety management.

PubMed

Korban, Zygmunt

2015-01-01

Occupational health and safety management systems apply audit examinations as an integral element of these systems. The examinations are used to verify whether the undertaken actions are in compliance with the accepted regulations, whether they are implemented in a suitable way and whether they are effective. One of the earliest solutions of that type applied in the mining industry in Poland involved the application of audit research based on the MERIT survey (Management Evaluation Regarding Itemized Tendencies). A mathematical model applied in the survey facilitates the determination of assessment indexes WOPi for each of the assessed problem areas, which, among other things, can be used to set up problem area rankings and to determine an aggregate (synthetic) assessment. In the paper presented here, the assessment indexes WOPi were used to calculate a development measure, and the calculation process itself was supplemented with sensitivity analysis.

Identifying subgroups of obesity using the product of triglycerides and glucose: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2010.

PubMed

Lee, Seung-Hwan; Han, Kyungdo; Yang, Hae Kyung; Kim, Mee Kyoung; Yoon, Kun-Ho; Kwon, Hyuk-Sang; Park, Yong-Moon

2015-02-01

To determine whether the TyG index, a product of the levels of triglycerides and glucose, may be a valuable marker for identifying metabolically obese but normal weight (MONW) or metabolically healthy but obese (MHO) individuals. A total of 17 029 nondiabetic subjects (7185 men and 9844 women) were selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2008-2010. Individuals with a normal body mass index (BMI) (≥18·5 and <23 kg/m(2) ) and the highest quartile of the homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were classified as MONW. Individuals with obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m(2) ) and the lowest quartile of HOMA-IR were classified as MHO. The TyG index was calculated as ln[fasting triglycerides (mg/dl) × fasting glucose (mg/dl)/2]. The levels of the TyG index paralleled with various metabolic risk parameters. The index was significantly higher in the MONW group and lower in the MHO group when compared with the non-MONW group and the non-MHO group, respectively. The odds ratios (ORs) of being categorized into the MONW group were approximately fourfold higher in the highest vs lowest quartiles of the TyG index (3·999: 95% CI, 2·508-6·376 in men; 4·737: 95% CI, 3·418-6·565 in women) among normal weight subjects. Conversely, there was a stepwise decrease in the OR of being categorized into the MHO group across the TyG index quartiles among obese subjects. These data highlight the value of the TyG index in discriminating those subjects with higher risks of metabolic diseases. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

White Pine Site Index for the Southern Forest Survey

Treesearch

Bernard R. Parresol; John S. Vissage

1998-01-01

Second-growth white pine age-height data a A base-ageinvariant polymorphic site index equation was used to model the white pine (Pinus strobus L.) site-quality data provided by Frothingham (1914). These data are the accepted standard used by the Southern Forest Inventory and Analysis unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. An all...

The Traffic Noise Index: A Method of Controlling Noise Nuisance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langdon, F. J.; Scholes, W. E.

This building research survey is an analysis of the social nuisance caused by urban motor ways and their noise. The Traffic Noise Index is used to indicate traffic noises and their effects on architectural designs and planning, while suggesting the need for more and better window insulation and acoustical barriers. Overall concern is for--(1)…

Does Concern Motivate Behavior Change?: Exploring the Relationship between Physical Activity and Body Mass Index among Low-Income Housing Residents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamers, Sara L.; Allen, Jennifer; Yang, May; Stoddard, Anne; Harley, Amy; Sorensen, Glorian

2014-01-01

Objective: To explore relationships between concerns and physical activity and body mass index (BMI) among a racially/ethnically diverse low-income population. Method: A cross-sectional survey documented behavioral risks among racially/ethnically diverse low-income residents in the Boston area (2005-2009). Multivariable logistic regressions were…

Dietary Intake, Body Mass Index, Exercise, and Alcohol: Are College Women Following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anding, Jenna D.; Suminski, Richard R.; Boss, Linda

2001-01-01

Surveyed the diet, exercise, and health habits of female college students, calculating body mass index, assessing physical activity, and estimating food and nutrient intake. Overall, no participants had adopted all of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Diets were nutritionally adequate but exceeded national recommendations for fat, sugar, and…

Assessing ecoregional-scale habitat suitability index models for priority landbirds

Treesearch

John M. Tirpak; D. Todd Jones-Farrand; Frank R. Thompson; Daniel J. Twedt; Charles K. Baxter; Jane A. Fitzgerald; William B. Uihlein

2009-01-01

Emerging methods in habitat and wildlife population modeling promise new horizons in conservation but only if these methods provide robust population-habitat linkages. We used Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data to verify and validate newly developed habitat suitability index (HSI) models for 40 priority landbird species in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain...

Decomposing the Gini Inequality Index: An Expanded Solution with Survey Data Applied to Analyze Gender Income Inequality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larraz, Beatriz

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to propose a new breakdown of the Gini inequality ratio into three components ("within-group" inequality, "between-group" inequality, and intensity of "transvariation" between groups to the total inequality index). The between-group inequality concept computes all the differences in salaries…

The Association between Body Mass Index and Sleep in a Predominantly Hispanic College Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benham, Grant

2017-01-01

An association between inadequate sleep and body mass index (BMI) has been demonstrated in previous studies, but there is a relative paucity of data from Latino/Hispanic populations. In the present study, 750 college students, 93% of whom were Hispanic, completed an online survey that included standardized measures of sleep quantity, sleep…

The Influence of Body Mass Index, Sex, and Race on College Students' Optimistic Bias for Lifestyle Healthfulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chock, T. Makana

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine the influence of body mass index (BMI), sex, and race on college students' optimistic bias (OB) concerning the healthiness of their own lifestyles relative to the "average college student" and best friends. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Large university campus. Participants: College students recruited…

Correlates of Body Mass Index, Weight Goals, and Weight-Management Practices among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paxton, Raheem J.; Valois, Robert F.; Drane, J. Wanzer

2004-01-01

The study examined associations among physical activity, cigarette smoking, body mass index, perceptions of body weight, weight-management goals, and weight-management behaviors of public high school adolescents. The CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey provided a cross-sectional sample (n = 3,089) of public high school students in South Carolina.…

Sleep Quality and Body Mass Index in College Students: The Role of Sleep Disturbances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vargas, Perla A.; Flores, Melissa; Robles, Elias

2014-01-01

Objective: Obesity and its comorbidities have emerged as a leading public health concern. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sleep patterns, including duration and disturbances. Methods: A convenience sample of 515 college students completed an online survey consisting of the Pittsburgh Sleep…

Measuring gender when you don't have a gender measure: constructing a gender index using survey data.

PubMed

Smith, Peter M; Koehoorn, Mieke

2016-05-28

Disentangling the impacts of sex and gender in understanding male and female differences is increasingly recognised as an important aspect for advancing research and addressing knowledge gaps in the field of work-health. However, achieving this goal in secondary data analyses where direct measures of gender have not been collected is challenging. This study outlines the development of a gender index, focused on gender roles and institutionalised gender, using secondary survey data from the Canadian Labour Force survey. Using this index we then examined the distribution of gender index scores among men and women, and changes in gender roles among male and female labour force participants between 1997 and 2014. We created our Labour Force Gender Index (LFGI) using information in four areas: responsibility for caring for children; occupation segregation; hours of work; and level of education. LFGI scores ranged from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating more feminine gender roles. We examined correlations between each component in our measure and our total LFGI score. Using multivariable linear regression we examined change in LFGI score for male and female labour force participants between 1997 and 2014. Although women had higher LFGI scores, indicating greater feminine gender roles, men and women were represented across the range of LFGI scores in both 1997 and 2014. Correlations indicated no redundancy between measures used to calculate LFGI scores. Between 1997 and 2014 LFGI scores increased marginally for men and decreased marginally for women. However, LFGI scores among women were still more than 1.5 points higher on average than for men in 2014. We have described and applied a method to create a measure of gender roles using survey data, where no direct measure of gender (masculinity/femininity) was available. This measure showed good variation among both men and women, and was responsive to change over time. The article concludes by outlining an approach to use this measure to examine the relative contribution of gender and sex on differences in health status (or other outcomes) between men and women.

Can we estimate molluscan abundance and biomass on the continental shelf?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Eric N.; Mann, Roger; Ashton-Alcox, Kathryn A.; Kuykendall, Kelsey M.; Chase Long, M.

2017-11-01

Few empirical studies have focused on the effect of sample density on the estimate of abundance of the dominant carbonate-producing fauna of the continental shelf. Here, we present such a study and consider the implications of suboptimal sampling design on estimates of abundance and size-frequency distribution. We focus on a principal carbonate producer of the U.S. Atlantic continental shelf, the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima. To evaluate the degree to which the results are typical, we analyze a dataset for the principal carbonate producer of Mid-Atlantic estuaries, the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica, obtained from Delaware Bay. These two species occupy different habitats and display different lifestyles, yet demonstrate similar challenges to survey design and similar trends with sampling density. The median of a series of simulated survey mean abundances, the central tendency obtained over a large number of surveys of the same area, always underestimated true abundance at low sample densities. More dramatic were the trends in the probability of a biased outcome. As sample density declined, the probability of a survey availability event, defined as a survey yielding indices >125% or <75% of the true population abundance, increased and that increase was disproportionately biased towards underestimates. For these cases where a single sample accessed about 0.001-0.004% of the domain, 8-15 random samples were required to reduce the probability of a survey availability event below 40%. The problem of differential bias, in which the probabilities of a biased-high and a biased-low survey index were distinctly unequal, was resolved with fewer samples than the problem of overall bias. These trends suggest that the influence of sampling density on survey design comes with a series of incremental challenges. At woefully inadequate sampling density, the probability of a biased-low survey index will substantially exceed the probability of a biased-high index. The survey time series on the average will return an estimate of the stock that underestimates true stock abundance. If sampling intensity is increased, the frequency of biased indices balances between high and low values. Incrementing sample number from this point steadily reduces the likelihood of a biased survey; however, the number of samples necessary to drive the probability of survey availability events to a preferred level of infrequency may be daunting. Moreover, certain size classes will be disproportionately susceptible to such events and the impact on size frequency will be species specific, depending on the relative dispersion of the size classes.

Land Capability Potential Index (LCPI) and geodatabase for the Lower Missouri River Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Struckhoff, Matthew A.; Jacobson, Robert B.

2012-01-01

The Land Capacity Potential Index (LCPI) is a coarse-scale index intended to delineate broad land-capability classes in the Lower Missouri River valley bottom from the Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota to the mouth of the Missouri River near St. Louis, Missouri (river miles 811–0). The LCPI provides a systematic index of wetness potential and soil moisture-retention potential of the valley-bottom lands by combining the interactions among water-surface elevations, land-surface elevations, and the inherent moisture-retention capability of soils. A nine-class wetness index was generated by intersecting a digital elevation model for the valley bottom with sloping water-surface elevation planes derived from eight modeled discharges. The flow-recurrence index was then intersected with eight soil-drainage classes assigned to soils units in the digital Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database (Soil Survey Staff, 2010) to create a 72-class index of potential flow-recurrence and moisture-retention capability of Missouri River valley-bottom lands. The LCPI integrates the fundamental abiotic factors that determine long-term suitability of land for various uses, particularly those relating to vegetative communities and their associated values. Therefore, the LCPI provides a mechanism allowing planners, land managers, landowners, and other stakeholders to assess land-use capability based on the physical properties of the land, in order to guide future land-management decisions. This report documents data compilation for the LCPI in a revised and expanded, 72-class version for the Lower Missouri River valley bottom, and inclusion of additional soil attributes to allow users flexibility in exploring land capabilities.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Brown, Krystal D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in the Fountain Creek basin from 2010 to 2012. Collectively, the four methods are used by local (U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program) and State monitoring programs (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) in the Fountain Creek basin to produce two distinct sample types for each program that target single-and multiple-habitats. This study found distinguishable differences between single-and multi-habitat sample types using both community similarities and multi-metric index values, while methods from each program within sample type were comparable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods were compatible with the cooperative monitoring program methods within multi-and single-habitat sample types. Comparisons between September and October samples found distinguishable differences based on community similarities for both sample types, whereas only differences were found for single-habitat samples when multi-metric index values were considered. At one site, differences between September and October index values from single-habitat samples resulted in opposing assessments of biological condition. Direct application of the results to inform the revision of the existing Fountain Creek basin U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program are discussed.

Trends in income-related inequality in untreated caries among children in the United States: findings from NHANES I, NHANES III, and NHANES 1999-2004.

PubMed

Capurro, Diego Alberto; Iafolla, Timothy; Kingman, Albert; Chattopadhyay, Amit; Garcia, Isabel

2015-12-01

The goal of this analysis was to describe income-related inequality in untreated caries among children in the United States over time. The analysis focuses on children ages 2-12 years in three nationally representative U.S. surveys: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1971-1974, NHANES 1988-1994, and NHANES 1999-2004. The outcome of interest is untreated dental caries. Various methods are employed to measure absolute and relative inequality within each survey such as pair-wise comparisons, measures of association (odds ratios), and three summary measures of overall inequality: the slope index of inequality, the relative index of inequality, and the concentration index. Inequality trends are then assessed by comparing these estimates across the three surveys. Inequality was present in each of the three surveys analyzed. Whether measured on an absolute or relative scale, untreated caries disproportionately affected those with lower income. Trend analysis shows that, despite population-wide reductions in untreated caries between NHANES I and NHANES III, overall absolute inequality slightly increased, while overall relative inequality significantly increased. Between NHANES III and NHANES 1999-2004, both absolute and relative inequality tended to decrease; however, these changes were not statistically significant. Socioeconomic inequality in oral health is an important measure of progress in overall population health and a key input to inform health policies. This analysis shows the presence of socioeconomic inequality in oral health in the American child population, as well as changes in its magnitude over time. Further research is needed to determine the factors related to these changes and their relative contribution to inequality trends. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Evaluation of Techniques for Ranking Academic Information Systems Journals

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-23

business schools . The instructions were to rank the top ten journals in order of decreasing importance. An importance/prestige index was 4 created...in the samples taken by each study could account for the variation in ranking. Doke and Luke (1987) surveyed deans of business schools (with...is unknown. Doke and Luke (1987) sent 45 their surveys primarily to business schools , whereas the surveys in our study went directly to MIS faculty

LSD: Large Survey Database framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juric, Mario

2012-09-01

The Large Survey Database (LSD) is a Python framework and DBMS for distributed storage, cross-matching and querying of large survey catalogs (>10^9 rows, >1 TB). The primary driver behind its development is the analysis of Pan-STARRS PS1 data. It is specifically optimized for fast queries and parallel sweeps of positionally and temporally indexed datasets. It transparently scales to more than >10^2 nodes, and can be made to function in "shared nothing" architectures.

Decreasing annual nest counts in a globally important loggerhead sea turtle population.

PubMed

Witherington, Blair; Kubilis, Paul; Brost, Beth; Meylan, Anne

2009-01-01

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on sand beaches, has both oceanic and neritic life stages, and migrates internationally. We analyzed an 18-year time series of Index Nesting Beach Survey (Index) nest-count data to describe spatial and temporal trends in loggerhead nesting on Florida (USA) beaches. The Index data were highly resolved: 368 fixed zones (mean length 0.88 km) were surveyed daily during annual 109-day survey seasons. Spatial and seasonal coverage averaged 69% of estimated total nesting by loggerheads in the state. We carried out trend analyses on both annual survey-region nest-count totals (N = 18) and annual zone-level nest densities (N = 18 x 368 = 6624). In both analyses, negative binomial regression models were used to fit restricted cubic spline curves to aggregated nest counts. Between 1989 and 2006, loggerhead nest counts on Florida Index beaches increased and then declined, with a net decrease over the 18-year period. This pattern was evident in both a trend model of annual survey-region nest-count totals and a mixed-effect, "single-region" trend model of annual zone-level nest densities that took into account both spatial and temporal correlation between counts. We also saw this pattern in a zone-level model that allowed trend line shapes to vary between six coastal subregions. Annual mean zone-level nest density declined significantly (-28%; 95% CI: -34% to -21%) between 1989 and 2006 and declined steeply (-43%; 95% CI: -48% to -39%) during 1998-2006. Rates of change in annual mean nest density varied more between coastal subregions during the "mostly increasing" period prior to 1998 than during the "steeply declining" period after 1998. The excellent fits (observed vs. expected count R2 > 0.91) of the mixed-effect zone-level models confirmed the presence of strong, positive, within-zone autocorrelation (R > 0.93) between annual counts, indicating a remarkable year-to-year consistency in the longshore spatial distribution of nests over the survey region. We argue that the decline in annual loggerhead nest counts in peninsular Florida can best be explained by a decline in the number of adult female loggerheads in the population. Causes of this decline are explored.

Probing University Students' Pre-Knowledge in Quantum Physics with QPCS Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asikainen, Mervi A.

2017-01-01

The study investigated the use of Quantum Physics Conceptual Survey (QPCS) in probing student understanding of quantum physics. Altogether 103 Finnish university students responded to QPCS. The mean scores of the student responses were calculated and the test was evaluated using common five indices: Item difficulty index, Item discrimination…

Family Meals among New Zealand Young People: Relationships with Eating Behaviors and Body Mass Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utter, Jennifer; Denny, Simon; Robinson, Elizabeth; Fleming, Terry; Ameratunga, Shanthi; Grant, Sue

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine the relationship between family meals and nutrition behaviors of adolescents. Design: Secondary analysis of Youth'07, a nationally representative survey. Setting: Secondary schools in New Zealand. Participants: Randomly selected adolescents (aged 13-17 years, n = 9,107) completed a multimedia and anonymous survey about their…

Empirical yield tables for Minnesota.

Treesearch

Jerold T. Hahn; Gerhard K. Raile

1982-01-01

Describes the tables derived from the 1977 Forest Survey of Minnesota and presents examples of how the tables can be used. These tables are broken down according to Minnesota's four Forest Survey Units, 14 forest types, and 5 site index classes. Presents 210 of the 350 possible tables that contained sufficient data to justify publication.

Correlation between ERMI values and other moisture and mold assessments of homes in the American Healthy Home Survey

EPA Science Inventory

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) values in the HUD American Healthy Home Survey (AHHS) homes and either inspector reports or occupant assessments of mold and moisture. Methods: In t...

77 FR 35402 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-13

... to participate in the Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (SNAPAS) and measurement of... Student 2,000 1 30/60 1,000 Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (SNAPAS). Body mass index 1,000 1 20/60... School-based Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies on Students' Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight...

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Groups Project: Development of a Galaxy Environment Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crone, Mary; Turner, J.; ALFALFA Team

2010-01-01

The Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team Groups Project is a collaborative undertaking of faculty and undergraduates at 8 institutions, aimed at investigating properties of galaxy groups surveyed by the ALFALFA blind HI survey. We present a galaxy environment index designed to reflect local density in the regions surrounding galaxy groups. These regions typically include hundreds of galaxies with optical and HI properties that can be compared with environment. For example, an 8x10 degree region surrounding the group MKW 11 includes 535 galaxies at the group redshift of 0.02, 139 of which are detected in HI. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918, AST-0725267, and AST-0725380.

Establishment of a Quantitative Medical Technology Evaluation System and Indicators within Medical Institutions.

PubMed

Wu, Suo-Wei; Chen, Tong; Pan, Qi; Wei, Liang-Yu; Wang, Qin; Li, Chao; Song, Jing-Chen; Luo, Ji

2018-06-05

The development and application of medical technologies reflect the medical quality and clinical capacity of a hospital. It is also an effective approach in upgrading medical service and core competitiveness among medical institutions. This study aimed to build a quantitative medical technology evaluation system through questionnaire survey within medical institutions to perform an assessment to medical technologies more objectively and accurately, and promote the management of medical quality technologies and ensure the medical safety of various operations among the hospitals. A two-leveled quantitative medical technology evaluation system was built through a two-round questionnaire survey of chosen experts. The Delphi method was applied in identifying the structure of evaluation system and indicators. The judgment of the experts on the indicators was adopted in building the matrix so that the weight coefficient and maximum eigenvalue (λ max), consistency index (CI), and random consistency ratio (CR) could be obtained and collected. The results were verified through consistency tests, and the index weight coefficient of each indicator was conducted and calculated through analytical hierarchy process. Twenty-six experts of different medical fields were involved in the questionnaire survey, 25 of whom successfully responded to the two-round research. Altogether, 4 primary indicators (safety, effectiveness, innovativeness, and benefits), as well as 13 secondary indicators, were included in the evaluation system. The matrix is built to conduct the λ max, CI, and CR of each expert in the survey, and the index weight coefficients of primary indicators were 0.33, 0.28, 0.27, and 0.12, respectively, and the index weight coefficients of secondary indicators were conducted and calculated accordingly. As the two-round questionnaire survey of experts and statistical analysis were performed and credibility of the results was verified through consistency evaluation test, the study established a quantitative medical technology evaluation system model and assessment indicators within medical institutions based on the Delphi method and analytical hierarchy process. Moreover, further verifications, adjustments, and optimizations of the system and indicators will be performed in follow-up studies.

The Association between Short Sleep Duration and Body Mass Index among South Korean Children and Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sunhee

2013-01-01

This study aims to examine the relationship between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI) in two South Korean samples: children and adolescents. Nationally representative secondary data (i.e., the Korean Survey on the Obesity of Youth and Children) collected in 2009 were analyzed ("N" = 2,499 for children and "N" = 7,431 for…

The AGB 2017 Trustee Index. Trustees and Higher Education's Value Proposition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, 2017

2017-01-01

"The AGB 2017 Trustee Index" is the first in a series of three annual surveys, conducted by Gallup under the direction of AGB, to assess trustee perspectives on the state of higher education. This year's report reveals a number of interesting findings: the centrality of the liberal arts, the lack of trustee involvement in influencing…

Developing a City Governance Index: Based on Surveys in Five Major Chinese Cities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yong, Guo; Wenhao, Cheng

2012-01-01

This article explores the establishment of a City Governance Index to evaluate the levels of governance of cities. We identified seven key dimensions of governance and then divided each of them into four stages: input, mechanism, result and effect. Each dimension/stage mix is correlated with indicators that can be measured with both objective and…

Bibliography of Oklahoma hydrology; reports prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey and principal cooperating agencies, 1901-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Havens, J. S.

1993-01-01

This bibliography lists reports on hydrology in Oklahoma prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey and the principal State cooperating agencies, the Oklahoma Geological Survey and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Included are citations of about 550 reports, abstracts, and journal articles issued from 1901 through July 1993. The reports are listed by agency and report type, and are indexed by author, subject, and USGS report number.

Ideal cardiovascular health predicts lower risk of abnormal liver enzymes levels in the Chilean National Health Survey (2009-2010).

PubMed

García-Hermoso, Antonio; Hackney, Anthony C; Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson

2017-01-01

High levels of gamma glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as fatty liver index (FLI) has been associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gamma-GT, ALT, and fatty liver index FLI levels across a gradient number of ideal cardiovascular health metrics in a representative sample of adults from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010. Data from 1,023 men and 1,449 women (≥ 15 years) from the Chilean Health Survey 2009-2010 were analyzed. Ideal cardiovascular health was defined as meeting ideal levels of the following components: four behaviours (smoking, body mass index, physical activity and diet adherence) and three factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting glucose). Adults were grouped into three categories according to their number of ideal cardiovascular health metrics: ideal (5-7 metrics), intermediate (3-4 metrics), and poor (0-2 metrics). Blood levels of gamma-GT and ALT were measured and the FLI was calculated. A higher number of ideal cardiovascular health index metric was associated with lower gamma-GT, ALT and FLI (p from trend analysis <0.001). Also, adults meeting at least 3-4 metrics were predicted less likely to have prevalence of abnormal levels of gamma-GT and FLI (p<0.001) compared to adults who met only 0-2 metrics. These findings reinforce the usefulness of the ideal cardiovascular health metrics proposed by the American Heart Association as a tool to identify target subjects and promote cardiovascular health in South-American adults.

Creating a school nutrition environment index and pilot testing it in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea

PubMed Central

Kwon, Kwang-il; Kweon, Soon Ju; Wang, Youfa; Gittelsohn, Joel

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The role of a school's nutrition environment in explaining students' eating behaviors and weight status has not been examined in an Asian setting. The purpose of this study was to create a school nutrition environment index and to pilot test the index in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS This study used a mixed-methods approach. Environment assessment tools were developed based on formative research, which comprised literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Key elements from the formative research were included in the assessment tool, which consisted of a structured survey questionnaire for school dietitians. Fifteen school dietitians from 7 elementary and 8 middle schools in Seoul completed the questionnaire. RESULTS The formative research revealed four main sections that guided a summary index to assess a school's nutrition environment: resource availability, education and programs, dietitians' perceptions and characteristics, and school lunch menu. Based on the literature reviews and interviews, an index scoring system was developed. The total possible score from the combined four index sections was 40 points. From the 15 schools participating in the pilot survey, the mean school nutrition-environment index was 22.5 (standard deviation ± 3.2; range 17-28). The majority of the schools did not offer classroom-based nutrition education or nutrition counseling for students and parents. The popular modes of nutrition education were school websites, posters, and newsletters. CONCLUSIONS This paper illustrates the process used to develop an instrument to assess a school's nutrition environment. Moreover, it presents the steps used to develop a scoring system for creation of a school nutrition environment index. As pilot testing indicated the total index score has some variation across schools, we suggest applying this instrument in future studies involving a larger number of schools. Future studies with larger samples will allow investigation of the validity and reliability of this newly developed tool. PMID:28989577

Creating a school nutrition environment index and pilot testing it in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Sohyun; Kwon, Kwang-Il; Kweon, Soon Ju; Wang, Youfa; Gittelsohn, Joel

2017-10-01

The role of a school's nutrition environment in explaining students' eating behaviors and weight status has not been examined in an Asian setting. The purpose of this study was to create a school nutrition environment index and to pilot test the index in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea. This study used a mixed-methods approach. Environment assessment tools were developed based on formative research, which comprised literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Key elements from the formative research were included in the assessment tool, which consisted of a structured survey questionnaire for school dietitians. Fifteen school dietitians from 7 elementary and 8 middle schools in Seoul completed the questionnaire. The formative research revealed four main sections that guided a summary index to assess a school's nutrition environment: resource availability, education and programs, dietitians' perceptions and characteristics, and school lunch menu. Based on the literature reviews and interviews, an index scoring system was developed. The total possible score from the combined four index sections was 40 points. From the 15 schools participating in the pilot survey, the mean school nutrition-environment index was 22.5 (standard deviation ± 3.2; range 17-28). The majority of the schools did not offer classroom-based nutrition education or nutrition counseling for students and parents. The popular modes of nutrition education were school websites, posters, and newsletters. This paper illustrates the process used to develop an instrument to assess a school's nutrition environment. Moreover, it presents the steps used to develop a scoring system for creation of a school nutrition environment index. As pilot testing indicated the total index score has some variation across schools, we suggest applying this instrument in future studies involving a larger number of schools. Future studies with larger samples will allow investigation of the validity and reliability of this newly developed tool.

Far-ultraviolet refractive index of optical materials for solar blind channel (SBC) filters for the HST advanced camera for surveys (ACS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leviton, Douglas B.; Madison, Timothy J.; Petrone, Peter

1998-10-01

Refractive index measurements using the minimum deviation method have been carried out for prisms of a variety of far ultraviolet optical materials used in the manufacture of Solar Blind Channel (SBC) filters for the HST Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Some of the materials measured are gaining popularity in a variety of high technology applications including high power excimer lasers and advanced microlithography optics operating in a wavelength region where high quality knowledge of optical material properties is sparse yet critical. Our measurements are of unusually high accuracy and precision for this wavelength region owing to advanced instrumentation in the large vacuum chamber of the Diffraction Grating Evaluation Facility (DGEF) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) used to implement a minimum deviation method refractometer. Index values for CaF2, BaF2, LiF, and far ultraviolet grades of synthetic sapphire and synthetic fused silica are reported and compared with values from the literature.

Relationship between long working hours and depression: a 3-year longitudinal study of clerical workers.

PubMed

Amagasa, Takashi; Nakayama, Takeo

2013-08-01

To clarify how long working hours affect the likelihood of current and future depression. Using data from four repeated measurements collected from 218 clerical workers, four models associating work-related factors to the depressive mood scale were established. The final model was constructed after comparing and testing the goodness-of-fit index using structural equation modeling. Multiple logistic regression analysis was also performed. The final model showed the best fit (normed fit index = 0.908; goodness-of-fit index = 0.936; root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.018). Its standardized total effect indicated that long working hours affected depression at the time of evaluation and 1 to 3 years later. The odds ratio for depression risk was 14.7 in employees who were not long-hours overworked according to the initial survey but who were long-hours overworked according to the second survey. Long working hours increase current and future risks of depression.

Correlates of body mass index in women with fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Timmerman, Gayle M; Calfa, Nicolina A; Stuifbergen, Alexa K

2013-01-01

Excess weight in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) may further contribute to joint pain and fatigue. However, there is little research addressing weight issues in this population. This study examined the relationship of body mass index (BMI) to quality of life. Quality of life was measured by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, severity of FMS, nutritional intake, Barriers to Health Promoting Behaviors for Disabled Persons Scale (BS), and self-efficacy for health-promoting behaviors (Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale) in women with FMS. Baseline data were collected on 179 women diagnosed with FMS. Controlling for age, BMI was significantly (p < .05) correlated with 36-Item Short Form Health Survey subscales of physical functioning, bodily pain and vitality, severity of FMS using the Tender Point Index, calories, protein, fat, saturated fat, BS, and Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale subscale for exercise. The findings support a growing body of evidence that excess weight is negatively related to quality of life and pain in women with FMS.

Inequalities of caries experience in Nevada youth expressed by DMFT index vs. Significant Caries Index (SiC) over time.

PubMed

Ditmyer, Marcia; Dounis, Georgia; Mobley, Connie; Schwarz, Eli

2011-04-05

With the increasingly polarized distribution of dental caries among children and adolescents, the usual DMFT measure has become a less meaningful population descriptor. To re-focus on identifying the high caries prevalence group the Significant Caries Index (SiC) was created. The aims of this study were to analyze the prevalence and severity of dental caries in Nevada youth over a period of eight years and to compare its expression by means of DMFT and SiC; analyze the caries trends in the population and their underlying factors, and determine whether Nevada youth were at risk for significantly high levels of dental caries. Retrospective data was analyzed from a series of sequential, standardized oral health surveys across eight years (2001/2002-2008/2009) that included over 62,000 examinations of adolescents 13-19 years of age, attending public/private Nevada schools. Mean Decayed-Missing-Filled Teeth index (DMFT) and Significant Caries Index (SiC) were subsequently computed for each academic year. Descriptive statistics were reported for analysis of comparative DMFT and SiC scores in relation to age, gender, racial background, and residence in a fluoridated/non-fluoridated community. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the differential impact of the variables on the probability of being in the high caries prevalence group. Comparison of students' mean DMFT to National (NHANES) data confirmed that dental caries remains a common chronic disease among Nevada youth, presenting higher prevalence rates and greater mean scores than the national averages. Downward trends were found across all demographics compared between survey years 1 and 6 with the exception of survey year 3. An upward trend began in survey year six. Over time, the younger group displayed an increasing proportion of caries free individuals while a decreasing proportion was found among older examinees. As expected, the mean SiC score was significantly higher than DMFT scores within each survey year across comparison groups (p < 0.001). Using both caries indices together may help to highlight oral health inequalities more accurately among different population groups within the community in order to identify the need for special preventive oral health interventions in adolescent Nevadans. At the community level, action should focus on retaining and expanding the community fluoridation program as an effective preventive measure. At the individual level the study identifies the need for more targeted efforts to reach children early with a focus on females, Hispanics and Blacks, and uninsured children.

Inequalities of caries experience in Nevada youth expressed by DMFT index vs. Significant Caries Index (SiC) over time

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background With the increasingly polarized distribution of dental caries among children and adolescents, the usual DMFT measure has become a less meaningful population descriptor. To re-focus on identifying the high caries prevalence group the Significant Caries Index (SiC) was created. The aims of this study were to analyze the prevalence and severity of dental caries in Nevada youth over a period of eight years and to compare its expression by means of DMFT and SiC; analyze the caries trends in the population and their underlying factors, and determine whether Nevada youth were at risk for significantly high levels of dental caries. Methods Retrospective data was analyzed from a series of sequential, standardized oral health surveys across eight years (2001/2002-2008/2009) that included over 62,000 examinations of adolescents 13-19 years of age, attending public/private Nevada schools. Mean Decayed-Missing-Filled Teeth index (DMFT) and Significant Caries Index (SiC) were subsequently computed for each academic year. Descriptive statistics were reported for analysis of comparative DMFT and SiC scores in relation to age, gender, racial background, and residence in a fluoridated/non-fluoridated community. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the differential impact of the variables on the probability of being in the high caries prevalence group. Results Comparison of students' mean DMFT to National (NHANES) data confirmed that dental caries remains a common chronic disease among Nevada youth, presenting higher prevalence rates and greater mean scores than the national averages. Downward trends were found across all demographics compared between survey years 1 and 6 with the exception of survey year 3. An upward trend began in survey year six. Over time, the younger group displayed an increasing proportion of cariesfree individuals while a decreasing proportion was found among older examinees. As expected, the mean SiC score was significantly higher than DMFT scores within each survey year across comparison groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions Using both caries indices together may help to highlight oral health inequalities more accurately among different population groups within the community in order to identify the need for special preventive oral health interventions in adolescent Nevadans. At the community level, action should focus on retaining and expanding the community fluoridation program as an effective preventive measure. At the individual level the study identifies the need for more targeted efforts to reach children early with a focus on females, Hispanics and Blacks, and uninsured children. PMID:21466692

Energy: A special bibliography with indexes, April 1974

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

This literature survey of special energy and energy related documents lists 1708 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between January 1, 1968, and December 31, 1973. Citations from International Aerospace Abstracts (IAA) and Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports (STAR) are grouped according to the following subject categories: energy systems; solar energy; primary energy sources; secondary energy sources; energy conversion; energy transport, transmission, and distribution; and energy storage. The index section includes the subject, personal author, corporate source, contract, report, and accession indexes.

