Sample records for united states indicating

  1. WATER QUALITY INDICES: A SURVEY OF INDICES USED IN THE UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study documents the extent to which water quality indices currently are being used in the United States. It reviews the indices published in the literature and surveys the States and interstate commissions to determine: (1) which agencies are using indices, (2) the type of i...

  2. Nontimber forest products in the United States: Montreal Process indicators as measures of current conditions and sustainability

    Treesearch

    Susan J. Alexander; Sonja N. Oswalt; Marla R. Emery

    2011-01-01

    The United States, in partnership with 11 other countries, participates in the Montreal Process. Each country assesses national progress toward the sustainable management of forest resources by using a set of criteria and indicators agreed on by all member countries. Several indicators focus on nontimber forest products (NTFPs). In the United States, permit and...

  3. Cosmetic surgery growth and correlations with financial indices: a comparative study of the United Kingdom and United States from 2002-2011.

    PubMed

    Nassab, Reza; Harris, Paul

    2013-05-01

    Over the past 10 years, there has been significant fluctuation in the yearly growth rates for cosmetic surgery procedures in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The authors compare cosmetic surgical procedure rates in the United Kingdom and United States with the macroeconomic climate of each region to determine whether there is a direct relationship between cosmetic surgery rates and economic health. The authors analyzed annual cosmetic surgery statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for 2002-2011 against economic indices from both regions, including the gross domestic product (GDP), consumer prices indices (CPI), and stock market reports. There was a 285.9% increase in the United Kingdom and a 1.1% increase in the United States in the number of procedures performed between 2002 and 2011. There were significant positive correlations between the number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United Kingdom and both the GDP (r = 0.986, P < .01) and CPI (r = 0.955, P < .01). Analysis of the US growth rates failed to show a significant relationship with any indices. UK interest rates showed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.668, P < .05) with procedures performed, whereas US interest rates showed a significant positive correlation. Data from the United States and United Kingdom suggest 2 very different growth patterns in the number of cosmetic surgeries being performed as compared with the economy in each region. Economic indices are accurate indicators of numbers of procedures being performed in the United Kingdom, whereas rates in the United States seem independent of those factors.

  4. Climate change indicators in the United States

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-04-01

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published this report, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, to help readers interpret a set of important indicators to better understand climate change. The report presents 24 indicators, ...

  5. Using anthropometric indicators for Mexicans in the United States and Mexico to understand the selection of migrants and the "Hispanic paradox".

    PubMed

    Crimmins, Eileen M; Soldo, Beth J; Kim, Jung Ki; Alley, Dawn E

    2005-01-01

    Anthropometric measures including height provide an indication of childhood health that allows exploration of relationships between early life circumstances and adult health. Height can also be used to provide some indication of how early life health is related to selection of migrants and the Hispanic paradox in the United States. This article joins information on persons of Mexican nativity ages 50 and older in the United States collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (NHANES IV 1999-2002) with a national sample of persons of the same age living in Mexico from the Mexican Health and Aging Survey (MHAS 2001) to examine relationships between height, education, migration, and late-life health. Mexican immigrants to the United States are selected for greater height and a high school, rather than higher or lower, education. Return migrants from the United States to Mexico are shorter than those who stay. Height is related to a number of indicators of adult health. Results support a role for selection in the Hispanic paradox and demonstrate the importance of education and childhood health as determinants of late-life health in both Mexico and the United States.

  6. SI Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Robert A.

    1983-01-01

    Discusses legislation related to SI (International Systems of Units) in the United States. Indicates that although SI metric units have been officially recognized by law in the United States, U.S. Customary Units have never received a statutory basis. (JN)

  7. Climate Change Indicators for the United States

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA’s publishes the Climate Change Indicators for the United States report to communicate information about the science and impacts of climate change, track trends in environmental quality, and inform de¬cision-making. This report presents a set of key indicators to help readers ...

  8. Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sherman, Joel D.; Honegger, Steven D.; McGivern, Jennifer L.

    This report presents a set of education indicators that describes how the United States education system compares with those of the other G-8 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom. The data were collected from three main sources: the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's…

  9. Down woody materials as an indicator of wildlife habitat, fuels, and carbon stocks of the United States

    Treesearch

    Christopher W. Woodall

    2007-01-01

    Why Are Down Woody Materials Important? The down woody materials (DWM) indicator is used to estimate the quantity of deadorganic material (resulting from plant mortality and leaf turnover) in forest ecosystems of the United States. The DWM indicator, coupled with other components of the enhanced Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, can indicate the...

  10. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS INITIATIVE AND BIOMARKERS DATABASE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Within the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), there are several on-going programs and projects that collect health and environmental information. The USEPA's Environmental Indicators Initiative is one such program which includes the development of environmenta...

  11. Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2006. NCES 2007-006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, David C.; Sen, Anindita; Malley, Lydia B.

    2007-01-01

    This report describes how the education system in the United States compares with education systems in the other Group of Eight (G-8) countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom. The report draws on the most current information about education from three primary sources: the Indicators of…

  12. Professionalism in Public Relations Pedagogy: A Comparative Analysis of Public Relations Curricula among the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, Wonjun; Choi, Jinbong

    2012-01-01

    Based on a concept of professionalism, this study analyzed and compared current public relations curricula of higher education among the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. In terms of three educational orientations, results indicated that public relations education in the United States is the most balanced among theoretical,…

  13. Metro U.S.A. Data Sheet: Population Estimates and Selected Demographic Indicators for the Metropolitan Areas of the United States. Special edition of the United States Population Data Sheet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Population Reference Bureau, Inc., Washington, DC.

    This poster-size data sheet presents population estimates and selected demographic indicators for the nation's 281 metropolitan areas. These areas are divided into 261 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and 20 Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSAs), reporting units which replace the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs)…

  14. Relationship of a lichen species diversity indicator to environmental factors across the coterminous United States

    Treesearch

    Susan Will-Wolf; Mark J. Ambrose; Randall S. Morin

    2011-01-01

    We have investigated relationships between one simple indicator of lichen species diversity and environmental variables in forests across the coterminous United States. We want to know whether this indicator can help quantify the influence that factors such as climate and air quality have on lichen biodiversity at large scales and whether it will be useful in...

  15. Unemployment in the United States and Eight Foreign Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorrentino, Constance; Moy, Joyanna

    1974-01-01

    Presented in this article are approximate comparative statistics on labor force and unemployment for the United States and Canada, Great Britain, Italy, France, Sweden, Australia, Japan, and Germany through 1972. Although unemployment rates indicate a decline in Canada and the United States, they remain high compared with most industrial…

  16. Science & Engineering Indicators - 1991. Tenth Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. National Science Board.

    This report is designed to provide public and private policymakers with a broad base of quantitative information about United States science and engineering research and education and about United States technology in a global context. This document begins with a synopsis of United States science and technology. Chapter 1, "Precollege Science and…

  17. 76 FR 19383 - Certain Stilbenic Optical Brightening Agents From China and Taiwan

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-07

    ... Stilbenic Optical Brightening Agents From China and Taiwan AGENCY: United States International Trade... reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of...

  18. Health Inequalities: Trends, Progress, and Policy

    PubMed Central

    Bleich, Sara N.; Jarlenski, Marian P.; Bell, Caryn N.; LaVeist, Thomas A.

    2013-01-01

    Health inequalities, which have been well documented for decades, have more recently become policy targets in developed countries. This review describes time trends in health inequalities (by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status), commitments to reduce health inequalities, and progress made to eliminate health inequalities in the United States, United Kingdom, and other OECD countries. Time-trend data in the United States indicate a narrowing of the gap between the best- and worst-off groups in some health indicators, such as life expectancy, but a widening of the gap in others, such as diabetes prevalence. Similarly, time-trend data in the United Kingdom indicate a narrowing of the gap between the best- and worst-off groups in some indicators, such as hypertension prevalence, whereas the gap between social classes has increased for life expectancy. More research and better methods are needed to measure precisely the relationships between stated policy goals and observed trends in health inequalities. PMID:22224876

  19. Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2006. NCES 2007-006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, David C.; Sen, Anindita; Malley, Lydia B.

    2007-01-01

    This report describes how the education system in the United States compares with education systems in the other Group of Eight (G-8) countries. The G-8 countries--Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States--are among the world's most economically developed countries. Comparative…

  20. Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2009. NCES 2009-039

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, David C.; Sen, Anindita; Malley, Lydia B.; Burns, Stephanie D.

    2009-01-01

    This report describes how the education system in the United States compares with education systems in the other Group of Eight (G-8) countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom) that are among the world's most economically developed countries and among the United States' largest economic partners.…

  1. Quality Assurance in American and British Higher Education: A Comparison.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanley, Elizabeth C.; Patrick, William J.

    1998-01-01

    Compares quality improvement and accountability processes in the United States and United Kingdom. For the United Kingdom, looks at quality audits, institutional assessment, standards-based quality assurance, and research assessment; in the United States, looks at regional and specialized accreditation, performance indicator systems, academic…

  2. Relevance of the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Rangeland Management to Conditions in Patagonia (Argentina)

    Treesearch

    Andrés F. Cibils; Gabriel E. Oliva

    2006-01-01

    Patagonia’s rangelands are similar to those in western United States in terms of climate, topography, and vegetation physiognomy. However, differences in environmental, economic, and societal values do exist between regions. We assessed the usefulness of C&I (Criteria and Indicators) developed in the United States for other countries, and identified indicators not...

