Filling in the GAPS: evaluating completeness and coverage of open-access biodiversity databases in the United States

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

Troia, Matthew J.; McManamay, Ryan A.

Primary biodiversity data constitute observations of particular species at given points in time and space. Open-access electronic databases provide unprecedented access to these data, but their usefulness in characterizing species distributions and patterns in biodiversity depend on how complete species inventories are at a given survey location and how uniformly distributed survey locations are along dimensions of time, space, and environment. Our aim was to compare completeness and coverage among three open-access databases representing ten taxonomic groups (amphibians, birds, freshwater bivalves, crayfish, freshwater fish, fungi, insects, mammals, plants, and reptiles) in the contiguous United States. We compiled occurrence records frommore » the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and federally administered fish surveys (FFS). In this study, we aggregated occurrence records by 0.1° × 0.1° grid cells and computed three completeness metrics to classify each grid cell as well-surveyed or not. Next, we compared frequency distributions of surveyed grid cells to background environmental conditions in a GIS and performed Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests to quantify coverage through time, along two spatial gradients, and along eight environmental gradients. The three databases contributed >13.6 million reliable occurrence records distributed among >190,000 grid cells. The percent of well-surveyed grid cells was substantially lower for GBIF (5.2%) than for systematic surveys (BBS and FFS; 82.5%). Still, the large number of GBIF occurrence records produced at least 250 well-surveyed grid cells for six of nine taxonomic groups. Coverages of systematic surveys were less biased across spatial and environmental dimensions but were more biased in temporal coverage compared to GBIF data. GBIF coverages also varied among taxonomic groups, consistent with commonly recognized geographic, environmental, and institutional sampling biases. Lastly, this comprehensive assessment of biodiversity data across the contiguous United States provides a prioritization scheme to fill in the gaps by contributing existing occurrence records to the public domain and planning future surveys.« less

Filling in the GAPS: evaluating completeness and coverage of open-access biodiversity databases in the United States

DOE PAGES

Troia, Matthew J.; McManamay, Ryan A.

2016-06-12

Primary biodiversity data constitute observations of particular species at given points in time and space. Open-access electronic databases provide unprecedented access to these data, but their usefulness in characterizing species distributions and patterns in biodiversity depend on how complete species inventories are at a given survey location and how uniformly distributed survey locations are along dimensions of time, space, and environment. Our aim was to compare completeness and coverage among three open-access databases representing ten taxonomic groups (amphibians, birds, freshwater bivalves, crayfish, freshwater fish, fungi, insects, mammals, plants, and reptiles) in the contiguous United States. We compiled occurrence records frommore » the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and federally administered fish surveys (FFS). In this study, we aggregated occurrence records by 0.1° × 0.1° grid cells and computed three completeness metrics to classify each grid cell as well-surveyed or not. Next, we compared frequency distributions of surveyed grid cells to background environmental conditions in a GIS and performed Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests to quantify coverage through time, along two spatial gradients, and along eight environmental gradients. The three databases contributed >13.6 million reliable occurrence records distributed among >190,000 grid cells. The percent of well-surveyed grid cells was substantially lower for GBIF (5.2%) than for systematic surveys (BBS and FFS; 82.5%). Still, the large number of GBIF occurrence records produced at least 250 well-surveyed grid cells for six of nine taxonomic groups. Coverages of systematic surveys were less biased across spatial and environmental dimensions but were more biased in temporal coverage compared to GBIF data. GBIF coverages also varied among taxonomic groups, consistent with commonly recognized geographic, environmental, and institutional sampling biases. Lastly, this comprehensive assessment of biodiversity data across the contiguous United States provides a prioritization scheme to fill in the gaps by contributing existing occurrence records to the public domain and planning future surveys.« less

Complete immunization coverage and its determinants among children in Malaysia: findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2016.

PubMed

Lim, K K; Chan, Y Y; Noor Ani, A; Rohani, J; Siti Norfadhilah, Z A; Santhi, M R

2017-12-01

The success of the Expanded Program on Immunization among children will greatly reduce the burden of illness and disability from vaccine preventable diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the complete immunization coverage and its determinants among children aged 12-23 months in Malaysia. Cross-sectional study. Data on immunization were extracted from the 2016 National Health and Morbidity Survey. Complete immunization coverage was classified as received all recommended primary vaccine doses by the age of 12 months and verified by vaccination cards, and incompletely immunized if they received partially recommended vaccine dose or not received any recommended vaccine dose or had no vaccination card. The multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the sociodemographic factors associated with complete immunization coverage. The overall complete immunization coverage among children (verified by cards) was 86.4% (n = 8920, 95% confidence interval: 85.4-87.4). Multivariable logistic regression analyses model revealed that factors significantly associated with complete immunization coverage were ethnicity, occupation of the mother, head of household's education level, and head of household's occupation. While sex, citizenship, household income, mother's age, and marital status were not significantly associated with complete immunization coverage. According to the World Health Organization criteria, the present study demonstrated that the immunization coverage of 86.4% is still unsatisfactory. Thus, the current intervention program should be enhanced in order to achieve the 95% coverage for all antigens in the national vaccination program. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

More About Lens Antenna For Mobile/Satellite Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahmat-Samii, Y.; Bodnar, D. G.; Rainer, B. K.

1990-01-01

Report presents additional details of design of proposed phased-array antenna described in "Lens Antenna for Mobile/Satellite Communication" (NPO-16948). Intended to be compact and to lie flat on top of vehicle on ground. Transmits and receives circularly polarized radiation in frequency ranges of 821 to 825 MHz and 860 to 870 MHz. Transmitting and receiving beams electronically steerable to any of 48 evenly spaced directions to provide complete azimuth coverage, and would be fixed, but wide, in elevation, to provide coverage at elevation angles from 20 degrees to 60 degrees.

Seasonal influenza immunisation in Europe. Overview of recommendations and vaccination coverage for three seasons: pre-pandemic (2008/09), pandemic (2009/10) and post-pandemic (2010/11).

PubMed

Mereckiene, J; Cotter, S; Nicoll, A; Lopalco, P; Noori, T; Weber, Jt; D'Ancona, F; Levy-Bruhl, D; Dematte, L; Giambi, C; Valentiner-Branth, P; Stankiewicz, I; Appelgren, E; O Flanagan, D

2014-04-24

Since 2008, annual surveys of influenza vaccination policies, practices and coverage have been undertaken in 29 European Union (EU)/ European Economic Area (EEA) countries. After 2009, this monitored the impact of European Council recommendation to increase vaccination coverage to 75% among risk groups. This paper summarises the results of three seasonal influenza seasons: 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11. In 2008/09, 27/29 countries completed the survey; in 2009/10 and 2010/11, 28/29 completed it. All or almost all countries recommended vaccination of older people (defined as those aged ≥50, ≥55, ≥59, ≥60 or ≥65 years), and people aged ≥6 months with clinical risk and healthcare workers. A total of 23 countries provided vaccination coverage data for older people, but only 7 and 10 had data for the clinical risk groups and healthcare workers, respectively. The number of countries recommending vaccination for some or all pregnant women increased from 10 in 2008/09 to 22 in 2010/11. Only three countries could report coverage among pregnant women. Seasonal influenza vaccination coverage during and after the pandemic season in older people and clinical groups remained unchanged in countries with higher coverage. However, small decreases were seen in most countries during this period. The results of the surveys indicate that most EU/EEA countries recommend influenza vaccination for the main target groups; however, only a few countries have achieved the target of 75% coverage among risk groups. Coverage among healthcare workers remained low.

Mapping the literature of nurse-midwifery

PubMed Central

Seaton, Helen J.

2006-01-01

Objective: This article is part of a project for mapping the literature of nursing. The purpose is to identify the core journals in nurse-midwifery and to determine the extent to which these titles are covered by standard indexing sources. Methods: Cited references from two source journals were analyzed to discover the most frequently cited publications, including their format, age, and amount of dispersion, as well as the indexes that offer the most complete coverage. Results: A study of the literature of nurse-midwifery reveals that the field is diverse, including such topics as women's health, obstetrics, gynecology, and parent-child relations, in addition to the practice of nurse-midwifery itself. Journals were the most heavily cited format, and analysis revealed that ten journals provided one-third of all the references in the study. Conclusions: A combination of Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index or PubMed/MEDLINE provided the best overall coverage because of the field's reliance on medical journals. CINAHL had the most complete coverage for the nurse-midwifery journals as well as nursing journals in general. PMID:16710467

Immunisation coverage of adults: a vaccination counselling campaign in the pharmacies in Switzerland.

PubMed

Valeri, Fabio; Hatz, Christoph; Jordan, Dominique; Leuthold, Claudine; Czock, Astrid; Lang, Phung

2014-01-01

To assess vaccination coverage for adults living in Switzerland. Through a media campaign, the general population was invited during 1 month to bring their vaccination certificates to the pharmacies to have their immunisation status evaluated with the software viavac©, and to complete a questionnaire. A total of 496 pharmacies in Switzerland participated in the campaign, of which 284 (57%) submitted valid vaccination information. From a total of 3,634 participants in the campaign, there were 3,291 valid cases (participants born ≤ 1992) and 1,011 questionnaires completed. Vaccination coverage for the participants was 45.9% and 34.6% for five and six doses of diphtheria, 56.4% and 44.0% for tetanus and 66.3% and 48.0% for polio, respectively. Coverage estimates for one and two doses of measles vaccine were 76.5% and 49.4%, respectively, for the birth cohort 1967-1992 and 4.0% and 0.8%, respectively, for the cohort ≤ 1966. There was a significant difference in coverage for most vaccinations between the two aforementioned birth cohorts. A plot of the measles vaccine coverage over time shows that the increase in coverage correlated with policy changes in the Swiss Immunisation Schedule. Despite selection bias and low participation, this study indicates that vaccination coverage for the basic recommended immunisations in the adult population in Switzerland is suboptimal. More efforts using various means and methods are needed to increase immunisation coverage in adolescents before they leave school. An established method to determine vaccination coverage for the general population could provide invaluable insights into the effects of changes in vaccination policies and disease outbreaks.

15 years of zooming in and zooming out: Developing a new single scale national active fault database of New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ries, William; Langridge, Robert; Villamor, Pilar; Litchfield, Nicola; Van Dissen, Russ; Townsend, Dougal; Lee, Julie; Heron, David; Lukovic, Biljana

2014-05-01

In New Zealand, we are currently reconciling multiple digital coverages of mapped active faults into a national coverage at a single scale (1:250,000). This seems at first glance to be a relatively simple task. However, methods used to capture data, the scale of capture, and the initial purpose of the fault mapping, has produced datasets that have very different characteristics. The New Zealand digital active fault database (AFDB) was initially developed as a way of managing active fault locations and fault-related features within a computer-based spatial framework. The data contained within the AFDB comes from a wide range of studies, from plate tectonic (1:500,000) to cadastral (1:2,000) scale. The database was designed to allow capture of field observations and remotely sourced data without a loss in data resolution. This approach has worked well as a method for compiling a centralised database for fault information but not for providing a complete national coverage at a single scale. During the last 15 years other complementary projects have used and also contributed data to the AFDB, most notably the QMAP project (a national series of geological maps completed over 19 years that include coverage of active and inactive faults at 1:250,000). AFDB linework and attributes was incorporated into this series but simplification of linework and attributes has occurred to maintain map clarity at 1:250,000 scale. Also, during this period on-going mapping of active faults has improved upon these data. Other projects of note that have used data from the AFDB include the National Seismic Hazard Model of New Zealand and the Global Earthquake Model (GEM). The main goal of the current project has been to provide the best digital spatial representation of a fault trace at 1:250,000 scale and combine this with the most up to date attributes. In some areas this has required a simplification of very fine detailed data and in some cases new mapping to provide a complete coverage. Where datasets have conflicting line work and/or attributes, data was reviewed through consultation with authors or review of published research to ensure the most to date representation was maintained. The current project aims to provide a coverage that will be consistent between the AFDB and QMAP digital and provide a free download of these data on the AFDB website (http://data.gns.cri.nz/af/).

High agreement between the new Mongolian electronic immunization register and written immunization records: a health centre based audit

PubMed Central

Mungun, Tuya; Dorj, Narangerel; Volody, Baigal; Chuluundorj, Uranjargal; Munkhbat, Enkhtuya; Danzan, Gerelmaa; Nguyen, Cattram D; La Vincente, Sophie; Russell, Fiona

2017-01-01

Introduction Monitoring of vaccination coverage is vital for the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases. Electronic immunization registers have been increasingly adopted to assist with the monitoring of vaccine coverage; however, there is limited literature about the use of electronic registers in low- and middle-income countries such as Mongolia. We aimed to determine the accuracy and completeness of the newly introduced electronic immunization register for calculating vaccination coverage and determining vaccine effectiveness within two districts in Mongolia in comparison to written health provider records. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional record review among children 2–23 months of age vaccinated at immunization clinics within the two districts. We linked data from written records with the electronic immunization register using the national identification number to determine the completeness and accuracy of the electronic register. Results Both completeness (90.9%; 95% CI: 88.4–93.4) and accuracy (93.3%; 95% CI: 84.1–97.4) of the electronic immunization register were high when compared to written records. The increase in completeness over time indicated a delay in data entry. Conclusion Through this audit, we have demonstrated concordance between a newly introduced electronic register and health provider records in a middle-income country setting. Based on this experience, we recommend that electronic registers be accompanied by routine quality assurance procedures for the monitoring of vaccination programmes in such settings. PMID:29051836

Evaluation of a vaccine passport to improve vaccine coverage in people living with HIV.

PubMed

Chadwick, D R; Corbett, K; Mann, S; Teruzzi, B; Horner, S

2018-01-01

An increased risk of vaccine-preventable infections (VPIs) is seen in people living with HIV (PLWH), and current vaccine coverage and immunity is variable. Vaccine passports have the potential to improve vaccine coverage. The objective was to assess how successful a vaccine passport was in improving vaccine coverage in PLWH. Baseline immunity to VPIs was established in PLWH attending a single HIV clinic and vaccinations required were determined based on the BHIVA Vaccination Guidelines (2015). The passport was completed and the PLWH informed about additional vaccines they should obtain from primary care. After 6-9 months the passport was reviewed including confirmation if vaccines were given. PLWH satisfaction with the system was evaluated by a survey. Seventy-three PLWH provided sufficient data for analysis. At baseline significant proportions of PLWH were not immune/unvaccinated to the main VPIs, especially human papillomavirus, pneumococcus and measles. After the passport was applied immunity improved significantly (56% overall, p < 0.01) for most VPIs; however, full coverage was not achieved. The system was popular with PLWH. The passport was successful in increasing vaccination coverage although full or near-full coverage was not achieved. A more successful service would probably be achieved by commissioning English HIV clinics to provide all vaccines.

Formal methods for test case generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rushby, John (Inventor); De Moura, Leonardo Mendonga (Inventor); Hamon, Gregoire (Inventor)

2011-01-01

The invention relates to the use of model checkers to generate efficient test sets for hardware and software systems. The method provides for extending existing tests to reach new coverage targets; searching *to* some or all of the uncovered targets in parallel; searching in parallel *from* some or all of the states reached in previous tests; and slicing the model relative to the current set of coverage targets. The invention provides efficient test case generation and test set formation. Deep regions of the state space can be reached within allotted time and memory. The approach has been applied to use of the model checkers of SRI's SAL system and to model-based designs developed in Stateflow. Stateflow models achieving complete state and transition coverage in a single test case are reported.

Patient Handoffs: Is Cross Cover or Night Shift Better?

PubMed

Higgins, Alanna; Brannen, Melissa L; Heiman, Heather L; Adler, Mark D

2017-06-01

Studies show singular handoffs between health care providers to be risky. Few describe sequential handoffs or compare handoffs from different provider types. We investigated the transfer of information across 2 handoffs using a piloted survey instrument. We compared cross-cover (every fourth night call) with dedicated night-shift residents. Surveys assessing provider knowledge of hospitalized patients were administered to pediatric residents. Primary teams were surveyed about their handoff upon completion of daytime coverage of a patient. Night-shift or cross-covering residents were surveyed about their handoff of the same patient upon completion of overnight coverage. Pediatric hospitalists rated the consistency of information between the surveys. Absolute difference was calculated between the 2 providers' rating of a patient's (a) complexity and (b) illness severity. Scores were compared across provider type. Fifty-nine complete handoff pairs were obtained. Fourteen and 45 handoff surveys were completed by a cross-covering and a night-shift provider, respectively. There was no significant difference in information consistency between primary and night-shift (median, 4.0; interquartile range [IQR], 3-4) versus primary and cross-covering providers (median, 4.0; IQR, 3-4). There was no significant difference in median patient complexity ratings (night shift, 3.0; IQR, 1-5, versus cross cover, 3.5; IQR, 1-5) or illness severity ratings (night shift, 2.0; IQR, 1-4, versus cross-cover, 3.0; IQR, 1-6) when comparing provider types giving a handoff. We did not find a difference in physicians' transfer of information during 2 handoffs among providers taking traditional call or on night shift. Development of tools to measure handoff consistency is needed.

Building Type Basics for Elementary and Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Bradford

This book provides the essential information architects need to fast-start a school design process and shares what leading architects have learned about elementary and secondary school design. It provides critical information on the process, potential problems, design concerns, and recent trends in school design, along with complete coverage of…

Insurance coverage of medical foods for treatment of inherited metabolic disorders

PubMed Central

Berry, Susan A.; Kenney, Mary Kay; Harris, Katharine B.; Singh, Rani H.; Cameron, Cynthia A.; Kraszewski, Jennifer N.; Levy-Fisch, Jill; Shuger, Jill F.; Greene, Carol L.; Lloyd-Puryear, Michele A.; Boyle, Coleen A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Treatment of inherited metabolic disorders is accomplished by use of specialized diets employing medical foods and medically necessary supplements. Families seeking insurance coverage for these products express concern that coverage is often limited; the extent of this challenge is not well defined. Methods To learn about limitations in insurance coverage, parents of 305 children with inherited metabolic disorders completed a paper survey providing information about their use of medical foods, modified low-protein foods, prescribed dietary supplements, and medical feeding equipment and supplies for treatment of their child's disorder as well as details about payment sources for these products. Results Although nearly all children with inherited metabolic dis orders had medical coverage of some type, families paid “out of pocket” for all types of products. Uncovered spending was reported for 11% of families purchasing medical foods, 26% purchasing supplements, 33% of those needing medical feeding supplies, and 59% of families requiring modified low-protein foods. Forty-two percent of families using modified low-protein foods and 21% of families using medical foods reported additional treatment-related expenses of $100 or more per month for these products. Conclusion Costs of medical foods used to treat inherited metabolic disorders are not completely covered by insurance or other resources. PMID:23598714

Galileo photometry of Apollo landing sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helfenstein, P.; Veverka, J.; Head, James W.; Pieters, C.; Pratt, S.; Mustard, J.; Klaasen, K.; Neukum, G.; Hoffmann, H.; Jaumann, R.

1993-01-01

As of December 1992, the Galileo spacecraft performed its second and final flyby (EM2), of the Earth-Moon system, during which it acquired Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera images of the lunar surface suitable for photometric analysis using Hapke's, photometric model. These images, together with those from the first flyby (EM1) in December 1989, provide observations of all of the Apollo landing sites over a wide range of photometric geometries and at eight broadband filter wavelengths ranging from 0.41 micron to 0.99 micron. We have completed a preliminary photometric analysis of Apollo landing sites visible in EM1 images and developed a new strategy for a more complete analysis of the combined EM1 and EM2 data sets in conjunction with telescopic observations and spectrogoniometric measurements of returned lunar samples. No existing single data set, whether from spacecraft flyby, telescopic observation, or laboratory analysis of returned samples, describes completely the light scattering behavior of a particular location on the Moon at all angles of incidence (i), emission (e), and phase angles (a). Earthbased telescopic observations of particular lunar sites provide good coverage of incidence nad phase angles, but their range in emission angle is limited to only a few degrees because of the Moon's synchronous rotation. Spacecraft flyby observations from Galileo are now available for specific lunar features at many photometric geometries unobtainable from Earth; however, this data set lacks coverage at very small phase angles (a less than 13 deg) important for distinguishing the well-known 'opposition effect'. Spectrogoniometric measurements from returned lunar samples can provide photometric coverage at almost any geometry; however, mechanical properties of prepared particulate laboratory samples, such as particle compaction and macroscopic roughness, likely differ from those on the lunar surface. In this study, we have developed methods for the simultaneous analysis of all three types of data: we combine Galileo and telescopic observations to obtain the most complete coverage with photometric geometry, and use spectrogoniometric observations of lunar soils to help distinguish the photometric effects of macroscopic roughness from those caused by particle phase function behavior (i.e., the directional scattering properties of regolith particles).

Quantifying the impact of cross coverage on physician's workload and performance in radiation oncology.

PubMed

Mosaly, Prithima R; Mazur, Lukasz M; Jones, Ellen L; Hoyle, Lesley; Zagar, Timothy; Chera, Bhishamjit S; Marks, Lawrence B

2013-01-01

To quantitatively assess the difference in workload and performance of radiation oncology physicians during radiation therapy treatment planning tasks under the conditions of "cross coverage" versus planning a patient with whom they were familiar. Eight physicians (3 experienced faculty physicians and 5 physician residents) performed 2 cases. The first case represented a "cross-coverage" scenario where the physicians had no prior information about the case to be planned. The second exposure represented a "regular-coverage" scenario where the physicians were familiar with the patient case to be planned. Each case involved 3 tasks to be completed systematically. Workload was assessed both subjectively (perceived) using National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and objectively (physiological) throughout the task using eye data (via monitoring pupil size and blink rate). Performance of each task and the case was measured using completion time. Subjective willingness to approve or disapprove the generated plan was obtained after completion of the case only. Forty-eight perceived and 48 physiological workload assessments were obtained. Overall, results revealed a significant increase in perceived workload (high NASA-TLX score) and decrease in performance (longer completion time and reduced approval rate) during cross coverage. There were nonsignificant increases in pupil diameter and decreases in the blink rate during cross-coverage versus regular-coverage scenario. In both cross-coverage and regular-coverage scenarios the level of experience did not affect workload and performance. The cross-coverage scenario significantly increases perceived workload and degrades performance versus regular coverage. Hence, to improve patient safety, efforts must be made to develop policies, standard operating procedures, and usability improvements to electronic medical record and treatment planning systems for "easier" information processing to deal with cross coverage, while recognizing strengths and limitations of human performance. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Persistence with biologic therapies in the Medicare coverage gap.

PubMed

Tamariz, Leonardo; Uribe, Claudia L; Luo, Jiacong; Hanna, John W; Ball, Daniel E; Krohn, Kelly; Meadows, Eric S

2011-11-01

To describe persistence with teriparatide and other biologic therapies in Medicare Part D plans with and without a coverage gap. Retrospective (2006) cohort study of Medicare Part D prescription drug plan beneficiaries from a large benefits company. Two plans with a coverage gap (defined as "basic") were combined and compared with a single plan with coverage for generic and branded medications (defined as "complete"). Patients taking alendronate (nonbiologic comparator), teriparatide, etanercept, adalimumab, interferon β-1a, or glatiramer acetate were selected for the study. For patients with complete coverage, equivalent financial thresholds were used to define the "gap."The definition of discontinuation was failure to fill the index prescription after reaching the gap. For alendronate, 27% of 133,260 patients had enrolled in the complete plan. Patients taking biologic therapies had more commonly enrolled in complete plans: teriparatide (66% of 6221), etanercept (58% of 1469), adalimumab (52% of 824), interferon β-1a (60% of 438), and glatiramer acetate (53% of 393). For patients taking either alendronate or teriparatide, discontinuation rates were higher in the basic, versus complete, plan (adjusted odds ratios, 2.02 and 3.56, respectively). Discontinuation did not significantly vary by plan type for etanercept, adalimumab, interferon β-1a, or glatiramer acetate. For patients who reached the coverage gap, discontinuation was more likely for patients taking osteoporosis (OP) medication. Not having a coverage gap was associated with improved persistence with OP treatment.

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Earth Global Reference Atmospheric Model-2010 Version

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leslie, F. W.; Justus, C. G.

2011-01-01

Reference or standard atmospheric models have long been used for design and mission planning of various aerospace systems. The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Global Reference Atmospheric Model was developed in response to the need for a design reference atmosphere that provides complete global geographical variability and complete altitude coverage (surface to orbital altitudes), as well as complete seasonal and monthly variability of the thermodynamic variables and wind components. In addition to providing the geographical, height, and monthly variation of the mean atmospheric state, it includes the ability to simulate spatial and temporal perturbations.

High Throughput Transcriptomics @ USEPA (Toxicology Forum)

EPA Science Inventory

The ideal chemical testing approach will provide complete coverage of all relevant toxicological responses. It should be sensitive and specific It should identify the mechanism/mode-of-action (with dose-dependence). It should identify responses relevant to the species of interest...

Health Benefits In 2015: Stable Trends In The Employer Market.

PubMed

Claxton, Gary; Rae, Matthew; Panchal, Nirmita; Whitmore, Heidi; Damico, Anthony; Kenward, Kevin; Long, Michelle

2015-10-01

The annual Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research and Educational Trust Employer Health Benefits Survey found that in 2015, average annual premiums (employer and worker contributions combined) were $6,251 for single coverage and $17,545 for family coverage. Both premiums rose 4 percent from 2014, continuing several years of modest growth. The percentage of firms offering health benefits and the percentage of workers covered by their employers' plans remained statistically unchanged from 2014. Eighty-one percent of covered workers were enrolled in a plan with a general annual deductible. Among those workers, the average deductible for single coverage was $1,318. Half of large employers either offered employees the opportunity or required them to complete biometric screening. Of firms that offer an incentive for completing the screening, 20 percent provide employees with incentives or penalties that are tied to meeting those biometric outcomes. The 2015 survey included new questions on financial incentives to complete wellness programs and meet specified biometric outcomes as well as questions about narrow networks and employers' strategies related to the high-cost plan tax and the employer shared-responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

From non school-based, co-payment to school-based, free Human Papillomavirus vaccination in Flanders (Belgium): a retrospective cohort study describing vaccination coverage, age-specific coverage and socio-economic inequalities.

PubMed

Lefevere, Eva; Theeten, Heidi; Hens, Niel; De Smet, Frank; Top, Geert; Van Damme, Pierre

2015-09-22

School-based, free HPV vaccination for girls in the first year of secondary school was introduced in Flanders (Belgium) in 2010. Before that, non school-based, co-payment vaccination for girls aged 12-18 was in place. We compared vaccination coverage, age-specific coverage and socio-economic inequalities in coverage - 3 important parameters contributing to the effectiveness of the vaccination programs - under both vaccination systems. We used retrospective administrative data from different sources. Our sample consisted of all female members of the National Alliance of Christian Mutualities born in 1995, 1996, 1998 or 1999 (N=66,664). For each vaccination system we described the cumulative proportion HPV vaccination initiation and completion over time. We used life table analysis to calculate age-specific rates of HPV vaccination initiation and completion. Analyses were done separately for higher income and low income groups. Under non school-based, co-payment vaccination the proportions HPV vaccination initiation and completion slowly rose over time. By age 17, the proportion HPV vaccination initiation/completion was 0.75 (95% CI 0.74-076)/0.66 (95% CI 0.65-0.67). The median age at vaccination initiation/completion was 14.4 years (95% CI 14.4-14.5)/15.4 years (95% CI 15.3-15.4). Socio-economic inequalities in coverage widened over time and with age. Under school-based, free vaccination rates of HPV vaccination initiation were substantially higher. By age 14,the proportion HPV vaccination initiation/completion was 0.90 (95% CI 0.90-0.90)/0.87 (95% CI 0.87-0.88). The median age at vaccination initiation/completion was 12.7 years (95% CI 12.7-12.7)/13.3 years (95% CI 13.3-13.3). Socio-economic inequalities in coverage and in age-specific coverage were substantially smaller. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A mystery caller evaluation of Medicaid staff responses about state coverage of abortion care.

PubMed

Dennis, Amanda; Blanchard, Kelly

2012-03-01

The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal Medicaid funding for abortion except when a woman is seeking an abortion for a pregnancy that is the result of rape or incest, or that threatens her life. We investigated how Medicaid staff in 17 states responded to inquiries about coverage for abortion in the few circumstances that qualify for federal Medicaid funding. Using a mystery caller approach, we surveyed Medicaid staff about the availability of abortion coverage, the process for obtaining coverage, and the associated costs for an abortion in circumstances of rape and life endangerment in five states where Medicaid coverage should be available to cover most abortions and in 12 states with restrictions on the circumstances under which Medicaid funding can be used for abortion. We were able to complete 82% of surveys. Medicaid staff definitively provided information about the availability of coverage that was consistent with state policies in 64% of surveys. However, 52% of staff reported that coverage could be difficult to obtain and that rigorous documentation of the circumstances of the abortion was required. Information about copays for abortion was given in 78% of surveys. We subjectively rated the caller's experience with Medicaid staff as excellent during 32% of the surveys, adequate in 61% of surveys, and poor in 7% of surveys. Medicaid staff provided inconsistent information that was often discouraging of women seeking abortion coverage, suggesting that women may have difficulties obtaining accurate information about Medicaid coverage of abortion, which may deter access to care. Copyright © 2012 Jacobs Institute of Women

Timeliness and completeness of measles vaccination among children in rural areas of Guangxi, China: A stratified three-stage cluster survey.

PubMed

Tang, Xianyan; Geater, Alan; McNeil, Edward; Zhou, Hongxia; Deng, Qiuyun; Dong, Aihu

2017-07-01

Large-scale outbreaks of measles occurred in 2013 and 2014 in rural Guangxi, a region in Southwest China with high coverage for measles-containing vaccine (MCV). This study aimed to estimate the timely vaccination coverage, the timely-and-complete vaccination coverage, and the median delay period for MCV among children aged 18-54 months in rural Guangxi. Based on quartiles of measles incidence during 2011-2013, a stratified three-stage cluster survey was conducted from June through August 2015. Using weighted estimation and finite population correction, vaccination coverage and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Weighted Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to estimate the median delay periods for the first (MCV1) and second (MCV2) doses of the vaccine. A total of 1216 children were surveyed. The timely vaccination coverage rate was 58.4% (95% CI, 54.9%-62.0%) for MCV1, and 76.9% (95% CI, 73.6%-80.0%) for MCV2. The timely-and-complete vaccination coverage rate was 47.4% (95% CI, 44.0%-51.0%). The median delay period was 32 (95% CI, 27-38) days for MCV1, and 159 (95% CI, 118-195) days for MCV2. The timeliness and completeness of measles vaccination was low, and the median delay period was long among children in rural Guangxi. Incorporating the timeliness and completeness into official routine vaccination coverage statistics may help appraise the coverage of vaccination in China. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

News Sources on Rhodesia: A Comparative Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCoy, Jennifer; Cholawsky, Elizabeth

1982-01-01

Concludes that the "London Times" and the Foreign Broadcast Information Service of the United States government provide both comprehensive and unbiased coverage of events in Rhodesia, while the "New York Times" is less complete and the "Christian Science Monitor" is selective. (FL)

Mapping the literature of transcultural nursing*

PubMed Central

Murphy, Sharon C.

2006-01-01

Overview: No bibliometric studies of the literature of the field of transcultural nursing have been published. This paper describes a citation analysis as part of the project undertaken by the Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section of the Medical Library Association to map the literature of nursing. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the core literature and determine which databases provided the most complete access to the transcultural nursing literature. Methods: Cited references from essential source journals were analyzed for a three-year period. Eight major databases were compared for indexing coverage of the identified core list of journals. Results: This study identifies 138 core journals. Transcultural nursing relies on journal literature from associated health sciences fields in addition to nursing. Books provide an important format. Nearly all cited references were from the previous 18 years. In comparing indexing coverage among 8 major databases, 3 databases rose to the top. Conclusions: No single database can claim comprehensive indexing coverage for this broad field. It is essential to search multiple databases. Based on this study, PubMed/MEDLINE, Social Sciences Citation Index, and CINAHL provide the best coverage. Collections supporting transcultural nursing require robust access to literature beyond nursing publications. PMID:16710461

Mapping Titan Cloud Coverage

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-21

This graphic, constructed from data obtained by NASA Cassini spacecraft, shows the percentage of cloud coverage across the surface of Saturn moon Titan. The color scale from black to yellow signifies no cloud coverage to complete cloud coverage.

Educational Gaps in Medical Care and Health Behavior: Evidence from US Natality Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Joseph; Price, Joshua; Simon, Kosali

2011-01-01

The US Natality files provide information on medical procedures and health related behavior during pregnancy and childbirth. The data set represents nearly the universe of mothers who give birth in the US, providing the most complete coverage possible of medical care and health behavior among a specific patient population. We document gaps in…

International Turf Management Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldous, D. E., Ed.

Complete coverage on the establishment, maintenance, and management of natural turfgrass sports surfaces in Australia and overseas is provided. The book's 20 articles are divided into four sections covering: (1) the technical aspects of turfgrass growth and development; (2) business, administration, contract development and management; (3) the…

Lunar Orbiter Photographic Atlas of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowker, D. E.; Hughes, J. K.

1971-01-01

A selection of the reconstructed photographs taken during 1966 and 1967 by five Lunar Orbiters is presented. The selection provides essentially complete coverage of the near and far sides of the moon in detail. The photographs were reprocessed from the original video data tapes.

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥18 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity, United States, 2015.

PubMed

Lu, Peng-Jun; O'Halloran, Alissa C; Williams, Walter W; Nelson, Noele P

2018-04-28

Persons from the United States who travel to developing countries are at substantial risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Hepatitis B vaccine has been recommended for adults at increased risk for infection, including travelers to high or intermediate hepatitis B endemic countries. To assess hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults ≥18 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity from the United States. Data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were analyzed to determine hepatitis B vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥3 doses) among persons aged ≥18 years who reported traveling to a country of high or intermediate hepatitis B endemicity. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with hepatitis B vaccination. In 2015, hepatitis B vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) among adults aged ≥18 years who reported traveling to high or intermediate hepatitis B endemic countries was 38.6%, significantly higher compared with 25.9% among non-travelers. Series completion (≥3 doses) was 31.7% and 21.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). On multivariable analysis among all respondents, travel status was significantly associated with hepatitis B vaccination coverage and series completion. Other characteristics independently associated with vaccination (≥1 dose, and ≥3 doses) among travelers included age, race/ethnicity, educational level, duration of US residence, number of physician contacts in the past year, status of ever being tested for HIV, and healthcare personnel status. Although travel to a country of high or intermediate hepatitis B endemicity was associated with higher likelihood of hepatitis B vaccination, hepatitis B vaccination coverage was low among adult travelers to these areas. Healthcare providers should ask their patients about travel plans and recommend and offer travel related vaccinations to their patients or refer them to alternate sites for vaccination. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥ 18 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity, United States, 2015.

PubMed

Lu, Peng-Jun; O'Halloran, Alissa C; Williams, Walter W; Nelson, Noele P

2018-04-25

Persons from the United States who travel to developing countries are at substantial risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Hepatitis B vaccine has been recommended for adults at increased risk for infection, including travelers to high or intermediate hepatitis B endemic countries. To assess hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults ≥ 18 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity from the United States. Data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were analyzed to determine hepatitis B vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥3 doses) among persons aged ≥ 18 years who reported traveling to a country of high or intermediate hepatitis B endemicity. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with hepatitis B vaccination. In 2015, hepatitis B vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) among adults aged ≥ 18 years who reported traveling to high or intermediate hepatitis B endemic countries was 38.6%, significantly higher compared with 25.9% among non-travelers. Series completion (≥3 doses) was 31.7% and 21.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). On multivariable analysis among all respondents, travel status was significantly associated with hepatitis B vaccination coverage and series completion. Other characteristics independently associated with vaccination (≥1 dose, and ≥ 3 doses) among travelers included age, race/ethnicity, educational level, duration of U.S. residence, number of physician contacts in the past year, status of ever being tested for HIV, and healthcare personnel status. Although travel to a country of high or intermediate hepatitis B endemicity was associated with higher likelihood of hepatitis B vaccination, hepatitis B vaccination coverage was low among adult travelers to these areas. Healthcare providers should ask their patients about travel plans and recommend and offer travel related vaccinations to their patients or refer them to alternate sites for vaccination. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Genotator: a disease-agnostic tool for genetic annotation of disease.

PubMed

Wall, Dennis P; Pivovarov, Rimma; Tong, Mark; Jung, Jae-Yoon; Fusaro, Vincent A; DeLuca, Todd F; Tonellato, Peter J

2010-10-29

Disease-specific genetic information has been increasing at rapid rates as a consequence of recent improvements and massive cost reductions in sequencing technologies. Numerous systems designed to capture and organize this mounting sea of genetic data have emerged, but these resources differ dramatically in their disease coverage and genetic depth. With few exceptions, researchers must manually search a variety of sites to assemble a complete set of genetic evidence for a particular disease of interest, a process that is both time-consuming and error-prone. We designed a real-time aggregation tool that provides both comprehensive coverage and reliable gene-to-disease rankings for any disease. Our tool, called Genotator, automatically integrates data from 11 externally accessible clinical genetics resources and uses these data in a straightforward formula to rank genes in order of disease relevance. We tested the accuracy of coverage of Genotator in three separate diseases for which there exist specialty curated databases, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Parkinson's Disease, and Alzheimer Disease. Genotator is freely available at http://genotator.hms.harvard.edu. Genotator demonstrated that most of the 11 selected databases contain unique information about the genetic composition of disease, with 2514 genes found in only one of the 11 databases. These findings confirm that the integration of these databases provides a more complete picture than would be possible from any one database alone. Genotator successfully identified at least 75% of the top ranked genes for all three of our use cases, including a 90% concordance with the top 40 ranked candidates for Alzheimer Disease. As a meta-query engine, Genotator provides high coverage of both historical genetic research as well as recent advances in the genetic understanding of specific diseases. As such, Genotator provides a real-time aggregation of ranked data that remains current with the pace of research in the disease fields. Genotator's algorithm appropriately transforms query terms to match the input requirements of each targeted databases and accurately resolves named synonyms to ensure full coverage of the genetic results with official nomenclature. Genotator generates an excel-style output that is consistent across disease queries and readily importable to other applications.

Understanding Clinic Practices for Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination Series Completion in Clinics That Provide Primary Care: Survey of Clinic Managers in Iowa.

PubMed

Askelson, Natoshia M; Edmonds, Stephanie W; Momany, Elizabeth T; Tegegne, Mesay A

2016-07-01

Rates for human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination are low across the United States. Evidence-based-practices to increase immunization coverage have been recommended by public health organizations, yet many primary care clinics do not follow these practices. The purpose of this study was to examine if primary care clinics use these best practices to promote completion of the HPV vaccine series for their adolescent patients. Understanding the prevalence of evidence-based immunization strategies is key to increasing vaccination coverage. We mailed 914 surveys to clinic managers of clinics that provide primary care in Iowa. The survey content was based on immunization strategies related to clinic practice and policies that have been proven effective to promote the completion of the HPV vaccination series. Survey responses from 127 clinics were used in the final analysis. Most clinics always used the state's immunization information system to record HPV vaccinations (89.4%). Over a quarter of clinics (27.6%) did not use any type of reminder or recall system to alert parents or providers that an HPV vaccine was due, and 35.0% did not give the vaccine at sick visits. Clinics need to focus more on the recommended logistics and processes to ensure that patients receive the entire HPV vaccination series. Survey results indicate that clinics are not consistently implementing the recommended best practices to ensure that vaccination series are completed.

Handbook of Research on Electronic Surveys and Measurements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Rodney, Ed.; Woods, Robert, Ed.; Baker, Jason, Ed.

2007-01-01

The "Handbook of Research on Electronic Surveys and Measurements" is the comprehensive reference source for innovative knowledge on electronic surveys. This commanding handbook of research provides complete coverage of the challenges associated with the use of the Internet to develop online surveys, administer Web-based instruments, and conduct…

[Complete immunization coverage and reasons for non-vaccination in a periurban area of Abidjan].

PubMed

Sackou, K J; Oga, A S S; Desquith, A A; Houenou, Y; Kouadio, K L

2012-10-01

An immunization coverage survey was conducted among children aged 12-59 months in a suburban neighbourhood in Abidjan. The objective was to determine the complete immunization coverage, the reasons for non-vaccination and factors influencing the immunization status of children. The method of exhaustive sampling enabled us to interview the mothers of 669 children using a questionnaire. Overall vaccination coverage was 68.6% with 1.2%, with 1.2% of children never having received vaccine. The logistic regression analysis showed that the level of education, knowledge of the immunization schedule and the marital status of mothers, as well as the type of habitat, were associated with full immunization of children. These determinants must be taken into account to improve vaccination coverage.

Coronally advanced flap with and without a xenogenic collagen matrix in the treatment of multiple recessions: a randomized controlled clinical study.

PubMed

Cardaropoli, Daniele; Tamagnone, Lorenzo; Roffredo, Alessandro; Gaveglio, Lorena

2014-01-01

Multiple adjacent recession defects were treated in 32 patients using a coronally advanced flap (CAF) with or without a collagen matrix (CM). The percentage of root coverage was 81.49% ± 23.45% (58% complete root coverage) for CAF sites (control) and 93.25% ± 10.01% root coverage (72% complete root coverage) for CM plus CAF sites (test). The results achieved in the test group were significantly greater than in the control group, indicating that CM plus CAF is a suitable option for the treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions.

Crude childhood vaccination coverage in West Africa: Trends and predictors of completeness.

PubMed

Kazungu, Jacob S; Adetifa, Ifedayo M O

2017-02-15

Background : Africa has the lowest childhood vaccination coverage worldwide. If the full benefits of childhood vaccination programmes are to be enjoyed in sub-Saharan Africa, all countries need to improve on vaccine delivery to achieve and sustain high coverage. In this paper, we review trends in vaccination coverage, dropouts between vaccine doses and explored the country-specific predictors of complete vaccination in West Africa.  Methods : We utilized datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys Program, available for Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, to obtain coverage for Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, polio, measles, and diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccines in children aged 12 - 23 months. We also calculated the DPT1-to-DPT3 and DPT1-to-measles dropouts, and proportions of the fully immunised child (FIC). Factors predictive of FIC were explored using Chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression.  Results : Overall, there was a trend of increasing vaccination coverage. The proportion of FIC varied significantly by country (range 24.1-81.4%, mean 49%). DPT1-to-DPT3 dropout was high (range 5.1% -33.9%, mean 16.3%). Similarly, DPT1-measles dropout exceeded 10% in all but four countries. Although no single risk factor was consistently associated with FIC across these countries, maternal education, delivery in a health facility, possessing a vaccine card and a recent post delivery visit to a health facility were the key predictors of complete vaccination.  Conclusions : The low numbers of fully immunised children and high dropout between vaccine doses highlights weaknesses and the need to strengthen the healthcare and routine immunization delivery systems in this region. Country-specific correlates of complete vaccination should be explored further to identify interventions required to increase vaccination coverage. Despite the promise of an increasing trend in vaccination coverage in West African countries, more effort is required to attain and maintain global vaccination coverage targets.

Mapping the literature of health care management.

PubMed

Taylor, Mary K; Gebremichael, Meseret D; Wagner, Catherine E

2007-04-01

The research provides an overview of the health care management literature and the indexing coverage of core journal literature. Citations from five source journals for the years 2002 through 2004 were studied using the protocols of the Mapping the Literature of Allied Health Project and Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project. The productivity of cited journals was analyzed by applying Bradford's Law of Scattering. Journals were the most frequently cited format, followed by books. Only 3.2% of the cited journal titles from all 5 source journals generated two-thirds of the cited titles. When only the health care management practitioner-oriented source journals were considered, two-thirds of the output of cited journal titles came from 10.8% of the titles. Science Citation Index and PubMed provided the best overall coverage of the titles cited by all 5 source journals, while the cited titles from the 2 practitioner-oriented journals were covered most completely by Social Sciences Citation Index and Business Source Complete. Health care management is a multidisciplinary field. Librarians must consider the needs of their users and assist them by providing the necessary materials and combination of indexes to access this field adequately.

Mapping the literature of health care management

PubMed Central

Taylor, Mary K.; Gebremichael, Meseret D.; Wagner, Catherine E.

2007-01-01

Objectives: The research provides an overview of the health care management literature and the indexing coverage of core journal literature. Method: Citations from five source journals for the years 2002 through 2004 were studied using the protocols of the Mapping the Literature of Allied Health Project and Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project. The productivity of cited journals was analyzed by applying Bradford's Law of Scattering. Results: Journals were the most frequently cited format, followed by books. Only 3.2% of the cited journal titles from all 5 source journals generated two-thirds of the cited titles. When only the health care management practitioner–oriented source journals were considered, two-thirds of the output of cited journal titles came from 10.8% of the titles. Science Citation Index and PubMed provided the best overall coverage of the titles cited by all 5 source journals, while the cited titles from the 2 practitioner-oriented journals were covered most completely by Social Sciences Citation Index and Business Source Complete. Conclusions: Health care management is a multidisciplinary field. Librarians must consider the needs of their users and assist them by providing the necessary materials and combination of indexes to access this field adequately. PMID:17443238

Mapping the literature of medical-surgical nursing.

PubMed

Taylor, Mary K

2006-04-01

Medical-surgical or adult health nursing is a complex specialty that requires a wide-ranging literature to inform its research and practice. Several excellent qualitative aids exist for collection development for this field, but quantitative studies are few. While one bibliometric study of journals exists, no recent work had been done in this area. The Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project protocol was used. Four source journals were selected, and a citation analysis of articles from 1996 to 1998 was conducted. A list of the most frequently cited journals was created, using Bradford's Law of Scattering. The list demonstrates that 1.2% of the cited medical-surgical nursing journals produced just over 33% of the citations. PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Science Citation Index provided the most complete indexing coverage of all of the journals, with CINAHL providing the most complete coverage of nursing journals. Books were the second-most cited format. Citation analysis of journal articles is a useful aid for selecting journals for medical-surgical nursing collections, but it did not prove to be as useful for selecting materials in other formats. Indexes in addition to PubMed/MEDLINE are necessary to provide access to the journal literature serving this specialty.

Conventional sunscreen application does not lead to sufficient body coverage.

PubMed

Jovanovic, Z; Schornstein, T; Sutor, A; Neufang, G; Hagens, R

2017-10-01

This study aimed to assess sunscreen application habits and relative body coverage after single whole body application. Fifty-two healthy volunteers were asked to use the test product once, following their usual sunscreen application routine. Standardized UV photographs, which were evaluated by Image Analysis, were conducted before and immediately after product application to evaluate relative body coverage. In addition to these procedures, the volunteers completed an online self-assessment questionnaire to assess sunscreen usage habits. After product application, the front side showed significantly less non-covered skin (4.35%) than the backside (17.27%) (P = 0.0000). Females showed overall significantly less non-covered skin (8.98%) than males (13.16%) (P = 0.0381). On the backside, females showed significantly less non-covered skin (13.57%) (P = 0.0045) than males (21.94%), while on the front side, this difference between females (4.14%) and males (4.53%) was not significant. In most cases, the usual sunscreen application routine does not provide complete body coverage even though an extra light sunscreen with good absorption properties was used. On average, 11% of the body surface was not covered by sunscreen at all. Therefore, appropriate consumer education is required to improve sunscreen application and to warrant effective sun protection. © 2017 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

[Health insurance for infants and infant vaccination related to forced-displacement in Colombia].

PubMed

Ruiz-Rodríguez, Myriam; Vera-Cala, Lina M; López-Barbosa, Nahyr

2008-01-01

Determining vaccination coverage amongst children (<5 years old) having multiple socio-economic risk factors and their relationship to insurance status. This was a cross-sectional study of 514 families from urban settlements receiving people displaced by the armed conflict in 4 municipalities in the Santander department ( Colombia ). The households were selected by probabilistic sampling, using proportional modelling by municipality. Immunisation data was collected from vaccination cards; interviews provided socio-demographic data. The dependent variable consisted of having the complete vaccination scheme by age according to the official Ministry of Social Protection's programme. The probability of being vaccinated was modelled by a logistical regression, adjusted for sociodemographic variables. 369 children were studied, of whom 48,8 % belonged to families displaced by the armed conflict. 46,1 % of the people being interviewed presented their vaccination cards. Contrary to what had been expected, only 21,2 % of those having a vaccination card were insured and 22,9 % of them had a complete vaccination scheme for their age. The probability of having a complete vaccination scheme for those individuals who were covered by the subsidised health system was 2,4 times higher when compared to those who were not insured (p=0.042). Low vaccination coverage indicated barriers for people living in conditions of poverty and displacement obtaining health services and low insurance coverage suggested faults in health insurance policies addressing similar populations.

The effect of delivery mechanisms on the uptake of bed net re-impregnation in Kilifi District, Kenya.

PubMed

Snow, R W; McCabe, E; Mbogo, C N; Molyneux, C S; Some, E S; Mung'ala, V O; Nevill, C G

1999-03-01

The results of recently completed trials in Africa of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITBN) offer new possibilities for malaria control. These experimental trials aimed for high ITBN coverage combined with high re-treatment rates. Whilst necessary to understand protective efficacy, the approaches used to deliver the intervention provide few indications of what coverage of net re-treatment would be under operational conditions. Varied delivery and financing strategies have been proposed for the sustainable delivery of ITBNs and re-treatment programmes. Following the completion of a randomized, controlled trial on the Kenyan coast, a series of suitable delivery strategies were used to continue net re-treatment in the area. The trial adopted a bi-annual, house-to-house re-treatment schedule free of charge using research project staff and resulted in over 95% coverage of nets issued to children. During the year following the trial, sentinel dipping stations were situated throughout the community and household members informed of their position and opening times. This free re-treatment service achieved between 61-67% coverage of nets used by children for three years. In 1997 a social marketing approach, that introduced cost-retrieval, was used to deliver the net re-treatment services. The immediate result of this transition was that significantly fewer of the mothers who had used the previous re-treatment services adopted this revised approach and coverage declined to 7%. The future of new delivery services and their financing are discussed in the context of their likely impact upon previously defined protective efficacy and cost-effectiveness estimates.

High Temporal and Spatial Resolution Coverage of Earth from Commercial AVSTAR Systems in Geostationary Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lecompte, M. A.; Heaps, J. F.; Williams, F. H.

Imaging the earth from Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) allows frequent updates of environmental conditions within an observable hemisphere at time and spatial scales appropriate to the most transient observable terrestrial phenomena. Coverage provided by current GEO Meteorological Satellites (METSATS) fails to fully exploit this advantage due primarily to obsolescent technology and also institutional inertia. With the full benefit of GEO based imaging unrealized, rapidly evolving phenomena, occurring at the smallest spatial and temporal scales that frequently have significant environmental impact remain unobserved. These phenomena may be precursors for the most destructive natural processes that adversely effect society. Timely distribution of information derived from "real-time" observations thus may provide opportunities to mitigate much of the damage to life and property that would otherwise occur. AstroVision International's AVStar Earth monitoring system is designed to overcome the current limitations if GEO Earth coverage and to provide real time monitoring of changes to the Earth's complete atmospheric, land and marine surface environments including fires, volcanic events, lightning and meteoritic events on a "live," true color, and multispectral basis. The understanding of severe storm dynamics and its coupling to the earth's electro-sphere will be greatly enhanced by observations at unprecedented sampling frequencies and spatial resolution. Better understanding of these natural phenomena and AVStar operational real-time coverage may also benefit society through improvements in severe weather prediction and warning. AstroVision's AVStar system, designed to provide this capability with the first of a constellation of GEO- based commercial environmental monitoring satellites to be launched in late 2003 will be discussed, including spatial and temporal resolution, spectral coverage with applications and an inventory of the potential benefits to society, science, commerce and education.

Historical Analysis of the Inorganic Chemistry Curriculum Using ACS Examinations as Artifacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, Shalini; Reisner, Barbara A.; Smith, Sheila R.; Stewart, Joanne L.; Johnson, Adam R.; Lin, Shirley; Marek, Keith A.; Nataro, Chip; Murphy, Kristen L.; Raker, Jeffrey R.

2018-01-01

ACS Examinations provide a lens through which to examine historical changes in topic coverage via analyses of course-specific examinations. This study is an extension of work completed previously by the ACS Exams Research Staff and collaborators in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry to explore content changes in the…

Handbook of Research on ePortfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jafari, Ali, Ed.; Kaufman, Catherine, Ed.

2006-01-01

The "Handbook of Research on ePortfolios" is the single source for comprehensive coverage of the major themes of ePortfolios, addressing all of the major issues, from concept to technology to implementation. It is the first reference publication to provide a complete investigation on a variety of ePortfolio uses through case studies and…

Mapping the literature of pediatric nursing.

PubMed

Taylor, Mary K

2006-04-01

Pediatric nurses work in an interdisciplinary field and face ever-increasing demands on their time and knowledge. Selection tools for librarians serving this group are available, but only one bibliometric analysis has examined citations to aid collection development. The "Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project" protocol was used. Three source journals were selected, and a citation analysis of articles from 1998 to 2000 was conducted. The frequency of journal citation was tabulated, and a list of the most frequently cited journals was created. Just over 1% of the cited journals produced 33% of the citations. PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, and Social Sciences Citation Index provided the most complete indexing coverage of all types of the journals, while CINAHL providing the most complete coverage of nursing journals. Books were the second-most frequently cited format. Citation analysis of journal articles from pediatric nursing journals may be helpful in selecting journals for libraries serving pediatric nurses and those who conduct pediatric nursing research. Librarians should consider adding indexes to their collection in addition to PubMed/MEDLINE to access the broad range of journals useful to this specialty.

New horizons for the national high-altitude photography program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bermel, Peter F.

1983-01-01

The National High-Altitude Photography Program (NHAP) is a multi-Federal agency activity to acquire uniform imagery for the establishment of a national high-altitude photographic data base. Federal agencies participating in NHAP have pooled their resources and consolidated photographic requirements in a systematic 6-year effort that will minimize duplication of photographic programs, reduce overall Federal expenditures for aerial photography, and provide imagery for a wide range of public and private users, The U.S. Geological Survey has the lead coordination role and shares, with the other participating agencies, the responsibility for funding the acquisition of photography. Since the inception of NHAP in 1980, black-and-white and color infrared stereoscopic imagery has been acquired for about 50% of the 3,000,000 square miles in the conterminous United States. An additional 40% of the 48-State area is under contract to provide aerial survey firms, and the sixth and final contract to achieve complete once-over coverage will be awarded early in 1985. Extensive use has been made of the newly established data base for mapping, landform studies, land use planning, natural resource inventory, evaluation and management, engineering, and education. In anticipation of the completion of once-over coverage, the participating agencies have begun studies to define the requirements for a maintenance program which would provide cyclic coverage of the conterminous United States and imagery for specific agency needs. Although continued funding at the same level is not assured, under consideration are requirements for new cameras, films, and other remote sensors, photographic parameters, and extension of program coverage to Alaska, Hawaii, and outlying areas. In addition, new applications of the data base to prepare cartographic map and data products are being investigated. It is becoming increasingly clear that some major decision needs to be made soon if a NHAP II is to begin in 1986.

Does a maternal-fetal medicine-centered labor and delivery coverage model put the 'M' back in MFM?

PubMed

Brandt, Justin S; Srinivas, Sindhu K; Elovitz, Michal E; Bastek, Jamie A

2014-04-01

Maternal morbidity is increasing in the United States. Our objectives were to examine whether a labor and delivery (L&D) provider model with regular maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) coverage decreases the rates of maternal morbidity during delivery hospitalizations and has an impact on obstetrician-gynecologist residents' perceptions of safety and education. We performed a retrospective cohort study to compare the rates of maternal morbidity before and after the implementation of an MFM-centered coverage model on L&D. Outcomes were identified using International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, codes. The primary outcome was a composite of severe maternal morbidity. Additionally, obstetrician-gynecologist residents completed an anonymous survey asking them to compare coverage models, and their Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology examination scores were compared. Data from 4715 deliveries were included. There were no differences in composite morbidity or individual adverse outcomes. Most residents (81.3%) preferred the new provider model, with median 5-point Likert scores indicating perceived increases in safety and education. Mean Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology scores improved in the 18 residents exposed to both models. Although the MFM-centered provider model appears to have had a positive impact on residents' perceptions of safety and education, it was not associated with significant changes in severe maternal morbidity. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Insurance coverage and financial burden for families of children with special health care needs.