Data indexing techniques for the EUVE all-sky survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, J.; Saba, V.; Dobson, C.

1992-01-01

This poster describes techniques developed for manipulating large full-sky data sets for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer project. The authors have adapted the quatrilateralized cubic sphere indexing algorithm to allow us to efficiently store and process several types of large data sets, such as full-sky maps of photon counts, exposure time, and count rates. A variation of this scheme is used to index sparser data such as individual photon events and viewing times for selected areas of the sky, which are eventually used to create EUVE source catalogs.

Analysis of airborne LiDAR surveys to quantify the characteristic morphologies of northern forested wetlands

Treesearch

Murray C. Richardson; Carl P. J. Mitchell; Brian A. Branfireun; Randall K. Kolka

2010-01-01

A new technique for quantifying the geomorphic form of northern forested wetlands from airborne LiDAR surveys is introduced, demonstrating the unprecedented ability to characterize the geomorphic form of northern forested wetlands using high-resolution digital topography. Two quantitative indices are presented, including the lagg width index (LWI) which objectively...

Are Learning Style Preferences of Health Science Students Predictive of Their Attitudes towards E-Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ted; Zoghi, Maryam; Williams, Brett; Jaberzadeh, Shapour; Roller, Louis; Palermo, Claire; McKenna, Lisa; Wright, Caroline; Baird, Marilyn; Schneider-Kolsky, Michal; Hewitt, Lesley; Sim, Jenny; Holt, Tangerine-Ann

2009-01-01

The objective for this study was to determine whether learning style preferences of health science students could predict their attitudes to e-learning. A survey comprising the "Index of Learning Styles" (ILS) and the "Online Learning Environment Survey" (OLES) was distributed to 2885 students enrolled in 10 different health…

An Information-Systems Program for the Language Sciences. Final Report on Survey-and-Analysis Stage, 1967-1968.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Robert R.; And Others

The main results of the survey-and-analysis stage include a substantial collection of preliminary data on the language-sciences information user community, its professional specialties and information channels, its indexing tools, and its terminologies. The prospects and techniques for the development of a modern, discipline-based information…

Evaluation of a Dining Facility Intervention on U.S. Army Special Operations Soldiers’ Meal Quality, Dining Satisfaction, and Cost Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-18

Eating Index (HEI) scores were computed. Descriptive and independent t-test analyses were performed pre to post HPP implementation ( =0.05; 80% power...Appendix B: HPP THOR3 Point-of-Service Label Examples ....................................... 77 Appendix C: Demographic & Lifestyle Survey ...78 Appendix D: Dining Facility Satisfaction Survey

Production and evaluation of children's dietary life safety index data on metropolitan cities and provinces in Korea

PubMed Central

Choi, Young-Sun; Lee, Jung-Sug; Kim, Hye-Young; Kwak, Tong-Kyung; Chung, Hae Rang; Kwon, Sehyug; Choi, Youn-Ju; Lee, Soon-Kyu

2012-01-01

This pilot study was performed to produce data of the Children's Dietary Life Safety (CDLS) Index which is required by the Special Act on Safety Management of Children's Dietary Life and to evaluate the CDLS Index for 7 metropolitan cities and 9 provinces in Korea. To calculate the CDLS Index score, data regarding the evaluation indicators in the children's food safety domain and children's nutrition safety domain were collected from the local governments in 2009. For data regarding the indicators in the children's perception & practice domain, a survey was conducted on 2,400 5th grade children selected by stratified sampling in 16 local areas. Relative scores of indicators in each domain were calculated using the data provided by local governments and the survey, the weights are applied on relative scores, and then the CDLS Index scores of local governments were produced by adding scores of the 3 domains. The national average scores of the food safety domain, the nutrition safety domain and the perception and practice domain were 23.74 (14.67-26.50 on a 40-point scale), 16.65 (12.25-19.60 on a 40-point scale), and 14.88 (14.16-15.30 on a 20-point scale), respectively. The national average score of the CDLS Index which was produced by adding the scores of the three domains was 55.27 ranging 46.44-58.94 among local governments. The CDLS Index scores produced in this study may provide the motivation for comparing relative accomplishment and for actively achieving the goals through establishment of the target value by local governments. Also, it can be used as useful data for the establishment and improvement of children's dietary life safety policy at the national level. PMID:23346305

Monitoring community mobilisation and organisational capacity among high-risk groups in a large-scale HIV prevention programme in India: selected findings using a Community Ownership and Preparedness Index.

PubMed

Narayanan, Pradeep; Moulasha, K; Wheeler, Tisha; Baer, James; Bharadwaj, Sowmyaa; Ramanathan, T V; Thomas, Tom

2012-10-01

In a participatory approach to health and development interventions, defining and measuring community mobilisation is important, but it is challenging to do this effectively, especially at scale. A cross-sectional, participatory monitoring tool was administered in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 across a representative sample of 25 community-based groups (CBGs) formed under the Avahan India AIDS Initiative, to assess their progress in mobilisation, and to inform efforts to strengthen the groups and make them sustainable. The survey used a weighted index to capture both qualitative and quantitative data in numeric form. The index permitted broad, as well as highly detailed, analysis of community mobilisation, relevant at the level of individual groups, as well as state-wide and across the whole programme. The survey demonstrated that leadership and programme management were the strongest areas among the CBGs, confirming the programme's investment in these areas. Discussion of the Round 1 results led to efforts to strengthen governance and democratic decision making in the groups, and progress was reflected in the Round 2 survey results. CBG engagement with state authorities to gain rights and entitlements and securing the long-term financial stability of groups remain a challenge. The survey has proven useful for informing the managers of programmes about what is happening on the ground, and it has opened spaces for discussion within community groups about the nature of leadership, decision making and their goals, which is leading to accelerated progress. The tool provided useful data to manage community mobilisation in Avahan.

Fish-community composition in Otselic River, in the vicinity of Whitney Point Lake, Broome and Cortland counties, New York, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brightbill, R.A.; Bilger, Michael D.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has been conducting biological surveys of the inflow and outflow streams of Whitney Point Lake since the early 1980's. These surveys are made to identify possible detrimental effects as well as benefits of the reservoir and to better understand the aquatic communities in the vicinity of the lake at the present and over time. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey jointly conducted a survey of the fish communities upstream and downstream of the reservoir in Otselic River in September 2000. The fish communities upstream and downstream were compared and any differences or similarities seen in the communities were noted.This study found the fish communities upstream and downstream of Whitney Point Lake to be in good condition, with Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores 4.3 upstream and 4.5 downstream. The habitat conditions of both reaches were of suboptimal quality, with a score of 15 for both reaches as determined by use of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Rapid Bioassessment Protocols, yet are capable of supporting fish communities. The Shannon Index was 3.83 upstream and 3.16 downstream of the lake, indicating that both reaches are slightly impacted by species richness and lack of individual evenness among the species. The communities also were different from each other. Only 11 of the 21 species upstream were also captured downstream. The Jaccards Coefficient and the Index of Similarity reflect this community difference with scores of 0.39 and 0.56, respectively.

Patient expectations predict greater pain relief with joint arthroplasty.

PubMed

Gandhi, Rajiv; Davey, John Roderick; Mahomed, Nizar

2009-08-01

We examined the relationship between patient expectations of total joint arthroplasty and functional outcomes. We surveyed 1799 patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty for demographic data and Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scores at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year of follow-up. Patient expectations were determined with 3 survey questions. The patients with the greatest expectations of surgery were younger, male, and had a lower body mass index. Linear regression modeling showed that a greater expectation of pain relief with surgery independently predicted greater reported pain relief at 1 year of follow-up, adjusted for all relevant covariates (P < .05). Patient expectation of pain relief after joint arthroplasty is an important predictor of outcomes at 1 year.

Negative Impact and Positive Value in Caregiving: Validation of the COPE Index in a Six-Country Sample of Carers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balducci, Cristian; Mnich, Eva; McKee, Kevin J.; Lamura, Giovanni; Beckmann, Anke; Krevers, Barbro; Wojszel, Z. Beata; Nolan, Mike; Prouskas, Constantinos; Bien, Barbara; Oberg, Birgitta

2008-01-01

Purpose: The present study attempts to further validate the COPE Index on a large sample of carers drawn from six European countries. Design and Methods: We used a cross-sectional survey, with approximately 1,000 carers recruited in each of six countries by means of a common standard evaluation protocol. Our saturation recruitment of a designated…

Differences in Dietary Patterns among College Students According to Body Mass Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunt, Ardith; Rhee, Yeong; Zhong, Li

2008-01-01

Objective and Participants: The authors surveyed 557 undergraduate students aged 18-56 years to assess weight status, health behaviors, and dietary variety. Methods: They used body mass index (BMI) to divide students into 4 weight categories: underweight (BMI less than 19 kg/m2), healthy weight (19 kg/m2 to 24.99 kg/m2), overweight (25 kg/m2 to…

Asiago spectroscopic classification of three SNe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elias-Rosa, N.; Cappellaro, E.; Benetti, S.; Tomasella, L.; Ochner, P.; Pastorello, A.; Tartaglia, L.; Terreran, G.; Turatto, M.

2015-09-01

The Asiago Transient Classification Program (Tomasella et al. 2014, AN, 335, 841) reports the spectroscopic classification of three SNe. Informations on these transients are also available from the "Bright Supernova" website (http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/snimages/), the CBAT Transient Object Followup Reports (http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/index.html) and All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~assassin/index.shtml).

What do people eat when they don’t eat meat? An evaluation of dietary quality using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2012

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: To compare diet quality scores between adult non-meat eaters and meat eaters, and to compare the consumption of diet components across quintiles of diet quality. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) we...

Impact of a pilot pharmacy health-care professional out-of-school time physical activity and nutrition education program with exercise on fourth and fifth graders in a rural Texas community.

PubMed

Robles, Janie; Gutierrez, Ashley; Seifert, Charles F

2014-01-01

Childhood obesity continues to be a problem. Children in rural populations are more likely to be overweight or obese and a lack of resources in those areas may contribute to this problem. We aimed to assess the impact of a pilot pharmacy health-care professional out-of-school time vigorous physical activity and nutrition education program on fourth and fifth graders in a rural Texas community. We conducted a prospective 12-week cohort study from August to November 2012. Thirty-three children, aged 8-11 years, in Bailey County, Texas, were enrolled in the study. Body mass index, body mass index percentile, blood pressure, waist circumference, and a diet preferences and activities knowledge survey were obtained at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Study participants completed a twice weekly physical activity and nutrition education program with exercise over weeks 1-4 with no intervention during weeks 5-12. Thirty-one (94%) of the 33 children, predominately Hispanic girls, completed the program. Body mass index (-0.30 (95% confidence interval, -0.44 to -0.17); P = <0.0001), body mass index percentile (-2.75 (95% confidence interval, -4.89 to -0.62); P = 0.0026), systolic blood pressure (-1.9 (95% confidence interval, -2.9 to -0.9); P = <0.0001), and waist circumference (-0.47 (95% confidence interval, -0.85 to -0.10); P = <0.0001) mean change decreased between baseline and week 12 with no intervention for 8 weeks. Positive survey results at 3 months indicated a decrease in fried/sweet foods; increase in exercise; decreases in video games and computer use; and a change in knowledge regarding the selection of the most healthy food group servings per day. In this pharmacy health-care directed pilot study, participants had a reduction of body mass index, body mass index percentile, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and improvement in certain survey results at the end of 12 weeks despite no further intervention after 4 weeks.

HiPS - Hierarchical Progressive Survey Version 1.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernique, Pierre; Allen, Mark; Boch, Thomas; Donaldson, Tom; Durand, Daniel; Ebisawa, Ken; Michel, Laurent; Salgado, Jesus; Stoehr, Felix; Fernique, Pierre

2017-05-01

This document presents HiPS, a hierarchical scheme for the description, storage and access of sky survey data. The system is based on hierarchical tiling of sky regions at finer and finer spatial resolution which facilitates a progressive view of a survey, and supports multi-resolution zooming and panning. HiPS uses the HEALPix tessellation of the sky as the basis for the scheme and is implemented as a simple file structure with a direct indexing scheme that leads to practical implementations.

Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey reports on the water resources of Florida, 1886-1989

USGS Publications Warehouse

Embry, T.L.; Hoy, N.D.

1990-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has released a listing of its reports on water resources in Florida for the period 1886-1989. Most of the reports contained in the listing were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with numerous public agencies in Florida. The compilation has a full bibliographic list of reports arranged alphabetically by senior author. In addition, the reports are indexed by geographic areas and by subject. (USGS)

Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey reports on the water resources of Florida, 1886-1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Claiborne, Maude; Embry, T.L.; Hoy, N.D.; Weldon, D.H.; Wilson, T.D.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has released a listing of its report on water resources in Florida for the period 1886-1984. Most of the reports contained in the listing were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with numerous public agencies in Florida. The compilation has a full bibliographic list of reports arranged alphabetically by senior author. In addition, the reports are indexed by geographic areas and by subject. (USGS)

Bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey reports on the water resources of Florida, 1886-1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, Carmen A.; Hoy, N.D.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has released a listing of its reports on water resources in Florida for the period 1886-1995. Most of the reports contained in the listing were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with numerous public agencies in Florida. The compilation has a full bibliographic list of reports arranged alphabetically by senior author. In addition, the reports are indexed by geographic areas and by special topics.

Evaluating Random Error in Clinician-Administered Surveys: Theoretical Considerations and Clinical Applications of Interobserver Reliability and Agreement.

PubMed

Bennett, Rebecca J; Taljaard, Dunay S; Olaithe, Michelle; Brennan-Jones, Chris; Eikelboom, Robert H

2017-09-18

The purpose of this study is to raise awareness of interobserver concordance and the differences between interobserver reliability and agreement when evaluating the responsiveness of a clinician-administered survey and, specifically, to demonstrate the clinical implications of data types (nominal/categorical, ordinal, interval, or ratio) and statistical index selection (for example, Cohen's kappa, Krippendorff's alpha, or interclass correlation). In this prospective cohort study, 3 clinical audiologists, who were masked to each other's scores, administered the Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test-Revised to 18 adult owners of hearing aids. Interobserver concordance was examined using a range of reliability and agreement statistical indices. The importance of selecting statistical measures of concordance was demonstrated with a worked example, wherein the level of interobserver concordance achieved varied from "no agreement" to "almost perfect agreement" depending on data types and statistical index selected. This study demonstrates that the methodology used to evaluate survey score concordance can influence the statistical results obtained and thus affect clinical interpretations.

LC-PROM: Validation of a patient reported outcomes measure for liver cirrhosis patients.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Yang, Yuanyuan; Lv, Jing; Zhang, Yanbo

2016-05-10

The aim of the study is to develop a specific patient-reported scale of liver cirrhosis according to the Patient Reported Outcome guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and to examine its capacity to fill gaps in this field. A conceptual framework was developed and a preliminary item pool developed through literature review and interviews of 10 patients with liver cirrhosis. With the preliminary items, we performed a pilot survey that included a cognitive test with patients and interviews with experts; the focus was on content and language of the scale. In the item selection stage, seven statistical methods including discrete trends method, discrimination analysis, exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's α coefficient, correlation coefficient, test-retest reliability, Item-Response Theory were applied to survey data from 200 subjects (150 liver cirrhosis patients and 50 controls). This produced the preliminary Liver Cirrhosis Patient-reported Outcome Measure (LC-PROM). In the next stage, we conducted the survey with 620 subjects (500 patients and 120 controls) to validate reliability, validity and acceptability of this scale. The 55 items and 13 dimensions addressed four domains: physical, psychological, social, and therapeutic. Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.921 for the total scale; the confirmatory factor analysis, t-tests and ANOVA supported scale validity; the model fit index as Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), Root Mean Square Residual (RMR), Normed Fit Index (NFI), Non-Normed Fit Index (NNFI), Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and Incremental Fit Index (IFI) met the criterion generally. The acceptance ratio and response rate indicated good feasibility. This study developed an accurate and stable patient-reported outcome scale of liver cirrhosis, which is able to evaluate clinical effects effectively, is helpful to patients in recognizing their health condition, and contributes to clinical decision making both for patients and physicians. Additionally, the LC-PROM can perform as an ultimate assessment of medical and health care effects and can inform clinical trials of new drugs for liver cirrhosis.

Developing a Climate-Induced Social Vulnerability Index for Urban Areas: A Case Study of East Tennessee

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

Omitaomu, Olufemi A.; Carvalhaes, Thomaz M.

Census American Community Survey 2008-2012 data are used to construct a spatially explicit Climate-Induced Social Vulnerability Index (CSVI) for the East Tennessee area. This CSVI is a combination of a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and a Climate Index. A method is replicated and adapted to derive a custom SVI by Census tract for the counties participating in the East Tennessee Index, and a Climate Index is developed for the same area based on indicators for climate hazards. The resulting datasets are exported as a raster to be integrated and combined within the Urban Climate Adaptation Tool (Urban-CAT) to act asmore » an indicator for communities which may be differentially vulnerable to changes in climate. Results for the SVI are mapped separately from the complete CSVI in this document as results for the latter are in development.« less

Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Science.gov Websites

Mineral Property Records Mining Fact Sheets Mining Forms Municipal Entitlements Office Location Survey Plats & Land Records Unorganized Borough Platting Authority Trails & Public Access Index

Survey of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. Bulletin, 1930, No. 9. Volume I. [Part VII - Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Education, United States Department of the Interior, 1930

1930-01-01

At the request of the Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, the Office of Education undertook a survey of the 69 land-grant colleges and universities, including 17 institutions for Negroes. For more than a half century, these institutions have grown in importance as vital factors in the agricultural, industrial, and educational…

5 CFR 591.226 - How does OPM apply the CPIs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... survey. (1) Step 1. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the COLA area. (2) Step 2. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the DC area. (3) Step 3. OPM multiplies the COLA area price index from the last survey by the COLA area CPI change computed in step 1 divided by the DC area CPI...

5 CFR 591.226 - How does OPM apply the CPIs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... survey. (1) Step 1. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the COLA area. (2) Step 2. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the DC area. (3) Step 3. OPM multiplies the COLA area price index from the last survey by the COLA area CPI change computed in step 1 divided by the DC area CPI...

5 CFR 591.226 - How does OPM apply the CPIs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... survey. (1) Step 1. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the COLA area. (2) Step 2. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the DC area. (3) Step 3. OPM multiplies the COLA area price index from the last survey by the COLA area CPI change computed in step 1 divided by the DC area CPI...

5 CFR 591.226 - How does OPM apply the CPIs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... survey. (1) Step 1. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the COLA area. (2) Step 2. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the DC area. (3) Step 3. OPM multiplies the COLA area price index from the last survey by the COLA area CPI change computed in step 1 divided by the DC area CPI...

5 CFR 591.226 - How does OPM apply the CPIs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... survey. (1) Step 1. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the COLA area. (2) Step 2. OPM computes the annual or biennial CPI change for the DC area. (3) Step 3. OPM multiplies the COLA area price index from the last survey by the COLA area CPI change computed in step 1 divided by the DC area CPI...

A survey of sport fish use on the Copper River Delta, Alaska.

Treesearch

Dirk W. Lang

2010-01-01

Aerial counts, in-person interviews, and mail-in questionnaires were used to survey sport fish use during the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch Walbaum) season on the Copper River Delta, Alaska from 2002 through 2006. Angler counts provided an index of use on individual streams and were used to develop a spatial database exhibiting patterns of use...

Electronic and Optical Sources of Information for the Humanities: A Survey of Library Users, Products and Projects in Italy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paci, Augusta Maria; And Others

1990-01-01

Discussion of electronic information products for the humanities focuses on users in Italy. Databases are discussed; a user survey of La Sapienza University Arts Faculty is described; an example of research using two databases, FRANCIS and Philosopher's Index, is given; and Italian products and projects for the humanities are reviewed. (15…

Within-site variability in surveys of wildlife populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Link, William A.; Barker, Richard J.; Sauer, John R.; Droege, Sam

1994-01-01

Most large-scale surveys of animal populations are based on counts of individuals observed during a sampling period, which are used as indexes to the population. The variability in these indexes not only reflects variability in population sizes among sites but also variability due to the inexactness of the counts. Repeated counts at survey sites can be used to document this additional source of variability and, in some applications, to mitigate its effects. We present models for evaluating the proportion of total variability in counts that is attributable to this within-site variability and apply them in the analysis of data from repeated counts on routes from the North American Breeding Bird Survey. We analyzed data on 98 species, obtaining estimates of these percentages, which ranged from 3.5 to 100% with a mean of 36.25%. For at least 14 of the species, more than half of the variation in counts was attributable to within-site sources. Counts for species with lower average counts had a higher percentage of within-site variability. We discuss the relative cost efficiency of replicating sites or initiating new sites for several objectives, concluding that it is frequently better to initiate new sites than to attempt to replicate existing sites.

Psychometric and screening properties of the WHO-5 well-being index in adult outpatients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Hajos, T R S; Pouwer, F; Skovlund, S E; Den Oudsten, B L; Geelhoed-Duijvestijn, P H L M; Tack, C J; Snoek, F J

2013-02-01

The 5-item World Health Organization well-being index is a commonly used measure of emotional well-being, but research on psychometric properties in outpatients with diabetes is scarce. We examined psychometric and screening properties for depression of this index in a large sample of Dutch outpatients with diabetes. Patients with Type 1 (n = 384) and Type 2 (n = 549) diabetes from three outpatient clinics completed the WHO-5 index, the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, the Problem Areas in Diabetes survey and the Short Form-12 health survey. Internal consistency of the WHO-5 index was determined by Cronbach's alpha. The factor structure was tested by confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlations with the Patient Health Questionnaire, Problem Areas in Diabetes and the Short Form-12 mental component scores. Sensitivity and specificity of the WHO-5 index as depression screener were tested against two existing Patient Health Questionnaire cut-off scores for depression using receiver operating characteristic curves. A one-factor structure of the WHO-5 index was verified by confirmatory factor analysis for patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between the WHO-5 index and the Patient Health Questionnaire scores, the Problem Areas in Diabetes scores and the Short Form-12 mental component scores (r = 0.55-0.69, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that a WHO-5 index cut-off of < 50 performed best as an indication for likely depression, with sensitivity compared with a Patient Health Questionnaire score ≥ 10 and ≥ 12 of 79% and 88%, respectively, and specificity of 88% and 76%, respectively. The WHO-5 index is a short, psychometrically sound measure of emotional well-being that appears suitable for use as screening test for likely depression in outpatients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. © 2012 The Author. Diabetic Medicine © 2012 Diabetes UK.

Continuum sources from the THOR survey between 1 and 2 GHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bihr, S.; Johnston, K. G.; Beuther, H.; Anderson, L. D.; Ott, J.; Rugel, M.; Bigiel, F.; Brunthaler, A.; Glover, S. C. O.; Henning, T.; Heyer, M. H.; Klessen, R. S.; Linz, H.; Longmore, S. N.; McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Menten, K. M.; Plume, R.; Schierhuber, T.; Shanahan, R.; Stil, J. M.; Urquhart, J. S.; Walsh, A. J.

2016-04-01

We carried out a large program with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA): "THOR: The H I, OH, Recombination line survey of the Milky Way". We observed a significant portion (~100 deg2) of the Galactic plane in the first quadrant of the Milky Way in the 21 cm H I line, 4 OH transitions, 19 radio recombination lines, and continuum from 1 to 2 GHz. In this paper we present a catalog of the continuum sources in the first half of the survey (l = 14.0-37.9° and l = 47.1-51.2°, | b | ≤ 1.1°) at a spatial resolution of 10-25″, depending on the frequency and sky position with a spatially varying noise level of ~0.3-1 mJy beam-1. The catalog contains ~4400 sources. Around 1200 of these are spatially resolved, and ~1000 are possible artifacts, given their low signal-to-noise ratios. Since the spatial distribution of the unresolved objects is evenly distributed and not confined to the Galactic plane, most of them are extragalactic. Thanks to the broad bandwidth of the observations from 1 to 2 GHz, we are able to determine a reliable spectral index for ~1800 sources. The spectral index distribution reveals a double-peaked profile with maxima at spectral indices of α ≈ -1 and α ≈ 0, corresponding to steep declining and flat spectra, respectively. This allows us to distinguish between thermal and non-thermal emission, which can be used to determine the nature of each source. We examine the spectral index of ~300 known H II regions, for which we find thermal emission with spectral indices around α ≈ 0. In contrast, supernova remnants (SNR) show non-thermal emission with α ≈ -0.5 and extragalactic objects generally have a steeper spectral index of α ≈ -1. Using the spectral index information of the THOR survey, we investigate potential SNR candidates. We classify the radiation of four SNR candidates as non-thermal, and for the first time, we provide strong evidence for the SNR origin of these candidates. Full Table C.1 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/588/A97

Psychometric properties of the medical outcomes study sleep scale in Spanish postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Zagalaz-Anula, Noelia; Hita-Contreras, Fidel; Martínez-Amat, Antonio; Cruz-Díaz, David; Lomas-Vega, Rafael

2017-07-01

This study aimed to analyze the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (MOS-SS), and its ability to discriminate between poor and good sleepers among a Spanish population with vestibular disorders. In all, 121 women (50-76 years old) completed the Spanish version of the MOS-SS. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity (exploratory factor analysis) were analyzed. Concurrent validity was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. To analyze the ability of the MOS-SS scores to discriminate between poor and good sleepers, a receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was performed. The Spanish version of the MOS-SS showed excellent and substantial reliability in Sleep Problems Index I (two sleep disturbance items, one somnolence item, two sleep adequacy items, and awaken short of breath or with headache) and Sleep Problems Index II (four sleep disturbance items, two somnolence items, two sleep adequacy items, and awaken short of breath or with headache), respectively, and good internal consistency with optimal Cronbach's alpha values in all domains and indexes (0.70-0.90). Factor analysis suggested a coherent four-factor structure (explained variance 70%). In concurrent validity analysis, MOS-SS indexes showed significant and strong correlation with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index total score, and moderate with the 36-item Short Form Health Survey component summaries. Several domains and the two indexes were significantly able to discriminate between poor and good sleepers (P < 0.05). Optimal cut-off points were above 20 for "sleep disturbance" domain, with above 22.22 and above 33.33 for Sleep Problems Index I and II. The Spanish version of the MOS-SS is a valid and reliable instrument, suitable to assess sleep quality in Spanish postmenopausal women, with satisfactory general psychometric properties. It discriminates well between good and poor sleepers.

Measuring health related quality of life (HRQoL) in community and facility-based care settings with the interRAI assessment instruments: development of a crosswalk to HUI3.

PubMed

Hirdes, John P; Bernier, Julie; Garner, Rochelle; Finès, Philippe; Jantzi, Micaela

2018-05-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures are of interest because they can be used to describe health of populations and represent a broader health outcome for population health analyses than mortality rates or life expectancy. The most widely used measure of HRQoL for deriving estimates of health-adjusted life expectancy is the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3). The HUI3 is available in most national surveys administered by Statistics Canada, and has been used as part of a microsimulation model to examine the impact of neurological conditions over the life course. Persons receiving home care and nursing home services are often not well-represented in these surveys; however, interRAI assessment instruments are now used as part of normal clinical practice in these settings for nine Canadian provinces/territories. Building on previous research that developed a HUI2 crosswalk for the interRAI assessments, the present study examined a new interRAI HRQoL index crosswalked to the HUI3. interRAI and survey data were used to examine the distributional properties of global and domain-specific interRAI HRQoL and HUI3 index scores, respectively. Three populations were considered: well-elderly persons not receiving home care, home care clients and nursing home residents. The mean HUI3 and interRAI HRQoL index global scores declined from independent healthy older persons to home care clients, followed by nursing home residents. For the home care and nursing home populations, the interRAI HRQoL global estimates tended to be lower than HUI3 global scores obtained from survey respondents. While there were some statistically significant age, sex and diagnostic group differences in global scores and within attributes, the most notable differences were between populations from different care settings. The present study provides strong evidence for the validity of the interRAI HRQoL based on comparisons of distributional properties with those obtained with survey data based on the HUI3. The results demonstrate the importance of admission criteria for home care and nursing home settings, where function plays a more important role than demographic or diagnostic criteria. The interRAI HRQoL has a distinct advantage because it is gathered as part of normal clinical practice in care settings where interRAI instruments are mandatory and are used to assess all eligible persons in those sectors. In particular, those with severe cognitive and functional impairments (who tend to be under-represented in survey data) will be evaluated using the interRAI tools. Future research should build on this work by providing direct, person-level comparisons of interRAI HRQoL index and HUI3 scores, as well as longitudinal analyses to examine responsiveness to change.

Development of social capital scale from a national longitudinal survey and examination of its validity and reliability.

PubMed

Aiba, Miyuki; Tachikawa, Hirokazu; Nakamine, Shin; Takahashi, Sho; Noguchi, Haruko; Takahashi, Hideto; Tamiya, Nanako

2017-01-01

Objectives　Social capital consists of two subordinate concepts; first one is structural formal, structural informal, or cognitive and second one is bonding or bridging. This study was designed to develop a social capital scale using samples from a national longitudinal survey and evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of the scale.Methods　Data were collected from a nationwide panel survey, the "Longitudinal Survey of Middle-aged and Elderly Persons." Individuals aged 50-59 years living in Japan were selected by stratified random sampling in the first wave conducted in 2005. The first (n=34,240) and second (n=32,285) sets of data were used for Phase 1, and the sixth (n=26,220) and seventh (n=25,321) sets of data were used for Phase 2. In regard to first subordinate concept, the occurrence of six selected social activities with "neighborhood association" and "NPOs, or Public Interest Corporations" were calculated as the structural formal index, and the occurrence of six selected social activities with "families or friends" and "colleagues" were calculated as the structural informal index. Moreover, satisfaction with social activities (community activities, support for the elderly, and others) was used as the cognitive index. In regard to second subordinate concept, the bonding index was calculated using "families or friends," "colleagues," and "neighborhood association;" the bridging index was calculated using "NPOs or Public Interest Corporations." The diagnoses of heart disease, stroke, and cancer (yes=1, no=0) and self-rated health (1 item, 6-point scale) were used as variables for determining validity.Results　We categorized social capital indices into subordinate concepts based on the construct of social capital defined by professional agreement to assess content validity. The results showed that this survey questionnaire was constructed using items that assessed all the subordinate concepts. Hierarchical Linear Modeling examined the relationship between social capital and health as assessed by diagnoses of physical disease and self-rated health to examine convergent validity, which indicated that all social capital indices had significant positive effects on self-rated health at an individual or group level. However, the diagnosis of a stroke was negatively influenced by cognitive and formal social capital indices at a group level, whereas heart disease and cancer were not significantly affected.　Multilevel correlation analyses of Phase 1 (the first and second) and Phase 2 (sixth and seventh) were conducted to assess test-retest reliability, which indicated correlation coefficients of 0.392 to 0.999.Conclusion　The findings of this study indicated the content validity of the scale that was developed from the national longitudinal survey. Moreover, results of Hierarchical Linear Modeling confirmed the partial convergent validity of the scale. Furthermore, multilevel correlation analyses demonstrated the adequate test-retest reliability of the scale at the group level.

A classification of freshwater Louisiana lakes based on water quality and user perception data.

PubMed

Burden, D G; Malone, R F

1987-09-01

An index system developed for Louisiana lakes was based on correlations between measurable water quality parameters and perceived lake quality. Support data was provided by an extensive monitoring program of 30 lakes coordinated with opinion surveys undertaken during summer 1984. Lakes included in the survey ranged from 4 to 735 km(2) in surface area with mean depths ranging from 0.5 to 8.0 m. Water quality data indicated most of these lakes are eutrophic, although many have productive fisheries and are considered recreational assets. Perception ratings of fishing quality and its associated water quality were obtained by distributing approximately 1200 surveys to Louisiana Bass Club Associaton members. The ability of Secchi disc transparency, total organic carbon, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a to discriminate between perception classes was examined using probability distributions and multivariate analyses. Secchi disc and total organic carbon best reflected perceived lake conditions; however, these parameters did not provide the discrimination necessary for developing a quantitative risk assessment of lake trophic state. Consequently, an interim lakes index system was developed based on total organic carbon and perceived lake conditions. The developed index system will aid State officials in interpretating and evaluating regularly collected lake quality data, recognizing potential problem areas, and identifying proper management policies for protecting fisheries usage within the State.

Clustering analysis of line indices for LAMOST spectra with AstroStat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shu-Xin; Sun, Wei-Min; Yan, Qi

2018-06-01

The application of data mining in astronomical surveys, such as the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) survey, provides an effective approach to automatically analyze a large amount of complex survey data. Unsupervised clustering could help astronomers find the associations and outliers in a big data set. In this paper, we employ the k-means method to perform clustering for the line index of LAMOST spectra with the powerful software AstroStat. Implementing the line index approach for analyzing astronomical spectra is an effective way to extract spectral features for low resolution spectra, which can represent the main spectral characteristics of stars. A total of 144 340 line indices for A type stars is analyzed through calculating their intra and inter distances between pairs of stars. For intra distance, we use the definition of Mahalanobis distance to explore the degree of clustering for each class, while for outlier detection, we define a local outlier factor for each spectrum. AstroStat furnishes a set of visualization tools for illustrating the analysis results. Checking the spectra detected as outliers, we find that most of them are problematic data and only a few correspond to rare astronomical objects. We show two examples of these outliers, a spectrum with abnormal continuumand a spectrum with emission lines. Our work demonstrates that line index clustering is a good method for examining data quality and identifying rare objects.

Identifying Knowledge Gaps in Clinicians Who Evaluate and Treat Vocal Performing Artists in College Health Settings.