  3. Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-20 Countries: 2015. NCES 2016-100

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Maria; Warren, Laura K.; Harner, Ariana L.

    2015-01-01

    The "Comparative Indicators of Education" report series has been published on a biennial basis since it began in 2002, although this year's is the first to expand its focus to the G-20 countries, having previously been focused on the G-8 countries. "Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-20 Countries:…

  4. Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2016 ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA partners with over 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to compile and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change, the significance of these changes, and their possible consequences for people, the environment, and society. This is the fourth edition of the Climate Change Indicators in the United States report. To summarize and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change.

  5. Early indications of drought impacts on forests in the southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Michael K. Crosby; Zhaofei Fan; Martin A. Spetich; Ted Leininger; Xingang Fan

    2015-01-01

    In the southeastern United States, drought can pose a significant threat to forests by reducing the  amount of available water, thereby stressing trees. Destructive changes in crown conditions provide the first visible  indication of a problem in a forested area, making it a useful indicator for problems within an  ecosystem. Forest Health and Monitoring (FHM) and...

  6. FRAGMENTATION OF CONTINENTAL UNITES STATES FORESTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    We report a multiple-scale analysis of forest fragmentation based on 30-m land-cover maps for the conterminous United States. Each 0.09-ha unit of forest was classified according to fragmentation indices measured within the surrounding landscape, for five landscape sizes from 2....

  7. Business Students' Perception of Sales Careers: Differences between Students in Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karakaya, Fahri; Quigley, Charles; Bingham, Frank; Hari, Juerg; Nasir, Aslihan

    2014-01-01

    This research measures perceptual differences between sales and sales careers among business students studying in the United States, Switzerland, and Turkey. Earlier studies indicate that selling and a sales career are not viewed favorably by students in the United States and several other countries. This study expands on prior studies by…

  8. Regional nutrient trends in streams and rivers of the United States, 1993-2003

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sprague, Lori A.; Lorenz, David L.

    2009-01-01

    Trends in flow-adjusted concentrations (indicators of anthropogenic changes) and observed concentrations (indicators of natural and anthropogenic changes) of total phosphorus and total nitrogen from 1993 to 2003 were evaluated in the eastern, central, and western United States by adapting the Regional Kendall trend test to account for seasonality and spatial correlation. The only significant regional trend was an increase in flow-adjusted concentrations of total phosphorus in the central United States, which corresponded to increases in phosphorus inputs from fertilizer in the region, particularly west of the Mississippi River. A similar upward regional trend in observed total phosphorus concentrations in the central United States was not found, likely because precipitation and runoff decreased during drought conditions in the region, offsetting the increased source loading on the land surface. A greater number of regional trends would have been significant if spatial correlation had been disregarded, indicating the importance of spatial correlation modifications in regional trend assessments when sites are not spatially independent.

  9. How Other Countries Use Deprivation Indices-And Why The United States Desperately Needs One.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Robert L; Liaw, Winston; Crampton, Peter; Exeter, Daniel J; Bazemore, Andrew; Vickery, Katherine Diaz; Petterson, Stephen; Carrozza, Mark

    2016-11-01

    Integrating public health and medicine to address social determinants of health is essential to achieving the Triple Aim of lower costs, improved care, and population health. There is intense interest in the United States in using social determinants of health to direct clinical and community health interventions, and to adjust quality measures and payments. The United Kingdom and New Zealand use data representing aspects of material and social deprivation from their censuses or from administrative data sets to construct indices designed to measure socioeconomic variation across communities, assess community needs, inform research, adjust clinical funding, allocate community resources, and determine policy impact. Indices provide these countries with comparable data and serve as a universal language and tool set to define organizing principles for population health. In this article we examine how these countries develop, validate, and operationalize their indices; explore their use in policy; and propose the development of a similar deprivation index for the United States. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  10. Near-term probabilistic forecast of significant wildfire events for the Western United States

    Treesearch

    Haiganoush K. Preisler; Karin L. Riley; Crystal S. Stonesifer; Dave E. Calkin; Matt Jolly

    2016-01-01

    Fire danger and potential for large fires in the United States (US) is currently indicated via several forecasted qualitative indices. However, landscape-level quantitative forecasts of the probability of a large fire are currently lacking. In this study, we present a framework for forecasting large fire occurrence - an extreme value event - and evaluating...

  11. Is there a shortage of neurosurgeons in the United States?

    PubMed

    Rosman, Judy; Slane, Steve; Dery, Beth; Vogelbaum, Michael A; Cohen-Gadol, Aaron A; Couldwell, William T

    2013-08-01

    Neurosurgical workforce decision-making is typically driven by the 1 neurosurgeon per 100,000 population ratio proposed in 1977 in the Study on Surgical Services for the United States report. The actual ratio has always been higher than suggested. We evaluated whether the 1:100,000 ratio from the Study on Surgical Services for the United States report is still valid, whether there are enough neurosurgeons in the United States to meet patient needs, and whether demand is driven by patient need. For our analysis, the distribution of practicing US neurosurgeons was merged with census data to yield density indices of neurosurgeons by state; a survey assessing practice characteristics was e-mailed to practicing neurosurgeons; and a compilation of job advertisements for US neurosurgeons was evaluated. Multivariant statistical analyses yielded inconclusive results regarding patient demand because existing data sets are not designed to establish patient demand and many neurosurgeons are subspecialized. The data indicated that the ratio of neurosurgeons to total US population is 1:65,580. In the survey responses, neurosurgeon-to-patient ratios varied dramatically by state and were inconsistently correlated with whether neurosurgeons indicated they were overworked or underworked. The 305 job advertisements may indicate a shortage. Twenty-four percent of advertising practices indicated that they are recruiting only for emergency department coverage, and an additional 26% indicated that they might not be recruiting if not for the need for emergency coverage. Demand ratios should be reevaluated by region and subspecialty to consider changes in neurosurgery practice. A "shortage" in the employment market may reflect factors other than patient need.

  12. Molecular Epidemiology of Measles Viruses in the United States, 1997–2001

    PubMed Central

    Liffick, Stephanie L.; Rota, Jennifer S.; Katz, Russell S.; Redd, Susan; Papania, Mark; Bellini, William J.

    2002-01-01

    From 1997 to 2001, sequence data from 55 clinical specimens were obtained from confirmed measles cases in the United States, representing 21 outbreaks and 34 sporadic cases. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of 11 of the recognized genotypes. The most common genotypes detected were genotype D6, usually identified from imported cases from Europe, and genotype D5, associated with importations from Japan. A number of viruses belonging to genotype D4 were imported from India and Pakistan. Overall, viral genotypes were determined for 13 chains of transmission with an unknown source of virus, and seven different genotypes were identified. Therefore, the diversity of Measles virus genotypes observed in the United States from 1997 to 2001 reflected multiple imported sources of virus and indicated that no strain of measles is endemic in the United States. PMID:12194764

  13. Understory cover and biomass indices predictions for forest ecosystems of the Northwestern United States

    Treesearch

    Vasile A. Suchar; Nicholas L. Crookston

    2010-01-01

    The understory community is a critical component of many processes of forest ecosystems. Cover and biomass indices of shrubs and herbs of forested ecosystems of Northwestern United States are presented. Various forest data were recorded for 10,895 plots during a Current Vegetation Survey, over the National Forest lands of entire Pacific Northwest. No significant...

  14. 78 FR 29055 - State Medicaid Fraud Control Units; Data Mining

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-17

    ...] State Medicaid Fraud Control Units; Data Mining AGENCY: Office of Inspector General (OIG), HHS. ACTION... Fraud Control Units (MFCU) from using Federal matching funds to identify fraud through screening and... Control Number (OCN) 0990-0162. Table 2 indicates the paperwork burden associated with the requirements of...

  15. Clinical indicators associated with HIV acquisition in the United States Air Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-09

    59 MDW/SGYU SUBJECT: Profess ional Presentation Approval 30 NOV 20 16 I. Your journal, entitled Clinica l indicators associated w ith HIV ...presentation. a new 5g MOW Form 303g must be submitted for review and approval.) Epidemiology and Risk Factors for HIV Infection in U.S. Air Force...Service Members, 1996-20 11 6. TITLE OF MATERIAL TO BE PUBLISHED OR PRESENTED: Clinical indicators associated with HIV acquisition in the United States

  16. School Readiness Indicator Items.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calkins, Julia; Ling, Thomson; Moore, Eric; Halle, Tamara; Hair, Beth; Moore, Kris; Zaslow, Marty

    This report provides a compilation of indicators of school readiness used in national, state, and local surveys in the United States, delineating the advantages and disadvantages for each indicator. The report begins with a legend to assist in interpreting the tables and includes contact information for national and state surveys. The remainder of…

  17. Evaluation of Iranian Students in the United States and Their Returnability to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arasteh, Hamid

    This study focused on Iranian students in the United States and factors influencing their decision to stay in the United States or return to the Islamic Republic of Iran after completion of their studies. Data were gathered via a mail survey of 130 Iranian students. Results indicated that almost 70 percent of respondents expressed intentions to…

  18. Analysis of long-term trends (1950–2009) in precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient in major urban watersheds in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Velpuri, N.M.; Senay, G.B.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the long-term trends in precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient in major urban watersheds in the United States. The seasonal Mann–Kendall trend test was performed on monthly precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient data from 1950 to 2009 obtained from 62 urban watersheds covering 21 major urban centers in the United States. The results indicate that only five out of 21 urban centers in the United States showed an uptrend in precipitation. Twelve urban centers showed an uptrend in runoff coefficient. However, six urban centers did not show any trend in runoff coefficient, and three urban centers showed a significant downtrend. The highest rate of change in precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient was observed in the Houston urban watershed. Based on the results obtained, we also attributed plausible causes for the trends. Our analysis indicated that while a human only influence is observed in most of the urban watersheds, a combined climate and human influence is observed in the central United States.