PubMed

Chen, Alex Y; Newacheck, Paul W

2006-01-01

To examine the role of insurance coverage in protecting families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) from the financial burden associated with care. Data from the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs were analyzed. We built 2 multivariate regression models by using "work loss/cut back" and "experiencing financial problems" as the dependent variables, and insurance status as the primary independent variable of interest while adjusting for income, race/ethnicity, functional limitation/severity, and other sociodemographic predictors. Approximately 29.9% of CSHCN live in families where their condition led parents to report cutting back on work or stopping work completely. Families of 20.9% of CSHCN reported experiencing financial difficulties due to the child's condition. Insurance coverage significantly reduced the likelihood of financial problems for families at every income level. The proportion of families experiencing financial problems was reduced from 35.7% to 23.0% for the poor and 44.9% to 24.5% for low-income families with continuous insurance coverage (P < .01 for both comparisons). Similarly, the proportion of parents having to cut back or stop work was reduced from 42.8% to 35.9% for the poor (P < .05) and 43.5% to 33.9% for low-income families (P < .01). Continuous health insurance coverage provides protection from financial burden and hardship for families of CSHCN in all income groups. This evidence is supportive of policies designed to promote universal coverage for CSHCN. However, many poor and low-income families continue to experience work loss and financial problems despite insurance coverage. Hence, health insurance should not be viewed as a solution in itself, but instead as one element of a comprehensive strategy to provide financial safety for families with CSHCN.

Recent advances in liquid and gas chromatography methodology for extending coverage of the metabolome.

PubMed

Haggarty, Jennifer; Burgess, Karl Ev

2017-02-01

The metabolome is the complete complement of metabolites (small organic biomolecules). In order to comprehensively understand the effect of stimuli on a biological system, it is important to detect as many of the metabolites within that system as possible. This review briefly describes some new advances in liquid and gas chromatography to improve coverage of the metabolome, including the serial combination of two columns in tandem, column switching and different variations of two-dimensional chromatography. Supercritical fluid chromatography could provide complimentary data to liquid and gas chromatography. Although there have been many recent advancements in the field of metabolomics, it is evident that a combination, rather than a single method, is required to approach full coverage of the metabolome. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Methanol oxidation on stoichiometric and oxygen-rich RuO2(110).

PubMed

Rai, Rahul; Weaver, Jason F

2017-07-26

We used temperature-programmed reaction spectroscopy (TPRS) to investigate the adsorption and oxidation of methanol on stoichiometric and O-rich RuO 2 (110) surfaces. We find that the complete oxidation of CH 3 OH is strongly preferred on stoichiometric RuO 2 (110) during TPRS for initial CH 3 OH coverages below ∼0.33 ML (monolayer), and that partial oxidation to mainly CH 2 O becomes increasingly favored with increasing CH 3 OH coverage from 0.33 to 1.0 ML. We present evidence that an adsorbed CH 2 O 2 species serves as the key intermediate to complete oxidation and that CH 2 O 2 formation is intrinsically facile but becomes limited by the availability of bridging O-atoms on stoichiometric RuO 2 (110) at initial CH 3 OH coverages above 0.33 ML. We show that methanol molecules adsorbed in excess of 0.33 ML dehydrogenate to mainly CH 2 O and desorb during TPRS, with adsorbed CH 3 O groups mediating the evolution of both CH 2 O and CH 3 OH. We find that O-rich RuO 2 (110) surfaces are also highly active toward methanol oxidation and that selectivity toward the complete oxidation of methanol increases markedly with increasing coverage of on-top O-atoms (O ot ) on RuO 2 (110). Our results demonstrate that CH 3 OH species adsorbed within O ot -rich domains react efficiently during TPRS, in parallel with reaction of CH 3 OH adsorbed initially on cus-Ru sites. The data suggests that the facile hydrogenation of O ot atoms and the resulting desorption of H 2 O at low-temperature (<∼400 K) provides an efficient pathway for restoring reactive O-atoms and thereby promoting complete oxidation of methanol on the O-rich RuO 2 (110) surface.

Adding the missing piece: Spitzer imaging of the HSC-Deep/PFS fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajina, Anna; Bezanson, Rachel; Capak, Peter; Egami, Eiichi; Fan, Xiaohui; Farrah, Duncan; Greene, Jenny; Goulding, Andy; Lacy, Mark; Lin, Yen-Ting; Liu, Xin; Marchesini, Danilo; Moutard, Thibaud; Ono, Yoshiaki; Ouchi, Masami; Sawicki, Marcin; Strauss, Michael; Surace, Jason; Whitaker, Katherine

2018-05-01

We propose to observe a total of 7sq.deg. to complete the Spitzer-IRAC coverage of the HSC-Deep survey fields. These fields are the sites of the PrimeFocusSpectrograph (PFS) galaxy evolution survey which will provide spectra of wide wavelength range and resolution for almost all M* galaxies at z 0.7-1.7, and extend out to z 7 for targeted samples. Our fields already have deep broadband and narrowband photometry in 12 bands spanning from u through K and a wealth of other ancillary data. We propose completing the matching depth IRAC observations in the extended COSMOS, ELAIS-N1 and Deep2-3 fields. By complementing existing Spitzer coverage, this program will lead to an unprecedended in spectro-photometric coverage dataset across a total of 15 sq.deg. This dataset will have significant legacy value as it samples a large enough cosmic volume to be representative of the full range of environments, but also doing so with sufficient information content per galaxy to confidently derive stellar population characteristics. This enables detailed studies of the growth and quenching of galaxies and their supermassive black holes in the context of a galaxy's local and large scale environment.

Rates of coverage and determinants of complete vaccination of children in rural areas of Burkina Faso (1998-2003).

PubMed

Sia, Drissa; Fournier, Pierre; Kobiané, Jean-François; Sondo, Blaise K

2009-11-17

Burkina Faso's immunization program has benefited regularly from national and international support. However, national immunization coverage has been irregular, decreasing from 34.7% in 1993 to 29.3% in 1998, and then increasing to 43.9% in 2003. Undoubtedly, a variety of factors contributed to this pattern. This study aims to identify both individual and systemic factors associated with complete vaccination in 1998 and 2003 and relate them to variations in national and international policies and strategies on vaccination of rural Burkinabé children aged 12-23 months. Data from the 1998 and 2003 Demographic and Health Surveys and the Ministry of Health's 1997 and 2002 Statistical Yearbooks, as well as individual interviews with central and regional decision-makers and with field workers in Burkina's healthcare system, were used to carry out a multilevel study that included 805 children in 1998 and 1,360 children in 2003, aged 12-23 months, spread over 44 and 48 rural health districts respectively. In rural areas, complete vaccination coverage went from 25.9% in 1998 to 41.2% in 2003. District resources had no significant effect on coverage and the impact of education declined over time. The factors that continued to have the greatest impact on coverage rates were poverty, with its various dimensions, and the utilization of other healthcare services. However, these factors do not explain the persistent differences in complete vaccination between districts. In 2003, despite a trend toward district homogenization, differences between health districts still accounted for a 7.4% variance in complete vaccination. Complete vaccination coverage of children is improving in a context of worsening poverty. Education no longer represents an advantage in relation to vaccination. Continuity from prenatal care to institutional delivery creates a loyalty to healthcare services and is the most significant and stable explanatory factor associated with complete vaccination of children. Healthcare service utilization is the result of a dynamic process of interaction between communities and the healthcare system; understanding this process is the key to understanding better the factors underlying the complete vaccination of children.

Investigation of the utility of ERTS-1 imagery for updating land use and resource data in Guatemala

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, L. E. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. An intensive analysis of the imagery received has been completed and findings are reported. Conclusions are restricted by receipt of only limited amounts of cloud-free coverage of test areas. In most cases the interpretation findings were as anticipated from previous experience with multiband images. Band 7 provides promising indication of some economically important environmental communities. It also permits viewing through thin cirrus cloud layers for features of medium to high contrast. Band 4 provides information of submerged reefs and of movement of suspended sediment bodies in water areas. ERTS-1 bulk images have positional mapping accuracy adequate for representation at 1:1,000,000 scale maps. Cloud cover is a true constraint to useable satellite coverage.

Prescription drug coverage and effects on drug expenditures among elderly Medicare beneficiaries.

PubMed

Huh, Soonim; Rice, Thomas; Ettner, Susan L

2008-06-01

To identify determinants of drug coverage among elderly Medicare beneficiaries and to investigate the impact of drug coverage on drug expenditures with and without taking selection bias into account. The primary data were from the 2000 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) Cost and Use file, linked to other data sources at the county or state-level that provided instrumental variables. Community-dwelling elderly Medicare beneficiaries who completed the survey were included in the study (N=7,525). A probit regression to predict the probability of having drug coverage and the effects of drug coverage on drug expenditures was estimated by a two-part model, assuming no correlation across equations. In addition, the discrete factor model estimated choice of drug coverage and expenditures for prescription drugs simultaneously to control for self-selection into drug coverage, allowing for correlation of error terms across equations. Findings indicated that unobservable characteristics leading elderly Medicare beneficiaries to purchase drug coverage also lead them to have higher drug expenditures on conditional use (i.e., adverse selection), while the same unobservable factors do not influence their decisions whether to use any drugs. After controlling for potential selection bias, the probability of any drug use among persons with drug coverage use was 4.5 percent higher than among those without, and drug coverage led to an increase in drug expenditures of $308 among those who used prescription drugs. Given significant adverse selection into drug coverage before the implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, it is essential that selection effects be monitored as beneficiaries choose whether or not to enroll in this voluntary program.

Pertussis vaccination coverage among French parents of infants after 10years of cocoon strategy.

PubMed

Cohen, R; Gaudelus, J; Denis, F; Stahl, J-P; Chevaillier, O; Pujol, P; Martinot, A

2016-06-01

The cocoon strategy against pertussis has been recommended in France since 2004 to indirectly protect young infants who are not yet vaccinated. We aimed to measure vaccination coverage among French parents of infants. A representative sample of 300 mothers and 200 fathers of infants aged <12 months completed a self-administered online questionnaire. They all provided their own vaccination records. Overall, 87% of mothers believed vaccination against pertussis to be important; 83% reported being immunized against pertussis but their vaccination records showed that a third of them was wrong (34%). On the basis of our sample, the 2009-2014 vaccination coverage against pertussis among mothers increased from 22 to 61% (P<0.005); over the same period of time, vaccination coverage against diphtheria, tetanus, and polio remained stable (80%). Vaccination coverage against pertussis among fathers increased from 21 to 42% between 2010 and 2013 (P=0.009). In 2013, one couple out of four (26%) was adequately immunized against pertussis. The cocoon strategy was implemented 10years ago in France but vaccination coverage remains suboptimal among parents of young infants. Healthcare professionals must recommend vaccination against pertussis to young adults and check that their vaccination status is up to date. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[Coverage by health insurance or discount cards: a household survey in the coverage area of the Family Health Strategy].

PubMed

Fontenelle, Leonardo Ferreira; Camargo, Maria Beatriz Junqueira de; Bertoldi, Andréa Dâmaso; Gonçalves, Helen; Maciel, Ethel Leonor Noia; Barros, Aluísio J D

2017-10-26

This study was designed to assess the reasons for health insurance coverage in a population covered by the Family Health Strategy in Brazil. We describe overall health insurance coverage and according to types, and analyze its association with health-related and socio-demographic characteristics. Among the 31.3% of persons (95%CI: 23.8-39.9) who reported "health insurance" coverage, 57.0% (95%CI: 45.2-68.0) were covered only by discount cards, which do not offer any kind of coverage for medical care, but only discounts in pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals. Both for health insurance and discount cards, the most frequently cited reasons for such coverage were "to be on the safe side" and "to receive better care". Both types of coverage were associated statistically with age (+65 vs. 15-24 years: adjusted odds ratios, aOR = 2.98, 95%CI: 1.28-6.90; and aOR = 3.67; 95%CI: 2.22-6.07, respectively) and socioeconomic status (additional standard deviation: aOR = 2.25, 95%CI: 1.62-3.14; and aOR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.34-2.97). In addition, health insurance coverage was associated with schooling (aOR = 7.59, 95%CI: 4.44-13.00) for complete University Education and aOR = 3.74 (95%CI: 1.61-8.68) for complete Secondary Education, compared to less than complete Primary Education. Meanwhile, neither health insurance nor discount card was associated with health status or number of diagnosed diseases. In conclusion, studies that aim to assess private health insurance should be planned to distinguish between discount cards and formal health insurance.

Hepatitis A vaccination coverage among adults 18-49 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity, United States.

PubMed

Lu, Peng-Jun; Byrd, Kathy K; Murphy, Trudy V

2013-05-01

Since 1996, hepatitis A vaccine (HepA) has been recommended for adults at increased risk for infection including travelers to high or intermediate hepatitis A endemic countries. In 2009, travel outside the United States and Canada was the most common exposure nationally reported for persons with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. To assess HepA vaccination coverage among adults 18-49 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity in the United States. We analyzed data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), to determine self-reported HepA vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥2 dose) among persons 18-49 years who traveled, since 1995, to a country of high or intermediate HAV endemicity. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with HepA vaccine receipt. In 2010, approximately 36.6% of adults 18-49 years reported traveling to high or intermediate hepatitis A endemic countries; among this group unadjusted HepA vaccination coverage was 26.6% compared to 12.7% among non-travelers (P-values<0.001) and series completion were 16.9% and 7.6%, respectively (P-values<0.001). On multivariable analysis among all respondents, travel status was an independent predictor of HepA coverage and series completion (both P-values<0.001). Among travelers, HepA coverage and series completion (≥2 doses) were higher for travelers 18-25 years (prevalence ratios 2.3, 2.8, respectively, P-values<0.001) and for travelers 26-39 years (prevalence ratios 1.5, 1.5, respectively, P-value<0.001, P-value=0.002, respectively) compared to travelers 40-49 years. Other characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of HepA receipt among travelers included Asian race/ethnicity, male sex, never having been married, having a high school or higher education, living in the western United States, having greater number of physician contacts or receipt of influenza vaccination in the previous year. HepB vaccination was excluded from the model because of the significant correlation between receipt of HepA vaccination and HepB vaccination could distort the model. Although travel to a country of high or intermediate hepatitis A endemicity was associated with higher likelihood of HepA vaccination in 2010 among adults 18-49 years, self-reported HepA vaccination coverage was low among adult travelers to these areas. Healthcare providers should ask their patients' upcoming travel plans and recommend and offer travel related vaccinations to their patients. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Hepatitis A vaccination coverage among adults 18–49 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity, United States

PubMed Central

Lu, Peng-jun; Byrd, Kathy K.; Murphy, Trudy V.

2018-01-01

Background Since 1996, hepatitis A vaccine (HepA) has been recommended for adults at increased risk for infection including travelers to high or intermediate hepatitis A endemic countries. In 2009, travel outside the United States and Canada was the most common exposure nationally reported for persons with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. Objective To assess HepA vaccination coverage among adults 18–49 years traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity in the United States. Methods We analyzed data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), to determine self-reported HepA vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥2 dose) among persons 18–49 years who traveled, since 1995, to a country of high or intermediate HAV endemicity. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with HepA vaccine receipt. Results In 2010, approximately 36.6% of adults 18–49 years reported traveling to high or intermediate hepatitis A endemic countries; among this group unadjusted HepA vaccination coverage was 26.6% compared to 12.7% among non-travelers (P-values < 0.001) and series completion were 16.9% and 7.6%, respectively (P-values < 0.001). On multivariable analysis among all respondents, travel status was an independent predictor of HepA coverage and series completion (both P-values < 0.001). Among travelers, HepA coverage and series completion (≥2 doses) were higher for travelers 18–25 years (prevalence ratios 2.3, 2.8, respectively, P-values < 0.001) and for travelers 26–39 years (prevalence ratios 1.5, 1.5, respectively, P-value < 0.001, P-value = 0.002, respectively) compared to travelers 40–49 years. Other characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of HepA receipt among travelers included Asian race/ethnicity, male sex, never having been married, having a high school or higher education, living in the western United States, having greater number of physician contacts or receipt of influenza vaccination in the previous year. HepB vaccination was excluded from the model because of the significant correlation between receipt of HepA vaccination and HepB vaccination could distort the model. Conclusions Although travel to a country of high or intermediate hepatitis A endemicity was associated with higher likelihood of HepA vaccination in 2010 among adults 18–49 years, self-reported HepA vaccination coverage was low among adult travelers to these areas. Healthcare providers should ask their patients’ upcoming travel plans and recommend and offer travel related vaccinations to their patients. PMID:23523408

The challenge of vaccinating adults: attitudes and beliefs of the Canadian public and healthcare providers.

PubMed

MacDougall, D M; Halperin, B A; MacKinnon-Cameron, D; Li, Li; McNeil, S A; Langley, J M; Halperin, S A

2015-09-29

Vaccine coverage for recommended vaccines is low among adults. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of adults and healthcare providers related to four vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, zoster, pneumococcus and influenza). We undertook a survey and focus groups of Canadian adults and healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists). A total of 4023 adults completed the survey and 62 participated in the focus groups; 1167 providers completed the survey and 45 participated in the focus groups. Only 46.3% of adults thought they were up-to-date on their vaccines; 30% did not know. In contrast, 75.6% of providers reported being up-to-date. Only 57.5% of adults thought it was important to receive all recommended vaccines (compared to 87.1-91.5% of providers). Positive attitudes towards vaccines paralleled concern about the burden of illness and confidence in the vaccines, with providers being more aware of disease burden and confident in vaccine effectiveness than the public. Between 55.0% and 59.7% of adults reported willingness to be vaccinated if recommended by their healthcare provider. However, such recommendations were variable; while 77.4% of the public reported being offered and 52.8% reported being recommended the influenza vaccine by their provider, only 10.8% were offered and 5.6% recommended pertussis vaccine. Barriers and facilitators to improved vaccine coverage in adults, such as trust-mistrust of health authorities, pharmaceutical companies and national recommendations, autonomy versus the public good and logistical issues (such as insufficient time and lack of vaccination status tracking), were identified by both the public and providers. Despite guidelines for adult vaccination, there are substantial gaps in knowledge and attitudes and beliefs among both the public and healthcare providers that lead to low vaccine coverage. A systematic approach that involves education, elimination of barriers and establishing and improving infrastructure for adult immunisation is required. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Preventing Prejudice: A Guide for Counselors, Educators, and Parents, Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponterotto, Joseph G.; Utsey, Shawn O.; Pedersen, Paul B.

2006-01-01

This second edition has been completely revised and expanded to provide the most up-to-date and extensive coverage of prejudice and racism available. The new edition of this bestselling text presents a comprehensive overview of these topics and also includes practical tools for combating prejudice development in children, adolescents, and adults.…

Promoting and Providing HPV Vaccination in Hawaii: Barriers Faced by Health Providers.

PubMed

Tom, Ashlyn; Robinett, Hali; Buenconsejo-Lum, Lee; Soon, Reni; Hamilton, Michael; Francisco-Natanauan, Pia; Cruz, May Rose Dela; Balajadia, Ronald; Hernandez, Brenda Y

2016-10-01

Despite the availability of HPV prophylactic vaccines, uptake has been suboptimal in the US. In the state of Hawaii, HPV vaccine coverage has decreased among females and remains low among males aged 13-17. The reasons for low uptake are unknown and may indicate the existence of critical barriers to HPV vaccination. The purpose of this investigation was to identify policy, system and environmental barriers and promoters of pediatric HPV vaccination in Hawaii. An online 86-item survey addressing knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, practices, and barriers to HPV vaccination was distributed to practicing physicians in Hawaii specializing in Pediatrics, Family Medicine, and Obstetrics-Gynecology. Survey responses were received from a total of 120 physicians. Private practice physicians reported more concerns with vaccine ordering and stocking costs (p < 0.0001), reimbursement levels (p < 0.0001), and insurance coverage (p < 0.0001) compared to physicians in large group practices. Eighty-three percent of providers cited lack of parent knowledge and understanding of HPV infection as a barrier. Over half of physicians (58 %) reported that completion of the 3-dose schedule was a barrier. Most physicians did not use tracking or reminder systems to ensure dose completion. A majority (58 %) of providers cited the lack of school-based vaccination requirements as a barrier. Uptake of HPV vaccination in Hawaii may be impeded by physician perception of parent knowledge and attitudes. Cost-related system barriers are particular barriers among those in private practice. Completion of the 3-dose schedule also remains a challenge.

Childhood vaccination coverage rates among military dependents in the United States.

PubMed

Dunn, Angela C; Black, Carla L; Arnold, John; Brodine, Stephanie; Waalen, Jill; Binkin, Nancy

2015-05-01

The Military Health System provides universal coverage of all recommended childhood vaccinations. Few studies have examined the effect that being insured by the Military Health System has on childhood vaccination coverage. The purpose of this study was to compare the coverage of the universally recommended vaccines among military dependents versus other insured and uninsured children using a nationwide sample of children. The National Immunization Survey is a multistage, random-digit dialing survey designed to measure vaccination coverage estimates of US children aged 19 to 35 months old. Data from 2007 through 2012 were combined to permit comparison of vaccination coverage among military dependent and all other children. Among military dependents, 28.0% of children aged 19 to 35 months were not up to date on the 4:3:1:3:3:1 vaccination series excluding Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine compared with 21.1% of all other children (odds ratio: 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-1.6). After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, compared with all other US children, military dependent children were more likely to be incompletely vaccinated (odds ratio: 1.3; 95% confidence interval: 1.1-1.5). Lower vaccination coverage rates among US military dependent children might be due to this population being highly mobile. However, the lack of a military-wide childhood immunization registry and incomplete documentation of vaccinations could contribute to the lower vaccination coverage rates seen in this study. These results suggest the need for further investigation to evaluate vaccination coverage of children with complete ascertainment of vaccination history, and if lower immunization rates are verified, assessment of reasons for lower vaccination coverage rates among military dependent children. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Transmission Magnitude and Phase Control for Polarization-Preserving Reflectionless Metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Do-Hoon; Ptitcyn, Grigorii; Díaz-Rubio, Ana; Tretyakov, Sergei A.

2018-03-01

For transmissive applications of electromagnetic metasurfaces, an array of subwavelength Huygens' meta-atoms are typically used to eliminate reflection and achieve a high-transmission power efficiency together with a wide transmission phase coverage. We show that the underlying principle of low reflection and full control over transmission is asymmetric scattering into the specular reflection and transmission directions that results from a superposition of symmetric and antisymmetric scattering components, with Huygens' meta-atoms being one example configuration. Available for oblique illumination in TM polarization, a meta-atom configuration comprising normal and tangential electric polarizations is presented, which is capable of reflectionless, full-power transmission and a 2 π transmission phase coverage as well as full absorption. For lossy metasurfaces, we show that a complete phase coverage is still available for reflectionless designs for any value of absorptance. Numerical examples in the microwave and optical regimes are provided.

Multiple imputation methods for bivariate outcomes in cluster randomised trials.

PubMed

DiazOrdaz, K; Kenward, M G; Gomes, M; Grieve, R

2016-09-10

Missing observations are common in cluster randomised trials. The problem is exacerbated when modelling bivariate outcomes jointly, as the proportion of complete cases is often considerably smaller than the proportion having either of the outcomes fully observed. Approaches taken to handling such missing data include the following: complete case analysis, single-level multiple imputation that ignores the clustering, multiple imputation with a fixed effect for each cluster and multilevel multiple imputation. We contrasted the alternative approaches to handling missing data in a cost-effectiveness analysis that uses data from a cluster randomised trial to evaluate an exercise intervention for care home residents. We then conducted a simulation study to assess the performance of these approaches on bivariate continuous outcomes, in terms of confidence interval coverage and empirical bias in the estimated treatment effects. Missing-at-random clustered data scenarios were simulated following a full-factorial design. Across all the missing data mechanisms considered, the multiple imputation methods provided estimators with negligible bias, while complete case analysis resulted in biased treatment effect estimates in scenarios where the randomised treatment arm was associated with missingness. Confidence interval coverage was generally in excess of nominal levels (up to 99.8%) following fixed-effects multiple imputation and too low following single-level multiple imputation. Multilevel multiple imputation led to coverage levels of approximately 95% throughout. © 2016 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Are You Covered? Associations Between Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Knowledge and Preventive Reproductive Service Use.

PubMed

Sawyer, Ashlee N; Kwitowski, Melissa A; Benotsch, Eric G

2018-05-01

Sexual and reproductive health conditions (eg, infections, cancers) represent public health concerns for American women. The present study examined how knowledge of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) relates to receipt of preventive reproductive health services among women. Cross-sectional online survey. Online questionnaires were completed via Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing website where individuals complete web-based tasks for compensation. Cisgendered women aged 18 to 44 years (N = 1083) from across the United States. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing demographics, insurance status, preventive service use, and knowledge of PPACA provisions. Chi-squares showed that receipt of well-woman, pelvic, and breast examinations, as well as pap smears, was related to insurance coverage, with those not having coverage at all during the previous year having significantly lower rates of use. Hierarchical logistic regressions determined the independent relationship between PPACA knowledge and use of health services after controlling for demographic factors and insurance status. Knowledge of PPACA provisions was associated with receiving well-woman, pelvic, and breast examinations, human papillomavirus vaccination, and sexually transmitted infections testing, after controlling for these factors. Results indicate that expanding knowledge about health-care legislation may be beneficial in increasing preventive reproductive health service use among women. Current findings provide support for increasing resources for outreach and education of the general population about the provisions and benefits of health-care legislation, as well as personal health coverage plans.

Remote sensing in Iowa agriculture. [land use, crop identification, and soil mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahlstede, J. P. (Principal Investigator); Carlson, R. E.; Fenton, T. E.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Analysis of 1972 single-date coverage indicated that a complete crop classification was not attainable at the test sites. Good multi-date coverage during 1973 indicates that many of the problems encountered in 1972 will be minimized. In addition, the compilation of springtime imagery covering the entire state of Iowa has added a new dimension to interpretation of Iowa's natural resources. ERTS-1 has provided data necessary to achieve the broad synoptic view not attainable through other means. This should provide soils and crop researchers and land use planners a base map of Iowa. Granted and due to the resolution of ERTS-1, not all details are observable for many land use planning needs, but this gives a general and current view of Iowa.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: XQ-100 targets equivalent widths (Perrotta+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrotta, S.; D'Odorico, V.; Prochaska, J. X.; Cristiani, S.; Cupani, G.; Ellison, S.; Lopez, S.; Becker, G. D.; Berg, T. A. M.; Christensen, L.; Denney, K. D.; Hamann, F.; Paris, I.; Vestergaard, M.; Worseck, G.

2018-03-01

The quasars in our sample have been originally selected and observed in a new Legacy Survey, hereafter 'XQ-100', of 100 quasars at emission redshift zem=3.5-4.5 (ESO Large Programme 189.A-0424). The observations have been carried out with X-shooter/VLT (Vernet et al., 2011A&A...536A.105V). The released spectra provide a complete coverage from the atmospheric cut-off to the NIR with a spectral resolution R~6000-9000 depending on wavelength, and a median S/N~30 at the continuum level. XQ-100 provides the first large intermediate-resolution sample of high-redshift quasars with simultaneous rest-frame UV/optical coverage. A full description of the target selection, observations, and data reduction process is presented by Lopez et al. (2016A&A...594A..91L). (2 data files).

Assessment of Routine Immunization Coverage in Nyala Locality, Reasons behind Incomplete Immunization in South Darfur State, Sudan

PubMed Central

Ismail, Ismail Tibin Adam; El-Tayeb, Elsadeg Mahgoob; Omer, Mohammed Diaaeldin F.A.; Eltahir, Yassir Mohammed; El-Sayed, El-Tayeb Ahmed; Deribe, Kebede

2014-01-01

Little is known about the coverage of routine immunization service in South Darfur state, Sudan. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the vaccination rate and barriers for vaccination. A cross-sectional community-based study was undertaken in Nyala locality, south Darfur, Sudan, including urban, rural and Internal Displaced Peoples (IDPs) population in proportional representation. Survey data were collected by a questionnaire which was applied face to face to parents of 213 children 12-23 months. The collected data was then analyzed with SPSS software package. Results showed that vaccination coverage as revealed by showed vaccination card alone was 63.4% while it was increased to 82.2% when both history and cards were used. Some (5.6%) of children were completely non-vaccinated. The factors contributing to the low vaccination coverage were found to be knowledge problems of mothers (51%), access problems (15%) and attitude problems (34%). Children whose mother attended antenatal care and those from urban areas were more likely to complete their immunization schedule. In conclusion, the vaccination coverage in the studied area was low compared to the national coverage. Efforts to increase vaccination converge and completion of the scheduled plan should focus on addressing concerns of caregivers particularly side effects and strengthening the Expanded Programmer on Immunization services in rural areas. PMID:25729558

Assessment of Routine Immunization Coverage in Nyala Locality, Reasons behind Incomplete Immunization in South Darfur State, Sudan.

PubMed

Ismail, Ismail Tibin Adam; El-Tayeb, Elsadeg Mahgoob; Omer, Mohammed Diaaeldin F A; Eltahir, Yassir Mohammed; El-Sayed, El-Tayeb Ahmed; Deribe, Kebede

2014-02-25

Little is known about the coverage of routine immunization service in South Darfur state, Sudan. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the vaccination rate and barriers for vaccination. A cross-sectional community-based study was undertaken in Nyala locality, south Darfur, Sudan, including urban, rural and Internal Displaced Peoples (IDPs) population in proportional representation. Survey data were collected by a questionnaire which was applied face to face to parents of 213 children 12-23 months. The collected data was then analyzed with SPSS software package. Results showed that vaccination coverage as revealed by showed vaccination card alone was 63.4% while it was increased to 82.2% when both history and cards were used. Some (5.6%) of children were completely non-vaccinated. The factors contributing to the low vaccination coverage were found to be knowledge problems of mothers (51%), access problems (15%) and attitude problems (34%). Children whose mother attended antenatal care and those from urban areas were more likely to complete their immunization schedule. In conclusion, the vaccination coverage in the studied area was low compared to the national coverage. Efforts to increase vaccination converge and completion of the scheduled plan should focus on addressing concerns of caregivers particularly side effects and strengthening the Expanded Programmer on Immunization services in rural areas.

The effect of partially exposed connective tissue graft on root-coverage outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Dodge, Austin; Garcia, Jeffrey; Luepke, Paul; Lai, Yu-Lin; Kassab, Moawia; Lin, Guo-Hao

2018-04-01

The aim of this systematic review was to compare the root-coverage outcomes of using a partially exposed connective tissue graft (CTG) technique with a fully covered CTG technique for root coverage. An electronic search up to February 28 th , 2017, was performed to identify human clinical studies with data comparing outcomes of root coverage using CTG, with and without a partially exposed graft. Five clinical studies were selected for inclusion in this review. For each study, the gain of keratinized gingiva, reduction of recession depth, number of surgical sites achieving complete root coverage, percentage of root coverage, gain of tissue thickness, and changes of probing depth and clinical attachment level were recorded. Meta-analysis for the comparison of complete root coverage between the two techniques presented no statistically significant differences. A statistically significant gain of keratinized tissue in favor of the sites with an exposed CTG and a tendency of greater reduction in recession depth were seen at the sites with a fully covered CTG. Based on the results, the use of a partially exposed CTG in root-coverage procedures could achieve greater gain in keratinized gingiva, while a fully covered CTG might be indicated for procedures aiming to reduce recession depth. © 2018 Eur J Oral Sci.

A Priority for California's Future: Science for Students. Summary Report. Strengthening Science Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper presents findings of a study that examined Californians' views on science education. The findings are based on telephone interviews with 1,004 adults conducted April 7-22, 2010. Cell phone and Spanish language interviews were included to provide more complete coverage of California's population. In order to enhance understanding of the…

Mapping the literature of pediatric nursing

PubMed Central

Taylor, Mary K.

2006-01-01

Background: Pediatric nurses work in an interdisciplinary field and face ever-increasing demands on their time and knowledge. Selection tools for librarians serving this group are available, but only one bibliometric analysis has examined citations to aid collection development. Method: The “Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project” protocol was used. Three source journals were selected, and a citation analysis of articles from 1998 to 2000 was conducted. Results: The frequency of journal citation was tabulated, and a list of the most frequently cited journals was created. Just over 1% of the cited journals produced 33% of the citations. PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, and Social Sciences Citation Index provided the most complete indexing coverage of all types of the journals, while CINAHL providing the most complete coverage of nursing journals. Books were the second-most frequently cited format. Conclusions: Citation analysis of journal articles from pediatric nursing journals may be helpful in selecting journals for libraries serving pediatric nurses and those who conduct pediatric nursing research. Librarians should consider adding indexes to their collection in addition to PubMed/MEDLINE to access the broad range of journals useful to this specialty. PMID:16710459

VizieR Online Data Catalog: weak G-band stars abundances (Palacios+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacios, A.; Jasniewicz, G.; Masseron, T.; Thevenin, F.; Itam-Pasquet, J.; Parthasarathy, M.

2016-05-01

Seventeen southern wGb stars were observed at La Silla, ESO Chile, with the high-efficiency Fiber-fed Extended Range Optical Spectrograph FEROS spectrograph mounted on the 2.2m telescope. FEROS is a bench-mounted, thermally controlled, prism-cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph, providing, in a single spectrogram spread over 39 orders, almost complete spectral coverage from ~350 to ~920nm at a resolution of 48000. The FEROS observations were carried out during an observing run between May 10 and 13, 2012. All these spectra were flat-fielded and calibrated by means of ThArNe exposures using standard processing tools available at ESO. In addition, two northern wGb stars, HD 18474 and HD 166208, were observed in service mode at the Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France, with the NARVAL spectrograph mounted on the Bernard Lyot 2.0m telescope. The NARVAL instrument consists of a bench-mounted cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph, fibre-fed from a Cassegrain-mounted polarimeter unit. It was used in its non-polarimetric mode; it provided almost complete spectral coverage from ~375 to ~1050nm at a resolution of 75000 in a single spectrogram spread over 40 orders. (6 data files).

Personality Disorder Models and their Coverage of Interpersonal Problems

PubMed Central

Williams, Trevor F.; Simms, Leonard J.

2015-01-01

Interpersonal dysfunction is a defining feature of personality disorders (PDs) and can serve as a criterion for comparing PD models. In this study, the interpersonal coverage of four competing PD models was examined using a sample of 628 current or recent psychiatric patients who completed the NEO Personality Inventory-3 First Half (NEO-PI-3FH; McCrae & Costa, 2007), Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5; Krueger et al., 2012), Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder-Static Form (CAT-PD-SF; Simms et al., 2011), and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Personality Questionnaire (SCID-II PQ; First, Spitzer, Gibbon, & Williams, 1995). Participants also completed the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Circumplex (IIP-SC; Soldz, Budman, Demby, & Merry, 1995) to assess interpersonal dysfunction. Analyses compared the severity and style of interpersonal problems that characterize PD models. Previous research with DSM-5 Section II and III models was generally replicated. Extraversion and Agreeableness facets related to the most well defined interpersonal problems across normal-range and pathological traits. Pathological trait models provided more coverage of dominance problems, whereas normal-range traits covered nonassertiveness better. These results suggest that more work may be needed to reconcile descriptions of personality pathology at the level of specific constructs. PMID:26168406

Telescopic Overdenture: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Shruthi, C. S.; Poojya, R.; Ram, Swati; Anupama

2017-01-01

Patient: This report describes the case of a 68 year old female patient who presented with the chief complaint of difficulty in chewing and poor aesthetics due to missing teeth. The patient was interested in saving the remaining natural teeth and desired minimal tissue coverage from the prosthesis. After consideration of all the factors involved, it was deemed advisable to resort to a palate free maxillary telescopic complete denture and a mandibular removable partial denture. Discussion: Considering the age of the patient and the cost involved, implant supported prosthesis was ruled out as a treatment option for the patient. A telescopic denture was chosen as a favourable treatment option since it overcomes many of the problems posed by conventional complete dentures like progressive bone loss, lower stability and retention, loss of periodontal proprioception and low masticatory efficiency. It also provides minimal tissue coverage and better distribution of forces. Evaluation of occlusion, esthetics, phonetics and comfort after 24 hours, 1 week and 1 month of treatment showed that the patient was happy with the prosthesis and was able to speak and chew well. Conclusion: Telescopic overdentures have better retention and stability as compared to conventional complete dentures. They improve the chewing efficiency, patient comfort and also decrease the alveolar bone resorption. As such they are an excellent alternative to conventional complete denture treatment. PMID:28533736

Telescopic Overdenture: A Case Report.

PubMed

Shruthi, C S; Poojya, R; Ram, Swati; Anupama

2017-03-01

This report describes the case of a 68 year old female patient who presented with the chief complaint of difficulty in chewing and poor aesthetics due to missing teeth. The patient was interested in saving the remaining natural teeth and desired minimal tissue coverage from the prosthesis. After consideration of all the factors involved, it was deemed advisable to resort to a palate free maxillary telescopic complete denture and a mandibular removable partial denture. Considering the age of the patient and the cost involved, implant supported prosthesis was ruled out as a treatment option for the patient. A telescopic denture was chosen as a favourable treatment option since it overcomes many of the problems posed by conventional complete dentures like progressive bone loss, lower stability and retention, loss of periodontal proprioception and low masticatory efficiency. It also provides minimal tissue coverage and better distribution of forces. Evaluation of occlusion, esthetics, phonetics and comfort after 24 hours, 1 week and 1 month of treatment showed that the patient was happy with the prosthesis and was able to speak and chew well. Telescopic overdentures have better retention and stability as compared to conventional complete dentures. They improve the chewing efficiency, patient comfort and also decrease the alveolar bone resorption. As such they are an excellent alternative to conventional complete denture treatment.

Incompleteness of Bluetooth protocol conformance test cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Peng; Gao, Qiang

2001-10-01

This paper describes a formal method to verify the completeness of conformance testing, in which not only Implementation Under Test (IUT) is formalized in SDL, but also conformance tester is described in SDL so that conformance testing can be performed in simulator provided with CASE tool. The protocol set considered is Bluetooth, an open wireless communication technology. Our research results show that Bluetooth conformance test specification is not complete in that it has only limited coverage and many important capabilities defined in Bluetooth core specification are not tested. We also give a detail report on the missing test cases against Bluetooth core specification, and provide a guide on further test case generation in the future.

10 CFR 40.2a - Coverage of inactive tailings sites.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Coverage of inactive tailings sites. 40.2a Section 40.2a Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF SOURCE MATERIAL General Provisions § 40.2a Coverage of inactive tailings sites. (a) Prior to the completion of the remedial action, the Commission...

Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage in Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Jin-Ding; Lin, Pei-Ying; Lin, Lan-Ping

2010-01-01

There is little information of hepatitis B vaccination coverage for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). The present paper aims to examine the completed hepatitis B vaccination coverage rate and its determinants of children and adolescents with ID in Taiwan. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey, with the entire response participants was…

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission Development Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Azarbarzin, Ardeshir Art

2011-01-01

Mission Objective: (1) Improve scientific understanding of the global water cycle and fresh water availability (2) Improve the accuracy of precipitation forecasts (3) Provide frequent and complete sampling of the Earth s precipitation Mission Description (Class B, Category I): (1) Constellation of spacecraft provide global precipitation measurement coverage (2) NASA/JAXA Core spacecraft: Provides a microwave radiometer (GMI) and dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) to cross-calibrate entire constellation (3) 65 deg inclination, 400 km altitude (4) Launch July 2013 on HII-A (5) 3 year mission (5 year propellant) (6) Partner constellation spacecraft.

Completeness and accuracy of the wisconsin immunization registry: an evaluation coinciding with the beginning of meaningful use.

PubMed

Koepke, Ruth; Petit, Ashley B; Ayele, Roman A; Eickhoff, Jens C; Schauer, Stephanie L; Verdon, Matthew J; Hopfensperger, Daniel J; Conway, James H; Davis, Jeffrey P

2015-01-01

Vaccination coverage rates can be improved through the application of complete and accurate immunization information systems (IISs). Evaluate the completeness and accuracy of Wisconsin's IIS, the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR). Cross-sectional evaluation, comparing vaccination medical records (MRs) from provider clinics with WIR records. Medical records of patients born during 2009 were randomly selected from 251 Wisconsin clinics associated with the Vaccines for Children Program. Completeness: percentage of patients with client records in the WIR, percentage of patients up-to-date (%UTD) with the 4:3:1:3:3:1:4 vaccination series, and percentage of patients' MR vaccinations matched by administration date (±10 days) and type to vaccinations documented in the WIR. Accuracy: percentages of matched vaccinations with the same administration date, same trade name (TN), and same lot number. Of the 1863 selected patient MRs, 98% (n = 1833) had WIR client records and 97% of their 30 899 vaccinations were documented in the WIR. The %UTD was 49.3% using the MR only, 76.5% using the WIR only, and 75.2% as estimated by the National Immunization Survey. Among matched vaccinations, 99% had the same administration date, 96% had the same TN, and 95% had the same lot number. Compared with patients from clinics that entered data into the WIR using data exchange from electronic health records, patients from clinics that entered data using the Web-based user interface were less likely to have client records in the WIR (odds ratio: 0.3; 95% confidence interval: 0.1-0.9) and less likely to have accurate TNs (odds ratio: 0.3; 95% confidence interval: 0.1-0.5). The WIR was complete and accurate among this sample of children born during 2009 and provided a vaccination coverage assessment similar to the National Immunization Survey. Our results provide support for the expectation that meaningful use and other initiatives that increase data exchange from electronic health records to IISs will improve IIS data quality.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage in young Australian women is higher than previously estimated: independent estimates from a nationally representative mobile phone survey.

PubMed

Brotherton, Julia M L; Liu, Bette; Donovan, Basil; Kaldor, John M; Saville, Marion

2014-01-23

Accurate estimates of coverage are essential for estimating the population effectiveness of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Australia has a purpose built National HPV Vaccination Program Register for monitoring coverage, however notification of doses administered to young women in the community during the national catch-up program (2007-2009) was not compulsory. In 2011, we undertook a population-based mobile phone survey of young women to independently estimate HPV vaccination coverage. Randomly generated mobile phone numbers were dialed to recruit women aged 22-30 (age eligible for HPV vaccination) to complete a computer assisted telephone interview. Consent was sought to validate self reported HPV vaccination status against the national register. Coverage rates were calculated based on self report and weighted to the age and state of residence structure of the Australian female population. These were compared with coverage estimates from the register using Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated resident populations as the denominator. Among the 1379 participants, the national estimate for self reported HPV vaccination coverage for doses 1/2/3, respectively, weighted for age and state of residence, was 64/59/53%. This compares with coverage of 55/45/32% and 49/40/28% based on register records, using 2007 and 2011 population data as the denominators respectively. Some significant differences in coverage between the states were identified. 20% (223) of women returned a consent form allowing validation of doses against the register and provider records: among these women 85.6% (538) of self reported doses were confirmed. We confirmed that coverage rates for young women vaccinated in the community (at age 18-26 years) are underestimated by the national register and that under-notification is greater for second and third doses. Using 2011 population estimates, rather than estimates contemporaneous with the program rollout, reduces register-based coverage estimates further because of large population increases due to immigration since the program. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of health insurance in financing vaccinations for children and adolescents in the United States.

PubMed

Shen, Angela K; Hunsaker, John; Gazmararian, Julie A; Lindley, Megan C; Birkhead, Guthrie S

2009-12-01

The goal was to elicit perspectives of selected health insurance plan medical or quality improvement directors regarding factors related to coverage and reimbursement and perceptions of financing as a barrier to child and adolescent immunization. Medical or quality improvement directors from 20 plans selected by America's Health Insurance Plans were invited to complete an online survey in July 2007. Respondents who agreed to follow-up interviews were invited to participate in telephone interviews conducted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff members in August 2007. Fifteen plans (representing >67 million enrollees) responded to the online survey. All respondents covered all Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices-recommended child and adolescent vaccines in all or most products. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations were the most commonly cited criteria for coverage decisions (86.7%) and coverage modifications (100%). Factors affecting reimbursement that were cited most often were manufacturer's vaccine price (80%) and physician feedback (53.3%). In follow-up interviews with 10 self-selected respondents, manufacturer's price (7 of 10 plans) and physician feedback (4 of 10 plans) were identified as the most-important factors affecting reimbursement. Respondents said that reimbursement delays were most commonly attributable to providers' claim submission errors or patient ineligibility. Some respondents thought that vaccine financing was a barrier (4 of 10 plans) or somewhat a barrier (2 of 10 plans) to providing immunizations; others (4 of 10 plans) did not. Although these data suggest that health insurance coverage for recommended vaccines is high, coverage is not universal across all products offered.

Recent results from PHOBOS at RHIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Barton, D. S.; Betts, R. R.; Ballintijn, M.; Bickley, A. A.; Bindel, R.; Budzanowski, A.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Decowski, M. P.; García, E.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwell, C.; Hamblen, J.; Heintzelman, G. A.; Henderson, C.; Hofman, D. J.; Hollis, R. S.; Hołyński, R.; Holzman, B.; Iordanova, A.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Katzy, J.; Khan, N.; Kucewicz, W.; Kulinich, P.; Kuo, C. M.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; McLeod, D.; Michałowski, J.; Mignerey, A. C.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Remsberg, L. P.; Reuter, M.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Rosenberg, L.; Sagerer, J.; Sarin, P.; Sawicki, P.; Skulski, W.; Steadman, S. G.; Steinberg, P.; Stephans, G. S. F.; Stodulski, M.; Sukhanov, A.; Tang, J.-L.; Teng, R.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; van Niewwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Wadsworth, B.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Wosiek, B.; Woźniak, K.; Wuosmaa, A. H.; Wysłouch, B.; Robert PakThe Phobos Collaboration

2003-06-01

The PHOBOS experiment at RHIC has recorded measurements for AuAu collisions spanning nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energies from √ SNN = 19.6 GeV to 200 GeV. Global observables such as elliptic flow and charged particle multiplicity provide important constraints on model predictions that characterize the state of matter produced in these collisions. The nearly 4π acceptance of the PHOBOS experiment provides excellent coverage for complete flow and multiplicity measurements. Results including beam energy and centrality dependencies are presented and compared to elementary systems.

HPV Vaccination Coverage of Male Adolescents in the United States

PubMed Central

Lu, Peng-jun; Yankey, David; Jeyarajah, Jenny; O’Halloran, Alissa; Elam-Evans, Laurie D.; Smith, Philip J.; Stokley, Shannon; Singleton, James A.; Dunne, Eileen F.

2018-01-01

Background In 2011, the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended routine use HPV vaccine for male adolescents. Methods We used the 2013 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) data to assess HPV vaccine uptake (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥3 doses). Multivariable logistic regression analysis and a predictive marginal model were conducted to identify independent predictors of vaccination among adolescent males aged 13–17 years. Results HPV vaccination coverage with ≥1 dose was 34.6% while series completion (≥3 doses) was 13.9%. Coverage was significantly higher among non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic white males. Multivariable logistic regression showed that characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of HPV vaccination (≥1 dose) included: being non-Hispanic black race or Hispanic ethnicity, having mothers who were widowed, divorced, or separated, having 1–3 physician contacts in the past 12 months, a well-child visit at age 11–12 years, having one or two vaccination providers, living in urban or suburban areas, and receiving vaccinations from more than one type of facility (p<0.05). Having mothers with some college or college education, having a higher family income to poverty ratio, living in South or Midwest, and receiving vaccinations from all STD/school/teen clinics or other facilities were independently associated with a lower likelihood of HPV vaccination (p<0.05). Conclusions Following recommendations for routine HPV vaccination among male adolescents, uptake in 2013 was low in males. Increased efforts are needed to improve vaccination coverage, especially for those who are least likely to be vaccinated. PMID:26504124

The Profile Envision and Splicing Tool (PRESTO): Developing an Atmospheric Wind Analysis Tool for Space Launch Vehicles Using Python

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orcutt, John M.; Barbre, Robert E., Jr.; Brenton, James C.; Decker, Ryan K.

2017-01-01

Launch vehicle programs require vertically complete atmospheric profiles. Many systems at the ER to make the necessary measurements, but all have different EVR, vertical coverage, and temporal coverage. MSFC Natural Environments Branch developed a tool to create a vertically complete profile from multiple inputs using Python. Forward work: Finish Formal Testing Acceptance Testing, End-to-End Testing. Formal Release

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage achievements in low and middle-income countries 2007-2016.

PubMed

Gallagher, Katherine E; Howard, Natasha; Kabakama, Severin; Mounier-Jack, Sandra; Burchett, Helen E D; LaMontagne, D Scott; Watson-Jones, Deborah

2017-12-01

Since 2007, HPV vaccine has been available to low and middle income countries (LAMIC) for small-scale 'demonstration projects', or national programmes. We analysed coverage achieved in HPV vaccine demonstration projects and national programmes that had completed at least 6 months of implementation between January 2007-2016. A mapping exercise identified 45 LAMICs with HPV vaccine delivery experience. Estimates of coverage and factors influencing coverage were obtained from 56 key informant interviews, a systematic published literature search of 5 databases that identified 61 relevant full texts and 188 solicited unpublished documents, including coverage surveys. Coverage achievements were analysed descriptively against country or project/programme characteristics. Heterogeneity in data, funder requirements, and project/programme design precluded multivariate analysis. Estimates of uptake, schedule completion rates and/or final dose coverage were available from 41 of 45 LAMICs included in the study. Only 17 estimates from 13 countries were from coverage surveys, most were administrative data. Final dose coverage estimates were all over 50% with most between 70% and 90%, and showed no trend over time. The majority of delivery strategies included schools as a vaccination venue. In countries with school enrolment rates below 90%, inclusion of strategies to reach out-of-school girls contributed to obtaining high coverage compared to school-only strategies. There was no correlation between final dose coverage and estimated recurrent financial costs of delivery from cost analyses. Coverage achieved during joint delivery of HPV vaccine combined with another intervention was variable with little/no evaluation of the correlates of success. This is the most comprehensive descriptive analysis of HPV vaccine coverage in LAMICs to date. It is possible to deliver HPV vaccine with excellent coverage in LAMICs. Further good quality data are needed from health facility based delivery strategies and national programmes to aid policymakers to effectively and sustainably scale-up HPV vaccination. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Political leaders and the media. Can we measure political leadership images in newspapers using computer-assisted content analysis?

PubMed

Aaldering, Loes; Vliegenthart, Rens

Despite the large amount of research into both media coverage of politics as well as political leadership, surprisingly little research has been devoted to the ways political leaders are discussed in the media. This paper studies whether computer-aided content analysis can be applied in examining political leadership images in Dutch newspaper articles. It, firstly, provides a conceptualization of political leader character traits that integrates different perspectives in the literature. Moreover, this paper measures twelve political leadership images in media coverage, based on a large-scale computer-assisted content analysis of Dutch media coverage (including almost 150.000 newspaper articles), and systematically tests the quality of the employed measurement instrument by assessing the relationship between the images, the variance in the measurement, the over-time development of images for two party leaders and by comparing the computer results with manual coding. We conclude that the computerized content analysis provides a valid measurement for the leadership images in Dutch newspapers. Moreover, we find that the dimensions political craftsmanship, vigorousness, integrity, communicative performances and consistency are regularly applied in discussing party leaders, but that portrayal of party leaders in terms of responsiveness is almost completely absent in Dutch newspapers.

Pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions: Birth cohorts and the socio-economic gradient.

PubMed

Roos, Leslie L; Dragan, Roxana; Schroth, Robert J

2017-09-14

This study examines the socio-economic gradient in utilization and the risk factors associated with hospitalization for four pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions (dental conditions, asthma, gastroenteritis, and bacterial pneumonia). Dental conditions, where much care is provided by dentists and insurance coverage varies among different population segments, present special issues. A population registry, provider registry, physician ambulatory claims, and hospital discharge abstracts from 28 398 children born in 2003-2006 in urban centres in Manitoba, Canada were the main data sources. Physician visits and hospitalizations were compared across neighbourhood income groupings using rank correlations and logistic regressions. Very strong relationships between neighbourhood income and utilization were highlighted. Additional variables - family on income assistance, mother's age at first birth, breastfeeding - helped predict the probability of hospitalization. Despite the complete insurance coverage (including visits to dentists and physicians and for hospitalizations) provided, receiving income assistance was associated with higher probabilities of hospitalization. We found a socio-economic gradient in utilization for pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions, with higher rates of ambulatory visits and hospitalizations in the poorest neighbourhoods. Insurance coverage which varies between different segments of the population complicates matters. Providing funding for dental care for Manitobans on income assistance has not prevented physician visits or intensive treatment in high-cost facilities, specifically treatment under general anesthesia. When services from one type of provider (dentist) are not universally insured but those from another type (physician) are, using rates of hospitalization to indicate problems in the organization of care seems particularly difficult.

Coronally Advanced Flap Technique to Treat Class I and II Gingival Recession in Combination with Connective Tissue Graft or Equine Collagen Matrix: A Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Tarquini, Giacomo

This retrospective study aimed to compare the effectiveness of an equine collagen matrix (ECM) with that of a subepithelial connective tissue graft (CTG) in patients affected by Class I and II gingival recessions treated with a coronally advanced flap (CAF) technique. Records of 50 consecutive patients were analyzed. Recession depth, probing depth, keratinized tissue width, and percentage of root coverage had been recorded at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up. The number of patients that achieved complete root coverage was also assessed. According to the investigated parameters, ECM and CTG provide similar results when used in association with a CAF technique.

Stakeholders apply the GRADE evidence-to-decision framework to facilitate coverage decisions.

PubMed

Dahm, Philipp; Oxman, Andrew D; Djulbegovic, Benjamin; Guyatt, Gordon H; Murad, M Hassan; Amato, Laura; Parmelli, Elena; Davoli, Marina; Morgan, Rebecca L; Mustafa, Reem A; Sultan, Shahnaz; Falck-Ytter, Yngve; Akl, Elie A; Schünemann, Holger J

2017-06-01

Coverage decisions are complex and require the consideration of many factors. A well-defined, transparent process could improve decision-making and facilitate decision-maker accountability. We surveyed key US-based stakeholders regarding their current approaches for coverage decisions. Then, we held a workshop to test an evidence-to-decision (EtD) framework for coverage based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. A total of 42 individuals (including 19 US stakeholders as well as international health policymakers and GRADE working group members) attended the workshop. Of the 19 stakeholders, 14 (74%) completed the survey before the workshop. Almost all of their organizations (13 of 14; 93%) used systematic reviews for coverage decision-making; few (2 of 14; 14%) developed their own evidence synthesis; a majority (9 of 14; 64%) rated the certainty of evidence (using various systems); almost all (13 of 14; 93%) denied formal consideration of resource use; and half (7 of 14; 50%) reported explicit criteria for decision-making. At the workshop, stakeholders successfully applied the EtD framework to four case studies and provided narrative feedback, which centered on contextual factors affecting coverage decisions in the United States, the need for reliable data on subgroups of patients, and the challenge of decision-making without formal consideration of resource use. Stakeholders successfully applied the EtD framework to four case studies and highlighted contextual factors affecting coverage decisions and affirmed its value. Their input informed the further development of a revised EtD framework, now publicly available (http://gradepro.org/). Published by Elsevier Inc.

29 CFR 2590.715-2714 - Eligibility of children until at least age 26.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... plan, or a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage, that makes available... or health insurance coverage providing dependent coverage of children cannot vary based on age... of self-only or family health coverage. Dependent coverage is provided under family health coverage...

46 CFR 308.3 - Applications for insurance; warranties; supporting documents; payment of binder fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... identifies each vessel to be insured and the coverage(s) required, by completing appendices A and B to that form. An interim binder for war risk insurance coverage, of the types described in subparts B, C and D... from the Office of Subsidy and Insurance. (b) Warranties—(1) In general. Applications for war risk hull...

CEOS visualization environment (COVE) tool for intercalibration of satellite instruments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kessler, P.D.; Killough, B.D.; Gowda, S.; Williams, B.R.; Chander, G.; Qu, Min

2013-01-01

Increasingly, data from multiple instruments are used to gain a more complete understanding of land surface processes at a variety of scales. Intercalibration, comparison, and coordination of satellite instrument coverage areas is a critical effort of international and domestic space agencies and organizations. The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Visualization Environment (COVE) is a suite of browser-based applications that leverage Google Earth to display past, present, and future satellite instrument coverage areas and coincident calibration opportunities. This forecasting and ground coverage analysis and visualization capability greatly benefits the remote sensing calibration community in preparation for multisatellite ground calibration campaigns or individual satellite calibration studies. COVE has been developed for use by a broad international community to improve the efficiency and efficacy of such calibration planning efforts, whether those efforts require past, present, or future predictions. This paper provides a brief overview of the COVE tool, its validation, accuracies, and limitations with emphasis on the applicability of this visualization tool for supporting ground field campaigns and intercalibration of satellite instruments.