PubMed

McKinnon-Howe, Leah; Dowdall, Jayme

2018-05-01

The goal of this study was to identify knowledge gaps in clinicians who evaluate and treat performing artists for illnesses and injuries that affect vocal function in college health settings. This pilot study utilized a web-based cross-sectional survey design incorporating common clinical scenarios to test knowledge of evaluation and management strategies in the vocal performing artist. A web-based survey was administered to a purposive sample of 28 clinicians to identify the approach utilized to evaluate and treat vocal performing artists in college health settings, and factors that might affect knowledge gaps and influence referral patterns to voice specialists. Twenty-eight clinicians were surveyed, with 36% of respondents incorrectly identifying appropriate vocal hygiene measures, 56% of respondents failing to identify symptoms of vocal fold hemorrhage, 84% failing to identify other indications for referral to a voice specialist, 96% of respondents acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Voice Handicap Index and the Singers Voice Handicap Index, and 68% acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Reflux Symptom Index. The data elucidated specific knowledge gaps in college health providers who are responsible for evaluating and treating common illnesses that affect vocal function, and triaging and referring students experiencing symptoms of potential vocal emergencies. Future work is needed to improve the standard of care for this population. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Null association between workplace social capital and body mass index. Results from a four-wave panel survey among employees in Japan (J-HOPE study).

PubMed

Tsuboya, Toru; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Kawachi, Ichiro

2016-02-01

Research on the longitudinal association of workplace social capital and obesity is limited. We sought to investigate the prospective association of social capital in the workplace with body mass index (BMI) among employees in Japan. We used repeat panel surveys from 12 private companies in Japan. In the present study, four annual surveys waves were used, including 8811, 10,608, 9766, and 6249 participants, respectively. The first survey was conducted between October 2010 and December 2011 (response rate = 77.4%), and the following three surveys were conducted at approximately annual intervals. Questionnaires inquiring about workplace social capital, and other characteristics were administered at each survey. Height and weight were objectively measured in 11 companies, and self-reported in one company. Cross-sectional as well as fixed effects analysis of change in social capital and change in BMI were conducted. Analyses were stratified by age, sex, BMI at baseline, and companies. The analysis was conducted in 2015. Over 3 years, approximately 32% of the participants changed their BMI by more than 1 unit, while workplace social capital changed for approximately 78% of the sample. We found no associations between change in workplace social capital and change in BMI. The null association was preserved across analyses stratified by sex, age, overweight/obesity status at baseline, and company. Workplace social capital is not associated with changes in employee BMI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

47 new T dwarfs from the UKIDSS Large Area Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burningham, Ben; Pinfield, D. J.; Lucas, P. W.; Leggett, S. K.; Deacon, N. R.; Tamura, M.; Tinney, C. G.; Lodieu, N.; Zhang, Z. H.; Huelamo, N.; Jones, H. R. A.; Murray, D. N.; Mortlock, D. J.; Patel, M.; Barrado Y Navascués, D.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Ishii, M.; Kuzuhara, M.; Smart, R. L.

2010-08-01

We report the discovery of 47 new T dwarfs in the Fourth Data Release (DR4) from the Large Area Survey (LAS) of the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) Infrared Deep Sky Survey with spectral types ranging from T0 to T8.5. These bring the total sample of LAS T dwarfs to 80 as of DR4. In assigning spectral types to our objects we have identified eight new spectrally peculiar objects, and divide seven of them into two classes. H2O-H-early have a H2O-H index that differs with the H2O-J index by at least two subtypes. CH4-J-early have a CH4-J index that disagrees with the H20-J index by at least two subtypes. We have ruled out binarity as a sole explanation for both types of peculiarity, and suggest that they may represent hitherto unrecognized tracers of composition and/or gravity. Clear trends in z'(AB) - J and Y - J are apparent for our sample, consistent with weakening absorption in the red wing of the KI line at 0.77μm with decreasing effective temperature. We have used our sample to estimate space densities for T6-T9 dwarfs. By comparing our sample to Monte Carlo simulations of field T dwarfs for various mass functions of the form ψ(M) ~M-αpc-3M-1solar, we have placed weak constraints on the form of the field mass function. Our analysis suggests that the substellar mass function is declining at lower masses, with negative values of α preferred. This is at odds with results for young clusters that have been generally found to have α > 0.

The importance of waist circumference and body mass index in cross-sectional relationships with risk of cardiovascular disease in Vietnam.

PubMed

Tran, Nga Thi Thu; Blizzard, Christopher Leigh; Luong, Khue Ngoc; Truong, Ngoc Le Van; Tran, Bao Quoc; Otahal, Petr; Nelson, Mark; Magnussen, Costan; Gall, Seana; Bui, Tan Van; Srikanth, Velandai; Au, Thuy Bich; Ha, Son Thai; Phung, Hai Ngoc; Tran, Mai Hoang; Callisaya, Michele

2018-01-01

Waist circumference (WC) is an indicator of intra-abdominal adipose tissue, high levels of which confer an increased risk of cardiometabolic disease. Population data on WC should be more informative than data on body mass index (BMI), which is a general indicator of body size. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of WC relative to BMI in cross-sectional relationships with blood pressure (BP), glucose, and total cholesterol (TC) in the adult population of Vietnam. The data were collected in a population-based survey conducted during 2009-10 using the "WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance of risk factors for non-communicable disease" (STEPS) methodology. The survey participants (n = 14 706 aged 25 to 64 years) were selected by multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from eight provinces representative of the eight geographical regions of Vietnam. All measurements were performed in accordance with the STEPS protocols. All analyses were performed using complex survey methods. The measurements of WC and BMI were highly correlated (men r = 0.80, women r = 0.77). For men, the strongest and predominant associations with BP, glucose, and TC were for WC or an index based on WC. For women, this was true for glucose but BMI was more important for BP and TC. WC or an index based on WC provided better discrimination than BMI of hypertension and elevated glucose, and of raised TC for men. Information on four new anthropometric indices did not improve model fit or subject discrimination. For BP/hypertension, glucose/elevated glucose, and TC/raised TC, WC was more informative than BMI for Vietnamese men, but both WC and BMI were important for Vietnamese women. Both WC and BMI need to be assessed for estimation of CVD risk in Vietnam.

Ideal cardiovascular health predicts lower risk of abnormal liver enzymes levels in the Chilean National Health Survey (2009–2010)

PubMed Central

Hackney, Anthony C.

2017-01-01

High levels of gamma glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as fatty liver index (FLI) has been associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gamma-GT, ALT, and fatty liver index FLI levels across a gradient number of ideal cardiovascular health metrics in a representative sample of adults from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009–2010. Data from 1,023 men and 1,449 women (≥ 15 years) from the Chilean Health Survey 2009–2010 were analyzed. Ideal cardiovascular health was defined as meeting ideal levels of the following components: four behaviours (smoking, body mass index, physical activity and diet adherence) and three factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting glucose). Adults were grouped into three categories according to their number of ideal cardiovascular health metrics: ideal (5–7 metrics), intermediate (3–4 metrics), and poor (0–2 metrics). Blood levels of gamma-GT and ALT were measured and the FLI was calculated. A higher number of ideal cardiovascular health index metric was associated with lower gamma-GT, ALT and FLI (p from trend analysis <0.001). Also, adults meeting at least 3–4 metrics were predicted less likely to have prevalence of abnormal levels of gamma-GT and FLI (p<0.001) compared to adults who met only 0–2 metrics. These findings reinforce the usefulness of the ideal cardiovascular health metrics proposed by the American Heart Association as a tool to identify target subjects and promote cardiovascular health in South-American adults. PMID:29049384

The Social Environment of Schools and Adolescent Nutrition: Associations between the School Nutrition Climate and Adolescents' Eating Behaviors and Body Mass Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cvjetan, Branko; Utter, Jennifer; Robinson, Elizabeth; Denny, Simon

2014-01-01

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the association between the school nutrition climate and students' eating behaviors and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Data were collected as part of Youth'07, a nationally representative health survey of high school students in New Zealand. Overall, 9107 randomly selected students from 96…

A Bibliographic Survey of Automobile and Aircraft Wheel Shimmy

DTIC Science & Technology

1951-12-01

12 Appendix A - Subject Index for Shimmy Bibliography . . . . . . 1. . . 15 Appendix B - Author Index for Shimmy~ Bibliography...mph. Increased attention to the dynamics of the phenomenon is also indicated in Art. No. 12 (1925). In this source, the contribution of the gyroscopic...and unrewarding approach. - 12 - W&DC Technical Report No. 52-l141 Perhaps the greatest difference in thinking between the Amer- ican, German and French

Rich in resources/deficient in dollars! Which titles do reference departments really need?

PubMed

Fishman, D L; DelBaglivo, M

1998-10-01

Budget pressures, combined with the growing availability of resources, dictate careful examination of reference use. Two studies were conducted at the University of Maryland Health Sciences Library to examine this issue. A twelve-month reshelving study determined use by title and discipline; a simultaneous study analyzed print abstract and index use in an electronic environment. Staff electronically recorded statistics for unshelved reference books, coded the collection by discipline, and tracked use by school. Oral surveys administered to reference room abstract and index users focused on title usage, user demographics, and stated reason for use. Sixty-five and a half percent of reference collection titles were used. Medical titles received the most use, but, in the context of collection size, dentistry and nursing titles used the greatest percentage of their collections. At an individual title level, medical textbooks and drug handbooks were most used. Users of abstracts and indexes were primarily campus nursing and medical students who preferred print resources. The monograph data will guide reference expenditures in canceling little-used standing orders, expanding most-used portions of the collection, and analyzing underused sections. The abstract and index survey identified the following needs: targeting instruction, contacting faculty who assign print resources, increasing the number of computer workstations, and installing signs linking databases to print equivalents.

The Cut-off Values of Triglycerides and Glucose Index for Metabolic Syndrome in American and Korean Adolescents

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish ethnic- and gender-specific cut-off values of triglycerides and glucose index (TyG index) for clinical usefulness in a representative sample of Mexican American, Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, and Korean adolescents. The data were collected from datasets of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2012, and the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2013. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to find valid cut-off values of the TyG index for metabolic syndrome. The total number of eligible participants was 3,164 in the US and 4,873 in Korea. The optimal cut-off value with the Cook et al. definition revealed 8.55 in Mexican American, 8.55 in Non-Hispanic White, 8.35 in Non-Hispanic Black, and 8.45 in Korean, respectively. The cut-off value with the de Ferranti et al. definition was 8.45, 8.45, 8.15, and 8.35, and the cut-off value with the International Diabetes Federation definition was 8.65, 8.65, 8.15, and 8.55, respectively. These findings may be clinically useful for evaluating insulin resistance for determining metabolic abnormalities in adolescents. PMID:28145645

The Cut-off Values of Triglycerides and Glucose Index for Metabolic Syndrome in American and Korean Adolescents.

PubMed

Moon, Shinje; Park, Joon Sung; Ahn, Youhern

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to establish ethnic- and gender-specific cut-off values of triglycerides and glucose index (TyG index) for clinical usefulness in a representative sample of Mexican American, Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, and Korean adolescents. The data were collected from datasets of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2012, and the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2013. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to find valid cut-off values of the TyG index for metabolic syndrome. The total number of eligible participants was 3,164 in the US and 4,873 in Korea. The optimal cut-off value with the Cook et al. definition revealed 8.55 in Mexican American, 8.55 in Non-Hispanic White, 8.35 in Non-Hispanic Black, and 8.45 in Korean, respectively. The cut-off value with the de Ferranti et al. definition was 8.45, 8.45, 8.15, and 8.35, and the cut-off value with the International Diabetes Federation definition was 8.65, 8.65, 8.15, and 8.55, respectively. These findings may be clinically useful for evaluating insulin resistance for determining metabolic abnormalities in adolescents.

Inequality and inequity in healthcare utilization in urban Nepal: a cross-sectional observational study

PubMed Central

Saito, Eiko; Gilmour, Stuart; Yoneoka, Daisuke; Gautam, Ghan Shyam; Rahman, Md Mizanur; Shrestha, Pradeep Krishna; Shibuya, Kenji

2016-01-01

Inequality in access to quality healthcare is a major health policy challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the major sources of inequity in healthcare utilization using a population-based household survey from urban Nepal. A cross-sectional survey was conducted covering 9177 individuals residing in 1997 households in five municipalities of Kathmandu valley between 2011 and 2012. The concentration index was calculated and a decomposition method was used to measure inequality in healthcare utilization, along with a horizontal inequity index (HI) to estimate socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare utilization. Results showed a significant pro-rich distribution of general healthcare utilization in all service providers (Concentration Index: 0.062, P < 0.001; HI: 0.029, P < 0.05) and private service providers (Concentration Index: 0.070, P < 0.001; HI: 0.030, P < 0.05). The pro-rich distribution of probability in general healthcare utilization was attributable to inequalities in the level of household economic status (percentage contribution: 67.8%) and in the self-reported prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension (36.7%) and diabetes (14.4%). Despite the provision of free services by public healthcare providers, our analysis found no evidence of the poor making more use of public health services (Concentration Index: 0.041, P = 0.094). Interventions to reduce the household economic burden of major illnesses, coupled with improvement in the management of public health facilities, warrant further attention by policy-makers. PMID:26856362

Frailty index to predict all-cause mortality in Thai community-dwelling older population: A result from a National Health Examination Survey cohort.

PubMed

Srinonprasert, V; Chalermsri, C; Aekplakorn, W

2018-05-04

Frailty is a clinical state of increased vulnerability from aging-associated decline. We aimed to determine if a Thai Frailty Index predicted all-cause mortality in community-dwelling older Thais when accounting for age, gender and socioeconomic status. Data of 8195 subjects aged 60 years and over from the Fourth Thai National Health Examination Survey were used to create the Thai Frailty Index by calculating the ratio of accumulated deficits using a cut-off point of 0.25 to define frailty. The associations were explored using Cox proportional hazard models. The mean age of participants was 69.2 years (SD 6.8). The prevalence of frailty was 22.1%. The Thai Frailty Index significantly predicted mortality (hazard ratio = 2.34, 95% CI 2.10-2.61, p < 0.001). The association between frailty and mortality was stronger in males (hazard ratio = 2.71, 95% CI 2.33-3.16). Higher wealth status had a protective effect among non-frail older adults but not among frail ones. In community-dwelling older Thai adults, the Thai Frailty Index demonstrated a high prevalence of frailty and predicted mortality. Frail older Thai adults did not earn the protective effect of reducing mortality with higher socioeconomic status. Maintaining health rather than accumulating wealth may be better for a longer healthier life for older people in middle income countries. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Population estimates and monitoring guidelines for endangered Laysan Teal, Anas Laysanensis, at Midway Atoll: Pilot study results 2008-2010.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Michelle H.; Brinck, Kevin W.; Laniawe, Leona

2011-01-01

To improve the Laysan Teal population estimates, we recommend changes to the monitoring protocol. Additional years of data are needed to quantify inter-annual seasonal detection probabilities, which may allow the use of standardized direct counts as an unbiased index of population size. Survey protocols should be enhanced through frequent resights, regular survey intervals, and determining reliable standards to detect catastrophic declines and annual changes in adult abundance. In late 2009 to early 2010, 68% of the population was marked with unique color band combinations. This allowed for potentially accurate adult population estimates and survival estimates without the need to mark new birds in 2010, 2011, and possibly 2012. However, efforts should be made to replace worn or illegible bands so birds can be identified in future surveys. It would be valuable to develop more sophisticated population size and survival models using Program MARK, a state-of-the-art software package which uses likelihood models to analyze mark-recapture data. This would allow for more reliable adult population and survival estimates to compare with the ―source‖ Laysan Teal population on Laysan Island. These models will require additional years of resight data (> 1 year) and, in some cases, an intensive annual effort of marking and recapture. Because data indicate standardized all-wetland counts are a poor index of abundance, monitoring efforts could be improved by expanding resight surveys to include all wetlands, discontinuing the all-wetland counts, and reallocating some of the wetland count effort to collect additional opportunistic resights. Approximately two years of additional bimonthly surveys are needed to validate the direct count as an appropriate index of population abundance. Additional years of individual resight data will allow estimates of adult population size, as specified in recovery criteria, and to track species population dynamics at Midway Atoll.

A follow-up study of the association between mobile phone use and symptoms of ill health.

PubMed

Cho, Yong Min; Lim, Hee Jin; Jang, Hoon; Kim, Kyunghee; Choi, Jae Wook; Shin, Chol; Lee, Seung Ku; Kwon, Jong Hwa; Kim, Nam

2016-01-01

The duration and frequency of mobile phone calls, and their relationship with various health effects, have been investigated in our previous cross-sectional study. This 2-year period follow-up study aimed to assess the changes in these variables of same subjects. The study population comprised 532 non-patient adult subjects sampled from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study. The subjects underwent a medical examination at a hospital in 2012/2013 and revisited the same hospital in 2014/2015 to have the same examination for the characteristics of mobile phone use performed. In addition, to evaluate the effects on health, the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Beck Depression Inventory, Korean-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Perceived Stress Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and 12-item Short Form Health Survey were analyzed. For all these tests, the higher the score, the greater the effect on health. Variances between scores in all the indices in the baseline and follow-up surveys were calculated, and correlations of each index were analyzed. The average duration per call and HIT-6 score of the subjects decreased significantly compared with those recorded two years ago. The results showed a slight but significant correlation between call duration changes and HIT-6 score changes for female subjects, but not for males. HIT-6 scores in the follow-up survey significantly decreased compared to those in the baseline survey, but long-time call users (subjects whose call duration was ≥5 minutes in both the baseline and follow-up surveys) had no statistically significant reduction in HIT-6 scores. This study suggests that increased call duration is a greater risk factor for increases in headache than any other type of adverse health effect, and that this effect can be chronic.

Calibrating abundance indices with population size estimators of red back salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) in a New England forest

PubMed Central

Ellison, Aaron M.; Jackson, Scott

2015-01-01

Herpetologists and conservation biologists frequently use convenient and cost-effective, but less accurate, abundance indices (e.g., number of individuals collected under artificial cover boards or during natural objects surveys) in lieu of more accurate, but costly and destructive, population size estimators to detect and monitor size, state, and trends of amphibian populations. Although there are advantages and disadvantages to each approach, reliable use of abundance indices requires that they be calibrated with accurate population estimators. Such calibrations, however, are rare. The red back salamander, Plethodon cinereus, is an ecologically useful indicator species of forest dynamics, and accurate calibration of indices of salamander abundance could increase the reliability of abundance indices used in monitoring programs. We calibrated abundance indices derived from surveys of P. cinereus under artificial cover boards or natural objects with a more accurate estimator of their population size in a New England forest. Average densities/m2 and capture probabilities of P. cinereus under natural objects or cover boards in independent, replicate sites at the Harvard Forest (Petersham, Massachusetts, USA) were similar in stands dominated by Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock) and deciduous hardwood species (predominantly Quercus rubra [red oak] and Acer rubrum [red maple]). The abundance index based on salamanders surveyed under natural objects was significantly associated with density estimates of P. cinereus derived from depletion (removal) surveys, but underestimated true density by 50%. In contrast, the abundance index based on cover-board surveys overestimated true density by a factor of 8 and the association between the cover-board index and the density estimates was not statistically significant. We conclude that when calibrated and used appropriately, some abundance indices may provide cost-effective and reliable measures of P. cinereus abundance that could be used in conservation assessments and long-term monitoring at Harvard Forest and other northeastern USA forests. PMID:26020008

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF HEALTHY EATING INDEXES IN ADULTS AND ELDERLY: APPLICABILITY AND VALIDITY.

PubMed

Pinto de Souza Fernandes, Dalila; Queiroz Ribeiro, Andréia; Lopes Duarte, Maria Sônia; Castro Franceschini, Sylvia do Carmo

2015-08-01

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) assesses a combination of different types of foods, nutrients and dietary components. It has been adapted in some countries, considering the local dietary habits. in this article, the Healthy Eating Indexes published to date were identified by means of a systematic review. Besides, issues relating to their validity, applicability and limitations were discussed. an electronic search was performed in the PUBMED, SCIENCE DIRECT, BVS and SciELO data base containing studies on the adaptation, review, update or validation of the HEI. The descriptors Healthy Eating Index, Index of Diet Quality, Quality of diet, Diet surveys were used, in different combinations. a total of 11 studies were described and critically analyzed. One of the studies dealt with the development of the index; six proposed adjustments; two assessed validity and reliability of the index, and the other two proposed revision and update. The Healthy Eating Indexes reveal the actual quality of the diet, but the absence of a methodological standard hinders the comparison of the results found in different populations. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Immigrants' acculturation and changes in Body Mass Index.

PubMed

Iversen, Tor; Ma, Ching-to Albert; Meyer, Haakon E

2013-01-01

We study Body Mass Index (BMI) changes among immigrants from Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Vietnam relative to native Norwegians in Oslo. We assess the effect of acculturation on BMI changes. We hypothesize that acculturation reduces the gap of BMIs between natives and immigrants. Acculturation is measured by immigrants' language skills. Our data come from two surveys in Oslo 2000-2002. Weights and heights were measured at the surveys; participants were asked to recall weights when they were 25 years old. Norwegian language skills and socio-economic data were collected. Our findings support our hypothesis. Acculturation, as measured by proficiency in the Norwegian language, has the predicted effects on BMI changes. We do not find any effect of immigrants' time of residency on BMI changes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality assurance in mammography: College of Radiology Survey in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ho, E L M; Ng, K H; Wong, J H D; Wang, H B

2006-06-01

Malaysia's mammography QA practice was surveyed based on the Malaysian Ministry of Health and the American College of Radiology (ACR) requirements. Data on mammography unit, processor, image receptor, exposure factors, mean glandular dose (MGD), sensitometry, image quality and viewbox luminance were obtained. Mean developer temperature and cycle time were 34.1 +/- 1.8degreesC and 107.7 +/- 33.2 seconds. Mean base+fog level, speed index and contrast index were 0.20+/-0.01, 1.20+/-0.01 and 1.33+/-0.26 respectively. Eighty-six percent of the fifty centres passed the image quality test while 12.5% complied with ACR recommended viewbox luminance. Average MGD was 1.0+/-0.4 mGy. Malaysia is on the right track for QA but with room for total quality improvement.

Is routine dengue vector surveillance in central Brazil able to accurately monitor the Aedes aegypti population? Results from a pupal productivity survey.

PubMed

Pilger, Daniel; Lenhart, Audrey; Manrique-Saide, Pablo; Siqueira, Joao Bosco; da Rocha, Welington Tristão; Kroeger, Axel

2011-09-01

To assess how well the Aedes aegypti infestation rapid survey, Levantamento Rapido de Indice para Aedes aegypti (LIRAa), is able to accurately estimate dengue vector densities and target the most important breeding sites in Goiania, Brazil. In February 2009, a pupal productivity survey was conducted in 2 districts of the city of Goiania, central Brazil. The results were compared to those of LIRAas conducted in the same districts during the months before and after the pupal productivity survey. In the pupal productivity survey, 2,024 houses were surveyed and 2,969 water-holding containers were inspected. Discarded small water containers most frequently contained immature Ae. aegypti. The most pupal-productive containers were elevated water tanks, roof gutters and water holding roofs. Combined, these three containers accounted for <40% of all positive containers but produced >70% of all pupae. In the two districts where the pupal productivity survey was conducted, the house indices were 5.1 and 4.6 and the Breteau indices were 5.9 and 6.0. In contrast, the two LIRAs conducted in the same two districts resulted in an average house index of 1.5 and Breteau index of 2.5, with discarded items identified as the most frequently infested container type. Both the LIRAa and the pupal productivity survey identified discarded items as being most frequently infested with immature stages of Ae. aegypti, but the pupal productivity survey showed that elevated containers produced the greatest proportion of Ae. aegypti pupae (a proxy measure of adult vector density) and that the values of the Stegomyia indices were substantially underestimated by LIRAa. Although both surveys differ considerably in terms of sampling method and manpower, in the case of this study the LIRAa did not accurately identify or target the containers that were the most important to adult mosquito production. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Lack of association between drought and mental health in a cohort of 45-61 year old rural Australian women.

PubMed

Powers, Jennifer R; Dobson, Annette J; Berry, Helen L; Graves, Anna M; Hanigan, Ivan C; Loxton, Deborah

2015-12-01

To evaluate the impact of drought on the mental health of rural Australian women and those in vulnerable sub-populations: women who were more isolated, poorer and less educated; and women who had histories of chronic disease or poor mental health. Surveys were mailed in 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2008 to 6,664 women born between 1946 and1951 who were participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The surveys included the Mental Health Index of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (MHI). Drought was assessed by linking the latitude and longitude of women's place of residence at each survey to the Hutchinson Drought Index. Associations between MHI and drought were assessed using linear mixed-models. While 31% of the women experienced drought in 1998 and 50% experienced drought in 2007; experience of droughts was less common in the other years. Although drought varied from survey year to survey year, mental health did not vary with drought conditions for rural women or vulnerable sub-populations. These findings are contrary to the long-held assumption that droughts increase mental health problems in Australia. While similar results may not be true for men, empirical evidence (rather than assumptions) is required on associations between drought and mental health. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Victimization by Bullying and Harassment in High School: Findings from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in a Southwestern State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauman, Sheri

2008-01-01

This study analyzed data on victimization by bullying and harassment on school property in a large, diverse, random sample of high school students in Arizona using data from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. No gender differences in frequency of victimization were detected, but differences by grade, Body Mass Index category, academic…

Subjective Quality of Life in Zhuhai City, South China: A Public Survey Using the International Wellbeing Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Zhenghui; Davey, Gareth

2009-01-01

The study of subjective quality of life and its connotations in the People's Republic of China is at a preliminary stage. Although there is an emerging body of literature on this topic, there are few datasets representative of the general public, particularly in Mainland China. This paper reports the findings of a public survey (N = 449) conducted…

Technology Integration: Do They or Don't They? A Self-Report Survey from PreK through 5th Grade Professional Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Donna

2006-01-01

The practice of integrating technology into classroom instruction is mandated by the State of Texas (TEA, 2005, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/index.html). Using a self-report survey, this study investigated technology integration practices on two elementary campuses in a suburban, small-town independent school district, which resides on the…

ASTRONAUTICS INFORMATION OPEN LITERATURE SURVEY. VOLUME II. NO. 10 (Entries 22,871-23,094)

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

None

1960-10-01

An open literature survey on astronautics is presented which covers the period of Oct. 1960. The material is organized alphabetically according to subject. A list of periodicals scanned is given in volume II No. 1-2 with addendums in subsequent volumes. Cumulative author and subject indexes are given at the end of the entries. (About 220 references.) (J.R.D.)

76 FR 78891 - Listing Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on Petitions To List the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-20

... survey from 2008-2010 (0.245 kg/tow) is the lowest in the time series. The petitioners state that the... represents the all-time low in the time series for thorny skate, the biomass survey index increased modestly.... Accordingly, we will not initiate a review of the status of thorny skate at this time. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

Incidence and impact of oak decline in Western Virginia, 1986

Treesearch

Steven W. Oak; Cindy M. Huber; Raymond M. Sheffield

1991-01-01

Data collected in consecutive forest surveys of Virginia show that losses to oak decline from 1977-1986 were between 7.4 and 13.5 million cubic feet per year in the Northern Piedmont and Mountain Survey Units. Losses were greatest in the Northern Mountain Unit. The ratio of site index/age appears promising as a predictor of oak decline occurrence after severe stress...

Bibliography of Oklahoma hydrology; reports prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey and principal cooperating agencies, 1901-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Havens, John S.

1989-01-01

Reports on the hydrology of Oklahoma have been issued by the U.S. Geological Survey since 1901. This bibliography lists reports on hydrology in Oklahoma prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey and the principal State cooperating agencies, the Oklahoma Geological Survey and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Of the nearly 350 reports issued from 1901 through 1988, about 200 have been concerned primarily with groundwater; the remainder have dealt with some aspect of surface water, water quality, or geology. The reports are listed by agency and report type, and are indexed both by author and subject. (USGS)

Fish-community composition in Canacadea Creek, in the vicinity of Almond Lake, Allegany and Steuben counties, New York, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brightbill, R.A.; Bilger, Michael D.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has been conducting biological surveys of the inflow and outflow streams of Almond Lake since the early 1980's. These surveys are made to identify possible detrimental effects as well as benefits of the reservoir and to better understand the aquatic communities in the vicinity of the lake at the present and over time. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey jointly conducted a survey of the fish communities upstream and downstream of the lake in Canacadea Creek in September 2000. The fish communities upstream and downstream were compared and any differences or similarities seen in the communities were noted.This study found the fish communities to be in fair condition upstream and good condition downstream of Almond Lake, with Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores of 3.5 and 5.0, respectively. The habitat conditions of both reaches were of suboptimal quality, with a score of 14 upstream and 15 downstream as determined by use of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Rapid Bioassessment Protocols, and are capable of supporting fish communities. The Shannon Index indicates species richness and evenness and was 1.87 upstream and 3.22 downstream of the lake, indicating the upstream reach is severely impacted and the downstream reach appears to be not impacted. The Jaccards Coefficient and the Index of Similarity statistically show these communities are similar with scores of 0.55 and 0.71, respectively. Of the 12 species captured upstream, 11 of those also were captured downstream along with 8 other species for a total of 19 species downstream.

Accounting for the multidimensional nature of the relationship between adult obesity and socio-economic status: the French second National Individual Survey on Food Consumption (INCA 2) dietary survey (2006-07).

PubMed

Fillol, F; Dubuisson, C; Lafay, L; Dufour, A; Bertin, M; Touvier, M; Maire, B; Volatier, J-L; Lioret, S

2011-11-01

The objective was to study the multidimensional nature of the relationship between adult obesity (OB) and socio-economic status (SES), using comprehensive indices of SES taken separately or synthesised in an overall index. A nationally representative sample of adults aged 18-79 years was taken from the French second National Individual Survey on Food Consumption (INCA 2) dietary survey (2006-07). Weight and height were measured and OB defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. SES variables were reported in questionnaires and included occupation, education and characteristics of household wealth. Composite indices of SES (household wealth and overall SES indices) were computed by correspondence analysis, and relationships with OB were investigated with logistic regression analysis. In total, 11·8 (95 % CI 10·1, 13·4) % of French adults were obese, without significant difference by sex. While no significant relationship was observed in men, all SES indicators were inversely correlated to OB in women. Both education and the household wealth index were retained in the stepwise multivariate model, confirming that different socio-economic variables are not necessarily proxies of each other regarding the OB issue. On the other hand, 'controlling for SES' while including several measures of SES in multivariate models may lead to collinearity, and thus over-adjustment. A more integrative approach may be to derive a synthetic index by including the SES factors available in a given study. Beyond this methodological perspective, understanding how OB is related to the different dimensions of SES should help to target the more vulnerable groups and increase the effectiveness of prevention.

An empowerment intervention for Indigenous communities: an outcome assessment.

PubMed

Kinchin, Irina; Jacups, Susan; Tsey, Komla; Lines, Katrina

2015-08-21

Empowerment programs have been shown to contribute to increased empowerment of individuals and build capacity within the community or workplace. To-date, the impact of empowerment programs has yet to be quantified in the published literature in this field. This study assessed the Indigenous-developed Family Wellbeing (FWB) program as an empowerment intervention for a child safety workforce in remote Indigenous communities by measuring effect sizes. The study also assessed the value of measurement tools for future impact evaluations. A three-day FWB workshop designed to promote empowerment and workplace engagement among child protection staff was held across five remote north Queensland Indigenous communities. The FWB assessment tool comprised a set of validated surveys including the Growth and Empowerment Measure (GEM), Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) and Workforce engagement survey. The assessment was conducted pre-intervention and three months post-intervention. The analysis of pre-and post-surveys revealed that the GEM appeared to be the most tangible measure for detecting positive changes in communication, conflict resolution, decision making and life skill development. The GEM indicated a 17 % positive change compared to 9 % for the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, 5 % for the workforce engagement survey and less than 1 % for K10. This study extended qualitative research and identified the best measurement tool for detecting the outcomes of empowerment programs. The GEM was found the most sensitive and the most tangible measure that captures improvements in communication, conflict resolution, decision making and life skill development. The GEM and Australian Unity Wellbeing Index could be recommended as routine measures for empowerment programs assessment among similar remote area workforce.

Breeding Sites of Aedes aegypti: Potential Dengue Vectors in Dire Dawa, East Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Getachew, Dejene; Tekie, Habte; Gebre-Michael, Teshome; Mesfin, Akalu

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives. Entomological survey was carried out from May-June to September-October 2014 to investigate the presence of dengue vectors in discarded tires and artificial water containers in houses and peridomestic areas. Methods. A cross-sectional immature stage survey was done indoors and outdoors in 301 houses. Mosquito larval sampling was conducted using pipette or dipper depending on container types. Larvae were identified morphologically and larval indices were also calculated. Results. A total of 750 containers were inspected, and of these 405 were positive for mosquito larvae. A total of 1,873 larvae were collected and morphologically identified as Aedes aegypti (n = 1580: 84.4%) and Culex (n = 293: 15.6%). The larval indices, house index, container index, and breteau index, varied from 33.3 to 86.2, from 23.2 to 73.9, and from 56.5 to 188.9, respectively. Conclusion. Aedes aegypti is breeding in a wide range of artificial containers. To control these mosquitoes, the integration of different methods should be taken into consideration. PMID:26435712

Socioeconomic Inequality in Malnutrition in Under-5 Children in Iran: Evidence From the Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey, 2010.