  19. Declining urban and community tree cover in the United States

    Treesearch

    David J. Nowak; Eric J. Greenfield

    2018-01-01

    Paired aerial photographs were interpreted to assess recent changes (c. 2009–2014) in tree, impervious and other cover types within urban/community and urban land in all 50 United States and the District of Columbia. National results indicate that tree cover in urban/community areas of the United States is on the decline at a rate of about 175,000 acres per year, which...

  20. Precipitation and the occurrence of lyme disease in the Northeastern United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCabe, G.J.; Bunnell, J.E.

    2004-01-01

    The occurrence of Lyme disease is a growing concern in the United States, and various studies have been performed to understand the factors related to Lyme disease occurrence. In the United States, Lyme disease has occurred most frequently in the northeastern United States. Positive correlations between the number of cases of Lyme disease reported in the northeastern United States during the 1992-2002 period indicate that late spring/early summer precipitation was a significant climate factor affecting the occurrence of Lyme disease. When late spring/early summer precipitation was greater than average, the occurrence of Lyme disease was above average, possibly due to increased tick activity and survival rate during wet conditions. Temperature did not seem to explain the variability in Lyme disease reports for the northeastern United States. ?? Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

  1. 12 CFR 615.5500 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Global Debt Securities § 615.5500 Definitions. In this subpart, unless the context otherwise requires or indicates: (a) Global debt securities means consolidated... United States or simultaneously inside and outside the United States. (b) Global agent means any fiscal...

  2. 12 CFR 615.5500 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Global Debt Securities § 615.5500 Definitions. In this subpart, unless the context otherwise requires or indicates: (a) Global debt securities means consolidated... United States or simultaneously inside and outside the United States. (b) Global agent means any fiscal...

  3. 12 CFR 615.5500 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Global Debt Securities § 615.5500 Definitions. In this subpart, unless the context otherwise requires or indicates: (a) Global debt securities means consolidated... United States or simultaneously inside and outside the United States. (b) Global agent means any fiscal...

  4. 12 CFR 615.5500 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Global Debt Securities § 615.5500 Definitions. In this subpart, unless the context otherwise requires or indicates: (a) Global debt securities means consolidated... United States or simultaneously inside and outside the United States. (b) Global agent means any fiscal...

  5. Comparing What Teacher Candidates Know about Each Other: China and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Tingting; Byker, Erik Jon; Chen, Juan

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to compare teacher candidates' knowledge and perceptions about China and the United States. Using a survey research design, 91 Chinese teacher candidates and 96 teacher candidates from the United Sates participated. The survey findings indicated that, while both groups of teacher candidates had a basic level of…

  6. A preliminary assessment of the Montréal process indicators of air pollution for the United States

    Treesearch

    John W. Coulston; Kurt H. Riitters; Grethchen C. Smith

    2004-01-01

    Air pollutants pose a risk to forest health and vitality in the United States. Here we present the major findings from a national scale air pollution assessment that is part of the United States’ 2003 Report on Sustainable Forests. We examine trends and the percent forest subjected to specific levels of ozone and wet deposition of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium....

  7. Gender Differences in Social Consequences of Perceived Overweight in the United States and Australia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tiggemann, Marika; Rothblum, Esther

    1988-01-01

    The attitudes of college students in Australia and the United States about body weight were investigated. The results indicate excessive and maladaptive concerns with weight, in general, and among women and American students in particular. (Author/BJV)

  8. Research in Review. Malnutrition and Children's Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevens, Joseph H., Jr.; Baxter, Delia H.

    1981-01-01

    Indicates how various degrees of malnutrition affect children's development. Reviews research conducted in several developing countries and the United States, and describes the nutritional status of children in the United States. Implications for nutrition programs, research and policy formation are pointed out. (Author/RH)

  9. Evidence for Mojave-Sonora megashear-Systematic left-lateral offset of Neoproterozoic to Lower Jurassic strata and facies, western United States and northwestern Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stewart, John H.

    2005-01-01

    Major successions as well as individual units of Neoproterozoic to Lower Jurassic strata and facies appear to be systematically offset left laterally from eastern California and western Nevada in the western United States to Sonora, Mexico. This pattern is most evident in units such as the "Johnnie oolite," a 1- to 2-m-thick oolite of the Neoproterozoic Rainstorm Member of the Johnnie Formation in the western United States and of the Clemente Formation in Sonora. The pattern is also evident in the Lower Cambrian Zabriskie Quartzite of the western United States and the correlative Proveedora Quartzite in Sonora. Matching of isopach lines of the Zabriskie Quartzite and Proveedora Quartzite suggests ???700-800 km of left-lateral offset. The offset pattern is also apparent in the distribution of distinctive lithologic types, unconformities, and fossil assemblages in other rocks ranging in age from Neoproterozoic to Early Jurassic. In the western United States, the distribution of facies in Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic strata indicates that the Cordilleran miogeocline trends north-south. A north-south trend is also suggested in Sonora, and if so is compatible with offset of the miogeocline but not with the ideas that the miogeocline wrapped around the continental margin and trends east-west in Sonora. An imperfect stratigraphic match of supposed offset segments along the megashear is apparent. Some units, such as the "Johnnie oolite" and Zabriskie-Proveedora, show almost perfect correspondence, but other units are significantly different. The differences seem to indicate that the indigenous succession of the western United States and offset segments in Mexico were not precisely side by side before offset but were separated by an area-now buried, eroded, or destroyed-that contained strata of intermediate facies. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

  10. Monitoring the World Health Organization Global Target 2025 for Exclusive Breastfeeding: Experience From the United States.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Priya M; Perrine, Cria G; Chen, Jian; Elam-Evans, Laurie D; Flores-Ayala, Rafael

    2017-08-01

    Exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months, calculated from a single 24-hour recall among mothers of children 0 to 5 months of age, is a World Health Organization (WHO) indicator used to monitor progress on the 2025 global breastfeeding target. Many upper-middle-income and high-income countries, including the United States, do not have estimates for this indicator. Research aim: To describe the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months in the United States. We used a single 24-hour dietary recall from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2012 to calculate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months. We discuss our results in the context of routine breastfeeding surveillance, which is reported from a national survey with different methodology. Among children younger than 6 months, 24.4%, 95% confidence interval [17.6, 31.1], were exclusively breastfed the previous day. To our knowledge, this is the first estimate of the WHO indicator of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months for the United States. This study supports the global surveillance and data strategy for reporting to the WHO on the 2025 target for exclusive breastfeeding.

  11. Relationship between crown dieback and drought in the southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Michael K. Crosby; Zhaofei Fan; Martin A. Spetich; Theodor D. Leininger; Xingang Fan

    2012-01-01

    Forest Health and Monitoring (FHM) and Palmer's Drought Severity Index (PDSI) data were obtained for 11 states in the southeastern United States to assess the relationship between drought and crown dieback. Correlation analyses were performed at the species group and ecoregion levels within the study area. The results indicate a negative correlation between...

  12. 48 CFR 252.212-7000 - Offeror representations and certifications-Commercial items.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. Sec. 2415). (2) United States means the 50 States, the... Israel by Arab countries, which 50 U.S.C. App. Sec. 2407(a) prohibits a United States person from taking... solicitations for the direct purchase of ocean transportation services). (1) The Offeror shall indicate by...

  13. 48 CFR 252.212-7000 - Offeror representations and certifications-Commercial items.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. Sec. 2415). (2) United States means the 50 States, the... Israel by Arab countries, which 50 U.S.C. App. Sec. 2407(a) prohibits a United States person from taking... solicitations for the direct purchase of ocean transportation services). (1) The Offeror shall indicate by...

  14. The Status of Genetics Curriculum in Higher Education in the United States: Goals and Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McElhinny, Teresa L.; Dougherty, Michael J.; Bowling, Bethany V.; Libarkin, Julie C.

    2014-01-01

    We review the state of genetics instruction in the United States through the lens of backward design, with particular attention to the goals and assessments that inform curricular practice. An analysis of syllabi and leading textbooks indicates that genetics instruction focuses most strongly on foundations of DNA and Mendelian genetics. At the…

  15. A perspective of preconception health activities in the United States.

    PubMed

    Boulet, Sheree L; Johnson, Kay; Parker, Christopher; Posner, Samuel F; Atrash, Hani

    2006-09-01

    Information regarding the type and scope of preconception care programs in the United States is scant. We evaluated State Title V measurement and indicator data and abstracts presented at the National Summit on Preconception Care (June 2005) in order to identify existing programs and innovative strategies for preconception health promotion. We used the web-based Title V Information System to identify state Performance Measures and Priority Needs pertaining to preconception health as reported for the 2005-2010 Needs Assessment Cycle. We also present a detailed summary of the abstracts presented at the National Summit on Preconception Care. A total of 23 states reported a Priority Need that focused on preconception health and health care. Forty-two states and jurisdictions identified a Performance Measure associated with preconception health or a related indicator (e.g., folic acid, birth spacing, family planning, unintended pregnancy, and healthy weight). Nearly 60 abstracts pertaining to preconception care were presented at the National Summit and included topics such as research, programs, patient or provider toolkits, clinical practice strategies, and public policy. Strategies for improving preconception health have been incorporated into numerous programs throughout the United States. Widespread recognition of the benefits of preconception health promotion is evidenced by the number of states identifying related indicators.