CEOS Visualization Environment (COVE) Tool for Intercalibration of Satellite Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, Paul D.; Killough, Brian D.; Gowda, Sanjay; Williams, Brian R.; Chander, Gyanesh; Qu, Min

2013-01-01

Increasingly, data from multiple instruments are used to gain a more complete understanding of land surface processes at a variety of scales. Intercalibration, comparison, and coordination of satellite instrument coverage areas is a critical effort of space agencies and of international and domestic organizations. The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Visualization Environment (COVE) is a suite of browser-based applications that leverage Google Earth to display past, present, and future satellite instrument coverage areas and coincident calibration opportunities. This forecasting and ground coverage analysis and visualization capability greatly benefits the remote sensing calibration community in preparation for multisatellite ground calibration campaigns or individual satellite calibration studies. COVE has been developed for use by a broad international community to improve the efficiency and efficacy of such calibration efforts. This paper provides a brief overview of the COVE tool, its validation, accuracies and limitations with emphasis on the applicability of this visualization tool for supporting ground field campaigns and intercalibration of satellite instruments.

Measuring the Impact of the Home Health Nursing Shortage on Family Caregivers of Children Receiving Palliative Care.

PubMed

Weaver, Meaghann S; Wichman, Brittany; Bace, Sue; Schroeder, Denice; Vail, Catherine; Wichman, Chris; Macfadyen, Andrew

2018-06-01

The national nursing shortage translates into a gap in home nursing care available to children with complex, chronic medical conditions and their family caregivers receiving palliative care consultations. A total of 38 home health nursing surveys were completed by families receiving pediatric palliative care consultation services at a freestanding children's hospital in the Midwest. The gap in the average number of nursing hours allotted versus received was 40 h/wk per family, primarily during evening hours. Parents missed an average of 23 hours of employment per week to provide hands-on nursing care at home, ranking stress regarding personal employment due to nursing shortage at 6.2/10. Families invested an average of 10 h/mo searching for additional nursing coverage and often resorted to utilizing more than 6 different home nurse coverage personnel per month. Families reported multiple delays to hospital discharges (mean, 15 days per delay) due to inability to find home nursing coverage. Respiratory technology and lack of Medicaid coverage ( P < .02) correlated with the gap in home nursing access. This study examines how the pediatric home nursing shortage translates into a lived experience for families with children with complex medical conditions receiving palliative care.

Rotavirus vaccine coverage and factors associated with uptake using linked data: Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Chung, Hannah; Schwartz, Kevin L.; Guttmann, Astrid; Deeks, Shelley L.; Kwong, Jeffrey C.; Crowcroft, Natasha S.; Wing, Laura; Tu, Karen

2018-01-01

Background In August 2011, Ontario, Canada introduced a rotavirus immunization program using Rotarix™ vaccine. No assessments of rotavirus vaccine coverage have been previously conducted in Ontario. Methods We assessed vaccine coverage (series initiation and completion) and factors associated with uptake using the Electronic Medical Record Administrative data Linked Database (EMRALD), a collection of family physician electronic medical records (EMR) linked to health administrative data. Series initiation (1 dose) and series completion (2 doses) before and after the program’s introduction were calculated. To identify factors associated with series initiation and completion, adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated using logistic regression. Results A total of 12,525 children were included. Series completion increased each year of the program (73%, 79% and 84%, respectively). Factors associated with series initiation included high continuity of care (aOR = 2.15; 95%CI, 1.61–2.87), maternal influenza vaccination (aOR = 1.55; 95%CI,1.24–1.93), maternal immmigration to Canada in the last five years (aOR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.05–2.04), and having no siblings (aOR = 1.62; 95%CI,1.30–2.03). Relative to the first program year, infants were more likely to initiate the series in the second year (aOR = 1.71; 95% CI 1.39–2.10) and third year (aOR = 2.02; 95% CI 1.56–2.61) of the program. Infants receiving care from physicians with large practices were less likely to initiate the series (aOR 0.91; 95%CI, 0.88–0.94, per 100 patients rostered) and less likely to complete the series (aOR 0.94; 95%CI, 0.91–0.97, per 100 patients rostered). Additional associations were identified for series completion. Conclusions Family physician delivery achieved moderately high coverage in the program’s first three years. This assessment demonstrates the usefulness of EMR data for evaluating vaccine coverage. Important insights into factors associated with initiation or completion (i.e. high continuity of care, smaller roster sizes, rural practice location) suggest areas for research and potential program supports. PMID:29444167

Improving Microbial Genome Annotations in an Integrated Database Context

PubMed Central

Chen, I-Min A.; Markowitz, Victor M.; Chu, Ken; Anderson, Iain; Mavromatis, Konstantinos; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Ivanova, Natalia N.

2013-01-01

Effective comparative analysis of microbial genomes requires a consistent and complete view of biological data. Consistency regards the biological coherence of annotations, while completeness regards the extent and coverage of functional characterization for genomes. We have developed tools that allow scientists to assess and improve the consistency and completeness of microbial genome annotations in the context of the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) family of systems. All publicly available microbial genomes are characterized in IMG using different functional annotation and pathway resources, thus providing a comprehensive framework for identifying and resolving annotation discrepancies. A rule based system for predicting phenotypes in IMG provides a powerful mechanism for validating functional annotations, whereby the phenotypic traits of an organism are inferred based on the presence of certain metabolic reactions and pathways and compared to experimentally observed phenotypes. The IMG family of systems are available at http://img.jgi.doe.gov/. PMID:23424620

Forecasted trends in vaccination coverage and correlations with socioeconomic factors: a global time-series analysis over 30 years.

PubMed

de Figueiredo, Alexandre; Johnston, Iain G; Smith, David M D; Agarwal, Sumeet; Larson, Heidi J; Jones, Nick S

2016-10-01

Incomplete immunisation coverage causes preventable illness and death in both developing and developed countries. Identification of factors that might modulate coverage could inform effective immunisation programmes and policies. We constructed a performance indicator that could quantitatively approximate measures of the susceptibility of immunisation programmes to coverage losses, with an aim to identify correlations between trends in vaccine coverage and socioeconomic factors. We undertook a data-driven time-series analysis to examine trends in coverage of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccination across 190 countries over the past 30 years. We grouped countries into six world regions according to WHO classifications. We used Gaussian process regression to forecast future coverage rates and provide a vaccine performance index: a summary measure of the strength of immunisation coverage in a country. Overall vaccine coverage increased in all six world regions between 1980 and 2010, with variation in volatility and trends. Our vaccine performance index identified that 53 countries had more than a 50% chance of missing the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) target of 90% worldwide coverage with three doses of DTP (DTP3) by 2015. These countries were mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, but Austria and Ukraine also featured. Factors associated with DTP3 immunisation coverage varied by world region: personal income (Spearman's ρ=0·66, p=0·0011) and government health spending (0·66, p<0·0001) were informative of immunisation coverage in the Eastern Mediterranean between 1980 and 2010, whereas primary school completion was informative of coverage in Africa (0·56, p<0·0001) over the same period. The proportion of births attended by skilled health staff correlated significantly with immunisation coverage across many world regions. Our vaccine performance index highlighted countries at risk of failing to achieve the GVAP target of 90% coverage by 2015, and could aid policy makers' assessments of the strength and resilience of immunisation programmes. Weakening correlations with socioeconomic factors show a need to tackle vaccine confidence, whereas strengthening correlations point to clear factors to address. UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Vaccination Coverage Cluster Surveys in Middle Dreib – Akkar, Lebanon: Comparison of Vaccination Coverage in Children Aged 12-59 Months Pre- and Post-Vaccination Campaign

PubMed Central

Assaad, Ramia; Rebeschini, Arianna; Hamadeh, Randa

2016-01-01

Introduction With the high proportion of refugee population throughout Lebanon and continuous population movement, it is sensible to believe that, in particular vulnerable areas, vaccination coverage may not be at an optimal level. Therefore, we assessed the vaccination coverage in children under 5 in a district of the Akkar governorate before and after a vaccination campaign. During the vaccination campaign, conducted in August 2015, 2,509 children were vaccinated. Materials and Methods We conducted a pre- and post-vaccination campaign coverage surveys adapting the WHO EPI cluster survey to the Lebanese MoPH vaccination calendar. Percentages of coverage for each dose of each vaccine were calculated for both surveys. Factors associated with complete vaccination were explored. Results Comparing the pre- with the post-campaign surveys, coverage for polio vaccine increased from 51.9% to 84.3%, for Pentavalent from 49.0% to 71.9%, for MMR from 36.2% to 61.0%, while the percentage of children with fully updated vaccination calendar increased from 32.9% to 53.8%. While Lebanese children were found to be better covered for some antigens compared to Syrians at the first survey, this difference disappeared at the post-campaign survey. Awareness and logistic obstacles were the primary reported causes of not complete vaccination in both surveys. Discussion Vaccination campaigns remain a quick and effective approach to increase vaccination coverage in crisis-affected areas. However, campaigns cannot be considered as a replacement of routine vaccination services to maintain a good level of coverage. PMID:27992470

Vaccination Coverage Disparities Between Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Children Aged 19-35 Months, United States, 2010-2012.

PubMed

Varan, Aiden K; Rodriguez-Lainz, Alfonso; Hill, Holly A; Elam-Evans, Laurie D; Yankey, David; Li, Qian

2017-08-01

Healthy People 2020 targets high vaccination coverage among children. Although reductions in coverage disparities by race/ethnicity have been described, data by nativity are limited. The National Immunization Survey is a random-digit-dialed telephone survey that estimates vaccination coverage among U.S. children aged 19-35 months. We assessed coverage among 52,441 children from pooled 2010-2012 data for individual vaccines and the combined 4:3:1:3*:3:1:4 series (which includes ≥4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine/diphtheria and tetanus toxoids vaccine/diphtheria, tetanus toxoids, and pertussis vaccine, ≥3 doses of poliovirus vaccine, ≥1 dose of measles-containing vaccine, ≥3 or ≥4 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (depending on product type of vaccine; denoted as 3* in the series name), ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine, ≥1 dose of varicella vaccine, and ≥4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine). Coverage estimates controlling for sociodemographic factors and multivariable logistic regression modeling for 4:3:1:3*:3:1:4 series completion are presented. Significantly lower coverage among foreign-born children was detected for DTaP, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Hib, pneumococcal conjugate, and rotavirus vaccines, and for the combined series. Series completion disparities persisted after control for demographic, access-to-care, poverty, and language effects. Substantial and potentially widening disparities in vaccination coverage exist among foreign-born children. Improved immunization strategies targeting this population and continued vaccination coverage monitoring by nativity are needed.

Contraception Insurance Coverage and Receipt of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception or Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate on the Day of Abortion.

PubMed

Krashin, Jamie W; Stuart, Gretchen S; Garrett, Joanne; Spector, Hannah; Bryant, Amy G; Charm, Samantha; Morse, Jessica E

2017-07-01

To evaluate whether contraceptive insurance coverage for women who present for an abortion is associated with obtaining long-acting reversible contraception or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) on the day the abortion is completed. We conducted a prospective cohort study of women presenting for medical or surgical abortion at a single health center in North Carolina. Eligible women were 18 years or older and fluent in English or Spanish. Data were from participant questionnaires, medical charts, and financial records. Our main exposure was whether the woman had insurance coverage for contraception at clinic intake. Our primary outcome was receiving DMPA, an intrauterine device, or a contraceptive subdermal implant on the same day of their surgical abortion or at the visit that determined their medication abortion was complete. We used univariable, bivariable, and multivariable analysis to report our findings. Five hundred seventy-five women enrolled in our cohort between September 2015 and April 2016. One hundred twenty-eight (22%) had insurance coverage and 447 (78%) did not. In the group with insurance coverage for contraception, 38% (49/128) received a long-acting reversible contraception method or DMPA compared with 7% (33/447) in the group without insurance coverage for contraception. After adjusting for confounding, women with contraceptive coverage were more than five times as likely to receive immediate postabortion contraception with one of these methods compared with women without coverage (relative risk 5.6, 95% confidence interval 3.8-8.3). Women with contraceptive insurance coverage on the day of their abortion were more likely to leave the abortion clinic with an intrauterine device or implant in place or receive DMPA injection compared with women without coverage.

An analytical study of the interaction of technological and administrative decision-making in the defining of Mars Project Viking. Ph.D. Thesis - Union College

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcnulty, J. F.

1974-01-01

An analysis of the history and background of the Mars Project Viking is presented. The organization and functions of the engineering group responsible for the project are defined. The design and configuration of the proposed space vehicle are examined. Illustrations and tables of data are provided to complete the coverage of the project.

Assessment of the NASA-USGS Global Land Survey (GLS) Datasets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gutman, Garik; Huang, Chengquan; Chander, Gyanesh; Noojipady, Praveen; Masek, Jeffery G.

2013-01-01

The Global Land Survey (GLS) datasets are a collection of orthorectified, cloud-minimized Landsat-type satellite images, providing near complete coverage of the global land area decadally since the early 1970s. The global mosaics are centered on 1975, 1990, 2000, 2005, and 2010, and consist of data acquired from four sensors: Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, Thematic Mapper, Multispectral Scanner, and Advanced Land Imager. The GLS datasets have been widely used in land-cover and land-use change studies at local, regional, and global scales. This study evaluates the GLS datasets with respect to their spatial coverage, temporal consistency, geodetic accuracy, radiometric calibration consistency, image completeness, extent of cloud contamination, and residual gaps. In general, the three latest GLS datasets are of a better quality than the GLS-1990 and GLS-1975 datasets, with most of the imagery (85%) having cloud cover of less than 10%, the acquisition years clustered much more tightly around their target years, better co-registration relative to GLS-2000, and better radiometric absolute calibration. Probably, the most significant impediment to scientific use of the datasets is the variability of image phenology (i.e., acquisition day of year). This paper provides end-users with an assessment of the quality of the GLS datasets for specific applications, and where possible, suggestions for mitigating their deficiencies.

Patient Experience Of Provider Refusal Of Medicaid Coverage And Its Implications.

PubMed

Bhandari, Neeraj; Shi, Yunfeng; Jung, Kyoungrae

2016-01-01

Previous studies show that many physicians do not accept new patients with Medicaid coverage, but no study has examined Medicaid enrollees' actual experience of provider refusal of their coverage and its implications. Using the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, we estimate provider refusal of health insurance coverage reported by 23,992 adults with continuous coverage for the past 12 months. We find that among Medicaid enrollees, 6.73% reported their coverage being refused by a provider in 2012, a rate higher than that in Medicare and private insurance by 4.07 (p<.01) and 3.68 (p<.001) percentage points, respectively. Refusal of Medicaid coverage is associated with delaying needed care, using emergency room (ER) as a usual source of care, and perceiving current coverage as worse than last year. In view of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Medicaid expansion, future studies should continue monitoring enrollees' experience of coverage refusal.

Implications of complete watershed soil moisture measurements to hydrologic modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engman, E. T.; Jackson, T. J.; Schmugge, T. J.

1983-01-01

A series of six microwave data collection flights for measuring soil moisture were made over a small 7.8 square kilometer watershed in southwestern Minnesota. These flights were made to provide 100 percent coverage of the basin at a 400 m resolution. In addition, three flight lines were flown at preselected areas to provide a sample of data at a higher resolution of 60 m. The low level flights provide considerably more information on soil moisture variability. The results are discussed in terms of reproducibility, spatial variability and temporal variability, and their implications for hydrologic modeling.

EVATS: a proactive solution to improve surgical education and maintain flexibility in the new training era.

PubMed

Horvath, Karen D; Mann, Gary N; Pellegrini, Carlos

2006-01-01

To describe the development of the EVATS rotation. Descriptive document. University teaching hospital. Faculty and residents of the University of Washington. In July 2003 we identified the need for a new, independent, educational module within our residency training. Requirements for this rotation included dedicated time for technical skills training on simulators, independent competency learning modules, academic research project time, vacation time and coverage, and flexibility for unplanned leave (eg, interview travel, m/paternity leave). An EVATS rotation was created in July 2003 that is provided at each training level and lasts from 4 to 8 weeks depending on R-level. EVATS meets the following challenges: Emergency coverage (EVATS residents available for last-minute service coverage), vacation time/vacation coverage (2 weeks vacation + 1 week vacation coverage; this maintains vacations for all residents every 6 months), academic time (residents now must complete 1 academic project for graduation) and ACGME competency learning and assessment, and technical skills training (includes simulator work for open/lap skills). Initial implementation indices are high and include resident satisfaction, 80-hour work week compliance, academic productivity, and patient continuity of care. The 21st century brought new challenges for surgical training. Increased societal demands for skills training in a laboratory setting using simulators and the 6 ACGME competencies all require classroom-type training periods. Paradoxically, the 80-hour work week restricted the time available for these educational activities and made it more difficult for programs to accommodate resident vacations and emergencies. These challenges provided an opportunity to enhance the educational experience for our residency program. The product was the EVATS rotation. Early data after implementation are favorable.

Evaluating the Theoretical Content of Online Physical Activity Information for People with Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Baillie, Colin P.T.; Galaviz, Karla; Jarvis, Jocelyn W.; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E.

2015-01-01

Background: Physical activity can aid people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in managing symptoms and maintaining functional abilities. The Internet is a preferred source of physical activity information for people with MS and, therefore, a method for the dissemination of behavior change techniques. The purpose of this study was to examine the coverage and quality of physical activity behavior change techniques delivered on the Internet for adults with MS using Abraham and Michie's taxonomy of behavior change techniques. Methods: Using the taxonomy, 20 websites were coded for quality (ie, accuracy of information) and coverage (ie, completeness of information) of theoretical behavior change techniques. Results: Results indicated that most websites covered a mean of 8.05 (SD 3.86, range 3–16) techniques out of a possible 20. Only one of the techniques, provide information on behavior–health link and consequences, was delivered on all websites. The websites demonstrated low mean coverage and quality across all behavior change techniques, with means of 0.64 (SD 0.67) and 0.62 (SD 0.37) on a scale of 0 to 2, respectively. However, coverage and quality improved when websites were examined solely for the techniques that they covered, as opposed to all 20 techniques. Conclusions: This study, which examined quality and coverage of physical activity behavior change techniques described online for people with MS, illustrated that the dissemination of these techniques requires improvement. PMID:25892979

HPV Vaccination among Adolescent Females from Appalachia: Implications for Cervical Cancer Disparities

PubMed Central

Reiter, Paul L.; Katz, Mira L.; Paskett, Electra D.

2012-01-01

Background Appalachia is a geographic region with high cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates, yet little is known about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in this region. We determined HPV vaccine coverage among adolescent females from Appalachia, made comparisons to non-Appalachian females, and examined how coverage differs across subregions within Appalachia. Methods We analyzed 2008–2010 data from the National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) for adolescent females ages 13–17 (n=1,951 Appalachian females and n=25,468 non-Appalachian females). We examined HPV vaccine initiation (receipt of at least one dose), completion (receipt of at least three doses), and follow-through (completion among initiators). Analyses used weighted logistic regression. Results HPV vaccine initiation (Appalachian=40.8% vs. non-Appalachian=43.6%; OR=0.92, 95% CI: 0.79–1.07) and completion (Appalachian=27.7% vs. non-Appalachian=25.3%; OR=1.12, 95% CI: 0.95–1.32) were similar between Appalachian and non-Appalachian females. HPV vaccine follow-through was higher among Appalachian females than non-Appalachian females (67.8% vs. 58.1%; OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.07–1.72). Vaccination outcomes tended to be higher in the Northern (completion and follow-through) and South Central (follow-through) subregions of Appalachia compared to non-Appalachian U.S. Conversely, vaccination outcomes tended to be lower in the Central (initiation and completion) and Southern (initiation and completion) subregions. Conclusions In general, HPV vaccination in Appalachia is mostly similar to the rest of the U.S. However, vaccination is lagging in regions of Appalachia where cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates are highest. Impact Current cervical cancer disparities could potentially worsen if HPV vaccine coverage is not improved in regions of Appalachia with low HPV vaccine coverage. PMID:23136141

Mapping the literature of pediatric nursing: update and implications for library services

PubMed Central

Watwood, Carol L.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to identify core journals and other types of literature cited in four major pediatric nursing journals and to characterize coverage of these resources in major bibliographic databases. The study was part of the “Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project” of the Medical Library Association's Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section. It updates a similar analysis published in 2006 and determines whether citation patterns have changed over time. Methods Cited references from articles published in 4 pediatric nursing journals between 2011 and 2013 were collected. Cited journal titles were ranked according to number of times cited and analyzed according to Bradford's Law of Scattering and the 80/20 rule to identify the most frequently cited journals. Five databases were surveyed to assess the coverage of the most-often-cited journals. The most frequently cited non-journal sources were also identified. Results Journals were the most frequently cited sources, followed by books, government documents, Internet resources, and miscellaneous resources. Most cited sources were cited within ten years of their publication, which was particularly true for government documents and Internet resources. Scopus had complete coverage of the most frequently cited journals, whereas PubMed had nearly complete coverage. Conclusions Compared with the 2006 study, the list of top-cited journals referenced by pediatric nursing researchers has remained relatively stable, but the number of cited journal titles has increased. Book citations have declined, and Internet and government document references have increased. These findings suggest that librarians should retain subscriptions to frequently cited journal titles, provide efficient document delivery of articles from infrequently used journals, de-emphasize but not eliminate books, and connect patrons with useful open-access Internet resources. PMID:27822148

Mapping the literature of pediatric nursing: update and implications for library services.

PubMed

Watwood, Carol L

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to identify core journals and other types of literature cited in four major pediatric nursing journals and to characterize coverage of these resources in major bibliographic databases. The study was part of the "Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project" of the Medical Library Association's Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section. It updates a similar analysis published in 2006 and determines whether citation patterns have changed over time. Cited references from articles published in 4 pediatric nursing journals between 2011 and 2013 were collected. Cited journal titles were ranked according to number of times cited and analyzed according to Bradford's Law of Scattering and the 80/20 rule to identify the most frequently cited journals. Five databases were surveyed to assess the coverage of the most-often-cited journals. The most frequently cited non-journal sources were also identified. Journals were the most frequently cited sources, followed by books, government documents, Internet resources, and miscellaneous resources. Most cited sources were cited within ten years of their publication, which was particularly true for government documents and Internet resources. Scopus had complete coverage of the most frequently cited journals, whereas PubMed had nearly complete coverage. Compared with the 2006 study, the list of top-cited journals referenced by pediatric nursing researchers has remained relatively stable, but the number of cited journal titles has increased. Book citations have declined, and Internet and government document references have increased. These findings suggest that librarians should retain subscriptions to frequently cited journal titles, provide efficient document delivery of articles from infrequently used journals, de-emphasize but not eliminate books, and connect patrons with useful open-access Internet resources.

Primary health care and immunisation in Iran.

PubMed

Nasseri, K; Sadrizadeh, B; Malek-Afzali, H; Mohammad, K; Chamsa, M; Cheraghchi-Bashi, M T; Haghgoo, M; Azmoodeh, M

1991-05-01

The Primary Health Care (PHC) network of Iran consists of a rural and an urban branch. While the rural branch presently covers a sizeable portion of the rural population, the urban PHC project is in its early stages of implementation. The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in Iran, which started as an independent and vertical project in early 1983, is being gradually integrated into the PHC network as the latter expands. Results of the second PHC programme review of Iran shows that immunisation coverage of children has improved appreciably since the first PHC review, especially for BCG which stands at 56.3%. Complete immunisation at first birthday in the rural areas with the PHC services is 44.1%, whereas for urban areas other than Teheran it is 28.1%. While the high coverage in the rural areas is attributed to the 'active' approach and vigilance of the providers of immunisation (i.e. the community health workers and the vaccinators of the mobile teams), the higher coverage in the capital city of Teheran is attributed to the involvement of private paediatricians and the generally higher social, economic, and educational status as well as higher interest of mothers. It is noticed that the results of cluster sampling for determination of immunisation coverage in large metropolitan areas of the developing world must be interpreted with much care. The reason is that in these areas extreme fluctuations in the crude birth rate are common and therefore results tend to over-represent the attributes of the segment of population with lower birth rate. It is also argued that complete immunisation might not be the best indicator for assessing the progress of the immunisation efforts. These and other findings are discussed in detail. are discussed in detail.

Health Care Coverage Decision Making in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Experiences from 25 Coverage Schemes.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Hialy; Shewade, Ashwini; Dai, Minghan; Mendoza-Arana, Pedro; Gómez-Dantés, Octavio; Jain, Nishant; Khonelidze, Irma; Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet; Saleh, Karima; Teerawattananon, Yot; Nishtar, Sania; Hornberger, John

2015-08-01

Lessons learned by countries that have successfully implemented coverage schemes for health services may be valuable for other countries, especially low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which likewise are seeking to provide/expand coverage. The research team surveyed experts in population health management from LMICs for information on characteristics of health care coverage schemes and factors that influenced decision-making processes. The level of coverage provided by the different schemes varied. Nearly all the health care coverage schemes involved various representatives and stakeholders in their decision-making processes. Maternal and child health, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and HIV were among the highest priorities guiding coverage development decisions. Evidence used to inform coverage decisions included medical literature, regional and global epidemiology, and coverage policies of other coverage schemes. Funding was the most commonly reported reason for restricting coverage. This exploratory study provides an overview of health care coverage schemes from participating LMICs and contributes to the scarce evidence base on coverage decision making. Sharing knowledge and experiences among LMICs can support efforts to establish systems for accessible, affordable, and equitable health care.

A long way to go - Estimates of combined water, sanitation and hygiene coverage for 25 sub-Saharan African countries.

PubMed

Roche, Rachel; Bain, Robert; Cumming, Oliver

2017-01-01

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are essential for a healthy and dignified life. International targets to reduce inadequate WASH coverage were set under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 1990-2015) and now the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2016-2030). The MDGs called for halving the proportion of the population without access to adequate water and sanitation, whereas the SDGs call for universal access, require the progressive reduction of inequalities, and include hygiene in addition to water and sanitation. Estimating access to complete WASH coverage provides a baseline for monitoring during the SDG period. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has among the lowest rates of WASH coverage globally. The most recent available Demographic Household Survey (DHS) or Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data for 25 countries in SSA were analysed to estimate national and regional coverage for combined water and sanitation (a combined MDG indicator for 'improved' access) and combined water with collection time within 30 minutes plus sanitation and hygiene (a combined SDG indicator for 'basic' access). Coverage rates were estimated separately for urban and rural populations and for wealth quintiles. Frequency ratios and percentage point differences for urban and rural coverage were calculated to give both relative and absolute measures of urban-rural inequality. Wealth inequalities were assessed by visual examination of coverage across wealth quintiles in urban and rural populations and by calculating concentration indices as standard measures of relative wealth related inequality that give an indication of how unevenly a health indicator is distributed across the wealth distribution. Combined MDG coverage in SSA was 20%, and combined basic SDG coverage was 4%; an estimated 921 million people lacked basic SDG coverage. Relative measures of inequality were higher for combined basic SDG coverage than combined MDG coverage, but absolute inequality was lower. Rural combined basic SDG coverage was close to zero in many countries. Our estimates help to quantify the scale of progress required to achieve universal WASH access in low-income countries, as envisaged under the water and sanitation SDG. Monitoring and reporting changes in the proportion of the national population with access to water, sanitation and hygiene may be useful in focusing WASH policy and investments towards the areas of greatest need.

A long way to go – Estimates of combined water, sanitation and hygiene coverage for 25 sub-Saharan African countries

PubMed Central

Bain, Robert; Cumming, Oliver

2017-01-01

Background Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are essential for a healthy and dignified life. International targets to reduce inadequate WASH coverage were set under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 1990–2015) and now the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2016–2030). The MDGs called for halving the proportion of the population without access to adequate water and sanitation, whereas the SDGs call for universal access, require the progressive reduction of inequalities, and include hygiene in addition to water and sanitation. Estimating access to complete WASH coverage provides a baseline for monitoring during the SDG period. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has among the lowest rates of WASH coverage globally. Methods The most recent available Demographic Household Survey (DHS) or Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data for 25 countries in SSA were analysed to estimate national and regional coverage for combined water and sanitation (a combined MDG indicator for ‘improved’ access) and combined water with collection time within 30 minutes plus sanitation and hygiene (a combined SDG indicator for ‘basic’ access). Coverage rates were estimated separately for urban and rural populations and for wealth quintiles. Frequency ratios and percentage point differences for urban and rural coverage were calculated to give both relative and absolute measures of urban-rural inequality. Wealth inequalities were assessed by visual examination of coverage across wealth quintiles in urban and rural populations and by calculating concentration indices as standard measures of relative wealth related inequality that give an indication of how unevenly a health indicator is distributed across the wealth distribution. Results Combined MDG coverage in SSA was 20%, and combined basic SDG coverage was 4%; an estimated 921 million people lacked basic SDG coverage. Relative measures of inequality were higher for combined basic SDG coverage than combined MDG coverage, but absolute inequality was lower. Rural combined basic SDG coverage was close to zero in many countries. Conclusions Our estimates help to quantify the scale of progress required to achieve universal WASH access in low-income countries, as envisaged under the water and sanitation SDG. Monitoring and reporting changes in the proportion of the national population with access to water, sanitation and hygiene may be useful in focusing WASH policy and investments towards the areas of greatest need. PMID:28182796

The AlpArray Seismic Network: status and operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetényi, György; Molinari, Irene; Clinton, John; Kissling, Edi

2017-04-01

The AlpArray initiative (http://www.alparray.ethz.ch) is a large-scale European collaboration to study the entire Alpine orogen at high resolution and in 3D with a large variety of geoscientific methods. The core element of the initiative is an extensive and dense broadband seismological network, the AlpArray Seismic Network (AASN). Over 300 temporary stations complement the permanent seismological stations to ensure homogeneous coverage of the greater Alpine area. The AASN has officially started operation in January 2016 and is now complete on land. It is operated in a joint effort by a number of institutions from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Switzerland. In the Ligurian Sea, a 32-station OBS campaign is planned from June 2017 until March 2018. This will complete the coverage of the greater Alpine area at an unprecedented resolution. In this poster we present the actual status of the deployment, the effort undertaken by the contributing groups, station performance, best practices, data management as well as often encountered challenges, and provide a meeting and discussion point during the conference.

Clustered lot quality assurance sampling: a tool to monitor immunization coverage rapidly during a national yellow fever and polio vaccination campaign in Cameroon, May 2009.

PubMed

Pezzoli, L; Tchio, R; Dzossa, A D; Ndjomo, S; Takeu, A; Anya, B; Ticha, J; Ronveaux, O; Lewis, R F

2012-01-01

We used the clustered lot quality assurance sampling (clustered-LQAS) technique to identify districts with low immunization coverage and guide mop-up actions during the last 4 days of a combined oral polio vaccine (OPV) and yellow fever (YF) vaccination campaign conducted in Cameroon in May 2009. We monitored 17 pre-selected districts at risk for low coverage. We designed LQAS plans to reject districts with YF vaccination coverage <90% and with OPV coverage <95%. In each lot the sample size was 50 (five clusters of 10) with decision values of 3 for assessing OPV and 7 for YF coverage. We 'rejected' 10 districts for low YF coverage and 14 for low OPV coverage. Hence we recommended a 2-day extension of the campaign. Clustered-LQAS proved to be useful in guiding the campaign vaccination strategy before the completion of the operations.

3D model generation using an airborne swarm

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

Clark, R. A.; Punzo, G.; Macdonald, M.

2015-03-31

Using an artificial kinematic field to provide co-ordination between multiple inspection UAVs, the authors herein demonstrate full 3D modelling capability based on a photogrammetric system. The operation of the system is demonstrated by generating a full 3D surface model of an intermediate level nuclear waste storage drum. Such drums require periodic inspection to ensure that drum distortion or corrosion is carefully monitored. Performing this inspection with multiple airborne platforms enables rapid inspection of structures that are inaccessible to on-surface remote vehicles and are in human-hazardous environments. A three-dimensional surface-meshed model of the target can then be constructed in post-processing throughmore » photogrammetry analysis of the visual inspection data. The inspection environment uses a tracking system to precisely monitor the position of each aerial vehicle within the enclosure. The vehicles used are commercially available Parrot AR. Drone quadcopters, controlled through a computer interface connected over an IEEE 802.11n (WiFi) network, implementing a distributed controller for each vehicle. This enables the autonomous and distributed elements of the control scheme to be retained, while alleviating the vehicles of the control algorithm’s computational load. The control scheme relies on a kinematic field defined with the target at its centre. This field defines the trajectory for all the drones in the volume relative to the central target, enabling the drones to circle the target at a set radius while avoiding drone collisions. This function enables complete coverage along the height of the object, which is assured by transitioning to another inspection band only after completing circumferential coverage. Using a swarm of vehicles, the time until complete coverage can be significantly reduced.« less

3D model generation using an airborne swarm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, R. A.; Punzo, G.; Dobie, G.; MacLeod, C. N.; Summan, R.; Pierce, G.; Macdonald, M.; Bolton, G.

2015-03-01

Using an artificial kinematic field to provide co-ordination between multiple inspection UAVs, the authors herein demonstrate full 3D modelling capability based on a photogrammetric system. The operation of the system is demonstrated by generating a full 3D surface model of an intermediate level nuclear waste storage drum. Such drums require periodic inspection to ensure that drum distortion or corrosion is carefully monitored. Performing this inspection with multiple airborne platforms enables rapid inspection of structures that are inaccessible to on-surface remote vehicles and are in human-hazardous environments. A three-dimensional surface-meshed model of the target can then be constructed in post-processing through photogrammetry analysis of the visual inspection data. The inspection environment uses a tracking system to precisely monitor the position of each aerial vehicle within the enclosure. The vehicles used are commercially available Parrot AR. Drone quadcopters, controlled through a computer interface connected over an IEEE 802.11n (WiFi) network, implementing a distributed controller for each vehicle. This enables the autonomous and distributed elements of the control scheme to be retained, while alleviating the vehicles of the control algorithm's computational load. The control scheme relies on a kinematic field defined with the target at its centre. This field defines the trajectory for all the drones in the volume relative to the central target, enabling the drones to circle the target at a set radius while avoiding drone collisions. This function enables complete coverage along the height of the object, which is assured by transitioning to another inspection band only after completing circumferential coverage. Using a swarm of vehicles, the time until complete coverage can be significantly reduced.

Adolescent Immunization Coverage and Implementation of New School Requirements in Michigan, 2010

PubMed Central

DeVita, Stefanie F.; Vranesich, Patricia A.; Boulton, Matthew L.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We examined the effect of Michigan’s new school rules and vaccine coadministration on time to completion of all the school-required vaccine series, the individual adolescent vaccines newly required for sixth grade in 2010, and initiation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series, which was recommended but not required for girls. Methods. Data were derived from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, a statewide Immunization Information System. We assessed the immunization status of Michigan children enrolled in sixth grade in 2009 or 2010. We used univariable and multivariable Cox regression models to identify significant associations between each factor and school completeness. Results. Enrollment in sixth grade in 2010 and coadministration of adolescent vaccines at the first adolescent visit were significantly associated with completion of the vaccines required for Michigan’s sixth graders. Children enrolled in sixth grade in 2010 had higher coverage with the newly required adolescent vaccines by age 13 years than did sixth graders in 2009, but there was little difference in the rate of HPV vaccine initiation among girls. Conclusions. Education and outreach efforts, particularly regarding the importance and benefits of coadministration of all recommended vaccines in adolescents, should be directed toward health care providers, parents, and adolescents. PMID:24922144

Socioeconomic inequalities and vaccination coverage: results of an immunisation coverage survey in 27 Brazilian capitals, 2007-2008.

PubMed

Barata, Rita Barradas; Ribeiro, Manoel Carlos Sampaio de Almeida; de Moraes, José Cássio; Flannery, Brendan

2012-10-01

Since 1988, Brazil's Unified Health System has sought to provide universal and equal access to immunisations. Inequalities in immunisation may be examined by contrasting vaccination coverage among children in the highest versus the lowest socioeconomic strata. The authors examined coverage with routine infant immunisations from a survey of Brazilian children according to socioeconomic stratum of residence census tract. The authors conducted a household cluster survey in census tracts systematically selected from five socioeconomic strata, according to average household income and head of household education, in 26 Brazilian capitals and the federal district. The authors calculated coverage with recommended vaccinations among children until 18 months of age, according to socioeconomic quintile of residence census tract, and examined factors associated with incomplete vaccination. Among 17,295 children with immunisation cards, 14,538 (82.6%) had received all recommended vaccinations by 18 months of age. Among children residing in census tracts in the highest socioeconomic stratum, 77.2% were completely immunised by 18 months of age versus 81.2%-86.2% of children residing in the four census tract quintiles with lower socioeconomic indicators (p<0.01). Census tracts in the highest socioeconomic quintile had significantly lower coverage for bacille Calmette-Guérin, oral polio and hepatitis B vaccines than those with lower socioeconomic indicators. In multivariable analysis, higher birth order and residing in the highest socioeconomic quintile were associated with incomplete vaccination. After adjusting for interaction between socioeconomic strata of residence census tract and household wealth index, only birth order remained significant. Evidence from Brazilian capitals shows success in achieving high immunisation coverage among poorer children. Strategies are needed to reach children in wealthier areas.

Socioeconomic inequalities and vaccination coverage: results of an immunisation coverage survey in 27 Brazilian capitals, 2007–2008

PubMed Central

Sampaio de Almeida Ribeiro, Manoel Carlos; de Moraes, José Cássio; Flannery, Brendan

2012-01-01

Background Since 1988, Brazil's Unified Health System has sought to provide universal and equal access to immunisations. Inequalities in immunisation may be examined by contrasting vaccination coverage among children in the highest versus the lowest socioeconomic strata. The authors examined coverage with routine infant immunisations from a survey of Brazilian children according to socioeconomic stratum of residence census tract. Methods The authors conducted a household cluster survey in census tracts systematically selected from five socioeconomic strata, according to average household income and head of household education, in 26 Brazilian capitals and the federal district. The authors calculated coverage with recommended vaccinations among children until 18 months of age, according to socioeconomic quintile of residence census tract, and examined factors associated with incomplete vaccination. Results Among 17 295 children with immunisation cards, 14 538 (82.6%) had received all recommended vaccinations by 18 months of age. Among children residing in census tracts in the highest socioeconomic stratum, 77.2% were completely immunised by 18 months of age versus 81.2%–86.2% of children residing in the four census tract quintiles with lower socioeconomic indicators (p<0.01). Census tracts in the highest socioeconomic quintile had significantly lower coverage for bacille Calmette-Guérin, oral polio and hepatitis B vaccines than those with lower socioeconomic indicators. In multivariable analysis, higher birth order and residing in the highest socioeconomic quintile were associated with incomplete vaccination. After adjusting for interaction between socioeconomic strata of residence census tract and household wealth index, only birth order remained significant. Conclusions Evidence from Brazilian capitals shows success in achieving high immunisation coverage among poorer children. Strategies are needed to reach children in wealthier areas. PMID:22268129

Delaunay Triangulation as a New Coverage Measurement Method in Wireless Sensor Network

PubMed Central

Chizari, Hassan; Hosseini, Majid; Poston, Timothy; Razak, Shukor Abd; Abdullah, Abdul Hanan

2011-01-01

Sensing and communication coverage are among the most important trade-offs in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) design. A minimum bound of sensing coverage is vital in scheduling, target tracking and redeployment phases, as well as providing communication coverage. Some methods measure the coverage as a percentage value, but detailed information has been missing. Two scenarios with equal coverage percentage may not have the same Quality of Coverage (QoC). In this paper, we propose a new coverage measurement method using Delaunay Triangulation (DT). This can provide the value for all coverage measurement tools. Moreover, it categorizes sensors as ‘fat’, ‘healthy’ or ‘thin’ to show the dense, optimal and scattered areas. It can also yield the largest empty area of sensors in the field. Simulation results show that the proposed DT method can achieve accurate coverage information, and provides many tools to compare QoC between different scenarios. PMID:22163792

Disparities in collaborative patient-provider communication about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

PubMed

Moss, Jennifer L; Gilkey, Melissa B; Rimer, Barbara K; Brewer, Noel T

2016-06-02

Healthcare providers may vary their communications with different patients, which could give rise to differences in vaccination coverage. We examined demographic disparities in parental report of collaborative provider communication and implications for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Participants were 4,124 parents who completed the National Immunization Survey-Teen about daughters ages 13-17. We analyzed disparities in collaborative communication (mutual information exchange, deliberation, and decision) and whether they mediated the relationship between demographic characteristics and HPV vaccine initiation. Half of parents (53%) in the survey reported collaborative communication. Poor, less educated, Spanish-speaking, Southern, and rural parents, and parents of non-privately insured and Hispanic adolescents, were least likely to report collaborative communication (all p<.05). These disparities in communication accounted for geographic variation in HPV vaccination, specifically, the higher rates of uptake in the Northeast versus the South (mediation z=2.31, p<.01) and in urban/suburban vs. rural areas (mediation z=2.87, p<.01). These disparities were also associated with vaccination among subgroups with relatively high coverage, minimizing what could have been even higher uptake among Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic white adolescents (mediation z=-3.04, p<.01) and non-privately versus privately insured adolescents (mediation z=-3.67, p<.001). Controlling for provider recommendation attenuated some of these associations (but all p<.10). Collaborative communication showed widespread disparities, being least common among underserved groups. Collaborative communication helped account for differences-and lack of differences-in HPV vaccination among some subgroups of adolescent girls. Leveraging patient-provider communication, especially for underserved demographic groups, could improve HPV vaccination coverage.

Reputation-Based Trust for a Cooperative, Agent-Based Backup Protection Scheme for Power Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

85 Appendix B . Performance Charts for Data by Scenario...protection for that line. For example Relay 3 provides zone 1 coverage for line B and zone 3 coverage for line C. Relay 4 would also provide zone 1...coverage for line B but zone 3 coverage for line A instead since it is directional. Relay 1 and relay 6 would provide zone 3 coverage for line B . A

Prevalence, Characteristics, and Perception of Nursery Antibiotic Stewardship Coverage in the United States.

PubMed

Cantey, Joseph B; Vora, Niraj; Sunkara, Mridula

2017-09-01

Prolonged or unnecessary antibiotic use is associated with adverse outcomes in infants. Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) aim to prevent these adverse outcomes and optimize antibiotic prescribing. However, data evaluating ASP coverage of nurseries are limited. The objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics of nurseries with and without ASP coverage and to determine perceptions of and barriers to nursery ASP coverage. The 2014 American Hospital Association annual survey was used to randomly select a level III neonatal intensive care unit from all 50 states. A level I and level II nursery from the same city as the level III nursery were then randomly selected. Hospital, nursery, and ASP characteristics were collected. Nursery and ASP providers (pharmacists or infectious disease providers) were interviewed using a semistructured template. Transcribed interviews were analyzed for themes. One hundred forty-six centers responded; 104 (71%) provided nursery ASP coverage. In multivariate analysis, level of nursery, university affiliation, and number of full-time equivalent ASP staff were the main predictors of nursery ASP coverage. Several themes were identified from interviews: unwanted coverage, unnecessary coverage, jurisdiction issues, need for communication, and a focus on outcomes. Most providers had a favorable view of nursery ASP coverage. Larger, higher-acuity nurseries in university-affiliated hospitals are more likely to have ASP coverage. Low ASP staffing and a perceived lack of importance were frequently cited as barriers to nursery coverage. Most nursery ASP coverage is viewed favorably by providers, but nursery providers regard it as less important than ASP providers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

NONPARAMETRIC MANOVA APPROACHES FOR NON-NORMAL MULTIVARIATE OUTCOMES WITH MISSING VALUES

PubMed Central

He, Fanyin; Mazumdar, Sati; Tang, Gong; Bhatia, Triptish; Anderson, Stewart J.; Dew, Mary Amanda; Krafty, Robert; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit; Deshpande, Smita; Hall, Martica; Reynolds, Charles F.

2017-01-01

Between-group comparisons often entail many correlated response variables. The multivariate linear model, with its assumption of multivariate normality, is the accepted standard tool for these tests. When this assumption is violated, the nonparametric multivariate Kruskal-Wallis (MKW) test is frequently used. However, this test requires complete cases with no missing values in response variables. Deletion of cases with missing values likely leads to inefficient statistical inference. Here we extend the MKW test to retain information from partially-observed cases. Results of simulated studies and analysis of real data show that the proposed method provides adequate coverage and superior power to complete-case analyses. PMID:29416225

Uptake and timeliness of rotavirus vaccination in Norway: The first year post-introduction.

PubMed

Valcarcel Salamanca, Beatriz; Hagerup-Jenssen, Maria Elisabeth; Flem, Elmira

2016-09-07

To minimise vaccine-associated risk of intussusception following rotavirus vaccination, Norway adopted very strict age limits for initiating and completing the vaccine series at the time rotavirus vaccination was included in the national immunisation programme, October 2014. Although Norway has a high coverage for routine childhood vaccines, these stringent age limits could negatively affect rotavirus coverage. We documented the status and impact of rotavirus vaccination on other infant vaccines during the first year after its introduction. We used individual vaccination data from the national immunisation register to calculate coverage for rotavirus and other vaccines and examine adherence with the recommended schedules. We identified factors associated with completing the full rotavirus series by performing multiple logistic regression analyses. We also evaluated potential changes in uptake and timeliness of other routine vaccines after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine using the Kaplan-Meier method. The national coverage for rotavirus vaccine achieved a year after the introduction was 89% for one dose and 82% for two doses, respectively. Among fully rotavirus-vaccinated children, 98% received both doses within the upper age limit and 90% received both doses according to the recommended schedule. The child's age at the initiation of rotavirus series and being vaccinated with diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP/IPV/Hib) and pneumococcal vaccines were the strongest predictors of completing the full rotavirus series. No major changes in uptake and timeliness of other paediatric vaccines were observed after introduction of rotavirus vaccine. Norway achieved a high national coverage and excellent adherence with the strict age limits for rotavirus vaccine administration during the first year of introduction, indicating robustness of the national immunisation programme. Rotavirus vaccination did not impact coverage or timeliness of other infant vaccines. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Tennessee health plan tobacco cessation coverage.

PubMed

Kolade, Folasade M

2014-01-01

To evaluate the smoking cessation coverage available from public and private Tennessee health plans. Cross-sectional study. The sampling frame for private plans was a register of licensed plans obtained from the Tennessee Commerce Department. Government websites and reports provided TennCare data. Data were abstracted from plan manuals and formularies for benefit year 2012. Classification of coverage included comprehensive-all seven recommended medications plus individual and group counseling; moderate-at least two forms of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) plus bupropion and varenicline and one form of counseling; inadequate-at least one treatment, or none-no medications or counseling, or coverage only for pregnant women. Of nine private plans, one provided comprehensive coverage; two, moderate coverage; four, inadequate coverage, as did TennCare; and two plans provided no coverage. Over 362,800 smokers had inadequate access to cessation treatments under TennCare, while 119,094 smokers had inadequate or no cessation coverage under private plans. In 2012, Tennessee fell short of Healthy People goals for total managed care and comprehensive TennCare coverage of smoking cessation. If Tennessee mandates that all health plans provide full coverage, 481,900 smokers may immediately be in a better position to quit. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of aeromedical retrieval coverage using elliptical isochrones: An evaluation of helicopter fleet size configurations in Scotland.

PubMed

Dodds, Naomi; Emerson, Philip; Phillips, Stephanie; Green, David R; Jansen, Jan O

2017-03-01

Trauma systems in remote and rural regions often rely on helicopter emergency medical services to facilitate access to definitive care. The siting of such resources is key, but often relies on simplistic modeling of coverage, using circular isochrones. Scotland is in the process of implementing a national trauma network, and there have been calls for an expansion of aeromedical retrieval capacity. The aim of this study was to analyze population and area coverage of the current retrieval service configuration, with three aircraft, and a configuration with an additional helicopter, in the North East of Scotland, using a novel methodology. Both overall coverage and coverage by physician-staffed aircraft, with enhanced clinical capability, were analyzed. This was a geographical analysis based on calculation of elliptical isochrones, which consider the "open-jaw" configuration of many retrieval flights. Helicopters are not always based at hospitals. We modeled coverage based on different outbound and inbound flights. Areally referenced population data were obtained from the Scottish Government. The current helicopter network configuration provides 94.2% population coverage and 59.0% area coverage. The addition of a fourth helicopter would marginally increase population coverage to 94.4% and area coverage to 59.1%. However, when considering only physician-manned aircraft, the current configuration provides only 71.7% population coverage and 29.4% area coverage, which would be increased to 91.1% and 51.2%, respectively, with a second aircraft. Scotland's current helicopter network configuration provides good population coverage for retrievals to major trauma centers, which would only be increased minimally by the addition of a fourth aircraft in the North East. The coverage provided by the single physician-staffed aircraft is more limited, however, and would be increased considerably by a second physician-staffed aircraft in the North East. Elliptical isochrones provide a useful means of modeling "open-jaw" retrieval missions and provide a more realistic estimate of coverage. Epidemiological study, level IV; therapeutic study, level IV.

Impact of school-entry and education mandates by states on HPV vaccination coverage: Analysis of the 2009-2013 National Immunization Survey-Teen.

PubMed

Perkins, Rebecca B; Lin, Mengyun; Wallington, Sherrie F; Hanchate, Amresh D

2016-06-02

To determine the effectiveness of existing school entry and education mandates on HPV vaccination coverage, we compared coverage among girls residing in states and jurisdictions with and without education and school-entry mandates. Virginia and the District of Columbia enacted school entry mandates, though both laws included liberal opt-out provisions. Ten additional states had mandates requiring distribution of education to parents or provision of education within school curricula. Using data from the National Immunization Survey-Teen from 2009-2013, we estimated multilevel logistic regression models to compare coverage with HPV vaccines for girls ages 13-17 residing in states and jurisdictions with and without school entry and education mandates, adjusting for demographic factors, healthcare access, and provider recommendation. Girls residing in states and jurisdictions with HPV vaccine school entry mandates (DC and VA) and education mandates (LA, MI, CO, IN, IA, IL, NJ, NC, TX, and WA) did not have higher HPV vaccine series initiation or completion than those living in states without mandates for any year (2009-2013). Similar results were seen when comparing girls ages 13-14 to those ages 15-17, and after adjustment for known covariates of vaccination. States and jurisdictions with school-entry and education mandates do not currently have higher HPV vaccination coverage than states without such legislation. Liberal opt-out language in existing school entry mandates may weaken their impact. Policy-makers contemplating legislation to improve vaccination coverage should be aware of the limitations of existing mandates.

Coverage vs Frequency : Is Spatial Coverage or Temporal Frequency More Impactful on Transit Ridership?

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-08-01

Transit ridership has long been studied, and the findings are concisely elucidated by Taylor & Fink (2003) when they say To sum, transit ridership is largely, though not completely, a product of factors outside the control of transit managers. ...

Two low coverage bird genomes and a comparison of reference-guided versus de novo genome assemblies.

PubMed

Card, Daren C; Schield, Drew R; Reyes-Velasco, Jacobo; Fujita, Matthew K; Andrew, Audra L; Oyler-McCance, Sara J; Fike, Jennifer A; Tomback, Diana F; Ruggiero, Robert P; Castoe, Todd A

2014-01-01

As a greater number and diversity of high-quality vertebrate reference genomes become available, it is increasingly feasible to use these references to guide new draft assemblies for related species. Reference-guided assembly approaches may substantially increase the contiguity and completeness of a new genome using only low levels of genome coverage that might otherwise be insufficient for de novo genome assembly. We used low-coverage (∼3.5-5.5x) Illumina paired-end sequencing to assemble draft genomes of two bird species (the Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Centrocercus minimus, and the Clark's Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana). We used these data to estimate de novo genome assemblies and reference-guided assemblies, and compared the information content and completeness of these assemblies by comparing CEGMA gene set representation, repeat element content, simple sequence repeat content, and GC isochore structure among assemblies. Our results demonstrate that even lower-coverage genome sequencing projects are capable of producing informative and useful genomic resources, particularly through the use of reference-guided assemblies.

Two low coverage bird genomes and a comparison of reference-guided versus de novo genome assemblies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Card, Daren C.; Schield, Drew R.; Reyes-Velasco, Jacobo; Fujita, Matthre K.; Andrew, Audra L.; Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Fike, Jennifer A.; Tomback, Diana F.; Ruggiero, Robert P.; Castoe, Todd A.

2014-01-01

As a greater number and diversity of high-quality vertebrate reference genomes become available, it is increasingly feasible to use these references to guide new draft assemblies for related species. Reference-guided assembly approaches may substantially increase the contiguity and completeness of a new genome using only low levels of genome coverage that might otherwise be insufficient for de novo genome assembly. We used low-coverage (~3.5–5.5x) Illumina paired-end sequencing to assemble draft genomes of two bird species (the Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Centrocercus minimus, and the Clark's Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana). We used these data to estimate de novo genome assemblies and reference-guided assemblies, and compared the information content and completeness of these assemblies by comparing CEGMA gene set representation, repeat element content, simple sequence repeat content, and GC isochore structure among assemblies. Our results demonstrate that even lower-coverage genome sequencing projects are capable of producing informative and useful genomic resources, particularly through the use of reference-guided assemblies.

Full-Coverage High-Resolution Daily PM(sub 2.5) Estimation using MAIAC AOD in the Yangtze River Delta of China

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiao, Qingyang; Wang, Yujie; Chang, Howard H.; Meng, Xia; Geng, Guannan; Lyapustin, Alexei Ivanovich; Liu, Yang

2017-01-01

Satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) has been used to assess population exposure to fine particulate matter (PM (sub 2.5)). The emerging high-resolution satellite aerosol product, Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction(MAIAC), provides a valuable opportunity to characterize local-scale PM(sub 2.5) at 1-km resolution. However, non-random missing AOD due to cloud snow cover or high surface reflectance makes this task challenging. Previous studies filled the data gap by spatially interpolating neighboring PM(sub 2.5) measurements or predictions. This strategy ignored the effect of cloud cover on aerosol loadings and has been shown to exhibit poor performance when monitoring stations are sparse or when there is seasonal large-scale missngness. Using the Yangtze River Delta of China as an example, we present a Multiple Imputation (MI) method that combines the MAIAC high-resolution satellite retrievals with chemical transport model (CTM) simulations to fill missing AOD. A two-stage statistical model driven by gap-filled AOD, meteorology and land use information was then fitted to estimate daily ground PM(sub 2.5) concentrations in 2013 and 2014 at 1 km resolution with complete coverage in space and time. The daily MI models have an average R(exp 2) of 0.77, with an inter-quartile range of 0.71 to 0.82 across days. The overall Ml model 10-fold cross-validation R(exp 2) (root mean square error) were 0.81 (25 gm(exp 3)) and 0.73 (18 gm(exp 3)) for year 2013 and 2014, respectively. Predictions with only observational AOD or only imputed AOD showed similar accuracy.Comparing with previous gap-filling methods, our MI method presented in this study performed bette rwith higher coverage, higher accuracy, and the ability to fill missing PM(sub 2.5) predictions without ground PM(sub 2.5) measurements. This method can provide reliable PM(sub 2.5)predictions with complete coverage that can reduce biasin exposure assessment in air pollution and health studies.

Health insurance coverage and healthcare utilization among homeless young adults in Venice, CA

PubMed Central

Winetrobe, H.; Rice, E.; Rhoades, H.; Milburn, N.

2016-01-01

Background Homeless young adults are a vulnerable population with great healthcare needs. Under the Affordable Care Act, homeless young adults are eligible for Medicaid, in some states, including California. This study assesses homeless young adults' health insurance coverage and healthcare utilization prior to Medicaid expansion. Methods All homeless young adults accessing services at a drop-in center in Venice, CA, were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire; 70% of eligible clients participated (n = 125). Results Within this majority White, heterosexual, male sample, 70% of homeless young adults did not have health insurance in the prior year, and 39% reported their last healthcare visit was at an emergency room. Past year unmet healthcare needs were reported by 31%, and financial cost was the main reported barrier to receiving care. Multivariable logistic regression found that homeless young adults with health insurance were almost 11 times more likely to report past year healthcare utilization. Conclusions Health insurance coverage is the sole variable significantly associated with healthcare utilization among homeless young adults, underlining the importance of insurance coverage within this vulnerable population. Service providers can play an important role by assisting homeless young adults with insurance applications and facilitating connections with regular sources of health care. PMID:25635142

Acellular dermal matrix graft with or without enamel matrix derivative for root coverage in smokers: a randomized clinical study.