PubMed

Almasian Kia, Abdollah; Rezapour, Aziz; Khosravi, Ardeshir; Afzali Abarghouei, Vajiheh

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the socioeconomic inequality in malnutrition in under-5 children in Iran in order to help policymakers reduce such inequality. Data on 8443 under-5 children were extracted from the Iran Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey. The wealth index was used as proxy for socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting was calculated using the concentration index. The concentration index was calculated for the whole sample, as well as for subcategories defined in terms of categories such as area of residence (urban and rural) and the sex of children. Stunting was observed to be more prevalent than underweight or wasting. The results of the concentration index at the national level, as well as in rural and urban areas and in terms of children's sex, showed that inequality in stunting and underweight was statistically significant and that children in the lower quintiles were more malnourished. The wasting index was not sensitive to socioeconomic status, and its concentration index value was not statistically significant. This study showed that it can be misleading to assess the mean levels of malnutrition at the national level without knowledge of the distribution of malnutrition among socioeconomic groups. Significant socioeconomic inequalities in stunting and underweight were observed at the national level and in both urban and rural areas. Regarding the influence of nutrition on the health and economic well-being of preschool-aged children, it is necessary for the government to focus on taking targeted measures to reduce malnutrition and to focus on poorer groups within society who bear a greater burden of malnutrition.

Prevalence of chronic diseases according to socioeconomic status measured by wealth index: health survey in Serbia.

PubMed

Vuković, Dejana; Bjegović, Vesna; Vuković, Goran

2008-12-01

To examine socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence of chronic diseases in Serbia, using the data from 2006 national health survey. A stratified sample of 7673 households was selected and 14522 household members older than 20 years were interviewed (response rate 80.5%). Wealth index was used as a measure of socioeconomic status. Standardized morbidity prevalence ratios were computed using the poorest category as reference. Odds ratios for the prevalence of the selected chronic diseases and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated by multivariate logistic analysis adjusted for age, education, smoking status, and body mass index. Hypertension was the most prevalent disease in all socioeconomic categories; standardized morbidity prevalence ratios were higher in richer men (151.3 in the richest) and lower in richer women (86.1 in the richest). Rheumatism/arthritis was the second most prevalent disease in both sexes, with the highest prevalence in the poorest group; the pattern remained the same after standardization (standardized morbidity prevalence ratio in the richest: 86.4 in men and 74.0 in women). The prevalence of hyperlipidemia was associated with wealth index in both men and women and was highest in the richest group; the pattern remained the same after standardization (standardized morbidity prevalence ratio in the richest: 275.9 in men and 138.4 in women). Logistic regression models showed that higher wealth index was associated with higher prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and allergy, while lower wealth index was associated with higher prevalence of rheumatism/arthritis. There were considerable socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence of chronic diseases in Serbia. These results indicate an opportunity to reduce inequalities and show a need for further investigation on the determinants of chronic diseases.

Socioeconomic Inequality in Malnutrition in Under-5 Children in Iran: Evidence From the Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey, 2010

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the socioeconomic inequality in malnutrition in under-5 children in Iran in order to help policymakers reduce such inequality. Methods Data on 8443 under-5 children were extracted from the Iran Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey. The wealth index was used as proxy for socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting was calculated using the concentration index. The concentration index was calculated for the whole sample, as well as for subcategories defined in terms of categories such as area of residence (urban and rural) and the sex of children. Results Stunting was observed to be more prevalent than underweight or wasting. The results of the concentration index at the national level, as well as in rural and urban areas and in terms of children’s sex, showed that inequality in stunting and underweight was statistically significant and that children in the lower quintiles were more malnourished. The wasting index was not sensitive to socioeconomic status, and its concentration index value was not statistically significant. Conclusions This study showed that it can be misleading to assess the mean levels of malnutrition at the national level without knowledge of the distribution of malnutrition among socioeconomic groups. Significant socioeconomic inequalities in stunting and underweight were observed at the national level and in both urban and rural areas. Regarding the influence of nutrition on the health and economic well-being of preschool-aged children, it is necessary for the government to focus on taking targeted measures to reduce malnutrition and to focus on poorer groups within society who bear a greater burden of malnutrition. PMID:28605886

Identification of a threshold for biomass exposure index for chronic bronchitis in rural women of Mysore district, Karnataka, India.

PubMed

Mahesh, P A; Jayaraj, B S; Prabhakar, A K; Chaya, S K; Vijaysimha, R

2013-01-01

Exposure to air pollution due to combustion of biomass fuels remains one of the significant risk factors for chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis. There is a need to identify the minimum threshold level of biomass index that is significantly associated with chronic bronchitis. This study was undertaken to identify a threshold for biomass exposure index in a rural women population in Mysore district, south India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a representative population of Mysore and Nanjangud taluks. Eight villages each from Mysore and Nanjangud were randomly selected based on the list of villages from census 2001. A house-to-house survey was carried out by trained field workers using the Burden of Obstructive Diseases questionnaire, which evaluated the biomass smoke exposure and chronic bronchitis. All the women aged above 30 yr were included in the study. A total of 2011 women from Mysore and 1942 women from Nanjangud participated in the study. All women were non-smoking and used biomass fuels as the primary fuel for cooking. A threshold of biomass fuel exposure of 60 was identified on multivariate analysis in Mysore district after adjusting for age, passive smoking and working in a occupational exposure to dust, as the minimum required for a significant association with chronic bronchitis. One in every 20 women in Mysore district exposed to biomass fuel exposure index of 110 or more developed chronic bronchitis. The minimum threshold of biomass exposure index of 60 is necessary to have a significant risk of developing chronic bronchitis in women. The number needed to harm to develop chronic bronchitis reduces with increasing biomass exposure index and women residing in rural Nanjangud have a higher risk for developing chronic bronchitis as compared to women in Mysore.

Workload, Stress, and Situation Awareness of Soldiers Who are Controlling Unmanned Vehicles in Future Urban Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

subjective self-ratings of perceived workload, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA )-Task Load Index ( TLX ) was used. The NASA TLX ...Staveland, L. E. Development of a NASA - TLX (Task Load Index): Results of Empirical and Theoretical Research. In Human Mental Workload, edited by P.A...system? Please complete the following SHORT surveys (nine questions total) for the missions that you performed today. 19 NASA TLX

Index of Reports and Testimony: Fiscal Year 1991.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

Industry , and Consumers,. 10 135 4civil Rights 12 136 -Economic Development,._. 13 137 -1 Education, 14 138 - Employment .,., 16 139 Energy, 19 141...10 Food Safety and Quality: PFDA Surveys Not Adequate to Demonstrate Safety of Milk Supply GAO/RCED-91-26 Nov. 1 Beef Industry : Packer Market...Spending-Reports Index of Reports and Testimony: Fiscal Year 1991 Business, Industry , Product Liability: Verdicts in Arizona for 1983-85 and Consumers GAo

The Nurses’ Well-Being Index and Factors Influencing This Index among Nurses in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Liu, Bing; Hu, Ying; Yu, Chuanhua

2015-01-01

Backgrounds/Objectives A discussion and analysis of factors that contribute to nurses’ happiness index can be useful in developing effective interventions to improve nurses’ enthusiasm, sense of honor and pride and to improve the efficiency and quality of medical services. Methods In this study, 206 registered nurses at the 2011 annual encounter for 12 Hanchuan hospitals completed a questionnaire survey that covered three aspects of the well-being index and thus served as a comprehensive well-being and general information tool. Results Based on their index score, the nurses’ overall happiness level was moderate. The dimensions of the happiness index are listed in descending order of their contribution to the nurses’ comprehensive happiness levels: health concerns, friendly relationships, self-worth, altruism, vitality, positive emotions, personality development, life satisfaction and negative emotions. Four variables (positive emotion, life satisfaction, negative emotions, and friendly relationships) jointly explained 47.80% of the total variance of the happiness index; positive emotions had the greatest impact on the happiness index. Conclusions Appropriate nursing interventions can improve nurses’ happiness index scores, thereby increasing nurses’ motivation and promoting the development of their nursing practice. PMID:26680594

The Nurses' Well-Being Index and Factors Influencing This Index among Nurses in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Meng, Runtang; Luo, Yi; Liu, Bing; Hu, Ying; Yu, Chuanhua

2015-01-01

A discussion and analysis of factors that contribute to nurses' happiness index can be useful in developing effective interventions to improve nurses' enthusiasm, sense of honor and pride and to improve the efficiency and quality of medical services. In this study, 206 registered nurses at the 2011 annual encounter for 12 Hanchuan hospitals completed a questionnaire survey that covered three aspects of the well-being index and thus served as a comprehensive well-being and general information tool. Based on their index score, the nurses' overall happiness level was moderate. The dimensions of the happiness index are listed in descending order of their contribution to the nurses' comprehensive happiness levels: health concerns, friendly relationships, self-worth, altruism, vitality, positive emotions, personality development, life satisfaction and negative emotions. Four variables (positive emotion, life satisfaction, negative emotions, and friendly relationships) jointly explained 47.80% of the total variance of the happiness index; positive emotions had the greatest impact on the happiness index. Appropriate nursing interventions can improve nurses' happiness index scores, thereby increasing nurses' motivation and promoting the development of their nursing practice.

Influence of rainfall on hillslope movement

Treesearch

R. R. Ziemer

1984-01-01

Cased boreholes on the Redwood Creak basin in northwestern California were surveyed semiannually by inclinometer from 1974 to 1982. Regressions were calculated between borehole displacement and an antecedent precipitation index (API) variable.

Association of marketing interactions with medical trainees' knowledge about evidence-based prescribing: results from a national survey.

PubMed

Austad, Kirsten E; Avorn, Jerry; Franklin, Jessica M; Campbell, Eric G; Kesselheim, Aaron S

2014-08-01

In recent years, numerous US medical schools and academic medical centers have enacted policies preventing pharmaceutical sales representatives from interacting directly with students. Little is known about how pharmaceutical sales representatives affect trainees' knowledge about pharmaceutical prescribing. To determine whether there is an association between medical trainees' interactions with pharmaceutical promotion and their preferences in medication use. We surveyed a nationally representative sample of first- and fourth-year medical students and third-year residents by randomly selecting at least 14 trainees at each level per school. All trainees were asked how often they used different educational resources to learn about prescription drugs. Among fourth-year students and residents, we posed a series of multiple choice knowledge questions asking about the appropriate initial therapy for clinical scenarios involving patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and difficulty sleeping. Evidence-based answers followed widely used clinical guidelines, while marketed-drug answers favored brand-name drugs over generic alternatives. We used survey answers to build an industry relations index assessing each trainee's level of acceptance of pharmaceutical promotion; we used proportional odds logistic regression models to estimate the association between the index and responses to the knowledge questions. The 1601 student (49.0% response rate) and 735 resident (42.9% response rate) respondents reported common use of unfiltered sources of drug information such as Google (74.2%-88.9%) and Wikipedia (45.2%-84.5%). We found that 48% to 90% of fourth-year students and residents accurately identified evidence-based prescribing choices. A 10-point higher industry relations index was associated with 15% lower odds of selecting an evidence-based prescribing choice (odds ratio [OR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79-0.92) (P < .001). There was also a significant association between the industry relations index and greater odds of choosing to prescribe brand-name drugs (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.00-1.16) (P = .04). Among physician trainees, our survey showed an association between positive attitudes toward industry-physician interactions and less knowledge about evidence-based prescribing and greater inclination to recommend brand-name drugs. Policies intended to insulate trainees from pharmaceutical marketing may promote better educational outcomes.

Vape Factor Fast Find-Adult (VF3-A): a prototype survey method for recording brand-specific vaping factors in adult populations.

PubMed

Ross, Craig S; Zhang, Tancy C; DeJong, William; Siegel, Michael

2018-03-23

In population studies, vaping is often treated as a dichotomous exposure (present/absent) without consideration of specific vaping devices and materials being used. A survey instrument is needed to record specific vaping devices and materials. We developed a database of 613 vaping device models and 3196 vaping liquid products, indexed by device brand, device type, liquid brand, liquid name and liquid flavour type. We developed a survey instrument to allow participants to report their vaping device and liquid from the indexed lists. The survey was pilot tested with a convenience sample of 208 adults (≥age 21). We validated the vaping device and liquid responses with a recontact survey. We report the proportion of respondents finding their products, characteristics of people finding their products and survey response times. Devices used most frequently in the past 30 days were electronic cigarettes (33% of respondents), vaping pens (28%) and vaping mods (16%). Fifty-seven per cent used liquids containing nicotine most frequently in the past 30 days, followed by liquids without nicotine (20%) and marijuana or hashish (10%). Most (85%) participants found their vaping device successfully (median 19.7 s) and 74% found their vaping liquid (median 19.8 s). Females and older adults were less likely to find their devices and liquids. Responses were validated for 91% and 76% of devices and e-liquids, respectively. This study demonstrated the feasibility of an internet-based survey instrument to record specific vaping factors for use in studies of vaping and health. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Methods for semi-automated indexing for high precision information retrieval.

PubMed

Berrios, Daniel C; Cucina, Russell J; Fagan, Lawrence M

2002-01-01

To evaluate a new system, ISAID (Internet-based Semi-automated Indexing of Documents), and to generate textbook indexes that are more detailed and more useful to readers. Pilot evaluation: simple, nonrandomized trial comparing ISAID with manual indexing methods. Methods evaluation: randomized, cross-over trial comparing three versions of ISAID and usability survey. Pilot evaluation: two physicians. Methods evaluation: twelve physicians, each of whom used three different versions of the system for a total of 36 indexing sessions. Total index term tuples generated per document per minute (TPM), with and without adjustment for concordance with other subjects; inter-indexer consistency; ratings of the usability of the ISAID indexing system. Compared with manual methods, ISAID decreased indexing times greatly. Using three versions of ISAID, inter-indexer consistency ranged from 15% to 65% with a mean of 41%, 31%, and 40% for each of three documents. Subjects using the full version of ISAID were faster (average TPM: 5.6) and had higher rates of concordant index generation. There were substantial learning effects, despite our use of a training/run-in phase. Subjects using the full version of ISAID were much faster by the third indexing session (average TPM: 9.1). There was a statistically significant increase in three-subject concordant indexing rate using the full version of ISAID during the second indexing session (p < 0.05). Users of the ISAID indexing system create complex, precise, and accurate indexing for full-text documents much faster than users of manual methods. Furthermore, the natural language processing methods that ISAID uses to suggest indexes contributes substantially to increased indexing speed and accuracy.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: The North 20cm Survey (White+ 1992)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, R. L.; Becker, R. H.

1995-08-01

This catalog contains a list of 30239 radio sources at 1.4GHz over the declination range of -5 to +82 degrees. This catalog is based on the Green Bank 1.4GHz Northern Sky Survey (Condon and Broderick, 1986, Cat. VIII/6) which was generated using the Green Bank 300 foot (91m) telescope. The threshold for identifying a 1.4GHz radio source was set at 100mJy. The catalog data include the source name, a confusion flag, right ascension (1950), declination (1950), 1.4GHz flux, a flag to indicate if the source is extended at 20cm, 4.85GHz flux (from Becker et al., 1991, Cat. VIII/13), a flag to indicate if the source is extended at 6cm, 365MHz flux (from the Texas Survey, Douglas et al. 1980; see Cat. VIII/42)), spectral index between 6 and 20 cm, and spectral index between 20 and 80 cm. Where possible, the source name is derived from the 6cm catalog of Becker et al. 1991 (Cat. VIII/13). (1 data file).

A survey of TiOλ567 nm absorption in solar-type stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizi, Fatemeh; Mirtorabi, Mohammad Taghi

2018-04-01

Molecular absorption bands are estimators of stellar activity and spot cycles on magnetically active stars. We have previously introduced a new colour index that compares absorption strength of the titanium oxide (TiO) at 567 nm with nearby continuum. In this paper, we implement this index to measure long-term activity variations and the statistical properties of the index in a sample of 302 solar-type stars from the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet search Spectrograph planet search programme. The results indicate a pattern of change in star's activity, covers a range of periods from 2 yr up to 17 yr.

Impact of the Economic Growth and Acquisition of Land to the Construction Cost Index in North Sumatra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarmizi, H. B.; Daulay, M.; Muda, I.

2017-03-01

This study aims to test the aggregation of the economic growth of North Sumatra and the influence of the Tax on Acquisition of Land and Building to the Construction Cost Index in North Sumatra. This type of research is explanatory survey with quantitative methods. The population and the sample district in North Sumatra with the observation time series and cross sectional. The analysis tool used is multiple regression. The results showed that there was economic growth aggregation of North Sumatra and the influence of the Tax on Acquisition of Land and Building affect the Construction Cost Index.

[Analysis of the progressivity of Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) financing].

PubMed

Ugá, Maria Alicia Domínguez; Santos, Isabela Soares

2006-08-01

This article analyzes the level of progressivity in taxes financing the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). Distribution of the tax burden financing the SUS was calculated using micro-data from the Household Budgets Survey, 2002-2003. The Kakwani index, which shows a tax system's level of progressivity, was calculated. The Kakwani index of public financing was -0.008, and SUS financing was nearly proportional to income. From a social justice perspective this is highly undesirable in a society like Brazil, with a Gini index of 0.57. The system should be clearly progressive in order to counterbalance the country's extreme income concentration.

What makes a place special? Interpretation of written survey responses in natural resource planning

Treesearch

Herbert W. Schroeder

2000-01-01

In an open-ended, written survey, I asked residents and visitors of the Black River area in northern Michigan to identify and describe places that were special to them. I conducted a thematic interpretation of the responses, using a set of indexing and cross-referencing marcos that I wrote in Word Perfect 5.1. The themes that emerged included the natural beauty ofthe...

Automated data processing architecture for the Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jason J.; Perrin, Marshall D.; Savransky, Dmitry; Arriaga, Pauline; Chilcote, Jeffrey K.; De Rosa, Robert J.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.; Marois, Christian; Rameau, Julien; Wolff, Schuyler G.; Shapiro, Jacob; Ruffio, Jean-Baptiste; Maire, Jérôme; Marchis, Franck; Graham, James R.; Macintosh, Bruce; Ammons, S. Mark; Bailey, Vanessa P.; Barman, Travis S.; Bruzzone, Sebastian; Bulger, Joanna; Cotten, Tara; Doyon, René; Duchêne, Gaspard; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Follette, Katherine B.; Goodsell, Stephen; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z.; Hibon, Pascale; Hung, Li-Wei; Ingraham, Patrick; Kalas, Paul; Konopacky, Quinn M.; Larkin, James E.; Marley, Mark S.; Metchev, Stanimir; Nielsen, Eric L.; Oppenheimer, Rebecca; Palmer, David W.; Patience, Jennifer; Poyneer, Lisa A.; Pueyo, Laurent; Rajan, Abhijith; Rantakyrö, Fredrik T.; Schneider, Adam C.; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Song, Inseok; Soummer, Remi; Thomas, Sandrine; Wallace, J. Kent; Ward-Duong, Kimberly; Wiktorowicz, Sloane J.

2018-01-01

The Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey (GPIES) is a multiyear direct imaging survey of 600 stars to discover and characterize young Jovian exoplanets and their environments. We have developed an automated data architecture to process and index all data related to the survey uniformly. An automated and flexible data processing framework, which we term the Data Cruncher, combines multiple data reduction pipelines (DRPs) together to process all spectroscopic, polarimetric, and calibration data taken with GPIES. With no human intervention, fully reduced and calibrated data products are available less than an hour after the data are taken to expedite follow up on potential objects of interest. The Data Cruncher can run on a supercomputer to reprocess all GPIES data in a single day as improvements are made to our DRPs. A backend MySQL database indexes all files, which are synced to the cloud, and a front-end web server allows for easy browsing of all files associated with GPIES. To help observers, quicklook displays show reduced data as they are processed in real time, and chatbots on Slack post observing information as well as reduced data products. Together, the GPIES automated data processing architecture reduces our workload, provides real-time data reduction, optimizes our observing strategy, and maintains a homogeneously reduced dataset to study planet occurrence and instrument performance.

Food security in South Africa: a review of national surveys.

PubMed

Labadarios, Demetre; McHiza, Zandile June-Rose; Steyn, Nelia Patricia; Gericke, Gerda; Maunder, Eleni Maria Winifred; Davids, Yul Derek; Parker, Whadi-ah

2011-12-01

To assess the status of food security--i.e., access to food, food availability and food utilization--in South Africa. A systematic search of national surveys that used the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP) index to measure food security in South Africa over a period of 10 years (1999-2008) was conducted. Anthropometric data for children aged 1-9 years were used to assess food utilization, and household food inventory data were used to assess food availability. Only three national surveys had used the CCHIP index, namely, the 1999 and 2005 National Food Consumption Surveys (NFCS) and the 2008 South African Social Attitudes Survey. These surveys showed a relatively large decrease in food insecurity between 1999 and 2008. However, the consistent emerging trend indicated that in poorer households women were either feeding their children a poor diet or skipping meals so their children could eat. In terms of food access and availability, the 1999 NFCS showed that households that enjoyed food security consumed an average of 16 different food items over 24 hours, whereas poorer households spent less money on food and consumed fewer than 8 different food items. Moreover, children had low mean scores for dietary diversity (3.58; standard deviation, SD: ± 1.37) and dietary variety (5.52; SD: ± 2.54) scores. In terms of food utilization, the NFCS showed that stunting in children decreased from 21.6% in 1999 to 18% in 2005. The South African government must implement measures to improve the undesirably high level of food insecurity in poorer households.

SHELS: A complete galaxy redshift survey with R ≤ 20.6

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

Geller, Margaret J.; Hwang, Ho Seong; Fabricant, Daniel G.

2014-08-01

The SHELS (Smithsonian Hectospec Lensing Survey) is a complete redshift survey covering two well-separated fields (F1 and F2) of the Deep Lens Survey to a limiting R = 20.6. Here we describe the redshift survey of the F2 field (R.A.{sub 2000} = 09{sup h}19{sup m}32.4 and decl.{sub 2000} = +30°00'00''). The survey includes 16,294 new redshifts measured with the Hectospec on the MMT. The resulting survey of the 4 deg{sup 2} F2 field is 95% complete to R = 20.6, currently the densest survey to this magnitude limit. The median survey redshift is z = 0.3; the survey provides a viewmore » of structure in the range 0.1 ≲ z ≲ 0.6. An animation displays the large-scale structure in the survey region. We provide a redshift, spectral index D {sub n}4000, and stellar mass for each galaxy in the survey. We also provide a metallicity for each galaxy in the range 0.2« less

Survey of h-index for neurosurgeons in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Jamjoom, Abdulhakim B

2015-10-01

To calculate the h-index for neurosurgeons in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and to assess its association with a number of features relating to neurosurgical practice in KSA. The h-index for 84 neurosurgeons that worked in KSA during 1990-2013 was evaluated using Google Scholar during the period September to October 2014. The correlation between the h-index and a number of neurosurgeon and neurosurgical center characteristics was determined and examined statistically. The median h-index was 2.5 (range 0-33) and the mean was 5.04. The h-index was significantly higher for neurosurgeons who obtained their certification before 2001 and those working at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, KSA. The h-index was also higher, but without reaching significance, for non-Saudi neurosurgeons, those with international certification and those working at the university hospitals. Additionally, the h-index was significantly lower for neurosurgeons working in the Ministry of Health hospitals. Application of the h-index to KSA neurosurgeons revealed a significant correlation with the duration after certification and with certain centers. Evaluation of the h-index should be included in the consideration for academic positions in KSA. Saudi neurosurgeons should be encouraged to publish in journals with high impact factor.

Survey of h-index for neurosurgeons in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Jamjoom, Abdulhakim B.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To calculate the h-index for neurosurgeons in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and to assess its association with a number of features relating to neurosurgical practice in KSA. Methods: The h-index for 84 neurosurgeons that worked in KSA during 1990-2013 was evaluated using Google Scholar during the period September to October 2014. The correlation between the h-index and a number of neurosurgeon and neurosurgical center characteristics was determined and examined statistically. Results: The median h-index was 2.5 (range 0-33) and the mean was 5.04. The h-index was significantly higher for neurosurgeons who obtained their certification before 2001 and those working at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, KSA. The h-index was also higher, but without reaching significance, for non-Saudi neurosurgeons, those with international certification and those working at the university hospitals. Additionally, the h-index was significantly lower for neurosurgeons working in the Ministry of Health hospitals. Conclusion: Application of the h-index to KSA neurosurgeons revealed a significant correlation with the duration after certification and with certain centers. Evaluation of the h-index should be included in the consideration for academic positions in KSA. Saudi neurosurgeons should be encouraged to publish in journals with high impact factor. PMID:26492123

Remote determination of the velocity index and mean streamwise velocity profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, E. D.; Cowen, E. A.

2017-09-01

When determining volumetric discharge from surface measurements of currents in a river or open channel, the velocity index is typically used to convert surface velocities to depth-averaged velocities. The velocity index is given by, k=Ub/Usurf, where Ub is the depth-averaged velocity and Usurf is the local surface velocity. The USGS (United States Geological Survey) standard value for this coefficient, k = 0.85, was determined from a series of laboratory experiments and has been widely used in the field and in laboratory measurements of volumetric discharge despite evidence that the velocity index is site-specific. Numerous studies have documented that the velocity index varies with Reynolds number, flow depth, and relative bed roughness and with the presence of secondary flows. A remote method of determining depth-averaged velocity and hence the velocity index is developed here. The technique leverages the findings of Johnson and Cowen (2017) and permits remote determination of the velocity power-law exponent thereby, enabling remote prediction of the vertical structure of the mean streamwise velocity, the depth-averaged velocity, and the velocity index.

Simple Refractometers for Index Measurements by Minimum Deviation Method from Far-ultraviolet to Near Infrared

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B.; Madison, Timothy J.; Petrone, Peter

1998-01-01

The focal shift of an optical filter used in non-collimated light depends directly on substrate thickness and index of refraction. The HST Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) requires a set of filters whose focal shifts are tightly matched. Knowing the index of refraction for substrate glasses allows precise substrate thicknesses to be specified. Two refractometers have been developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to determine the indices of refraction of materials from which ACS filters are made. Modem imaging detectors for the near infrared, visible, and far ultraviolet spectral regions make these simple yet sophisticated refractometers possible. A new technology, high accuracy, angular encoder also developed at GSFC makes high precision index measurement possible in the vacuum ultraviolet.

Florida creativity index scores, conservatism, and openness in 268 U.S. regions.

PubMed

McCann, Stewart J H

2011-02-01

This study assessed whether Florida's Creativity Index (2002) scores for 268 U.S. regions were related to levels of conservatism and openness in the states in which the regions were situated. State conservatism was measured as the percentage voting for Bush in 2000. State openness z scores were taken from a survey of 619,397 residents (Rentfrow, Gosling, & Potter, 2008). Creativity scores correlated negatively with conservatism (r = -.22) and positively with openness (r = .23). Regression showed that the two predictors accounted jointly (7%) and separately for significant variance in the Creativity Index. The findings contribute evidence for the construct validity of Florida's composite Creativity Index and some, albeit moderate to weak, support of the Rentfrow, et al. conclusion that state-aggregated openness reflects the unconventionality, tolerance, and creativity of a state.

Rhinophyma Treated with Options Today

MedlinePlus

... Measures Help Reduce Flare-Ups, Survey Shows › Rosacea Review Current Issue Past Issues Index by Topic Glossary ... Works for Me: Patient Tips Physician Finder Rosacea Review Newsletter Seborrhea Rosacea Awareness Month Understanding Rosacea Brochure ...

TRIBAL MEDICINAL PLANTS OF CHITTOOR

PubMed Central

Vedavathy, S.; Sudhakar, A.; Mrdula, V.

1997-01-01

Medicinal plants used in tribal medicine from chittoor district have been surveyed and documented systematically. The paper deals with 202 medicinal plants, indexed along with important tribal applications for the cure of various ailments. PMID:22556807

Geological and geochemical aspects of uranium deposits. A selected, annotated bibliography. Vol. 1

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

White, M.B.; Garland, P.A.

1977-10-01

This bibliography was compiled by selecting 580 references from the Bibliographic Information Data Base of the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program. This data base and five others have been created by the Ecological Sciences Information Center to provide technical computer-retrievable data on various aspects of the nation's uranium resources. All fields of uranium geology are within the defined scope of the project, as are aerial surveying procedures, uranium reserves and resources, and universally applied uranium research. References used by DOE-NURE contractors in completing their aerial reconnaissance survey reports have been included at the request ofmore » the Grand Junction Office, DOE. The following indexes are provided to aid the user in locating reference of interest: author, keyword, geographic location, quadrangle name, geoformational index, and taxonomic name.« less

Depressive symptoms mediate the association between fear of crime and higher body mass index.

PubMed

Kodjebacheva, Gergana; Koleilat, Maria; Kruger, Daniel J

2015-01-01

To investigate pathways in the association between fear of crime and obesity. A cross-sectional survey was administered among residents aged 18 years and older across all Census tracts. Genesee County, Michigan. A total of 3192 residents. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by using the respondents' reported height and weight. Composite fear-of-crime and depressive symptoms scores were calculated by using several survey items. ANALYSIS . Path analysis examined the effects of fear of crime on BMI. RESULTS . Fear of crime was associated with higher BMI. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between fear of crime and BMI (p < .001). Moderate exercise mediated the association between depressive symptoms and BMI (p < .001). Fear of crime was associated with depressive symptoms, which in turn were associated with reduced exercise and subsequently higher BMI.

The costs of obesity in the workplace.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Eric A; DiBonaventura, Marco daCosta; Burgess, Somali M; Hale, Brent C

2010-10-01

To quantify per capita and aggregate medical expenditures and the value of lost productivity, including absenteeism and presenteeism, because of overweight, and grade I, II, and III obesity among U.S. employees. Cross-sectional analysis of the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the 2008 National Health and Wellness Survey. Among men, estimates range from -$322 for overweight to $6087 for grade III obese men. For women, estimates range from $797 for overweight to $6694 for grade III. In aggregate, the annual cost attributable to obesity among full-time employees is $73.1 billion. Individuals with a body mass index >35 represent 37% of the obese population but are responsible for 61% of excess costs. Successful efforts to reduce the prevalence of obesity, especially among those with a body mass index >35, could result in significant savings to employers.

Inequality and inequity in healthcare utilization in urban Nepal: a cross-sectional observational study.

PubMed

Saito, Eiko; Gilmour, Stuart; Yoneoka, Daisuke; Gautam, Ghan Shyam; Rahman, Md Mizanur; Shrestha, Pradeep Krishna; Shibuya, Kenji

2016-09-01

Inequality in access to quality healthcare is a major health policy challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the major sources of inequity in healthcare utilization using a population-based household survey from urban Nepal. A cross-sectional survey was conducted covering 9177 individuals residing in 1997 households in five municipalities of Kathmandu valley between 2011 and 2012. The concentration index was calculated and a decomposition method was used to measure inequality in healthcare utilization, along with a horizontal inequity index (HI) to estimate socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare utilization. Results showed a significant pro-rich distribution of general healthcare utilization in all service providers (Concentration Index: 0.062, P < 0.001; HI: 0.029, P < 0.05) and private service providers (Concentration Index: 0.070, P < 0.001; HI: 0.030, P < 0.05). The pro-rich distribution of probability in general healthcare utilization was attributable to inequalities in the level of household economic status (percentage contribution: 67.8%) and in the self-reported prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension (36.7%) and diabetes (14.4%). Despite the provision of free services by public healthcare providers, our analysis found no evidence of the poor making more use of public health services (Concentration Index: 0.041, P = 0.094). Interventions to reduce the household economic burden of major illnesses, coupled with improvement in the management of public health facilities, warrant further attention by policy-makers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Toward a public toxicogenomics capability for supporting predictive toxicology: survey of current resources and chemical indexing of experiments in GEO and ArrayExpress.

PubMed

Williams-Devane, ClarLynda R; Wolf, Maritja A; Richard, Ann M

2009-06-01

A publicly available toxicogenomics capability for supporting predictive toxicology and meta-analysis depends on availability of gene expression data for chemical treatment scenarios, the ability to locate and aggregate such information by chemical, and broad data coverage within chemical, genomics, and toxicological information domains. This capability also depends on common genomics standards, protocol description, and functional linkages of diverse public Internet data resources. We present a survey of public genomics resources from these vantage points and conclude that, despite progress in many areas, the current state of the majority of public microarray databases is inadequate for supporting these objectives, particularly with regard to chemical indexing. To begin to address these inadequacies, we focus chemical annotation efforts on experimental content contained in the two primary public genomic resources: ArrayExpress and Gene Expression Omnibus. Automated scripts and extensive manual review were employed to transform free-text experiment descriptions into a standardized, chemically indexed inventory of experiments in both resources. These files, which include top-level summary annotations, allow for identification of current chemical-associated experimental content, as well as chemical-exposure-related (or "Treatment") content of greatest potential value to toxicogenomics investigation. With these chemical-index files, it is possible for the first time to assess the breadth and overlap of chemical study space represented in these databases, and to begin to assess the sufficiency of data with shared protocols for chemical similarity inferences. Chemical indexing of public genomics databases is a first important step toward integrating chemical, toxicological and genomics data into predictive toxicology.

Who benefited from the New Rural Cooperative Medical System in China? A case study on Anhui Province.

PubMed

Wang, Lidan; Wang, Anjue; FitzGerald, Gerry; Si, Lei; Jiang, Qicheng; Ye, Dongqing

2016-06-05

The goal of the New Rural Cooperative Medical System (NCMS) is to decrease the financial burden and improve the health of rural areas. The purpose of the present study is to determine how government subsidies vary between poorer and wealthier groups, especially in low-income regions in rural China. The distribution, amount, and equity of government subsidies delivered via NCMS to rural residents at different economic levels were assessed using benefit-incidence analysis, concentration index, Kakwani index, Gini index, Lorenz curve, and concentration curve. Household and health institution surveys were conducted in 2010, covering 9701 residents. Household socio-economic status, healthcare costs, out-of-pocket payments, and utilization information were collected in household interviews, and reimbursement policy was provided by institutional survey. The government subsidy concentration index was -0.055 for outpatients and 0.505 for inpatients; and the outpatient and inpatient subsidy Kakwani indexes were -0.376 and 0.184, respectively. The poorest 20 % of populations received 3.4 % of the total subsidy output; while the wealthiest 20 % received 54.3 %. The results showed that the distribution of outpatient subsidies was equitable, but the hospital subsidies disproportionally benefited wealthier people. Wealthier people benefited more than poorer people from the NCMS in terms of inpatient and total subsidies. For outpatients, the subsidies were unrelated to ability to pay. This contradicts the common belief that the NCMS does not exacerbate benefit inequity. Long-term policy is required to tackle this problem, specifically of redesign the NCMS reimbursement system.