  16. Impact of State Public Health Spending on Disease Incidence in the United States from 1980 to 2009.

    PubMed

    Verma, Reetu; Clark, Samantha; Leider, Jonathon; Bishai, David

    2017-02-01

    To understand the relationship between state-level spending by public health departments and the incidence of three vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs): mumps, pertussis, and rubella in the United States from 1980 to 2009. This study uses state-level public health spending data from The Census Bureau and annual mumps, pertussis, and rubella incidence counts from the University of Pittsburgh's project Tycho. Ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects, and random effects regression models were tested, with results indicating that a fixed effects model would be most appropriate model for this analysis. Model output suggests a statistically significant, negative relationship between public health spending and mumps and rubella incidence. Lagging outcome variables indicate that public health spending actually has the greatest impact on VPD incidence in subsequent years, rather than the year in which the spending occurred. Results were robust to models with lagged spending variables, national time trends, and state time trends, as well as models with and without Medicaid and hospital spending. Our analysis indicates that there is evidence of a significant, negative relationship between a state's public health spending and the incidence of two VPDs, mumps and rubella, in the United States. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  17. Fortification of corn masa flour with folic acid in the United States: an overview of the evidence

    PubMed Central

    Hamner, Heather C.; Tinker, Sarah C.

    2015-01-01

    Corn masa flour, used to make products such as corn tortillas, is a staple food for Hispanic populations residing in the United States, particularly among Mexican Americans and Central Americans. Research has indicated that Hispanic women in the United States continue to be at a higher risk of having a neural tube defect–affected pregnancy than women of other races/ethnicities, even after the introduction of folic acid fortification of cereal grain products labeled as “enriched.” Corn masa flour has, therefore, been suggested as a potential food vehicle for folic acid in the United States. This paper explores the potential impact that folic acid fortification of corn masa flour could have on the Hispanic population in the United States. PMID:24494975

  18. Fortification of corn masa flour with folic acid in the United States: an overview of the evidence.

    PubMed

    Hamner, Heather C; Tinker, Sarah C

    2014-04-01

    Corn masa flour, used to make products such as corn tortillas, is a staple food for Hispanic populations residing in the United States, particularly among Mexican Americans and Central Americans. Research has indicated that Hispanic women in the United States continue to be at a higher risk of having a neural tube defect-affected pregnancy than women of other races/ethnicities, even after the introduction of folic acid fortification of cereal grain products labeled as "enriched." Corn masa flour has, therefore, been suggested as a potential food vehicle for folic acid in the United States. This paper explores the potential impact that folic acid fortification of corn masa flour could have on the Hispanic population in the United States. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

  19. Conservation Directory 1970.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC.

    This list of natural resource use and management organizations in the United States and Canada is supplemented with indices to their major periodical publications and to individuals named in the directory. Sections of the directory deal with agencies of the United States government; organizations and commissions with international, national,…

  20. 19 CFR 201.6 - Confidential business information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 201.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION... business information shall be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500... International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436, and shall clearly indicate that it is a...

  1. 19 CFR 201.6 - Confidential business information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 201.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION... business information shall be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500... International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436, and shall clearly indicate that it is a...

  2. 19 CFR 201.6 - Confidential business information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 201.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION... business information shall be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500... International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436, and shall clearly indicate that it is a...

  3. 19 CFR 201.6 - Confidential business information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 201.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION... business information shall be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500... International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436, and shall clearly indicate that it is a...

  4. 19 CFR 201.6 - Confidential business information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 201.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION... business information shall be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500... International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436, and shall clearly indicate that it is a...

  5. Variability and trends in dry day frequency and dry event length in the southwestern United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCabe, Gregory J.; Legates, David R.; Lins, Harry F.

    2010-01-01

    Daily precipitation from 22 National Weather Service first-order weather stations in the southwestern United States for water years 1951 through 2006 are used to examine variability and trends in the frequency of dry days and dry event length. Dry events with minimum thresholds of 10 and 20 consecutive days of precipitation with less than 2.54 mm are analyzed. For water years and cool seasons (October through March), most sites indicate negative trends in dry event length (i.e., dry event durations are becoming shorter). For the warm season (April through September), most sites also indicate negative trends; however, more sites indicate positive trends in dry event length for the warm season than for water years or cool seasons. The larger number of sites indicating positive trends in dry event length during the warm season is due to a series of dry warm seasons near the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. Overall, a large portion of the variability in dry event length is attributable to variability of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, especially for water years and cool seasons. Our results are consistent with analyses of trends in discharge for sites in the southwestern United States, an increased frequency in El Niño events, and positive trends in precipitation in the southwestern United States.

  6. A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR MONITORING STREAM CONDITION IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory


    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently initiated a four-year survey of streams in the Western United States as a component of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). EMAP is developing indicators to monitor and assess the condition of ecological...

  7. Building a Potential Wetland Restoration Indicator for the Contiguous United States

    EPA Science Inventory

    Wetlands provide key functions in the landscape from improving water quality, to regulating flows, to providing wildlife habitat. Over half of the wetlands in the contiguous United States (CONUS) have been converted to agricultural and urban land uses. However, over the last seve...

  8. Work-time Reduction in the U.S. and Western Europe.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owen, John D.

    1988-01-01

    Available data indicate that, although the United States once pioneered in providing reduced working time for workers, achieving a 40-hour workweek well in advance of most other industrial nations, Western Europe has now caught up and passed the United States in this respect. (Author)

  9. Assessing the coal resources of the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gluskoter, Harold J.; Flores, R.M.; Hatch, J.; Kirschbaum, M.A.; Ruppert, L.F.; Warwick, Peter D.

    1996-01-01

    In 1994, coal production in the United States reached the highest level in history (slightly more than 909 million metric tons or one billion short tons), continuing the upward trend of coal production and utilization that began 34 years ago. Previous assessments of the coal resources of the United States, which were completed as early as 1909, clearly indicated that the total coal resources of the Nation are large and that utilization at the current rate will not soon deplete them.

  10. Seat belt use on interstate highways.

    PubMed Central

    Wells, J K; Williams, A F; Lund, A K

    1990-01-01

    More than 5,000 miles of limited-access highways in the eastern United States and Canada were traveled to observe seat belt use. Overall belt use was 58 percent in the United States and 79 percent in Canada. The data indicate that belt use in the United States follows a different pattern on interstate highways than on other streets and roads, with relatively high belt use rates (over 50 percent) appearing to be somewhat independent of belt use law provisions. PMID:2343969

  11. Recent Ocean Literacy Research in United States Public Schools: Results and Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plankis, Brian J.; Marrero, Meghan E.

    2010-01-01

    Recent research conducted on adults in the United States indicates low ocean literacy (Ocean Project, 2009b, 1999), but there is a dearth of peer-reviewed research on K-12 students' ocean literacy. This paper presents two research studies that examined the ocean and environmental literacy of 464 K-12 students in five states. Like the majority of…

  12. Forest conditions and trends in the northern United States

    Treesearch

    Stephen R. Shifley; Francisco X. Aguilar; Nianfu Song; Susan I. Stewart; David J. Nowak; Dale D. Gormanson; W. Keith Moser; Sherri Wormstead; Eric J. Greenfield

    2012-01-01

    This section describes current conditions and trends for the 20 Northern States by focusing on selected characteristics associated with forest sustainability. Its format is based upon a set of 64 indicators within 7 broad criteria that the United States and 11 other countries have adopted under the auspices of the Montréal Process Working Group on Criteria and...

  13. National Report on Sustainable Forests - 2003

    Treesearch

    USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    This report presents a fresh analysis of the available data on the condition of forests in the United States. It uses the criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management endorsed by the Montreal Process, of which the United States is a member country. The report also identifies data gaps and makes recommendations for next steps to move forward the state of the...

  14. Landscape Correlates of Breeding Bird Richness Across the United States Mid-Atlantic Region

    Treesearch

    K. Bruce Jones; Anne C. Neale; Maliha S. Nash; Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham; Robert V. O' Neill; Rick D. van Remortel

    2000-01-01

    Using a new set of landscape indicator data generated by the U.S. EPA, and a comprhensive breeding database from the National Breeding Bird Survey, we evaluated associations between breeding bird richness and landscape characteristics across the entire mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

  15. 19 CFR 10.842 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States; (j) Knit-to-shape articles. “Knit-to-shape,” when used with... the meanings indicated unless either the context in which they are used requires a different meaning..., 2010, and ending on December 19, 2011; (c) Customs territory of the United States. “Customs territory...

  16. 19 CFR 10.842 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States; (j) Knit-to-shape articles. “Knit-to-shape,” when used with... the meanings indicated unless either the context in which they are used requires a different meaning..., 2010, and ending on December 19, 2011; (c) Customs territory of the United States. “Customs territory...

  17. Characterizing changes in drought risk for the United States from climate change

    EPA Science Inventory

    The effect of climate change on the frequency and intensity of droughts across the contiguous United States over the next century is assessed by applying Standardized Precipitation Indices and the Palmer Drought Severity Index to the full suite of 22 Intergovernmental Panel on Cl...