PubMed

Alves, Luciana B; Costa, Priscila P; Scombatti de Souza, Sérgio Luís; de Moraes Grisi, Márcio F; Palioto, Daniela B; Taba, Mario; Novaes, Arthur B

2012-04-01

The aim of this randomized controlled clinical study was to compare the use of an acellular dermal matrix graft (ADMG) with or without the enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in smokers to evaluate which procedure would provide better root coverage. Nineteen smokers with bilateral Miller Class I or II gingival recessions ≥3 mm were selected. The test group was treated with an association of ADMG and EMD, and the control group with ADMG alone. Probing depth, relative clinical attachment level, gingival recession height, gingival recession width, keratinized tissue width and keratinized tissue thickness were evaluated before the surgeries and after 6 months. Wilcoxon test was used for the statistical analysis at significance level of 5%. No significant differences were found between groups in all parameters at baseline. The mean gain recession height between baseline and 6 months and the complete root coverage favored the test group (p = 0.042, p = 0.019 respectively). Smoking may negatively affect the results achieved through periodontal plastic procedures; however, the association of ADMG and EMD is beneficial in the root coverage of gingival recessions in smokers, 6 months after the surgery. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The Status of Topographic Mapping in the World a Unggim-Isprs Project 2012-2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konecny, G.; Breitkopf, U.; Radtke, A.

2016-06-01

In December 2011, UNGGIM initiated a cooperative project with ISPRS to resume the former UN Secretariat studies on the status of topographic mapping in the world, conducted between 1968 and 1986. After the design of a questionnaire with 27 questions, the UNGGIM Secretariat sent the questionnaires to the UN member states. 115 replies were received from the 193 member states and regions thereof. Regarding the global data coverage and age, the UN questionnaire survey was supplemented by data from the Eastview database. For each of the 27 questions, an interactive viewer was programmed permitting the analysis of the results. The authoritative data coverage at the various scale ranges has greatly increased between 1986 and 2012. Now, a 30 % 1 : 25 000 map data coverage and a 75 % 1 : 50 000 map data coverage has been completed. Nevertheless, there is still an updating problem, as data for some countries is 10 to 30 years old. Private Industry, with Google, Microsoft and Navigation system providers, have undertaken huge efforts to supplement authoritative mapping. For critical areas on the globe, MGCP committed to military mapping at 1 : 50 000. ISPRS has decided to make such surveys a sustainable issue by establishing a working group.

Mapping selected general literature of international nursing.

PubMed

Shams, Marie-Lise Antoun; Dixon, Lana S

2007-01-01

This study, part of a wider project to map the literature of nursing, identifies core journals cited in non-US nursing journals and determines the extent of their coverage by indexing services. Four general English-language journals were analyzed for format types and publication dates. Core titles were identified and nine bibliographic databases were scanned for indexing coverage. Findings show that 57.5% (13,391/23,271) of the cited references from the 4 core journals were to journal articles, 27.8% (6,471/23,271) to books, 9.5% (2,208/23,271) to government documents, 4.9% (1,131/23,271) to miscellaneous sources, and less than 1% (70/23,271) to Internet resources. Eleven journals produced one-third of the citations; the next third included 146 journals, followed by a dispersion of 1,622 titles. PubMed received the best database coverage scores, followed by CINAHL and Science Citation Index. None of the databases provided complete coverage of all 11 core titles. The four source journals contain a diverse group of cited references. The currency of citations to government documents makes these journals a good source for regulatory and legislative awareness. Nurses consult nursing and biomedical journals and must search both nursing and biomedical databases to cover the literature.

Receipt of human papillomavirus vaccine among privately insured adult women in a U.S. Midwestern Health Maintenance Organization.

PubMed

Kharbanda, Elyse Olshen; Parker, Emily; Nordin, James D; Hedblom, Brita; Rolnick, Sharon J

2013-11-01

To describe human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage among adult privately insured women including variation in coverage by race/ethnicity. This cross-sectional, observational study included women 18-26 years of age with continuous enrollment in a U.S. Midwestern health insurance plan and at least one visit to a plan affiliated practice. Vaccination data came from insurance claims and the electronic medical record. Primary outcomes were: receipt of at least 1 HPV vaccine (HPV1) and completion of the 3-dose HPV vaccine series (HPV3). Coverage was described for the entire cohort and stratified by race/ethnicity. For a subset of women, automated data was compared to personal recall. As of June 2010, among 2546 privately insured women 18-26 years, 72.7% had received their first HPV vaccine and 57.9% completed the 3-dose series. Compared to white women, African American and Asian women had significantly lower coverage for HPV1 and HPV3. There was 94.5% (95% CI: 88.5-100%) agreement between personal recall and claims/EMR for receiving HPV1. In this cohort of privately insured women, a majority received HPV1 and more than half completed the 3-dose vaccine series. Marked disparities in receipt of HPV vaccine by race/ethnicity were observed. © 2013.

Comparing Methods of Assessing Dog Rabies Vaccination Coverage in Rural and Urban Communities in Tanzania

PubMed Central

Sambo, Maganga; Johnson, Paul C. D.; Hotopp, Karen; Changalucha, Joel; Cleaveland, Sarah; Kazwala, Rudovick; Lembo, Tiziana; Lugelo, Ahmed; Lushasi, Kennedy; Maziku, Mathew; Mbunda, Eberhard; Mtema, Zacharia; Sikana, Lwitiko; Townsend, Sunny E.; Hampson, Katie

2017-01-01

Rabies can be eliminated by achieving comprehensive coverage of 70% of domestic dogs during annual mass vaccination campaigns. Estimates of vaccination coverage are, therefore, required to evaluate and manage mass dog vaccination programs; however, there is no specific guidance for the most accurate and efficient methods for estimating coverage in different settings. Here, we compare post-vaccination transects, school-based surveys, and household surveys across 28 districts in southeast Tanzania and Pemba island covering rural, urban, coastal and inland settings, and a range of different livelihoods and religious backgrounds. These approaches were explored in detail in a single district in northwest Tanzania (Serengeti), where their performance was compared with a complete dog population census that also recorded dog vaccination status. Post-vaccination transects involved counting marked (vaccinated) and unmarked (unvaccinated) dogs immediately after campaigns in 2,155 villages (24,721 dogs counted). School-based surveys were administered to 8,587 primary school pupils each representing a unique household, in 119 randomly selected schools approximately 2 months after campaigns. Household surveys were conducted in 160 randomly selected villages (4,488 households) in July/August 2011. Costs to implement these coverage assessments were $12.01, $66.12, and $155.70 per village for post-vaccination transects, school-based, and household surveys, respectively. Simulations were performed to assess the effect of sampling on the precision of coverage estimation. The sampling effort required to obtain reasonably precise estimates of coverage from household surveys is generally very high and probably prohibitively expensive for routine monitoring across large areas, particularly in communities with high human to dog ratios. School-based surveys partially overcame sampling constraints, however, were also costly to obtain reasonably precise estimates of coverage. Post-vaccination transects provided precise and timely estimates of community-level coverage that could be used to troubleshoot the performance of campaigns across large areas. However, transects typically overestimated coverage by around 10%, which therefore needs consideration when evaluating the impacts of campaigns. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these different methods and make recommendations for how vaccination campaigns can be better monitored and managed at different stages of rabies control and elimination programs. PMID:28352630

Alternative Enzymes Lead to Improvements in Sequence Coverage and PTM Analysis

PubMed Central

Hooper, Kyle; Rosenblatt, Michael; Urh, Marjeta; Saveliev, Sergei; Hosfield, Chris; Kobs, Gary; Ford, Michael; Jones, Richard; Amunugama, Ravi; Allen, David; Brazas, Robert

2013-01-01

The profiling of proteins using biological mass spectrometry (bottom up proteomics) most commonly requires trypsin. Trypsin is advantageous in that it produces peptides of optimal charge and size. However, for applications in which the proteins under investigation are part of a complex mixture or not isolated at high levels (i.e. low ng from an immunoprecipitation), sequence coverage is rarely complete. In addition, we have found that in several cases, like phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation, alternative proteases are required to prepare peptides suitable for MS detection. This poster will provide specific examples which demonstrate this observation. For example, the application of a combined Trypsin/ Lys-C mixture reduces the number of missed cleavages by more than 3-fold producing samples with lower CV's (for biological replicates). The mixture is also well-suited for the complete proteolysis of hydrophobic, compact proteins. The addition of chymotrypsin and elastase has been found to be useful for identifying phosphorylation sites on proteins, especially on sequences where the site of phosphorylation inhibits trypsin (i.e. proximal to K or R). Many epigenetic applications have focused on histone modifications, like lysine acetylation and arginine methylation. Alternative proteases like Asp-N, Glu-C, and chymotrypsin have been especially useful given the fact that the modified K and R residues are resistant to c-terminal cleavage by trypsin. Finally, in the case of serum profiling, the addition of the endoglycosidase, PNGase F has been found to improve sequence coverage due to the removal of N-linked glycans.

[Electoral demography. The demographic dimension of a political process].

PubMed

Herrero, J M

1991-01-01

A complete and reliable knowledge of the potential voters is indispensable for holding elections in a democratic society. In 1990 a new Federal Code of Electoral Institutions and Procedures (COFIRE) was approved in Mexico. A new list of potential voters was to be created based on the 1990 census and without reference to the old list. The planning and implementation of the 1991 electoral rolls required great efficiency in order to complete the work in time for elections, while assuring its validity and legitimacy through a clear and participatory process in which all political parties played a permanent role. COFIRE designated July 1991 as the date for completion, allowing just 10 months for the entire process from planning to completion. The 1991 work represented a political process as much as a technical challenge. A working group from the political parties provided advice on all aspects of the work, from defining the social communications campaign to cartographic review and organization of field work. Although the list potential voters not intended for demographic purposes, its validity, coverage, and variety of information make it a rich source of sociodemographic information. An estimated 95% of individuals included in the 1990 census were included in the lists of prospective voters. Of these, 39,500,000 citizens, or 86% of the census population, actually registered as of the deadline on May 31. The final coverage by states varied from a low of 79.3% in Guerrero to a high of 91.0% in the Federal District.

Stakeholder perspectives on decision-analytic modeling frameworks to assess genetic services policy.

PubMed

Guzauskas, Gregory F; Garrison, Louis P; Stock, Jacquie; Au, Sylvia; Doyle, Debra Lochner; Veenstra, David L

2013-01-01

Genetic services policymakers and insurers often make coverage decisions in the absence of complete evidence of clinical utility and under budget constraints. We evaluated genetic services stakeholder opinions on the potential usefulness of decision-analytic modeling to inform coverage decisions, and asked them to identify genetic tests for decision-analytic modeling studies. We presented an overview of decision-analytic modeling to members of the Western States Genetic Services Collaborative Reimbursement Work Group and state Medicaid representatives and conducted directed content analysis and an anonymous survey to gauge their attitudes toward decision-analytic modeling. Participants also identified and prioritized genetic services for prospective decision-analytic evaluation. Participants expressed dissatisfaction with current processes for evaluating insurance coverage of genetic services. Some participants expressed uncertainty about their comprehension of decision-analytic modeling techniques. All stakeholders reported openness to using decision-analytic modeling for genetic services assessments. Participants were most interested in application of decision-analytic concepts to multiple-disorder testing platforms, such as next-generation sequencing and chromosomal microarray. Decision-analytic modeling approaches may provide a useful decision tool to genetic services stakeholders and Medicaid decision-makers.

Progress in Childhood Vaccination Data in Immunization Information Systems - United States, 2013-2016.

PubMed

Murthy, Neil; Rodgers, Loren; Pabst, Laura; Fiebelkorn, Amy Parker; Ng, Terence

2017-11-03

In 2016, 55 jurisdictions in 49 states and six cities in the United States* used immunization information systems (IISs) to collect and manage immunization data and support vaccination providers and immunization programs. To monitor progress toward achieving IIS program goals, CDC surveys jurisdictions through an annual self-administered IIS Annual Report (IISAR). Data from the 2013-2016 IISARs were analyzed to assess progress made in four priority areas: 1) data completeness, 2) bidirectional exchange of data with electronic health record systems, 3) clinical decision support for immunizations, and 4) ability to generate childhood vaccination coverage estimates. IIS participation among children aged 4 months through 5 years increased from 90% in 2013 to 94% in 2016, and 33 jurisdictions reported ≥95% of children aged 4 months through 5 years participating in their IIS in 2016. Bidirectional messaging capacity in IISs increased from 25 jurisdictions in 2013 to 37 in 2016. In 2016, nearly all jurisdictions (52 of 55) could provide automated provider-level coverage reports, and 32 jurisdictions reported that their IISs could send vaccine forecasts to providers via Health Level 7 (HL7) messaging, up from 17 in 2013. Incremental progress was made in each area since 2013, but continued effort is needed to implement these critical functionalities among all IISs. Success in these priority areas, as defined by the IIS Functional Standards (1), bolsters clinicians' and public health practitioners' ability to attain high vaccination coverage in pediatric populations, and prepares IISs to develop more advanced functionalities to support state/local immunization services. Success in these priority areas also supports the achievement of federal immunization objectives, including the use of IISs as supplemental sampling frames for vaccination coverage surveys like the National Immunization Survey (NIS)-Child, reducing data collection costs, and supporting increased precision of state-level estimates.

Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage among females and males, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, United States, 2007-2016.

PubMed

Lewis, Rayleen M; Markowitz, Lauri E

2018-05-03

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has been routinely recommended at age 11-12 years in the United States for females since 2006 and males since 2011. Coverage can be estimated using self/parent-reported HPV vaccination collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for a wider age range than other national surveys. We assessed vaccination coverage in 2015-2016, temporal trends by age, and the validity of self/parent-reported vaccination status. Participants aged 9-59 years completed an interview collecting demographic and vaccination information. Weighted coverage was estimated for two-year NHANES cycles by age group for 2007-2008 to 2015-2016 for females (N = 14318) and 2011-2012 to 2015-2016 for males (N = 7847). Temporal trends in coverage were assessed from 2007-2008 to 2011-2012 for females and from 2011-2012 to 2015-2016 for both sexes. Sensitivity and specificity of self/parent-reported vaccination were assessed using provider-verified vaccination records from a pilot study in 14-29 year-olds. In 2015-2016, ≥1 dose coverage among females was highest in 14-19 (54.7%) and 20-24 (56.0%) year-olds and lower in successively older age groups. Among males, ≥1 dose coverage was highest in 14-19 year-olds (39.5%) and lower at older ages. Coverage was similar in 9-13 year-old females and males. Between 2007-2008 and 2011-2012, there were increases among females younger than 30 years. Between 2011-2012 and 2015-2016, there were increases among female age groups including 20-39 year-olds; male coverage increased among ages 9-13, 14-19, and 20-24 years. Self/parent-reported receipt of ≥1 dose had a sensitivity and specificity of 87.0% and 83.3%. Performance was lower for 3 doses. While overall HPV vaccination coverage remains low, it is higher in females than males, except in 9-13 year-olds. There have been increases in coverage among many age groups, but coverage has stalled in younger females. Adequate validity was demonstrated for self/parent-reported vaccination of ≥1 dose, but not 3 doses, in a pilot study. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic Fields of Lunar Impact Basins and Their Use in Constraining the Impact Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halekas, J. S.; Lin, R. P.

2003-01-01

Measurements by the Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer instrument on the Lunar Prospector spacecraft, which completed its mapping mission in 1999, have been used to construct the first completely global maps of lunar crustal magnetic fields. Now, for the first time, we have a data set with global coverage and a sensitivity and resolution which allow us to investigate the magnetic fields of lunar impact basins and craters. As on the Earth, impact sites have a variety of magnetic signatures associated with them, ranging from nearly complete demagnetization to strong central magnetic anomalies. Observations of the magnetic fields of terrestrial basins have been used to make inferences about the impact process, and we wish to show that lunar observations can also provide valuable constraints.

Environmental metabarcodes for insects: in silico PCR reveals potential for taxonomic bias.

PubMed

Clarke, Laurence J; Soubrier, Julien; Weyrich, Laura S; Cooper, Alan

2014-11-01

Studies of insect assemblages are suited to the simultaneous DNA-based identification of multiple taxa known as metabarcoding. To obtain accurate estimates of diversity, metabarcoding markers ideally possess appropriate taxonomic coverage to avoid PCR-amplification bias, as well as sufficient sequence divergence to resolve species. We used in silico PCR to compare the taxonomic coverage and resolution of newly designed insect metabarcodes (targeting 16S) with that of existing markers [16S and cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI)] and then compared their efficiency in vitro. Existing metabarcoding primers amplified in silico <75% of insect species with complete mitochondrial genomes available, whereas new primers targeting 16S provided >90% coverage. Furthermore, metabarcodes targeting COI appeared to introduce taxonomic PCR-amplification bias, typically amplifying a greater percentage of Lepidoptera and Diptera species, while failing to amplify certain orders in silico. To test whether bias predicted in silico was observed in vitro, we created an artificial DNA blend containing equal amounts of DNA from 14 species, representing 11 insect orders and one arachnid. We PCR-amplified the blend using five primer sets, targeting either COI or 16S, with high-throughput amplicon sequencing yielding more than 6 million reads. In vitro results typically corresponded to in silico PCR predictions, with newly designed 16S primers detecting 11 insect taxa present, thus providing equivalent or better taxonomic coverage than COI metabarcodes. Our results demonstrate that in silico PCR is a useful tool for predicting taxonomic bias in mixed template PCR and that researchers should be wary of potential bias when selecting metabarcoding markers. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extended ellipse-line-ellipse trajectory for long-object cone-beam imaging with a mounted C-arm system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhicong; Lauritsch, Günter; Dennerlein, Frank; Mao, Yanfei; Hornegger, Joachim; Noo, Frédéric

2016-02-01

Recent reports show that three-dimensional cone-beam (CB) imaging with a floor-mounted (or ceiling-mounted) C-arm system has become a valuable tool in interventional radiology. Currently, a circular short scan is used for data acquisition, which inevitably yields CB artifacts and a short coverage in the direction of the patient table. To overcome these two limitations, a more sophisticated data acquisition geometry is needed. This geometry should be complete in terms of Tuy’s condition and should allow continuous scanning, while being compatible with the mechanical constraints of mounted C-arm systems. Additionally, the geometry should allow accurate image reconstruction from truncated data. One way to ensure such a feature is to adopt a trajectory that provides full R-line coverage within the field-of-view (FOV). An R-line is any segment of line that connects two points on a source trajectory, and the R-line coverage is the set of points that belong to an R-line. In this work, we propose a novel geometry called the extended ellipse-line-ellipse (ELE) for long-object imaging with a mounted C-arm system. This trajectory is built from modules consisting of two elliptical arcs connected by a line. We demonstrate that the extended ELE can be configured in many ways so that full R-line coverage is guaranteed. Both tight and relaxed parametric settings are presented. All results are supported by extensive mathematical proofs provided in appendices. Our findings make the extended ELE trajectory attractive for axially-extended FOV imaging in interventional radiology.

Adsorption and Structure of Chiral Epoxides on Pd(111): Propylene Oxide and Glycidol

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

Mahapatra, Mausumi; Tysoe, Wilfred T.

Here, the adsorption of enantiopure versus racemic propylene oxide (PO) on Pd(111) is studied by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) to explore possible differences in their saturation coverage. It is found that that the saturation coverage of enantiopure PO on Pd(111) is identical to that of racemic PO, in contrast to results on Pt(111) where significant coverage differences were found. The surface structures of enantiopure PO on Pd(111) were characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), which shows the formation of linear chains and hexagonal structures proposed to be due to freely rotating PO, in contrast to the relatively disordered PO overlayers foundmore » on Pt(111). STM experiments were carried out for enantiopure glycidol, which contains the same epoxy ring as PO, but where the methyl group of propylene oxide is replaced by a -CH 2OH group to provide a hydrogen-bonding sites. Glycidol STM images show the formation of completely different surface structures; at low coverages, glycidol forms pseudohexagonal structures which assemble from glycidol dimers, while at high coverages the surface shows extensive hydrogen-bonded networks. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to model the enantiopure PO linear chain and the glycidol dimers that are observed by STM. Similar calculations were carried out for racemic PO and glycidol structures. The calculated interaction energies for the enantiopure and the racemic pairs reveal that there is no difference for homochiral versus heterochiral structures for both PO and glycidol on Pd(111).« less

Adsorption and Structure of Chiral Epoxides on Pd(111): Propylene Oxide and Glycidol

DOE PAGES

Mahapatra, Mausumi; Tysoe, Wilfred T.

2018-01-03

Here, the adsorption of enantiopure versus racemic propylene oxide (PO) on Pd(111) is studied by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) to explore possible differences in their saturation coverage. It is found that that the saturation coverage of enantiopure PO on Pd(111) is identical to that of racemic PO, in contrast to results on Pt(111) where significant coverage differences were found. The surface structures of enantiopure PO on Pd(111) were characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), which shows the formation of linear chains and hexagonal structures proposed to be due to freely rotating PO, in contrast to the relatively disordered PO overlayers foundmore » on Pt(111). STM experiments were carried out for enantiopure glycidol, which contains the same epoxy ring as PO, but where the methyl group of propylene oxide is replaced by a -CH 2OH group to provide a hydrogen-bonding sites. Glycidol STM images show the formation of completely different surface structures; at low coverages, glycidol forms pseudohexagonal structures which assemble from glycidol dimers, while at high coverages the surface shows extensive hydrogen-bonded networks. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to model the enantiopure PO linear chain and the glycidol dimers that are observed by STM. Similar calculations were carried out for racemic PO and glycidol structures. The calculated interaction energies for the enantiopure and the racemic pairs reveal that there is no difference for homochiral versus heterochiral structures for both PO and glycidol on Pd(111).« less

Update on Photoprotection

PubMed Central

Rai, Reena; Shanmuga, Sekar C; Srinivas, CR

2012-01-01

Photoprotection by sunscreens, clothing and glasses are important to protect the skin against the detrimental effects of sun exposure. In order to achieve complete protection, topical strategies must shield against the range of solar wavelengths ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B, infrared radiation that can damage the skin. To provide the necessary broad spectrum coverage, combinations of chemical and physical UV filters along with molecules that are capable of interfering with and/or preventing the deleterious effects of sunlight are discussed in this review. PMID:23112351

Coverage of emergency obstetric care and availability of services in public and private health facilities in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Alam, Badrul; Mridha, Malay K; Biswas, Taposh K; Roy, Lumbini; Rahman, Maksudur; Chowdhury, Mahbub E

2015-10-01

To assess the coverage of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) and the availability of obstetric services in Bangladesh. In a national health facility assessment performed between November 2007 and July 2008, all public EmOC facilities and private facilities providing obstetric services in the 64 districts of Bangladesh were mapped. The performance of EmOC services in these facilities during the preceding month was investigated using a semi-structured questionnaire completed through interviews of managers and service providers, and record review. In total, 8.6 (2.1 public and 6.5 private) facilities per 500000 population offered obstetric care services. Population coverage by obstetric care facilities varied by region. Among 281 public facilities designated for comprehensive EmOC, cesarean delivery was available in only 215 (76.5%) and blood transfusion services in 198 (70.5%). In the private sector (for profit and not for profit), these services were available in more than 80% of facilities. In all facility types, performance of assisted vaginal delivery (range 12.2%-48.4%) and use of parenteral anticonvulsants to treat pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (range 48.6%-80.8%) were low. The main reason for non-availability of EmOC services was a lack of specialist/trained providers. Bangladesh needs to increase the availability of EmOC services through innovative public-private partnerships. In the public sector, additional trained manpower supported by an incentivized package should be deployed. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE NATIONAL HIGH-ALTITUDE PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bermel, Peter F.

1983-01-01

The National High-Altitude Photography Program (NHAP) is a multi-Federal agency activity to acquire uniform imagery for the establishment of a national high-altitude photographic data base. Since the inception of NHAP in 1980, black-and-white and color infrared stereoscopic imagery has been acquired for about 50% of the 3,000,000 square miles in the conterminous United States. An additional 40% of the 48-State area is under contract to private aerial survey firms, and the sixth and final contract to achieve complete once-over coverage will be awarded early in 1985. Extensive use has been made of the newly established data base. The participating agencies have begun studies to define the requirements for a maintenance program which would provide cyclic coverage of the conterminous United States and imagery for specific agency needs.

Infrared Sensor System for Mobile-Robot Positioning in Intelligent Spaces

PubMed Central

Gorostiza, Ernesto Martín; Galilea, José Luis Lázaro; Meca, Franciso Javier Meca; Monzú, David Salido; Zapata, Felipe Espinosa; Puerto, Luis Pallarés

2011-01-01

The aim of this work was to position a Mobile Robot in an Intelligent Space, and this paper presents a sensorial system for measuring differential phase-shifts in a sinusoidally modulated infrared signal transmitted from the robot. Differential distances were obtained from these phase-shifts, and the position of the robot was estimated by hyperbolic trilateration. Due to the extremely severe trade-off between SNR, angle (coverage) and real-time response, a very accurate design and device selection was required to achieve good precision with wide coverage and acceptable robot speed. An I/Q demodulator was used to measure phases with one-stage synchronous demodulation to DC. A complete set of results from real measurements, both for distance and position estimations, is provided to demonstrate the validity of the system proposed, comparing it with other similar indoor positioning systems. PMID:22163907

42 CFR 457.450 - Secretary-approved coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Secretary-approved coverage. 457.450 Section 457... Requirements: Coverage and Benefits § 457.450 Secretary-approved coverage. Secretary-approved coverage is health benefits coverage that, in the determination of the Secretary, provides appropriate coverage for...

42 CFR 457.450 - Secretary-approved coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Secretary-approved coverage. 457.450 Section 457... Requirements: Coverage and Benefits § 457.450 Secretary-approved coverage. Secretary-approved coverage is health benefits coverage that, in the determination of the Secretary, provides appropriate coverage for...

75 FR 2562 - Publication of Model Notices for Health Care Continuation Coverage Provided Pursuant to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-15

... Health Care Continuation Coverage Provided Pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and Other Health Care Continuation Coverage, as Required by the American Recovery and... Availability of the Model Health Care Continuation Coverage Notices Required by ARRA, as amended. SUMMARY: On...

41 CFR 105-72.401 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Insurance coverage. 105... § 105-72.401 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired with Federal funds as provided to property owned by the...

Resource and environmental surveys from space with the thematic mapper in the 1980's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The selection of observation of vegetation is the primary optimization objective of the thematic mapper. The following are aspects of plans for the thematic mapper: (1) to include an appropriately modified first generation MSS in the thematic mapper mission; (2) to provide assured coverage for a minimum of six years to give agencies and other users an opportunity to justify the necessary commitment of resources for the transition into a completely valid operational phase; (3) to provide for global, direct data read-out, without the necessity for on-board data storage or dependence on foreign receiving stations; (4) to recognize the operational character of the thematic mapper after successful completion of its experimental evaluation; and (5) to combine future experimental packages with compatible orbits as part of the operational LANDSAT follow-on payloads.

Impact of school-entry and education mandates by states on HPV vaccination coverage: Analysis of the 2009–2013 National Immunization Survey-Teen

PubMed Central

Perkins, Rebecca B.; Lin, Mengyun; Wallington, Sherrie F.; Hanchate, Amresh D.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the effectiveness of existing school entry and education mandates on HPV vaccination coverage, we compared coverage among girls residing in states and jurisdictions with and without education and school-entry mandates. Virginia and the District of Columbia enacted school entry mandates, though both laws included liberal opt-out provisions. Ten additional states had mandates requiring distribution of education to parents or provision of education within school curricula. Methods: Using data from the National Immunization Survey-Teen from 2009–2013, we estimated multilevel logistic regression models to compare coverage with HPV vaccines for girls ages 13–17 residing in states and jurisdictions with and without school entry and education mandates, adjusting for demographic factors, healthcare access, and provider recommendation. Results: Girls residing in states and jurisdictions with HPV vaccine school entry mandates (DC and VA) and education mandates (LA, MI, CO, IN, IA, IL, NJ, NC, TX, and WA) did not have higher HPV vaccine series initiation or completion than those living in states without mandates for any year (2009–2013). Similar results were seen when comparing girls ages 13–14 to those ages 15–17, and after adjustment for known covariates of vaccination. Conclusions: States and jurisdictions with school-entry and education mandates do not currently have higher HPV vaccination coverage than states without such legislation. Liberal opt-out language in existing school entry mandates may weaken their impact. Policy-makers contemplating legislation to improve vaccination coverage should be aware of the limitations of existing mandates. PMID:27152418

42 CFR 440.330 - Benchmark health benefits coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Benchmark-Equivalent Coverage § 440.330 Benchmark health benefits coverage. Benchmark coverage is health...) Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan Equivalent Coverage (FEHBP—Equivalent Health Insurance Coverage). A benefit plan equivalent to the standard Blue Cross/Blue Shield preferred provider option service benefit...

42 CFR 440.330 - Benchmark health benefits coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Benchmark-Equivalent Coverage § 440.330 Benchmark health benefits coverage. Benchmark coverage is health...) Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan Equivalent Coverage (FEHBP—Equivalent Health Insurance Coverage). A benefit plan equivalent to the standard Blue Cross/Blue Shield preferred provider option service benefit...

42 CFR 440.330 - Benchmark health benefits coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Benchmark-Equivalent Coverage § 440.330 Benchmark health benefits coverage. Benchmark coverage is health...) Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan Equivalent Coverage (FEHBP—Equivalent Health Insurance Coverage). A benefit plan equivalent to the standard Blue Cross/Blue Shield preferred provider option service benefit...

42 CFR 440.330 - Benchmark health benefits coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Benchmark-Equivalent Coverage § 440.330 Benchmark health benefits coverage. Benchmark coverage is health...) Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan Equivalent Coverage (FEHBP—Equivalent Health Insurance Coverage). A benefit plan equivalent to the standard Blue Cross/Blue Shield preferred provider option service benefit...

Improving coverage measurement for reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health: gaps and opportunities.

PubMed

Munos, Melinda K; Stanton, Cynthia K; Bryce, Jennifer

2017-06-01

Regular monitoring of coverage for reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health (RMNCH) is central to assessing progress toward health goals. The objectives of this review were to describe the current state of coverage measurement for RMNCH, assess the extent to which current approaches to coverage measurement cover the spectrum of RMNCH interventions, and prioritize interventions for a novel approach to coverage measurement linking household surveys with provider assessments. We included 58 interventions along the RMNCH continuum of care for which there is evidence of effectiveness against cause-specific mortality and stillbirth. We reviewed household surveys and provider assessments used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to determine whether these tools generate measures of intervention coverage, readiness, or quality. For facility-based interventions, we assessed the feasibility of linking provider assessments to household surveys to provide estimates of intervention coverage. Fewer than half (24 of 58) of included RMNCH interventions are measured in standard household surveys. The periconceptional, antenatal, and intrapartum periods were poorly represented. All but one of the interventions not measured in household surveys are facility-based, and 13 of these would be highly feasible to measure by linking provider assessments to household surveys. We found important gaps in coverage measurement for proven RMNCH interventions, particularly around the time of birth. Based on our findings, we propose three sets of actions to improve coverage measurement for RMNCH, focused on validation of coverage measures and development of new measurement approaches feasible for use at scale in LMICs.

Coverage, quality of and barriers to postnatal care in rural Hebei, China: a mixed method study.

PubMed

Chen, Li; Qiong, Wu; van Velthoven, Michelle Helena; Yanfeng, Zhang; Shuyi, Zhang; Ye, Li; Wei, Wang; Xiaozhen, Du; Ting, Zhang

2014-01-18

Postnatal care is an important link in the continuum of care for maternal and child health. However, coverage and quality of postnatal care are poor in low- and middle-income countries. In 2009, the Chinese government set a policy providing free postnatal care services to all mothers and their newborns in China. Our study aimed at exploring coverage, quality of care, reasons for not receiving and barriers to providing postnatal care after introduction of this new policy. We carried out a mixed method study in Zhao County, Hebei Province, China from July to August 2011. To quantify the coverage, quality of care and reasons for not using postnatal care, we conducted a household survey with 1601 caregivers of children younger than two years of age. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 township maternal and child healthcare workers to evaluate their views on workload, in-service training and barriers to postnatal home visits. Of 1442 (90% of surveyed caregivers) women who completed the postnatal care survey module, 8% received a timely postnatal home visit (within one week after delivery) and 24% of women received postnatal care within 42 days after delivery. Among women who received postnatal care, 37% received counseling or guidance on infant feeding and 32% on cord care. 24% of women reported that the service provider checked jaundice of their newborns and 18% were consulted on danger signs and thermal care of their newborns. Of 991 mothers who did not seek postnatal care within 42 days after birth, 65% of them said that they did not knew about postnatal care and 24% of them thought it was unnecessary. Qualitative findings revealed that staff shortages and inconvenient transportation limited maternal and child healthcare workers in reaching out to women at home. In addition, maternal and child healthcare workers said that in-service training was inadequate and more training on postnatal care, hands-on practice, and supervision were needed. Coverage and quality of postnatal care were low in rural Hebei Province and far below the targets set by Chinese government. We identified barriers both from the supply and demand side.

26 CFR 54.9801-4 - Rules relating to creditable coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Subtitle K, and without regard to whether the coverage is offered in the group market, the individual market, or otherwise). (iii) Part A or B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act (Medicare). (iv) Title... complete application for a health insurance policy in the individual market. E's application is accepted...

Leaflets and continual educational offerings led to increased coverage rate of newborn hearing screening in Akita.

PubMed

Sato, Teruyuki; Nakazawa, Misao; Takahashi, Shin; Mizuno, Tomomi; Sato, Akira; Noguchi, Atsuko; Sato, Megumi; Katagiri, Sadako; Yamada, Takechiyo

2018-08-01

Newborn hearing screening (NHS) has been actively performed in Japan since 2001. The NHS coverage rate has increased each year in Akita Prefecture. We analyzed the details of the NHS program and how the Akita leaflets and the many educational offerings about the importance of NHS led to the high NHS coverage rate. A retrospective study was conducted in liveborn newborns in hospitals and in clinics where hearing screening was performed from the program's beginning in 2001 through the end of 2015. We describe the chronological history of NHS. The outcome data of NHS were collected from our department and analyzed. From the founding of the program in 2001 to 2015, the live birth rate in Akita continually declined. Nevertheless, the number of infants receiving NHS rose each year. Since 2012, the coverage rate of NHS has been over 90%. From 2001 to 2015, 75,331 newborns constituted the eligible population for the NHS program. Since 2012, the number of NHS tests has stabilized. We prepared educational leaflets for Akita Prefecture early in 2002. We also provided many educational classes about the importance of NHS for not only pregnant women but also professionals including obstetricians and gynecologists, pediatricians and municipal staff members. The NHS program received the complete endorsement of the Akita Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2010. The largest increase in the NHS coverage rate occurred from 2001 to 2002, and the second largest increase occurred from 2009 to 2010. The number of participating institutions increased the coverage rate. The coverage rate is strongly correlated with the number of participating institutions (rs=0.843, p<0.001, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient). Comparing the coverage rate for 5 years before and after the Akita Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reached their consensus on the importance of NHS, the coverage rate after 2010 was significantly higher than before 2010 (p<0.001, paired sample t-test). The NHS coverage rate ultimately reached 95.4% without need for legislation or subsidization. The number of participating institutions increased each year, and the number of NHS tests and the coverage rate increased proportionately. The number of participating institutions statistically has a strong correlation with the number of NHS tests and the coverage rate. Our research indicates that the Akita leaflets and the provision of educational sessions about the importance of NHS were the most significant factors in establishing the high NHS coverage rate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two Low Coverage Bird Genomes and a Comparison of Reference-Guided versus De Novo Genome Assemblies

PubMed Central

Card, Daren C.; Schield, Drew R.; Reyes-Velasco, Jacobo; Fujita, Matthew K.; Andrew, Audra L.; Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Fike, Jennifer A.; Tomback, Diana F.; Ruggiero, Robert P.; Castoe, Todd A.

2014-01-01

As a greater number and diversity of high-quality vertebrate reference genomes become available, it is increasingly feasible to use these references to guide new draft assemblies for related species. Reference-guided assembly approaches may substantially increase the contiguity and completeness of a new genome using only low levels of genome coverage that might otherwise be insufficient for de novo genome assembly. We used low-coverage (∼3.5–5.5x) Illumina paired-end sequencing to assemble draft genomes of two bird species (the Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Centrocercus minimus, and the Clark's Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana). We used these data to estimate de novo genome assemblies and reference-guided assemblies, and compared the information content and completeness of these assemblies by comparing CEGMA gene set representation, repeat element content, simple sequence repeat content, and GC isochore structure among assemblies. Our results demonstrate that even lower-coverage genome sequencing projects are capable of producing informative and useful genomic resources, particularly through the use of reference-guided assemblies. PMID:25192061

Human papillomavirus vaccination in Auckland: reducing ethnic and socioeconomic inequities.

PubMed

Poole, Tracey; Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Petousis-Harris, Helen; Desmond, Natalie; Exeter, Daniel; Pointon, Leah; Jayasinha, Ranmalie

2012-12-17

The New Zealand HPV publicly funded immunisation programme commenced in September 2008. Delivery through a school based programme was anticipated to result in higher coverage rates and reduced inequalities compared to vaccination delivered through other settings. The programme provided for on-going vaccination of girls in year 8 with an initial catch-up programme through general practices for young women born after 1 January 1990 until the end of 2010. To assess the uptake of the funded HPV vaccine through school based vaccination programmes in secondary schools and general practices in 2009, and the factors associated with coverage by database matching. Retrospective quantitative analysis of secondary anonymised data School-Based Vaccination Service and National Immunisation Register databases of female students from secondary schools in Auckland District Health Board catchment area. Data included student and school demographic and other variables. Binary logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and significance for univariables. Multivariable logistic regression estimated strength of association between individual factors and initiation and completion, adjusted for all other factors. The programme achieved overall coverage of 71.5%, with Pacific girls highest at 88% and Maori at 78%. Girls higher socioeconomic status were more likely be vaccinated in general practice. School-based vaccination service targeted at ethic sub-populations provided equity for the Maori and Pacific student who achieved high levels of vaccination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The erosion of employment-based insurance: more working families left uninsured.

PubMed

Gould, Elise

2008-01-01

The number of Americans without health insurance rose from 38.4 million in 2000 to 47.0 million in 2006, primarily due to the precipitous decline in employer-provided health coverage for workers and their families. Nearly 3.9 million fewer Americans under 65 had employer-provided coverage in 2006 than in 2000. The downward trend in the rate of employer-provided insurance continued for the sixth year in a row, falling from 68.3 to 62.9 percent. Individuals among the bottom 20 percent of household income were the least likely to have employer coverage. Jobholders experienced a significant decline in health insurance coverage, from 74.8 percent of workers in 2000 to 70.8 percent in 2006. No category of workers was insulated from loss of coverage. Children experienced declines in employer-provided health insurance coverage (through their parents) in each of the past five years, the rate falling from 65.9 percent of children in 2000 to 59.7 percent in 2006. Public health insurance (Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program) is no longer offsetting these losses. The decline in employer-provided coverage was felt throughout the country. Between the 2000-2001 and 2005-2006 periods, 38 states experienced significant losses in employment-based coverage for the under-65 population. No state experienced a significant increase in the coverage rate.

More than 95% completeness of reported procedures in the population-based Dutch Arthroplasty Register

PubMed Central

van Steenbergen, Liza N; Spooren, Anneke; van Rooden, Stephanie M; van Oosterhout, Frank J; Morrenhof, Jan W; Nelissen, Rob G H H

2015-01-01

Background and purpose A complete and correct national arthroplasty register is indispensable for the quality of arthroplasty outcome studies. We evaluated the coverage, completeness, and validity of the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (LROI) for hip and knee arthroplasty. Patients and methods The LROI is a nationwide population-based registry with information on joint arthroplasties in the Netherlands. Completeness of entered procedures was validated in 2 ways: (1) by comparison with the number of reimbursements for arthroplasty surgeries (Vektis database), and (2) by comparison with data from hospital information systems (HISs). The validity was examined by conducting checks on missing or incorrectly coded values in the LROI. Results The LROI contains over 300,000 hip and knee arthroplasties performed since 2007. Coverage of all Dutch hospitals (n = 100) was reached in 2012. Completeness of registered procedures was 98% for hip arthroplasty and 96% for knee arthroplasty in 2012, based on Vektis data. Based on comparison with data from the HIS, completeness of registered procedures was 97% for primary total hip arthroplasty and 96% for primary knee arthroplasty in 2013. Completeness of revision arthroplasty was 88% for hips and 90% for knees in 2013. The proportion of missing or incorrectly coded values of variables was generally less than 0.5%, except for encrypted personal identity numbers (17% of which were missing) and ASA scores (10% of which were missing). Interpretation The LROI now contains over 300,000 hip and knee arthroplasty procedures, with coverage of all hospitals. It has a good level of completeness (i.e. more than 95% for primary hip and knee arthroplasty procedures in 2012 and 2013) and the database has high validity. PMID:25758646

Predictability of the California Current System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Arthur J.; Chereskin, T.; Cornuelle, B. D.; Niiler, P. P.; Moisan, J. R.; Lindstrom, Eric (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The physical and biological oceanography of the Southern California Bight (SCB), a highly productive subregion of the California Current System (CCS) that extends from Point Conception, California, south to Ensenada, Mexico, continues to be extensively studied. For example, the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) program has sampled this region for over 50 years, providing an unparalleled time series of physical and biological data. However, our understanding of what physical processes control the large-scale and mesoscale variations in these properties is incomplete. In particular, the non-synoptic and relatively coarse spatial sampling (70km) of the hydrographic grid does not completely resolve the mesoscale eddy field (Figure 1a). Moreover, these unresolved physical variations exert a dominant influence on the evolution of the ecosystem. In recent years, additional datasets that partially sample the SCB have become available. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements, which now sample upper-ocean velocity between stations, and sea level observations along TOPEX tracks give a more complete picture of the mesoscale variability. However, both TOPEX and ADCP are well-sampled only along the cruise or orbit tracks and coarsely sampled in time and between tracks. Surface Lagrangian drifters also sample the region, although irregularly in time and space. SeaWiFS provides estimates of upper-ocean chlorophyll-a (chl-alpha), usually giving nearly complete coverage for week-long intervals, depending on cloud coverage. Historical ocean color data from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) has been used extensively to determine phytoplankton patterns and variability, characterize the primary production across the SCB coastal fronts, and describe the seasonal and interannual variability in pigment concentrations. As in CalCOFI, these studies described much of the observed structures and their variability over relatively large space and time scales.

Methodological quality of the injury surveillance system used in international athletics championships.

PubMed

Edouard, Pascal; Branco, Pedro; Alonso, Juan Manuel; Junge, Astrid

2016-12-01

Incidence and prevalence data obtained from injury surveillance studies could be biased by the response rate as well as by the completeness and quality of the reports. It therefore appears crucial to analyse the quality of the injury surveillance system itself and thereby validate the quality of the data. This study aimed to analyse the quality of and compliance with the injury surveillance system implemented during international athletics championships. Prospective, epidemiological study. The national medical teams and the local organising committee physicians daily reported all injuries on a standardised injury report form during 14 international athletics championships from 2007 to 2015. The quality of the injury surveillance system was analysed following the guidelines laid down by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. On average 41.7±17.4% (mean±standard deviation) of all registered countries participated in the injury surveillance project, accounting for a coverage of athletes of 79.5±10.2% of all registered athletes. Their medical staff returned 89.2±8.4% of the expected injury report forms (information is missing for one championship). The completeness of injury data provided by medical teams and local organising committee physicians averaged 95.8±6.5%. National medical teams reported 60.6±16.6% of all injuries, and local organising committee physicians 28.7±15.0% whereas 10.6±6.5% of injuries were reported by both. The injury surveillance system used during international athletics championships provided good national medical team participation, coverage of athletes, response rate, and completeness of reports. These parameters should be systematically reported for injury surveillance studies to show the quality of the study. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.322 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled. 436.322... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.322 Medically needy coverage of the disabled. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.321 - Medically needy coverage of the blind.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind. 436.321... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.321 Medically needy coverage of the blind. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.321 - Medically needy coverage of the blind.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind. 436.321... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.321 Medically needy coverage of the blind. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.321 - Medically needy coverage of the blind.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind. 436.321... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.321 Medically needy coverage of the blind. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.321 - Medically needy coverage of the blind.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind. 436.321... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.321 Medically needy coverage of the blind. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The...

42 CFR 436.321 - Medically needy coverage of the blind.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind. 436.321... Optional Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.321 Medically needy coverage of the blind. If the agency provides Medicaid to the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The...

The association between travel time to health facilities and childhood vaccine coverage in rural Ethiopia. A community based cross sectional study.

PubMed

Okwaraji, Yemisrach B; Mulholland, Kim; Schellenberg, Joanna R M Armstrong; Andarge, Gashaw; Admassu, Mengesha; Edmond, Karen M

2012-06-22

Few studies have examined associations between access to health care and childhood vaccine coverage in remote communities that lack motorised transport. This study assessed whether travel time to health facilities was associated with childhood vaccine coverage in a remote area of Ethiopia. This was a cross-sectional study using data from 775 children aged 12-59 months who participated in a household survey between January -July 2010 in Dabat district, north-western Ethiopia. 208 households were randomly selected from each kebele. All children in a household were eligible for inclusion if they were aged between 12-59 months at the time of data collection. Travel time to vaccine providers was collected using a geographical information system (GIS). The primary outcome was the percentage of children in the study population who were vaccinated with the third infant Pentavalent vaccine ([Diphtheria, Tetanus,-Pertussis Hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type b] Penta3) in the five years before the survey. We also assessed effects on BCG, Penta1, Penta2 and Measles vaccines. Analysis was conducted using Poisson regression models with robust standard error estimation and the Wald test. Missing vaccination data ranged from 4.6% (36/775) for BCG to 16.4% (127/775) for Penta3 vaccine. In children with complete vaccination records, BCG vaccine had the highest coverage (97.3% [719/739]), Penta3 coverage was (92.9% [602/648]) and Measles vaccine had the lowest coverage (81.7% [564/690]). Children living ≥60mins from a health post were significantly less likely (adjRR = 0.85 [0.79-0.92] p value < =0.001) to receive Penta3 vaccine compared to children living <30mins from a health post. This effect was not modified by household wealth (p value = 0.240). Travel time also had a highly significant association with BCG (adjRR = 0.95 [0.93-0.98] p value =0.002) and Measles (adjRR = 0.88 [0.79-0.97] p value =0.027) vaccine coverage. Travel time to vaccine providers in health posts appeared to be a barrier to the delivery of infant vaccines in this remote Ethiopian community. New vaccine delivery strategies are needed for the hardest to reach children in the African region.

Mapping the literature of emergency nursing

PubMed Central

Alpi, Kristine M.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Emergency nursing covers a broad spectrum of health care from trauma surgery support to preventive health care. The purpose of this study is to identify the core literature of emergency nursing and to determine which databases provide the most thorough indexing access to the literature cited in emergency nursing journals. This study is part of the Medical Library Association's Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section's project to map the nursing literature. Methods: Four key emergency nursing journals were selected and subjected to citation analysis based on Bradford's Law of Scattering. Results: A group of 12 journals made up 33.3% of the 7,119 citations, another 33.3% of the citations appeared in 92 journals, with the remaining 33.3% scattered across 822 journals. Three of the core 12 journals were emergency medicine titles, and 2 were emergency nursing titles from the selected source journals. Government publications constituted 7.5% of the literature cited. Conclusions: PubMed/MEDLINE provided the best overall indexing coverage for the journals, followed by CINAHL. However, CINAHL provided the most complete coverage for the source journals and the majority of the nursing and emergency medical technology publications and should be consulted by librarians and nurses seeking emergency nursing literature. PMID:16710456

Coverage Metrics for Requirements-Based Testing: Evaluation of Effectiveness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staats, Matt; Whalen, Michael W.; Heindahl, Mats P. E.; Rajan, Ajitha

2010-01-01

In black-box testing, the tester creates a set of tests to exercise a system under test without regard to the internal structure of the system. Generally, no objective metric is used to measure the adequacy of black-box tests. In recent work, we have proposed three requirements coverage metrics, allowing testers to objectively measure the adequacy of a black-box test suite with respect to a set of requirements formalized as Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) properties. In this report, we evaluate the effectiveness of these coverage metrics with respect to fault finding. Specifically, we conduct an empirical study to investigate two questions: (1) do test suites satisfying a requirements coverage metric provide better fault finding than randomly generated test suites of approximately the same size?, and (2) do test suites satisfying a more rigorous requirements coverage metric provide better fault finding than test suites satisfying a less rigorous requirements coverage metric? Our results indicate (1) only one coverage metric proposed -- Unique First Cause (UFC) coverage -- is sufficiently rigorous to ensure test suites satisfying the metric outperform randomly generated test suites of similar size and (2) that test suites satisfying more rigorous coverage metrics provide better fault finding than test suites satisfying less rigorous coverage metrics.

Can ivermectin mass treatments eliminate onchocerciasis in Africa?

PubMed Central

Winnen, M.; Plaisier, A. P.; Alley, E. S.; Nagelkerke, N. J. D.; van Oortmarssen, G.; Boatin, B. A.; Habbema, J. D. F.

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the conditions in which mass treatment with ivermectin reduces the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus sufficiently to eliminate infection from an African community. METHODS: ONCHOSIM, a microsimulation model for onchocerciasis transmission, was used to explore the implications of different treatment intervals, coverage levels and precontrol endemicities for the likelihood of elimination. FINDINGS: Simulations suggested that control strategies based exclusively on ivermectin mass treatments could eliminate onchocerciasis. The duration of treatment required to eliminate infection depended heavily on the treatment programme and precontrol endemicity. In areas with medium to high levels of infection, annual mass treatments with 65% coverage for at least 25 years were necessary. Model predictions suggested that durations exceeding 35 years would be required if there were much heterogeneity in exposure to vector bites and, consequently, wide individual variation in microfilaria counts. If the treatment interval were reduced from 12 to 6 months the time for completion of the programme could be more than halved and elimination could be accomplished in areas of hyperendemicity, provided that the effects of each treatment would be the same as with annual treatments. However, it was doubtful whether high coverage levels could be sustained long enough to achieve worldwide eradication. CONCLUSION: Elimination of onchocerciasis from most endemic foci in Africa appears to be possible. However, the requirements in terms of duration, coverage, and frequency of treatment may be prohibitive in highly endemic areas. PMID:12077614

Health insurance coverage and healthcare utilization among homeless young adults in Venice, CA.

PubMed

Winetrobe, H; Rice, E; Rhoades, H; Milburn, N

2016-03-01

Homeless young adults are a vulnerable population with great healthcare needs. Under the Affordable Care Act, homeless young adults are eligible for Medicaid, in some states, including California. This study assesses homeless young adults' health insurance coverage and healthcare utilization prior to Medicaid expansion. All homeless young adults accessing services at a drop-in center in Venice, CA, were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire; 70% of eligible clients participated (n = 125). Within this majority White, heterosexual, male sample, 70% of homeless young adults did not have health insurance in the prior year, and 39% reported their last healthcare visit was at an emergency room. Past year unmet healthcare needs were reported by 31%, and financial cost was the main reported barrier to receiving care. Multivariable logistic regression found that homeless young adults with health insurance were almost 11 times more likely to report past year healthcare utilization. Health insurance coverage is the sole variable significantly associated with healthcare utilization among homeless young adults, underlining the importance of insurance coverage within this vulnerable population. Service providers can play an important role by assisting homeless young adults with insurance applications and facilitating connections with regular sources of health care. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Vaccine coverage and determinants of incomplete vaccination in children aged 12-23 months in Dschang, West Region, Cameroon: a cross-sectional survey during a polio outbreak.

PubMed

Russo, Gianluca; Miglietta, Alessandro; Pezzotti, Patrizio; Biguioh, Rodrigue Mabvouna; Bouting Mayaka, Georges; Sobze, Martin Sanou; Stefanelli, Paola; Vullo, Vincenzo; Rezza, Giovanni

2015-07-10

Inadequate immunization coverage with increased risk of vaccine preventable diseases outbreaks remains a problem in Africa. Moreover, different factors contribute to incomplete vaccination status. This study was performed in Dschang (West Region, Cameroon), during the polio outbreak occurred in October 2013, in order to estimate the immunization coverage among children aged 12-23 months, to identify determinants for incomplete vaccination status and to assess the risk of poliovirus spread in the study population. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in November-December 2013, using the WHO two-stage sampling design. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information from consenting parents of children aged 12-23 months. Vaccination coverage was assessed by vaccination card and parents' recall. Chi-square test and multilevel logistic regression model were used to identify the determinants of incomplete immunization status. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Overall, 3248 households were visited and 502 children were enrolled. Complete immunization coverage was 85.9% and 84.5%, according to card plus parents' recall and card only, respectively. All children had received at least one routine vaccination, the OPV-3 (Oral Polio Vaccine) coverage was >90%, and 73.4% children completed the recommended vaccinations before 1-year of age. In the final multilevel logistic regression model, factors significantly associated with incomplete immunization status were: retention of immunization card (AOR: 7.89; 95% CI: 1.08-57.37), lower mothers' utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services (AOR:1.25; 95% CI: 1.07-63.75), being the ≥ 3(rd) born child in the family (AOR: 425.4; 95% CI: 9.6-18,808), younger mothers' age (AOR: 49.55; 95% CI: 1.59-1544), parents' negative attitude towards immunization (AOR: 20.2; 95% CI: 1.46-278.9), and poorer parents' exposure to information on vaccination (AOR: 28.07; 95 % CI: 2.26-348.1). Longer distance from the vaccination centers was marginally significant (p = 0.05). Vaccination coverage was high; however, 1 out of 7 children was partially vaccinated, and 1 out of 4 did not complete timely the recommended vaccinations. In order to improve the immunization coverage, it is necessary to strengthen ANC services, and to improve parents' information and attitude towards immunization, targeting younger parents and families living far away from vaccination centers, using appropriate communication strategies. Finally, the estimated OPV-3 coverage is reassuring in relation to the ongoing polio outbreak.

Medicaid Waivers and Public Sector Mental Health Service Penetration Rates for Youth.

PubMed

Graaf, Genevieve; Snowden, Lonnie

2018-01-22

To assist families of youth with serious emotional disturbance in financing youth's comprehensive care, some states have sought and received Medicaid waivers. Medicaid waivers waive or relax the Medicaid means test for eligibility to provide insurance coverage to nonpoor families for expensive, otherwise out-of-reach treatment for youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED). Waivers promote treatment access for the most troubled youth, and the present study investigated whether any of several Medicaid waiver options-and those that completely omit the means test in particular-are associated with higher state-wide public sector treatment penetration rates. The investigators obtained data from the U.S. Census, SAMHSA's Uniform Reporting System, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Analysis employed random intercept and random slope linear regression models, controlling for a variety of state demographic and fiscal variables, to determine whether a relationship between Medicaid waiver policies and state-level public sector penetration rates could be observed. Findings indicate that, whether relaxing or completely waiving Medicaid's qualifying income limits, waivers increase public sector penetration rates, particularly for youth under age 17. However, completely waiving Medicaid income limits did not uniquely contribute to penetration rate increases. States offering Medicaid waivers that either relax or completely waive Medicaid's means test to qualify for health coverage present higher public sector treatment rates for youth with behavioral health care needs. There is no evidence that restricting the program to waiving the means test for accessing Medicaid would increase treatment access. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Hospital emergency on-call coverage: is there a doctor in the house?

PubMed

O'Malley, Ann S; Draper, Debra A; Felland, Laurie E

2007-11-01

The nation's community hospitals face increasing problems obtaining emergency on-call coverage from specialist physicians, according to findings from the Center for Studying Health System Change's (HSC) 2007 site visits to 12 nationally representative metropolitan communities. The diminished willingness of specialist physicians to provide on-call coverage is occurring as hospital emergency departments confront an ever-increasing demand for services. Factors influencing physician reluctance to provide on-call coverage include decreased dependence on hospital admitting privileges as more services shift to non-hospital settings; payment for emergency care, especially for uninsured patients; and medical liability concerns. Hospital strategies to secure on-call coverage include enforcing hospital medical staff bylaws that require physicians to take call, contracting with physicians to provide coverage, paying physicians stipends, and employing physicians. Nonetheless, many hospitals continue to struggle with inadequate on-call coverage, which threatens patients' timely access to high-quality emergency care and may raise health care costs.

Estimating vaccination coverage in the absence of immunisation registers--the German experience.