A radio spectral index map and catalogue at 147-1400 MHz covering 80 per cent of the sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Gasperin, F.; Intema, H. T.; Frail, D. A.

2018-03-01

The radio spectral index is a powerful probe for classifying cosmic radio sources and understanding the origin of the radio emission. Combining data at 147 MHz and 1.4 GHz from the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS) and the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS), we produced a large-area radio spectral index map of ˜80 per cent of the sky (Dec. > - 40 deg), as well as a radio spectral index catalogue containing 1396 515 sources, of which 503 647 are not upper or lower limits. Almost every TGSS source has a detected counterpart, while this is true only for 36 per cent of NVSS sources. We released both the map and the catalogue to the astronomical community. The catalogue is analysed to discover systematic behaviours in the cosmic radio population. We find a differential spectral behaviour between faint and bright sources as well as between compact and extended sources. These trends are explained in terms of radio galaxy evolution. We also confirm earlier reports of an excess of steep-spectrum sources along the galactic plane. This corresponds to 86 compact and steep-spectrum source in excess compared to expectations. The properties of this excess are consistent with normal non-recycled pulsars, which may have been missed by pulsation searches due to larger than average scattering along the line of sight.

Using state-issued identification cards for obesity tracking.

PubMed

Morris, Daniel S; Schubert, Stacey S; Ngo, Duyen L; Rubado, Dan J; Main, Eric; Douglas, Jae P

2015-01-01

Obesity prevention has emerged as one of public health's top priorities. Public health agencies need reliable data on population health status to guide prevention efforts. Existing survey data sources provide county-level estimates; obtaining sub-county estimates from survey data can be prohibitively expensive. State-issued identification cards are an alternate data source for community-level obesity estimates. We computed body mass index for 3.2 million adult Oregonians who were issued a driver license or identification card between 2003 and 2010. Statewide estimates of obesity prevalence and average body mass index were compared to the Oregon Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). After geocoding addresses we calculated average adult body mass index for every census tract and block group in the state. Sub-county estimates reveal striking patterns in the population's weight status. Annual obesity prevalence estimates from identification cards averaged 18% lower than the BRFSS for men and 31% lower for women. Body mass index estimates averaged 2% lower than the BRFSS for men and 5% lower for women. Identification card records are a promising data source to augment tracking of obesity. People do tend to misrepresent their weight, but the consistent bias does not obscure patterns and trends. Large numbers of records allow for stable estimates for small geographic areas. Copyright © 2014 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity. All rights reserved.

The second MIT-Green Bank 5 GHz survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langston, Glen I.; Heflin, Michael B.; Conner, Sam R.; Lehar, Joseph; Carilli, Chris L.; Burke, Bernard F.

1990-03-01

The MHT-Green Bank II (MG II) 5-GHz survey covers 1.51 sr of sky in the right ascension range 4-21 h between +17 and +39.15 deg declination (J2000.0). The final MG II catalog contains 6182 sources detected with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 5. The MG II flux density limit is 41 mJy. The catalog was produced from two separate north and south surveys with the NRAO 91-m transit telescope. Spectral indices are computed for sources identified in the NRAO 1400-MHz Survey (Condon and Broderick, 1985). A comparison of the spectral-index distributions for sources above and below 10 deg Galactic latitude is presented.

Body fat distribution in the Finnish population: environmental determinants and predictive power for cardiovascular risk factor levels.

PubMed Central

Marti, B; Tuomilehto, J; Salomaa, V; Kartovaara, L; Korhonen, H J; Pietinen, P

1991-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to examine (1) whether health habits are associated with body fat distribution, as measured by the waist/hip girth ratio, and (2) to what extent environmental factors, including anthropometric characteristics, explain the variability in levels of cardiovascular risk factors. DESIGN--The study was a population based cross sectional survey, conducted in the spring of 1987 as a part of an international research project on cardiovascular epidemiology. SETTING--The survey was conducted in three geographical areas of eastern and south western Finland. SUBJECTS--2526 men and 2756 women aged 25-64 years took part in the study, corresponding to a survey participation rate of 82%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--In men, waist/hip ratio showed stronger associations with exercise (Pearson's r = -0.24), resting heart rate (r = 0.10), alcohol consumption (r = 0.07), smoking (r = 0.05), and education (r = -0.23) than did body mass index. Jointly, exercise, resting heart rate, alcohol consumption, education, and age explained 18% of variance in male waist/hip ratio, but only 9% of variance in male body mass index. In women, environmental factors were more predictive for body mass index than for waist/hip ratio, with age and education being the strongest determinants. Waist/hip ratio and body mass index were approximately equally strong predictors of cardiovascular risk factor levels. The additional predictive power of waist/hip ratio over and above body mass index was tested in a hierarchical, stepwise regression. In this conservative type of analysis the increase in explained variance uniquely attributable to waist/hip ratio was 2-3% for female and 1-2% for male lipoprotein levels, and less than 0.5% for female and 0-2% for male blood pressure values. CONCLUSIONS--The distribution of abdominal obesity in Finland is significantly influenced by health habits and sociodemographic factors in both men and women. This in turn is obviously one reason for the relatively small "independent" effect of body fat distribution on cardiovascular risk factor levels. PMID:2072072

Vocalization behavior and response of black rails

USGS Publications Warehouse

Legare, M.L.; Eddleman, W.R.; Buckley, P.A.; Kelly, C.

1999-01-01

We measured the vocal responses and movements of radio-tagged black rails (Laterallus jamaicensis) (n = 43, 26 males, 17 females) to playback of vocalizations at 2 sites in Florida during the breeding seasons of 1992-95. We used regression coefficients from logistic regression equations to model the probability of a response conditional to the birds' sex, nesting status, distance to playback source, and the time of survey. With a probability of 0.811, non-nesting male black rails were most likely to respond to playback, while nesting females were the least likely to respond (probability = 0.189). Linear regression was used to determine daily, monthly, and annual variation in response from weekly playback surveys along a fixed route during the breeding seasons of 1993-95. Significant sources of variation in the linear regression model were month (F = 3.89, df = 3, p = 0.0140), year (F = 9.37, df = 2, p = 0.0003), temperature (F = 5.44, df=1, p = 0.0236), and month*year (F = 2.69, df = 5, p = 0.0311). The model was highly significant (p < 0.0001) and explained 53% of the variation of mean response per survey period (R2 = 0.5353). Response probability data obtained from the radio-tagged black rails and data from the weekly playback survey route were combined to provide a density estimate of 0.25 birds/ha for the St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge. Density estimates for black rails may be obtained from playback surveys, and fixed radius circular plots. Circular plots should be considered as having a radius of 80 m and be located so the plot centers are 150 m apart. Playback tapes should contain one series of Kic-kic-kerr and Growl vocalizations recorded within the same geographic region as the study area. Surveys should be conducted from 0-2 hours after sunrise or 0-2 hours before sunset, during the pre-nesting season, and when wind velocity is < 20 kph. Observers should listen for 3-4 minutes after playing the survey tape and record responses heard during that time. Observers should be trained to identify black rail vocalizations and should have acceptable hearing ability. Given the number of variables that may have large effects on the response behavior of black rails to tape playback, we recommend that future studies using playback surveys should be cautious when presenting estimates of 'absolute' density. Though results did account for variation in response behavior, we believe that additional variation in vocal response between sites, with breeding status, and bird density remains in question. Playback surveys along fixed routes providing a simple index of abundance would be useful to monitor populations over large geographic areas, and over time. Considering the limitations of most agency resources for webless waterbirds, index surveys may be more appropriate. Future telemetry studies of this type on other species and at other sites would be useful to calibrate information obtained from playback surveys whether reporting an index of abundance or density estimate.

The 5/95 gap in the indexation of psychiatric journals of low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Mari, J J; Patel, V; Kieling, C; Razzouk, D; Tyrer, P; Herrman, H

2010-01-01

Mari JJ, Patel V, Kieling C, Razzouk D, Tyrer P, Herrman H. The 5/95 gap in the indexation of psychiatric journals of low- and middle-income countries. Objective: To investigate the relationship between science production and the indexation level of low- and middle-income countries (LAMIC) journals in international databases. Method: Indicators of productivity in research were based on the number of articles produced over the 1994–2004 period. A survey in both Medline and ISI/Thomson was conducted to identify journals according to their country of origin. A WPA Task Force designed a collaborative process to assess distribution and quality of non-indexed LAMIC journals. Results: Twenty LAMIC were found to present more than 100 publications and a total of 222 indexed psychiatric journals were found, but only nine were from LAMIC. The Task Force received 26 questionnaires from editors of non-indexed journals, and concluded that five journals would meet criteria for indexation. Conclusion: Barriers to indexation of journals contribute to the difficulties in achieving fair representation in the main literature databases for the scientific production in these countries. PMID:19764927

Chemical lasers: a comprehensive literature survey.

PubMed

Arnold, S J; Rojeska, H

1973-02-01

A bibliography of chemical laser publications covering the period 1964 through 1971 has been compiled. The chronologically listed references are followed by tables showing the chemical systems exhibiting laser action and by an alphabetical author index.

Chemical Lasers: A Comprehensive Literature Survey,

DTIC Science & Technology

A bibliography of chemical laser publications covering the period 1964 through 1971 has been compiled. The chronologically listed references are followed by tables showing the chemical systems exhibiting laser action and by an alphabetical author index . (Author)

Geologic map of the Gbanka Quadrangle, Liberia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Force, E.R.; Dunbar, J.D.N.

1974-01-01

As part of a program undertaken cooperatively by the Liberian Geological Survey (LGS) and the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), under the sponsorship of the Government of Liberia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State, Liberia was mapped by geologic and geophysical methods during the period 1965 to 1972. The resulting geologic and geophysical maps are published in ten folios, each covering one quadrangle (see index map). 

Methods for semi-automated indexing for high precision information retrieval

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berrios, Daniel C.; Cucina, Russell J.; Fagan, Lawrence M.

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new system, ISAID (Internet-based Semi-automated Indexing of Documents), and to generate textbook indexes that are more detailed and more useful to readers. DESIGN: Pilot evaluation: simple, nonrandomized trial comparing ISAID with manual indexing methods. Methods evaluation: randomized, cross-over trial comparing three versions of ISAID and usability survey. PARTICIPANTS: Pilot evaluation: two physicians. Methods evaluation: twelve physicians, each of whom used three different versions of the system for a total of 36 indexing sessions. MEASUREMENTS: Total index term tuples generated per document per minute (TPM), with and without adjustment for concordance with other subjects; inter-indexer consistency; ratings of the usability of the ISAID indexing system. RESULTS: Compared with manual methods, ISAID decreased indexing times greatly. Using three versions of ISAID, inter-indexer consistency ranged from 15% to 65% with a mean of 41%, 31%, and 40% for each of three documents. Subjects using the full version of ISAID were faster (average TPM: 5.6) and had higher rates of concordant index generation. There were substantial learning effects, despite our use of a training/run-in phase. Subjects using the full version of ISAID were much faster by the third indexing session (average TPM: 9.1). There was a statistically significant increase in three-subject concordant indexing rate using the full version of ISAID during the second indexing session (p < 0.05). SUMMARY: Users of the ISAID indexing system create complex, precise, and accurate indexing for full-text documents much faster than users of manual methods. Furthermore, the natural language processing methods that ISAID uses to suggest indexes contributes substantially to increased indexing speed and accuracy.

Methods for Semi-automated Indexing for High Precision Information Retrieval

PubMed Central

Berrios, Daniel C.; Cucina, Russell J.; Fagan, Lawrence M.

2002-01-01

Objective. To evaluate a new system, ISAID (Internet-based Semi-automated Indexing of Documents), and to generate textbook indexes that are more detailed and more useful to readers. Design. Pilot evaluation: simple, nonrandomized trial comparing ISAID with manual indexing methods. Methods evaluation: randomized, cross-over trial comparing three versions of ISAID and usability survey. Participants. Pilot evaluation: two physicians. Methods evaluation: twelve physicians, each of whom used three different versions of the system for a total of 36 indexing sessions. Measurements. Total index term tuples generated per document per minute (TPM), with and without adjustment for concordance with other subjects; inter-indexer consistency; ratings of the usability of the ISAID indexing system. Results. Compared with manual methods, ISAID decreased indexing times greatly. Using three versions of ISAID, inter-indexer consistency ranged from 15% to 65% with a mean of 41%, 31%, and 40% for each of three documents. Subjects using the full version of ISAID were faster (average TPM: 5.6) and had higher rates of concordant index generation. There were substantial learning effects, despite our use of a training/run-in phase. Subjects using the full version of ISAID were much faster by the third indexing session (average TPM: 9.1). There was a statistically significant increase in three-subject concordant indexing rate using the full version of ISAID during the second indexing session (p < 0.05). Summary. Users of the ISAID indexing system create complex, precise, and accurate indexing for full-text documents much faster than users of manual methods. Furthermore, the natural language processing methods that ISAID uses to suggest indexes contributes substantially to increased indexing speed and accuracy. PMID:12386114

Socioeconomic Inequality in Disability Among Adults: A Multicountry Study Using the World Health Survey

PubMed Central

Hosseinpoor, Ahmad R.; Stewart Williams, Jennifer A.; Gautam, Jeny; Posarac, Aleksandra; Officer, Alana; Verdes, Emese; Kostanjsek, Nenad

2013-01-01

Objectives. We compared national prevalence and wealth-related inequality in disability across a large number of countries from all income groups. Methods. Data on 218 737 respondents participating in the World Health Survey 2002–2004 were analyzed. A composite disability score (0–100) identified respondents who experienced significant disability in physical, mental, and social functioning irrespective of their underlying health condition. Disabled persons had disability composite scores above 40. Wealth was evaluated using an index of economic status in households based on ownership of selected assets. Socioeconomic inequalities were measured using the slope index of inequality and the relative index of inequality. Results. Median age-standardized disability prevalence was higher in the low- and lower middle-income countries. In all the study countries, disability was more prevalent in the poorest than in the richest wealth quintiles. Pro-rich inequality was statistically significant in 43 of 49 countries, with disability prevalence higher among populations with lower wealth. Median relative inequality was higher in the high- and upper middle-income countries. Conclusions. Integrating equity components into the monitoring of disability trends would help ensure that interventions reach and benefit populations with greatest need. PMID:23678901

How Segregation Makes Us Fat: Food Behaviors and Food Environment as Mediators of the Relationship Between Residential Segregation and Individual Body Mass Index.

PubMed

Goodman, Melody; Lyons, Sarah; Dean, Lorraine T; Arroyo, Cassandra; Hipp, James Aaron

2018-01-01

Racial residential segregation affects food landscapes that dictate residents' food environments and is associated with obesity risk factors, including individual dietary patterns and behaviors. We examine if food behaviors and environments mediate the association between segregation and body mass index (BMI). Non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks living in the St. Louis and Kansas City metro regions from 2012 to 2013 were surveyed on dietary behaviors, food environment, and BMI ( n  = 1,412). These data were combined with the CDC's modified retail food environment index and 2012 American Community Survey data to calculate racial segregation using various evenness and exposure indices. Multi-level mediation analyses were conducted to determine if dietary behavior and food environment mediate the association between racial residential segregation and individual BMI. The positive association between racial segregation and individual BMI is partially mediated by dietary behaviors and fully mediated by food environments. Racial segregation (evenness and exposure) is associated with BMI, mediated by dietary behaviors and food environment. Elements of the food environment, which form the context for dietary behaviors, are potential targets for interventions to reduce obesity in residentially segregated areas.

Nosocomial infections in geriatric long-term-care and rehabilitation facilities: exploration in the development of a risk index for epidemiological surveillance.

PubMed

Golliot, F; Astagneau, P; Cassou, B; Okra, N; Rothan-Tondeur, M; Brücker, G

2001-12-01

To compute a risk index for nosocomial infection (NI) surveillance in geriatric long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) and rehabilitation facilities. Analysis of data collected during the French national prevalence survey on NIs conducted in 1996. Risk indices were constructed based on the patient case-mix defined according to risk factors for NIs identified in the elderly. 248 geriatric units in 77 hospitals located in northern France. All hospital inpatients on the day of the survey were included. Data from 11,254 patients were recorded. The overall rate of infected patients was 9.9%. Urinary tract, respiratory tract, and skin were the most common infection sites in both rehabilitation facilities and LTCFs. Eleven risk indices, categorizing patients in 3 to 7 levels of increasing NI risk, ranging from 2.7% to 36.2%, were obtained. Indices offered risk adjustment according to NI rate stratification and clinical relevance of risk factors such as indwelling devices, open bedsores, swallowing disorders, sphincter incontinence, lack of mobility, immunodeficiency, or rehabilitation activity. The optimal index should be tailored to the strategy selected for NI surveillance in geriatric facilities in view of available financial and human resources.

An overall index of environmental quality in coal mining areas and energy facilities.

PubMed

Vatalis, Konstantinos I; Kaliampakos, Demetrios C

2006-12-01

An approach to measuring environmental quality and trends in coal mining and industrial areas was attempted in this work. For this purpose, the establishment of a reference scale characterizing the status of environmental quality is proposed by developing an Environmental Quality Index (EQI). The methodology involves three main components: social research, the opinion of environmental experts, and the combination of new or existing indices. A survey of public opinion was carried out to identify the main environmental problems in the region of interest. Environmental experts carried out a survey, and the weights of specific environmental problems were obtained through a fuzzy Delphi method and pairwise comparison. The weight attributed to each environmental problem was computed, using new or existing indices (subindices) in the relevant literature. The EQI comprises a combination of the subindices with their own weights. The methodology was applied to a heavily industrialized coal basin in northwestern Macedonia, Greece. The results show that the new index may be used as a reliable tool for evaluating environmental quality in different areas. In addition, the study of EQI trends on an interannual basis can provide useful information on the efficiency of environmental policies already implemented by the responsible authorities.

Socioeconomic inequality in disability among adults: a multicountry study using the World Health Survey.

PubMed

Hosseinpoor, Ahmad R; Stewart Williams, Jennifer A; Gautam, Jeny; Posarac, Aleksandra; Officer, Alana; Verdes, Emese; Kostanjsek, Nenad; Chatterji, Somnath

2013-07-01

We compared national prevalence and wealth-related inequality in disability across a large number of countries from all income groups. Data on 218,737 respondents participating in the World Health Survey 2002-2004 were analyzed. A composite disability score (0-100) identified respondents who experienced significant disability in physical, mental, and social functioning irrespective of their underlying health condition. Disabled persons had disability composite scores above 40. Wealth was evaluated using an index of economic status in households based on ownership of selected assets. Socioeconomic inequalities were measured using the slope index of inequality and the relative index of inequality. Median age-standardized disability prevalence was higher in the low- and lower middle-income countries. In all the study countries, disability was more prevalent in the poorest than in the richest wealth quintiles. Pro-rich inequality was statistically significant in 43 of 49 countries, with disability prevalence higher among populations with lower wealth. Median relative inequality was higher in the high- and upper middle-income countries. Integrating equity components into the monitoring of disability trends would help ensure that interventions reach and benefit populations with greatest need.

Lead poisoning in precious metals refinery assayers: a failure to notify workers at high risk.

PubMed

Kern, D G

1994-05-01

Lead poisoning in a precious metals refinery fire assayer and a routine OSHA inspection prompted an investigation of the index facility, a survey of the industry, and efforts to notify assayers of this previously unrecognized hazard. Air and blood samples were obtained at the index facility. Management personnel from all fire assay laboratories in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts were interviewed. The industry's trade association, OSHA, NIOSH, trade unions, and the media were asked to assist in a nationwide notification effort. Assayers at the index facility had excessive exposures to lead due to an age-old, lead-based assaying method that remains the industry gold standard. Blood lead levels of the three assayers (mean 61.3 micrograms/dl, range 48-86 micrograms/dl) were considerably higher than those of 16 other refinery workers (mean 27.4 micrograms/dl, range 13-49 micrograms/dl). The industry survey revealed inadequate knowledge of both the lead hazard and the applicability of the OSHA lead standard. Notification efforts failed in large part due to economic obstacles. The notification of workers at high risk of lead exposure and the eradication of occupational lead poisoning will require greater attention to economic forces.

Inequality in prime-age adult deaths in a high AIDS mortality setting: does the measure of economic status matter?

PubMed

Opuni, Marjorie; Peterman, Amber; Bishai, David

2011-11-01

We analyze deaths among prime-aged men and women during a 13-year period in a high AIDS mortality setting and examine the distribution of deaths by the economic status of these individuals at baseline using the 1991-2004 Kagera Health and Development Survey (KHDS). We investigate whether the distribution of subsequent prime-age adult deaths as measured by concentration indices depends on the measure of living standards used. We compare the performance of three measures: (1) per capita expenditure; (2) a modern wealth asset index replicating the asset index included in the 2004 Tanzanian AIDS Indicator Survey data file; and (3) a traditional wealth asset index, which includes only measures of traditional wealth. We find no evidence that economic status is linked to prime-age adult deaths, for both men and women, regardless of the measure of economic status used. This finding suggests both that more generally the measure of economic status used does not appear to be crucial, and specifically that relationships using traditional measures of wealth do not seem to differ from those using conventional measures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The analysis using GENSTAT of anaemia, sugar intake and quetelet's index as prognostic indicators in women.

PubMed

Campbell, M J

1983-01-01

I describe methods of analysing possible aetiological factors in a follow-up survey, all of which are possible to carry out using the statistical package GENSTAT. A high haemoglobin level carried a significantly increased risk of ischaemic heart disease, and a low one an increased risk of cancer. Smoking was also an important factor. The increased risk was reasonably constant over time. Sugar intake and Quetelet's index did not significantly affect the relative risk.

Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey: Factors Related to Compensation of Pediatric Psychologists

PubMed Central

Brosig, Cheryl L.; Hilliard, Marisa E.; Williams, Andre; Armstrong, F. Daniel; Christidis, Peggy; Kichler, Jessica; Pendley, Jennifer Shroff; Stamm, Karen E.; Wysocki, Tim

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To summarize compensation results from the 2015 Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) Workforce Survey and identify factors related to compensation of pediatric psychologists. Methods All full members of SPP (n = 1,314) received the online Workforce Survey; 404 (32%) were returned with usable data. The survey assessed salary, benefits, and other income sources. The relationship between demographic and employment-related factors and overall compensation was explored. Results Academic rank, level of administrative responsibility, and cost of living index of employment location were associated with compensation. Compensation did not vary by gender; however, women were disproportionately represented at the assistant and associate professor level. Conclusions Compensation of pediatric psychologists is related to multiple factors. Longitudinal administration of the Workforce Survey is needed to determine changes in compensation and career advancement for this profession over time. Strategies to increase the response rate of future Workforce Surveys are discussed. PMID:28369549

[Risk index for attempted suicide in Mexico].

PubMed

Borges, Guilherme; Orozco, Ricardo; Medina Mora, María Elena

2012-01-01

To develop a risk index of suicide attempts in the last 12 months among people with suicide ideation. Cross-sectional study. Data came from the National Addictions Survey 2008. The risk index was made up by age, marital status, religion, occupation, area of the country in which they live, immigrant to the United States, alcohol and drug consumption, depression symptoms, behavioral problems and a history of sexual abuse. We found a monotonic relationship between the increase in risk factors and the existence of a plan and the risk, with an odds ratio over 2.07 up to 152.19. The area under the curve is quite high, with a value of 0.844, very close to 1. The use of this index may help prevent patients from further developing their suicide ideation process and may prevent a suicide attempt of uncertain consequences, including death.

Fish fauna in the Krueng Geumpang River, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasir, M.; Munira, M.; Muchlisin, Z. A.

2018-03-01

The objective of the present study was to examine the diversity and distribution of fishes in the Krueng Geumpang River.The survey was conducted from 1st to 22nd August 2015 with six sampling locations. Fish samples were caught using gillnets and fish traps. Data analyses performed in this study were the frequency of incidence (FOI), diveristy index (H’), and dominance index (C). A total of 88 individual fishes belong to 12 species and six familia. Tor soro is the dominant species in this river. There are two species of fish that widely distributed i.e. Tor soro (FOI = 66.7 %) and Neolissochilus thienemanni (FOI = 50.0 %). The Shannon-Wienner diversity index ranged from 0.00 to 2.05. The low value of the diversity index (H’) can be caused by factors such as river morphology, poisoning, mining, and overfishing.

Indexing Guidelines: Applications in Use of Pulmonary Artery Catheters and Pressure Ulcer Prevention

PubMed Central

Jenders, Robert A.; Estey, Greg; Martin, Martha; Hamilton, Glenys; Ford-Carleton, Penny; Thompson, B. Taylor; Oliver, Diane E.; Eccles, Randy; Barnett, G. Octo; Zielstorff, Rita D.; Fitzmaurice, Joan B.

1994-01-01

In a busy clinical environment, access to knowledge must be rapid and specific to the clinical query at hand. This requires indices which support easy navigation within a knowledge source. We have developed a computer-based tool for trouble-shooting pulmonary artery waveforms using a graphical index. Preliminary results of domain knowledge tests for a group of clinicians exposed to the system (N=33) show a mean improvement on a 30-point test of 5.33 (p<0.001) compared to a control group (N=19) improvement of 0.47 (p=0.61). Survey of the experimental group (N=25) showed 84% (p=0.001) found the system easy to use. We discuss lessons learned in indexing this domain area to computer-based indexing of guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention. PMID:7950035

[Family vulnerability index in the municipality of Pasto, Colombia, 2012].

PubMed

Hidalgo-Troya, Arsenio; Guerrero-Díaz, Gissela Fernanda; Estupiñan-Ferrín, Vivian Liseth; Rocha-Buelvas, Anderson

2017-04-03

This study's objective was to measure the vulnerability index of families in the municipality of Pasto, Colombia. In a sample of 270 families of all socioeconomic strata (239 urban and 31 rural), a confidential survey was conducted using the vulnerability index, consisting of five dimensions: demographic, social, economic, environmental, and geography, forecasting, and prevention. The families in strata 1 and 2 and the houses in the center, west, northwest, and northeast of the urban area showed high vulnerability, even higher than those in rural areas. Fifty percent of the families showed low vulnerability and 42% medium vulnerability. The poorest families were the most vulnerable, but poor families were also vulnerable in the municipality of Pasto.

An index of the literature for bimolecular gas phase cation-molecule reaction kinetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anicich, V. G.

2003-01-01

This is an index to the literature for gas phase bimolecular positive ionmolecule reactions. Over 2300 references are cited. Reaction rate coefficients and product distributions of the reactions are abstracted out of the original citations where available. This index is intended to cover the literature from 1936 to 2003. This is a continuation of several surveys: the original (Huntress Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser., 33, 495 (1977)), an expansion (Anicich and Huntress, Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser. 62, 553 (1986)), a supplement (Anicich, Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser. 84, 215 (1993)), and an evaluation (Anicich, V. G. J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 22,1469 (1993b). The Table of reactions is listed by reactant ion.

Building Infestation Index for Aedes aegypti and occurrence of dengue fever in the municipality of Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil, from 2001 to 2016.

PubMed

Rivas, Açucena Veleh; Defante, Renata; Delai, Robson Michael; Rios, Jean Avemir; Britto, André da Silva; Leandro, André de Souza; Gonçalves, Daniela Dib

2018-01-01

the Building Infestation Index (BII) uses the Rapid Assay of the Larval Index for Aedes aegypti (LIRAa) to express the relationship between positive and surveyed properties. We evaluated LIRAa and the relationship between the BII and climate variables for dengue cases in Foz do Iguaçu municipality, Paraná. Spearman's correlations for mean precipitation, mean temperature, BII, and dengue cases (time lag). positive correlations between BII and cases, and mean temperature and cases at two months. Weak correlation between precipitation and cases at three months. LIRAa and climate variables correlate with dengue cases.

Cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Singapore.

PubMed

Wang, Ye; Tan, Ngiap-Chuan; Tay, Ee-Guan; Thumboo, Julian; Luo, Nan

2015-07-16

This study aimed to assess the measurement equivalence of the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) among the English, Chinese, and Malay versions. A convenience sample of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled from a public primary health care institution in Singapore. The survey questionnaire comprised the EQ-5D-5L and questions assessing participants' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the difference in EQ-5D-5L index (calculated using an interim algorithm) and EQ-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) scores across survey language (Chinese vs. English, Malay vs. English, and Malay vs. Chinese). Measurement equivalence was examined by comparing the 90% confidence interval of difference in the EQ-5D-5L index and EQ-VAS scores with a pre-determined equivalence margin. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the response patterns of the 5 Likert-type items of the EQ-5D-5L across survey language. Equivalence was demonstrated between the Chinese and English versions and between the Malay and English versions of the EQ-5D-5L index scores. Equivalence was also demonstrated between the Chinese and English versions and between the Malay and Chinese versions of the EQ-VAS scores. Equivalence could not be determined between the Malay and Chinese versions of the EQ-5D-5L index score and between the Malay and English versions of the EQ-VAS score. No significant difference was found in responses to EQ-5D-5L items between any languages, except that patients who chose to complete the Chinese version were more likely to report "no problems" in mobility compared to those who completed the Malay version of the questionnaire. This study provided evidence for the measurement equivalence of the different language versions of EQ-5D-5L in Singapore.

Level of Service Program for INDOT Operations : APPENDIX D Deficiency Score Index

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

INDOT has used an inspection program named Maintenance Quality Survey (MQS) to perform a statewide inspection of their roadway assets, rightofway to rightofway. This inspection requires two twoperson teams approximately 18 months to...

5 CFR 591.229 - How does OPM inform agencies and employees of COLA rate changes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS ALLOWANCES AND DIFFERENTIALS Cost-of-Living Allowance and Post... COLA rate changes? OPM publishes COLA area survey summary reports, MEG and PEG indexes, and COLA rates...

Ethnicity and patient's perception of risk in joint replacement surgery.

PubMed

Gandhi, Rajiv; Razak, Fahad; Davey, J Roderick; Mahomed, Nizar N

2008-08-01

Despite much evidence showing racial disparities in the use of surgical procedures, it is unknown whether ethnicity affects perception of surgical risk. We surveyed 1609 patients undergoing primary hip or knee replacement surgery. Relevant covariates including demographic data, body mass index (BMI), sex, comorbidities, education, and ethnicity were recorded. Pain and joint functional status were assessed at baseline and at 1-year followup with the Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain and function scores. Risk perception was assessed with 3 survey questions. Non-European patients had greater functional disability and pain prior to surgery and demonstrated significantly greater perception of risk than European patients (p < 0.001). Independent of other covariates, non-European ethnicity was an independent predictor of a greater perception of risk (p < 0.05). Patient ethnicity is an important factor to consider in understanding a patient's perception of risk in joint replacement surgery.

Geologic map of the Middletown quadrangle, Frederick, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orndorff, Randall C.; Epstein, Jack Burton; McDowell, Robert C.

1999-01-01

The Middletown 1:24,000-scale quadrangle is one of several quadrangles in Frederick County, Virginia mapped or being mapped by geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, VA with funding from the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. This map was originally published as a paper product in 1999. It has been converted to GIS-based digital form. This work is part of a project being lead by the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Discipline, Virginia District, to investigate the geologic framework and groundwater resources of Frederick County as well as other areas in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. For more information about the Project see: http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eespteam/Karst/index.html for Geologic Discipline efforts and http://va.water.usgs.gov/va134/index.htm for Water Resources Discipline efforts.

Pairing call-response surveys and distance sampling for a mammalian carnivore

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Sara J. K.; Frair, Jacqueline L.; Underwood, Harold B.; Gibbs, James P.

2015-01-01

Density estimates accounting for differential animal detectability are difficult to acquire for wide-ranging and elusive species such as mammalian carnivores. Pairing distance sampling with call-response surveys may provide an efficient means of tracking changes in populations of coyotes (Canis latrans), a species of particular interest in the eastern United States. Blind field trials in rural New York State indicated 119-m linear error for triangulated coyote calls, and a 1.8-km distance threshold for call detectability, which was sufficient to estimate a detection function with precision using distance sampling. We conducted statewide road-based surveys with sampling locations spaced ≥6 km apart from June to August 2010. Each detected call (be it a single or group) counted as a single object, representing 1 territorial pair, because of uncertainty in the number of vocalizing animals. From 524 survey points and 75 detections, we estimated the probability of detecting a calling coyote to be 0.17 ± 0.02 SE, yielding a detection-corrected index of 0.75 pairs/10 km2 (95% CI: 0.52–1.1, 18.5% CV) for a minimum of 8,133 pairs across rural New York State. Importantly, we consider this an index rather than true estimate of abundance given the unknown probability of coyote availability for detection during our surveys. Even so, pairing distance sampling with call-response surveys provided a novel, efficient, and noninvasive means of monitoring populations of wide-ranging and elusive, albeit reliably vocal, mammalian carnivores. Our approach offers an effective new means of tracking species like coyotes, one that is readily extendable to other species and geographic extents, provided key assumptions of distance sampling are met.

A longitudinal study of aspects of a hospital's family-centred nursing: changing practice through data translation.