  18. Wild felids as hosts for human plague, Western United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bevins, S.N.; Tracey, J.A.; Franklin, S.P.; Schmit, V.L.; MacMillan, M.L.; Gage, K.L.; Schriefer, M.E.; Logan, K.A.; Sweanor, L.L.; Alldredge, M.W.; Krumm, C.; Boyce, W.M.; Vickers, W.; Riley, S.P.D.; Lyren, L.M.; Boydston, E.E.; Fisher, R.N.; Roelke, M.E.; Salman, M.; Crooks, K.R.; VandeWoude, S.

    2009-01-01

    Plague seroprevalence was estimated in populations pumas and bobcats in the western United States. High levels of exposure in plague-endemic regions indicate the need to consider the ecology and pathobiology of plague nondomestic felid hosts to better understand the role of these species in disease persistence and transmission.

  19. Report to Congress on Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center for Health Statistics (DHHS/PHS), Hyattsville, MD.

    This report summarizes the current status and trends in nonmarital childbearing in the United States, and presents a series of supplemental papers by experts from social science disciplines. "Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States" (Kristin A. Moore) introduces the topic, indicating that nearly a third of all births in the country…

  20. Socialism in High School Social Studies Textbooks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neumann, Richard

    2012-01-01

    This article concerns textbook analysis regarding the presentation of socialism in four leading high school social studies books, one in each of the following subjects: United States history, world history, United States government, and economics. Findings indicate that students relying on these texts to gain understanding of socialism and…

  1. ASSESSING WATER QUALITY CHANGES IN THE LAKES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES USING SEDIMENT DIATOMS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Diatom assemblages were selected as indicators of lake condition and to assess historical lake water quality changes in 257 lakes in the northeastern United States. The "top" (surface sediments, present-day) and "bottom" (generally from >30 cm deep, representing historical condit...

  2. Profiles of Acculturative Adjustment Patterns among Chinese International Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Kenneth T.; Heppner, Puncky Paul; Fu, Chu-Chun; Zhao, Ran; Li, Feihan; Chuang, Chih-Chun

    2012-01-01

    This is the first study to empirically identify distinct acculturative adjustment patterns of new international students over their first 3 semesters in the United States. The sample consisted of 507 Chinese international students studying in the United States. Using psychological distress as an indicator of acculturative adjustment, measured over…

  3. America = Las Americas. Canada, United States, Mexico.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toro, Leonor; And Others

    Written for teachers to use with migrant children in elementary grades and to highlight the many Americas, three magazines provide historical and cultural background information on Canada, the United States, and Mexico and feature biographies of Black and Hispanic leaders. Each edition has a table of contents indicating the language--Spanish…

  4. The Status of Women in the States. Politics, Economics, Health, Demographics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute for Women's Policy Research, Washington, DC.

    This report presents information from a variety of sources (primarily government agencies) regarding the status of women in the United States. The report presents data for each state on 20 component indicators as well as on 4 composite indices: political participation; employment and earnings; economic autonomy; and reproductive rights. Discussed…

  5. USEPA Environmental Quality Index (EQI) and Associated Domain Indices by County for the United States

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) in the Environmental Public Health Division (EPHD) is currently engaged in research aimed at developing a measure that estimates overall environmental quality at the county level for the United States. This work is being conducted as an effort to learn more about how various environmental factors simultaneously contribute to health disparities in low-income and minority populations, and to better estimate the total environmental and social context to which humans are exposed. This dataset contains the finalized Environmental Quality Index (EQI), and an index for each of the associated domains (air, water, land, built environment, and sociodemographic environment). Indices are at the county level for all counties in the United States.

  6. Science Indicators, 1972.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. National Science Board.

    In this report the National Science Board presents the first results from a newly initiated effort to develop indicators of the state of the scientific enterprise in the Unite States. The ultimate goal of this effort is a set of indices which will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of U.S. science and technology, in terms of the capacity and…

  7. Spatial distribution of specialized cardiac care units in the state of Santa Catarina

    PubMed Central

    Cirino, Silviana; Lima, Fabiana Santos; Gonçalves, Mirian Buss

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To analyze the methodology used for assessing the spatial distribution of specialized cardiac care units. METHODS A modeling and simulation method was adopted for the practical application of cardiac care service in the state of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, using the p-median model. As the state is divided into 21 health care regions, a methodology which suggests an arrangement of eight intermediate cardiac care units was analyzed, comparing the results obtained using data from 1996 and 2012. RESULTS Results obtained using data from 2012 indicated significant changes in the state, particularly in relation to the increased population density in the coastal regions. The current study provided a satisfactory response, indicated by the homogeneity of the results regarding the location of the intermediate cardiac care units and their respective regional administrations, thereby decreasing the average distance traveled by users to health care units, located in higher population density areas. The validity of the model was corroborated through the analysis of the allocation of the median vertices proposed in 1996 and 2012. CONCLUSIONS The current spatial distribution of specialized cardiac care units is more homogeneous and reflects the demographic changes that have occurred in the state over the last 17 years. The comparison between the two simulations and the current configuration showed the validity of the proposed model as an aid in decision making for system expansion. PMID:26039394

  8. Relationships between forest fine and coarse woody debris carbon stocks across latitudinal gradients in the United States as an indicator of climate change effects

    Treesearch

    C.W. Woodall; G.C. Liknes

    2008-01-01

    Coarse and fine woody materials (CWD and FWD) are substantial forest ecosystem carbon (C) stocks. There is a lack of understanding how these detritus C stocks may respond to climate change. This study used a nation-wide inventory of CWD and FWD in the United States to examine how these C stocks vary by latitude. Results indicate that the highest CWD and FWD C stocks...

  9. The prehomosexual male child in three societies: the United States, Guatemala, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Whitam, F L

    1980-04-01

    The question raised by this article is: do the several behavioral indicators of male homosexuality, which emerge in childhood, appear cross-culturally, or are they limited to American society? These indicators are interest in toys of the opposite sex, cross-dressing, preference for girls' games and activities, preference for the company of women, being regarded as a sissy, and preference for boys in childhood sex play. Data on indicators were obtained from male homosexuals in three societies--the United States, Guatemala, and Brazil--and compared with responses of heterosexuals. It is concluded that the behavioral indicators do occur in these three societies and occur at about the same rate.

  10. Chapter 7: Precipitation Change in the United States

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Easterling, D. R.; Kunkel, K. E.; Arnold, J. R.; Knutson, T.; LeGrande, A. N.; Leung, L. R.; Vose, R. S.; Waliser, D. E.; Wehner, M. F.

    2017-01-01

    Annual precipitation has decreased in much of the West, Southwest, and Southeast and increased in most of the Northern and Southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. A national average increase of 4% in annual precipitation since 1901 is mostly a result of large increases in the fall season. Heavy precipitation events in most parts of the United States have increased in both intensity and frequency since 1901. There are important regional differences in trends, with the largest increases occurring in the northeastern United States. In particular, mesoscale convective systems (organized clusters of thunderstorms)-the main mechanism for warm season precipitation in the central part of the United States-have increased in occurrence and precipitation amounts since 1979. The frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation events are projected to continue to increase over the 21st century (high confidence). Mesoscale convective systems in the central United States are expected to continue to increase in number and intensity in the future. There are, however, important regional and seasonal differences in projected changes in total precipitation: the northern United States, including Alaska, is projected to receive more precipitation in the winter and spring, and parts of the southwestern United States are projected to receive less precipitation in the winter and spring. Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover extent, North America maximum snow depth, snow water equivalent in the western United States, and extreme snowfall years in the southern and western United States have all declined, while extreme snowfall years in parts of the northern United States have increased. Projections indicate large declines in snowpack in the western United States and shifts to more precipitation falling as rain than snow in the cold season in many parts of the central and eastern United States.

  11. Factors predicting organochlorine pesticide levels in pregnant Latina women living in a United States agricultural area

    PubMed Central

    Bradman, Asa; Schwartz, Jackie M.; Fenster, Laura; Barr, Dana B.; Holland, Nina T.; Eskenazi, Brenda

    2015-01-01

    Organochlorine (OC) pesticide use was restricted starting in the 1970s in developed countries and the 1980s and 1990s in developing countries. Current exposure to OC pesticides – DDT, lindane (99% pure gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH)), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) – occurs on a limited basis. We measured p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDT, HCB, beta (β)-HCH (the most persistent isomer of technical-grade HCH) and γ-HCH in serum from 426 low-income pregnant Latina women living in an agricultural community in California. Detection frequencies were 94-100%. Median levels (ng/g-lipid) of p,p′-DDE (1,052), p,p′-DDT (13), β-HCH (37) and HCB (65) were significantly higher than U.S. population levels. Multivariate analyses of p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDT, β-HCH and HCB indicate that time spent living outside the United States and birthplace in an area of Mexico with recent use of OC pesticides were significant predictors of exposure. Time spent living in the United States was associated with increased serum levels of p,p′-DDE and β-HCH, but the increase for each year lived in the United States was lower than for each year lived outside the United States. There was no difference between the increase of HCB levels over time spent in or outside the United States, suggesting current and thus preventable exposure routes. However, we observed no associations between serum levels of any OC compound and current intake of saturated fat or agricultural take-home exposure risk factors. Lactation history and recent weight gain were negatively associated with serum levels of some, but not all OC compounds studied. Smoking history was borderline associated with elevated HCB levels. We observed no significant associations with body mass index. Although the weight of evidence from this study indicates that most exposure occurred prior to moving to the United States, the results for HCB indicate the possibility of ongoing exposure in this country. PMID:17033681

  12. The Need for Foreign Language Competence in the United States. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamayan, Else