PubMed

Siedler, A; Rieck, T; Reuss, A; Walter, D; Poggensee, G; Poethko-Muller, C; Reiter, S

2012-04-26

Immunisation registers are regarded as an appropriate solution to measure vaccination coverage on a population level. In Germany, a decentralised healthcare system and data protection regulations constrain such an approach. Moreover, shared responsibilities in the process of immunisation and multiple providers form the framework for public health interventions on vaccination issues. On the national level, those interventions consist mainly of conceptualising immunisation strategies, establishing vaccination programmes, and issuing recommendations. This paper provides an overview on sources and methods for collecting appropriate coverage data at national level and their public health relevance in Germany. Methods of data collection and available information on immunisations are described for three approaches: school entrance health examination, population surveys and insurance refund claim data. School entrance health examinations allow regional comparisons and estimation of trends for a specific cohort of children and for all recommended childhood vaccinations. Surveys deliver population based data on completeness and timeliness of selected vaccinations in populations defined by age or socio-demographic parameters and on knowledge and attitudes towards vaccination. Insurance refund claim data inform continuously on immunisation status (e.g. of children aged two years) or on vaccination incidence promptly after new or modified recommendations. In a complex healthcare system, the German National Public Health Institute (Robert Koch Institute, RKI) successfully compiles coverage data from different sources, which complement and validate one another. With the German approach of combining different data sources in the absence of immunisation registers, it is possible to gain solid and reliable data on the acceptance of vaccination programmes and target groups for immunisation. This approach might be of value for other countries with decentralised healthcare systems.

Vaccination coverage and reasons for non-vaccination in a district of Istanbul

PubMed Central

Torun, Sebahat D; Bakırcı, Nadi

2006-01-01

Background In order to control and eliminate the vaccine preventable diseases it is important to know the vaccination coverage and reasons for non-vaccination. The primary objective of this study was to determine the complete vaccination rate; the reasons for non-vaccination and the predictors that influence vaccination of children. The other objective was to determine coverage of measles vaccination of the Measles Immunization Days (MID) 2005 for children aged 9 month to 6 years in a region of Umraniye, Istanbul, Turkey. Methods A '30 × 7' cluster sampling design was used as the sampling method. Thirty streets were selected at random from study area. Survey data were collected by a questionnaire which was applied face to face to parents of 221 children. A Chi-square test and logistic regression was used for the statistical analyses. Content analysis method was used to evaluate the open-ended questions. Results The complete vaccination rate for study population was 84.5% and 3.2% of all children were totally non-vaccinated. The siblings of non-vaccinated children were also non-vaccinated. Reasons for non-vaccination were as follows: being in the village and couldn't reach to health care services; having no knowledge about vaccination; the father of child didn't allow vaccination; intercurrent illness of child during vaccination time; missed opportunities like not to shave off a vial for only one child. In logistic regression analysis, paternal and maternal levels of education and immigration time of both parents to Istanbul were found to influence whether children were completely vaccinated or non-vaccinated. Measles vaccination coverage during MID was 79.3%. Conclusion Efforts to increase vaccination coverage should take reasons for non-vaccination into account. PMID:16677375

Transient Region Coverage in the Propulsion IVHM Technology Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balaban, Edward; Sweet, Adam; Bajwa, Anupa; Maul, William; Fulton, Chris; Chicatelli, amy

2004-01-01

Over the last several years researchers at NASA Glenn and Ames Research Centers have developed a real-time fault detection and isolation system for propulsion subsystems of future space vehicles. The Propulsion IVHM Technology Experiment (PITEX), as it is called follows the model-based diagnostic methodology and employs Livingstone, developed at NASA Ames, as its reasoning engine. The system has been tested on,flight-like hardware through a series of nominal and fault scenarios. These scenarios have been developed using a highly detailed simulation of the X-34 flight demonstrator main propulsion system and include realistic failures involving valves, regulators, microswitches, and sensors. This paper focuses on one of the recent research and development efforts under PITEX - to provide more complete transient region coverage. It describes the development of the transient monitors, the corresponding modeling methodology, and the interface software responsible for coordinating the flow of information between the quantitative monitors and the qualitative, discrete representation Livingstone.

Recovering complete and draft population genomes from metagenome datasets

DOE PAGES

Sangwan, Naseer; Xia, Fangfang; Gilbert, Jack A.

2016-03-08

Assembly of metagenomic sequence data into microbial genomes is of fundamental value to improving our understanding of microbial ecology and metabolism by elucidating the functional potential of hard-to-culture microorganisms. Here, we provide a synthesis of available methods to bin metagenomic contigs into species-level groups and highlight how genetic diversity, sequencing depth, and coverage influence binning success. Despite the computational cost on application to deeply sequenced complex metagenomes (e.g., soil), covarying patterns of contig coverage across multiple datasets significantly improves the binning process. We also discuss and compare current genome validation methods and reveal how these methods tackle the problem ofmore » chimeric genome bins i.e., sequences from multiple species. Finally, we explore how population genome assembly can be used to uncover biogeographic trends and to characterize the effect of in situ functional constraints on the genome-wide evolution.« less

[The applications of periodontal gingival surgery. Ⅱ: alternative materials].

PubMed

Mao, Er-Jia

2018-04-01

The main purposes of periodontal graft surgery include achieving root coverage, improving the clinical attachment level and keratinized tissue, and advancing the procedure of periodontal plastic surgery. Autogenous graft, such as subepithelial connective tissue graft-based procedure, provide the best outcomes for mean and complete root coverage, as well as increase in keratinized tissue. However, a disadvantage of the procedure is in the location of the operation itself: the additional surgical site (palate). Therefore, clinicians are always looking for graft substitutes. This article will discuss the evidence supporting the use of 1) acellular dermal matrix (ADM); 2) xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM); 3) recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF); 4) enamel matrix derivative (EMD); 5) guided tissue regeneration (GTR); 6) living cellular construct (LCC), all of which are used in conjunction with coronally advanced flaps as alternatives to autogenous donor tissue. The decision tree for treatments of Miller recession-type defects are also discussed.

Recovering complete and draft population genomes from metagenome datasets

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

Sangwan, Naseer; Xia, Fangfang; Gilbert, Jack A.

Assembly of metagenomic sequence data into microbial genomes is of fundamental value to improving our understanding of microbial ecology and metabolism by elucidating the functional potential of hard-to-culture microorganisms. Here, we provide a synthesis of available methods to bin metagenomic contigs into species-level groups and highlight how genetic diversity, sequencing depth, and coverage influence binning success. Despite the computational cost on application to deeply sequenced complex metagenomes (e.g., soil), covarying patterns of contig coverage across multiple datasets significantly improves the binning process. We also discuss and compare current genome validation methods and reveal how these methods tackle the problem ofmore » chimeric genome bins i.e., sequences from multiple species. Finally, we explore how population genome assembly can be used to uncover biogeographic trends and to characterize the effect of in situ functional constraints on the genome-wide evolution.« less

7 CFR 1737.21 - The completed loan application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... application consists of four parts: (1) A completed RUS Form 490. (2) A market survey called the Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (3) The plan and associated costs for the proposed construction, called the Loan Design (LD...

7 CFR 1737.21 - The completed loan application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... application consists of four parts: (1) A completed RUS Form 490. (2) A market survey called the Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (3) The plan and associated costs for the proposed construction, called the Loan Design (LD...

7 CFR 1737.21 - The completed loan application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... application consists of four parts: (1) A completed RUS Form 490. (2) A market survey called the Area Coverage Survey (ACS). (3) The plan and associated costs for the proposed construction, called the Loan Design (LD...

Piecing together the puzzle: Improving event content coverage for real-time sub-event detection using adaptive microblog crawling

PubMed Central

Tokarchuk, Laurissa; Wang, Xinyue; Poslad, Stefan

2017-01-01

In an age when people are predisposed to report real-world events through their social media accounts, many researchers value the benefits of mining user generated content from social media. Compared with the traditional news media, social media services, such as Twitter, can provide more complete and timely information about the real-world events. However events are often like a puzzle and in order to solve the puzzle/understand the event, we must identify all the sub-events or pieces. Existing Twitter event monitoring systems for sub-event detection and summarization currently typically analyse events based on partial data as conventional data collection methodologies are unable to collect comprehensive event data. This results in existing systems often being unable to report sub-events in real-time and often in completely missing sub-events or pieces in the broader event puzzle. This paper proposes a Sub-event detection by real-TIme Microblog monitoring (STRIM) framework that leverages the temporal feature of an expanded set of news-worthy event content. In order to more comprehensively and accurately identify sub-events this framework first proposes the use of adaptive microblog crawling. Our adaptive microblog crawler is capable of increasing the coverage of events while minimizing the amount of non-relevant content. We then propose a stream division methodology that can be accomplished in real time so that the temporal features of the expanded event streams can be analysed by a burst detection algorithm. In the final steps of the framework, the content features are extracted from each divided stream and recombined to provide a final summarization of the sub-events. The proposed framework is evaluated against traditional event detection using event recall and event precision metrics. Results show that improving the quality and coverage of event contents contribute to better event detection by identifying additional valid sub-events. The novel combination of our proposed adaptive crawler and our stream division/recombination technique provides significant gains in event recall (44.44%) and event precision (9.57%). The addition of these sub-events or pieces, allows us to get closer to solving the event puzzle. PMID:29107976

Piecing together the puzzle: Improving event content coverage for real-time sub-event detection using adaptive microblog crawling.

PubMed

Tokarchuk, Laurissa; Wang, Xinyue; Poslad, Stefan

2017-01-01

In an age when people are predisposed to report real-world events through their social media accounts, many researchers value the benefits of mining user generated content from social media. Compared with the traditional news media, social media services, such as Twitter, can provide more complete and timely information about the real-world events. However events are often like a puzzle and in order to solve the puzzle/understand the event, we must identify all the sub-events or pieces. Existing Twitter event monitoring systems for sub-event detection and summarization currently typically analyse events based on partial data as conventional data collection methodologies are unable to collect comprehensive event data. This results in existing systems often being unable to report sub-events in real-time and often in completely missing sub-events or pieces in the broader event puzzle. This paper proposes a Sub-event detection by real-TIme Microblog monitoring (STRIM) framework that leverages the temporal feature of an expanded set of news-worthy event content. In order to more comprehensively and accurately identify sub-events this framework first proposes the use of adaptive microblog crawling. Our adaptive microblog crawler is capable of increasing the coverage of events while minimizing the amount of non-relevant content. We then propose a stream division methodology that can be accomplished in real time so that the temporal features of the expanded event streams can be analysed by a burst detection algorithm. In the final steps of the framework, the content features are extracted from each divided stream and recombined to provide a final summarization of the sub-events. The proposed framework is evaluated against traditional event detection using event recall and event precision metrics. Results show that improving the quality and coverage of event contents contribute to better event detection by identifying additional valid sub-events. The novel combination of our proposed adaptive crawler and our stream division/recombination technique provides significant gains in event recall (44.44%) and event precision (9.57%). The addition of these sub-events or pieces, allows us to get closer to solving the event puzzle.

Forestry [Chapter 11

Treesearch

H. Gyde Lund; William A. Befort; James E. Brickell; William M. Ciesla; Elizabeth C. Collins; Raymond L. Czaplewski; Attilio Antonio Disperati; Robert W. Douglass; Charles W. Dull; Jerry D. Greer; Rachel Riemann Hershey; Vernon J. LaBau; Henry Lachowski; Peter A. Murtha; David J. Nowak; Marc A. Roberts; Pierre Schram; Mahadev D. Shedha; Ashbindu Singh; Kenneth C. Winterberger

1997-01-01

Foresters and other resource managers have used aerial photographs to help manage resources since the late 1920s. As discussed in chapter 1, however, it was not until the mid-1940s that their use became common. Obtaining photographic coverage was always a problem. For many areas of the world, reasonably complete coverage did not exist until after World War II. In...

Inaccuracies in Media Coverage of the 1996 and 2000 Presidential Debates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benoit, William L.; Currie, Heather

2001-01-01

Compares data from a content analysis of the 1996 and 2000 presidential debates with news coverage of those debates. Concludes that the average newspaper story in 2000 only reported 7% of what the candidates said in a debate. Suggests that voters cannot expect to obtain an accurate or complete representation of presidential debates from media…

Liquid-Vapor Coexistence at a Mesoporous Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kityk, A. V.; Hofmann, T.; Knorr, K.

2008-01-01

The condensation of hexane vapor onto a mesoporous Si substrate with a pore radius of 3.5 nm has been studied by means of volumetry and ellipsometry. The filling fraction of the pores and the coverage of the substrate have been determined. The coverage of the regime after the completion of capillary condensation has been compared to recent theoretical work.

Determinants of vaccination coverage in rural Nigeria.

PubMed

Odusanya, Olumuyiwa O; Alufohai, Ewan F; Meurice, Francois P; Ahonkhai, Vincent I

2008-11-05

Childhood immunization is a cost effective public health strategy. Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) services have been provided in a rural Nigerian community (Sabongidda-Ora, Edo State) at no cost to the community since 1998 through a privately financed vaccination project (private public partnership). The objective of this survey was to assess vaccination coverage and its determinants in this rural community in Nigeria A cross-sectional survey was conducted in September 2006, which included the use of interviewer-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge of mothers of children aged 12-23 months and vaccination coverage. Survey participants were selected following the World Health Organization's (WHO) immunization coverage cluster survey design. Vaccination coverage was assessed by vaccination card and maternal history. A child was said to be fully immunized if he or she had received all of the following vaccines: a dose of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), three doses of oral polio (OPV), three doses of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT), three doses of hepatitis B (HB) and one dose of measles by the time he or she was enrolled in the survey, i.e. between the ages of 12-23 months. Knowledge of the mothers was graded as satisfactory if mothers had at least a score of 3 out of a maximum of 5 points. Logistic regression was performed to identify determinants of full immunization status. Three hundred and thirty-nine mothers and 339 children (each mother had one eligible child) were included in the survey. Most of the mothers (99.1%) had very positive attitudes to immunization and > 55% were generally knowledgeable about symptoms of vaccine preventable diseases except for difficulty in breathing (as symptom of diphtheria). Two hundred and ninety-five mothers (87.0%) had a satisfactory level of knowledge. Vaccination coverage against all the seven childhood vaccine preventable diseases was 61.9% although it was significantly higher (p = 0.002) amongst those who had a vaccination card (131/188, 69.7%) than in those assessed by maternal history (79/151, 52.3%). Multiple logistic regression showed that mothers' knowledge of immunization (p = 0.006) and vaccination at a privately funded health facility (p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with the rate of full immunization. Eight years after initiation of this privately financed vaccination project (private-public partnership), vaccination coverage in this rural community is at a level that provides high protection (81%) against DPT/OPV. Completeness of vaccination was significantly correlated with knowledge of mothers on immunization and adequate attention should be given to this if high coverage levels are to be sustained.

Quality Improvement to Immunization Coverage in Primary Care Measured in Medical Record and Population-Based Registry Data.

PubMed

Harder, Valerie S; Barry, Sara E; Ahrens, Bridget; Davis, Wendy S; Shaw, Judith S

Despite the proven benefits of immunizations, coverage remains low in many states, including Vermont. This study measured the impact of a quality improvement (QI) project on immunization coverage in childhood, school-age, and adolescent groups. In 2013, a total of 20 primary care practices completed a 7-month QI project aimed to increase immunization coverage among early childhood (29-33 months), school-age (6 years), and adolescent (13 years) age groups. For this study, we examined random cross-sectional medical record reviews from 12 of the 20 practices within each age group in 2012, 2013, and 2014 to measure improvement in immunization coverage over time using chi-squared tests. We repeated these analyses on population-level data from Vermont's immunization registry for the 12 practices in each age group each year. We used difference-in-differences regressions in the immunization registry data to compare improvements over time between the 12 practices and those not participating in QI. Immunization coverage increased over 3 years for all ages and all immunization series (P ≤ .009) except one, as measured by medical record review. Registry results aligned partially with medical record review with increases in early childhood and adolescent series over time (P ≤ .012). Notably, the adolescent immunization series completion, including human papillomavirus, increased more than in the comparison practices (P = .037). Medical record review indicated that QI efforts led to increases in immunization coverage in pediatric primary care. Results were partially validated in the immunization registry particularly among early childhood and adolescent groups, with a population-level impact of the intervention among adolescents. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uptake of oral rotavirus vaccine and timeliness of routine immunization in Brazil’s National Immunization Program

PubMed Central

Flannery, Brendan; Samad, Samia; de Moraes, José Cássio; Tate, Jacqueline E.; Danovaro-Holliday, M. Carolina; de Oliveira, Lúcia Helena; Rainey, Jeanette J.

2015-01-01

Introduction In March, 2006, oral rotavirus vaccine was added to Brazil’s infant immunization schedule with recommended upper age limits for initiating (by age 14 weeks) and completing (by age 24 weeks) the two-dose series to minimize age-specific risk of intussusception following rotavirus vaccination. Several years after introduction, estimated coverage with rotavirus vaccine (83%) was lower compared to coverage for other recommended childhood immunizations (≥94%). Methods We analyzed data from Brazil’s national immunization program on uptake of oral rotavirus vaccine by geographic region and compared administrative coverage estimates for first and second doses of oral rotavirus vaccine (Rota1 and Rota2) with first and second doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (DTP-Hib1 and DTP-Hib2). For 27 Brazilian cities, we compared differences between estimated rotavirus and DTP-Hib coverage in 2010 with delayed receipt of DTP-Hib vaccine among a cohort of children surveyed before rotavirus introduction. Results In 2010, infant vaccination coverage was 99.0% for DTP-Hib1 versus 95.2% for Rota1 (3.8% difference), and 98.4% for DTP-Hib2 versus 83.0% for Rota2 (15.4% difference), with substantial regional variation. Differences between DTP-Hib and rotavirus vaccination coverage in Brazilian cities correlated with delay in DTP-Hib vaccination among children surveyed. Age restrictions for initiating and completing the rotavirus vaccination series likely contributed to lower coverage with rotavirus vaccine in Brazil. Conclusion To maximize benefits of rotavirus vaccination, strategies are needed to improve timeliness of routine immunizations; monitoring rotavirus vaccine uptake and intussusception risk is needed to guide further recommendations for rotavirus vaccination. PMID:23313652

Implementation and Operational Analysis of an Interactive Intensive Care Unit within a Smart Health Context.

PubMed

Lopez-Iturri, Peio; Aguirre, Erik; Trigo, Jesús Daniel; Astrain, José Javier; Azpilicueta, Leyre; Serrano, Luis; Villadangos, Jesús; Falcone, Francisco

2018-01-29

In the context of hospital management and operation, Intensive Care Units (ICU) are one of the most challenging in terms of time responsiveness and criticality, in which adequate resource management and signal processing play a key role in overall system performance. In this work, a context aware Intensive Care Unit is implemented and analyzed to provide scalable signal acquisition capabilities, as well as to provide tracking and access control. Wireless channel analysis is performed by means of hybrid optimized 3D Ray Launching deterministic simulation to assess potential interference impact as well as to provide required coverage/capacity thresholds for employed transceivers. Wireless system operation within the ICU scenario, considering conventional transceiver operation, is feasible in terms of quality of service for the complete scenario. Extensive measurements of overall interference levels have also been carried out, enabling subsequent adequate coverage/capacity estimations, for a set of Zigbee based nodes. Real system operation has been tested, with ad-hoc designed Zigbee wireless motes, employing lightweight communication protocols to minimize energy and bandwidth usage. An ICU information gathering application and software architecture for Visitor Access Control has been implemented, providing monitoring of the Boxes external doors and the identification of visitors via a RFID system. The results enable a solution to provide ICU access control and tracking capabilities previously not exploited, providing a step forward in the implementation of a Smart Health framework.

Coverage and cost of a large oral cholera vaccination program in a high-risk cholera endemic urban population in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Khan, Iqbal Ansary; Saha, Amit; Chowdhury, Fahima; Khan, Ashraful Islam; Uddin, Md Jasim; Begum, Yasmin A; Riaz, Baizid Khoorshid; Islam, Sanjida; Ali, Mohammad; Luby, Stephen P; Clemens, John D; Cravioto, Alejandro; Qadri, Firdausi

2013-12-09

A feasibility study of an oral cholera vaccine was carried out to test strategies to reach high-risk populations in urban Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study was cluster randomized, with three arms: vaccine, vaccine plus safe water and hand washing practice, and no intervention. High risk people of age one year and above (except pregnant woman) from the two intervention arms received two doses of the oral cholera vaccine, Shanchol™. Vaccination was conducted between 17th February and 16th April 2011, with a minimum interval of fourteen days between two doses. Interpersonal communication preceded vaccination to raise awareness amongst the target population. The number of vaccine doses used, the population vaccinated, left-out, drop out, vaccine wastage and resources required were documented. Fixed outreach site vaccination strategy was adopted as the mode of vaccine delivery. Additionally, mobile vaccination sites and mop-up activities were carried out to reach the target communities. Of the 172,754 target population, 141,839 (82%) and 123,666 (72%) received complete first and second doses of the vaccine, respectively. Dropout rate from the first to the second dose was 13%. Two complete doses were received by 123,661 participants. Vaccine coverage in children was 81%. Coverage was significantly higher in females than in males (77% vs. 66%, P<0.001). Vaccine wastage for delivering the complete doses was 1.2%. The government provided cold-chain related support at no cost to the project. Costs for two doses of vaccine per-person were US$3.93, of which US$1.63 was spent on delivery. Cost for delivering a single dose was US$0.76. We observed no serious adverse events. Mass vaccination with oral cholera vaccine is feasible for reaching high risk endemic population through the existing national immunization delivery system employed by the government. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Episodic soil succession on basaltic lava fields in a cool, dry environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vaughan, K.L.; McDaniel, P.A.; Phillips, W.M.

2011-01-01

Holocene- to late Pleistocene-aged lava flows at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve provide an ideal setting to examine the early stages of soil formation under cool, dry conditions. Transects were used to characterize the amount and nature of soil cover on across basaltic lava flows ranging in age from 2.1 to 18.4 ka. Results indicate that on flows <13 ka, very shallow organic soils (Folists in Soil Taxonomy) are the dominant soil type, providing an areal coverage of up to ∼25%. On flows ≥13.9 ka, deeper mineral soils including Entisols, Aridisols, and Mollisols become dominant and the areal extent increases to ≥95% on flows older than 18.4 ka. These data suggest there are two distinct pedogenic pathways associated with lava flows of the region. The first pathway is illustrated by the younger flows, where Folists dominate. In the absence of a major source of loess, relatively little mineral material accumulates and soils provide only minor coverage of the lava flows. Our results indicate that this pathway of soil development has not changed appreciably over the past ∼10 ka. The second pedogenic pathway is illustrated by the flows older than 13.9 ka. These flows have been subject to deposition of large quantities of loess during and after the last regional glaciation, resulting in almost complete coverage. Subsequent pedogenesis has given rise to Aridisols and Mollisols with calcic and cambic horizons and mollic epipedons. This research highlights the importance of regional climate change on the evolution of Craters of the Moon soilscapes.

From coverage to care: addressing the issue of churn.

PubMed

Milligan, Charles

2015-02-01

In any given year, a significant number of individuals will move between Medicaid and qualified health plans (QHP). Known as "churn," this movement could disrupt continuity of health care services, even when no gap in insurance coverage exists. The number of people who churn in any given year is significant, and they often are significant utilizers of health care services. They could experience disruption in care in several ways: (1) changing carrier; (2) changing provider because of network differences; (3) a disruption in ongoing services, even when the benefit is covered in both programs (e.g., surgery that has been authorized but not yet performed; ongoing prescription medications for chronic illness; or some but not all therapy or counseling sessions have been completed); and (4) the loss of coverage for a service that is not a covered benefit in the new program. Many strategies are available to states to reduce the disruption caused by churn. The specific option, intervention, and set of policies in a given state will depend on its context. Policy makers would benefit from an examination and discussion of these issues. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

Methods used for immunization coverage assessment in Canada, a Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) study.

PubMed

Wilson, Sarah E; Quach, Susan; MacDonald, Shannon E; Naus, Monika; Deeks, Shelley L; Crowcroft, Natasha S; Mahmud, Salaheddin M; Tran, Dat; Kwong, Jeff; Tu, Karen; Gilbert, Nicolas L; Johnson, Caitlin; Desai, Shalini

2017-08-03

Accurate and complete immunization data are necessary to assess vaccine coverage, safety and effectiveness. Across Canada, different methods and data sources are used to assess vaccine coverage, but these have not been systematically described. Our primary objective was to examine and describe the methods used to determine immunization coverage in Canada. The secondary objective was to compare routine infant and childhood coverage estimates derived from the Canadian 2013 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey (cNICS) with estimates collected from provinces and territories (P/Ts). We collected information from key informants regarding their provincial, territorial or federal methods for assessing immunization coverage. We also collected P/T coverage estimates for select antigens and birth cohorts to determine absolute differences between these and estimates from cNICS. Twenty-six individuals across 16 public health organizations participated between April and August 2015. Coverage surveys are conducted regularly for toddlers in Quebec and in one health authority in British Columbia. Across P/Ts, different methodologies for measuring coverage are used (e.g., valid doses, grace periods). Most P/Ts, except Ontario, measure up-to-date (UTD) coverage and 4 P/Ts also assess on-time coverage. The degree of concordance between P/T and cNICS coverage estimates varied by jurisdiction, antigen and age group. In addition to differences in the data sources and processes used for coverage assessment, there are also differences between Canadian P/Ts in the methods used for calculating immunization coverage. Comparisons between P/T and cNICS estimates leave remaining questions about the proportion of children fully vaccinated in Canada.

Methods used for immunization coverage assessment in Canada, a Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) study

PubMed Central

Quach, Susan; MacDonald, Shannon E.; Naus, Monika; Deeks, Shelley L.; Crowcroft, Natasha S.; Mahmud, Salaheddin M.; Tran, Dat; Kwong, Jeff; Tu, Karen; Johnson, Caitlin; Desai, Shalini

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Accurate and complete immunization data are necessary to assess vaccine coverage, safety and effectiveness. Across Canada, different methods and data sources are used to assess vaccine coverage, but these have not been systematically described. Our primary objective was to examine and describe the methods used to determine immunization coverage in Canada. The secondary objective was to compare routine infant and childhood coverage estimates derived from the Canadian 2013 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey (cNICS) with estimates collected from provinces and territories (P/Ts). We collected information from key informants regarding their provincial, territorial or federal methods for assessing immunization coverage. We also collected P/T coverage estimates for select antigens and birth cohorts to determine absolute differences between these and estimates from cNICS. Twenty-six individuals across 16 public health organizations participated between April and August 2015. Coverage surveys are conducted regularly for toddlers in Quebec and in one health authority in British Columbia. Across P/Ts, different methodologies for measuring coverage are used (e.g., valid doses, grace periods). Most P/Ts, except Ontario, measure up-to-date (UTD) coverage and 4 P/Ts also assess on-time coverage. The degree of concordance between P/T and cNICS coverage estimates varied by jurisdiction, antigen and age group. In addition to differences in the data sources and processes used for coverage assessment, there are also differences between Canadian P/Ts in the methods used for calculating immunization coverage. Comparisons between P/T and cNICS estimates leave remaining questions about the proportion of children fully vaccinated in Canada. PMID:28708945

[National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012: design and coverage].

PubMed

Romero-Martínez, Martín; Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Franco-Núñez, Aurora; Villalpando, Salvador; Cuevas-Nasu, Lucía; Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo; Rivera-Dommarco, Juan Ángel

2013-01-01

To describe the design and population coverage of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 (NHNS 2012). The design of the NHNS 2012 is reported, as a probabilistic population based survey with a multi-stage and stratified sampling, as well as the sample inferential properties, the logistical procedures, and the obtained coverage. Household response rate for the NHNS 2012 was 87%, completing data from 50,528 households, where 96 031 individual interviews selected by age and 14,104 of ambulatory health services users were also obtained. The probabilistic design of the NHNS 2012 as well as its coverage allowed to generate inferences about health and nutrition conditions, health programs coverage, and access to health services. Because of their complex designs, all estimations from the NHNS 2012 must use the survey design: weights, primary sampling units, and stratus variables.

Influence of preparation design and ceramic thicknesses on fracture resistance and failure modes of premolar partial coverage restorations

PubMed Central

Guess, Petra C.; Schultheis, Stefan; Wolkewitz, Martin; Zhang; Strub, Joerg R.

2015-01-01

Statement of problem Preparation designs and ceramic thicknesses are key factors for the long-term success of minimally invasive premolar partial coverage restorations. However, only limited information is presently available on this topic. Purpose The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the fracture resistance and failure modes of ceramic premolar partial coverage restorations with different preparation designs and ceramic thicknesses. Material and methods Caries-free human premolars (n= 144) were divided into 9 groups. Palatal onlay preparation comprised reduction of the palatal cusp by 2 mm (Palatal-Onlay-Standard), 1 mm (Palatal-Onlay-Thin), or 0.5 mm (Palatal-Onlay-Ultra-Thin). Complete-coverage onlay preparation additionally included the buccal cusp (Occlusal-Onlay-Standard; Occlusal-Onlay-Thin; Occlusal-Onlay-Ultra-Thin). Labial surface preparations with chamfer reductions of 0.8 mm (Complete-Veneer-Standard), 0.6 mm (Complete-Veneer-Thin) and 0.4 mm (Complete-Veneer-Ultra-Thin) were implemented for complete veneer restorations. Restorations were fabricated from a pressable lithium-disilicate ceramic (IPS-e.max-Press) and cemented adhesively (Syntac-Classic/Variolink-II). All specimens were subjected to cyclic mechanical loading (F= 49 N, 1.2 million cycles) and simultaneous thermocycling (5°C to 55°C) in a mouth-motion simulator. After fatigue, restorations were exposed to single-load-to-failure. Two-way ANOVA was used to identify statistical differences. Pair-wise differences were calculated and P-values were adjusted by the Tukey–Kramer method (α= .05). Results All specimens survived fatigue. Mean (SD) load to failure values (N) were as follows: 837 (320/Palatal-Onlay-Standard), 1055 (369/Palatal-Onlay-Thin), 1192 (342/Palatal-Onlay-Ultra-Thin), 963 (405/Occlusal-Onlay-Standard), 1108 (340/Occlusal-Onlay-Thin), 997 (331/Occlusal-Onlay-Ultra-Thin), 1361 (333/Complete-Veneer-Standard), 1087 (251/Complete-Veneer-Thin), 883 (311/Complete-Veneer-Ultra-Thin). Palatal-onlay restorations revealed a significantly higher fracture resistance with ultra-thin thicknesses than with standard thicknesses (P=.015). Onlay restorations were not affected by thickness variations. Fracture loads of standard complete veneers were significantly higher than thin (P=.03) and ultra-thin (P<.001) restorations. Conclusions In this in vitro study, the reduction of preparation depth to 1.00 and 0.5 mm did not impair fracture resistance of pressable lithium-disilicate ceramic onlay restorations but resulted in lower failure loads in complete veneer restorations on premolars. PMID:24079561

10 CFR 600.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations Post-Award Requirements § 600.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired with DOE funds as provided to property owned by the recipient. Federally-owned property need not be insured unless required...

10 CFR 600.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations Post-Award Requirements § 600.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired with DOE funds as provided to property owned by the recipient. Federally-owned property need not be insured unless required...

10 CFR 600.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Nonprofit Organizations Post-Award Requirements § 600.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired with DOE funds as provided to property owned by the recipient. Federally-owned property need not be insured unless required...

Healthcare Coverage for HIV Provider Visits Before and After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

PubMed Central

Berry, Stephen A.; Fleishman, John A.; Yehia, Baligh R.; Cheever, Laura W.; Hauck, Heather; Korthuis, P. Todd; Mathews, W. Christopher; Keruly, Jeanne; Nijhawan, Ank E.; Agwu, Allison L.; Somboonwit, Charurut; Moore, Richard D.; Gebo, Kelly A.

2016-01-01

Background. Before implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, 100 000 persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) lacked healthcare coverage and relied on a safety net of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program support, local charities, or uncompensated care (RWHAP/Uncomp) to cover visits to HIV providers. We compared HIV provider coverage before (2011–2013) versus after (first half of 2014) ACA implementation among a total of 28 374 PLWH followed up in 4 sites in Medicaid expansion states (California, Oregon, and Maryland), 4 in a state (New York) that expanded Medicaid in 2001, and 2 in nonexpansion states (Texas and Florida). Methods. Multivariate multinomial logistic models were used to assess changes in RWHAP/Uncomp, Medicaid, and private insurance coverage, using Medicare as a referent. Results. In expansion state sites, RWHAP/Uncomp coverage decreased (unadjusted, 28% before and 13% after ACA; adjusted relative risk ratio [ARRR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], .40–.48). Medicaid coverage increased (23% and 38%; ARRR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.70–1.94), and private coverage was unchanged (21% and 19%; 0.96; .89–1.03). In New York sites, both RWHAP/Uncomp (20% and 19%) and Medicaid (50% and 50%) coverage were unchanged, while private coverage decreased (13% and 12%; ARRR, 0.86; 95% CI, .80–.92). In nonexpansion state sites, RWHAP/Uncomp (57% and 52%) and Medicaid (18% and 18%) coverage were unchanged, while private coverage increased (4% and 7%; ARRR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.62–1.99). Conclusions. In expansion state sites, half of PLWH relying on RWHAP/Uncomp coverage shifted to Medicaid, while in New York and nonexpansion state sites, reliance on RWHAP/Uncomp remained constant. In the first half of 2014, the ACA did not eliminate the need for RWHAP safety net provider visit coverage. PMID:27143660

Goal-Function Tree Modeling for Systems Engineering and Fault Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Stephen B.; Breckenridge, Jonathan T.

2013-01-01

This paper describes a new representation that enables rigorous definition and decomposition of both nominal and off-nominal system goals and functions: the Goal-Function Tree (GFT). GFTs extend the concept and process of functional decomposition, utilizing state variables as a key mechanism to ensure physical and logical consistency and completeness of the decomposition of goals (requirements) and functions, and enabling full and complete traceabilitiy to the design. The GFT also provides for means to define and represent off-nominal goals and functions that are activated when the system's nominal goals are not met. The physical accuracy of the GFT, and its ability to represent both nominal and off-nominal goals enable the GFT to be used for various analyses of the system, including assessments of the completeness and traceability of system goals and functions, the coverage of fault management failure detections, and definition of system failure scenarios.

Forced orthodontic extrusion and use of CAD/CAM for reconstruction of grossly destructed crown: A multidisciplinary approach

PubMed Central

Kumar, Rahul; Patil, Suvarna

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to present a report of a case where forced orthodontic extrusion and computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique was used for reconstruction of right maxillary central incisor with grossly destructed crown. Aesthetic rehabilitation of a fractured maxillary right central incisor was performed employing a multidisciplinary approach i.e. conventional endodontic treatment followed by orthodontic extrusion and final restoration using CAD-CAM and one piece milled zirconia post and core with full coverage zirconia crown. After the procedure being completed, periapical radiographs taken at 3 month follow up period demonstrated that the post and core remained well adapted to post space and there was a complete healing of periapical lesion. This technique can provide a complete aesthetic rehabilitation of a grossly destructed tooth without hampering the biological width and thus has a better prognosis. PMID:22557823

Vaccination decision-making of immigrant parents in the Netherlands; a focus group study.

PubMed

Harmsen, Irene A; Bos, Helien; Ruiter, Robert A C; Paulussen, Theo G W; Kok, Gerjo; de Melker, Hester E; Mollema, Liesbeth

2015-12-10

Although the vaccination coverage in most high income countries is high, variations in coverage rates on the national level among different ethnic backgrounds are reported. A qualitative study was performed to explore factors that influence decision-making among parents with different ethnic backgrounds in the Netherlands. Six focus groups were conducted with 33 mothers of Moroccan, Turkish and other ethnic backgrounds with at least one child aged 0-4 years. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Parents had a positive attitude towards childhood vaccination and a high confidence in the advices of Child Vaccine Providers (CVPs). Vaccinating their children was perceived as self-evident and important. Parents do perceive a language barrier in understanding the provided NIP-information, and they had a need for more NIP- information, particularly about the targeted diseases. Another barrier parents perceived was the distance to the Child Welfare Center (CWC), especially when the weather was bad and when they had no access to a car. More information about targeted diseases and complete information regarding benefits and drawbacks of the NIP should be provided to the parents. To fulfill parents' information needs, NIP information meetings can be organized at CWCs in different languages. Providing NIP information material in Turkish, Arabic and Berber language with easy access is also recommended. Providing information tailored to these parents' needs is important to sustain high vaccination participation, and to ensure acceptance of future vaccinations.

42 CFR 435.139 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 435.139 Section 435... ISLANDS, AND AMERICAN SAMOA Mandatory Coverage Mandatory Coverage of Certain Aliens § 435.139 Coverage for certain aliens. The agency must provide services necessary for the treatment of an emergency medical...

42 CFR 435.139 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 435.139 Section 435... ISLANDS, AND AMERICAN SAMOA Mandatory Coverage Mandatory Coverage of Certain Aliens § 435.139 Coverage for certain aliens. The agency must provide services necessary for the treatment of an emergency medical...

42 CFR 457.810 - Premium assistance programs: Required protections against substitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., must provide the protections against substitution of CHIP coverage for coverage under group health... under premium assistance programs must not be greater than the cost of other CHIP coverage for these... of coverage for children under premium assistance programs to the cost of other CHIP coverage for...

42 CFR 457.810 - Premium assistance programs: Required protections against substitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., must provide the protections against substitution of CHIP coverage for coverage under group health... under premium assistance programs must not be greater than the cost of other CHIP coverage for these... of coverage for children under premium assistance programs to the cost of other CHIP coverage for...

42 CFR 457.810 - Premium assistance programs: Required protections against substitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., must provide the protections against substitution of CHIP coverage for coverage under group health... under premium assistance programs must not be greater than the cost of other CHIP coverage for these... of coverage for children under premium assistance programs to the cost of other CHIP coverage for...

42 CFR 457.810 - Premium assistance programs: Required protections against substitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., must provide the protections against substitution of CHIP coverage for coverage under group health... under premium assistance programs must not be greater than the cost of other CHIP coverage for these... of coverage for children under premium assistance programs to the cost of other CHIP coverage for...

Global Color Views of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

About 1000 Viking Orbiter red- and violet-filter images have been processed to provide global color coverage of Mars at a scale of 1 km/pixel. Individual image frames acquired during a single spacecraft revolution were first processed through radiometric calibration, cosmetic cleanup, geometric control, reprojection, and mosaicing. We have produced a total of 57 'single-rev' mosaics. All of the mosaics are geometrically tied to the Mars Digital Image Mosaic, a black-and-white base map with a scale of 231 m/pixel. We selected a subset of single-rev mosaics that provide the best global coverage (least atmospheric obscuration and seasonal frost); photometric normalization was applied to remove atmospheric effects and normalize the variations in illumination and viewing angles. Finally, these normalized mosaics were combined into global mosaics. Global coverage is about 98% complete in the red-filter mosaic and 95% complete in the violet-filter mosaic. Gaps were filled by interpolation. A green-filter image was synthesized from an average of the red and violet filter data to complete a 3-color set. The Viking Orbiters acquired actual green-filter images for only about half of the Martian surface. The final mosaic has been reprojected into several map projections. The orthographic view shown here is centered at 20 degrees latitude and 60 degrees longitude. The orthographic view is most like the view seen by a distant observer looking through a telescope. The color balance selected for these images was designed to be close to natural color for the bright reddish regions such as Tharsis and Arabia, but the data have been 'stretched' such that the relatively dark regions appear darker and less reddish that their natural appearance. This stretching allows us to better see the color and brightness variations on Mars, which are related to the composition or physical structure of the surface materials, which include volcanic lava flows, wind- and water-deposited sedimentary rocks, and (at the poles) ice caps. The north polar cap is visible in this projection at the top of the image, the great equatorial canyon system (Valles Marineris) below center, and four huge Tharsis volcanoes (and several smaller ones) at left. Also note heavy impact cratering of the highlands (bottom and right portions of this mosaic) and the younger, less heavily cratered terrains elsewhere.

NSW annual immunisation coverage report, 2010.

PubMed

Hull, Brynley; Dey, Aditi; Campbell-Lloyd, Sue; Menzies, Robert I; McIntyre, Peter B

2011-11-01

This annual report, the second in the series, documents trends in immunisation coverage in NSW for children, adolescents and the elderly, to the end of 2010. Data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, the NSW School Immunisation Program and the NSW Population Health Survey were used to calculate various measures of population coverage, coverage for Aboriginal children and vaccination timeliness for all children. Over 90% coverage has been reached for children at 12 and 24 months of age. For children at 5 years of age there was an improvement during 2010 in timeliness for vaccines due at 4 years and coverage almost reached 90%. Delayed receipt of vaccines is still an issue for Aboriginal children. For adolescents, there is good coverage for the first and second doses of human papillomavirus vaccine and the dose of diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis. The pneumococcal vaccination rate in the elderly has been steadily rising, although it has remained lower than the influenza coverage estimates. Completion of the recommended immunisation schedule at the earliest appropriate age should be the next public health goal at both the state and local health district level. Official coverage assessments for 'fully immunised' should include the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate and meningococcal C vaccines, and wider dissemination should be considered.

Obesity coverage gap: Consumers perceive low coverage for obesity treatments even when workplace wellness programs target BMI.

PubMed

Wilson, Elizabeth Ruth; Kyle, Theodore K; Nadglowski, Joseph F; Stanford, Fatima Cody

2017-02-01

Evidence-based obesity treatments, such as bariatric surgery, are not considered essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Employer-sponsored wellness programs with incentives based on biometric outcomes are allowed and often used despite mixed evidence regarding their effectiveness. This study examines consumers' perceptions of their coverage for obesity treatments and exposure to workplace wellness programs. A total of 7,378 participants completed an online survey during 2015-2016. Respondents answered questions regarding their health coverage for seven medical services and exposure to employer wellness programs that target weight or body mass index (BMI). Using χ 2 tests, associations between perceptions of exposure to employer wellness programs and coverage for medical services were examined. Differences between survey years were also assessed. Most respondents reported they did not have health coverage for obesity treatments, but more of the respondents with employer wellness programs reported having coverage. Neither the perception of coverage for obesity treatments nor exposure to wellness programs increased between 2015 and 2016. Even when consumers have exposure to employer wellness programs that target BMI, their health insurance often excludes obesity treatments. Given the clinical and cost-effectiveness of such treatments, reducing that coverage gap may mitigate obesity's individual- and population-level effects. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Deep Space Network and Lunar Network Communication Coverage of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Charles H.; Cheung, Kar-Ming

2006-01-01

In this article, we describe the communication coverage analysis for the lunar network and the Earth ground stations. The first part of this article focuses on the direct communication coverage of the Moon from the Earth's ground stations. In particular, we assess the coverage performance of the Moon based on the existing Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas and the complimentary coverage of other potential stations at Hartebeesthoek, South Africa and at Santiago, Chile. We also address the coverage sensitivity based on different DSN antenna scenarios and their capability to provide single and redundant coverage of the Moon. The second part of this article focuses on the framework of the constrained optimization scheme to seek a stable constellation six relay satellites in two planes that not only can provide continuous communication coverage to any users on the Moon surface, but can also deliver data throughput in a highly efficient manner.

Impact of geostationary satellite water vapor channel data on weather analysis and forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velden, Christopher S.

1995-01-01

Preliminary results from NWP impact studies are indicating that upper-tropospheric wind information provided by tracking motions in sequences of geostationary satellite water vapor imagery can positively influence forecasts on regional scales, and possibly on global scales as well. The data are complimentary to cloud-tracked winds by providing data in cloud-free regions, as well as comparable in quality. First results from GOES-8 winds are encouraging, and further efforts and model impacts will be directed towards optimizing these data in numerical weather prediction (NWP). Assuming successful launches of GOES-J and GMS-5 satellites in 1995, high quality and resolution water vapor imagers will be available to provide nearly complete global upper-tropospheric wind coverage.

[Using the concept of universal health coverage to promote the health system reform in China].

PubMed

Hu, S L

2016-11-06

The paper is systematically explained the definition, contents of universal health coverage (UHC). Universal health coverage calls for all people to have access to quality health services they need without facing undue financial burden. The relationship between five main attributes, i.e., quality, efficiency, equity, accountability and resilience, and their 15 action plans has been explained. The nature of UHC is belonged to the State and government. The core function is commitment with equality. The whole-of-system method is used to promoting the health system reform. In China, the universal health coverage has been reached to the preliminary achievements, which include universal coverage of social medical insurance, basic medical services, basic public health services, and the provision of essential medicines. China has completed millennium development goals (MDG) and is being stepped to the sustainable development goals (SDG).

Concept and analytical basis for revistas - A fast, flexible computer/graphic system for generating periodic satellite coverage patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, J. C.

1976-01-01

The generation of satellite coverage patterns is facilitated by three basic strategies: use of a simplified physical model, permitting rapid closed-form calculation; separation of earth rotation and nodal precession from initial geometric analyses; and use of symmetries to construct traces of indefinite length by repetitive transposition of basic one-quadrant elements. The complete coverage patterns generated consist of a basic nadir trace plus a number of associated off-nadir traces, one for each sensor swath edge to be delineated. Each trace is generated by transposing one or two of the basic quadrant elements into a circle on a nonrotating earth model sphere, after which the circle is expanded into the actual 'helical' pattern by adding rotational displacements to the longitude coordinates. The procedure adapts to the important periodic coverage cases by direct insertion of the characteristic integers N and R (days and orbital revolutions, respectively, per coverage period).

Improving estimates of insecticide-treated mosquito net coverage from household surveys: using geographic coordinates to account for endemicity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Coverage estimates of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are often calculated at the national level, but are intended to be a proxy for coverage among the population at risk of malaria. The analysis uses data for surveyed households, linking survey enumeration areas (clusters) with levels of malaria endemicity and adjusting coverage estimates based on the population at risk. This analysis proposes an approach that is not dependent on being able to identify malaria risk in a location during the survey design (since survey samples are typically selected on the basis of census sampling frames that do not include information on malaria zones), but rather being able to assign risk zones after a survey has already been completed. Methods The analysis uses data from 20 recent nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), Malaria Indicator Surveys (MIS), an AIDS Indicator Survey (AIS), and an Anemia and Malaria Prevalence Survey (AMP). The malaria endemicity classification was assigned from the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) 2010 interpolated data layers, using the Geographic Positioning System (GPS) location of the survey clusters. National ITN coverage estimates were compared with coverage estimates in intermediate/high endemicity zones (i.e., the population at risk of malaria) to determine whether the difference between estimates was statistically different from zero (p-value <0.5). Results Endemicity varies substantially in eight of the 20 studied countries. In these countries with heterogeneous transmission of malaria, stratification of households by endemicity zones shows that ITN coverage in intermediate/high endemicity zones is significantly higher than ITN coverage at the national level (Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.). For example in Zimbabwe, the national ownership of ITNs is 28%, but ownership in the intermediate/high endemicity zone is 46%. Conclusion Incorporating this study’s basic and easily reproducible approach into estimates of ITN coverage is applicable and even preferable in countries with areas at no/low risk of malaria and will help ensure that the highest-quality data are available to inform programmatic decisions in countries affected by malaria. The extension of this type of analysis to other malaria interventions can provide further valuable information to support evidence-based decision-making. PMID:24993082

The Inelastic Instrument suite at the SNS

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

Granroth, Garrett E; Abernathy, Douglas L; Ehlers, Georg

2008-01-01

Abstract The instruments in the extensive suite of spectrometers at the SNS are in various stages of installation and commissioning. The Back Scattering Spectrometer (BASIS) is installed and is in commissioning. It's near backscattering analyzer crystals provide the 3 eV resolution as expected. BASIS will enter the user program in the fall of 2007. The ARCS wide angular-range thermal to epithermal neutron spectrometer will come on line in the fall of 2007 followed shortly by the Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer. These two direct geometry instruments provide moderate resolution and the ability to trade resolution for flux. In addition both instrumentsmore » have detector coverage out to 140o to provide a large Q range. The SEQUOIA spectrometer, complete in 2008, is the direct geometry instrument that will provide fine resolution in the thermal to epithermal range. The Spin-Echo spectrometer, to be completed on a similar time scale, will provide the finest energy resolution worldwide. The HYSPEC spectrometer, available no later than 2011, will provide polarized capabilities and optimized flux in the thermal energy range. Finally, the Vision chemical spectrometer will use crystal analyzers to study energy transfers into the epithermal range« less

Device for frequency modulation of a laser output spectrum

DOEpatents

Beene, James R.; Bemis, Jr., Curtis E.

1986-01-01

A device is provided for fast frequency modulating the output spectrum of multimode lasers and single frequency lasers that are not actively stabilized. A piezoelectric transducer attached to a laser cavity mirror is driven in an unconventional manner to excite resonance vibration of the transducer to rapidly, cyclicly change the laser cavity length. The result is a cyclic sweeping of the output wavelength sufficient to fill the gaps in the laser output frequency spectrum. When such a laser is used to excite atoms or molecules, complete absorption line coverage is made possible.

Device for frequency modulation of a laser output spectrum

DOEpatents

Beene, J.R.; Bemis, C.E. Jr.

1984-07-17

A device is provided for fast frequency modulating the output spectrum of multimode lasers and single frequency lasers that are not actively stabilized. A piezoelectric transducer attached to a laser cavity mirror is driven in an unconventional manner to excite resonance vibration of the tranducer to rapidly, cyclicly change the laser cavity length. The result is a cyclic sweeping of the output wavelength sufficient to fill the gaps in the laser output frequency spectrum. When a laser is used to excite atoms or molecules, complete absorption line coverage is made possible.

Immunization rates and timely administration in pre-school and school-aged children.

PubMed

Heininger, Ulrich; Zuberbühler, Mirjam

2006-02-01

Whereas immunization coverage has been repeatedly assessed in the Swiss population, little is known about the timely administration of universally recommended immunizations in Switzerland and elsewhere. The goal of this study was to determine compliance with official standard immunization recommendations in pre-school and school-aged children in Basel, Switzerland, focusing on coverage rates and timely administration. Of a cohort of children entering kindergarten and third-grade primary school in Basel in 2001, 310 and 310, respectively, were identified in proportion to the overall age-appropriate populations in the four city districts. Foreign-born children were excluded. The data were extracted from immunization records provided voluntarily by parents. Coverage for three doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and poliomyelitis vaccines was >95% and <90% for pertussis and Hib. The rates of age-appropriate booster doses were significantly lower, especially for pertussis and Hib (<60%). Cumulative coverage for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) was <90% for the first dose and 33% for the second dose by 10 years of age. All immunizations were administered with significant delays. Coverage for the first three doses of DTP combination vaccines did not reach 90% before 1 year of age and, for the first dose of MMR, a plateau just below 80% was not reached before 3 years of age. Delayed administration of immunizations in childhood, as well as complete lack of booster doses in a significant fraction of children, with important implications for public health have been discovered in this study. This may lead to fatal disease in individuals, epidemics in the community, and threatens national and international targets of disease elimination, such as measles and congenital rubella syndrome.

42 CFR 457.470 - Prohibited coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Prohibited coverage. 457.470 Section 457.470 Public... Requirements: Coverage and Benefits § 457.470 Prohibited coverage. A State is not required to provide health benefits coverage under the plan for an item or service for which payment is prohibited under title XXI...

42 CFR 457.470 - Prohibited coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Prohibited coverage. 457.470 Section 457.470 Public... Requirements: Coverage and Benefits § 457.470 Prohibited coverage. A State is not required to provide health benefits coverage under the plan for an item or service for which payment is prohibited under title XXI...

Constellation Coverage Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, Martin W. (Compiler)

1997-01-01

The design of satellite constellations requires an understanding of the dynamic global coverage provided by the constellations. Even for a small constellation with a simple circular orbit propagator, the combinatorial nature of the analysis frequently renders the problem intractable. Particularly for the initial design phase where the orbital parameters are still fluid and undetermined, the coverage information is crucial to evaluate the performance of the constellation design. We have developed a fast and simple algorithm for determining the global constellation coverage dynamically using image processing techniques. This approach provides a fast, powerful and simple method for the analysis of global constellation coverage.

Esthetic soft tissue management for teeth and implants.

PubMed

Fu, Jia-Hui; Su, Chuan-Yi; Wang, Hom-Lay

2012-09-01

Can newly introduced graft materials be successfully used in soft tissue augmentation around teeth and dental implants? An electronic search on the PubMed database for English articles published before March 31, 2012, was performed using the following key words: "root coverage," "soft tissue graft," "periodontal plastic surgery," "subepithelial connective graft (SCTG)," "acellular dermal matrix (ADM)," "guided tissue regeneration based root coverage (GTRC)," "recession defects," "mucogingival defects," "collagen matrix," "living cellular construct (LCC)," "mucograft," and "biologic agents." Literature featuring new soft tissue graft materials, such as ADM, collagen matrix, GTRC, and biologic agents, were included. Data showed (1) allogeneic grafts were comparable to SCTG in terms of mean complete root coverage (CRC), mean root coverage (RC), and mean amount of keratinized tissue (KT) gain; (2) xenogeneic collagen matrix was as comparable to SCTG in terms of mean amount of KT gain around teeth and dental implants but inferior in achieving RC; (3) GTRC was inferior to SCTG in terms of mean CRC and mean RC; (4) LCC was inferior to free gingival graft in terms of mean amount of KT gain but was superior in esthetics and patient satisfaction; and (5) adjunctive use of biologic agents did not exert a significant effect on mean CRC, mean RC, and mean amount of KT gain. Although these new materials do not surpass the gold standard (SCTG), they do provide improved patient satisfaction and esthetics, are available in abundance, and lead to reduced postoperative discomfort and surgical time. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correcting bias due to missing stage data in the non-parametric estimation of stage-specific net survival for colorectal cancer using multiple imputation.

PubMed

Falcaro, Milena; Carpenter, James R

2017-06-01

Population-based net survival by tumour stage at diagnosis is a key measure in cancer surveillance. Unfortunately, data on tumour stage are often missing for a non-negligible proportion of patients and the mechanism giving rise to the missingness is usually anything but completely at random. In this setting, restricting analysis to the subset of complete records gives typically biased results. Multiple imputation is a promising practical approach to the issues raised by the missing data, but its use in conjunction with the Pohar-Perme method for estimating net survival has not been formally evaluated. We performed a resampling study using colorectal cancer population-based registry data to evaluate the ability of multiple imputation, used along with the Pohar-Perme method, to deliver unbiased estimates of stage-specific net survival and recover missing stage information. We created 1000 independent data sets, each containing 5000 patients. Stage data were then made missing at random under two scenarios (30% and 50% missingness). Complete records analysis showed substantial bias and poor confidence interval coverage. Across both scenarios our multiple imputation strategy virtually eliminated the bias and greatly improved confidence interval coverage. In the presence of missing stage data complete records analysis often gives severely biased results. We showed that combining multiple imputation with the Pohar-Perme estimator provides a valid practical approach for the estimation of stage-specific colorectal cancer net survival. As usual, when the percentage of missing data is high the results should be interpreted cautiously and sensitivity analyses are recommended. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complete tissue coverage achieved by scaffold-based tissue engineering in the fetal sheep model of Myelomeningocele.

PubMed

Watanabe, Miho; Li, Haiying; Kim, Aimee G; Weilerstein, Aaron; Radu, Anteneta; Davey, Marcus; Loukogeorgakis, Stavros; Sánchez, Melissa D; Sumita, Kazutaka; Morimoto, Naoki; Yamamoto, Masaya; Tabata, Yasuhiko; Flake, Alan W

2016-01-01

Myelomeningocele (MMC) is the most severe form of spina bifida, one of the most common congenital anomalies. Although open fetal surgical repair of the MMC defect has been shown to result in improved outcomes, a less invasive approach applicable earlier in gestation than the current open surgical approach between 19 and 26 weeks of gestation is desirable for further improvement of neurological symptoms, as well as reduction of maternal and fetal risks. We previously reported the therapeutic potential of a scaffold-based tissue engineering approach in a fetal rat MMC model. The objective of this study was to confirm the long-term efficacy of this approach in the surgically created fetal sheep MMC model. Gelatin-based or gelatin/collagen hybrid sponges were prepared with and without basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) incorporation. The defect was covered by a sponge and secured by a supporting sheet with adhesive at 100 days of gestation or the gelatin/collagen hybrid with bFGF was secured with adhesive without the sheet. Although sheets were found detached at term (140 days' gestation), both gelatin-based and gelatin/collagen hybrid sponges had integrated within the newly formed granulation tissue, resulting in complete coverage of the MMC defect. The release of bFGF from sponges resulted in enhanced formation of granulation tissue and epithelialization. There was also evidence of improved preservation of the spinal cord with less associated damage on histological analysis and reversal of hindbrain herniation. These experiments provide important proof-of-principle evidence of the efficacy of scaffold-based tissue engineered coverage for the prenatal treatment of MMC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction of Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine and Impact on Vaccine-Associated Paralytic Poliomyelitis - Beijing, China, 2014-2016.