PubMed

White, Chris; Wilson, Valerie

2015-01-01

To examine how results and data from multiple Family Centred Nursing Index surveys help the development of family-centred nursing at organizational and ward levels. A critical analysis of survey data. The Family Centred Nursing Index provides a valid and reliable assessment of aspects of nursing, through a comprehensive survey of traditional indicators of practice development and a broader range of aspects of practice. A survey with 113 questions, each to be answered on 7-point Likert scale conducted six times in the last 7 years. Surveys have been in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. All nurses employed by the organization can participate. These are reported as means across 19 constructs linked to five key domains and their significance is examined by year and (in the clinical settings) and compared against the organizational (whole population) averages. Ongoing survey and analysis of nurses' views of their work is providing a valuable source of developmental data. The results show unexpected associations between constructs e.g. - a high level of work stress does not correlate with a lower level of job satisfaction (and vice versa). A clear historical picture of many elements of developing family-centred care is emerging at both the organizational and individual-ward levels. This study provides insights into aspects of organizational and wards working environment for nurses and how these aspects of nurses' work interact in unexpected ways. It is appropriate for providing information to organizations and ward teams in relation to their development towards family-centred cultures. © 2014 Commonwealth of Australia. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Food security in South Africa: a review of national surveys

PubMed Central

Labadarios, Demetre; Steyn, Nelia Patricia; Gericke, Gerda; Maunder, Eleni Maria Winifred; Davids, Yul Derek; Parker, Whadi-ah

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess the status of food security – i.e. access to food, food availability and food utilization – in South Africa. Methods A systematic search of national surveys that used the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP) index to measure food security in South Africa over a period of 10 years (1999–2008) was conducted. Anthropometric data for children aged 1–9 years were used to assess food utilization, and household food inventory data were used to assess food availability. Findings Only three national surveys had used the CCHIP index, namely, the 1999 and 2005 National Food Consumption Surveys (NFCS) and the 2008 South African Social Attitudes Survey. These surveys showed a relatively large decrease in food insecurity between 1999 and 2008. However, the consistent emerging trend indicated that in poorer households women were either feeding their children a poor diet or skipping meals so their children could eat. In terms of food access and availability, the 1999 NFCS showed that households that enjoyed food security consumed an average of 16 different food items over 24 hours, whereas poorer households spent less money on food and consumed fewer than 8 different food items. Moreover, children had low mean scores for dietary diversity (3.58; standard deviation, SD: ± 1.37) and dietary variety (5.52; SD: ± 2.54) scores. In terms of food utilization, the NFCS showed that stunting in children decreased from 21.6% in 1999 to 18% in 2005. Conclusion The South African government must implement measures to improve the undesirably high level of food insecurity in poorer households. PMID:22271946

Income inequalities in multimorbidity prevalence in Ontario, Canada: a decomposition analysis of linked survey and health administrative data.

PubMed

Mondor, Luke; Cohen, Deborah; Khan, Anum Irfan; Wodchis, Walter P

2018-06-26

The burden of multimorbidity is a growing clinical and health system problem that is known to be associated with socioeconomic status, yet our understanding of the underlying determinants of inequalities in multimorbidity and longitudinal trends in measured disparities remains limited. We included all adult respondents from four cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) (between 2005 to 2011/12), linked at the individual-level to health administrative data in Ontario, Canada (pooled n = 113,627). Multimorbidity was defined at each survey response as having ≥2 (of 17) high impact chronic conditions, based on claims data. Using a decomposition method of the Erreygers-corrected concentration index (C Erreygers ), we measured household income inequality and the contribution of the key determinants of multimorbidity (including socio-demographic, socio-economic, lifestyle and health system factors) to these disparities. Differences over time are described. We tested for statistically significant changes to measured inequality using the slope index (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) with a 2-way interaction on pooled data. Multimorbidity prevalence in 2011/12 was 33.5% and the C Erreygers was - 0.085 (CI: -0.108 to - 0.062), indicating a greater prevalence among lower income groups. In decomposition analyses, income itself accounted more than two-thirds (69%) of this inequality. Age (21.7%), marital status (15.2%) and physical inactivity (10.9%) followed, and the contribution of these factors increased from baseline (2005 CCHS survey) with the exception of age. Other lifestyle factors, including heavy smoking and obesity, had minimal contribution to measured inequality (1.8 and 0.4% respectively). Tests for trends (SII/RII) across pooled survey data were not statistically significant (p = 0.443 and 0.405, respectively), indicating no change in inequalities in multimorbidity prevalence over the study period. A pro-rich income gap in multimorbidity has persisted in Ontario from 2005 to 2011/12. These empirical findings suggest that to advance equality in multimorbidity prevalence, policymakers should target chronic disease prevention and control strategies focused on older adults, non-married persons and those that are physically inactive, in addition to addressing income disparities directly.

Health-promoting lifestyle and body mass index among College of Nursing students in Kuwait: a correlational study.

PubMed

Al-Kandari, Fatimah; Vidal, Victoria L; Thomas, Deepa

2008-03-01

This cross-sectional, descriptive survey of 202 nursing students in Kuwait assessed their body mass index and health-promoting lifestyle to determine any association between them. The body mass index was calculated by dividing the weight by the height squared (kg/m(2)). The health-promoting lifestyle was measured using Walker's Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II instrument. The participants had a normal body mass index with a tendency towards being overweight and obese, particularly for the males. The students also had a low positive health-promoting lifestyle. A significant association was noted between the sociodemographic variables, particularly age, marital status, and nationality, with the body mass index and Walker's Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile. A significant relationship was established between the body mass index and the overall Walker's Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile and the nutrition subcategory. The findings warranted interventions for improved health behaviors and implied the need for the integration of healthy lifestyle programs into the nursing curricula to meet the escalating demands of the students' role in health promotion and disease prevention.

Final Environmental Assessment for Advanced Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) Project at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-28

the Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Yucatan . Most loggerhead hatchlings originating from U.S. beaches are believed to spend their...beaches near Panama City; and (5) Yucatan Subpopulation occurring on the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico (Bowen et at. , 1993; Encalada et at. , 1998...be detected from the State of Florida’s Index Nesting Beach Survey program from 1989 to 2002. Nesting surveys in the Northwest Florida and Yucatan

Arthritis Impact on U.S. Life Quality: Morbidity and Mortality Effects from National Health Interview Survey Data 1986-1988 And 1994 Using Qwbx1 Estimates of Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, John P.; Kaplan, Robert M.; Ake, Christopher F.

2004-01-01

Objective: To estimate the impact of arthritis using a general health index and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Methods: Morbidity data came from NHIS Public Use data, from the years 19861988 and 1994. The data are 423 400 cases, representing 975 421 153 person-years. Quality of Well-being Scale (QWB) morbidity scores were imputed…

Historical changes in Nebraska's lotic fish assemblages: Implications of anthropogenic alterations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Christopher D.; Fischer, Jesse R.; Quist, Michael C.

2014-01-01

The plains of midwestern North America have undergone significant anthropogenic alterations following European settlement with consequent effects to lotic fish assemblage structure. We examined trends in fish assemblage structure and function in Nebraska's lotic systems using site-specific, presence-absence data from historical (1939–1940) and contemporary surveys (2003–2005; n  =  183). Shifts in fish assemblage structure were characterized by declines of specialist species (e.g., western silvery minnow Hybognathus argyritis) and increases in nonnative, sport, and generalist species (e.g., common carp Cyprinus carpio). Our research illustrates differences between historical and contemporary surveys for both taxonomic and functional metrics. Changes in fish assemblage structure were correlated with a contemporary measure of anthropogenic alteration (Human Threat Index; HTI) and were most pronounced for large-scale threats (i.e., watershed HTI, overall HTI). The HTI is a composite index of cumulative anthropogenic alterations experienced by a stream system and was used to investigate broad-scale implications of anthropogenic activity on fish assemblage structure. Fish assemblages among sites were more similar in contemporary surveys than in historical surveys, such changes might indicate a homogenization of the fish assemblages. Losses of native species and increases in introduced species have occurred in Nebraska's lotic systems across a broad temporal span and shifts are likely related to high levels of human perturbation.

The automated data processing architecture for the GPI Exoplanet Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jason J.; Perrin, Marshall D.; Savransky, Dmitry; Arriaga, Pauline; Chilcote, Jeffrey K.; De Rosa, Robert J.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.; Marois, Christian; Rameau, Julien; Wolff, Schuyler G.; Shapiro, Jacob; Ruffio, Jean-Baptiste; Graham, James R.; Macintosh, Bruce

2017-09-01

The Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey (GPIES) is a multi-year direct imaging survey of 600 stars to discover and characterize young Jovian exoplanets and their environments. We have developed an automated data architecture to process and index all data related to the survey uniformly. An automated and flexible data processing framework, which we term the GPIES Data Cruncher, combines multiple data reduction pipelines together to intelligently process all spectroscopic, polarimetric, and calibration data taken with GPIES. With no human intervention, fully reduced and calibrated data products are available less than an hour after the data are taken to expedite follow-up on potential objects of interest. The Data Cruncher can run on a supercomputer to reprocess all GPIES data in a single day as improvements are made to our data reduction pipelines. A backend MySQL database indexes all files, which are synced to the cloud, and a front-end web server allows for easy browsing of all files associated with GPIES. To help observers, quicklook displays show reduced data as they are processed in real-time, and chatbots on Slack post observing information as well as reduced data products. Together, the GPIES automated data processing architecture reduces our workload, provides real-time data reduction, optimizes our observing strategy, and maintains a homogeneously reduced dataset to study planet occurrence and instrument performance.

Body mass index and waist circumference in early adulthood are associated with thoracolumbar spine shape at age 60-64: The Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development.

PubMed

Pavlova, Anastasia V; Muthuri, Stella G; Cooper, Rachel; Saunders, Fiona R; Gregory, Jennifer S; Barr, Rebecca J; Martin, Kathryn R; Adams, Judith E; Kuh, Diana; Hardy, Rebecca J; Aspden, Richard M

2018-01-01

This study investigated associations between measures of adiposity from age 36 and spine shape at 60-64 years. Thoracolumbar spine shape was characterised using statistical shape modelling on lateral dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry images of the spine from 1529 participants of the MRC National Survey of Health and Development, acquired at age 60-64. Associations of spine shape modes with: 1) contemporaneous measures of total and central adiposity (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)) and body composition (android:gynoid fat mass ratio and lean and fat mass indices, calculated as whole body (excluding the head) lean or fat mass (kg) divided by height2 (m)2); 2) changes in total and central adiposity between age 36 and 60-64 and 3) age at onset of overweight, were tested using linear regression models. Four modes described 79% of the total variance in spine shape. In men, greater lean mass index was associated with a larger lordosis whereas greater fat mass index was associated with straighter spines. Greater current BMI was associated with a more uneven curvature in men and with larger anterior-posterior (a-p) vertebral diameters in both sexes. Greater WC and fat mass index were also associated with a-p diameter in both sexes. There was no clear evidence that gains in BMI and WC during earlier stages of adulthood were associated with spine shape but younger onset of overweight was associated with a more uneven spine and greater a-p diameter. In conclusion, sagittal spine shapes had different associations with total and central adiposity; earlier onset of overweight and prior measures of WC were particularly important.

Development and assessment of users' satisfaction with the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index 2000 responder index-50 website.

PubMed

Touma, Zahi; Gladman, Dafna D; MacKinnon, Anne; Carette, Simon; Abu-Shakra, Mahmoud; Askanase, Anca; Nived, Ola; Hanly, John G; Landolt-Marticorena, Carolina; Tam, Lai-Shan; Toloza, Sergio; Nikpour, Mandana; Riddell, Claire; Steiman, Amanda; Eder, Lihi; Haddad, Amir; Barber, Claire; Urowitz, Murray B

2013-01-01

To describe the development of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 Responder Index-50 (S2K RI-50) Website (www.s2k-ri-50.com) and to assess satisfaction with its training and examination modules among rheumatologists and rheumatology fellows. The development of the Website occurred in 3 phases. The first was a deployment phase that consisted of preparing the site map along with its content. The content included the S2K RI-50 training manual, the tests and corresponding question bank, and the online adaptive training module, along with the extensive site testing. The second phase included the participation of rheumatologists and trainees who completed the Website modules. The third was a quality assurance phase in which an online survey was developed to determine the satisfaction level of its users. Further modifications were implemented per participants' recommendations. The site has been online since it was registered in September 2010. Fourteen rheumatologists and rheumatology trainees from different centers reviewed and completed the material contained in the Website. The survey revealed acceptance among rheumatologists for the Website's content, design, and presentation. The Website was rated as user-friendly and useful in familiarizing investigators with the S2K RI-50. After completion of the training and examination modules, participants reported a suitable level of preparation to implement the S2K RI-50 in clinical trials and research settings in a timely manner. The Website includes training and examination modules that familiarize rheumatologists with the S2K RI-50 and assesses their competence to use the index. This prepares them for the use of the S2K RI-50 in clinical trials and research settings.

GALAPAGOS-C: analysis of galaxy morphologies using high-performance computing methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiemer, Andreas; Barden, Marco; Kelvin, Lee S.; Häußler, Boris; Schindler, Sabine

2014-11-01

We present GALAPAGOS-C, a code designed to process a complete set of survey images through automation of source detection (via SEXTRACTOR), postage stamp cutting, object mask preparation, sky background estimation and complex two-dimensional light profile Sérsic modelling (via GALFIT). GALAPAGOS-C is designed around the concept of MPI-parallelization, allowing the processing of large data sets in a quick and efficient manner. Further, GALAPAGOS-C is capable of fitting multiple-Sérsic profiles to each galaxy, each representing distinct galaxy components (e.g. bulge, disc, bar), in addition to the option to fit asymmetric Fourier mode distortions. The modelling reliability of our core single-Sérsic fitting capability is tested thoroughly using image simulations. We apply GALAPAGOS-C to the Space Telescope A901/902 Galaxy Evolution Survey to investigate the evolution of galaxy structure with cosmic time and the dependence on environment. We measure the distribution of Sérsic indices as a function of local object density in the A901/902 cluster sample to provide one of the first measures of the Sérsic index-density relation. We find that the fraction of galaxies with a high Sérsic index (2.5 < n < 7.0) is higher in denser environments (˜35 per cent), halving towards sparsely populated regions (˜15 per cent). The population of low Sérsic index galaxies (0.4 < n< 1.6) is lower in denser environments (˜35 per cent), increasing towards sparsely populated regions (˜60 per cent). The population of intermediate Sérsic index galaxies (1.6 < n < 2.5) approximately follows the trend of the high Sérsic index types.

Geo-database use to promote dengue infection prevention and control.

PubMed

Wongbutdee, Jaruwan; Chaikoolvatana, Anun; Saengnill, Wacharapong; Krasuaythong, Nantaya; Phuphak, Surajit

2010-07-01

Dengue infection (DI) is a major health problem in Thailand and is especially prevalent in Ubon Ratchathani Province. The objectives of the project were: (1) to develop a geo-database system for DI prevention and control, (2) to perform an Aedes aegypti larval vector survey for DI prevention and control in Ubon Ratchathani Province, (3) to study the behavior and perceptions regarding DI prevention among the target population in Ubon Ratchathani Province. Ten villages with high incidences of DI over a 3 year period from 2005 to 2007 were selected. The survey was divided into 2 periods, pre-outbreak period (February-April 2008) and outbreak period (June-August 2008). The data were collected in April and June 2008. The households in each village were purposively sampled. Water containers inside and outside of the houses were surveyed using the World Health Organization's house index (HI), container index (CI), and Breteau index (BI). The location of each household was recorded using the global positioning system (GPS). Data regarding people's perceptions and behaviors concerning DI prevention were collected during interviews of 383 families in Mach 2008. A database for DI was developed using ArcView version 9.2. The results showed during the pre-outbreak period, Non Jig, Non Sawang, and Huai Teeneu villages had the highest risk level (BI > or =50). During the outbreak period, Non Jig and Huai Teeneu village had the highest risk level (BI > or =50). Results regarding DI perceptions showed the target population had high levels of DI perceptions. DI preventive behavior was found in 50.9%.

Major depressive disorder subtypes to predict long-term course

PubMed Central

van Loo, Hanna M.; Cai, Tianxi; Gruber, Michael J.; Li, Junlong; de Jonge, Peter; Petukhova, Maria; Rose, Sherri; Sampson, Nancy A.; Schoevers, Robert A.; Wardenaar, Klaas J.; Wilcox, Marsha A.; Al-Hamzawi, Ali Obaid; Andrade, Laura Helena; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Bunting, Brendan; Fayyad, John; Florescu, Silvia E.; Gureje, Oye; Hu, Chiyi; Huang, Yueqin; Levinson, Daphna; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Nakane, Yoshibumi; Posada-Villa, Jose; Scott, Kate M.; Xavier, Miguel; Zarkov, Zahari; Kessler, Ronald C.

2016-01-01

Background Variation in course of major depressive disorder (MDD) is not strongly predicted by existing subtype distinctions. A new subtyping approach is considered here. Methods Two data mining techniques, ensemble recursive partitioning and Lasso generalized linear models (GLMs) followed by k-means cluster analysis, are used to search for subtypes based on index episode symptoms predicting subsequent MDD course in the World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys. The WMH surveys are community surveys in 16 countries. Lifetime DSM-IV MDD was reported by 8,261 respondents. Retrospectively reported outcomes included measures of persistence (number of years with an episode; number of with an episode lasting most of the year) and severity (hospitalization for MDD; disability due to MDD). Results Recursive partitioning found significant clusters defined by the conjunctions of early onset, suicidality, and anxiety (irritability, panic, nervousness-worry-anxiety) during the index episode. GLMs found additional associations involving a number of individual symptoms. Predicted values of the four outcomes were strongly correlated. Cluster analysis of these predicted values found three clusters having consistently high, intermediate, or low predicted scores across all outcomes. The high-risk cluster (30.0% of respondents) accounted for 52.9-69.7% of high persistence and severity and was most strongly predicted by index episode severe dysphoria, suicidality, anxiety, and early onset. A total symptom count, in comparison, was not a significant predictor. Conclusions Despite being based on retrospective reports, results suggest that useful MDD subtyping distinctions can be made using data mining methods. Further studies are needed to test and expand these results with prospective data. PMID:24425049

Medical student sexuality: how sexual experience and sexuality training impact U.S. and Canadian medical students' comfort in dealing with patients' sexuality in clinical practice.

PubMed

Shindel, Alan W; Ando, Kathryn A; Nelson, Christian J; Breyer, Benjamin N; Lue, Tom F; Smith, James F

2010-08-01

To determine factors associated with students' comfort in addressing patients' sexuality in the clinical context. The authors invited students enrolled in MD-degree-granting and osteopathic medical schools in the United States and Canada to participate in an anonymous Internet survey between February and July 2008. The survey assessed ethnodemographic factors and sexual history. Respondents also completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Male respondents completed the International Index of Erectile Function and the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool. Female respondents completed the Female Sexual Function Index and the Index of Sex Life. The authors used descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multivariable logistic regression to analyze responses. The authors' analyses included 2,261 completed survey responses: 910 from men, 1,343 from women, and 8 from individuals who self-identified as "other" gendered. Over 53% of respondents (n = 1,206) stated that they felt they had not received sufficient training in medical school to address sexual concerns clinically. Despite this, 81% of students (n = 1,827) reported feeling comfortable dealing with their patients' sexuality issues. Students with limited sexual experience, students at risk for sexual problems, and students who felt that they had not been trained adequately were less likely to report being comfortable talking to patients about sexual health issues. Perception of inadequate sexuality training in medical school and personal issues pertaining to sex may be associated with students' difficulty in addressing patients' sexuality. Adequate training is preeminently associated with feeling comfortable addressing patients' sexuality and should be a priority for medical education.

Determinants of health-promoting lifestyle behaviour in the rural areas of Hungary.

PubMed

Paulik, Edit; Bóka, Ferenc; Kertész, Aranka; Balogh, Sándor; Nagymajtényi, László

2010-09-01

Today chronic non-communicable diseases are the major cause of death and disability worldwide. Chronic diseases are determined by common risk factors (e.g. smoking). The purpose of this study was to develop a health-promoting behaviour index, and to evaluate the impact of the social and the demographic characteristics of the individuals, self-rated health and certain features of settlements on the score of this index. A population-based, cross-sectional health survey was conducted. Altogether 91 settlements with various sizes of population, and at various stages of social, economic and infrastructural development took part in the survey. The survey was based on interviewer-administered questionnaires, 3380 subjects filled in the questionnaires correctly, and the response rate was 82.4%. Questions on lifestyle factors referred to smoking, nutritional habits and physical activity. Low level (5.5%) of people have achieved the 'complete' health-promoting behaviour, including non-smoking, healthy nutrition and physical activity. There were significant associations between health-promoting behaviour and demographic, social and economic characteristics of the individuals and their dwelling place. The lower prevalence of healthy lifestyle activities among lower educated, lower income and aged people living in small settlements call the attention to the higher risk of these people. On planning interventions, special attention should be paid to the geographically, infrastructurally, socially and demographically disadvantaged population groups to provide equal opportunities for them, to live a healthy way of life. The application of the health-promoting index might be used to monitor the effects of interventions to alter lifestyle at community level.

Merged aeroradiometric data for Alaska; a web site for distribution of gridded data and plot files

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saltus, R.W.; Riggle, F.E.; Clark, B.T.; Hill, P.L.

1999-01-01

The National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program was conducted by the U.S. Government between 1974 and 1983. The NURE program was administered by the Grand Junction, CO, office of the Department of Energy. The program included airborne gamma-ray spectrometry and magnetic data collection as well as extensive geochemical sample collection and processing. Aeroradiometric and aeromagnetic surveys of 98 1° by 3° quadrangles were flown in Alaska between 1975 and 1980. The data were flown in 15 surveys by Texas Instruments (T.I.), Lockwood, Kessler, and Bartlett (LKB), and AeroServices (Aero) under contract to the U.S. Government. A series of contractor reports document the surveys on a quadrangle by quadrangle basis. We list references to these reports on the detailed survey index pages accessible through the Survey Irfo page.

AzTEC Survey of the Central Molecular Zone: Modeling Dust SEDs and N-PDF with Hierarchical Bayesian Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yuping; Wang, Daniel; Wilson, Grant; Gutermuth, Robert; Heyer, Mark

2018-01-01

We present the AzTEC/LMT survey of dust continuum at 1.1mm on the central ˜ 200pc (CMZ) of our Galaxy. A joint SED analysis of all existing dust continuum surveys on the CMZ is performed, from 160µm to 1.1mm. Our analysis follows a MCMC sampling strategy incorporating the knowledge of PSFs in different maps, which provides unprecedented spacial resolution on distributions of dust temperature, column density and emissivity index. The dense clumps in the CMZ typically show low dust temperature ( 20K), with no significant sign of buried star formation, and a weak evolution of higher emissivity index toward dense peak. A new model is proposed, allowing for varying dust temperature inside a cloud and self-shielding of dust emission, which leads to similar conclusions on dust temperature and grain properties. We further apply a hierarchical Bayesian analysis to infer the column density probability distribution function (N-PDF), while simultaneously removing the Galactic foreground and background emission. The N-PDF shows a steep power-law profile with α > 3, indicating that formation of dense structures are suppressed.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Weak Lensing Mass Calibration of redMaPPer Galaxy Clusters

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

McClintock, T.; et al.

We constrain the mass--richness scaling relation of redMaPPer galaxy clusters identified in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 data using weak gravitational lensing. We split clusters intomore » $$4\\times3$$ bins of richness $$\\lambda$$ and redshift $z$ for $$\\lambda\\geq20$$ and $$0.2 \\leq z \\leq 0.65$$ and measure the mean masses of these bins using their stacked weak lensing signal. By modeling the scaling relation as $$\\langle M_{\\rm 200m}|\\lambda,z\\rangle = M_0 (\\lambda/40)^F ((1+z)/1.35)^G$$, we constrain the normalization of the scaling relation at the 5.0 per cent level as $$M_0 = [3.081 \\pm 0.075 ({\\rm stat}) \\pm 0.133 ({\\rm sys})] \\cdot 10^{14}\\ {\\rm M}_\\odot$$ at $$\\lambda=40$$ and $z=0.35$. The richness scaling index is constrained to be $$F=1.356 \\pm 0.051\\ ({\\rm stat})\\pm 0.008\\ ({\\rm sys})$$ and the redshift scaling index $$G=-0.30\\pm 0.30\\ ({\\rm stat})\\pm 0.06\\ ({\\rm sys})$$. These are the tightest measurements of the normalization and richness scaling index made to date. We use a semi-analytic covariance matrix to characterize the statistical errors in the recovered weak lensing profiles. Our analysis accounts for the following sources of systematic error: shear and photometric redshift errors, cluster miscentering, cluster member dilution of the source sample, systematic uncertainties in the modeling of the halo--mass correlation function, halo triaxiality, and projection effects. We discuss prospects for reducing this systematic error budget, which dominates the uncertainty on $$M_0$$. Our result is in excellent agreement with, but has significantly smaller uncertainties than, previous measurements in the literature, and augurs well for the power of the DES cluster survey as a tool for precision cosmology and upcoming galaxy surveys such as LSST, Euclid and WFIRST.« less

Testing Einstein's gravity and dark energy with growth of matter perturbations: Indications for new physics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basilakos, Spyros; Nesseris, Savvas

2016-12-01

The growth index of matter fluctuations is computed for ten distinct accelerating cosmological models and confronted by the latest growth-rate data via a two-step process. First, we implement a joint statistical analysis in order to place constraints on the free parameters of all models using solely background data. Second, using the observed growth rate of clustering from various galaxy surveys we test the performance of the current cosmological models at the perturbation level while either marginalizing over σ8 or having it as a free parameter. As a result, we find that at a statistical level, i.e., after considering the best-fit χ2 or the value of the Akaike information criterion, most models are in very good agreement with the growth-rate data and are practically indistinguishable from Λ CDM . However, when we also consider the internal consistency of the models by comparing the theoretically predicted values of (γ0,γ1), i.e., the value of the growth index γ (z ) and its derivative today, with the best-fit ones, we find that the predictions of three out of ten dark energy models are in mild tension with the best-fit ones when σ8 is marginalized over. When σ8 is free we find that most models are not only in mild tension, but also predict low values for σ8. This could be attributed to either a systematic problem with the growth-rate data or the emergence of new physics at low redshifts, with the latter possibly being related to the well-known issue of the lack of power at small scales. Finally, by utilizing mock data based on an large synoptic survey telescope-like survey we show that with future surveys and by using the growth index parametrization, it will be possible to resolve the issue of the low σ8 but also the tension between the fitted and theoretically predicted values of (γ0,γ1).

An improved procedure for detection and enumeration of walrus signatures in airborne thermal imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burn, Douglas M.; Udevitz, Mark S.; Speckman, Suzann G.; Benter, R. Bradley

2009-01-01

In recent years, application of remote sensing to marine mammal surveys has been a promising area of investigation for wildlife managers and researchers. In April 2006, the United States and Russia conducted an aerial survey of Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) using thermal infrared sensors to detect groups of animals resting on pack ice in the Bering Sea. The goal of this survey was to estimate the size of the Pacific walrus population. An initial analysis of the U.S. data using previously-established methods resulted in lower detectability of walrus groups in the imagery and higher variability in calibration models than was expected based on pilot studies. This paper describes an improved procedure for detection and enumeration of walrus groups in airborne thermal imagery. Thermal images were first subdivided into smaller 200 x 200 pixel "tiles." We calculated three statistics to represent characteristics of walrus signatures from the temperature histogram for each the. Tiles that exhibited one or more of these characteristics were examined further to determine if walrus signatures were present. We used cluster analysis on tiles that contained walrus signatures to determine which pixels belonged to each group. We then calculated a thermal index value for each walrus group in the imagery and used generalized linear models to estimate detection functions (the probability of a group having a positive index value) and calibration functions (the size of a group as a function of its index value) based on counts from matched digital aerial photographs. The new method described here improved our ability to detect walrus groups at both 2 m and 4 m spatial resolution. In addition, the resulting calibration models have lower variance than the original method. We anticipate that the use of this new procedure will greatly improve the quality of the population estimate derived from these data. This procedure may also have broader applicability to thermal infrared surveys of other wildlife species. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Socioeconomic inequality in neonatal mortality in countries of low and middle income: a multicountry analysis.

PubMed

McKinnon, Britt; Harper, Sam; Kaufman, Jay S; Bergevin, Yves

2014-03-01

Neonatal mortality rates (NMRs) in countries of low and middle income have been only slowly decreasing; coverage of essential maternal and newborn health services needs to increase, particularly for disadvantaged populations. Our aim was to produce comparable estimates of changes in socioeconomic inequalities in NMR in the past two decades across these countries. We used data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for countries in which a survey was done in 2008 or later and one about 10 years previously. We measured absolute inequalities with the slope index of inequality and relative inequalities with the relative index of inequality. We used an asset-based wealth index and maternal education as measures of socioeconomic position and summarised inequality estimates for all included countries with random-effects meta-analysis. 24 low-income and middle-income countries were eligible for inclusion. In most countries, absolute and relative wealth-related and educational inequalities in NMR decreased between survey 1 and survey 2. In five countries (Cameroon, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, and Uganda), the difference in NMR between the top and bottom of the wealth distribution was reduced by more than two neonatal deaths per 1000 livebirths per year. By contrast, wealth-related inequality increased by more than 1·5 neonatal deaths per 1000 livebirths per year in Ethiopia and Cambodia. Patterns of change in absolute and relative educational inequalities in NMR were similar to those of wealth-related NMR inequalities, although the size of educational inequalities tended to be slightly larger. Socioeconomic inequality in NMR seems to have decreased in the past two decades in most countries of low and middle income. However, a substantial survival advantage remains for babies born into wealthier households with a high educational level, which should be considered in global efforts to further reduce NMR. Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Copyright © 2014 McKinnon et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY. Published by .. All rights reserved.

A MAIL SURVEY APPROACH TO WATERSHED CONDITION ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Aquatic resource monitoring attempts to assess the condition of aquatic habitat and organisms. Assessments require that disturbances from human activities be identified, quantified and ordered along a gradient for interpreting biological response. An index of relative risk to a...

A bibliographical surveys of large-scale systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corliss, W. R.

1970-01-01

A limited, partly annotated bibliography was prepared on the subject of large-scale system control. Approximately 400 references are divided into thirteen application areas, such as large societal systems and large communication systems. A first-author index is provided.

Selected Survey of Educational Law and Policy Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piele, Philip K., Comp.

1983-01-01

Annotations from three issues of "Current Index to Journals in Education" were selected on the basis of anticipated reader interest. Articles dealing with elementary and secondary education organized by subjects are followed by articles dealing with postsecondary education. (MLF)

Income-related health inequality of migrant workers in China and its decomposition: An analysis based on the 2012 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey data.

PubMed

Shao, Cenyi; Meng, Xuehui; Cui, Shichen; Wang, Jingru; Li, Chengcheng

2016-10-01

Although migrant workers are a vulnerable group in China, they demonstrably contribute to the country's economic growth and prosperity. This study aimed to describe and assess the inequality of migrant worker health in China and its association with socioeconomic determinants. The data utilized in this study were obtained from the 2012 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey conducted in 29 Chinese provinces. This study converted the self-rated health of these migrant workers into a general cardinal ill-health score. Determinants associated with migrant worker health included but were not limited to age, marital status, income, and education, among other factors. Concentration index, concentration curve, and decomposition of the concentration index were employed to measure socioeconomic inequality in migrant workers' health. Prorich inequality was found in the health of migrant workers. The concentration index was -0.0866, as a score indicator of ill health. Decomposition of the concentration index revealed that the factors most contributing to the observed inequality were income, followed by gender, age, marital status, and smoking history. It is generally known that there is an unequal socioeconomic distribution of migrant worker health in China. In order to reduce the health inequality, the government should make a substantial effort to strengthen policy implementation in improving the income distribution for vulnerable groups. After this investigation, it is apparent that the findings we have made warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.

Piloting a generic cancer consumer quality index in six European countries.

PubMed

Wind, Anke; Roeling, Mark Patrick; Heerink, Jana; Sixma, Herman; Presti, Pietro; Lombardo, Claudio; van Harten, Wim

2016-09-02

Accounting for patients' perspective has become increasingly important. Based on the Consumer Quality Index method (founded on Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) a questionnaire was recently developed for Dutch cancer patients. As a next step, this study aimed to adapt and pilot this questionnaire for international comparison of cancer patients experience and satisfaction with care in six European countries. The Consumer Quality Index was translated into the local language at the participating pilot sites using cross-translation. A minimum of 100 patients per site were surveyed through convenience sampling. Data from seven pilot sites in six countries was collected through an online and paper-based survey. Internal consistency was tested by calculating Cronbach's alpha and validity by means of cognitive interviews. Demographic factors were compared as possible influencing factors. A total of 698 patients from six European countries filled the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was good or satisfactory in 8 out of 10 categories. Patient satisfaction significantly differed between the countries. We observed no difference in patient satisfaction for age, gender, education, and tumor type, but satisfaction was significantly higher in patients with a higher level of activation. This European Cancer Consumer Quality Index(ECCQI) showed promising scores on internal consistency (reliability) and a good internal validity. The ECCQI is to our knowledge the first to measure and compare experiences and satisfaction of cancer patients on an international level, it may enable healthcare providers to improve the quality of cancer care.

Animal Bioacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Neville H.

Animals rely upon their acoustic and vibrational senses and abilities to detect the presence of both predators and prey and to communicate with members of the same species. This chapter surveys the physical bases of these abilities and their evolutionary optimization in insects, birds, and other land animals, and in a variety of aquatic animals other than cetaceans, which are treated in Chap. 20. While there are many individual variations, and some animals devote an immense fraction of their time and energy to acoustic communication, there are also many common features in their sound production and in the detection of sounds and vibrations. Excellent treatments of these matters from a biological viewpoint are given in several notable books [19.1,2] and collections of papers [19.3,4,5,6,7,8], together with other more specialized books to be mentioned in the following sections, but treatments from an acoustical viewpoint [19.9] are rare. The main difference between these two approaches is that biological books tend to concentrate on anatomical and physiological details and on behavioral outcomes, while acoustical books use simplified anatomical models and quantitative analysis to model vocalization frequency scaling in animals hearing sound production animal animal biological biological bioacoustics whole-system behavior. This latter is the approach to be adopted here.