    Americans generally lack foreign language competence, and their exposure to foreign languages in the United States is inadequate. Foreign language instruction is deficient in both quality and quantity, and although there are indications of improvement in both areas, it will be many years before the effects of improvements are clear. The…

  13. Educational Attainment in the United States: 2003. Population Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoops, Nicole

    2004-01-01

    The population in the United States is becoming more educated, but significant differences in educational attainment remain with regard to age, sex, race, and origin. Nevertheless, the educational attainment of young adults (25 to 29 years), which provides a glimpse of our country's future, indicates dramatic improvement by groups who have…

  14. Wild Felids as Hosts for Human Plague, Western United States

    PubMed Central

    Tracey, Jeff A.; Franklin, Sam P.; Schmit, Virginia L.; MacMillan, Martha L.; Gage, Kenneth L.; Schriefer, Martin E.; Logan, Kenneth A.; Sweanor, Linda L.; Alldredge, Mat W.; Krumm, Caroline; Boyce, Walter M.; Vickers, Winston; Riley, Seth P.D.; Lyren, Lisa M.; Boydston, Erin E.; Fisher, Robert N.; Roelke, Melody E.; Salman, Mo; Crooks, Kevin R.; VandeWoude, Sue

    2009-01-01

    Plague seroprevalence was estimated in populations of pumas and bobcats in the western United States. High levels of exposure in plague-endemic regions indicate the need to consider the ecology and pathobiology of plague in nondomestic felid hosts to better understand the role of these species in disease persistence and transmission. PMID:19961691

  15. Objectively Assessed Physical Activity among Tongans in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behrens, Timothy K.; Moy, Karen; Dinger, Mary K.; Williams, Daniel P.; Harbour, Vanessa J.

    2011-01-01

    Until recently, health statistics data for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) in the United States were almost nonexistent, due to their being historically aggregated into one homogenous group with Asian Americans. However, recent studies on U.S. NHPI highlight a multitude of obesity-related health disparities indicating the necessity…

  16. Predictive Validity of Early Literacy Measures for Korean English Language Learners in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Jeanie Nam; Vanderwood, Michael L.; Lee, Catherine Y.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the predictive validity of early literacy measures with first-grade Korean English language learners (ELLs) in the United States at varying levels of English proficiency. Participants were screened using Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF), DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency…

  17. Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kotrla, Kimberly

    2010-01-01

    By now, most social workers are familiar with the issue of human trafficking. However, many are likely unfamiliar with research indicating that youths constitute the most vulnerable group in the United States for becoming victims of sex trafficking and that most women in prostitution actually entered as minors. Some experts are now referring to…

  18. Educational Attainment in the United States: Population Characteristics. Current Population Reports.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newburger, Eric C.; Curry, Andrea

    Although the United States' overall trend reflects a more educated population, significant differences in educational attainment remain with regard to age, sex, race, and origin. Nevertheless, the educational attainment of young adults (ages 25 to 29) indicates a dramatic improvement by groups who have historically been less educated. This report…

  19. Professionalism in Theatre for Young Audiences: Definition, Training, Working Conditions, Standards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oaks, Harold R.

    Interviews with representatives from ten foreign countries offer a base for the comparison of professionalism in children's theatre programs and indicate specific differences that exist in the United States and in each of the other countries. The United States differs from the other countries in its definition of professionalism, its lack of…

  20. Social Indicators, 1973. Selected Statistics on Social Conditions and Trends in the United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC. Statistical Policy Div.

    The book contains statistics selected and organized to describe social conditions and trends in the United States. Most of the data was compiled through Federal Government surveys. The following eight major social areas are examined: health, public safety, education, employment income, housing, leisure and recreation, and population. Within each…

  1. Motivational Attitudes toward Participating in Physical Activity among International Students Attending Colleges in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoh, Taeho

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate motivational attitudes toward participating in physical activity among international students attending colleges in the United States. Five-hundred twenty-one students participated in this study. The results indicated that the factors of organic development ("keeping good health and physical…

  2. Wilderness based ecosystem protection in the northern Rocky Mountains of the United States

    Treesearch

    Mike Bader

    2000-01-01

    Wilderness is a source habitat for grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations in the northern Rocky Mountains of the United States, helping sustain these indicators of ecosystem health. The spatial distribution of grizzly bear mortalities has changed since the end of legal hunting seasons,...

  3. National boating trends

    Treesearch

    Albert J. Marmo

    1980-01-01

    This paper examines the characteristics of recreational boats and boaters in the United States and the nature and extent of boating activities. The primary sources of the information presented are the United States Coast Guard's Nationwide Boating Surveys conducted in 1973 and 1976. The evidence indicates that boating is a major form of outdoor recreation with a...

  4. Marketing Crises in Tourism: Communication Strategies in the United States and Spain.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez-Herrero, Alfonso; Pratt, Cornelius B.

    1998-01-01

    Compares crisis-response strategies of marketing-communication professionals in tourism organizations (TOs) in the United States and Spain. Reports the extent to which they use proven crisis-management strategies. Indicates significant differences between the countries' TOs in both their extant plans for responding to marketing crises and in their…

  5. Park Forest Middle School STEM Education Fair 2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Bill

    2010-01-01

    Innovations from the United States have often led the world to new discoveries and solutions to complex problems. However, there are alarming indications that the United States is falling behind other countries in the ability to apply science, technology, engineering, and math to complex problems facing our world. In order for the country to…

  6. Combined Film Catalog, 1972, United States Atomic Energy Commission.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DC.

    A comprehensive listing of all current United States Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC) films, this catalog describes 232 films in two major film collections. Part One: Education-Information contains 17 subject categories and two series and describes 134 films with indicated understanding levels on each film for use by schools. The categories…

  7. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance--United States, 2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eaton, Danice K.; Kann, Laura; Kinchen, Steve; Ross, James; Hawkins, Joseph; Harris, William A.; Lowry, Richard; McManus, Tim; Chyen, David; Shanklin, Shari; Lim, Connie; Grunbaum, Jo Anne; Wechsler, Howell

    2006-01-01

    In the United States, 71% of all deaths among persons aged 10-24 years result from 4 causes: motor vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. Results from the 2005 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) indicated that during the 30 days preceding the survey, many high school students engaged in behaviors that…

  8. Early Marriage in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uecker, Jeremy E.; Stokes, Charles E.

    2008-01-01

    Despite drastic changes in the American family, a significant minority of Americans marry early. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 14,165), this study evaluates the prevalence and antecedents of early marriage in the United States. The results indicate 25% of women and 16% of men marry before age 23, and…

  9. Child Care Centers Sponsored by Employers and Labor Unions in the United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perry, Kathryn Senn

    To gather information helpful to employers and labor representatives considering support for employee child care services, a survey of 305 employer-sponsored child care centers throughout the United States was conducted in 1978. This report presents, and in some sections updates, findings of the survey. Responses indicate that successful…

  10. Quality of care indicators for the structure and organization of inpatient rehabilitation care of children with traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Zumsteg, Jennifer M; Ennis, Stephanie K; Jaffe, Kenneth M; Mangione-Smith, Rita; MacKenzie, Ellen J; Rivara, Frederick P

    2012-03-01

    To develop evidence-based and expert-driven quality indicators for measuring variations in the structure and organization of acute inpatient rehabilitation for children after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to survey centers across the United States to determine the degree of variation in care. Quality indicators were developed using the RAND/UCLA modified Delphi method. Adherence to these indicators was determined from a survey of rehabilitation facilities. Inpatient rehabilitation units in the United States. A sample of rehabilitation programs identified using data from the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities yielded 74 inpatient units treating children with TBI. Survey respondents comprised 31 pediatric and 28 all age units. Not applicable. Variations in structure and organization of care among institutions providing acute inpatient rehabilitation for children with TBI. Twelve indicators were developed. Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation units and units with higher volumes of children with TBI were more likely to have: a census of at least 1 child admitted with a TBI for at least 90% of the time; adequate specialized equipment; a classroom; a pediatric subspecialty trained medical director; and more than 75% of therapists with pediatric training. There were clinically and statistically significant variations in the structure and organization of acute pediatric rehabilitation based on the pediatric focus of the unit and volume of children with TBI. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Aerodynamic Drag and Drag Reduction: Energy and Energy Savings (Invited)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wood, Richard M.

    2003-01-01

    An assessment of the role of fluid dynamic resistance and/or aerodynamic drag and the relationship to energy use in the United States is presented. Existing data indicates that up to 25% of the total energy consumed in the United States is used to overcome aerodynamic drag, 27% of the total energy used in the United States is consumed by transportation systems, and 60% of the transportation energy or 16% of the total energy consumed in the United States is used to overcome aerodynamic drag in transportation systems. Drag reduction goals of 50% are proposed and discussed which if realized would produce a 7.85% total energy savings. This energy savings correlates to a yearly cost savings in the $30Billion dollar range.

  12. Trends in Reported Foodborne Illness in the United States; 1996-2013.

    PubMed

    Powell, Mark R

    2016-08-01

    Retrospective review is a key to designing effective food safety measures. The analysis examines trends in the reported incidence of illness due to bacterial pathogens commonly transmitted by food in the United States during 1996-2013 with and without specifying a model form for trend. The findings indicate early declines in reported incidence followed by a period of no significant trend for Campylobacter, Listeria, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157, and Yersinia. The results are inconclusive about whether there is no trend or an increasing trend for Salmonella. While Shigella exhibits a continuous decline, Vibrio exhibits a continuous increase. Overall, the findings indicate a lack of evidence for continuous reduction in illness due to bacterial pathogens commonly transmitted by food in the United States during 1996-2013. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

  13. Support for disease management, depression, self-care, and clinical indicators among Hispanics with type 2 diabetes in San Diego County, United States of America.