PubMed

Zhao, Dan; Ma, Rui; Zhou, Tao; Yang, Fan; Wu, Jin; Sun, Hao; Liu, Fang; Lu, Li; Li, Xiaomei; Zuo, Shuyan; Yao, Wei; Yin, Jian

2017-12-15

When included in a sequential polio vaccination schedule, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) reduces the risk for vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP), a rare adverse event associated with receipt of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). During January 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended introduction of at least 1 IPV dose into routine immunization schedules in OPV-using countries (1). The Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018 recommended completion of IPV introduction in 2015 and globally synchronized withdrawal of OPV type 2 in 2016 (2). Introduction of 1 dose of IPV into Beijing's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) on December 5, 2014 represented China's first province-wide IPV introduction. Coverage with the first dose of polio vaccine was maintained from 96.2% to 96.9%, similar to coverage with the first dose of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine (DTP) (96.5%-97.2%); the polio vaccine dropout rate (the percentage of children who received the first dose of polio vaccine but failed to complete the series) was 1.0% in 2015 and 0.4% in 2016. The use of 3 doses of private-sector IPV per child decreased from 18.1% in 2014, to 17.4% in 2015, and to 14.8% in 2016. No cases of VAPP were identified during 2014-2016. Successful introduction of IPV into the public sector EPI program was attributed to comprehensive planning, preparation, implementation, robust surveillance for adverse events after immunization (AEFI), and monitoring of vaccination coverage. This evaluation provided information that helped contribute to the expansion of IPV use in China and in other OPV-using countries.

Automated Generation and Assessment of Autonomous Systems Test Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barltrop, Kevin J.; Friberg, Kenneth H.; Horvath, Gregory A.

2008-01-01

This slide presentation reviews some of the issues concerning verification and validation testing of autonomous spacecraft routinely culminates in the exploration of anomalous or faulted mission-like scenarios using the work involved during the Dawn mission's tests as examples. Prioritizing which scenarios to develop usually comes down to focusing on the most vulnerable areas and ensuring the best return on investment of test time. Rules-of-thumb strategies often come into play, such as injecting applicable anomalies prior to, during, and after system state changes; or, creating cases that ensure good safety-net algorithm coverage. Although experience and judgment in test selection can lead to high levels of confidence about the majority of a system's autonomy, it's likely that important test cases are overlooked. One method to fill in potential test coverage gaps is to automatically generate and execute test cases using algorithms that ensure desirable properties about the coverage. For example, generate cases for all possible fault monitors, and across all state change boundaries. Of course, the scope of coverage is determined by the test environment capabilities, where a faster-than-real-time, high-fidelity, software-only simulation would allow the broadest coverage. Even real-time systems that can be replicated and run in parallel, and that have reliable set-up and operations features provide an excellent resource for automated testing. Making detailed predictions for the outcome of such tests can be difficult, and when algorithmic means are employed to produce hundreds or even thousands of cases, generating predicts individually is impractical, and generating predicts with tools requires executable models of the design and environment that themselves require a complete test program. Therefore, evaluating the results of large number of mission scenario tests poses special challenges. A good approach to address this problem is to automatically score the results based on a range of metrics. Although the specific means of scoring depends highly on the application, the use of formal scoring - metrics has high value in identifying and prioritizing anomalies, and in presenting an overall picture of the state of the test program. In this paper we present a case study based on automatic generation and assessment of faulted test runs for the Dawn mission, and discuss its role in optimizing the allocation of resources for completing the test program.

Fully immunized child: coverage, timing and sequencing of routine immunization in an urban poor settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.

PubMed

Mutua, Martin Kavao; Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth; Ngomi, Nicholas; Ravn, Henrik; Mwaniki, Peter; Echoka, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

More efforts have been put in place to increase full immunization coverage rates in the last decade. Little is known about the levels and consequences of delaying or vaccinating children in different schedules. Vaccine effectiveness depends on the timing of its administration, and it is not optimal if given early, delayed or not given as recommended. Evidence of non-specific effects of vaccines is well documented and could be linked to timing and sequencing of immunization. This paper documents the levels of coverage, timing and sequencing of routine childhood vaccines. The study was conducted between 2007 and 2014 in two informal urban settlements in Nairobi. A total of 3856 children, aged 12-23 months and having a vaccination card seen were included in analysis. Vaccination dates recorded from the cards seen were used to define full immunization coverage, timeliness and sequencing. Proportions, medians and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess and describe the levels of full immunization coverage, vaccination delays and sequencing. The findings indicate that 67 % of the children were fully immunized by 12 months of age. Missing measles and third doses of polio and pentavalent vaccine were the main reason for not being fully immunized. Delays were highest for third doses of polio and pentavalent and measles. About 22 % of fully immunized children had vaccines in an out-of-sequence manner with 18 % not receiving pentavalent together with polio vaccine as recommended. Results show higher levels of missed opportunities and low coverage of routine childhood vaccinations given at later ages. New strategies are needed to enable health care providers and parents/guardians to work together to increase the levels of completion of all required vaccinations. In particular, more focus is needed on vaccines given in multiple doses (polio, pentavalent and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines).

The quest for universal health coverage: achieving social protection for all in Mexico.

PubMed

Knaul, Felicia Marie; González-Pier, Eduardo; Gómez-Dantés, Octavio; García-Junco, David; Arreola-Ornelas, Héctor; Barraza-Lloréns, Mariana; Sandoval, Rosa; Caballero, Francisco; Hernández-Avila, Mauricio; Juan, Mercedes; Kershenobich, David; Nigenda, Gustavo; Ruelas, Enrique; Sepúlveda, Jaime; Tapia, Roberto; Soberón, Guillermo; Chertorivski, Salomón; Frenk, Julio

2012-10-06

Mexico is reaching universal health coverage in 2012. A national health insurance programme called Seguro Popular, introduced in 2003, is providing access to a package of comprehensive health services with financial protection for more than 50 million Mexicans previously excluded from insurance. Universal coverage in Mexico is synonymous with social protection of health. This report analyses the road to universal coverage along three dimensions of protection: against health risks, for patients through quality assurance of health care, and against the financial consequences of disease and injury. We present a conceptual discussion of the transition from labour-based social security to social protection of health, which implies access to effective health care as a universal right based on citizenship, the ethical basis of the Mexican reform. We discuss the conditions that prompted the reform, as well as its design and inception, and we describe the 9-year, evidence-driven implementation process, including updates and improvements to the original programme. The core of the report concentrates on the effects and impacts of the reform, based on analysis of all published and publically available scientific literature and new data. Evidence indicates that Seguro Popular is improving access to health services and reducing the prevalence of catastrophic and impoverishing health expenditures, especially for the poor. Recent studies also show improvement in effective coverage. This research then addresses persistent challenges, including the need to translate financial resources into more effective, equitable and responsive health services. A next generation of reforms will be required and these include systemic measures to complete the reorganisation of the health system by functions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the Mexican quest to achieve universal health coverage and its relevance for other low-income and middle-income countries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medicaid dental coverage alone may not lower rates of dental emergency department visits.

PubMed

Fingar, Kathryn R; Smith, Mark W; Davies, Sheryl; McDonald, Kathryn M; Stocks, Carol; Raven, Maria C

2015-08-01

Medicaid was expanded to millions of individuals under the Affordable Care Act, but many states do not provide dental coverage for adults under their Medicaid programs. In the absence of dental coverage, patients may resort to costly emergency department (ED) visits for dental conditions. Medicaid coverage of dental benefits could help ease the burden on the ED, but ED use for dental conditions might remain a problem in areas with a scarcity of dentists. We examined county-level rates of ED visits for nontraumatic dental conditions in twenty-nine states in 2010 in relation to dental provider density and Medicaid coverage of nonemergency dental services. Higher density of dental providers was associated with lower rates of dental ED visits by patients with Medicaid in rural counties but not in urban counties, where most dental ED visits occurred. County-level Medicaid-funded dental ED visit rates were lower in states where Medicaid covered nonemergency dental services than in other states, although this difference was not significant after other factors were adjusted for. Providing dental coverage alone might not reduce Medicaid-funded dental ED visits if patients do not have access to dental providers. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Augmentation of the IUE Ultraviolet Spectral Atlas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chi-Chao

Most likely IUE is the only and last satellite which will support a survey program to record the ultraviolet spectrum of a large number of bright normal stars. It is important to have a library of high quality Low dispersion spectra of sufficient number of stars that provide good coverage in spectral type and luminosity class. Such a library is invaluable for stellar population synthesis of galaxies, studying the nature of distant galaxies, establishing a UV spectral classification system, providing comparison stars for interstellar extinction studies and for peculiar objects or binary systems, studying the effects of temperature, gravity and metallicity on stellar UV spectra, and as a teaching aid. We propose to continue observations of normal stars in order to provide (1) a more complete coverage of the spectral type and luminosity class, and (2) more than one star per spectral typeluminosity class combination to guard against variability and peculiarity, and to allow a finite range of temperature, gravity, and metallicity in a given combination. Our primary goal is to collect the data and make them available to the community immediately (without claiming the 6-month proprietary right). The data will be published in the IUE Newsletter as soon as practical, and the data will be prepared for distribution by the IUE Observatory and the NSSDC.

The Treatment of Propaganda in Selected Social Studies Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Dan B.

1985-01-01

A survey found that secondary U.S. history textbooks provided the most coverage of propaganda and included the largest number of examples for student analysis. Very little coverage of propaganda was found in world geography and world history texts. A few government texts provided excellent coverage, but most gave the subject little attention. (RM)

75 FR 70159 - Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Rules Relating to Status as a Grandfathered...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

... Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Rules Relating to Status as a Grandfathered Health Plan... contracts of insurance. The temporary regulations provide guidance to employers, group health plans, and health insurance issuers providing group health insurance coverage. The IRS is issuing the temporary...

75 FR 41787 - Requirement for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers To Provide Coverage of Preventive...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

... Requirement for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers To Provide Coverage of Preventive Services... Insurance Oversight of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are issuing substantially similar interim final regulations with respect to group health plans and health insurance coverage offered in...

42 CFR 423.56 - Procedures to determine and document creditable status of prescription drug coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provided in paragraph (a) of this section: (1) Prescription drug coverage under a PDP or MA-PD plan. (2... exception of PDPs and MA-PD plans under § 423.56(b)(1) and PACE or cost-based HMO or CMP that provide.... (12) Coverage provided through a State High-Risk Pool as defined under 42 CFR 146.113(a)(1)(vii). (13...

42 CFR 423.56 - Procedures to determine and document creditable status of prescription drug coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... provided in paragraph (a) of this section: (1) Prescription drug coverage under a PDP or MA-PD plan. (2... exception of PDPs and MA-PD plans under § 423.56(b)(1) and PACE or cost-based HMO or CMP that provide.... (12) Coverage provided through a State High-Risk Pool as defined under 42 CFR 146.113(a)(1)(vii). (13...

Imaging of Stellar Surfaces with the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, A.; Schmitt, H. R.; van Belle, G. T.; Hutter, Clark; Mozurkewich, D.; Armstrong, J. T.; Baines, E. K.; Restaino, S. R.

The Navy Precision Optical Interferometer (NPOI) has a unique layout which is particularly well-suited for high-resolution interferometric imaging. By combining the NPOI layout with a new data acquisition and fringe tracking system we are progressing toward a imaging capability which will exceed any other interferometer in operation. The project, funded by the National Science Foundation, combines several existing advances and infrastructure at NPOI with modest enhancements. For optimal imaging there are several requirements that should be fulfilled. The observatory should be capable of measuring visibilities on a wide range of baseline lengths and orientations, providing complete UV coverage in a short period of time. It should measure visibility amplitudes with good SNR on all baselines as critical imaging information is often contained in low-amplitude visibilities. It should measure the visibility phase on all baselines. The technologies which can achieve this are the NPOI Y-shaped array with (nearly) equal spacing between telescopes and an ability for rapid configuration. Placing 6-telescopes in a row makes it possible to measure visibilities into the 4th lobe of the visibility function. By arranging the available telescopes carefully we will be able to switch, every few days, between 3 different 6-station chains which provide symmetric coverage in the UV (Fourier) plane without moving any telescopes, only by moving beam relay mirrors. The 6-station chains are important to achieve the highest imaging resolution, and switching rapidly between station chains provides uniform coverage. Coherent integration techniques can be used to obtain good SNR on very small visibilities. Coherently integrated visibilities can be used for imaging with standard radio imaging packages such as AIPS. The commissioning of one additional station, the use of new data acquisition hardware and fringe tracking algorithms are the enhancements which make this project possible.

Implementation and Operational Analysis of an Interactive Intensive Care Unit within a Smart Health Context

PubMed Central

Aguirre, Erik

2018-01-01

In the context of hospital management and operation, Intensive Care Units (ICU) are one of the most challenging in terms of time responsiveness and criticality, in which adequate resource management and signal processing play a key role in overall system performance. In this work, a context aware Intensive Care Unit is implemented and analyzed to provide scalable signal acquisition capabilities, as well as to provide tracking and access control. Wireless channel analysis is performed by means of hybrid optimized 3D Ray Launching deterministic simulation to assess potential interference impact as well as to provide required coverage/capacity thresholds for employed transceivers. Wireless system operation within the ICU scenario, considering conventional transceiver operation, is feasible in terms of quality of service for the complete scenario. Extensive measurements of overall interference levels have also been carried out, enabling subsequent adequate coverage/capacity estimations, for a set of Zigbee based nodes. Real system operation has been tested, with ad-hoc designed Zigbee wireless motes, employing lightweight communication protocols to minimize energy and bandwidth usage. An ICU information gathering application and software architecture for Visitor Access Control has been implemented, providing monitoring of the Boxes external doors and the identification of visitors via a RFID system. The results enable a solution to provide ICU access control and tracking capabilities previously not exploited, providing a step forward in the implementation of a Smart Health framework. PMID:29382148

7 CFR 1416.404 - Payment calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... following table provides the applicable payment rates for producers with crop insurance or NAP coverage and those without coverage: Producers withinsurance or NAP coverage Plasticulture Other than plasticulture Producers withoutinsurance or NAP coverage Plasticulture Other than plasticulture Tier I $3,750 $1,125 $3...

A full-scale fire program to evaluate new furnishings and textile materials developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillenbrand, L. J.; Wray, J. A.

1974-01-01

A program of experimental fires was carried out to establish the advantages offered by new materials for improved fire safety. Four full-scale bedrooms, differing only in the materials used to furnish them, were built and burned to provide comparative data on the fire hazards produced. Cost and availability differences were not considered. The visual evidence provided by TV and photographic coverage of the four experimental room fires showed clearly that the rooms responded very differently to a common ignition condition. Resistance to the ignition and spread of fire was substantially improved in the rooms furnished completely or partially with the new materials.

Intelligent Elements for the ISHM Testbed and Prototypes (ITP) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maul, William A.; Park, Han; Schwabacher, Mark; Watson, Michael; Mackey, Ryan; Fijany, Amir; Trevino, Luis; Weir, John

2005-01-01

Deep-space manned missions will require advanced automated health assessment capabilities. Requirements such as in-space assembly, long dormant periods and limited accessibility during flight, present significant challenges that should be addressed through Integrated System Health Management (ISHM). The ISHM approach will provide safety and reliability coverage for a complete system over its entire life cycle by determining and integrating health status and performance information from the subsystem and component levels. This paper will focus on the potential advanced diagnostic elements that will provide intelligent assessment of the subsystem health and the planned implementation of these elements in the ISHM Testbed and Prototypes (ITP) Project under the NASA Exploration Systems Research and Technology program.

Sub-epithelial connective tissue graft for root coverage in nonsmokers and smokers: A pilot comparative clinical study

PubMed Central

Dwarakanath, Chini Doraswamy; Divya, Bheemavarapu; Sruthima, Gottumukkala Naga Venkata Satya; Penmetsa, Gautami Subadra

2016-01-01

Background: Gingival recession is a common condition and is more prevalent in smokers. It is widely believed that root coverage procedures in smokers result in less desirable outcome compared to nonsmokers', and there are few controlled studies in literature to support this finding. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the outcome of root coverage with sub-epithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) in nonsmokers and smokers. Materials and Methods: A sample of twenty subjects, 10 nonsmokers and 10 smokers were selected each with at least 1 Miller's Class I or II recession on a single rooted tooth. Clinical measurements of probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession total surface area (GRTSA), depth of recession (RD), width of recession (RW), and width of keratinized tissue were determined at baseline, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Results: The treatment of gingival recession with SCTG and coronally advanced flap showed a decrease in the GRTSA, RD, RW, and an increase in CAL and width of keratinized gingiva in both the groups. However, the intergroup comparison of the clinical parameters showed no statistical significance. About 6 out of 10 nonsmokers (60%) and 3 smokers (30%) showed complete root coverage. The mean percentage of root coverage of 71.2% in nonsmokers and 38% in smokers was observed. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that smoking may negatively influence gingival recession reduction and CAL gain. In addition, smokers may exhibit fewer chances of complete root coverage. Overall, nonsmokers showed better improvements in all the parameters compared to smokers at the end of 6 months. PMID:28298827

The Role of Smoking and Gingival Crevicular Fluid Markers on Coronally Advanced Flap Outcomes

PubMed Central

Kaval, Başak; Renaud, Diane E.; Scott, David A.; Buduneli, Nurcan

2015-01-01

Background This study evaluates possible effects of smoking on the following: 1) biochemical content in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples from sites of gingival recession and saliva; and 2) clinical outcomes of coronally advanced flap (CAF) for root coverage. Methods Eighteen defects in 15 patients were included in each of the smoker and non-smoker groups. Baseline cotinine, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, MMP-9, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were determined in GCF and saliva samples. CAF with microsurgery technique was applied. Plaque index, papilla bleeding index, recession depth (RD), recession width (RW), and root surface area were evaluated at baseline and postoperative months 1, 3, and 6. Probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), and keratinized gingival width (KGW) was recorded at baseline and month 6. Percentage of root coverage and complete root coverage were calculated at postoperative months 1, 3, and 6. Results All biochemical parameters were similar in the two groups apart from the definite difference in salivary cotinine concentrations (P = 0.000). Compared with the baseline values, RD, RW, CAL, and root surface area decreased, and KGW increased, with no significant difference between the study groups. CAL gain, percentage of root coverage, and complete root-coverage rates were similar in the study groups. Conclusion Similar baseline biochemical data and comparably high success rates of root coverage with CAF in systemically and periodontally healthy smokers versus non-smokers suggest lack of adverse effects of smoking on clinical outcomes. PMID:23725027

Coverage Dependent Assembly of Anthraquinone on Au(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conrad, Brad; Deloach, Andrew; Einstein, Theodore; Dougherty, Daniel

A study of adsorbate-adsorbate and surface state mediated interactions of anthraquinone (AnQ) on Au(111) is presented. We utilize scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to characterize the coverage dependence of AnQ structure formation. Ordered structures are observed up to a single monolayer (ML) and are found to be strongly dependent on molecular surface density. While the complete ML forms a well-ordered close-packed layer, for a narrow range of sub-ML coverages irregular close-packed islands are observed to coexist with a disordered pore network linking neighboring islands. This network displays a characteristic pore size and at lower coverages, the soliton walls of the herringbone reconstruction are shown to promote formation of distinct pore nanostructures. We will discuss these nanostructure formations in the context of surface mediated and more direct adsorbate interactions.

Determinants of vaccination coverage in rural Nigeria

PubMed Central

Odusanya, Olumuyiwa O; Alufohai, Ewan F; Meurice, Francois P; Ahonkhai, Vincent I

2008-01-01

Background Childhood immunization is a cost effective public health strategy. Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) services have been provided in a rural Nigerian community (Sabongidda-Ora, Edo State) at no cost to the community since 1998 through a privately financed vaccination project (private public partnership). The objective of this survey was to assess vaccination coverage and its determinants in this rural community in Nigeria Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in September 2006, which included the use of interviewer-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge of mothers of children aged 12–23 months and vaccination coverage. Survey participants were selected following the World Health Organization's (WHO) immunization coverage cluster survey design. Vaccination coverage was assessed by vaccination card and maternal history. A child was said to be fully immunized if he or she had received all of the following vaccines: a dose of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), three doses of oral polio (OPV), three doses of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT), three doses of hepatitis B (HB) and one dose of measles by the time he or she was enrolled in the survey, i.e. between the ages of 12–23 months. Knowledge of the mothers was graded as satisfactory if mothers had at least a score of 3 out of a maximum of 5 points. Logistic regression was performed to identify determinants of full immunization status. Results Three hundred and thirty-nine mothers and 339 children (each mother had one eligible child) were included in the survey. Most of the mothers (99.1%) had very positive attitudes to immunization and > 55% were generally knowledgeable about symptoms of vaccine preventable diseases except for difficulty in breathing (as symptom of diphtheria). Two hundred and ninety-five mothers (87.0%) had a satisfactory level of knowledge. Vaccination coverage against all the seven childhood vaccine preventable diseases was 61.9% although it was significantly higher (p = 0.002) amongst those who had a vaccination card (131/188, 69.7%) than in those assessed by maternal history (79/151, 52.3%). Multiple logistic regression showed that mothers' knowledge of immunization (p = 0.006) and vaccination at a privately funded health facility (p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with the rate of full immunization. Conclusion Eight years after initiation of this privately financed vaccination project (private-public partnership), vaccination coverage in this rural community is at a level that provides high protection (81%) against DPT/OPV. Completeness of vaccination was significantly correlated with knowledge of mothers on immunization and adequate attention should be given to this if high coverage levels are to be sustained. PMID:18986544

Implementation of the 64-meter-diameter Antennas at the Deep Space Stations in Australia and Spain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartos, K. P.; Bell, H. B.; Phillips, H. P.; Sweetser, B. M.; Rotach, O. A.

1975-01-01

The management and construction aspects of the Overseas 64-m Antenna Project in which two 64-m antennas were constructed at the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communications Complex in Australia, and at the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex in Spain are described. With the completion of these antennas the Deep Space Network is equipped with three 64-m antennas spaced around the world to maintain continuous coverage of spacecraft operations. These antennas provide approximately a 7-db gain over the capabilities of the existing 26-m antenna nets. The report outlines the project organization and management, resource utilization, fabrication, quality assurance, and construction methods by which the project was successfully completed. Major problems and their solutions are described as well as recommendations for future projects.

SU-F-T-419: Evaluation of PlanIQ Feasibility DVH as Planning Objectives for Skull Base SBRT Patients

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

Jiang, W; Wang, H; Chi, P

2016-06-15

Purpose: PlanIQ(Sun Nuclear Corporation) can provide feasibility measures on organs-at-risk(OARs) around the target based on depth, local anatomy density and energy of radiation beam used. This study is to test and evaluate PlanIQ feasibility DVHs as optimization objectives in the treatment planning process, and to investigate the potential to use them in routine clinical cases to improve planning efficiency. Methods: Two to three arcs VMAT Treatment plans were generated in Pinnacle based on PlanIQ feasibility DVH for six skull base patients who previously treated with SBRT. The PlanIQ feasibility DVH for each OAR consists of four zones – impossible (atmore » 100% target coverage), difficult, challenging and probable. Constrains to achieve DVH in difficult zone were used to start plan optimization. Further adjustment was made to improve coverage. The plan DVHs were compared to PlanIQ feasibility DVH to assess the dose received by 0%(D0), 5%(D5), 10%(D10) and 50%(D50) of the OAR volumes. Results: A total of 90 OARs were evaluated for 6 patients (mean 15 OARs, range 11–18 OARs). We used >98% PTV coverage as planning goal since it’s difficult to achieve 100% target coverage. For the generated plans, 96.7% of the OARs achieved D0 or D5 within difficult zone or impossible zone (ipsilateral OARs 93.5%, contralateral OARs 100%), while 90% and 65.6% of the OARs achieved D10 and D50 within difficult zone, respectively. Seventeen of the contralateral and out of field OARs achieved DVHs in impossible zone. For OARs adjacent or overlapped with target volume, the D0 and D5 are challenging to be optimized into difficult zone. All plans were completed within 2–4 adjustments to improve target coverage and uniformity. Conclusion: PlanIQ feasibility tool has the potential to provide difficult but achievable initial optimization objectives and therefore reduce the planning time to obtain a well optimized plan.« less

Guidelines for whole genome bisulphite sequencing of intact and FFPET DNA on the Illumina HiSeq X Ten.

PubMed

Nair, Shalima S; Luu, Phuc-Loi; Qu, Wenjia; Maddugoda, Madhavi; Huschtscha, Lily; Reddel, Roger; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Toso, Martina; Kench, James G; Horvath, Lisa G; Hayes, Vanessa M; Stricker, Phillip D; Hughes, Timothy P; White, Deborah L; Rasko, John E J; Wong, Justin J-L; Clark, Susan J

2018-05-28

Comprehensive genome-wide DNA methylation profiling is critical to gain insights into epigenetic reprogramming during development and disease processes. Among the different genome-wide DNA methylation technologies, whole genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) is considered the gold standard for assaying genome-wide DNA methylation at single base resolution. However, the high sequencing cost to achieve the optimal depth of coverage limits its application in both basic and clinical research. To achieve 15× coverage of the human methylome, using WGBS, requires approximately three lanes of 100-bp-paired-end Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing. It is important, therefore, for advances in sequencing technologies to be developed to enable cost-effective high-coverage sequencing. In this study, we provide an optimised WGBS methodology, from library preparation to sequencing and data processing, to enable 16-20× genome-wide coverage per single lane of HiSeq X Ten, HCS 3.3.76. To process and analyse the data, we developed a WGBS pipeline (METH10X) that is fast and can call SNPs. We performed WGBS on both high-quality intact DNA and degraded DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. First, we compared different library preparation methods on the HiSeq 2500 platform to identify the best method for sequencing on the HiSeq X Ten. Second, we optimised the PhiX and genome spike-ins to achieve higher quality and coverage of WGBS data on the HiSeq X Ten. Third, we performed integrated whole genome sequencing (WGS) and WGBS of the same DNA sample in a single lane of HiSeq X Ten to improve data output. Finally, we compared methylation data from the HiSeq 2500 and HiSeq X Ten and found high concordance (Pearson r > 0.9×). Together we provide a systematic, efficient and complete approach to perform and analyse WGBS on the HiSeq X Ten. Our protocol allows for large-scale WGBS studies at reasonable processing time and cost on the HiSeq X Ten platform.

40 CFR 30.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 30.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

40 CFR 30.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 30.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

32 CFR 32.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 32.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

32 CFR 32.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 32.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

32 CFR 32.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 32.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

38 CFR 49.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 49.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

36 CFR 1210.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 1210.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for...

36 CFR 1210.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 1210.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for...

38 CFR 49.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 49.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

40 CFR 30.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 30.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

32 CFR 32.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 32.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

36 CFR 1210.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 1210.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for...

36 CFR 1210.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 1210.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for...

40 CFR 30.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 30.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

38 CFR 49.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 49.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

38 CFR 49.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 49.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

32 CFR 32.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 32.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

38 CFR 49.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 49.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

40 CFR 30.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 30.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

Measuring Adolescent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Coverage: A Match of Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic and Immunization Registry Data.

PubMed

Pathela, Preeti; Jamison, Kelly; Papadouka, Vikki; Kabir, Rezaul; Markowitz, Lauri E; Dunne, Eileen F; Schillinger, Julia A

2016-12-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is recommended for adolescents. By the end of 2013, 64% of female and 40% of male New York City residents aged 13-18 years had received ≥1 HPV vaccine dose. Adolescents attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics are at high risk for HPV exposure and could benefit from vaccination. Our objective was to estimate HPV vaccination coverage for this population. We matched records of New York City's STD clinic patients aged 13-18 years during 2010-2013 with the Citywide Immunization Registry. We assessed HPV vaccine initiation (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥3 doses among those who initiated) as of clinic visit date and by patient demographics. We compared receipt of ≥1 dose for HPV, tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis, and meningococcal conjugate vaccine. Eighty-two percent of clinic attendees (13,505/16,364) had records in the Citywide Immunization Registry. Receipt of ≥1 HPV dose increased during 2010-2013 (females: 57.6%-69.7%; males: 1.5%-36.3%). Among females, ≥1-dose coverage was lowest among whites (53.4%) and highest among Hispanics (73.3%); among males, ≥1-dose coverage was lowest among whites (6.9%) and highest among Asians (20.9%). Series completion averaged 57.7% (females) and 28.0% (males), with little variation by race/ethnicity or poverty level. Receipt of ≥1 dose was 59.7% for HPV, 82% for tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis, and 76% for meningococcal conjugate vaccines. HPV vaccine initiation and completion were low among adolescent STD clinic patients; coverage was lower compared with other recommended vaccines. STD clinics may be good venues for delivering HPV vaccine, thereby enhancing efforts to improve HPV vaccination. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

A Hybrid Memetic Framework for Coverage Optimization in Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Pang; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas Chandra; Chuang, Cheng-Long; Lin, Tzu-Shiang; Liao, Min-Sheng; Wang, Yung-Chung; Jiang, Joe-Air

2015-10-01

One of the critical concerns in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is the continuous maintenance of sensing coverage. Many particular applications, such as battlefield intrusion detection and object tracking, require a full-coverage at any time, which is typically resolved by adding redundant sensor nodes. With abundant energy, previous studies suggested that the network lifetime can be maximized while maintaining full coverage through organizing sensor nodes into a maximum number of disjoint sets and alternately turning them on. Since the power of sensor nodes is unevenly consumed over time, and early failure of sensor nodes leads to coverage loss, WSNs require dynamic coverage maintenance. Thus, the task of permanently sustaining full coverage is particularly formulated as a hybrid of disjoint set covers and dynamic-coverage-maintenance problems, and both have been proven to be nondeterministic polynomial-complete. In this paper, a hybrid memetic framework for coverage optimization (Hy-MFCO) is presented to cope with the hybrid problem using two major components: 1) a memetic algorithm (MA)-based scheduling strategy and 2) a heuristic recursive algorithm (HRA). First, the MA-based scheduling strategy adopts a dynamic chromosome structure to create disjoint sets, and then the HRA is utilized to compensate the loss of coverage by awaking some of the hibernated nodes in local regions when a disjoint set fails to maintain full coverage. The results obtained from real-world experiments using a WSN test-bed and computer simulations indicate that the proposed Hy-MFCO is able to maximize sensing coverage while achieving energy efficiency at the same time. Moreover, the results also show that the Hy-MFCO significantly outperforms the existing methods with respect to coverage preservation and energy efficiency.

Specialist availability in emergencies: contributions of response times and the use of ad hoc coverage in New York State.

PubMed

Rabin, Elaine; Patrick, Lisa

2016-04-01

Nationwide, hospitals struggle to maintain specialist on-call coverage for emergencies. We seek to further understand the issue by examining reliability of scheduled coverage and the role of ad hoc coverage when none is scheduled. An anonymous electronic survey of all emergency department (ED) directors of a large state. Overall and for 10 specialties, respondents were asked to estimate on-call coverage extent and "reliability" (frequency of emergency response in a clinically useful time frame: 2 hours), and use and effect of ad hoc emergency coverage to fill gaps. Descriptive statistics were performed using Fisher exact and Wilcoxon sign rank tests for significance. Contact information was obtained for 125 of 167 ED directors. Sixty responded (48%), representing 36% of EDs. Forty-six percent reported full on-call coverage scheduled for all specialties. Forty-six percent reported consistent reliability. Coverage and reliability were strongly related (P<.01; 33% reported both), and larger ED volume correlated with both (P<.01). Ninety percent of hospitals that had gaps in either employed ad hoc coverage, significantly improving coverage for 8 of 10 specialties. For all but 1 specialty, more than 20% of hospitals reported that specialists are "Never", "Rarely" or "Sometimes" reliable (more than 50% for cardiovascular surgery, hand surgery and ophthalmology). Significant holes in scheduled on-call specialist coverage are compounded by frequent unreliability of on-call specialists, but partially ameliorated by ad hoc specialist coverage. Regionalization may help because a 2-tiered system may exist: larger hospitals have more complete, reliable coverage. Better understanding of specialists' willingness to treat emergencies ad hoc without taking formal call will suggest additional remedies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

45 CFR 74.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Insurance coverage. 74.31 Section 74.31 Public..., AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 74.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

45 CFR 74.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Insurance coverage. 74.31 Section 74.31 Public..., AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 74.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment...

Open Tibia Shaft Fractures and Soft-Tissue Coverage: The Effects of Management by an Orthopaedic Microsurgical Team.

PubMed

VandenBerg, James; Osei, Daniel; Boyer, Martin I; Gardner, Michael J; Ricci, William M; Spraggs-Hughes, Amanda; McAndrew, Christopher M

2017-06-01

To compare the timing of soft-tissue (flap) coverage and occurrence of complications before and after the establishment of an integrated orthopaedic trauma/microsurgical team. Retrospective cohort study. A single level 1 trauma center. Twenty-eight subjects (13 pre- and 15 post-integration) with open tibia shaft fractures (OTA/AO 42A, 42B, and 42C) treated with flap coverage between January 2009 and March 2015. Flap coverage for open tibia shaft fractures treated before ("preintegration") and after ("postintegration") implementation of an integrated orthopaedic trauma/microsurgical team. Time from index injury to flap coverage. The unadjusted median time to coverage was 7 days (95% confidence interval, 5.9-8.1) preintegration, and 6 days (95% confidence interval, 4.6-7.4) postintegration (P = 0.48). For preintegration, 9 (69%) of the patients experienced complications, compared with 7 (47%) postintegration (P = 0.23). After formation of an integrated orthopaedic trauma/microsurgery team, we observed a 1-day decrease in median days to coverage from index injury. Complications overall were lowered in the postintegration group, although statistically insignificant. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

42 CFR 416.52 - Conditions for coverage-Patient admission, assessment and discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... completion of the most recently documented medical history and physical assessment, including documentation of any allergies to drugs and biologicals. (3) The patient's medical history and physical assessment... have a comprehensive medical history and physical assessment completed by a physician (as defined in...

42 CFR 416.52 - Conditions for coverage-Patient admission, assessment and discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... completion of the most recently documented medical history and physical assessment, including documentation of any allergies to drugs and biologicals. (3) The patient's medical history and physical assessment... have a comprehensive medical history and physical assessment completed by a physician (as defined in...

42 CFR 416.52 - Conditions for coverage-Patient admission, assessment and discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... completion of the most recently documented medical history and physical assessment, including documentation of any allergies to drugs and biologicals. (3) The patient's medical history and physical assessment... have a comprehensive medical history and physical assessment completed by a physician (as defined in...

Au36(SPh)23 nanomolecules.

PubMed

Nimmala, Praneeth Reddy; Dass, Amala

2011-06-22

A new core size protected completely by an aromatic thiol, Au(36)(SPh)(23), is synthesized and characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and UV-visible spectroscopy. The synthesis involving core size changes is studied by MS, and the complete ligand coverage by aromatic thiol group is shown by NMR.

24 CFR 84.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 84.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

22 CFR 145.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 145.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

14 CFR 1260.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations Property Standards § 1260.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and...

14 CFR 1260.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations Property Standards § 1260.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and...

22 CFR 145.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 145.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

22 CFR 145.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 145.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

14 CFR 1260.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations Property Standards § 1260.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and...

22 CFR 145.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 145.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

24 CFR 84.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 84.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

2 CFR 215.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS (OMB CIRCULAR A-110) Post Award Requirements Property Standards § 215.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

24 CFR 84.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 84.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

24 CFR 84.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 84.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

14 CFR 1260.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations Property Standards § 1260.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and...

22 CFR 145.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 145.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

24 CFR 84.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 84.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real...

The Hyper-X Antenna Radiation Pattern Tests and Radio Frequency System Redesign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodge, Mark W.; Kelley, John W.

2006-01-01

Testing was performed to determine the antenna radiation pattern measurements of the Hyper-X, X-43 ship 2 aircraft. One test was conducted at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF) on January 24-January 27, 2000. A second test was done at MicroCraft in Tullahoma Tennessee by the Naval Air Weapons Center (NAWC) China Lake, California on September 8, 2001. The overall test objective was to gather qualitative antenna radiation pattern data from installed antennas on the HXRV. This objective was accomplished by collecting antenna radiation patterns at selected elevations of the HXRV. The test data was used to identify areas of RF coverage and assist in positioning the P-3 aircraft for best RF reception. The antenna pattern data presented nulls and possible low RF reception areas around the aircraft. This led to a redesign of the RF system. The redesigned system provided redundancy in case a telemetry transmitter should fail. The redesign provided more complete RF coverage within the antenna's capabilities. A second look at the flight path and necessary data collection led to a change in the beacon transponder system.

Integrating expert- and algorithm-derived data to generate a hemispheric ice edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsatsoulis, C.; Komp, E.

The Arctic ice edge is the area of the Arctic where sea ice concentration is less than 15%, and is considered navigable by most vessels. Experts at the National Ice Center generate a daily ice edge product that is available to the public. Data of preference is that of active, high resolution satellite sensors such as RADARSAT which yields all-weather images of 100m resolution, and a second source is OLS data with 550m resolution. Unfortunately, RADARSAT does not provide full, daily coverage of the Arctic and OLS can be obscured by clouds. The SSM/I sensor provides complete coverage of the Arctic at 25km resolution and is independent of cloud cover and solar illumination during the Arctic winter. SSM/I data is analyzed by the NASA Team algorithm to establish ice concentration. Our work integrates the ice edge created by experts using high resolution data with the ice edge generated out of the coarser SSM/I microwave data. The result is a product that combines human and algorithmic outputs, deals with gross differences in resolution of the underlying data sets, and results in a useful, operational product.

Airborne antenna polarization study for the microwave landing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilreath, M. C.

1976-01-01

The feasibility of the microwave landing system (MLS) airborne antenna pattern coverage requirements are investigated for a large commercial aircraft using a single omnidirectional antenna. Omnidirectional antennas having vertical and horizontal polarizations were evaluated at several different station locations on a one-eleventh scale model Boeing 737 aircraft. The results obtained during this experimental program are presented which include principal plane antenna patterns and complete volumetric coverage plots.

75 FR 27141 - Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers Providing Dependent Coverage of Children to Age...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-13

... Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers Providing Dependent Coverage of Children to Age 26 Under... Information and Insurance Oversight of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are issuing substantially similar interim final regulations with respect to group health plans and health insurance coverage...

International river basins of the world

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, Aaron T.; Natharius, Jeffrey A.; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Ward, Brian S.; Pender, Jan K.

1999-01-01

It is becoming acknowledged that water is likely to be the most pressing environmental concern of the next century. Difficulties in river basin management are only exacerbated when the resource crosses international boundaries. One critical aid in the assessment of international waters has been the Register of International Rivers a compendium which listed 214 international waterways that cover 47% of the earth's continental land surface. The Register, though, was last updated in 1978 by the now defunct United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The purpose of this paper is to update the Register in order to reflect the quantum changes that have taken place over the last 22 years, both in global geopolitics and in map coverage and technology. By accessing digital elevation models at spatial resolutions of 30 arc seconds, corroborating at a unified global map coverage of at least 1:1 000 000, and superimposing the results over complete coverage of current political boundaries, we are able to provide a new register which lists 261 international rivers, covering 45.3% of the land surface of the earth (excluding Antarctica). This paper lists all international rivers with their watershed areas, the nations which share each watershed,their respective territorial percentages, and notes on changes in or disputes over international boundaries since 1978.

Covering complete proteomes with X-ray structures: A current snapshot

DOE PAGES

Mizianty, Marcin J.; Fan, Xiao; Yan, Jing; ...

2014-10-23

Structural genomics programs have developed and applied structure-determination pipelines to a wide range of protein targets, facilitating the visualization of macromolecular interactions and the understanding of their molecular and biochemical functions. The fundamental question of whether three-dimensional structures of all proteins and all functional annotations can be determined using X-ray crystallography is investigated. A first-of-its-kind large-scale analysis of crystallization propensity for all proteins encoded in 1953 fully sequenced genomes was performed. It is shown that current X-ray crystallographic knowhow combined with homology modeling can provide structures for 25% of modeling families (protein clusters for which structural models can be obtainedmore » through homology modeling), with at least one structural model produced for each Gene Ontology functional annotation. The coverage varies between superkingdoms, with 19% for eukaryotes, 35% for bacteria and 49% for archaea, and with those of viruses following the coverage values of their hosts. It is shown that the crystallization propensities of proteomes from the taxonomic superkingdoms are distinct. The use of knowledge-based target selection is shown to substantially increase the ability to produce X-ray structures. It is demonstrated that the human proteome has one of the highest attainable coverage values among eukaryotes, and GPCR membrane proteins suitable for X-ray structure determination were determined.« less

Management of gingival recession by the use of an acellular dermal graft material: a 12-case series.

PubMed

Santos, A; Goumenos, G; Pascual, A

2005-11-01

Different soft tissue defects can be treated by a variety of surgical procedures. Most of these techniques require the palatal area as a donor site. Recently, an acellular dermal graft has become available that can substitute for palatal donor tissue. This study describes the surgical technique for gingival augmentation and root coverage and the results of 12 clinical cases. A comparison between the three most popular mucogingival procedures for root coverage is also presented. The results of the 12 patients and the 26 denuded surfaces have shown that we can obtain a mean root coverage of 74% with the acellular dermal graft. Thirteen out of the 26 denuded surfaces had complete root coverage. The average increase in keratinized tissue was 1.19 mm. It seems that the long-term results of the cases are stable. The proposed technique of root coverage with an acellular dermal graft can be a good alternative to soft tissue grafts for root coverage, and it should be part of our periodontal plastic surgery armamentarium.

Evaluation of primary immunization coverage of infants under universal immunization programme in an urban area of bangalore city using cluster sampling and lot quality assurance sampling techniques.

PubMed

K, Punith; K, Lalitha; G, Suman; Bs, Pradeep; Kumar K, Jayanth

2008-07-01

Is LQAS technique better than cluster sampling technique in terms of resources to evaluate the immunization coverage in an urban area? To assess and compare the lot quality assurance sampling against cluster sampling in the evaluation of primary immunization coverage. Population-based cross-sectional study. Areas under Mathikere Urban Health Center. Children aged 12 months to 23 months. 220 in cluster sampling, 76 in lot quality assurance sampling. Percentages and Proportions, Chi square Test. (1) Using cluster sampling, the percentage of completely immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized children were 84.09%, 14.09% and 1.82%, respectively. With lot quality assurance sampling, it was 92.11%, 6.58% and 1.31%, respectively. (2) Immunization coverage levels as evaluated by cluster sampling technique were not statistically different from the coverage value as obtained by lot quality assurance sampling techniques. Considering the time and resources required, it was found that lot quality assurance sampling is a better technique in evaluating the primary immunization coverage in urban area.

36 CFR § 1210.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 1210.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for...

5 CFR 351.202 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Coverage. 351.202 Section 351.202... Provisions § 351.202 Coverage. (a) Employees covered. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section... administrative body to be covered hereunder. Coverage includes administrative law judges except as modified by...

10 CFR 600.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Insurance coverage. 600.131 Section 600.131 Energy... Nonprofit Organizations Post-Award Requirements § 600.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired with DOE funds as...

5 CFR 351.202 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Coverage. 351.202 Section 351.202... Provisions § 351.202 Coverage. (a) Employees covered. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section... administrative body to be covered hereunder. Coverage includes administrative law judges except as modified by...

5 CFR 351.202 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Coverage. 351.202 Section 351.202... Provisions § 351.202 Coverage. (a) Employees covered. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section... administrative body to be covered hereunder. Coverage includes administrative law judges except as modified by...

2 CFR 215.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 2 Grants and Agreements 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Insurance coverage. 215.31 Section 215.31... A-110) Post Award Requirements Property Standards § 215.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired with...

Validity of vaccination cards and parental recall to estimate vaccination coverage: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Miles, Melody; Ryman, Tove K; Dietz, Vance; Zell, Elizabeth; Luman, Elizabeth T

2013-03-15

Immunization programs frequently rely on household vaccination cards, parental recall, or both to calculate vaccination coverage. This information is used at both the global and national level for planning and allocating performance-based funds. However, the validity of household-derived coverage sources has not yet been widely assessed or discussed. To advance knowledge on the validity of different sources of immunization coverage, we undertook a global review of literature. We assessed concordance, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and coverage percentage point difference when subtracting household vaccination source from a medical provider source. Median coverage difference per paper ranged from -61 to +1 percentage points between card versus provider sources and -58 to +45 percentage points between recall versus provider source. When card and recall sources were combined, median coverage difference ranged from -40 to +56 percentage points. Overall, concordance, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value showed poor agreement, providing evidence that household vaccination information may not be reliable, and should be interpreted with care. While only 5 papers (11%) included in this review were from low-middle income countries, low-middle income countries often rely more heavily on household vaccination information for decision making. Recommended actions include strengthening quality of child-level data and increasing investments to improve vaccination card availability and card marking. There is also an urgent need for additional validation studies of vaccine coverage in low and middle income countries. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Can Turkey's general health insurance system achieve universal coverage?

PubMed

Yasar, Gulbiye Yenimahalleli; Ugurluoglu, Ece

2011-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the General Health Insurance System (GHIS) in Turkey implemented since 1 October 2008, in order to assess whether the GHIS will be able to achieve its objective of universal coverage. Both the breadth and depth of coverage will be taken into account. The study notes out that some socio-economic problems, such as a significant informal economy, high unemployment rate, inefficiency in the creation of adequate employment opportunities, inequitable income distribution, and widespread poverty, are the main problems preventing the GHIS from reaching breadth of coverage in Turkey. Contribution conditions for entitlement to health services prevent the GHIS from providing breadth of coverage too. Outof- pocket payments, which are higher than in European and OECD countries, narrow the depth of coverage, but the GHIS brings additional user fees. Statistics show that despite its objective, the GHIS struggles to provide universal coverage. It seems the GHIS will not be able to provide universal coverage in the near future because of the socio-economic conditions and conditions for entitlement to health services. In this case the government will either introduce radical arrangements to cope with the socio-economic problems and issues with the funding system or should consider switching from an insurance-based system towards a tax-based system.

Progress and plans of a remote sensing program for the International Field Year for the Great Lakes (IFYGL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polcyn, F. C.; Wagner, T. W. (Principal Investigator)

1972-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 coverage of the 32,000 square mile Lake Ontario Basin is being used to study short term and seasonal changes which affect many aspects of water problems in the Great Lakes. As part of the International Field Year for the Great Lakes (IFYGL), a coordinated, synoptic study of the Lake Ontario Basin, processed ERTS-1 imagery will contribute to the data base of synchronized observations being made by investigators from many U.S. and Canadian government agencies and universities. The first set of ERTS data has been received and will be processed shortly for parameters of hydrological and limnological significance such as land use, terrain features, and water quality. When complete, nine ERTS-1 frames recorded during a substantially clear period will provide coverage of the entire Basin. Seven frames show all but a small portion of the southern and eastern end of the Basin. Many drainage basin characteristics are clearly identifiable on the imagery.

Navigation of autonomous vehicles for oil spill cleaning in dynamic and uncertain environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xin; Ray, Asok

2014-04-01

In the context of oil spill cleaning by autonomous vehicles in dynamic and uncertain environments, this paper presents a multi-resolution algorithm that seamlessly integrates the concepts of local navigation and global navigation based on the sensory information; the objective here is to enable adaptive decision making and online replanning of vehicle paths. The proposed algorithm provides a complete coverage of the search area for clean-up of the oil spills and does not suffer from the problem of having local minima, which is commonly encountered in potential-field-based methods. The efficacy of the algorithm is tested on a high-fidelity player/stage simulator for oil spill cleaning in a harbour, where the underlying oil weathering process is modelled as 2D random-walk particle tracking. A preliminary version of this paper was presented by X. Jin and A. Ray as 'Coverage Control of Autonomous Vehicles for Oil Spill Cleaning in Dynamic and Uncertain Environments', Proceedings of the American Control Conference, Washington, DC, June 2013, pp. 2600-2605.

New tools for evaluating LQAS survey designs

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) surveys have become increasingly popular in global health care applications. Incorporating Bayesian ideas into LQAS survey design, such as using reasonable prior beliefs about the distribution of an indicator, can improve the selection of design parameters and decision rules. In this paper, a joint frequentist and Bayesian framework is proposed for evaluating LQAS classification accuracy and informing survey design parameters. Simple software tools are provided for calculating the positive and negative predictive value of a design with respect to an underlying coverage distribution and the selected design parameters. These tools are illustrated using a data example from two consecutive LQAS surveys measuring Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) preparation. Using the survey tools, the dependence of classification accuracy on benchmark selection and the width of the ‘grey region’ are clarified in the context of ORS preparation across seven supervision areas. Following the completion of an LQAS survey, estimation of the distribution of coverage across areas facilitates quantifying classification accuracy and can help guide intervention decisions. PMID:24528928

New tools for evaluating LQAS survey designs.

PubMed

Hund, Lauren

2014-02-15

Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) surveys have become increasingly popular in global health care applications. Incorporating Bayesian ideas into LQAS survey design, such as using reasonable prior beliefs about the distribution of an indicator, can improve the selection of design parameters and decision rules. In this paper, a joint frequentist and Bayesian framework is proposed for evaluating LQAS classification accuracy and informing survey design parameters. Simple software tools are provided for calculating the positive and negative predictive value of a design with respect to an underlying coverage distribution and the selected design parameters. These tools are illustrated using a data example from two consecutive LQAS surveys measuring Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) preparation. Using the survey tools, the dependence of classification accuracy on benchmark selection and the width of the 'grey region' are clarified in the context of ORS preparation across seven supervision areas. Following the completion of an LQAS survey, estimation of the distribution of coverage across areas facilitates quantifying classification accuracy and can help guide intervention decisions.

The 3D-HST Survey: An Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momcheva, Ivelina G.; Van Dokkum, P. G.; Brammer, G.; Franx, M.; Skelton, R.; Lundgren, B.; Whitaker, K. E.; 3D-HST Team

2013-01-01

3D-HST is a near-IR spectroscopic survey with the Hubble Space Telescope designed to study galaxy evolution at 11. In this talk, I will review the observational details, reduction pipeline, data quality and the wide range of public data products, including added-value photometric and spectroscopic catalogs. Data from the 3D-HST survey are non-proprietary and are useful for a wide variety of science investigations. Our first public data release will be in early 2013 and we would like to advertise this unique data set to the community.

A ground track control algorithm for the Topographic Mapping Laser Altimeter (TMLA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaes, V.; Mcintosh, R.; Roszman, L.; Cooley, J.

1993-01-01

The results of an analysis of an algorithm that will provide autonomous onboard orbit control using orbits determined with Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The algorithm uses the GPS data to (1) compute the ground track error relative to a fixed longitude grid, and (2) determine the altitude adjustment required to correct the longitude error. A program was written on a personal computer (PC) to test the concept for numerous altitudes and values of solar flux using a simplified orbit model including only the J sub 2 zonal harmonic and simple orbit decay computations. The algorithm was then implemented in a precision orbit propagation program having a full range of perturbations. The analysis showed that, even with all perturbations (including actual time histories of solar flux variation), the algorithm could effectively control the spacecraft ground track and yield more than 99 percent Earth coverage in the time required to complete one coverage cycle on the fixed grid (220 to 230 days depending on altitude and overlap allowance).

The relationship of state Medicaid coverage to Medicaid acceptance among substance abuse providers in the United States.

PubMed

Andrews, Christina M

2014-10-01

The Affordable Care Act will dramatically increase the number of Americans with Medicaid coverage for substance abuse treatment (SAT). Currently, few SAT providers accept Medicaid, and consequently, there is concern that newly-eligible Medicaid enrollees will have difficulty finding SAT providers willing to serve them. However, little is known about why few SAT providers accept Medicaid. In response, this study examines how features of state Medicaid coverage for SAT, including benefits, eligibility, and oversight, are associated with Medicaid acceptance among SAT providers. Medicaid acceptance was positively associated with the number of SAT services covered, and the number of optional categorical expansions implemented by the state. Requirements for physician involvement were associated with lower odds of acceptance. The results suggest that more generous Medicaid coverage may encourage SAT providers to accept Medicaid, but regulatory policies may inhibit their ability to do so.

Artemisinin combination therapy mass drug administration in a setting of low malaria endemicity: programmatic coverage and adherence during an observational study in Zanzibar.

PubMed

Ali, Abdullah S; Thawer, Narjis G; Khatib, Bakar; Amier, Haji H; Shija, Joseph; Msellem, Mwinyi; Al-Mafazy, Abdul-Wahid; Garimo, Issa A; Mkali, Humphrey; Ramsan, Mahdi M; Kafuko, Jessica M; Paxton, Lynn A; Reithinger, Richard; Ngondi, Jeremiah M

2017-08-14

Mass drug administration (MDA) appears to be effective in reducing the risk of malaria parasitaemia. This study reports on programmatic coverage and compliance of MDA using artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in four shehias (smallest administration unit) that had been identified as hotspots through Zanzibar's malaria case notification surveillance system. Mass drug administration was done in four shehias selected on the basis of: being an established malaria hot spot; having had mass screening and treatment (MSaT) 2-6 weeks previously; and exceeding the epidemic alert threshold of 5 cases within a week even after MSaT. Communities were sensitized and MDA was conducted using a house-to-house approach. All household members, except pregnant women and children aged less than 2 months, were provided with ACT medicine. Two weeks after the MDA campaign, a survey was undertaken to investigate completion of ACT doses. A total of 8816 [97.1% of eligible; 95% confidence interval (CI) 96.8-97.5] people received ACT. During post MDA surveys, 2009 people were interviewed: 90.2% reported having completed MDA doses; 1.9% started treatment but did not complete dosage; 4.7% did not take treatment; 2.0% were absent during MDA and 1.2% were ineligible (i.e. infants <2 months and pregnant women). Main reasons for failure to complete treatment were experience of side-effects and forgetting to take subsequent doses. Failure to take treatment was mainly due to fear of side-effects, reluctance due to lack of malaria symptoms and caregivers forgetting to give medication to children. Mass drug administration for malaria was well accepted by communities at high risk of malaria in Zanzibar, with high participation and completion rates. Further work to investigate the potential of MDA in accelerating Zanzibar's efforts towards malaria elimination should be pursued.

14 CFR § 1260.131 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations Property Standards § 1260.131 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and...

Improved Small-Particle Powders for Plasma Spraying

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, QuynhGiao, N.; Miller, Robert A.; Leissler, George W.

2005-01-01

Improved small-particle powders and powder-processing conditions have been developed for use in plasma spray deposition of thermal-barrier and environmental barrier coatings. Heretofore, plasma-sprayed coatings have typically ranged in thickness from 125 to 1,800 micrometers. As explained below, the improved powders make it possible to ensure complete coverage of substrates at unprecedently small thicknesses of the order of 25 micrometers. Plasma spraying involves feeding a powder into a hot, high-velocity plasma jet. The individual powder particles melt in the plasma jet as they are propelled towards a substrate, upon which they splat to build up a coating. In some cases, multiple coating layers are required. The size range of the powder particles necessarily dictates the minimum thickness of a coating layer needed to obtain uniform or complete coverage. Heretofore, powder particle sizes have typically ranged from 40 to 70 micrometers; as a result, the minimum thickness of a coating layer for complete coverage has been about 75 micrometers. In some applications, thinner coatings or thinner coating layers are desirable. In principle, one can reduce the minimum complete-coverage thickness of a layer by using smaller powder particles. However, until now, when powder particle sizes have been reduced, the powders have exhibited a tendency to cake, clogging powder feeder mechanisms and feed lines. Hence, the main problem is one of synthesizing smaller-particle powders having desirable flow properties. The problem is solved by use of a process that begins with a spray-drying subprocess to produce spherical powder particles having diameters of less than 30 micrometers. (Spherical-particle powders have the best flow properties.) The powder is then passed several times through a commercial sifter with a mesh to separate particles having diameters less than 15 micrometers. The resulting fine, flowable powder is passed through a commercial fluidized bed powder feeder into a plasma spray jet.

Evaluation of Landscape Structure Using AVIRIS Quicklooks and Ancillary Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanderson, Eric W.; Ustin, Susan L.