On Becoming Trauma-Informed: Role of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey in Tertiary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the Association with Standard Measures of Impairment and Severity.

PubMed

Rahman, Abdul; Perri, Andrea; Deegan, Avril; Kuntz, Jennifer; Cawthorpe, David

2018-01-01

There is a movement toward trauma-informed, trauma-focused psychiatric treatment. To examine Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey items by sex and by total scores by sex vs clinical measures of impairment to examine the clinical utility of the ACE survey as an index of trauma in a child and adolescent mental health care setting. Descriptive, polychoric factor analysis and regression analyses were employed to analyze cross-sectional ACE surveys (N = 2833) and registration-linked data using past admissions (N = 10,400) collected from November 2016 to March 2017 related to clinical data (28 independent variables), taking into account multicollinearity. Distinct ACE items emerged for males, females, and those with self-identified sex and for ACE total scores in regression analysis. In hierarchical regression analysis, the final models consisting of standard clinical measures and demographic and system variables (eg, repeated admissions) were associated with substantial ACE total score variance for females (44%) and males (38%). Inadequate sample size foreclosed on developing a reduced multivariable model for the self-identified sex group. The ACE scores relate to independent clinical measures and system and demographic variables. There are implications for clinical practice. For example, a child presenting with anxiety and a high ACE score likely requires treatment that is different from a child presenting with anxiety and an ACE score of zero. The ACE survey score is an important index of presenting clinical status that guides patient care planning and intervention in the progress toward a trauma-focused system of care.

Effects of extreme floods on macroinvertebrate assemblages in tributaries to the Mohawk River, New York, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Calderon, Mirian R.; Baldigo, Barry P.; Smith, Alexander J.; Endreny, Theodore A.

2017-01-01

Climate change is forecast to bring more frequent and intense precipitation to New York which has motivated research into the effects of floods on stream ecosystems. Macroinvertebrate assemblages were sampled at 13 sites in the Mohawk River basin during August 2011, and again in October 2011, following historic floods caused by remnants of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The annual exceedance probabilities of floods at regional flow-monitoring sites ranged from 0.5 to 0.001. Data from the first 2 surveys, and from additional surveys done during July and October 2014, were assessed to characterize the severity of flood impacts, effect of seasonality, and recovery. Indices of total taxa richness; Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness; Hilsenhoff's biotic index; per cent model affinity; and nutrient biotic index-phosphorus were combined to calculate New York State Biological Assessment Profile scores. Analysis of variance tests were used to determine if the Biological Assessment Profile, its component metrics, relative abundance, and diversity differed significantly (p ≤ .05) among the four surveys. Only total taxa richness and Shannon–Wiener diversity increased significantly, and abundance decreased significantly, following the floods. No metrics differed significantly between the July and August 2014 surveys which indicates that the differences denoted between the August and October 2011 surveys were caused by the floods. Changes in taxa richness, EPT richness, and diversity were significantly correlated with flood annual exceedance probabilities. This study increased our understanding of the resistance and resilience of benthic macroinvertebrate communities by showing that their assemblages were relatively impervious to extreme floods across the region.

2010 NCCA oligochaete trophic index results to inform benthic ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Over 400 sites were sampled in the nearshore of the U.S. Great Lakes during the National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) field survey in summer 2010. To assess benthic ecological condition, 393 PONARs were attempted, and collected macroinvertebrates were identified and enumerated. Biological condition at each site was classified as good, fair or poor using the Oligochaete Trophic Index (OTI). The Great Lakes coasts were then classified by calculating percent area within a condition class: good (20.3%), fair (11.6%), and poor (18.0%). Due to unsuccessful PONARs, unclassified oligochaetes or no oligochaetes captured, 50.1% of the sampled area was classified as missing. In order to help focus future discussion and development of a Great Lakes benthic index, OTI results were compared to other traditional biotic integrity indices. In addition, unclassified sites were examined to determine possible methods or metrics that could prevent missing data in a newly developed index. not applicable

A Cluster-Randomized Trial of Insecticide-Treated Curtains for Dengue Vector Control in Thailand

PubMed Central

Lenhart, Audrey; Trongtokit, Yuwadee; Alexander, Neal; Apiwathnasorn, Chamnarn; Satimai, Wichai; Vanlerberghe, Veerle; Van der Stuyft, Patrick; McCall, Philip J.

2013-01-01

The efficacy of insecticide-treated window curtains (ITCs) for dengue vector control was evaluated in Thailand in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. A total of 2,037 houses in 26 clusters was randomized to receive the intervention or act as control (no treatment). Entomological surveys measured Aedes infestations (Breteau index, house index, container index, and pupae per person index) and oviposition indices (mean numbers of eggs laid in oviposition traps) immediately before and after intervention, and at 3-month intervals over 12 months. There were no consistent statistically significant differences in entomological indices between intervention and control clusters, although oviposition indices were lower (P < 0.01) in ITC clusters during the wet season. It is possible that the open housing structures in the study reduced the likelihood of mosquitoes making contact with ITCs. ITCs deployed in a region where this house design is common may be unsuitable for dengue vector control. PMID:23166195

Social Exclusion Index-for Health Surveys (SEI-HS): a prospective nationwide study to extend and validate a multidimensional social exclusion questionnaire.

PubMed

van Bergen, Addi P L; Hoff, Stella J M; Schreurs, Hanneke; van Loon, Annelies; van Hemert, Albert M

2017-03-14

Social exclusion (SE) refers to the inability of certain groups or individuals to fully participate in society. SE is associated with socioeconomic inequalities in health, and its measurement in routine public health monitoring is considered key to designing effective health policies. In an earlier retrospective analysis we demonstrated that in all four major Dutch cities, SE could largely be measured with existing local public health monitoring data. The current prospective study is aimed at constructing and validating an extended national measure for SE that optimally employs available items. In 2012, a stratified general population sample of 258,928 Dutch adults completed a version of the Netherlands Public Health Monitor (PHM) questionnaire in which 9 items were added covering aspects of SE that were found to be missing in our previous research. Items were derived from the SCP social exclusion index, a well-constructed 15-item instrument developed by the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP). The dataset was randomly divided into a development sample (N =129,464) and a validation sample (N = 129,464). Canonical correlation analysis was conducted in the development sample. The psychometric properties were studied and compared with those of the original SCP index. All analyses were then replicated in the validation sample. The analysis yielded a four dimensional index, the Social Exclusion Index for Health Surveys (SEI-HS), containing 8 SCP items and 9 PHM items. The four dimensions: "lack of social participation", "material deprivation", "lack of normative integration" and "inadequate access to basic social rights", were each measured with 3 to 6 items. The SEI-HS showed adequate internal consistency for both the general index and for two of four dimension scales. The internal structure and construct validity of the SEI-HS were satisfactory and similar to the original SCP index. Replication of the SEI-HS in the validation sample confirmed its generalisability. This study demonstrates that the SEI-HS offers epidemiologists and public health researchers a uniform, reliable, valid and efficient means of assessing social exclusion and its underlying dimensions. The study also provides valuable insights in how to develop embedded measures for public health surveillance.

Adapting the Healthy Eating Index 2010 for the Canadian Population: Evidence from the Canadian Community Health Survey

PubMed Central

Ng, Alena Praneet; L’Abbé, Mary R.

2017-01-01

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is a diet quality index shown to be associated with reduced chronic disease risk. Older versions of the HEI have been adapted for Canadian populations; however, no Canadian modification of the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) has been made. The aims of this study were: (a) to develop a Canadian adaptation of the HEI-2010 (i.e., Healthy Eating Index-Canada 2010 (HEI-C 2010)) by adapting the recommendations of the HEI-2010 to Canada’s Food Guide (CFG) 2007; (b) to evaluate the validity and reliability of the HEI-C 2010; and (c) to examine relationships between HEI-C 2010 scores with diet quality and the likelihood of being obese. Data from 12,805 participants (≥18 years) were obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 2.2. Weighted multivariate logistic regression was used to test the association between compliance to the HEI-C 2010 recommendations and the likelihood of being obese, adjusting for errors in self-reported dietary data. The total mean error-corrected HEI-C 2010 score was 50.85 ± 0.35 out of 100. Principal component analysis confirmed multidimensionality of the HEI-C 2010, while Cronbach’s α = 0.78 demonstrated internal reliability. Participants in the fourth quartile of the HEI-C 2010 with the healthiest diets were less likely to consume refined grains and empty calories and more likely to consume beneficial nutrients and foods (p-trend < 0.0001). Lower adherence to the index recommendations was inversely associated with the likelihood of being obese; this association strengthened after correction for measurement error (Odds Ratio: 1.41; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.17–1.71). Closer adherence to Canada’s Food Guide 2007 assessed through the HEI-C 2010 was associated with improved diet quality and reductions in the likelihood of obesity when energy intake and measurement errors were taken into account. Consideration of energy requirements and energy density in future updates of Canada’s Food Guide are important and necessary to ensure broader application and usability of dietary quality indexes developed based on this national nutrition guideline. PMID:28825674

Adapting the Healthy Eating Index 2010 for the Canadian Population: Evidence from the Canadian National Nutrition Survey.

PubMed

Jessri, Mahsa; Ng, Alena Praneet; L'Abbé, Mary R

2017-08-21

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is a diet quality index shown to be associated with reduced chronic disease risk. Older versions of the HEI have been adapted for Canadian populations; however, no Canadian modification of the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) has been made. The aims of this study were: (a) to develop a Canadian adaptation of the HEI-2010 (i.e., Healthy Eating Index-Canada 2010 (HEI-C 2010)) by adapting the recommendations of the HEI-2010 to Canada's Food Guide (CFG) 2007; (b) to evaluate the validity and reliability of the HEI-C 2010; and (c) to examine relationships between HEI-C 2010 scores with diet quality and the likelihood of being obese. Data from 12,805 participants (≥18 years) were obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 2.2. Weighted multivariate logistic regression was used to test the association between compliance to the HEI-C 2010 recommendations and the likelihood of being obese, adjusting for errors in self-reported dietary data. The total mean error-corrected HEI-C 2010 score was 50.85 ± 0.35 out of 100. Principal component analysis confirmed multidimensionality of the HEI-C 2010, while Cronbach's α = 0.78 demonstrated internal reliability. Participants in the fourth quartile of the HEI-C 2010 with the healthiest diets were less likely to consume refined grains and empty calories and more likely to consume beneficial nutrients and foods ( p -trend < 0.0001). Lower adherence to the index recommendations was inversely associated with the likelihood of being obese; this association strengthened after correction for measurement error (Odds Ratio: 1.41; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.17-1.71). Closer adherence to Canada's Food Guide 2007 assessed through the HEI-C 2010 was associated with improved diet quality and reductions in the likelihood of obesity when energy intake and measurement errors were taken into account. Consideration of energy requirements and energy density in future updates of Canada's Food Guide are important and necessary to ensure broader application and usability of dietary quality indexes developed based on this national nutrition guideline.

A survey of the current status of web-based databases indexing Iranian journals.

PubMed

Merat, Shahin; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Mesgarpour, Bita; Malekzadeh, Reza

2009-05-01

The scientific output of Iran is increasing rapidly during the recent years. Unfortunately, most papers are published in journals which are not indexed by popular indexing systems and many of them are in Persian without English translation. This makes the results of Iranian scientific research unavailable to other researchers, including Iranians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of current web-based databases indexing scientific articles published in Iran. We identified web-based databases which indexed scientific journals published in Iran using popular search engines. The sites were then subjected to a series of tests to evaluate their coverage, search capabilities, stability, accuracy of information, consistency, accessibility, ease of use, and other features. Results were compared with each other to identify strengths and shortcomings of each site. Five web sites were indentified. None had a complete coverage on scientific Iranian journals. The search capabilities were less than optimal in most sites. English translations of research titles, author names, keywords, and abstracts of Persian-language articles did not follow standards. Some sites did not cover abstracts. Numerous typing errors make searches ineffective and citation indexing unreliable. None of the currently available indexing sites are capable of presenting Iranian research to the international scientific community. The government should intervene by enforcing policies designed to facilitate indexing through a systematic approach. The policies should address Iranian journals, authors, and indexing sites. Iranian journals should be required to provide their indexing data, including references, electronically; authors should provide correct indexing information to journals; and indexing sites should improve their software to meet standards set by the government.

MEDICINAL PLANTS OF RAJASTHAN IN INDIAN SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

PubMed Central

Tripathi, Y.C.; Prabhu, V.V.; Pal, R.S.; Mishra, R.N.

1996-01-01

Medicinal plants used in Indian system of medicine from Rajasthan state have been surveyed and catagorised systematically. The paper deals with 205 medicinal plants, thoroughly indexed along with their important traditional application for the cure of various ailments. PMID:22556743

Selected Survey of Educational Law and Policy Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piele, Philip K.

1983-01-01

Contains abstracts dealing with elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education from the October-December 1982 issues of the "Current Index to Journals in Education." Subject areas covered include administration, collective bargaining, computers, copyright, desegregation, deregulation, employment, finance, foreign countries, handicapped,…

A Measure of Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1976

1976-01-01

Recent national surveys conducted by the Council on Environmental Quality and others uncovered inconsistencies and confusion in the manner environmental quality parameters were used and reported. A standard air pollution index, comparative guide to water quality indicators and biological monitoring information are being developed. (BT)

Index of flood maps prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey through 1973

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carrigan, Philip Hadley

1974-01-01

A listing is presented of flood maps prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey through 1973. Maps are listed by State and county and the list provides information on the type of flooding depicted and the reliability of the delineation.The list was prepared from a computer file, and an available program allows retrieval of data by land-line location, State and county, and Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). The file will be continuously updated.

Water-resources data index for Osceola National Forest, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seaber, Paul R.; Hull, Robert W.

1979-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted an intensive investigation from December 1975 to December 1977 of the geohydrology of Osceola National Forest, Fla. The primary purpose was to provide the geohydrological understanding needed to predict the impact of potential phosphate industry operations in the forest on the natural hydrologic system. The investigation involved test drilling, implementation of a hydrologic monitoring network, water-quality sampling, comprehensive aquifer tests, and literature study. This report is an index to the type, source, location, and availability of the data used in the interpretive investigation. The indexes include: geological, geophysical, ground water, surface water, quality of water, meteorological, climatological, aquifer tests, maps, photographs, elevations, and reference publications. The manner of storage and retrieval of the data is decribed also. (Woodard-USGS).

Catalog of earth photographs from the Apollo-Soyuz test project. [listing cloud photographs and data acquired at time photograph was taken

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Baz, F. (Editor)

1979-01-01

Information is given on earth photographs obtained by the Apollo astronauts during the Apollo Soyuz Test Project. The data are arranged in three sections. A map index shows the boundaries of each photograph and is used for a quick survey of the coverage for a given geographical area. A tabular index provides the following data: list of photographs by serial number, description of geographic location, latitude and longitude of the center point of the photograph, date when photograph was taken, ground elapsed time, revolution number of Apollo spacecraft, approximate spacecraft altitude, tilt, sun angle, camera, and lens. The photographic index provides same size black and white prints made from the original color negatives.

An Analysis of the Use of Social Software and Its Impact on Organizational Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual-Miguel, Félix; Chaparro-Peláez, Julián; Hernández-García, Ángel

This article proposes a study on the implementation rate of the most relevant 2.0 tools and technologies in Spanish enterprises, and their impact on 12 important aspects of business processes. In order to characterize the grade of implementation and the perceived improvements on the processes two indexes, Implementation Index and Impact Rate, have been created and displayed in a matrix called "2.0 Success Matrix". Data has been analyzed from a survey taken to directors and executives of large companies and small and medium businesses.

SWAG: Survey of Water and Ammonia in the Galactic Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, Jürgen; Meier, David S.; Krieger, Nico; Rickert, Matthew

2017-01-01

SWAG (``Survey of Water and Ammonia in the Galactic Center'') is a multi-line interferometric survey toward the Center of the Milky Way conducted with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The survey region spans the entire ~400 pc Central Molecular Zone and comprises ~42 spectral lines at pc spatial and sub-km/s spectral resolution. In addition, we deeply map continuum intensity, spectral index, and polarization at the frequencies where synchrotron, free-free, and thermal dust sources emit. The observed spectral lines include many transitions of ammonia, which we use to construct maps of molecular gas temperature, opacity and gas formation temperature (see poster by Nico Krieger et al., this volume). Water masers pinpoint the sites of active star formation and other lines are good tracers for density, radiation field, shocks, and ionization. This extremely rich survey forms a perfect basis to construct maps of the physical parameters of the gas in this extreme environment.

Performance-based methodology for assessing seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibin, Lin; Lili, Xie; Maosheng, Gong; Ming, Li

2010-06-01

This paper presents a performance-based methodology for the assessment of seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings. The vulnerability assessment methodology is based on the HAZUS methodology and the improved capacitydemand-diagram method. The spectral displacement ( S d ) of performance points on a capacity curve is used to estimate the damage level of a building. The relationship between S d and peak ground acceleration (PGA) is established, and then a new vulnerability function is expressed in terms of PGA. Furthermore, the expected value of the seismic capacity index (SCev) is provided to estimate the seismic capacity of buildings based on the probability distribution of damage levels and the corresponding seismic capacity index. The results indicate that the proposed vulnerability methodology is able to assess seismic damage of a large number of building stock directly and quickly following an earthquake. The SCev provides an effective index to measure the seismic capacity of buildings and illustrate the relationship between the seismic capacity of buildings and seismic action. The estimated result is compared with damage surveys of the cities of Dujiangyan and Jiangyou in the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, revealing that the methodology is acceptable for seismic risk assessment and decision making. The primary reasons for discrepancies between the estimated results and the damage surveys are discussed.

Education and health knowledge: evidence from UK compulsory schooling reform.

PubMed

Johnston, David W; Lordan, Grace; Shields, Michael A; Suziedelyte, Agne

2015-02-01

We investigate if there is a causal link between education and health knowledge using data from the 1984/85 and 1991/92 waves of the UK Health and Lifestyle Survey (HALS). Uniquely, the survey asks respondents what they think are the main causes of ten common health conditions, and we compare these answers to those given by medical professionals to form an index of health knowledge. For causal identification we use increases in the UK minimum school leaving age in 1947 (from 14 to 15) and 1972 (from 15 to 16) to provide exogenous variation in education. These reforms predominantly induced adolescents who would have left school to stay for one additionally mandated year. OLS estimates suggest that education significantly increases health knowledge, with a one-year increase in schooling increasing the health knowledge index by 15% of a standard deviation. In contrast, estimates from instrumental-variable models show that increased schooling due to the education reforms did not significantly affect health knowledge. This main result is robust to numerous specification tests and alternative formulations of the health knowledge index. Further research is required to determine whether there is also no causal link between higher levels of education - such as post-school qualifications - and health knowledge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

State-level climate, anti-discrimination law, and sexual minority health status: An ecological study.

PubMed

Solazzo, Alexa; Brown, Tony N; Gorman, Bridget K

2018-01-01

How social and legal climate influence LGB health is an under-studied topic. In response, this study examines whether the lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) climate index and presence of anti-discrimination law show population health significance for U.S. sexual minorities. The LGB climate index uses survey data collected between 2012 and 2013 to gauge states' support of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, whereas anti-discrimination law captures any state-level law that makes it illegal to discriminate because of sexual orientation in employment, housing, and public accommodations. We merge these two contextual measures with 2011-2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) aggregated, individual-level survey data, from which we generate three measures of state-level rates: excellent self-rated health, routine health care utilization, and health insurance among self-identified lesbian/gay and bisexual adults. We find that the LGB climate index associates positively with rates of excellent self-rated health, routine health care utilization, and health insurance-but only for states with anti-discrimination laws, and only among lesbian/gay adults. Analyses confirm salubrious synergism between a sexually-minority-friendly climate and anti-discrimination law-together these two contextual measures interact to protect lesbian/gay population health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Family meals among New Zealand young people: relationships with eating behaviors and body mass index.

PubMed

Utter, Jennifer; Denny, Simon; Robinson, Elizabeth; Fleming, Terry; Ameratunga, Shanthi; Grant, Sue

2013-01-01

To examine the relationship between family meals and nutrition behaviors of adolescents. Secondary analysis of Youth'07, a nationally representative survey. Secondary schools in New Zealand. Randomly selected adolescents (aged 13-17 years, n = 9,107) completed a multimedia and anonymous survey about their health. Body mass index and eating behaviors. Multiple logistic regression equations were used to determine the associations between family meals and body size and dietary behaviors, controlling for demographic variables. Nearly 60% of young people shared a meal with their families 5 or more times in the previous week. Frequent family meals were associated with greater consumption of fruits and vegetables (P < .001), and breakfast (P < .001). Adolescents who frequently shared family meals were also more likely to report that what they ate in the past week was healthy than adolescents who did not (P < .001). There was no relationship between frequency of family meals and body mass index (P = .60). Data from the current study suggest that family meals cannot be used as a single strategy for obesity prevention, but they may provide an important opportunity for young people to consume healthy food. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Changes in dental caries indexes in school children in an area of Xochimilco, Mexico: 1984-1992].

PubMed

Irigoyen-Camacho, M E; Molina-Feichero, N; Villanueva-Arriaga, R; García-López, S

1995-01-01

To describe the changes in dental caries prevalence and severity, in a group of primary schoolchildren. Two dental caries surveys were carried out, one in 1984 and the other in 1992. The dental caries indices were registered using the World Health Organization's criteria. A group of 6-7 years old schoolchildren living in the East Region of Xochimilco were included in the study. A total of 279 children participated in this study; 153 in 1984 and 126 in 1992. The mean value of the deft index was 5.65 (SD 3.35) in 1984, and the mean value of the deft index was 4.89 (SD 3.7) in 1992. For the permanent dentition the DMFT was 0.51 (SD 1.0) in 1984 and 0.48 (SD 0.82) in 1992. Differences in dental caries indices, between the first and second survey, were significant only for the primary dentition in the six years old group (95% CI 0.36, 2.15). An increase in the proportion of filled teeth was found. However, the treatment needs are still very high (69% for primary teeth and 86% for permanent teeth). The findings from this study seem to indicate little change in the prevalence and severity of dental caries in the population in the period of study.

Long-term monitoring of endangered Laysan ducks: Index validation and population estimates 1998–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Michelle H.; Courtot, Karen; Brinck, Kevin W.; Rehkemper, Cynthia; Hatfield, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Monitoring endangered wildlife is essential to assessing management or recovery objectives and learning about population status. We tested assumptions of a population index for endangered Laysan duck (or teal; Anas laysanensis) monitored using mark–resight methods on Laysan Island, Hawai’i. We marked 723 Laysan ducks between 1998 and 2009 and identified seasonal surveys through 2012 that met accuracy and precision criteria for estimating population abundance. Our results provide a 15-y time series of seasonal population estimates at Laysan Island. We found differences in detection among seasons and how observed counts related to population estimates. The highest counts and the strongest relationship between count and population estimates occurred in autumn (September–November). The best autumn surveys yielded population abundance estimates that ranged from 674 (95% CI = 619–730) in 2003 to 339 (95% CI = 265–413) in 2012. A population decline of 42% was observed between 2010 and 2012 after consecutive storms and Japan’s To¯hoku earthquake-generated tsunami in 2011. Our results show positive correlations between the seasonal maximum counts and population estimates from the same date, and support the use of standardized bimonthly counts of unmarked birds as a valid index to monitor trends among years within a season at Laysan Island.

My Favorite Things Electronically Speaking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glantz, Shelley

1997-01-01

Presents the results of an informal user survey on favorite information technology, including the best features of these. Discusses library online catalogs, electronic encyclopedias, CD-ROMs, laser discs, electronic magazine indexes, online services, the Internet, word processing programs, magazines as major sources of technology information,…

A HABITAT SUITABILITY INDEX FOR THE BAY SCALLOP ARGOPECTEN IRRADIANS

EPA Science Inventory

Platform Presentation at a Scientific Meeting. A survey of Lagoon Pond, Martha's Vineyard, MA, USA was conducted in September 2005 to determine the combination of habitat factors most highly correlated with bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) abundance. A stratified random samplin...

Why we love or hate our cars: A qualitative approach to the development of a quantitative user experience survey.

PubMed

Tonetto, Leandro Miletto; Desmet, Pieter M A

2016-09-01

This paper presents a more ecologically valid way of developing theory-based item questionnaires for measuring user experience. In this novel approach, items were generated using natural and domain-specific language of the research population, what seems to have made the survey much more sensitive to real experiences than theory-based ones. The approach was applied in a survey that measured car experience. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted with drivers inside their cars. The resulting transcripts were analysed with the aim of capturing their natural utterances for expressing their car experience. This analysis resulted in 71 categories of answers. For each category, one sentence was selected to serve as a survey-item. In an online platform, 538 respondents answered the survey. Data reliability, tested with Cronbach alpha index, was 0.94, suggesting a survey with highly reliable results to measure drivers' appraisals of their cars. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do Press Ganey Scores Correlate With Total Knee Arthroplasty-Specific Outcome Questionnaires in Postsurgical Patients?

PubMed

Chughtai, Morad; Patel, Nirav K; Gwam, Chukwuweike U; Khlopas, Anton; Bonutti, Peter M; Delanois, Ronald E; Mont, Michael A

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to assess whether Center for Medicaid and Medicare services-implemented satisfaction (Press Ganey [PG]) survey results correlate with established total knee arthroplasty (TKA) assessment tools. Data from 736 patients who underwent TKA and received a PG survey between November 2009 and January 2015 were analyzed. The PG survey overall hospital rating scores were correlated with standardized validated outcome assessment tools for TKA (Short form-12 and 36 Health Survey; Knee Society Score; Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index; University of California, Los Angeles; and visual analog scale) at a mean follow-up of 1154 days post-TKA. There was no correlation between PG survey overall hospital rating score and the above-mentioned outcome assessment tools. Our study shows that there is no statistically significant relationship between established arthroplasty assessment tools and the PG overall hospital rating. Therefore, PG surveys may not be an appropriate tool to determine reimbursement for orthopedists performing TKAs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physiological and psychological responses of humans to the index of greenness of an interior space.

PubMed

Choi, Ji-Young; Park, Sin-Ae; Jung, Soo-Jin; Lee, Ji-Young; Son, Ki-Cheol; An, Youn-Joo; Lee, Sang-Woo

2016-10-01

The objective of this study was to identify the optimal index of greenness in terms of psychophysiological responses and subjective preference. We recruited 103 adult (51 male, 52 female) participants, who were examined individually in an interior space (lab) setting at Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea. Participants observed plants in the space for 3min per experimental index of greenness (5%, 20%, 50%, and 80%). During this period, heart rate variability (HRV) and electroencephalographic (EEG) physiological responses were measured, and the participant's preference for index of greenness and subjective index of greenness was determined via surveys. HRV values were normal, and not significantly different, except that male participants showed higher mean variability between cardiac NN intervals and greater autonomic activity than female participants (P<0.05). EEG data were not significantly different, except that female participants had a significantly higher mean amplitude at the left occipital (O1) electrode than male participants (P<0.01). Subjectively, participants preferred the 50% index of greenness the most, though they consistently reported the subjective index of greenness to be ∼15% higher than the actual level. We conclude that given a limited interior space, even a small amount of greenery may exert a relaxing effect on people. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rating health and stability of engineering structures via classification indexes of InSAR Persistent Scatterers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratesi, Fabio; Tapete, Deodato; Terenzi, Gloria; Del Ventisette, Chiara; Moretti, Sandro

2015-08-01

We propose a novel set of indexes to classify the information content of Persistent Scatterers (PS) and rate the health of engineering structures at urban to local scale. PS are automatically sampled and grouped via 'control areas' coinciding with the building and its surrounding environment. Density over the 'control areas' and velocity of PS are converted respectively into: Completeness of Information Index (Ici) that reflects the PS coverage grade; and Conservation Criticality Indexes (Icc) which rate the health condition of the monument separately for the object and surrounding control areas. The deformation pattern over the structure is classified as isolated (i) or diffused (d) based on the Velocity Distribution Index (Ivd). Both Ici and Icc are rated from A to E classes using a colour-coded system that intentionally emulates an energy-efficiency scale, to encourage the exploitation of PS by stakeholders and end-users in the practise of engineering surveying. Workability and reliability of the classification indexes are demonstrated over the urban heritage of Florence, Italy, using well established ERS-1/2 (1992-2000) descending, ENVISAT (2003-2010) ascending and descending PS datasets. The indexes are designed in perspective of handling outputs from InSAR processing of higher-resolution time series.

Standardization and application of an index of community integrity for waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prosser, Diann J.; Nagel, Jessica L.; Marban, Paul; Ze, Luo; Day, Daniel D.; Erwin, R. Michael

2017-01-01

In recent decades, there has been increasing interest in the application of ecological indices to assess ecosystem condition in response to anthropogenic activities. An Index of Waterbird Community Integrity was previously developed for the Chesapeake Bay, USA. However, the scoring criteria were not defined well enough to generate scores for new species that were not observed in the original study. The goal of this study was to explicitly define the scoring criteria for the existing index and to develop index scores for all waterbirds of the Chesapeake Bay. The standardized index then was applied to a case study investigating the relationship between waterbird community integrity and shoreline development during late summer and late fall (2012–2014) using an alternative approach to survey methodology, which allowed for greater area coverage compared to the approach used in the original study. Index scores for both seasons were negatively related to percentage of developed shorelines. Providing these updated tools using the detailed scoring system will facilitate future application to new species or development of the index in other estuaries worldwide. This methodology allows for consistent cross-study comparisons and can be combined with other community integrity indices, allowing for more effective estuarine management.

Mobbing, stress, and work ability index among physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina: survey study.

PubMed

Pranjić, Nurka; Males-Bilić, Ljiljana; Beganlić, Azijada; Mustajbegović, Jadranka

2006-10-01

To assess the frequency of reported mobbing and the association among mobbing, working environment factors, stress, health outcome, personality type, and work ability index in a sample of physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We conducted a questionnaire survey using a validated self-reported questionnaire among 511 physicians in national health sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The questions covered five major categories of mobbing behavior. Characteristics of the work, perceived work environment and its effects, stress, health, and satisfaction with work and life were assessed by the standardized abridged form of Occupational Stress Questionnaire (OSQ). A standardized questionnaire Work Ability Index (WAI) was used to determine the relation between mobbing and work ability. Of 511 surveyed physicians, 387 (76%) physicians self-reported mobbing behavior in the working environment and 136 (26%) was exposed to persistent mobbing. More than a half of the physicians experienced threats to their professional status and almost a half felt isolated. Logistic regression analysis showed that lack of motivation, loss of self-esteem, loss of confidence, fatigue, and depressiveness were significantly associated with lack of support from colleagues. Intention to leave work was associated with lack of support from colleagues (OR 2.3, 95% CI, 1.065-3.535; t =4.296, P =0.003) and lack of support from superiors (OR 1.526, 95% CI, 0.976-2.076; t =5.753; P =0.001). Isolation or exclusion and threats to professional status were predictors for mental health symptoms. Persistent mobbing experience was a significant predictor for sick leave. Exposure to persistent threat to professional status and isolation or exclusion as forms of mobbing are associated with mental health disturbances and lack of self-esteem and confidence. Setting up a system of support for physicians exposed to mobbing may have important benefits.

Epidemiology of diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy in Africa: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Burgess, P I; MacCormick, I J C; Harding, S P; Bastawrous, A; Beare, N A V; Garner, P

2013-01-01

Abstract Aim To summarize findings from studies reporting the prevalence and incidence of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic maculopathy in African countries in light of the rising prevalence of diabetes mellitus. Methods Using a predefined search strategy, we systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation index and Conference Proceedings Citation index, African Index Medicus and the grey literature database ‘OpenSIGLE’ for studies published between January 1990 and February 2011. Included studies reported prevalence or incidence of diabetic retinopathy or diabetic maculopathy of subjects with diabetes resident in African countries. Results Sixty-two studies from 21 countries were included: three population-based surveys; two cohort studies; five case–control studies; 32 diabetes clinic-based, nine eye clinic-based and 11 other hospital-based surveys. Included studies varied considerably in terms of patient selection, method of assessing the eye and retinopathy classification. In population-based studies, the reported prevalence range in patients with diabetes for diabetic retinopathy was 30.2 to 31.6%, proliferative diabetic retinopathy 0.9 to 1.3%, and any maculopathy 1.2 to 4.5%. In diabetes clinic-based surveys, the reported prevalence range for diabetic retinopathy was 7.0 to 62.4%, proliferative diabetic retinopathy 0 to 6.9%, and any maculopathy 1.2 to 31.1%. No obvious association between prevalence and income level of the country was detected. Conclusions Large, community-based cross-sectional and cohort studies are needed to investigate rates and determinants of prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, incidence and progression in Africa. Consensus is needed on the most appropriate methods of identification and classification of retinopathy for research and clinical practice. Estimates of prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy are comparable with recent European and American studies. PMID:22817387

Development of spatial scaling technique of forest health sample point information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Ryu, J.; Choi, Y. Y.; Chung, H. I.; Kim, S. H.; Jeon, S. W.

2017-12-01

Most forest health assessments are limited to monitoring sampling sites. The monitoring of forest health in Britain in Britain was carried out mainly on five species (Norway spruce, Sitka spruce, Scots pine, Oak, Beech) Database construction using Oracle database program with density The Forest Health Assessment in GreatBay in the United States was conducted to identify the characteristics of the ecosystem populations of each area based on the evaluation of forest health by tree species, diameter at breast height, water pipe and density in summer and fall of 200. In the case of Korea, in the first evaluation report on forest health vitality, 1000 sample points were placed in the forests using a systematic method of arranging forests at 4Km × 4Km at regular intervals based on an sample point, and 29 items in four categories such as tree health, vegetation, soil, and atmosphere. As mentioned above, existing researches have been done through the monitoring of the survey sample points, and it is difficult to collect information to support customized policies for the regional survey sites. In the case of special forests such as urban forests and major forests, policy and management appropriate to the forest characteristics are needed. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the survey headquarters for diagnosis and evaluation of customized forest health. For this reason, we have constructed a method of spatial scale through the spatial interpolation according to the characteristics of each index of the main sample point table of 29 index in the four points of diagnosis and evaluation report of the first forest health vitality report, PCA statistical analysis and correlative analysis are conducted to construct the indicators with significance, and then weights are selected for each index, and evaluation of forest health is conducted through statistical grading.