    PubMed

    Fortmann, Addie L; Gallo, Linda C; Walker, Chris; Philis-Tsimikas, Athena

    2010-09-01

    This study used a social-ecological framework to examine predictors of depression, diabetes self-management, and clinical indicators of health risk among Hispanics with type 2 diabetes residing in the United States (U.S.)-Mexico border region in San Diego County, California, United States of America. Important links were observed between greater social-environmental support for disease management and less depression, better diabetes self-management, and lower body mass index and serum triglyceride concentrations. Less depressive symptomatology was also related to lower hemoglobin A1c levels. Findings suggest that programs aiming to improve diabetes self-management and health outcomes in Hispanics with type 2 diabetes should consider multilevel, social, and environmental influences on health, behavior, and emotional well-being.

  14. Variation within the "New Latino Diaspora": A Decade of Changes across the United States in the Equitable Participation of Latina/os in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatch, Deryl K.; Mardock Uman, Naomi; Garcia, Crystal E.

    2016-01-01

    This study problematizes the common discourse that rapid and widespread Latina/o demographic growth in the United States is a driving force in realizing higher education equity gains. Using equity indices for students, faculty, and administrative leaders at the state level, we present a portrait of changes in Latina/o participation in higher…

  15. A moving paradox: a binational view of obesity and residential mobility.

    PubMed

    Glick, Jennifer E; Yabiku, Scott T

    2015-04-01

    This paper takes a unique approach to the study of immigrant and native health differentials by addressing the role of internal as well as international mobility and considering the binational context in which such moves occur. The analyses take advantage of a unique dataset of urban residents in Mexico and the United States to compare Mexican origin immigrants and US-born Spanish-speaking residents in one urban setting in the United States and residents in a similar urban setting in Mexico. The binational approach allows for the test of standard indicators used to proxy acculturation (duration of residence in the United States, household language use) and measures of residential mobility among Mexican-Americans, Mexican immigrants and residents in Mexico. The results confirm a lower prevalence of obesity among Mexicans in Mexico and recent immigrants to the United States when compared to longer residents in the United States. However, for Mexican urban residents, more residential moves are associated with less obesity, while more residential mobility is associated with higher obesity in the urban sample in the United States.

  16. Educational Inequality in the United States: Methodology and Historical Estimation of Education Gini Coefficients

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Daniel L.

    2011-01-01

    This paper estimates historical measures of equality in the distribution of education in the United States by age group and sex. Using educational attainment data for the population, the EduGini measure indicates that educational inequality in the U.S. declined significantly between 1950 and 2009. Reductions in educational inequality were more…

  17. A Framework for Understanding Cross-National and Cross-Ethnic Gaps in Math and Science Achievement: The Case of the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guglielmi, R. Sergio; Brekke, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Comparative international assessments of academic achievement consistently indicate that US students trail behind many peers, particularly those from east Asia, in math and science. Traditional efforts to explain this finding have focused on identifying characteristics that might differentiate the United States from top-performing countries.…

  18. The Korean Diasporic Experience: Measuring Ethnic Identity in the United States and China.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Richard M.; Falbo, Toni; Doh, Hyun Sim; Park, Seong Yeon

    2001-01-01

    Korean undergraduates living in the United States and in China were administered the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure to assess their ethnic identity. Korean Americans had higher scores on ethnic identity and were more likely to be classified as bicultural, indicating that they were able to retain their cultural heritage while incorporating…

  19. Traumatic Brain Injury and Personality Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fowler, Marc; McCabe, Paul C.

    2011-01-01

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and lifelong disability in the United States for individuals below the age of 45. Current estimates from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicate that at least 1.4 million Americans sustain a TBI annually. TBI affects 475,000 children under age 14 each year in the United States alone.…

  20. 41 CFR 50-201.2 - Administration of the Act.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 790). Furthermore, these interpretations are intended to indicate the construction of the law which... Company v. United States,” 374 F. 2d 689, 692 (C.A. 4, 1967); see also “United States v. Davison Fuel and... employees but also the competitive interest of all firms qualified to compete for covered contracts. [43 FR...

  1. 41 CFR 50-201.2 - Administration of the Act.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 790). Furthermore, these interpretations are intended to indicate the construction of the law which... Company v. United States,” 374 F. 2d 689, 692 (C.A. 4, 1967); see also “United States v. Davison Fuel and... employees but also the competitive interest of all firms qualified to compete for covered contracts. [43 FR...

  2. An early look at forest regeneration indicator results for the Midwest and Northeast United States

    Treesearch

    William H. McWilliams; James A. Westfall

    2015-01-01

    Interacting regeneration stressors create challenges for policy makers and managers who are tasked with making decisions for restoring forest following major disturbances, such as harvest or catastrophic mortality. Concern over an aging forest, dwindling young forest habitat, and restoration of native forests in the midwest and northeast United States has resulted in...

  3. New Mexico State Department of Education, Division of Indian Education. 1970-71 Annual Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New Mexico State Dept. of Education, Santa Fe. Div. of Indian Education.

    An annual report (1970-71) of New Mexico's State Department of Education, Division of Indian Education, this document presents data pertaining to the 20 schools receiving Johnson-O'Malley benefits. Observations from the Director of Indian Education indicate that kindergarten units were expanded to 41 units in 12 districts; that 10 Indian…

  4. Wind Resource Assessment | Wind | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Resource Assessment Wind Resource Assessment A map of the United States is color-coded to indicate the high winds at 80 meters. This map shows the wind resource at 80 meters for both land-based and offshore wind resources in the United States. Correct estimation of the energy available in the wind can

  5. Natural Environments, Obesity, and Physical Activity in Nonmetropolitan Areas of the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michimi, Akihiko; Wimberly, Michael C.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To assess the associations of the natural environment with obesity and physical activity in nonmetropolitan areas of the United States among representative samples by using 2 indices of outdoor activity potential (OAP) at the county level. Methods: We used the data from 457,820 and 473,296 noninstitutionalized adults aged over 18 years…

  6. Status and progress in large-scale assessment of biological diversity in the United States

    Treesearch

    S. R. Shifley; C. H. Flather; W. B. Smith; K. H. Riitters; C. H. Sieg

    2010-01-01

    Conservation of biological diversity is one of seven criteria used to evaluate forest sustainability in the United States. The status of biological diversity is characterized by nine indicators that report area, protected status, and fragmentation of forest habitats; number and conservation status of forest-associated species; range and abundance of forest species to...

  7. Perceptions of Elementary School Principals: Turning High Poverty Elementary Schools in South Carolina into High-Performing Elementary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barber, Katie W.

    2013-01-01

    There is no question that economic deprivation has an adverse impact on student achievement. In the United States, the gaps in achievement among poor and advantaged students are substantial. Through multiple studies, the United States Department of Education (2006) indicated results that "clearly demonstrated that poverty adversely affected…

  8. Regional impacts of technical change: the case of structural particleboard in the United States.

    Treesearch

    Zhi Xu; David N. Bengston; Hans M. Gregersen; Allen L. Lundgren

    1992-01-01

    Analyzes the regional impacts of research benefits in the United States due to the introduction of structural particleboard. The distribution of consumer benefits, producer benefits, direct employment impacts, and changes in wood requirements are analyzed for the four census regions. The distribution of benefits is found to differ widely between regions, indicating...

  9. Multicultural Educational Experiences in Rural Education Programs. Lessons from Early Childhood Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nganga, Lydiah; Kambutu, John

    2005-01-01

    Background: Public schools in the United States are still segregated along cultural and racial lines 50 years after the 1954 Supreme Court's ruling. For example, Orfield and Lee, 2004; and Orfield, 2001) indicated that White student in the United States attended schools that were 80 percent White. Ethnic minority children (children of color),…

  10. Mothers' Beliefs about Children's Learning in Hong Kong and the United States: Implications for Mothers' Child-Based Worth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ng, Florrie Fei-Yin; Pomerantz, Eva M.; Lam, Shui-fong

    2013-01-01

    Chinese and American mothers' beliefs about children's learning and parents' role in it were examined using notions salient in Chinese culture. Mothers from Hong Kong ("n" = 66) and the United States ("n" = 69) indicated their endorsement of the ideas that children's learning reflects children's morality, and parents' support…

  11. Forest statistics for Vermont: 1973 and 1983

    Treesearch

    Thomas S. Frieswyk; Anne M. Malley

    1985-01-01

    A statistical report on the fourth forest survey of Vermont conducted in 1982-1983 by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. Statistics for forest area, numbers of trees, timber volume, tree biomass, and timber products output are displayed at the state, unit, and county levels. The current inventory indicates that the state has...

  12. Comparison of Opioid Prescribing Patterns in the United States and Japan: Primary Care Physicians' Attitudes and Perceptions.