1998-01-01

Currently the best tool for examining landscape structure is remote sensing, because remotely sensed data provide complete and repeatable coverage over landscapes in many climatic regimes. Many sensors, with a variety of spatial scales and temporal repeat cycles, are available. The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has imaged over 4000 scenes from over 100 different sites throughout North America. For each of these scenes, one-band "quicklook" images have been produced for review by AVIRIS investigators. These quicklooks are free, publicly available over the Internet, and provide the most complete set of landscape structure data yet produced. This paper describes the methodologies used to evaluate the landscape structure of quicklooks and generate corresponding datasets for climate, topography and land use. A brief discussion of preliminary results is included at the end. Since quicklooks correspond exactly to their parent AVIRIS scenes, the methods used to derive climate, topography and land use data should be applicable to any AVIRIS analysis.

Risk Segmentation Related to the Offering of a Consumer-Directed Health Plan: A Case Study of Humana Inc.

PubMed Central

Tollen, Laura A; Ross, Murray N; Poor, Stephen

2004-01-01

Objective To determine whether the offering of a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) is likely to cause risk segmentation in an employer group. Study Setting and Data Source The study population comprises the approximately 10,000 people (employees and dependents) enrolled as members of the employee health benefit program of Humana Inc. at its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, during the benefit years starting July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2001. This analysis is based on primary collection of claims, enrollment, and employment data for those employees and dependents. Study Design This is a case study of the experience of a single employer in offering two consumer-directed health plan options (“Coverage First 1” and “Coverage First 2”) to its employees. We assessed the risk profile of those choosing the Coverage First plans and those remaining in more traditional health maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred provider organization (PPO) coverage. Risk was measured using prior claims (in dollars per member per month), prior utilization (admissions/1,000; average length of stay; prescriptions/1,000; physician office visit services/1,000), a pharmacy-based risk assessment tool (developed by Ingenix), and demographics. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Complete claims and administrative data were provided by Humana Inc. for the two-year study period. Unique identifiers enabled us to track subscribers' individual enrollment and utilization over this period. Principal Findings Based on demographic data alone, there did not appear to be a difference in the risk profiles of those choosing versus not choosing Coverage First. However, based on prior claims and prior use data, it appeared that those who chose Coverage First were healthier than those electing to remain in more traditional coverage. For each of five services, prior-year usage by people who subsequently enrolled in Coverage First 1 (CF1) was below 60 percent of the average for the whole group. Hospital and maternity admissions per thousand were less than 30 percent of the overall average; length of stay per hospital admission, physician office services per thousand, and prescriptions per thousand were all between 50 and 60 percent of the overall average. Coverage First 2 (CF2) subscribers' prior use of services was somewhat higher than CF1 subscribers', but it was still below average in every category. As with prior use, prior claims data indicated that Coverage First subscribers were healthier than average, with prior total claims less than 50 percent of average. Conclusions In this case, the offering of high-deductible or consumer-directed health plan options alongside more traditional options caused risk segmentation within an employer group. The extent to which these findings are applicable to other cases will depend on many factors, including the employer premium contribution policies and employees' perception of the value of the various plan options. Further research is needed to determine whether risk segmentation will worsen in future years for this employer and if so, whether it will cause premiums for more traditional health plans to increase. PMID:15230919

32 CFR 644.47 - Appraisal of other interests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... improvements will include, in addition to complete coverage of all factors influencing the use of the property... construction. (ii) Complete cost data as to original purchase price and Government construction. (iii) Detailed... inspected, it will be so noted in the appraisal report. The decision concerning the necessity for a physical...

29 CFR 95.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Insurance coverage. 95.31 Section 95.31 Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON... § 95.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage...

29 CFR 95.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Insurance coverage. 95.31 Section 95.31 Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON... § 95.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage...

29 CFR 95.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Insurance coverage. 95.31 Section 95.31 Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON... § 95.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage...

29 CFR 95.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Insurance coverage. 95.31 Section 95.31 Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON... § 95.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage...

29 CFR 95.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Insurance coverage. 95.31 Section 95.31 Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON... § 95.31 Insurance coverage. Recipients shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage...

5 CFR 317.301 - Conversion coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Conversion coverage. 317.301 Section 317... THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE Conversion to the Senior Executive Service § 317.301 Conversion coverage... statutory action extending coverage under 5 U.S.C. 3132(a)(1) to that agency. Except as otherwise provided...

Nonpareil 3: Fast Estimation of Metagenomic Coverage and Sequence Diversity.

PubMed

Rodriguez-R, Luis M; Gunturu, Santosh; Tiedje, James M; Cole, James R; Konstantinidis, Konstantinos T

2018-01-01

Estimations of microbial community diversity based on metagenomic data sets are affected, often to an unknown degree, by biases derived from insufficient coverage and reference database-dependent estimations of diversity. For instance, the completeness of reference databases cannot be generally estimated since it depends on the extant diversity sampled to date, which, with the exception of a few habitats such as the human gut, remains severely undersampled. Further, estimation of the degree of coverage of a microbial community by a metagenomic data set is prohibitively time-consuming for large data sets, and coverage values may not be directly comparable between data sets obtained with different sequencing technologies. Here, we extend Nonpareil, a database-independent tool for the estimation of coverage in metagenomic data sets, to a high-performance computing implementation that scales up to hundreds of cores and includes, in addition, a k -mer-based estimation as sensitive as the original alignment-based version but about three hundred times as fast. Further, we propose a metric of sequence diversity ( N d ) derived directly from Nonpareil curves that correlates well with alpha diversity assessed by traditional metrics. We use this metric in different experiments demonstrating the correlation with the Shannon index estimated on 16S rRNA gene profiles and show that N d additionally reveals seasonal patterns in marine samples that are not captured by the Shannon index and more precise rankings of the magnitude of diversity of microbial communities in different habitats. Therefore, the new version of Nonpareil, called Nonpareil 3, advances the toolbox for metagenomic analyses of microbiomes. IMPORTANCE Estimation of the coverage provided by a metagenomic data set, i.e., what fraction of the microbial community was sampled by DNA sequencing, represents an essential first step of every culture-independent genomic study that aims to robustly assess the sequence diversity present in a sample. However, estimation of coverage remains elusive because of several technical limitations associated with high computational requirements and limiting statistical approaches to quantify diversity. Here we described Nonpareil 3, a new bioinformatics algorithm that circumvents several of these limitations and thus can facilitate culture-independent studies in clinical or environmental settings, independent of the sequencing platform employed. In addition, we present a new metric of sequence diversity based on rarefied coverage and demonstrate its use in communities from diverse ecosystems.

I get height with a little help from my friends: herd protection from sanitation on child growth in rural Ecuador

PubMed Central

Fuller, James A; Villamor, Eduardo; Cevallos, William; Trostle, James; Eisenberg, Joseph NS

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Infectious disease interventions, such as vaccines and bed nets, have the potential to provide herd protection to non-recipients. Similarly, improved sanitation in one household may provide community-wide benefits if it reduces contamination in the shared environment. Sanitation at the household level is an important predictor of child growth, but less is known about the effect of sanitation coverage in the community. Methods: From 2008 to 2013, we took repeated anthropometric measurements on 1314 children under 5 years of age in 24 rural Ecuadorian villages. Using mixed effects regression, we estimated the association between sanitation coverage in surrounding households and child growth. Results: Sanitation coverage in the surrounding households was strongly associated with child height, as those with 100% coverage in their surroundings had a 67% lower prevalence of stunting [prevalence ratio (PR) 0.32, 95% CI 0.15-0.69] compared with those with 0% coverage. Children from households with improved sanitation had a lower prevalence of stunting (PR 0.86, 95% CI 0.64-1.15). When analysing height as a continuous outcome, the protective effect of sanitation coverage is manifested primarily among girls during the second year of life, the time at which growth faltering is most likely to occur. Conclusions: Our study highlights that a household’s sanitation practices can provide herd protection to the overall community. Studies which fail to account for the positive externalities that sanitation provides will underestimate the overall protective effect. Future studies could seek to identify a threshold of sanitation coverage, similar to a herd immunity threshold, to provide coverage and compliance targets. PMID:26936912

Development and validation of The Personal Diabetes Questionnaire (PDQ): a measure of diabetes self-care behaviors, perceptions and barriers.

PubMed

Stetson, Barbara; Schlundt, David; Rothschild, Chelsea; Floyd, Jennifer E; Rogers, Whitney; Mokshagundam, Sri Prakash

2011-03-01

To develop and evaluate the validity and reliability of The Personal Diabetes Questionnaire (PDQ), a brief, yet comprehensive measure of diabetes self-care behaviors, perceptions and barriers. To examine individual items to provide descriptive and normative information and provide data on scale reliability and associations between PDQ scales and concurrently assessed HBA(1c) and BMI. Items were written to address nutritional management, medication utilization, blood glucose monitoring, and physical activity. The initial instrument was reviewed by multidisciplinary diabetes care providers and items subsequently revised until the measure provided complete coverage of the diabetes care domains using as few items as possible. The scoring scheme was generated rationally. Subjects were 790 adults (205 with type 1 and 585 with type 2 diabetes) who completed the PDQ while waiting for clinic appointments. Item completion rates were high, with few items skipped by participants. Subscales demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach α=.650-.834) and demonstrated significant associations with BMI (p ≤.001) and HbA(1c) (p ≤.001). The PDQ is a useful measure of diabetes self-care behaviors and related perceptions and barriers that is reliable and valid and feasible to administer in a clinic setting. This measure may be used to obtain data for assessing diabetes self-management and barriers and to guide patient care. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implications of health reform for retiree health benefits.

PubMed

Fronstin, Paul

2010-01-01

This Issue Brief examines how current health reform legislation being debated in Congress will impact the future of retiree health benefits. In general, the proposals' provisions will have a mixed impact on retiree health benefits: In the short term, the reinsurance provisions would help shore up early retiree coverage and Medicare Part D coverage would become more valuable to retirees. In the longer term, insurance reform combined with new subsidies for individuals enrolling for coverage through insurance exchanges, the maintenance-of-effort provision affecting early retiree benefits, increases to the cost of providing drug benefits to retirees, and enhanced Medicare Part D coverage, would all create significant incentives for employers to drop coverage for early retirees and drug coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees. REINSURANCE PROGRAM FOR EARLY RETIREES: Proposed legislation includes a provision to create a temporary reinsurance program for employers providing health benefits to retirees over age 55 and not yet eligible for Medicare. Given the temporary nature of the program, it is intended to provide employers an incentive to maintain benefits until the health insurance exchange is fully operational. At that point, employers will have less incentive to provide health benefits to early retirees, and retirees will have less need for former employers to maintain a program. MEDICARE DRUG BENEFITS: The House-passed bill would initially reduce the coverage gap (the so-called "doughnut hole") for individuals in the Medicare Part D program by $500 and eliminate it altogether by 2019. The bill currently before the Senate would also reduce the coverage gap by $500, but does not call for eliminating it. Both would also provide a 50 percent discount to brand-name drug coverage in the coverage gap. These provisions increase the value of the Medicare Part D drug program to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries relative to drug benefits provided by employers. TAX TREATMENT OF EMPLOYER SUBSIDIES UNDER MMA: The Medicare Modernization Act provides subsidies to employers that continue to offer prescription drug coverage through a retiree health benefits program. This subsidy is currently not counted as taxable income to the employer receiving it. Both the House and Senate bills would effectively repeal this tax exclusion. This would have two effects: The real cost of providing retiree health benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees would increase, and an employer's FAS 106 liability would increase immediately. The increase in the cost of retiree drug benefits will cause employers to re-evaluate the subsidy, compared with other available options. Moving retirees to Medicare Part D may become even more attractive to employers if the coverage gap is reduced and/or eliminated. POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT CHANGES: With some exceptions, the House-passed legislation would prohibit employers from changing the benefits offered to retirees and their beneficiaries once a person has retired. This provision could have a number of different effects: More employers may move toward capping their contributions; employers that want to maintain retiree health benefits may react by cutting the health benefits of active workers; employers may eliminate retiree health benefits altogether to avoid being locked into providing a permanent benefit; or they may drop benefits if they think there is no need to provide them.

Modeling Cervical Cancer Prevention in Developed Countries

PubMed Central

Kim, Jane J.; Brisson, Marc; Edmunds, W. John; Goldie, Sue J.

2009-01-01

Cytology-based screening has reduced cervical cancer mortality in countries able to implement, sustain and financially support organized programs that achieve broad coverage. These ongoing secondary prevention efforts considerably complicate the question of whether vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types -16 and 18 should be introduced. Policy questions focus primarily on the target ages of vaccination, appropriate ages for a temporary “catch-up” program, possible revisions in screening policies to optimize synergies with vaccination, including the increased used of HPV DNA testing, and the inclusion of boys in the vaccination program. Decision-analytic models are increasingly being developed to simulate disease burden and interventions in different settings in order to evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of primary and secondary interventions for informed decision-making. This article is a focused review on existing mathematical models that have been used to evaluate HPV vaccination in the context of developed countries with existing screening programs. Despite variations in model assumptions and uncertainty in existing data, pre-adolescent vaccination of girls is consistently found to be attractive in the context of current screening practices, provided there is complete and lifelong vaccine protection and widespread vaccination coverage. Questions related to catch-up vaccination programs, potential benefits of other non-cervical cancer outcomes and inclusion of boys are subject to far more uncertainty, and results from these analyses have reached conflicting conclusions. Most analyses find that some catch-up vaccination is warranted but becomes increasingly unattractive as the catch-up age is extended, and vaccination of boys is unlikely to be cost-effective if reasonable levels of coverage are achieved in girls or coverage among girls can be improved. The objective of the review is to highlight points of consensus and qualitative themes, to discuss the areas of divergent findings, and to provide insight into critical decisions related to cervical cancer prevention. PMID:18847560

Mobile Phone Apps for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Self-Management: A Systematic Assessment of Content and Tools.

PubMed

Con, Danny; De Cruz, Peter

2016-02-01

The rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) over the past decade has resulted in increased health care utilization and longer IBD outpatient waiting lists. Self-management is recognized as an important aspect of chronic disease management but its application to IBD has been limited. The age of IBD onset in a majority of patients is in their 20s to 30s. Mobile phone apps are a technology familiar to young adults and represent an opportunity to explore self-management as a new model of health care delivery for IBD. The aim of this study was to explore the content and tools of existing IBD apps to identify functionalities that may facilitate patient self-management. We systematically assessed apps targeted at IBD patients via searches of Google (Android devices) and Apple (iOS devices) app stores with pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Apps were assessed for specific functionalities; presence of professional medical involvement; consistency with international IBD guidelines based on "complete," "partial," or "absent" coverage of consensus statements derived from the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation, American College of Gastroenterology, and the Gastroenterology Society of Australia; comprehensiveness of data that could be entered; and average pricing. Of the 238 apps screened, 26 apps were assessed, including 10 available on Android platforms, 8 on iOS platforms, and 8 on both. Over half (14/26, 54%) of the apps had diary functionalities; over a third (10/26, 39%) provided health information about IBD. None of the apps offered decision support to facilitate the self-initiation of medical therapy. Five of 26 (19%) had professional medical involvement in their design. Apps demonstrated "complete" coverage of only 38% of the international consensus statements explored. The average price of the apps was AUD$1.37. Apps may provide a useful adjunct to the management of IBD patients. However, a majority of current apps suffer from a lack of professional medical involvement and limited coverage of international consensus guidelines. Future studies and app design for IBD should include professional medical involvement, evidence-based guidelines, and functionalities with decision support that are specifically tailored to patient self-management.

Coverage Root after Removing Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma: 5-Year Follow-Up Case Report

PubMed Central

Okajima, Luciana S.; Nunes, Marcelo P.; Montalli, Victor A. M.

2016-01-01

When lesions in soft tissue reach the gingival margin, they can produce aesthetic defects during its permanence and after its removal. Periodontal plastic surgery allows the correction of the gingival contour using different techniques. This paper is a case report of a peripheral ossifying fibroma removal in the interproximal area of teeth 21 and 22 in addition to root coverage of the affected area through two surgical phases: keratinized gingival tissue augmentation surgery with free gingival graft concurrent with removal of the lesion and, in a second stage, root coverage by performing coronally advanced flap technique with a follow-up of five years. The initial results achieved, which were root coverage of 100% after 6 months, promoted an adequate gingival contour and prevented the development of a mucogingival defect or a root exposure with its functional and aesthetic consequences. After five years, the results showed long term success of the techniques, where the margin remained stable with complete root coverage and tissues were stable and harmonic in color. PMID:27891263

Coverage Root after Removing Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma: 5-Year Follow-Up Case Report.

PubMed

Henriques, Paulo S G; Okajima, Luciana S; Nunes, Marcelo P; Montalli, Victor A M

2016-01-01

When lesions in soft tissue reach the gingival margin, they can produce aesthetic defects during its permanence and after its removal. Periodontal plastic surgery allows the correction of the gingival contour using different techniques. This paper is a case report of a peripheral ossifying fibroma removal in the interproximal area of teeth 21 and 22 in addition to root coverage of the affected area through two surgical phases: keratinized gingival tissue augmentation surgery with free gingival graft concurrent with removal of the lesion and, in a second stage, root coverage by performing coronally advanced flap technique with a follow-up of five years. The initial results achieved, which were root coverage of 100% after 6 months, promoted an adequate gingival contour and prevented the development of a mucogingival defect or a root exposure with its functional and aesthetic consequences. After five years, the results showed long term success of the techniques, where the margin remained stable with complete root coverage and tissues were stable and harmonic in color.

Automated microwave ablation therapy planning with single and multiple entry points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Sheena X.; Dalal, Sandeep; Kruecker, Jochen

2012-02-01

Microwave ablation (MWA) has become a recommended treatment modality for interventional cancer treatment. Compared with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), MWA provides more rapid and larger-volume tissue heating. It allows simultaneous ablation from different entry points and allows users to change the ablation size by controlling the power/time parameters. Ablation planning systems have been proposed in the past, mainly addressing the needs for RFA procedures. Thus a planning system addressing MWA-specific parameters and workflows is highly desirable to help physicians achieve better microwave ablation results. In this paper, we design and implement an automated MWA planning system that provides precise probe locations for complete coverage of tumor and margin. We model the thermal ablation lesion as an ellipsoidal object with three known radii varying with the duration of the ablation and the power supplied to the probe. The search for the best ablation coverage can be seen as an iterative optimization problem. The ablation centers are steered toward the location which minimizes both un-ablated tumor tissue and the collateral damage caused to the healthy tissue. We assess the performance of our algorithm using simulated lesions with known "ground truth" optimal coverage. The Mean Localization Error (MLE) between the computed ablation center in 3D and the ground truth ablation center achieves 1.75mm (Standard deviation of the mean (STD): 0.69mm). The Mean Radial Error (MRE) which is estimated by comparing the computed ablation radii with the ground truth radii reaches 0.64mm (STD: 0.43mm). These preliminary results demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the described planning algorithm.

Neotectonics of the San Andreas Fault system: Basin and range province juncture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, J. E.; Crowell, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

A thorough evaluation of all LANDSAT coverage of the study area (considering atmospheric clarity, seasonal aspects, specific swath location, and digital quality) resulted in the selection of two consecutive (continuously recorded) scenes for detailed analyses. The acquisition of HCMM and SEASAT imagery as well as high altitude U-2 uniform coverage is being considered. A bibliography of previous geological studies and methodological examples is estimated to be 70% complete.

rasdaman Array Database: current status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merticariu, George; Toader, Alexandru

2015-04-01

rasdaman (Raster Data Manager) is a Free Open Source Array Database Management System which provides functionality for storing and processing massive amounts of raster data in the form of multidimensional arrays. The user can access, process and delete the data using SQL. The key features of rasdaman are: flexibility (datasets of any dimensionality can be processed with the help of SQL queries), scalability (rasdaman's distributed architecture enables it to seamlessly run on cloud infrastructures while offering an increase in performance with the increase of computation resources), performance (real-time access, processing, mixing and filtering of arrays of any dimensionality) and reliability (legacy communication protocol replaced with a new one based on cutting edge technology - Google Protocol Buffers and ZeroMQ). Among the data with which the system works, we can count 1D time series, 2D remote sensing imagery, 3D image time series, 3D geophysical data, and 4D atmospheric and climate data. Most of these representations cannot be stored only in the form of raw arrays, as the location information of the contents is also important for having a correct geoposition on Earth. This is defined by ISO 19123 as coverage data. rasdaman provides coverage data support through the Petascope service. Extensions were added on top of rasdaman in order to provide support for the Geoscience community. The following OGC standards are currently supported: Web Map Service (WMS), Web Coverage Service (WCS), and Web Coverage Processing Service (WCPS). The Web Map Service is an extension which provides zoom and pan navigation over images provided by a map server. Starting with version 9.1, rasdaman supports WMS version 1.3. The Web Coverage Service provides capabilities for downloading multi-dimensional coverage data. Support is also provided for several extensions of this service: Subsetting Extension, Scaling Extension, and, starting with version 9.1, Transaction Extension, which defines request types for inserting, updating and deleting coverages. A web client, designed for both novice and experienced users, is also available for the service and its extensions. The client offers an intuitive interface that allows users to work with multi-dimensional coverages by abstracting the specifics of the standard definitions of the requests. The Web Coverage Processing Service defines a language for on-the-fly processing and filtering multi-dimensional raster coverages. rasdaman exposes this service through the WCS processing extension. Demonstrations are provided online via the Earthlook website (earthlook.org) which presents use-cases from a wide variety of application domains, using the rasdaman system as processing engine.

Atmospheric profiles from active space-based radio measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, Kenneth R.; Hinson, David P.; Tyler, G. L.; Kursinski, E. R.

1992-01-01

The paper describes determinations of atmospheric profiles from space-based radio measurements and the retrieval methodology used, with special attention given to the measurement procedure and the characteristics of the soundings. It is speculated that reliable profiles of the terrestrial atmosphere can be obtained by the occultation technique from the surface to a height of about 60 km. With the full complement of 21 the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and one GPS receiver in sun synchronous polar orbit, a maximum of 42 soundings could be obtained for each complete orbit or about 670 per day, providing almost uniform global coverage.

A Simple Method to Decode the Complete 18-5.8-28S rRNA Repeated Units of Green Algae by Genome Skimming.

PubMed

Lin, Geng-Ming; Lai, Yu-Heng; Audira, Gilbert; Hsiao, Chung-Der

2017-11-06

Green algae, Chlorella ellipsoidea , Haematococcus pluvialis and Aegagropila linnaei (Phylum Chlorophyta) were simultaneously decoded by a genomic skimming approach within 18-5.8-28S rRNA region. Whole genomic DNAs were isolated from green algae and directly subjected to low coverage genome skimming sequencing. After de novo assembly and mapping, the size of complete 18-5.8-28S rRNA repeated units for three green algae were ranged from 5785 to 6028 bp, which showed high nucleotide diversity (π is around 0.5-0.6) within ITS1 and ITS2 (Internal Transcribed Spacer) regions. Previously, the evolutional diversity of algae has been difficult to decode due to the inability design universal primers that amplify specific marker genes across diverse algal species. In this study, our method provided a rapid and universal approach to decode the 18-5.8-28S rRNA repeat unit in three green algal species. In addition, the completely sequenced 18-5.8-28S rRNA repeated units provided a solid nuclear marker for phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for green algae for the first time.

Xenogenous Collagen Matrix and/or Enamel Matrix Derivative for Treatment of Localized Gingival Recessions: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Part I: Clinical Outcomes.

PubMed

Sangiorgio, João Paulo Menck; Neves, Felipe Lucas da Silva; Rocha Dos Santos, Manuela; França-Grohmann, Isabela Lima; Casarin, Renato Corrêa Viana; Casati, Márcio Zaffalon; Santamaria, Mauro Pedrine; Sallum, Enilson Antonio

2017-12-01

Considering xenogeneic collagen matrix (CM) and enamel matrix derivative (EMD) characteristics, it is suggested that their combination could promote superior clinical outcomes in root coverage procedures. Thus, the aim of this parallel, double-masked, dual-center, randomized clinical trial is to evaluate clinical outcomes after treatment of localized gingival recession (GR) by a coronally advanced flap (CAF) combined with CM and/or EMD. Sixty-eight patients presenting one Miller Class I or II GRs were randomly assigned to receive either CAF (n = 17); CAF + CM (n = 17); CAF + EMD (n = 17), or CAF + CM + EMD (n = 17). Recession height, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and keratinized tissue width and thickness were measured at baseline and 90 days and 6 months after surgery. The obtained root coverage was 68.04% ± 24.11% for CAF; 87.20% ± 15.01% for CAF + CM; 88.77% ± 20.66% for CAF + EMD; and 91.59% ± 11.08% for CAF + CM + EMD after 6 months. Groups that received biomaterials showed greater values (P <0.05). Complete root coverage (CRC) for CAF + EMD was 70.59%, significantly superior to CAF alone (23.53%); CAF + CM (52.94%), and CAF + CM + EMD (51.47%) (P <0.05). Keratinized tissue thickness gain was significant only in CM-treated groups (P <0.05). The three approaches are superior to CAF alone for root coverage. EMD provides highest levels of CRC; however, the addition of CM increases gingival thickness. The combination approach does not seem justified.

Association between proximity to and coverage of traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets and fast-food consumption among rural adults

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between residential exposure to fast-food entrées, using two measures of potential spatial access: proximity (distance to the nearest location) and coverage (number of different locations), and weekly consumption of fast-food meals. Methods Traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores, from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project were linked with individual participants (n = 1409) who completed the nutrition module in the 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment. Results Increased age, poverty, increased distance to the nearest fast food, and increased number of different traditional fast-food restaurants, non-traditional fast-food outlets, or fast-food opportunities were associated with less frequent weekly consumption of fast-food meals. The interaction of gender and proximity (distance) or coverage (number) indicated that the association of proximity to or coverage of fast-food locations on fast-food consumption was greater among women and opposite of independent effects. Conclusions Results provide impetus for identifying and understanding the complex relationship between access to all fast-food opportunities, rather than to traditional fast-food restaurants alone, and fast-food consumption. The results indicate the importance of further examining the complex interaction of gender and distance in rural areas and particularly in fast-food consumption. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the need for health promotion and policy efforts to consider all sources of fast-food as part of promoting healthful food choices. PMID:21599955

A Two-Phase Coverage-Enhancing Algorithm for Hybrid Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Zhang, Qingguo; Fok, Mable P

2017-01-09

Providing field coverage is a key task in many sensor network applications. In certain scenarios, the sensor field may have coverage holes due to random initial deployment of sensors; thus, the desired level of coverage cannot be achieved. A hybrid wireless sensor network is a cost-effective solution to this problem, which is achieved by repositioning a portion of the mobile sensors in the network to meet the network coverage requirement. This paper investigates how to redeploy mobile sensor nodes to improve network coverage in hybrid wireless sensor networks. We propose a two-phase coverage-enhancing algorithm for hybrid wireless sensor networks. In phase one, we use a differential evolution algorithm to compute the candidate's target positions in the mobile sensor nodes that could potentially improve coverage. In the second phase, we use an optimization scheme on the candidate's target positions calculated from phase one to reduce the accumulated potential moving distance of mobile sensors, such that the exact mobile sensor nodes that need to be moved as well as their final target positions can be determined. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm provided significant improvement in terms of area coverage rate, average moving distance, area coverage-distance rate and the number of moved mobile sensors, when compare with other approaches.

Cost-Effectiveness of Providing Full Drug Coverage to Increase Medication Adherence in Post–Myocardial Infarction Medicare Beneficiaries

PubMed Central

Choudhry, Niteesh K.; Patrick, Amanda R.; Antman, Elliott M.; Avorn, Jerry; Shrank, William H.

2009-01-01

Background Effective therapies for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease–related events are significantly underused, and attempts to improve adherence have often yielded disappointing results. Elimination of patient out-of-pocket costs may be an effective strategy to enhance medication use. We sought to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of providing full coverage for aspirin, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and statins (combination pharmacotherapy) to individuals enrolled in the Medicare drug benefit program after acute myocardial infarction. Methods and Results We created a Markov cost-effectiveness model to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of providing Medicare beneficiaries with full coverage for combination pharmacotherapy compared with current coverage under the Medicare Part D program. Our analysis was conducted from the societal perspective and considered a lifetime time horizon. In a sensitivity analysis, we repeated our analysis from the perspective of Medicare. In the model, post–myocardial infarction Medicare beneficiaries who received usual prescription drug coverage under the Part D program lived an average of 8.21 quality-adjusted life-years after their initial event, incurring coronary heart disease–related medical costs of $114 000. Those who received prescription drug coverage without deductibles or copayments lived an average of 8.56 quality-adjusted life-years and incurred $111 600 in coronary heart disease–related costs. Compared with current prescription drug coverage, full coverage for post–myocardial infarction secondary prevention therapies would result in greater functional life expectancy (0.35 quality-adjusted life-year) and less resource use ($2500). From the perspective of Medicare, full drug coverage was highly cost-effective ($7182/quality-adjusted life-year) but not cost saving. Conclusions Our analysis suggests that providing full coverage for combination therapy to post–myocardial infarction Medicare beneficiaries would save both lives and money from the societal perspective. PMID:18285564

42 CFR 457.810 - Premium assistance programs: Required protections against substitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., must provide the protections against substitution of CHIP coverage for coverage under group health... assistance programs must not be greater than the cost of other CHIP coverage for these children; and (2) The... children under premium assistance programs to the cost of other CHIP coverage for these children, done on a...

The Coverage of Campaign Advertising by the Prestige Press in 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Thomas A.

The nature and extent of the news media coverage of political advertising in the presidential campaign of 1972 was shallow and spotty at best. The candidates' political advertising strategies received limited coverage by reporters and commentators. Even the "prestige" press--16 major newspapers--provided limited coverage to the nature…

26 CFR 1.125-4 - Permitted election changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... or HMO #2 or to cancel accident or health coverage. (iii) The change in work location has no effect... enroll in family coverage under M's accident or health plan in order to provide coverage effective as of... reduction election to reflect the change to family coverage under M's accident or health plan because the...

Sampling properties of directed networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, S.-W.; Christensen, C.; Bizhani, G.; Foster, D. V.; Grassberger, P.; Paczuski, M.

2012-10-01

For many real-world networks only a small “sampled” version of the original network may be investigated; those results are then used to draw conclusions about the actual system. Variants of breadth-first search (BFS) sampling, which are based on epidemic processes, are widely used. Although it is well established that BFS sampling fails, in most cases, to capture the IN component(s) of directed networks, a description of the effects of BFS sampling on other topological properties is all but absent from the literature. To systematically study the effects of sampling biases on directed networks, we compare BFS sampling to random sampling on complete large-scale directed networks. We present new results and a thorough analysis of the topological properties of seven complete directed networks (prior to sampling), including three versions of Wikipedia, three different sources of sampled World Wide Web data, and an Internet-based social network. We detail the differences that sampling method and coverage can make to the structural properties of sampled versions of these seven networks. Most notably, we find that sampling method and coverage affect both the bow-tie structure and the number and structure of strongly connected components in sampled networks. In addition, at a low sampling coverage (i.e., less than 40%), the values of average degree, variance of out-degree, degree autocorrelation, and link reciprocity are overestimated by 30% or more in BFS-sampled networks and only attain values within 10% of the corresponding values in the complete networks when sampling coverage is in excess of 65%. These results may cause us to rethink what we know about the structure, function, and evolution of real-world directed networks.

AccessMod 3.0: computing geographic coverage and accessibility to health care services using anisotropic movement of patients

PubMed Central

Ray, Nicolas; Ebener, Steeve

2008-01-01

Background Access to health care can be described along four dimensions: geographic accessibility, availability, financial accessibility and acceptability. Geographic accessibility measures how physically accessible resources are for the population, while availability reflects what resources are available and in what amount. Combining these two types of measure into a single index provides a measure of geographic (or spatial) coverage, which is an important measure for assessing the degree of accessibility of a health care network. Results This paper describes the latest version of AccessMod, an extension to the Geographical Information System ArcView 3.×, and provides an example of application of this tool. AccessMod 3 allows one to compute geographic coverage to health care using terrain information and population distribution. Four major types of analysis are available in AccessMod: (1) modeling the coverage of catchment areas linked to an existing health facility network based on travel time, to provide a measure of physical accessibility to health care; (2) modeling geographic coverage according to the availability of services; (3) projecting the coverage of a scaling-up of an existing network; (4) providing information for cost effectiveness analysis when little information about the existing network is available. In addition to integrating travelling time, population distribution and the population coverage capacity specific to each health facility in the network, AccessMod can incorporate the influence of landscape components (e.g. topography, river and road networks, vegetation) that impact travelling time to and from facilities. Topographical constraints can be taken into account through an anisotropic analysis that considers the direction of movement. We provide an example of the application of AccessMod in the southern part of Malawi that shows the influences of the landscape constraints and of the modes of transportation on geographic coverage. Conclusion By incorporating the demand (population) and the supply (capacities of heath care centers), AccessMod provides a unifying tool to efficiently assess the geographic coverage of a network of health care facilities. This tool should be of particular interest to developing countries that have a relatively good geographic information on population distribution, terrain, and health facility locations. PMID:19087277

Modelling the implications of moving towards universal coverage in Tanzania.

PubMed

Borghi, Josephine; Mtei, Gemini; Ally, Mariam

2012-03-01

A model was developed to assess the impact of possible moves towards universal coverage in Tanzania over a 15-year time frame. Three scenarios were considered: maintaining the current situation ('the status quo'); expanded health insurance coverage (the estimated maximum achievable coverage in the absence of premium subsidies, coverage restricted to those who can pay); universal coverage to all (government revenues used to pay the premiums for the poor). The model estimated the costs of delivering public health services and all health services to the population as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and forecast revenue from user fees and insurance premiums. Under the status quo, financial protection is provided to 10% of the population through health insurance schemes, with the remaining population benefiting from subsidized user charges in public facilities. Seventy-six per cent of the population would benefit from financial protection through health insurance under the expanded coverage scenario, and 100% of the population would receive such protection through a mix of insurance cover and government funding under the universal coverage scenario. The expanded and universal coverage scenarios have a significant effect on utilization levels, especially for public outpatient care. Universal coverage would require an initial doubling in the proportion of GDP going to the public health system. Government health expenditure would increase to 18% of total government expenditure. The results are sensitive to the cost of health system strengthening, the level of real GDP growth, provider reimbursement rates and administrative costs. Promoting greater cross-subsidization between insurance schemes would provide sufficient resources to finance universal coverage. Alternately, greater tax funding for health could be generated through an increase in the rate of Value-Added Tax (VAT) or expanding the income tax base. The feasibility and sustainability of efforts to promote universal coverage will depend on the ability of the system to contain costs.

2 CFR 200.310 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... The non-Federal entity must, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired or improved with Federal funds as provided to property owned by the non-Federal...

Maple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolaides, Roy A.; Walkington, Noel J.

1996-06-01

A knowledge of one or more high level symbolic mathematics programs is rapidly becoming a necessity for mathematics users from all fields of science. The aim of this book is to provide a solid grounding in Maple, one of the best known of these programs. The authors combine efficiency and economy of exposition with a complete coverage of Maple. The book has twelve chapters, of which eight are completely accessible to anyone who has completed calculus and linear sequences as taught in American universities. These chapters cover the great majority of Maple's capabilities. There are also three chapters on Maple programming that can be read without prior programming experience, although knowledge of a high level programming language (Basic, Fortran, C etc.) will help. There is also a chapter on some relevant aspects of algebra. Above all, the book allows the reader to extract value from Maple without wasting time and effort in the learning process. It is the fastest track to expertise for Maple users in mathematics and computer science.

Breast Health Services: Accuracy of Benefit Coverage Information in the Individual Insurance Marketplace.

PubMed

Hamid, Mariam S; Kolenic, Giselle E; Dozier, Jessica; Dalton, Vanessa K; Carlos, Ruth C

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine if breast health coverage information provided by customer service representatives employed by insurers offering plans in the 2015 federal and state health insurance marketplaces is consistent with Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and state-specific legislation. One hundred fifty-eight unique customer service numbers were identified for insurers offering plans through the federal marketplace, augmented with four additional numbers representing the Connecticut state-run exchange. Using a standardized patient biography and the mystery-shopper technique, a single investigator posed as a purchaser and contacted each number, requesting information on breast health services coverage. Consistency of information provided by the representative with the ACA mandates (BRCA testing in high-risk women) or state-specific legislation (screening ultrasound in women with dense breasts) was determined. Insurer representatives gave BRCA test coverage information that was not consistent with the ACA mandate in 60.8% of cases, and 22.8% could not provide any information regarding coverage. Nearly half (48.1%) of insurer representatives gave coverage information about ultrasound screening for dense breasts that was not consistent with state-specific legislation, and 18.5% could not provide any information. Insurance customer service representatives in the federal and state marketplaces frequently provide inaccurate coverage information about breast health services that should be covered under the ACA and state-specific legislation. Misinformation can inadvertently lead to the purchase of a plan that does not meet the needs of the insured. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

G-III Aircraft from NASA Armstrong Provides Live TV Coverage of Solar Eclipse Across America

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-13

For the first time in 99 years, a total solar eclipse will cross the entire nation Monday, Aug. 21. A total solar eclipse occurs when the sun is completely obscured by the moon. The lunar shadow enters the United States near Lincoln City, Oregon, at 9:05 a.m. PDT. Totality, where the moon completely covers the sun, begins in Lincoln City around 10:16 a.m. PDT. During totality, there will be up to two and a half minutes of darkness. The G-III aircraft was modified with upgraded windows and communications equipment to enable high-definition video to be streamed to NASA TV during the eclipse enabling citizen science. The aircraft will be flying at 25,000 feet over the coast of Oregon, near Lincoln City during the eclipse on August 21, 2017.

Structure and dynamics of water near the interface with oligo(ethylene oxide) self-assembled monolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Ahmed E.; Grest, Gary S.; Stevens, Mark J.

2007-03-01

Oligo(ethylene oxide) self-assembled monolayers (OEO SAM's) deposited on Au are the prototypical materials used to study protein resistance. Recently, protein resistance has been shown to vary as a function of surface coverage and to be maximal at about two-thirds coverage, not complete coverage. We use molecular dynamics simulations to study the nature of the interface between water and the OEO SAM for a range of SAM coverages. As SAM coverage decreases, the amount of water within the OEO monolayer increases monotonically; however, the penetration depth of the water shows a maximum near the experimentally-found maximal coverage. As the water content increases, the SAM-water mixture becomes harder to distinguish from bulk water. Since the oxygen atoms of OEO are hydrogen bond acceptors, a hydrogen bond network forms within the SAM-water mixture. The water molecules diffuse freely within the monolayer and exchange with the bulk water. Because the monolayer becomes increasingly like bulk water as the coverage decreases, proteins stay in their bulk soluble conformation and do not adsorb. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000.

In-hospital fellow coverage reduces communication errors in the surgical intensive care unit.

PubMed

Williams, Mallory; Alban, Rodrigo F; Hardy, James P; Oxman, David A; Garcia, Edward R; Hevelone, Nathanael; Frendl, Gyorgy; Rogers, Selwyn O

2014-06-01

Staff coverage strategies of intensive care units (ICUs) impact clinical outcomes. High-intensity staff coverage strategies are associated with lower morbidity and mortality. Accessible clinical expertise, team work, and effective communication have all been attributed to the success of this coverage strategy. We evaluate the impact of in-hospital fellow coverage (IHFC) on improving communication of cardiorespiratory events. A prospective observational study performed in an academic tertiary care center with high-intensity staff coverage. The main outcome measure was resident to fellow communication of cardiorespiratory events during IHFC vs home coverage (HC) periods. Three hundred twelve cardiorespiratory events were collected in 114 surgical ICU patients in 134 study days. Complete data were available for 306 events. One hundred three communication errors occurred. IHFC was associated with significantly better communication of events compared to HC (P<.0001). Residents communicated 89% of events during IHFC vs 51% of events during HC (P<.001). Communication patterns of junior and midlevel residents were similar. Midlevel residents communicated 68% of all on-call events (87% IHFC vs 50% HC, P<.001). Junior residents communicated 66% of events (94% IHFC vs 52% HC, P<.001). Communication errors were lower in all ICUs during IHFC (P<.001). IHFC reduced communication errors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 457.132 - Cranberry crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... If you fail to notify us of any circumstance that may affect your yields from previous levels, we... considered acceptable by us; and (d) That are grown on vines that have completed four growing seasons after...: (i) A transfer of coverage and right to an indemnity, or a similar form approved by us, is completed...

7 CFR 457.132 - Cranberry crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... If you fail to notify us of any circumstance that may affect your yields from previous levels, we... considered acceptable by us; and (d) That are grown on vines that have completed four growing seasons after...: (i) A transfer of coverage and right to an indemnity, or a similar form approved by us, is completed...

7 CFR 457.132 - Cranberry crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... If you fail to notify us of any circumstance that may affect your yields from previous levels, we... considered acceptable by us; and (d) That are grown on vines that have completed four growing seasons after...: (i) A transfer of coverage and right to an indemnity, or a similar form approved by us, is completed...

7 CFR 457.132 - Cranberry crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... If you fail to notify us of any circumstance that may affect your yields from previous levels, we... considered acceptable by us; and (d) That are grown on vines that have completed four growing seasons after...: (i) A transfer of coverage and right to an indemnity, or a similar form approved by us, is completed...

COMPASS Final Report: Lunar Network Satellite-High Rate (LNS-HR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.

2012-01-01

Two design options were explored to address the requirement to provide lunar piloted missions with continuous communications for outpost and sortie missions. Two unique orbits were assessed, along with the appropriate spacecraft (S/C) to address these requirements. Both constellations (with only two S/C each) provide full time coverage (24 hr/7 d) for a south polar base and also provide continuous 7 day coverage for sorties for specified sites and periodic windows. Thus a two-satellite system can provide full coverage for sorties for selected windows of opportunity without reconfiguring the constellation.

A brief review of vaccination coverage in immunization registries.

PubMed

Goldstein, Neal D; Maiese, Brett A

2011-01-01

Immunization registries are effective electronic tools for assessing vaccination coverage, but are only as good as the information reported to them. This review summarizes studies through August 2010 on vaccination coverage in registries and identifies key characteristics of successful registries. Based on the current state of registries, paper-based charts combined with electronic registry reporting provide the most cohesive picture of coverage. To ultimately supplant paper charts, registries must exhibit increased coverage and participation.

76 FR 52475 - Summary of Benefits and Coverage and Uniform Glossary-Templates, Instructions, and Related...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-22

...The Departments of the Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury (the Departments) are simultaneously publishing in the Federal Register this document and proposed regulations (2011 proposed regulations) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to implement the disclosure for group health plans and health insurance issuers of the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) and the uniform glossary. This document proposes a template for an SBC; instructions, sample language, and a guide for coverage examples calculations to be used in completing the template; and a uniform glossary that would satisfy the disclosure requirements under section 2715 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. Comments are invited on these materials.

29 CFR 779.200 - Coverage expanded by 1961 and 1966 amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Coverage Enterprise; the Business Unit § 779.200 Coverage expanded by 1961 and 1966 amendments. The 1961 amendments for the first time since the enactment of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 provided that all... 29 Labor 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Coverage expanded by 1961 and 1966 amendments. 779.200...

42 CFR 436.330 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 436.330 Section 436... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.330 Coverage for certain aliens. If an agency provides Medicaid to... condition, as defined in § 440.255(c) of this chapter to those aliens described in § 436.406(c) of this...

42 CFR 436.330 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 436.330 Section 436... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.330 Coverage for certain aliens. If an agency provides Medicaid to... condition, as defined in § 440.255(c) of this chapter to those aliens described in § 436.406(c) of this...

42 CFR 436.330 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 436.330 Section 436... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.330 Coverage for certain aliens. If an agency provides Medicaid to... condition, as defined in § 440.255(c) of this chapter to those aliens described in § 436.406(c) of this...

42 CFR 436.330 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 436.330 Section 436... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.330 Coverage for certain aliens. If an agency provides Medicaid to... condition, as defined in § 440.255(c) of this chapter to those aliens described in § 436.406(c) of this...

42 CFR 436.330 - Coverage for certain aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Coverage for certain aliens. 436.330 Section 436... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 436.330 Coverage for certain aliens. If an agency provides Medicaid to... condition, as defined in § 440.255(c) of this chapter to those aliens described in § 436.406(c) of this...

47 CFR 24.103 - Construction requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... licensees shall construct base stations that provide coverage to a composite area of 750,000 square..., shall construct base stations that provide coverage to a composite area of 1,500,000 square kilometers...) of this section. (b) Regional narrowband PCS licensees shall construct base stations that provide...

Estimating genotype error rates from high-coverage next-generation sequence data.

PubMed

Wall, Jeffrey D; Tang, Ling Fung; Zerbe, Brandon; Kvale, Mark N; Kwok, Pui-Yan; Schaefer, Catherine; Risch, Neil

2014-11-01

Exome and whole-genome sequencing studies are becoming increasingly common, but little is known about the accuracy of the genotype calls made by the commonly used platforms. Here we use replicate high-coverage sequencing of blood and saliva DNA samples from four European-American individuals to estimate lower bounds on the error rates of Complete Genomics and Illumina HiSeq whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing. Error rates for nonreference genotype calls range from 0.1% to 0.6%, depending on the platform and the depth of coverage. Additionally, we found (1) no difference in the error profiles or rates between blood and saliva samples; (2) Complete Genomics sequences had substantially higher error rates than Illumina sequences had; (3) error rates were higher (up to 6%) for rare or unique variants; (4) error rates generally declined with genotype quality (GQ) score, but in a nonlinear fashion for the Illumina data, likely due to loss of specificity of GQ scores greater than 60; and (5) error rates increased with increasing depth of coverage for the Illumina data. These findings, especially (3)-(5), suggest that caution should be taken in interpreting the results of next-generation sequencing-based association studies, and even more so in clinical application of this technology in the absence of validation by other more robust sequencing or genotyping methods. © 2014 Wall et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Commercial insurance coverage for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure in the United States.

PubMed

Thirapatarapong, Wilawan; Thomas, Randal J; Pack, Quinn; Sharma, Saurabh; Squires, Ray W

2014-01-01

Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF), studies suggest variable uptake by patients with HF, as well as variable coverage by insurance carriers. The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of large commercial health insurance companies that provide coverage for outpatient (CR) for patients with HF. We identified a sample of the largest US commercial health care providers and analyzed their CR coverage policies for patients with HF. We surveyed 44 large private health care insurance companies, reviewed company Web sites, and, when unclear, contacted companies by e-mail or telephone. We excluded insurance clearinghouses because they did not directly provide health care insurance. Of 44 eligible insurance companies, 29 (66%) reported that they provide coverage for outpatient CR in patients with HF. The majority of companies (83%) covered CR for patients with any type of HF. A minority (10%) did not cover CR for patients with HF if it was considered a preexisting condition. A significant percentage of commercial health care insurance companies in the United States report that they currently cover outpatient CR for patients with HF. Because health insurance coverage is associated with patient participation in CR, it is anticipated that patients with HF will increasingly participate in CR in coming years.

Evaluation of Primary Immunization Coverage of Infants Under Universal Immunization Programme in an Urban Area of Bangalore City Using Cluster Sampling and Lot Quality Assurance Sampling Techniques

PubMed Central

K, Punith; K, Lalitha; G, Suman; BS, Pradeep; Kumar K, Jayanth

2008-01-01

Research Question: Is LQAS technique better than cluster sampling technique in terms of resources to evaluate the immunization coverage in an urban area? Objective: To assess and compare the lot quality assurance sampling against cluster sampling in the evaluation of primary immunization coverage. Study Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Study Setting: Areas under Mathikere Urban Health Center. Study Subjects: Children aged 12 months to 23 months. Sample Size: 220 in cluster sampling, 76 in lot quality assurance sampling. Statistical Analysis: Percentages and Proportions, Chi square Test. Results: (1) Using cluster sampling, the percentage of completely immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized children were 84.09%, 14.09% and 1.82%, respectively. With lot quality assurance sampling, it was 92.11%, 6.58% and 1.31%, respectively. (2) Immunization coverage levels as evaluated by cluster sampling technique were not statistically different from the coverage value as obtained by lot quality assurance sampling techniques. Considering the time and resources required, it was found that lot quality assurance sampling is a better technique in evaluating the primary immunization coverage in urban area. PMID:19876474

Operational Interoperable Web Coverage Service for Earth Observing Satellite Data: Issues and Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W.; Min, M.; Bai, Y.; Lynnes, C.; Holloway, D.; Enloe, Y.; di, L.

2008-12-01

In the past few years, there have been growing interests, among major earth observing satellite (EOS) data providers, in serving data through the interoperable Web Coverage Service (WCS) interface protocol, developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The interface protocol defined in WCS specifications allows client software to make customized requests of multi-dimensional EOS data, including spatial and temporal subsetting, resampling and interpolation, and coordinate reference system (CRS) transformation. A WCS server describes an offered coverage, i.e., a data product, through a response to a client's DescribeCoverage request. The description includes the offered coverage's spatial/temporal extents and resolutions, supported CRSs, supported interpolation methods, and supported encoding formats. Based on such information, a client can request the entire or a subset of coverage in any spatial/temporal resolutions and in any one of the supported CRSs, formats, and interpolation methods. When implementing a WCS server, a data provider has different approaches to present its data holdings to clients. One of the most straightforward, and commonly used, approaches is to offer individual physical data files as separate coverages. Such implementation, however, will result in too many offered coverages for large data holdings and it also cannot fully present the relationship among different, but spatially and/or temporally associated, data files. It is desirable to disconnect offered coverages from physical data files so that the former is more coherent, especially in spatial and temporal domains. Therefore, some servers offer one single coverage for a set of spatially coregistered time series data files such as a daily global precipitation coverage linked to many global single- day precipitation files; others offer one single coverage for multiple temporally coregistered files together forming a large spatial extent. In either case, a server needs to assemble an output coverage real-time by combining potentially large number of physical files, which can be operationally difficult. The task becomes more challenging if an offered coverage involves spatially and temporally un-registered physical files. In this presentation, we will discuss issues and lessons learned in providing NASA's AIRS Level 2 atmospheric products, which are in satellite swath CRS and in 6-minute segment granule files, as virtual global coverages. We"ll discuss the WCS server's on- the-fly georectification, mosaicking, quality screening, performance, and scalability.

Provider-Verified HPV Vaccine Coverage among a National Sample of Hispanic Adolescent Females

PubMed Central

Reiter, Paul L.; Gupta, Kunal; Brewer, Noel T.; Gilkey, Melissa B.; Katz, Mira L.; Paskett, Electra D.; Smith, Jennifer S.

2014-01-01

Background Hispanic females have the highest cervical cancer incidence rate of any racial or ethnic group in the US, yet relatively little research has examined HPV vaccination among this fast-growing population. We examined HPV vaccination among a national sample of Hispanic adolescent females. Methods We analyzed provider-verified vaccination data from the 2010-2011 National Immunization Survey-Teen for Hispanic females ages 13-17 (n=2,786). We used weighted logistic regression to identify correlates of HPV vaccine initiation (receipt of one or more doses), completion (receipt of three doses), and follow-through (receipt of three doses among those who initiated the series). Results HPV vaccine initiation was 60.9%, completion was 36.0%, and follow-through was 59.1%. Initiation and completion were more common among older daughters and those whose parents had received a provider recommendation to vaccinate (all p<0.05). Completion was less common among daughters who had moved from their birth state (p<0.05). All vaccination outcomes were less common among daughters without health insurance (all p<0.05). Vaccination did not differ by parents’ preferred language (all p>0.05), although intent to vaccinate was higher among Spanish-speaking parents (p<0.01). Spanish-speaking parents were more likely to indicate lack of provider recommendation (20.2% vs. 5.3%) and cost (10.9% vs. 1.8%) as main reasons for not intending to vaccinate (both p<0.05). Conclusions Many Hispanic females have not received HPV vaccine. Several factors, including provider recommendation and health insurance, are key correlates of vaccination. Impact HPV vaccination programs targeting Hispanics are needed and should consider how potential barriers to vaccination may differ by preferred language. PMID:24633142

26 CFR 54.9801-5 - Evidence of creditable coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... reasonable and prompt fashion, can provide the certificate. A certificate is required to be provided under... the plan, acting in a reasonable and prompt fashion, can provide certificates. (ii) Conclusion. In... Secretary to establish rules designed to prevent an individual's subsequent coverage under a group health...

Localization system for use in GPS denied environments

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

Trueblood, J. J.

The military uses to autonomous platforms to complete missions to provide standoff for the warfighters. However autonomous platforms rely on GPS to provide their global position. In many missions spaces the autonomous platforms may encounter GPS denied environments which limits where the platform operates and requires the warfighters to takes its place. GPS denied environments can occur due to tall building, trees, canyon wall blocking the GPS satellite signals or a lack of coverage. An Inertial Navigation System (INS) uses sensors to detect the vehicle movement and direction its traveling to calculate the vehicle. One of biggest challenges with anmore » INS system is the accuracy and accumulation of errors over time of the sensors. If these challenges can be overcome the INS would provide accurate positioning information to the autonomous vehicle in GPS denied environments and allow them to provide the desired standoff for the warfighters.« less

A Two-Phase Coverage-Enhancing Algorithm for Hybrid Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qingguo; Fok, Mable P.

2017-01-01

Providing field coverage is a key task in many sensor network applications. In certain scenarios, the sensor field may have coverage holes due to random initial deployment of sensors; thus, the desired level of coverage cannot be achieved. A hybrid wireless sensor network is a cost-effective solution to this problem, which is achieved by repositioning a portion of the mobile sensors in the network to meet the network coverage requirement. This paper investigates how to redeploy mobile sensor nodes to improve network coverage in hybrid wireless sensor networks. We propose a two-phase coverage-enhancing algorithm for hybrid wireless sensor networks. In phase one, we use a differential evolution algorithm to compute the candidate’s target positions in the mobile sensor nodes that could potentially improve coverage. In the second phase, we use an optimization scheme on the candidate’s target positions calculated from phase one to reduce the accumulated potential moving distance of mobile sensors, such that the exact mobile sensor nodes that need to be moved as well as their final target positions can be determined. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm provided significant improvement in terms of area coverage rate, average moving distance, area coverage–distance rate and the number of moved mobile sensors, when compare with other approaches. PMID:28075365

Insights from Human/Mouse genome comparisons

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

Pennacchio, Len A.

2003-03-30

Large-scale public genomic sequencing efforts have provided a wealth of vertebrate sequence data poised to provide insights into mammalian biology. These include deep genomic sequence coverage of human, mouse, rat, zebrafish, and two pufferfish (Fugu rubripes and Tetraodon nigroviridis) (Aparicio et al. 2002; Lander et al. 2001; Venter et al. 2001; Waterston et al. 2002). In addition, a high-priority has been placed on determining the genomic sequence of chimpanzee, dog, cow, frog, and chicken (Boguski 2002). While only recently available, whole genome sequence data have provided the unique opportunity to globally compare complete genome contents. Furthermore, the shared evolutionary ancestrymore » of vertebrate species has allowed the development of comparative genomic approaches to identify ancient conserved sequences with functionality. Accordingly, this review focuses on the initial comparison of available mammalian genomes and describes various insights derived from such analysis.« less

42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

42 CFR 435.324 - Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.324 Medically needy coverage of the disabled in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to disabled individuals who meet— (a) The requirements...

42 CFR 435.322 - Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.322 Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The requirements for...

42 CFR 435.322 - Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.322 Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The requirements for...

42 CFR 435.322 - Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.322 Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The requirements for...

42 CFR 435.322 - Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.322 Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The requirements for...

42 CFR 435.322 - Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover individuals receiving SSI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medically needy coverage of the blind in States... Coverage of the Medically Needy § 435.322 Medically needy coverage of the blind in States that cover... the medically needy, it may provide Medicaid to blind individuals who meet— (a) The requirements for...

Determinants of Network News Coverage of the Oil Industry during the Late 1970s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erfle, Stephen; McMillan, Henry

1989-01-01

Examines which firms and products best predict media coverage of the oil industry. Reports that price variations in testing oil and gasoline correlate with the extent of news coverage provided by network television. (MM)

Constellations of elliptical inclined lunar orbits providing polar and global coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ely, Todd A.; Lieb, Erica

2005-01-01

Prior results have developed a methodology for selecting a long-lived constellation of 3 satellites that provide persistent, stable coverage to either the North or South Pole with no requirement for stationkeeping under the influence of only gravitational perturbations. In the present study, the sensitivity of this coverage in the presence of non-gravitational forces is determined, and a design strategy is formulated that minimizes any potential sensitivity to these accelerations.