Medical Student Sexuality: How Sexual Experience and Sexuality Training Impact U.S. and Canadian Medical Students’ Comfort in Dealing with Patients’ Sexuality in Clinical Practice

PubMed Central

Shindel, Alan W.; Ando, Kathryn A.; Nelson, Christian J.; Breyer, Benjamin N.; Lue, Tom F.; Smith, James F.

2013-01-01

Purpose To determine factors associated with students’ comfort in addressing patients’ sexuality in the clinical context. Method The authors invited students enrolled in MD-degree-granting and osteopathic medical schools in the United States and Canada to participate in an anonymous Internet survey between February and July 2008. The survey assessed ethnodemographic factors and sexual history. Respondents also completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Male respondents completed the International Index of Erectile Function and the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool. Female respondents completed the Female Sexual Function Index and the Index of Sex Life. The authors used descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multivariable logistic regression to analyze responses. Results The authors’ analyses included 2,261 completed survey responses: 910 from men, 1,343 from women, and 8 from individuals who self-identified as “other” gendered. Over 53% of respondents (n = 1,206) stated that they felt they had not received sufficient training in medical school to address sexual concerns clinically. Despite this, 81% of students (n = 1,827) reported feeling comfortable dealing with their patients’ sexuality issues. Students with limited sexual experience, students at risk for sexual problems, and students who felt that they had not been trained adequately were less likely to report being comfortable talking to patients about sexual health issues. Conclusions Perception of inadequate sexuality training in medical school and personal issues pertaining to sex may be associated with students’ difficulty in addressing patients’ sexuality. Adequate training is preeminently associated with feeling comfortable addressing patients’ sexuality and should be a priority for medical education. PMID:20671459

The Effect of Maternal Death on the Health of the Husband and Children in a Rural Area of China: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Zhou, Hong; Zhang, Long; Ye, Fang; Wang, Hai-Jun; Huntington, Dale; Huang, Yanjie; Wang, Anqi; Liu, Shuiqing; Wang, Yan

2016-01-01

To examine the effects of maternal death on the health of the index child, the health and educational attainment of the older children, and the mental health and quality of life of the surviving husband. A cohort study including 183 households that experienced a maternal death matched to 346 households that experienced childbirth but not a maternal death was conducted prospectively between June 2009 and October 2011 in rural China. Data on household sociodemographic characteristics, physical and mental health were collected using a quantitative questionnaire and medical examination at baseline and follow-up surveys. Multivariate linear regression, logistic regression models and difference-in-difference (DID) were used to compare differences of outcomes between two groups. The index children who experienced the loss of a mother had a significantly higher likelihood of dying, abandonment and malnutrition compared to children whose mothers survived at the follow-up survey. The risk of not attending school on time and dropping out of school among older children in the affected group was higher than those in the control group during the follow-up. Husbands whose wife died had significantly lower EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS both at baseline and at follow-up surveys compared to those without experiencing a wife's death, suggesting an immediate and sustained poorer mental health quality of life among the surviving husbands. Also the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was 72.6% at baseline and 56.2% at follow-up among husbands whose wife died. Maternal death has multifaceted and spillover effects on the physical and mental health of family members that are sustained over time. Programmes that reduce maternal mortality will mitigate repercussions on surviving family members are critical and needed.

Lupus anticoagulants: first French interlaboratory Etalonorme survey.

PubMed

Roussi, J; Roisin, J P; Goguel, A

1996-06-01

In 1994, the, French National Quality Control Group for Hematology, Etalonorme, conducted a large-scale interlaboratory survey concerning the detection of lupus anticoagulants (LA) involving all the 4,500 French laboratories. Each laboratory received the same batch of a lyophilized citrated plasma (94B3) prepared from a patient with LA that had been confirmed by all the techniques used in the intralaboratory study. In the interlaboratory survey, the screening test was activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT); mean APTT calculated from the results reported by 4,029 labs was prolonged (clotting ratio = 1.44) with a large dispersion (coefficients of variation = 18.8%). APTT of the mixture 94B3 + normal plasma were performed by 2,698 laboratories. No correction of APTT was obtained (R = 1.36, Rosner index = 24) with a wide variation between reagents (17 < Rosner index < 39). Only 15% of the participants performed confirmatory tests; dilute tissue thromboplastin inhibition test (TTI) performed by 509 laboratories gave 75% positive results. Tests with an increased amount of phospholipids (Staclot LA and Staclot PNP from Diagnostica Stago), used by 116 and 72 laboratories, gave 88% and 61% positive results, respectively. A total of 1,862 laboratories made the diagnosis of LA. The majority of those who failed in diagnosing LA used an APTT reagent largely used in France, containing kaolin. This survey allowed Etalonorme to inform French biologists and draft an educational program for the biologic detection of LA and the identification of its mechanism of action.

[EUROASPIRE III: a comparison between Turkey and Europe].

PubMed

Tokgözoğlu, Lale; Kaya, Ergün Bariş; Erol, Cetin; Ergene, Oktay

2010-04-01

The EUROASPIRE III survey was conducted in 2006-2007 in 22 countries in Europe (76 centers) to describe risk factors, lifestyle and therapeutic management of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), compliance with current guidelines, and to document changes over time. This study aimed to assess the results of the EUROASPIRE III survey in terms of differences between Turkey and other European countries. The results of the EUROASPIRE III survey were compared with those of 17 centers from Turkey. Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CHD (669 medical records, 23.8% women) were identified retrospectively, of which 338 patients (50.5%) were followed-up, interviewed, and examined at least six months after the index event (acute coronary syndrome or interventional procedure). Compared to the EUROASPIRE III data, recordings from Turkey's centers at discharge on classical risk factors did not exhibit remarkable differences; however, data on weight, height, waist circumference, lipid profile, glucose, and HbA1c measurements were more incomplete. In comparison to Europe population, the most important differences were observed in the higher rates of the following: young patients with myocardial infarction (>50 years, 20% vs. 12.7%), persistence in smoking (23.1% vs. 17.2%), immobility, low HDL-cholesterol (50.2% vs. 36.7%), insufficient follow-up by physicians after the index event (12% vs. 2.2%-except Turkey), and insufficient patient education. The data from the Turkey arm of the survey show that efforts for cardiovascular disease prevention fall short of the targets, similar to Europe.

The XMM Cluster Survey: the halo occupation number of BOSS galaxies in X-ray clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrtens, Nicola; Romer, A. Kathy; Nichol, Robert C.; Collins, Chris A.; Sahlén, Martin; Rooney, Philip J.; Mayers, Julian A.; Bermeo-Hernandez, A.; Bristow, Martyn; Capozzi, Diego; Christodoulou, L.; Comparat, Johan; Hilton, Matt; Hoyle, Ben; Kay, Scott T.; Liddle, Andrew R.; Mann, Robert G.; Masters, Karen; Miller, Christopher J.; Parejko, John K.; Prada, Francisco; Ross, Ashley J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Stott, John P.; Streblyanska, Alina; Viana, Pedro T. P.; White, Martin; Wilcox, Harry; Zehavi, Idit

2016-12-01

We present a direct measurement of the mean halo occupation distribution (HOD) of galaxies taken from the eleventh data release (DR11) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). The HOD of BOSS low-redshift (LOWZ: 0.2 < z < 0.4) and Constant-Mass (CMASS: 0.43 < z < 0.7) galaxies is inferred via their association with the dark matter haloes of 174 X-ray-selected galaxy clusters drawn from the XMM Cluster Survey (XCS). Halo masses are determined for each galaxy cluster based on X-ray temperature measurements, and range between log10(M180/M⊙) = 13 and 15. Our directly measured HODs are consistent with the HOD-model fits inferred via the galaxy-clustering analyses of Parejko et al. for the BOSS LOWZ sample and White et al. for the BOSS CMASS sample. Under the simplifying assumption that the other parameters that describe the HOD hold the values measured by these authors, we have determined a best-fitting alpha-index of 0.91 ± 0.08 and 1.27^{+0.03}_{-0.04} for the CMASS and LOWZ HOD, respectively. These alpha-index values are consistent with those measured by White et al. and Parejko et al. In summary, our study provides independent support for the HOD models assumed during the development of the BOSS mock-galaxy catalogues that have subsequently been used to derive BOSS cosmological constraints.

Gender Inequality Index Appropriateness for Measuring Inequality.

PubMed

Amin, Elham; Sabermahani, Asma

2017-01-01

Gender inequality means unequal distribution of wealth, power, and benefits among women and men. The gender inequality index (GII) measures the lost human development in three important dimensions: reproductive health, political empowerment, and economic status. The first purpose of this study was to calculate the index for provinces of Iran, and the second purpose was to survey the appropriateness of that, for comparing different regions, through regression estimations. In this study, GII has been calculated for Iran between the years 2006-2011 and provinces have been ranked based on it. Then, a panel composed of 30 sections was estimated for five years to determine the most important factor affecting level of index. Some changes have been made to analyze values of the index and the ranking of provinces. Based on panel model, share of parliamentary seats was the most effective factor for determination of the index. After applying adjustments, some differences were seen in the ranking of provinces and general level of index. Weighing of dimensions of the index and considering an overall variable, such as life expectancy in the field of health, will give a more accurate comparison of the GII among different regions though concurrent attention to non-discriminatory cultural dimensions of political participation of women; therefore, making more analyses possible for a more correct comparison of the extensive geographical regions, such as countries.

Electronic health records to support obesity-related patient care: Results from a survey of United States physicians.

PubMed

Bronder, Kayla L; Dooyema, Carrie A; Onufrak, Stephen J; Foltz, Jennifer L

2015-08-01

Obesity-related electronic health record functions increase the rates of measuring Body Mass Index, diagnosing obesity, and providing obesity services. This study describes the prevalence of obesity-related electronic health record functions in clinical practice and analyzes characteristics associated with increased obesity-related electronic health record sophistication. Data were analyzed from DocStyles, a web-based panel survey administered to 1507 primary care providers practicing in the United States in June, 2013. Physicians were asked if their electronic health record has specific obesity-related functions. Logistical regression analyses identified characteristics associated with improved obesity-related electronic health record sophistication. Of the 88% of providers with an electronic health record, 83% of electronic health records calculate Body Mass Index, 52% calculate pediatric Body Mass Index percentile, and 32% flag patients with abnormal Body Mass Index values. Only 36% provide obesity-related decision support and 17% suggest additional resources for obesity-related care. Characteristics associated with having a more sophisticated electronic health record include age ≤45years old, being a pediatrician or family practitioner, and practicing in a larger, outpatient practice. Few electronic health records optimally supported physician's obesity-related clinical care. The low rates of obesity-related electronic health record functions currently in practice highlight areas to improve the clinical health information technology in primary care practice. More work can be done to develop, implement, and promote the effective utilization of obesity-related electronic health record functions to improve obesity treatment and prevention efforts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Television viewing and other screen-based entertainment in relation to multiple socioeconomic status indicators and area deprivation: the Scottish Health Survey 2003.

PubMed

Stamatakis, E; Hillsdon, M; Mishra, G; Hamer, M; Marmot, M

2009-09-01

Sedentary behaviour (sitting) is detrimental to health, independently of participation in physical activity. Socioeconomic position (SEP) is known to relate strongly to physical activity participation but we know very little about how SEP relates to sedentary behaviour. This study aimed to assess the relationships between SEP, neighbourhood deprivation and an index of sedentary time. Cross-sectional study of a representative sample of 7940 Scottish adults who participated in the 2003 Scottish Health Survey, which collected information on SEP (household income, social class and education), neighbourhood deprivation (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation), television and other screen-based entertainment time, and physical activity. The three indicators of SEP and deprivation index were independently of each other associated with daily times of television and other screen-based entertainment, even after adjustment for occupational and leisure-time physical activity, health status, smoking, alcohol drinking, car ownership and body mass index: income p = 0.002; social class p<0.001; education p<0.001, deprivation p<0.001. Also, there was a strong cumulative effect of SEP (a composite scale where 0 = lowest, 9 = highest SEP position) with those in the lowest SEP spending an additional 109 minutes each day on screen-based entertainment compared to those in the highest socioeconomic position (p<0.001 for linear trend). Adverse socioeconomic position is associated with a cumulative increase in the time spent on screen-based entertainment. Reducing inequalities would be expected to reduce exposure to sedentary behaviours, such as excessive screen-based entertainment times, and therefore reduce the risk of chronic disease.

The use of dental care facilities and oral health: a multilevel approach of schoolchildren in the Brazilian context.

PubMed

Antunes, José Leopoldo; Peres, Marco Aurélio; Jahn, Graciela Medeiros Jabôr; Levy, Bárbara Bianca da Silva

2006-01-01

To appraise the association between dental care utilisation and gingival status in the Brazilian context, controlling for covariates on socio-demographic characteristics and dentofacial anomalies (12-year-old children). A survey of oral health comprising 5780 schoolchildren in 35 towns of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, provided primary information regarding the assessment of the community periodontal index. The survey also provided information on socio-demographic characteristics and the dental aesthetic index of participants. The utilization of dental services was measured at the town-level, in terms of the dental care index (F/DMFT ratio). Multilevel models of logistic regression fitted the adjustment of covariates for gingival bleeding on probing and calculus. Almost 32% of the children examined presented unhealthy gingival conditions, with a significantly poorer profile for boys, black children and those enrolled in public schools than for their counterparts. Several dentofacial anomalies associated with unhealthy gingival status: crowding of the incisal segments, maxillary and mandibular irregularity, antero posterior molar relation, maxillary overjet and vertical anterior openbite. Towns with a higher dental care index presented a lower proportion of children with gingival bleeding and calculus. This study confirmed previous observations of boys, blacks and children enrolled in public schools as presenting poorer oral health status than their counterparts in the Brazilian context. The utilization of dental services was significantly associated with improved profile of gingival status of participating towns, and this association is unlikely to be due to insufficient control of confounding on socio-demographic characteristics and dentofacial anomalies.

Predictors of job satisfaction and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study examined job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians in public healthcare institutions. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study analyzing survey data collected from 249 nurses and 57 physicians in 105 public health centers, three public tuberculosis hospitals, and one tertiary hospital. The survey questionnaire comprised general characteristics, work-related characteristics, and four index scales (job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout). The two-sample t-test was used to estimate the mean differences in the four index scales. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether general and work-related characteristics affected the four index scales. RESULTS: The job satisfaction and empowerment scores of the nurses were lower than those of the physicians. Except for the tuberculosis-specialized hospitals alone, the average job satisfaction scores of nurses were higher than those of physicians. Moreover, the nurses reported more job stress and burnout than did the physicians in tuberculosis departments in public healthcare institutions in Korea; in particular, the burnout reported by nurses was significantly higher than that reported by physicians at the National Medical Center. Marital status, nursing position, number of coworkers, the average number of days of overtime work per month, self-rated health, and hospital type were associated with the four index scales. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, nurses were more vulnerable to job stress and burnout than physicians. Reducing the workload of nurses by ensuring the presence of sufficient nursing staff and equipment, as well as by equipping facilities to prevent tuberculosis infections, should be considered priorities. PMID:26971698

Predictors of job satisfaction and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians.

PubMed

Seo, Hae-Suk; Kim, Hyunjoong; Hwang, Se-Min; Hong, Soo Hyun; Lee, In-Young

2016-01-01

This study examined job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians in public healthcare institutions. This was a cross-sectional study analyzing survey data collected from 249 nurses and 57 physicians in 105 public health centers, three public tuberculosis hospitals, and one tertiary hospital. The survey questionnaire comprised general characteristics, work-related characteristics, and four index scales (job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout). The two-sample t-test was used to estimate the mean differences in the four index scales. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether general and work-related characteristics affected the four index scales. The job satisfaction and empowerment scores of the nurses were lower than those of the physicians. Except for the tuberculosis-specialized hospitals alone, the average job satisfaction scores of nurses were higher than those of physicians. Moreover, the nurses reported more job stress and burnout than did the physicians in tuberculosis departments in public healthcare institutions in Korea; in particular, the burnout reported by nurses was significantly higher than that reported by physicians at the National Medical Center. Marital status, nursing position, number of coworkers, the average number of days of overtime work per month, self-rated health, and hospital type were associated with the four index scales. Overall, nurses were more vulnerable to job stress and burnout than physicians. Reducing the workload of nurses by ensuring the presence of sufficient nursing staff and equipment, as well as by equipping facilities to prevent tuberculosis infections, should be considered priorities.

Childhood body weight in relation to morbidity from cardiovascular disease and cancer in older adulthood: 67-year follow-up of participants in the 1947 Scottish Mental Survey.

PubMed

Batty, G David; Calvin, Catherine M; Brett, Caroline E; Čukić, Iva; Deary, Ian J

2015-11-01

Although it has been well documented that elevated body weight in middle- and older-aged populations is associated with multiple morbidities, the influence of childhood body weight on health endpoints other than coronary heart disease is not well understood. Accordingly, using a subsample of 4,620 participants (2,288 women) from the Scottish Mental Survey of 1947, we examined the association between body mass index measured at 11 years of age and future risk of 9 independent health endpoints as ascertained from national hospital admissions and cancer registers until 2014 (up to age 77 years). Although there was some evidence of a relationship between elevated childhood body mass index and higher rates of peripheral vascular disease (per each 1-standard deviation increase in body mass index, hazard ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.37) and smoking-related cancers (per each 1-standard deviation increase in body mass index, hazard ratio = 1.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.17), there was no apparent association with coronary heart disease, stroke (including ischemic stroke), heart failure, or carcinomas of the colorectum, stomach, lung, prostate, or breast. In conclusion, a relationship between childhood body weight and later morbidity was largely lacking in the present study. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Development of the first disability index for inflammatory bowel disease based on the international classification of functioning, disability and health

PubMed Central

Peyrin-Biroulet, Laurent; Cieza, Alarcos; Sandborn, William J; Coenen, Michaela; Chowers, Yehuda; Hibi, Toshifumi; Kostanjsek, Nenad; Stucki, Gerold

2011-01-01

Objective The impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on disability remains poorly understood. The World Health Organization's integrative model of human functioning and disability in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) makes disability assessment possible. The ICF is a hierarchical coding system with four levels of details that includes over 1400 categories. The aim of this study was to develop the first disability index for IBD by selecting most relevant ICF categories that are affected by IBD. Methods Relevant ICF categories were identified through four preparatory studies (systematic literature review, qualitative study, expert survey and cross-sectional study), which were presented at a consensus conference. Based on the identified ICF categories, a questionnaire to be filled in by clinicians, called the ‘IBD disability index’, was developed. Results The four preparatory studies identified 138 second-level categories: 75 for systematic literature review (153 studies), 38 for qualitative studies (six focus groups; 27 patients), 108 for expert survey (125 experts; 37 countries; seven occupations) and 98 for cross-sectional study (192 patients; three centres). The consensus conference (20 experts; 17 countries) led to the selection of 19 ICF core set categories that were used to develop the IBD disability index: seven on body functions, two on body structures, five on activities and participation and five on environmental factors. Conclusions The IBD disability index is now available. It will be used in studies to evaluate the long-term effect of IBD on patient functional status and will serve as a new endpoint in disease-modification trials. PMID:21646246

Principal component analysis of socioeconomic factors and their association with malaria and arbovirus risk in Tanzania: a sensitivity analysis.

PubMed

Homenauth, Esha; Kajeguka, Debora; Kulkarni, Manisha A

2017-11-01

Principal component analysis (PCA) is frequently adopted for creating socioeconomic proxies in order to investigate the independent effects of wealth on disease status. The guidelines and methods for the creation of these proxies are well described and validated. The Demographic and Health Survey, World Health Survey and the Living Standards Measurement Survey are examples of large data sets that use PCA to create wealth indices particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where quantifying wealth-disease associations is problematic due to the unavailability of reliable income and expenditure data. However, the application of this method to smaller survey data sets, especially in rural LMIC settings, is less rigorously studied.In this paper, we aimed to highlight some of these issues by investigating the association of derived wealth indices using PCA on risk of vector-borne disease infection in Tanzania focusing on malaria and key arboviruses (ie, dengue and chikungunya). We demonstrated that indices consisting of subsets of socioeconomic indicators provided the least methodologically flawed representations of household wealth compared with an index that combined all socioeconomic variables. These results suggest that the choice of the socioeconomic indicators included in a wealth proxy can influence the relative position of households in the overall wealth hierarchy, and subsequently the strength of disease associations. This can, therefore, influence future resource planning activities and should be considered among investigators who use a PCA-derived wealth index based on community-level survey data to influence programme or policy decisions in rural LMIC settings. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

On Becoming Trauma-Informed: Role of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey in Tertiary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the Association with Standard Measures of Impairment and Severity

PubMed Central

Rahman, Abdul; Perri, Andrea; Deegan, Avril; Kuntz, Jennifer; Cawthorpe, David

2018-01-01

Context There is a movement toward trauma-informed, trauma-focused psychiatric treatment. Objective To examine Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey items by sex and by total scores by sex vs clinical measures of impairment to examine the clinical utility of the ACE survey as an index of trauma in a child and adolescent mental health care setting. Design Descriptive, polychoric factor analysis and regression analyses were employed to analyze cross-sectional ACE surveys (N = 2833) and registration-linked data using past admissions (N = 10,400) collected from November 2016 to March 2017 related to clinical data (28 independent variables), taking into account multicollinearity. Results Distinct ACE items emerged for males, females, and those with self-identified sex and for ACE total scores in regression analysis. In hierarchical regression analysis, the final models consisting of standard clinical measures and demographic and system variables (eg, repeated admissions) were associated with substantial ACE total score variance for females (44%) and males (38%). Inadequate sample size foreclosed on developing a reduced multivariable model for the self-identified sex group. Conclusion The ACE scores relate to independent clinical measures and system and demographic variables. There are implications for clinical practice. For example, a child presenting with anxiety and a high ACE score likely requires treatment that is different from a child presenting with anxiety and an ACE score of zero. The ACE survey score is an important index of presenting clinical status that guides patient care planning and intervention in the progress toward a trauma-focused system of care. PMID:29401055

Menstrual and reproductive factors and type 2 diabetes risk: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study.

PubMed

Nanri, Akiko; Mizoue, Tetsuya; Noda, Mitsuhiko; Goto, Atsushi; Sawada, Norie; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2018-04-18

Menstrual and reproductive factors, including age at menarche, parity, and breastfeeding, have been linked to type 2 diabetes risk. We prospectively investigated the association between these factors and type 2 diabetes risk in a large Japanese cohort. Participants were 37,511 women aged 45-75 years who participated in the baseline (1990-1993), second (1995-1998), and third surveys (2000-2003) of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study and who had no history of diabetes at the second survey. Menstrual and reproductive history was ascertained using questionnaires at the baseline and second surveys. Odds ratios of self-reported, physician-diagnosed type 2 diabetes over the 5-year period from the second survey were estimated using logistic regression. At the third survey, 513 new cases of type 2 diabetes were self-reported. The odds ratios of type 2 diabetes tended to increase with the number of parity, after adjustment for covariates other than body mass index (P for trend = 0.029). The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of type 2 diabetes for women with ≥3 births was 1.56 (0.96-2.53) compared to those who were nulliparous. The association between parity and type 2 diabetes risk was attenuated after additional adjustment for body mass index (P for trend = 0.12). No factors other than parity were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes risk. Higher parity may be associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes among Japanese women, partly through increasing body weight. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Mentoring perception and academic performance: an Academic Health Science Centre survey.

PubMed

Athanasiou, Thanos; Patel, Vanash; Garas, George; Ashrafian, Hutan; Shetty, Kunal; Sevdalis, Nick; Panzarasa, Pietro; Darzi, Ara; Paroutis, Sotirios

2016-10-01

To determine the association between professors' self-perception of mentoring skills and their academic performance. Two hundred and fifteen professors from Imperial College London, the first Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) in the UK, were surveyed. The instrument adopted was the Mentorship Skills Self-Assessment Survey. Statement scores were aggregated to provide a score for each shared core, mentor-specific and mentee-specific skill. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate their relationship with quantitative measures of academic performance (publications, citations and h-index). There were 104 professors that responded (response rate 48%). There were no statistically significant negative correlations between any mentoring statement and any performance measure. In contrast, several mentoring survey items were positively correlated with academic performance. The total survey score for frequency of application of mentoring skills had a statistically significant positive association with number of publications (B=0.012, SE=0.004, p=0.006), as did the frequency of acquiring mentors with number of citations (B=1.572, SE=0.702, p=0.030). Building trust and managing risks had a statistically significant positive association with h-index (B=0.941, SE=0.460, p=0.047 and B=0.613, SE=0.287, p=0.038, respectively). This study supports the view that mentoring is associated with high academic performance. Importantly, it suggests that frequent use of mentoring skills and quality of mentoring have positive effects on academic performance. Formal mentoring programmes should be considered a fundamental part of all AHSCs' configuration. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The relationship of body mass index to diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia: comparison of data from two national surveys

PubMed Central

Bays, H E; Chapman, R H; Grandy, S

2007-01-01

The objectives of this study were to explore the relation between body mass index (BMI) and prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia; examine BMI distributions among patients with these conditions; and compare results from two national surveys. The Study to Help Improve Early evaluation and management of risk factors Leading to Diabetes (SHIELD) 2004 screening questionnaire (mailed survey) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 1999–2002 (interview, clinical and laboratory data) were conducted in nationally representative samples ≥ 18 years old. Responses were received from 127,420 of 200,000 households (64%, representing 211,097 adults) for SHIELD, and 4257 participants for NHANES. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia was estimated within BMI categories, as was distribution of BMI levels among individuals with these diseases. Mean BMI was 27.8 kg/m2 for SHIELD and 27.9 kg/m2 for NHANES. Increased BMI was associated with increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia in both studies (p < 0.001). For each condition, more than 75% of patients had BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension was similar in both studies, while dyslipidaemia was substantially higher in NHANES than SHIELD. In both studies, prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia occurred across all ranges of BMI, but increased with higher BMI. However, not all overweight or obese patients had these metabolic diseases and not all with these conditions were overweight or obese. Except for dyslipidaemia prevalence, SHIELD was comparable with NHANES. Consumer panel surveys may be an alternative method to collect data on the relationship of BMI and metabolic diseases. PMID:17493087

The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index): an instrument to measure adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet.

PubMed

van Lee, Linde; Geelen, Anouk; van Huysduynen, Eveline J C Hooft; de Vries, Jeanne H M; van't Veer, Pieter; Feskens, Edith J M

2012-07-20

The objective was to develop an index based on the Dutch Guidelines for a healthy Diet of 2006 that reflects dietary quality and to apply it to the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) to examine the associations with micronutrient intakes. A total of 749 men and women, aged 19-30 years, contributed two 24-hour recalls and additional questionnaires in the DNFCS of 2003. The Dutch Healthy Diet index (DHD-index) includes ten components representing the ten Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet. Per component the score ranges between zero and ten, resulting in a total score between zero (no adherence) and 100 (complete adherence). The mean ± SD of the DHD-index was 60.4 ± 11.5 for women and 57.8 ± 10.8 for men (P for difference = 0.002). Each component score increased across the sex-specific quintiles of the DHD-index. An inverse association was observed between the sex-specific quintiles of the DHD-index and total energy intake. Calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin E intake decreased with increasing DHD-index, an inverse association which disappeared after energy adjustment. Vitamin C showed a positive association across quintiles, also when adjusted for energy. For folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, and vitamin B6 a positive association emerged after adjustment for energy. The DHD-index is capable of ranking participants according to their adherence to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet by reflecting variation in nine out of ten components that constitute the index when based on two 24-hour recalls. Furthermore, the index showed to be a good measure of nutrient density of diets.

Neighbourhood walkability, leisure-time and transport-related physical activity in a mixed urban-rural area.

PubMed

de Sa, Eric; Ardern, Chris I

2014-01-01

Objectives. To develop a walkability index specific to mixed rural/suburban areas, and to explore the relationship between walkability scores and leisure time physical activity. Methods. Respondents were geocoded with 500 m and 1,000 m buffer zones around each address. A walkability index was derived from intersections, residential density, and land-use mix according to built environment measures. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to quantify the association between the index and physical activity levels. Analyses used cross-sectional data from the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 1158; ≥18 y). Results. Respondents living in highly walkable 500 m buffer zones (upper quartiles of the walkability index) were more likely to walk or cycle for leisure than those living in low-walkable buffer zones (quartile 1). When a 1,000 m buffer zone was applied, respondents in more walkable neighbourhoods were more likely to walk or cycle for both leisure-time and transport-related purposes. Conclusion. Developing a walkability index can assist in exploring the associations between measures of the built environment and physical activity to prioritize neighborhood change.

Bed Stability and sedimentation associated with human disturbances in Pacific Northwest streams

EPA Science Inventory

To evaluate anthropogenic sedimentation in United States (U.S.) Pacific Northwest coastal streams, we applied an index of relative bed stability (LRBS*) to summer low flow survey data collected using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessme...

Data Representations for Geographic Information Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, Clifford A.

1992-01-01

Surveys the field and literature of geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial data representation as it relates to GIS. Highlights include GIS terms, data types, and operations; vector representations and raster, or grid, representations; spatial indexing; elevation data representations; large spatial databases; and problem areas and future…

School Climate and Teacher Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Larry Don

2009-01-01

This study examined the relationship between school climate and teacher commitment. The study focused on elementary schools in Northeast Alabama. Thirty-four elementary schools consisting of 522 teachers took part in the study. The teachers completed two survey instruments: the Organizational Climate Index (OCI) and the Organizational Commitment…

Sabbatical Report: Results of a Survey of Library Microforms Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntosh, Melinda C.

1987-01-01

Highlights findings on the status of academic library microforms facilities in the United States and Canada based on visits to 11 libraries. Topics covered include administration, personnel, collection access and storage, classification, acquisition, circulation, indexes, hours, facilities, signage, equipment, photocopying, cleanliness, vandalism,…

Publications - AR 2011-A | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

Communications Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2011-A main

Publications - AR 2010-B | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

Communications Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2010-B main

Sections | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Communications Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates Sponsors' Proposals STATEMAP

Publications - AR 2011-B | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

Communications Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2011-B main

Study of the measurement of defense style using Bond's Defense Style Questionnaire.

PubMed

Nishimura, R

1998-08-01

Two hundred and seventy healthy university students were surveyed in December 1995 using Bond's Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) to measure the subjects' defense mechanisms. At the same time, a survey using Byrne's R-S Scale (Repression-Sensitization Scale) of the MMPI (Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory) and five psychiatric symptom indexes (anxiety, sense of inadequacy, sensitivity, depression and impulsive anger) selected from the CMI (Cornell Medical Index-Health Questionnaire) was conducted. Three factors were extracted from the DSQ through factor analysis: immature defenses, neurotic defenses, and mature defenses. The results of analysis of variance revealed the following: (i) for anxiety and anxiety related symptoms, both immature defenses and neurotic defenses indicated principal effect; (ii) for impulsive anger and depression, immature defenses presented principal effect; and (iii) for sensitivity and impulsive anger, interaction between a mature defense style and neurotic defense style was noted. The relationship between defense styles and psychiatric symptoms in healthy people is studied in this paper.

Limits on radio emission from meteors using the MWA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiang; Hancock, Paul; Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R.; Wayth, Randall B.; Beardsley, A.; Crosse, B.; Emrich, D.; Franzen, T. M. O.; Gaensler, B. M.; Horsley, L.; Johnston-Hollitt, M.; Kaplan, D. L.; Kenney, D.; Morales, M. F.; Pallot, D.; Steele, K.; Tingay, S. J.; Trott, C. M.; Walker, M.; Williams, A.; Wu, C.; Ji, Jianghui; Ma, Yuehua

2018-04-01

Recently, low frequency, broadband radio emission has been observed accompanying bright meteors by the Long Wavelength Array (LWA). The broadband spectra between 20 and 60 MHz were captured for several events, while the spectral index (dependence of flux density on frequency, with Sν∝να) was estimated to be -4 ± 1 during the peak of meteor afterglows. Here we present a survey of meteor emission and other transient events using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) at 72-103 MHz. In our 322-hour survey, down to a 5σ detection threshold of 3.5 Jy/beam, no transient candidates were identified as intrinsic emission from meteors. We derived an upper limit of -3.7 (95% confidence limit) on the spectral index in our frequency range. We also report detections of other transient events, like reflected FM broadcast signals from small satellites, conclusively demonstrating the ability of the MWA to detect and track space debris on scales as small as 0.1 m in low Earth orbits.

Diversity of containers and buildings infested with Aedes aegypti in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.

PubMed

Costa, Federico; Fattore, Gladys; Abril, Marcelo

2012-09-01

Aedes aegypti is the main domestic vector of the dengue virus. Control measures to prevent dengue transmission focus on the treatment and elimination of this vector's oviposition sites. There is limited biological information on Ae. aegypti in Argentina. The aim of this study was to characterize Ae. aegypti oviposition sites in the city of Puerto Iguazú, Argentina. We surveyed an area covering nine neighborhoods in 2005. We identified 191 premises as positive for Ae. aegypti, giving a general house index of 9.6%. Premises classified as residential and vacant lots presented the highest number of infested premises, with 9% and 22% respectively. The total number of surveyed containers was 29,600. The overall container index (CI) was 1.1. The most frequently infested containers were water tanks (CI = 37). These preliminary results suggest that vacant lots and water tanks provide suitable breeding areas and environmental conditions, improving the chances of Ae. aegypti survival in Puerto Iguazú.