Inequity in childhood immunization in India: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mathew, Joseph L

2012-03-01

Despite a reduction in disease burden of vaccine preventable diseases through childhood immunization, considerable progress needs to be made in terms of ensuring efficiency and equity of vaccination coverage. To conduct a systematic review to identify and explore factors associated with inequities in routine vaccination of children in India. Publications reporting vaccination inequity were retrieved through a systematic search of Medline and websites of the WHO, UNICEF and demographic health surveys in India. No restrictions were applied in terms of study designs. The primary outcome measure was complete vaccination or immunization defined as per the standard WHO definition. There were three nationwide data sets viz. the three National Family Health Surveys (NFHS), a research study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and a UNICEF coverage evaluation survey. In addition, several publications representing different population groups or geographic regions were available. A small number of publications were reanalyses of data from the NFHS series. There is considerable inequity in vaccination coverage in different states. Within states, traditionally poor performing states have greater inequities, although there are significant inequities even within better performing states. There are significant inequities in childhood vaccination based on various factors related to individual (gender, birth order), family (area of residence, wealth, parental education), demography (religion, caste), and the society (access to health-care, community literacy level) characteristics. Girls fare uniformly worse than boys and higher birth order infants have lower vaccination coverage. Urban infants have higher coverage than rural infants and those living in urban slums. There is an almost direct relationship between household wealth and vaccination rates. The vaccination rates are lower among infants with mothers having no or low literacy, and families with insufficient empowerment of women. Paternal literacy has an inconsistent positive relationship with infant vaccination. There is a relationship between religion and caste and childhood vaccination. Access to health services and other infrastructure, is associated with better vaccination coverage of infants. The precise impact of specific risk factors operating singly or in combination cannot be calculated from this systematic review. This systematic review identifies and explores factors associated with inequity in childhood immunization in India; and provides information for urgent action to redress the imbalances.

Gaps in universal health coverage in Malawi: A qualitative study in rural communities

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, universal health coverage (UHC) reforms have often adopted a technocratic top-down approach, with little attention being paid to the rural communities’ perspective in identifying context specific gaps to inform the design of such reforms. This approach might shape reforms that are not sufficiently responsive to local needs. Our study explored how rural communities experience and define gaps in universal health coverage in Malawi, a country which endorses free access to an Essential Health Package (EHP) as a means towards universal health coverage. Methods We conducted a qualitative cross-sectional study in six rural communities in Malawi. Data was collected from 12 Focus Group Discussions with community residents and triangulated with 8 key informant interviews with health care providers. All respondents were selected through stratified purposive sampling. The material was tape-recorded, fully transcribed, and coded by three independent researchers. Results The results showed that the EHP has created a universal sense of entitlements to free health care at the point of use. However, respondents reported uneven distribution of health facilities and poor implementation of public-private service level agreements, which have led to geographical inequities in population coverage and financial protection. Most respondents reported affordability of medical costs at private facilities and transport costs as the main barriers to universal financial protection. From the perspective of rural Malawians, gaps in financial protection are mainly triggered by supply-side access-related barriers in the public health sector such as: shortages of medicines, emergency services, shortage of health personnel and facilities, poor health workers’ attitudes, distance and transportation difficulties, and perceived poor quality of health services. Conclusions Moving towards UHC in Malawi, therefore, implies the introduction of appropriate interventions to fill the financial protection gaps in the private sector and the access-related gaps in the public sector and/or an effective public-private partnership that completely integrates both sectors. Current universal health coverage reforms need to address context specific gaps and be carefully crafted to avoid creating a sense of universal entitlements in principle, which may not be effectively received by beneficiaries due to contextual and operational bottlenecks. PMID:24884788

Assessing the performance of LOINC® and RadLex for coverage of CT scans across three sites in a health information exchange.

PubMed

Beitia, Anton Oscar; Kuperman, Gilad; Delman, Bradley N; Shapiro, Jason S

2013-01-01

We evaluated the performance of LOINC® and RadLex standard terminologies for covering CT test names from three sites in a health information exchange (HIE) with the eventual goal of building an HIE-based clinical decision support system to alert providers of prior duplicate CTs. Given the goal, the most important parameter to assess was coverage for high frequency exams that were most likely to be repeated. We showed that both LOINC® and RadLex provided sufficient coverage for our use case through calculations of (a) high coverage of 90% and 94%, respectively for the subset of CTs accounting for 99% of exams performed and (b) high concept token coverage (total percentage of exams performed that map to terminologies) of 92% and 95%, respectively. With trends toward greater interoperability, this work may provide a framework for those wishing to map radiology site codes to a standard nomenclature for purposes of tracking resource utilization.

Hierarchical Merging and Large-Scale Structure Within the Horologium-Reticulum Supercluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleenor, M. C.; Rose, J. A.

2003-12-01

The Horologium-Reticulum Supercluster (HRS) covers an area of more than 12 x 12 degrees on the sky centered at approximately α = 3h18m43s, δ = -50°01\\arcmin40\\arcsec. It is second only to the Shapley supercluster in terms of mass concentration in the local 300 Mpc. We have now obtained ˜1450 unpublished redshifts via multi-fiber spectroscopy in this area covering both global and localized regions. On a global scale, approximately 550 spectra of galaxies have been obtained using the six-degree field (6dF) instrument on the UK Schmidt Telescope at the Anglo Australian Observatory (25% coverage down to 17.5 BJ). Spectroscopic studies in the localized regions of the HRS were completed with the fibre optic coupled aperture plate system (FOCAP with 40\\arcmin FOV) on the Anglo-Australian Telescope (90% coverage down to 19.0 BJ). This increase of information doubles the amount of coverage compared to previous redshift data and provides a complementary picture of the area. With ˜3000 redshifts in this region, we are understanding the role of the supercluster environment in structure formation and evolution. Specifically, we are probing the dynamical and morphological characteristics of the HRS complex, comparing these with other known supercluster data for similarities, as well as evaluating the hierarchical merging scenario of structure formation as found in CDM N-body simulations.

A Target Coverage Scheduling Scheme Based on Genetic Algorithms in Directional Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Gil, Joon-Min; Han, Youn-Hee

2011-01-01

As a promising tool for monitoring the physical world, directional sensor networks (DSNs) consisting of a large number of directional sensors are attracting increasing attention. As directional sensors in DSNs have limited battery power and restricted angles of sensing range, maximizing the network lifetime while monitoring all the targets in a given area remains a challenge. A major technique to conserve the energy of directional sensors is to use a node wake-up scheduling protocol by which some sensors remain active to provide sensing services, while the others are inactive to conserve their energy. In this paper, we first address a Maximum Set Covers for DSNs (MSCD) problem, which is known to be NP-complete, and present a greedy algorithm-based target coverage scheduling scheme that can solve this problem by heuristics. This scheme is used as a baseline for comparison. We then propose a target coverage scheduling scheme based on a genetic algorithm that can find the optimal cover sets to extend the network lifetime while monitoring all targets by the evolutionary global search technique. To verify and evaluate these schemes, we conducted simulations and showed that the schemes can contribute to extending the network lifetime. Simulation results indicated that the genetic algorithm-based scheduling scheme had better performance than the greedy algorithm-based scheme in terms of maximizing network lifetime. PMID:22319387

Completeness and overlap in open access systems: Search engines, aggregate institutional repositories and physics-related open sources.

PubMed

Tsay, Ming-Yueh; Wu, Tai-Luan; Tseng, Ling-Li

2017-01-01

This study examines the completeness and overlap of coverage in physics of six open access scholarly communication systems, including two search engines (Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic), two aggregate institutional repositories (OAIster and OpenDOAR), and two physics-related open sources (arXiv.org and Astrophysics Data System). The 2001-2013 Nobel Laureates in Physics served as the sample. Bibliographic records of their publications were retrieved and downloaded from each system, and a computer program was developed to perform the analytical tasks of sorting, comparison, elimination, aggregation and statistical calculations. Quantitative analyses and cross-referencing were performed to determine the completeness and overlap of the system coverage of the six open access systems. The results may enable scholars to select an appropriate open access system as an efficient scholarly communication channel, and academic institutions may build institutional repositories or independently create citation index systems in the future. Suggestions on indicators and tools for academic assessment are presented based on the comprehensiveness assessment of each system.

Decision making with regard to antiviral intervention during an influenza pandemic.

PubMed

Shim, Eunha; Chapman, Gretchen B; Galvani, Alison P

2010-01-01

Antiviral coverage is defined by the proportion of the population that takes antiviral prophylaxis or treatment. High coverage of an antiviral drug has epidemiological and evolutionary repercussions. Antivirals select for drug resistance within the population, and individuals may experience adverse effects. To determine optimal antiviral coverage in the context of an influenza outbreak, we compared 2 perspectives: 1) the individual level (the Nash perspective), and 2) the population level (utilitarian perspective). We developed an epidemiological game-theoretic model of an influenza pandemic. The data sources were published literature and a national survey. The target population was the US population. The time horizon was 6 months. The perspective was individuals and the population overall. The interventions were antiviral prophylaxis and treatment. The outcome measures were the optimal coverage of antivirals in an influenza pandemic. At current antiviral pricing, the optimal Nash strategy is 0% coverage for prophylaxis and 30% coverage for treatment, whereas the optimal utilitarian strategy is 19% coverage for prophylaxis and 100% coverage for treatment. Subsidizing prophylaxis by $440 and treatment by $85 would bring the Nash and utilitarian strategies into alignment. For both prophylaxis and treatment, the optimal antiviral coverage decreases as pricing of antivirals increases. Our study does not incorporate the possibility of an effective vaccine and lacks probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Our survey also does not completely represent the US population. Because our model assumes a homogeneous population and homogeneous antiviral pricing, it does not incorporate heterogeneity of preference. The optimal antiviral coverage from the population perspective and individual perspectives differs widely for both prophylaxis and treatment strategies. Optimal population and individual strategies for prophylaxis and treatment might be aligned through subsidization.

Decision Making with Regard to Antiviral Intervention during an Influenza Pandemic

PubMed Central

Shim, Eunha; Chapman, Gretchen B.; Galvani, Alison P.

2012-01-01

Background Antiviral coverage is defined by the proportion of the population that takes antiviral prophylaxis or treatment. High coverage of an antiviral drug has epidemiological and evolutionary repercussions. Antivirals select for drug resistance within the population, and individuals may experience adverse effects. To determine optimal antiviral coverage in the context of an influenza outbreak, we compared 2 perspectives: 1) the individual level (the Nash perspective), and 2) the population level (utilitarian perspective). Methods We developed an epidemiological game-theoretic model of an influenza pandemic. The data sources were published literature and a national survey. The target population was the US population. The time horizon was 6 months. The perspective was individuals and the population overall. The interventions were antiviral prophylaxis and treatment. The outcome measures were the optimal coverage of antivirals in an influenza pandemic. Results At current antiviral pricing, the optimal Nash strategy is 0% coverage for prophylaxis and 30% coverage for treatment, whereas the optimal utilitarian strategy is 19% coverage for prophylaxis and 100% coverage for treatment. Subsidizing prophylaxis by $440 and treatment by $85 would bring the Nash and utilitarian strategies into alignment. For both prophylaxis and treatment, the optimal antiviral coverage decreases as pricing of antivirals increases. Our study does not incorporate the possibility of an effective vaccine and lacks probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Our survey also does not completely represent the US population. Because our model assumes a homogeneous population and homogeneous antiviral pricing, it does not incorporate heterogeneity of preference. Conclusions The optimal antiviral coverage from the population perspective and individual perspectives differs widely for both prophylaxis and treatment strategies. Optimal population and individual strategies for prophylaxis and treatment might be aligned through subsidization. PMID:20634545

5 CFR 1650.41 - How to obtain an age-based withdrawal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... record keeper a properly completed paper TSP age-based withdrawal request form or use the TSP Web site to initiate a request. A participant's ability to complete an age-based withdrawal on the Web will depend on his or her retirement system coverage, marital status, and whether or not part or all of the...

Representation of ophthalmology concepts by electronic systems: adequacy of controlled medical terminologies.

PubMed

Chiang, Michael F; Casper, Daniel S; Cimino, James J; Starren, Justin

2005-02-01

To assess the adequacy of 5 controlled medical terminologies (International Classification of Diseases 9, Clinical Modification [ICD9-CM]; Current Procedural Terminology 4 [CPT-4]; Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine, Clinical Terms [SNOMED-CT]; Logical Identifiers, Names, and Codes [LOINC]; Medical Entities Dictionary [MED]) for representing concepts in ophthalmology. Noncomparative case series. Twenty complete ophthalmology case presentations were sequentially selected from a publicly available ophthalmology journal. Each of the 20 cases was parsed into discrete concepts, and each concept was classified along 2 axes: (1) diagnosis, finding, or procedure and (2) ophthalmic or medical concept. Electronic or paper browsers were used to assign a code for every concept in each of the 5 terminologies. Adequacy of assignment for each concept was scored on a 3-point scale. Findings from all 20 case presentations were combined and compared based on a coverage score, which was the average score for all concepts in that terminology. Adequacy of assignment for concepts in each terminology, based on a 3-point Likert scale (0, no match; 1, partial match; 2, complete match). Cases were parsed into 1603 concepts. SNOMED-CT had the highest mean overall coverage score (1.625+/-0.667), followed by MED (0.974+/-0.764), LOINC (0.781+/-0.929), ICD9-CM (0.280+/-0.619), and CPT-4 (0.082+/-0.337). SNOMED-CT also had higher coverage scores than any of the other terminologies for concepts in the diagnosis, finding, and procedure categories. Average coverage scores for ophthalmic concepts were lower than those for medical concepts. Controlled terminologies are required for electronic representation of ophthalmology data. SNOMED-CT had significantly higher content coverage than any other terminology in this study.

Relationship between aneurysm occlusion and flow diverting device oversizing in a rabbit model.

PubMed

Hodis, Simona; Ding, Yong-Hong; Dai, Daying; Lingineni, Ravi; Mut, Fernando; Cebral, Juan; Kallmes, David; Kadirvel, Ramanathan

2016-01-01

Implanted, actual flow diverter pore density is thought to be strongly influenced by proper matching between the device size and parent artery diameter. The objective of this study was to characterize the correlation between device sizing, metal coverage, and the resultant occlusion of aneurysms following flow diverter treatment in a rabbit model. Rabbit saccular aneurysms were treated with flow diverters (iso-sized to proximal parent artery, 0.5 mm oversized, or 1.0 mm oversized, respectively, n=6 for each group). Eight weeks after implantation, the angiographic degree of aneurysm occlusion was graded (complete, near-complete, or incomplete). The ostium of the explanted aneurysm covered with the flow diverter struts was photographed. Based on gross anatomic findings, the metal coverage and pore density at the ostium of the aneurysm were calculated and correlated with the degree of aneurysm occlusion. Angiographic results showed there were no statistically significant differences in aneurysm geometry and occlusion among groups. The mean parent artery diameter to flow diverter diameter ratio was higher in the 1.0 mm oversized group than in the other groups. Neither the percentage metal coverage nor the pore density showed statistically significant differences among groups. Aneurysm occlusion was inversely correlated with the ostium diameter, irrespective of the size of the device implanted. Device sizing alone does not predict resultant pore density or metal coverage following flow diverter implantation in the rabbit aneurysm model. Aneurysm occlusion was not impacted by either metal coverage or pore density, but was inversely correlated with the diameter of the ostium. 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/

Image selection system. [computerized data storage and retrieval system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knutson, M. A.; Hurd, D.; Hubble, L.; Kroeck, R. M.

1974-01-01

An image selection (ISS) was developed for the NASA-Ames Research Center Earth Resources Aircraft Project. The ISS is an interactive, graphics oriented, computer retrieval system for aerial imagery. An analysis of user coverage requests and retrieval strategies is presented, followed by a complete system description. Data base structure, retrieval processors, command language, interactive display options, file structures, and the system's capability to manage sets of selected imagery are described. A detailed example of an area coverage request is graphically presented.

Key to acanthocephala reported in waterfowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDonald, Malcolm E.

1988-01-01

This is the third part of a continuing series on helminths reported in waterfowl (McDonald 1974, 1981). Coots and moorhens (in Family Rallidae, Order Gruiformes) are included with the Anatidae of Anseriformes. The goal of these studies i complete coverage of waterfowl helminths of the world, although the original incentive-inadequate knowledge of the parasites of North American waterfowl- is less true now. World coverage is desirable because the world distribution of the family, tribes, and even many species of waterfowl often results in world distribution of parasites.

Characterization of a Planet: Dependence on Coverage Fraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, R. D.

1996-03-01

I investigate, by means of numerical experiments and a real-time quiz of colleagues (to be repeated at the poster presentation associated with this abstract), how well-characterized a planet may be considered, as a function of how much of its surface has been studied. Most measures seem to indicate that characterization quality increases steeply up to about 30% coverage. Beyond 30%, additional coverage has a lower marginal value as a 'complete' knowledge of the surface is asymptotically reached. These studies are pertinent where tradeoffs of coverage against other scientific objectives exist, for example the orbital tour design of the Cassini mission. The tour design affects how much of Titan's surface (after the Galileo mission, Titan's surface becomes the largest mappable, but unmapped, area in the solar system) may be covered by the Cassini radar. The mission has too few flybys to cover all of Titan's surface: the Radar team aims to have 30% coverage at 1km resolution or better. I also find that long, thin swaths sample a planet better than square blocks of equivalent area.

Genome-centric resolution of microbial diversity, metabolism and interactions in anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Vanwonterghem, Inka; Jensen, Paul D; Rabaey, Korneel; Tyson, Gene W

2016-09-01

Our understanding of the complex interconnected processes performed by microbial communities is hindered by our inability to culture the vast majority of microorganisms. Metagenomics provides a way to bypass this cultivation bottleneck and recent advances in this field now allow us to recover a growing number of genomes representing previously uncultured populations from increasingly complex environments. In this study, a temporal genome-centric metagenomic analysis was performed of lab-scale anaerobic digesters that host complex microbial communities fulfilling a series of interlinked metabolic processes to enable the conversion of cellulose to methane. In total, 101 population genomes that were moderate to near-complete were recovered based primarily on differential coverage binning. These populations span 19 phyla, represent mostly novel species and expand the genomic coverage of several rare phyla. Classification into functional guilds based on their metabolic potential revealed metabolic networks with a high level of functional redundancy as well as niche specialization, and allowed us to identify potential roles such as hydrolytic specialists for several rare, uncultured populations. Genome-centric analyses of complex microbial communities across diverse environments provide the key to understanding the phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of these interactive communities. © 2016 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interaction of D2 with H2O amorphous ice studied by temperature-programmed desorption experiments.

PubMed

Amiaud, L; Fillion, J H; Baouche, S; Dulieu, F; Momeni, A; Lemaire, J L

2006-03-07

The gas-surface interaction of molecular hydrogen D2 with a thin film of porous amorphous solid water (ASW) grown at 10 K by slow vapor deposition has been studied by temperature-programmed-desorption (TPD) experiments. Molecular hydrogen diffuses rapidly into the porous network of the ice. The D2 desorption occurring between 10 and 30 K is considered here as a good probe of the effective surface of ASW interacting with the gas. The desorption kinetics have been systematically measured at various coverages. A careful analysis based on the Arrhenius plot method has provided the D2 binding energies as a function of the coverage. Asymmetric and broad distributions of binding energies were found, with a maximum population peaking at low energy. We propose a model for the desorption kinetics that assumes a complete thermal equilibrium of the molecules with the ice film. The sample is characterized by a distribution of adsorption sites that are filled according to a Fermi-Dirac statistic law. The TPD curves can be simulated and fitted to provide the parameters describing the distribution of the molecules as a function of their binding energy. This approach contributes to a correct description of the interaction of molecular hydrogen with the surface of possibly porous grain mantles in the interstellar medium.

77 FR 16453 - Student Health Insurance Coverage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... also note that student health centers vary in capacity and design, and some are not equipped to provide... Student Health Insurance Coverage AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule establishes requirements for student health insurance coverage...

Reliability of Navigation Service Provided by the Global Positioning System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-09-01

The planned NAVSTAR/GPS satellite constellation of 18 satellites plus 3 active will provide excellent coverage over the continental United States (CONUS) if all are operating properly. This report examines the coverage under conditions of one satelli...

Using routine health information systems for well-designed health evaluations in low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Wagenaar, Bradley H; Sherr, Kenneth; Fernandes, Quinhas; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2016-01-01

Routine health information systems (RHISs) are in place in nearly every country and provide routinely collected full-coverage records on all levels of health system service delivery. However, these rich sources of data are regularly overlooked for evaluating causal effects of health programmes due to concerns regarding completeness, timeliness, representativeness and accuracy. Using Mozambique’s national RHIS (Módulo Básico) as an illustrative example, we urge renewed attention to the use of RHIS data for health evaluations. Interventions to improve data quality exist and have been tested in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Intrinsic features of RHIS data (numerous repeated observations over extended periods of time, full coverage of health facilities, and numerous real-time indicators of service coverage and utilization) provide for very robust quasi-experimental designs, such as controlled interrupted time-series (cITS), which are not possible with intermittent community sample surveys. In addition, cITS analyses are well suited for continuously evolving development contexts in LMICs by: (1) allowing for measurement and controlling for trends and other patterns before, during and after intervention implementation; (2) facilitating the use of numerous simultaneous control groups and non-equivalent dependent variables at multiple nested levels to increase validity and strength of causal inference; and (3) allowing the integration of continuous ‘effective dose received’ implementation measures. With expanded use of RHIS data for the evaluation of health programmes, investments in data systems, health worker interest in and utilization of RHIS data, as well as data quality will further increase over time. Because RHIS data are ministry-owned and operated, relying upon these data will contribute to sustainable national capacity over time. PMID:25887561

Using routine health information systems for well-designed health evaluations in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Wagenaar, Bradley H; Sherr, Kenneth; Fernandes, Quinhas; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2016-02-01

Routine health information systems (RHISs) are in place in nearly every country and provide routinely collected full-coverage records on all levels of health system service delivery. However, these rich sources of data are regularly overlooked for evaluating causal effects of health programmes due to concerns regarding completeness, timeliness, representativeness and accuracy. Using Mozambique's national RHIS (Módulo Básico) as an illustrative example, we urge renewed attention to the use of RHIS data for health evaluations. Interventions to improve data quality exist and have been tested in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Intrinsic features of RHIS data (numerous repeated observations over extended periods of time, full coverage of health facilities, and numerous real-time indicators of service coverage and utilization) provide for very robust quasi-experimental designs, such as controlled interrupted time-series (cITS), which are not possible with intermittent community sample surveys. In addition, cITS analyses are well suited for continuously evolving development contexts in LMICs by: (1) allowing for measurement and controlling for trends and other patterns before, during and after intervention implementation; (2) facilitating the use of numerous simultaneous control groups and non-equivalent dependent variables at multiple nested levels to increase validity and strength of causal inference; and (3) allowing the integration of continuous 'effective dose received' implementation measures. With expanded use of RHIS data for the evaluation of health programmes, investments in data systems, health worker interest in and utilization of RHIS data, as well as data quality will further increase over time. Because RHIS data are ministry-owned and operated, relying upon these data will contribute to sustainable national capacity over time. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Hard and soft tissue augmentation in a postorthodontic patient: a case report.

PubMed

Bonacci, Fred J

2011-02-01

A combination of hard and soft tissue grafting is used to augment a thin biotype. A 26-year-old woman with mandibular anterior flaring and Miller Class I and III recessions requested interceptive treatment. Surgery included a full-thickness buccal flap, intramarrow penetrations, bone graft placement, and primary flap closure. Postoperative visits were at 2 and 4 weeks and 2, 3, and 6 months. Stage-two surgery consisted of submerged connective tissue graft placement. Postoperative visits were completed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks and 1 year. Follow-up was completed 3 years after the initial surgery. Interradicular concavities were resolved and gingival biotype was augmented. Soft tissue recession remained at 6 months. Reentry revealed clinical labial plate augmentation; 2 mm was achieved at the lateral incisors and the left central incisor and 3 mm was achieved at the right canine. No bone augmentation was achieved on the left canine and right central incisor. The dehiscence at the right central incisor appeared narrower. Overall, a 2- to 3-mm gain in alveolar bone thickness/height was observed. Two months after stage-two surgery, near complete root coverage was achieved; 1 mm of recession remained on the left central incisor. There was a soft tissue thickness gain of 2 mm without any visual difference in keratinized tissue height. Interradicular concavities were eliminated; the soft tissue was augmented and the gingival biotype was altered. Interdental soft tissue craters remained. One year after connective tissue graft placement, there was near complete root coverage at the left central incisor, which at 2 months experienced residual recession. Interradicular concavities and interdental soft tissue craters were eliminated with soft tissue augmentation, including clinical reestablishment of the mucogingival junction. Clinical stability remained 3 years after the initial surgery, with the patient noting comfort during mastication and routine oral hygiene. A clinical increase in labial plate thickness, in conjunction with soft tissue augmentation, appears to provide for continued stability and decreased potential for future clinical attachment loss.

Platelet-rich-fibrin: A novel root coverage approach

PubMed Central

Anilkumar, K.; Geetha, A.; Umasudhakar; Ramakrishnan, T; Vijayalakshmi, R; Pameela, E.

2009-01-01

Treatment of gingival recession has become an important therapeutic issue due to increasing cosmetic demand. Multiple surgical procedures have been developed to obtain predictable esthetic root coverage. More specifically, after periodontal regenerative surgery, the aim is to achieve complete wound healing and regeneration of the periodontal unit. A recent innovation in dentistry is the preparation and use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a concentrated suspension of the growth factors, found in platelets. These growth factors are involved in wound healing and postulated as promoters of tissue regeneration. This paper reports the use of PRF membrane for root coverage on the labial surfaces of the mandibular anterior teeth. This was accomplished using laterally displaced flap technique with platelet rich fibrin (PRF) membrane at the recipient site. PMID:20376243

Creeping attachment after 10 years of treatment of a gingival recession with acellular dermal matrix: a case report.

PubMed

Santos, Antonio; Goumenos, George; Pascual, Andrés; Nart, Jose

2011-02-01

Acellular dermal matrix grafts have become a good alternative to autogenous soft tissue grafts in root coverage. Until now, the literature has reported short- or medium-term data regarding the stability of the gingival margin after the use of acellular dermal matrix on root coverage. The aim of this article is to describe a case report with 10 years of evolution with creeping attachment that developed bucally on a moderate recession of a maxillary canine with an old composite restoration subsequent to an acellular dermal matrix. Long-term creeping attachment and complete root coverage on a restored tooth treated with acellular dermal matrix has not been previously reported in the dental literature.

Use of a collagen matrix for recession coverage in patients who received orthodontic therapy: a case series.

PubMed

Tan, Wah C; Tan, Wah L; Ong, Marianne M A; Lang, Niklaus P

2017-02-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the percentage of recession coverage achieved following surgery with a collagen matrix, and patient-reported outcome measures. Five healthy adults who had completed orthodontic therapy with a gingival recession defect were recruited. Gingival recession coverage was performed using a two-layer, xenogeneic collagen matrix (Mucograft). During the first 2 weeks, the patients charted their perceptions on bleeding, swelling, pain, and bruising using a visual analog scale (VAS). Post-surgical complications were assessed clinically at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month post-surgery. Recession dimensions were examined at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. At 1 year, an average of 67% root coverage was achieved. The amount of recession coverage achieved was stable from 3 months. The results were maintained at 1 year. There were no post-surgical complications. All VAS parameters decreased to almost zero by day 14. From day 1, bleeding and pain decreased over time. However, there were peaks on days 2 and 3 for swelling and bruising, respectively, followed by a subsequent decrease. The use of Mucograft for recession coverage is effective and safe, with low morbidity and no post-surgical complications. Recession coverage achieved at 3 months remained stable in the 1-year follow-up period. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Modelling preventive effectiveness to estimate the equity tipping point: at what coverage can individual preventive interventions reduce socioeconomic disparities in diabetes risk?

PubMed

Manuel, D G; Ho, T H; Harper, S; Anderson, G M; Lynch, J; Rosella, L C

2014-07-01

Most individual preventive therapies potentially narrow or widen health disparities depending on the difference in community effectiveness across socioeconomic position (SEP). The equity tipping point (defined as the point at which health disparities become larger) can be calculated by varying components of community effectiveness such as baseline risk of disease, intervention coverage and/or intervention efficacy across SEP. We used a simple modelling approach to estimate the community effectiveness of diabetes prevention across SEP in Canada under different scenarios of intervention coverage. Five-year baseline diabetes risk differed between the lowest and highest income groups by 1.76%. Assuming complete coverage across all income groups, the difference was reduced to 0.90% (144 000 cases prevented) with lifestyle interventions and 1.24% (88 100 cases prevented) with pharmacotherapy. The equity tipping point was estimated to be a coverage difference of 30% for preventive interventions (100% and 70% coverage among the highest and lowest income earners, respectively). Disparities in diabetes risk could be measurably reduced if existing interventions were equally adopted across SEP. However, disparities in coverage could lead to increased inequity in risk. Simple modelling approaches can be used to examine the community effectiveness of individual preventive interventions and their potential to reduce (or increase) disparities. The equity tipping point can be used as a critical threshold for disparities analyses.

Exploring the relationship between population density and maternal health coverage.

PubMed

Hanlon, Michael; Burstein, Roy; Masters, Samuel H; Zhang, Raymond

2012-11-21

Delivering health services to dense populations is more practical than to dispersed populations, other factors constant. This engenders the hypothesis that population density positively affects coverage rates of health services. This hypothesis has been tested indirectly for some services at a local level, but not at a national level. We use cross-sectional data to conduct cross-country, OLS regressions at the national level to estimate the relationship between population density and maternal health coverage. We separately estimate the effect of two measures of density on three population-level coverage rates (6 tests in total). Our coverage indicators are the fraction of the maternal population completing four antenatal care visits and the utilization rates of both skilled birth attendants and in-facility delivery. The first density metric we use is the percentage of a population living in an urban area. The second metric, which we denote as a density score, is a relative ranking of countries by population density. The score's calculation discounts a nation's uninhabited territory under the assumption those areas are irrelevant to service delivery. We find significantly positive relationships between our maternal health indicators and density measures. On average, a one-unit increase in our density score is equivalent to a 0.2% increase in coverage rates. Countries with dispersed populations face higher burdens to achieve multinational coverage targets such as the United Nations' Millennial Development Goals.

Influence of Palatal Coverage and Implant Distribution on Implant Strain in Maxillary Implant Overdentures.

PubMed

Takahashi, Toshihito; Gonda, Tomoya; Mizuno, Yoko; Fujinami, Yozo; Maeda, Yoshinobu

2016-01-01

Maxillary implant overdentures are often used in clinical practice. However, there is no agreement or established guidelines regarding prosthetic design or optimal implant placement configuration. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of palatal coverage and implant number and distribution in relation to impact strain under maxillary implant overdentures. A maxillary edentulous model with implants and experimental overdentures with and without palatal coverage was fabricated. Four strain gauges were attached to each implant, and they were positioned in the anterior, premolar, and molar areas. A vertical occlusal load of 98 N was applied through a mandibular complete denture, and the implant strains were compared using one-way analysis of variance (P = .05). The palatolabial strain was much higher on anterior implants than on other implants in both denture types. Although there was no significant difference between the strain under dentures with and without palatal coverage, palateless dentures tended to result in higher implant strain than dentures with palatal coverage. Dentures supported by only two implants registered higher strain than those supported by four or six implants. Implants under palateless dentures registered higher strain than those under dentures with palatal coverage. Anterior implants exhibited higher palatolabial strain than other implants regardless of palatal coverage and implant configuration; it is therefore recommended that maxillary implant overdentures should be supported by six implants with support extending to the distal end of the arch.

Expensive but worth it: older parents' attitudes and opinions about the costs and insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization.

PubMed

Nachtigall, Robert D; MacDougall, Kirstin; Davis, Anne C; Beyene, Yewoubdar

2012-01-01

To describe older parents' attitudes and opinions about the costs and insurance coverage for IVF. Qualitative interview study. Two Northern California IVF practices. Sixty women and 35 male partners in which the woman had delivered her first child after the age of 40 years using IVF. Two in-depth interviews over 3 months. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts. We found that although the costs of IVF were perceived as high, even by those with insurance or who could afford them, the cost of IVF relative to other expenses in life was dwarfed by the value attributed to having a child. Women were twice as likely as men to support insurance coverage for IVF. Both men and women with complete or partial IVF insurance coverage were more likely to support insurance than those without coverage. There was a broad range of attitudes and opinions about the appropriateness of IVF insurance coverage, which addressed questions of age, gender equality, reproductive choice, whether infertility is a medical illness, and the role of personal and societal economic equity and responsibility. Despite a generally favorable opinion about the appropriateness of insurance coverage by those who have successfully undergone IVF treatment, the affordability of IVF remains an unresolved dilemma in the United States. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expensive but worth it: older parents’ attitudes and opinions about the costs and insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization

PubMed Central

Nachtigall, Robert D.; MacDougall, Kirstin; Davis, Anne C.; Beyene, Yewoubdar

2011-01-01

Objective To describe older parents’ attitudes and opinions about the costs and insurance coverage for IVF. Design Qualitative interview study. Setting Two Northern California IVF practices. Patient(s) Sixty women and 35 male partners in which the woman had delivered her first child after the age of 40 years using IVF. Intervention(s) Two in-depth interviews over 3 months. Main Outcome Measure(s) Thematic analysis of interview transcripts. Result(s) We found that although the costs of IVF were perceived as high, even by those with insurance or who could afford them, the cost of IVF relative to other expenses in life was dwarfed by the value attributed to having a child. Women were twice as likely as men to support insurance coverage for IVF. Both men and women with complete or partial IVF insurance coverage were more likely to support insurance than those without coverage. There was a broad range of attitudes and opinions about the appropriateness of IVF insurance coverage, which addressed questions of age, gender equality, reproductive choice, whether infertility is a medical illness, and the role of personal and societal economic equity and responsibility. Conclusion(s) Despite a generally favorable opinion about the appropriateness of insurance coverage by those who have successfully undergone IVF treatment, the affordability of IVF remains an unresolved dilemma in the United States. PMID:22118993

Clinical Supervision of Athletic Training Students at Colleges and Universities Needs Improvement

PubMed Central

Weidner, Thomas G.; Pipkin, Jennifer

2002-01-01

Objectives: To assess the type and amount of clinical supervision athletic training students received during clinical education. Design and Setting: An online survey was conducted with a questionnaire developed specifically for this study. Subjects: Head athletic trainers from National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I (28), Division II (34), and Division III institutions (30). Thirty-four represented Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-accredited athletic training education programs, 20 represented athletic training programs in Joint Review Commission on Athletic Training candidacy, and 35 offered the internship route. Measurements: Descriptive statistics were computed. Three sets of chi-square analyses were completed to assess associations among athletic training students with first-responder qualifications, program and institution characteristics, certified athletic trainer medical coverage of moderate- and increased-risk sports, and clinical supervision. A trend analysis of students' class standing and time spent in different types of clinical supervision was also completed. The alpha level was set at < .05. Results: Most of the athletic training students (83.7%), particularly in accredited programs, had first-responder qualifications. More than half of the head athletic trainers (59.8%) indicated that athletic training students were authorized to provide medical care coverage without supervision. A minimal amount of medical care coverage of moderate- and increased-risk sports was unsupervised. No significant difference between the size of the education or athletic program and type and amount of clinical supervision was noted. Freshman athletic training students spent more time in direct clinical supervision and less time in unsupervised experience, but the opposite was true for senior students. Conclusions: Athletic training students are being utilized beyond appropriate clinical supervision and the scope of clinical education. Future research should employ methods using nonparticipant observation of clinical instructors' supervision of students as well as students' own perceptions of their clinical supervision. PMID:12937552

Prenatal vaccination education intervention improves both the mothers' knowledge and children's vaccination coverage: Evidence from randomized controlled trial from eastern China.

PubMed

Hu, Yu; Chen, Yaping; Wang, Ying; Song, Quanwei; Li, Qian

2017-06-03

To verify the effectiveness of prenatal vaccination education intervention on improving mother's vaccination knowledge and child's vaccination status in Zhejiang province, eastern China. Pregnant women with ≥ 12 gestational weeks were recruited and randomly assigned into the intervention group and the control group. The intervention group were given a vaccination education session while the control group were not. Two round surveys were performed before and 3 months after the intervention. The vaccination status of child was extracted at 12 months of age from immunization information system. The differences of the vaccination knowledge, the coverage, the completeness and the timeliness of vaccination between 2 groups were evaluated. The effectiveness of vaccination education intervention was assessed, under the control of the other demographic variables. Among the 1252 participants, 851 subjects replied to the post-survey. Significant improvements of vaccination knowledge between the pre- and the post- survey in the intervention group were observed (Mean ± S.D:1.8 ± 1.1 vs. 3.7 ± 1.2 for vaccines score and 2.7 ± 1.5 vs. 4.8 ± 1.0 for vaccine policy score, respectively). The coverage of fully vaccination was significantly higher in the intervention group (90.0% vs. 82.9%, P<0.01). The timeliness of fully vaccination was significantly higher in the intervention group (51.9% vs. 33.0%, P<0.01). In the intervention group, pregnant women were more likely to be with high score of knowledge (OR = 5.2, 95%CI: 2.6-8.8), and children were more likely to complete the full series of vaccination (OR = 3.4, 95%CI: 2.1-4.8), and children were more likely to complete the full series of vaccination in a timely manner (OR = 2.3, 95%CI: 1.6-3.5). Vaccination education in the pregnant women can effectively improve the knowledge regarding immunization and increase the coverage, the completeness and the timeliness of childhood vaccination. Strong partnership needs to be established between the obstetricians and the vaccination staff to improve the performance of NIP.

Prenatal vaccination education intervention improves both the mothers' knowledge and children's vaccination coverage: Evidence from randomized controlled trial from eastern China

PubMed Central

Chen, Yaping; Wang, Ying; Song, Quanwei; Li, Qian

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives: To verify the effectiveness of prenatal vaccination education intervention on improving mother's vaccination knowledge and child's vaccination status in Zhejiang province, eastern China. Methods: Pregnant women with ≥ 12 gestational weeks were recruited and randomly assigned into the intervention group and the control group. The intervention group were given a vaccination education session while the control group were not. Two round surveys were performed before and 3 months after the intervention. The vaccination status of child was extracted at 12 months of age from immunization information system. The differences of the vaccination knowledge, the coverage, the completeness and the timeliness of vaccination between 2 groups were evaluated. The effectiveness of vaccination education intervention was assessed, under the control of the other demographic variables. Results: Among the 1252 participants, 851 subjects replied to the post-survey. Significant improvements of vaccination knowledge between the pre- and the post- survey in the intervention group were observed (Mean ± S.D:1.8 ± 1.1 vs. 3.7 ± 1.2 for vaccines score and 2.7 ± 1.5 vs. 4.8 ± 1.0 for vaccine policy score, respectively). The coverage of fully vaccination was significantly higher in the intervention group (90.0% vs. 82.9%, P<0.01). The timeliness of fully vaccination was significantly higher in the intervention group (51.9% vs. 33.0%, P<0.01). In the intervention group, pregnant women were more likely to be with high score of knowledge (OR = 5.2, 95%CI: 2.6–8.8), and children were more likely to complete the full series of vaccination (OR = 3.4, 95%CI: 2.1–4.8), and children were more likely to complete the full series of vaccination in a timely manner (OR = 2.3, 95%CI: 1.6–3.5). Conclusions: Vaccination education in the pregnant women can effectively improve the knowledge regarding immunization and increase the coverage, the completeness and the timeliness of childhood vaccination. Strong partnership needs to be established between the obstetricians and the vaccination staff to improve the performance of NIP. PMID:28319453

Clinical and Epidemiological Profile of Breast Cancer in Mexico: Results of the Seguro Popular.

PubMed

Reynoso-Noverón, Nancy; Villarreal-Garza, Cynthia; Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Arce-Salinas, Claudia; Matus-Santos, Juan; Ramírez-Ugalde, María Teresa; Alvarado-Miranda, Alberto; Cabrera-Galeana, Paula; Meneses-García, Abelardo; Lara-Medina, Fernando; Bargalló-Rocha, Enrique; Mohar, Alejandro

2017-12-01

Purpose One half of the Mexican population lacks comprehensive health care coverage. In 2003, a reform to the General Health Law was approved that led to the creation of the System of Social Protection in Health and made universal health coverage mandatory. The main innovation of this reform was Seguro Popular, which provided coverage for breast cancer. Here we report the outcomes of women with breast cancer treated at a cancer center in Mexico under Seguro Popular. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study that included all patients with breast cancer treated in the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in Mexico City between January 2007 and December 2013 with Seguro Popular coverage. Demographic and clinical information were collected and survival outcomes were analyzed. Results A total of 4,300 women with breast cancer were included in this analysis. Most patients had locally advanced disease at diagnosis (53%, n = 2,293), and 13% (n = 558) presented with stage IV disease. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 1,834 patients (52%), with a pathologic complete response in 25.1% (n = 460). Median follow-up was 40.5 months. Five-year survival for the entire cohort was 82% (95% CI, 81% to 84%). Five-year survival was 97% for early-stage disease (95% CI, 95% to 98%), 82% for locally advanced disease (95% CI, 80% to 84%), and 36% for metastatic disease (95% CI, 30% to 42%). Conclusion This represents the first description of a cohort of patients with breast cancer treated in Mexico under Seguro Popular. Seguro Popular has allowed our institution, and other Mexican centers, to establish efficient standardized mechanisms to treat patients with breast cancer.

42 CFR 423.308 - Definitions and terminology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... exclude any costs attributable to benefits beyond basic prescription drug coverage, but also to exclude... benefits beyond basic prescription drug coverage, but also to exclude any prescription drug coverage costs... assistance outside the Part D benefit, provided that documentation of such nominal cost-sharing has been...

45 CFR 146.101 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FOR THE GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET General Provisions § 146.101 Basis and scope. (a) Statutory... access to group health insurance coverage, to guarantee the renewability of all coverage in the group... group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage may provide...

45 CFR 148.124 - Certification and disclosure of coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Section 148.124 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET Requirements Relating to Access and... coverage under a group health policy, records from medical care providers indicating health coverage, third...

45 CFR 148.124 - Certification and disclosure of coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Section 148.124 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET Requirements Relating to Access and... coverage under a group health policy, records from medical care providers indicating health coverage, third...

22 CFR 226.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Insurance coverage. 226.31 Section 226.31 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON... shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired...

22 CFR 226.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Insurance coverage. 226.31 Section 226.31 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON... shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired...

22 CFR 226.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Insurance coverage. 226.31 Section 226.31 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON... shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired...

22 CFR 226.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Insurance coverage. 226.31 Section 226.31 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON... shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired...

22 CFR 226.31 - Insurance coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Insurance coverage. 226.31 Section 226.31 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON... shall, at a minimum, provide the equivalent insurance coverage for real property and equipment acquired...

5 CFR 531.402 - Employee coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Employee coverage. 531.402 Section 531.402 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE Within-Grade Increases § 531.402 Employee coverage. (a) Except as provided in paragraph...

5 CFR 550.802 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Coverage. 550.802 Section 550.802 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL) Back Pay § 550.802 Coverage. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this subpart...

5 CFR 550.802 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Coverage. 550.802 Section 550.802 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL) Back Pay § 550.802 Coverage. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this subpart...

5 CFR 550.802 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Coverage. 550.802 Section 550.802 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL) Back Pay § 550.802 Coverage. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this subpart...

5 CFR 550.802 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Coverage. 550.802 Section 550.802 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL) Back Pay § 550.802 Coverage. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this subpart...

5 CFR 550.802 - Coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Coverage. 550.802 Section 550.802 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL) Back Pay § 550.802 Coverage. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this subpart...

7 CFR 457.146 - Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage... Northern potato crop insurance—storage coverage endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage... for insurance provider) Both FCIC and reinsured policies: Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage...

7 CFR 457.146 - Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage... Northern potato crop insurance—storage coverage endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage... for insurance provider) Both FCIC and reinsured policies: Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage...

7 CFR 457.146 - Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage... Northern potato crop insurance—storage coverage endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage... for insurance provider) Both FCIC and reinsured policies: Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage...

7 CFR 457.146 - Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage... Northern potato crop insurance—storage coverage endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage... for insurance provider) Both FCIC and reinsured policies: Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage...

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Deep Space Network Antenna Coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegege, Obadiah; Fuentes, Michael; Meyer, Nicholas; Sil, Amy

2012-01-01

There is a need to understand NASA s Deep Space Network (DSN) coverage gaps and any limitations to provide redundant communication coverage for future deep space missions, especially for manned missions to Moon and Mars. The DSN antennas are required to provide continuous communication coverage for deep space flights, interplanetary missions, and deep space scientific observations. The DSN consists of ground antennas located at three sites: Goldstone in USA, Canberra in Australia, and Madrid in Spain. These locations are not separated by the exactly 120 degrees and some DSN antennas are located in the bowl-shaped mountainous terrain to shield against radiofrequency interference resulting in a coverage gap in the southern hemisphere for the current DSN architecture. To analyze the extent of this gap and other coverage limitations, simulations of the DSN architecture were performed. In addition to the physical properties of the DSN assets, the simulation incorporated communication forward link calculations and azimuth/elevation masks that constrain the effects of terrain for each DSN antenna. Analysis of the simulation data was performed to create coverage profiles with the receiver settings at a deep space altitudes ranging from 2 million to 10 million km and a spherical grid resolution of 0.25 degrees with respect to longitude and latitude. With the results of these simulations, two- and three-dimensional representations of the area without communication coverage and area with coverage were developed, showing the size and shape of the communication coverage gap projected in space. Also, the significance of this communication coverage gap is analyzed from the simulation data.

Highlights of Historical Events Leading to National Surveillance of Vaccination Coverage in the United States

PubMed Central

Smith, Philip J.; Wood, David; Darden, Paul M.

2011-01-01

The articles published in this special supplement of Public Health Reports provide examples of only some of the current efforts in the United States for evaluating vaccination coverage. So, how did we get here? The history of vaccination and assessment of vaccination coverage in the U.S. has its roots in the pre-Revolutionary War era. In many cases, development of vaccines, and attention devoted to the assessment of vaccination coverage, has grown from the impact of infectious disease on major world events such as wars. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a brief overview of the key historical events in the U.S. that influenced the development of vaccines and the efforts to track vaccination coverage, which laid the foundation for contemporary vaccination assessment efforts. PMID:21815302

Comparison of the cytotoxic effect of polystyrene latex nanoparticles on planktonic cells and bacterial biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Toshiyuki; Fujisawa, Eri; Itoh, Shikibu; Konishi, Yasuhiro

2016-06-01

The cytotoxic effect of positively charged polystyrene latex nanoparticles (PSL NPs) was compared between planktonic bacterial cells and bacterial biofilms using confocal laser scanning microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and a colony counting method. Pseudomonas fluorescens, which is commonly used in biofilm studies, was employed as the model bacteria. We found that the negatively charged bacterial surface of the planktonic cells was almost completely covered with positively charged PSL NPs, leading to cell death, as indicated by the NP concentration being greater than that required to achieve single layer coverage. In addition, the relationship between surface coverage and cell viability of P. fluorescens cells correlated well with the findings in other bacterial cells ( Escherichia coli and Lactococcus lactis). However, most of the bacterial cells that formed the biofilm were viable despite the positively charged PSL NPs being highly toxic to planktonic bacterial cells. This indicated that bacterial cells embedded in the biofilm were protected by self-produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that provide resistance to antibacterial agents. In conclusion, mature biofilms covered with EPS exhibit resistance to NP toxicity as well as antibacterial agents.

Injury rate as an indicator of business success.

PubMed

Holizki, Theresa; Nelson, Larry; McDonald, Rose

2006-01-01

Health and safety professionals and organizations have often suggested that promoting and improving health and safety in the workplace will improve business success. We conducted a study of all new small businesses that registered with the Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia (WCB of BC) in the years 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1997, assessing their injury rate in the first 5 complete years of business. The data set represents 53,913 new businesses and 19,332 claims. Businesses were grouped by the number of years between registering for WCB coverage and termination of coverage. Injury rates were determined for each calendar year for each industry sector as injuries per 100 person-years, based on payroll information provided by the businesses. Across all industries, businesses that failed between 1 and 2 yr of start-up had an average injury rate of 9.71 while businesses that survived more than 5 yr had an average injury rate of only 3.89 in their first year of business (p<0.000001). The WCB of BC demonstrated a statistical correlation between health and safety in the workplace and the survival of a small business.

Barriers to Gender Transition-Related Healthcare: Identifying Underserved Transgender Adults in Massachusetts

PubMed Central

White Hughto, Jaclyn M.; Rose, Adam J.; Pachankis, John E.; Reisner, Sari L.

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose: The present study sought to examine whether individual (e.g., age, gender), interpersonal (e.g., healthcare provider discrimination), and structural (e.g., lack of insurance coverage) factors are associated with access to transition-related care in a statewide sample of transgender adults. Method: In 2013, 364 transgender residents of Massachusetts completed an electronic web-based survey online (87.1%) or in person (12.9%). A multivariable logistic regression model tested whether individual, interpersonal, and structural factors were associated with access to transition-related care. Results: Overall, 23.6% reported being unable to access transition-related care in the past 12 months. In a multivariable model, younger age, low income, low educational attainment, private insurance coverage, and healthcare discrimination were significantly associated with being unable to access transition-related care (all p<0.05). Discussion: Despite state nondiscrimination policies and universal access to healthcare, many of the Massachusetts transgender residents sampled were unable to access transition-related care. Multilevel interventions are needed, including supportive policies and policy enforcement, to ensure that underserved transgender adults can access medically necessary transition-related care. PMID:29082331

Results of Gravity Fieldwork Conducted in March 2008 in the Moapa Valley Region of Clark County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scheirer, Daniel S.; Andreasen, Arne Dossing

2008-01-01

In March 2008, we collected gravity data along 12 traverses across newly-mapped faults in the Moapa Valley region of Clark County, Nevada. In areas crossed by these faults, the traverses provide better definition of the gravity field and, thus, the density structure, than prior gravity observations. Access problems prohibited complete gravity coverage along all of the planned gravity traverses, and we added and adjusted the locations of traverses to maximize our data collection. Most of the traverses exhibit isostatic gravity anomalies that have gradients characteristic of exposed or buried faults, including several of the newly-mapped faults.

Using Social Marketing Theory as a Framework for Understanding and Increasing HPV Vaccine Series Completion Among Hispanic Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Ward, Kristy K.; Carmack, Chakema C.; Muñoz, Becky T.; Cano, Miguel A.; Cribbs, Felicity

2016-01-01

HPV vaccine series completion rates among adolescent Hispanic females and males (~39 and 21 %, respectively) are far below the Healthy People 80 % coverage goal. Completion of the 3-dose vaccine series is critical to reducing the incidence of HPV-associated cancers. This formative study applies social marketing theory to assess the needs and preferences of Hispanic mothers in order to guide the development of interventions to increase HPV vaccine completion. We conducted 51 in-depth interviews with Hispanic mothers of adolescents to identify the key concepts of social marketing theory (i.e., the four P’s: product, price, place and promotion). Results suggest that a desire complete the vaccine series, vaccine reminders and preventing illnesses and protecting their children against illnesses and HPV all influence vaccination (product). The majority of Completed mothers did not experience barriers that prevented vaccine series completion and Initiated mothers perceived a lack of health insurance and the cost of the vaccine as potential barriers. Informational barriers were prevalent across both market segments (price). Clinics are important locations for deciding to complete the vaccine series (place). They are the preferred sources to obtain information about the HPV vaccine thus making them ideal locations to deliver intervention messages, followed by television, the child’s school and brochures (promotion). Increasing HPV vaccine coverage among Hispanic adolescents will reduce the rates of HPV-associated cancers and the cervical cancer health disparity among Hispanic women. This research can inform the development of an intervention to increase HPV vaccine series completion in this population. PMID:27624345

Using Social Marketing Theory as a Framework for Understanding and Increasing HPV Vaccine Series Completion Among Hispanic Adolescents: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Roncancio, Angelica M; Ward, Kristy K; Carmack, Chakema C; Muñoz, Becky T; Cano, Miguel A; Cribbs, Felicity

2017-02-01

HPV vaccine series completion rates among adolescent Hispanic females and males (~39 and 21 %, respectively) are far below the Healthy People 80 % coverage goal. Completion of the 3-dose vaccine series is critical to reducing the incidence of HPV-associated cancers. This formative study applies social marketing theory to assess the needs and preferences of Hispanic mothers in order to guide the development of interventions to increase HPV vaccine completion. We conducted 51 in-depth interviews with Hispanic mothers of adolescents to identify the key concepts of social marketing theory (i.e., the four P's: product, price, place and promotion). Results suggest that a desire complete the vaccine series, vaccine reminders and preventing illnesses and protecting their children against illnesses and HPV all influence vaccination (product). The majority of Completed mothers did not experience barriers that prevented vaccine series completion and Initiated mothers perceived a lack of health insurance and the cost of the vaccine as potential barriers. Informational barriers were prevalent across both market segments (price). Clinics are important locations for deciding to complete the vaccine series (place). They are the preferred sources to obtain information about the HPV vaccine thus making them ideal locations to deliver intervention messages, followed by television, the child's school and brochures (promotion). Increasing HPV vaccine coverage among Hispanic adolescents will reduce the rates of HPV-associated cancers and the cervical cancer health disparity among Hispanic women. This research can inform the development of an intervention to increase HPV vaccine series completion in this population.

The Plasma and Suprathermal Ion Composition (PLASTIC) Investigation on the STEREO Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galvin, A. B.; Kistler, L. M.; Popecki, M. A.; Farrugia, C. J.; Simunac, K. D. C.; Ellis, L.; Möbius, E.; Lee, M. A.; Boehm, M.; Carroll, J.; Crawshaw, A.; Conti, M.; Demaine, P.; Ellis, S.; Gaidos, J. A.; Googins, J.; Granoff, M.; Gustafson, A.; Heirtzler, D.; King, B.; Knauss, U.; Levasseur, J.; Longworth, S.; Singer, K.; Turco, S.; Vachon, P.; Vosbury, M.; Widholm, M.; Blush, L. M.; Karrer, R.; Bochsler, P.; Daoudi, H.; Etter, A.; Fischer, J.; Jost, J.; Opitz, A.; Sigrist, M.; Wurz, P.; Klecker, B.; Ertl, M.; Seidenschwang, E.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Koeten, M.; Thompson, B.; Steinfeld, D.

2008-04-01

The Plasma and Suprathermal Ion Composition (PLASTIC) investigation provides the in situ solar wind and low energy heliospheric ion measurements for the NASA Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory Mission, which consists of two spacecraft (STEREO-A, STEREO-B). PLASTIC-A and PLASTIC-B are identical. Each PLASTIC is a time-of-flight/energy mass spectrometer designed to determine the elemental composition, ionic charge states, and bulk flow parameters of major solar wind ions in the mass range from hydrogen to iron. PLASTIC has nearly complete angular coverage in the ecliptic plane and an energy range from ˜0.3 to 80 keV/e, from which the distribution functions of suprathermal ions, including those ions created in pick-up and local shock acceleration processes, are also provided.

Dissolving polymer microneedle patches for influenza vaccination.

PubMed

Sullivan, Sean P; Koutsonanos, Dimitrios G; Del Pilar Martin, Maria; Lee, Jeong Woo; Zarnitsyn, Vladimir; Choi, Seong-O; Murthy, Niren; Compans, Richard W; Skountzou, Ioanna; Prausnitz, Mark R

2010-08-01

Influenza prophylaxis would benefit from a vaccination method enabling simplified logistics and improved immunogenicity without the dangers posed by hypodermic needles. Here we introduce dissolving microneedle patches for influenza vaccination using a simple patch-based system that targets delivery to skin's antigen-presenting cells. Microneedles were fabricated using a biocompatible polymer encapsulating inactivated influenza virus vaccine for insertion and dissolution in the skin within minutes. Microneedle vaccination generated robust antibody and cellular immune responses in mice that provided complete protection against lethal challenge. Compared to conventional intramuscular injection, microneedle vaccination resulted in more efficient lung virus clearance and enhanced cellular recall responses after challenge. These results suggest that dissolving microneedle patches can provide a new technology for simpler and safer vaccination with improved immunogenicity that could facilitate increased vaccination coverage.

45 CFR 147.120 - Eligibility of children until at least age 26.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE..., or a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage, that makes... age. The terms of the plan or health insurance coverage providing dependent coverage of children...