    PubMed

    Onishi, Eriko; Kobayashi, Tadashi; Dexter, Eve; Marino, Miguel; Maeno, Tetsuhiro; Deyo, Richard A

    2017-01-01

    Far fewer opioids are prescribed in Japan than in the United States. We conducted an online physician survey assessing attitudes and perceptions that might influence prescribing. A Japanese version was distributed to members of the Japan Primary Care Association and an English version to members of the American Academy of Family Physicians practicing in Oregon. We received 461 Japanese responses and 198 from the United States, though overall response rates were low (Japan: 10.1%, United States: 18.5%). Japanese respondents reported far less opioid prescribing than US respondents, especially for acute pain (acute pain: 49.4% vs 97.0%; chronic pain: 63.7% vs 90.9%; P < .001 for both). Almost half of respondents from both countries indicated that patient expectations and satisfaction were important factors that influence prescribing. US respondents were significantly more likely to identify medical indication and legal expectation as reasons to prescribe opioids for acute pain. Most US respondents (95.4%) thought opioids were used too often, versus 6.6% of Japanese respondents. Lower opioid use was reported in Japan, especially for acute pain, which may help minimize long-term use. Patient expectations and satisfaction seem to influence opioid prescribing in both countries. The United States could learn from Japanese regulatory and cultural perspectives. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

  13. Spatially Explicit Predictors of Indicators of Water Quality: Example from Wadeable Streams in the U.S

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in collaboration with the States is assessing and reporting on the condition of surface waters in the United States using synoptic surveys and consistent field collections of water quality indicators (WQI). The survey is a probability-b...

  14. Drought trends indicated by evapotranspiration deficit over the contiguous United States during 1896-2013

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Daeha; Rhee, Jinyoung

    2016-04-01

    Evapotranspiration (ET) has received a great attention in drought assessment as it is closely related to atmospheric water demand. The hypothetical potential ET (ETp) has been predominantly used, nonetheless it does not actually exist in the hydrologic cycle. In this work, we used a complementary method for ET estimation to obtain wet-environment ET (ETw) and actual ET (ETa) from routinely observed climatic data. By combining ET deficits (ETw minus ETa) and the structure of the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), we proposed a novel ET-based drought index, the Standardized Evapotranspiration Deficit Index (SEDI). We carried out historical drought identification for the contiguous United States using temperature datasets of the PRISM Climate Group. SEDI presented spatial distributions of drought areas similar to the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for major drought events. It indicates that SEDI can be used for validating other drought indices. Using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test, we found a significant decreasing trend of SEDI (increasing drought risk) similar to PDSI and SPI in the western United States. This study suggests a potential of ET-based indices for drought quantification even with no involvement of precipitation data.

  15. Symptoms experienced during menopausal transition: Korean women in South Korea and the United States.

    PubMed

    Im, Eun-Ok

    2003-10-01

    This article reports on cultural influences on symptoms experienced during menopausal transition of Korean women in South Korea and Korean immigrant women in the United States. Data from independent studies of two groups of Korean women were triangulated and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The analysis indicated that Korean women in South Korea tended to report more symptoms than Korean immigrant women in the United States. Types and severity of prevalent symptoms were also found to be different between the two groups. The findings suggest that recent introduction of menopausal industries in South Korea and contextual influences on Korean women's work and immigration in the United States would be the reason for differences. Based on the findings, implications for future research are proposed.

  16. Does place of education matter? Contextualizing the education and health status association among Asian Americans.

    PubMed

    Walton, Emily; Takeuchi, David T; Herting, Jerald R; Alegría, Margarita

    2009-01-01

    The educational gradient in health is one of the most robust associations in social science research. Results of the current study indicate that, like the pattern observed among other racial and ethnic minority groups, the well-established educational gradient in health is attenuated among Asian Americans. We also show that the gradient association between educational attainment and self-rated health among Asian Americans depends on whether they receive the bulk of their education in the United States or abroad. Compared to the schooling received in the United States, being educated in a foreign country does not result in the same health payoffs for increasing educational attainment. Analysis of an extensive set of mediators indicates that a foreign education restricts economic opportunities, limits positive social interaction, and inhibits English language proficiency. We discuss the implications for Asian Americans, a group composed largely of immigrants who received their education outside the United States.

  17. USEPA Environmental Quality Index (EQI) and Associated Domain Indices by County for the United States

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This map service displays the results data from the EPA's Environmental Quality Index. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) in the Environmental Public Health Division (EPHD) is currently engaged in research aimed at developing a measure that estimates overall environmental quality at the county level for the United States. This work is being conducted as an effort to learn more about how various environmental factors simultaneously contribute to health disparities in low-income and minority populations, and to better estimate the total environmental and social context to which humans are exposed. This dataset contains the finalized Environmental Quality Index (EQI), and an index for each of the associated domains (air, water, land, built environment, and sociodemographic environment). Indices are at the county level for all counties in the United States.

  18. [Information on student counseling center websites in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan].

    PubMed

    Ito, Naoki

    2017-04-01

    This study aimed to compare information provided on student counseling center websites of universities and colleges in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan. A survey was conducted on websites of 315 centers in Japan, 282 centers in the United States, 70 centers in the United Kingdom and 61 centers in Taiwan. Trends in the provision of information on websites in each country were analyzed and compared for the rate and quantity of information published. Results of multiple correspondence analyses indicated two basic dimensions of information that could effectively distinguish information provided in the four countries. These were provision of necessary information and provision of information for use of individual counseling or support of community. Finally, issues related to websites in student counseling centers of Japanese universities and colleges are discussed.

  19. Variability and trends in runoff efficiency in the conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCabe, Gregory J.; Wolock, David M.

    2016-01-01

    Variability and trends in water-year runoff efficiency (RE) — computed as the ratio of water-year runoff (streamflow per unit area) to water-year precipitation — in the conterminous United States (CONUS) are examined for the 1951 through 2012 period. Changes in RE are analyzed using runoff and precipitation data aggregated to United States Geological Survey 8-digit hydrologic cataloging units (HUs). Results indicate increases in RE for some regions in the north-central CONUS and large decreases in RE for the south-central CONUS. The increases in RE in the north-central CONUS are explained by trends in climate, whereas the large decreases in RE in the south-central CONUS likely are related to groundwater withdrawals from the Ogallala aquifer to support irrigated agriculture.

  20. School-Based Sex Education Policies and Indicators of Sexual Health among Young People: A Comparison of the Netherlands, France, Australia and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weaver, Heather; Smith, Gary; Kippax, Susan

    2005-01-01

    This paper investigates the relationship between school-based sex education policies and sexual health-related statistics of young people in four developed countries: the Netherlands, France, Australia, and the United States of America. Drawing upon literature searches in relevant CD-ROM databases, Internet websites, government reports and…

  1. Development of an applied black willow tree improvement program for biomass production in the south

    Treesearch

    Randall J. Rousseau; Emile S. Gardiner; Theodor D. Leininger

    2012-01-01

    The development of rapidly growing biomass woody crops is imperative as the United States strives to meet renewable energy goals. The Department of Energy has indicated that biomass is a prime source for renewable energy for the southern United States. Black Willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) is a potential bioenergy/biofuels crop for dedicated short-...

  2. Chapter 6 - Links between land cover and lichen species richness at large scales in forested ecosystems across the United States.

    Treesearch

    Susan Will-Wolf; Randall S. Morin; Mark J. Ambrose; Kurt Riitters; Sarah Jovan

    2014-01-01

    Lichen community composition is well known for exhibiting response to air pollution, and to macroenvironmental and microenvironmental variables. Lichens are useful indicators of air quality impact, forest health, and forest ecosystem integrity across the United States (McCune 2000, reviews in Nimis and others 2002, USDA Forest Service 2007).

  3. The Fate of Ineffective Teachers; Will It Be Different in Indiana?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olin, Harlod E.

    2013-01-01

    It has been widely publicized that approximately 98% of the teachers in the United States are rated as satisfactory (Weisberg, Sexton, Mulhern, & Keeling, 2009). This has led many Americans to think that there are very few ineffective teachers in the United States. But is this true? This study indicated that a majority of the principals in the…

  4. Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 2016 Historical Trend Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cahalan, Margaret; Perna, Laura; Yamashita, Mika; Ruiz, Roman; Franklin, Khadish

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this publication are: (1) to report the status of higher education equity in the United States and to identify changes over time in measures of equity; and (2) to identify policies and practices that promote and hinder progress; and to illustrate the need for increased support of policies, programs and practices that not only…

  5. Differences in Perceptions of Barriers to College Enrollment and the Completion of a Degree among Latinos in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becerra, David

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the differences in perceptions of barriers in education among Latinos in the United States based on the level of linguistic acculturation, generational status, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status of the participants. This study used data from the Pew Hispanic Research Center. Results indicated that later-generation…

  6. Acculturation via nature-based outdoor recreation: a comparison of Mexican and Chinese ethnic groups in the United States

    Treesearch

    Cassandra Y. Johnson; J. Michael Bowker; H. Ken Cordell

    2005-01-01

    This research considers acculturation by Mexican and Chinese groups in the United States and how participation in five nature-based outdoor recreation activities may be an indicator of acculturation to American society. We argue that the greater incidence of professional human capital among Chinese immigrants helps this group acculturate more quickly than Mexicans,...

  7. An Overview of Elementary Education in the United States: Past, Present, and Future with Its Organization, Nature of Program and Teaching Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aksoy, Naciye

    Overwhelming scientific and anecdotal evidence indicates that the elementary school experience significantly shapes children's lives. This report examines the history of elementary education, and describes alternatives such as nongraded schools. The first part of the report describes the roots of elementary education in the United States,…

  8. Impacts of forest biomass removal on water yield across the United States

    Treesearch

    Ge Sun; Liangxia Zhang; Kai Duan; Benjamin Rau

    2017-01-01

    Water is essential to all forms of life on earth and is a powerful, integrated indicator of environmental health and ecosystem sustainability (Asbjornsen et al. 2015). In some areas of the United States, water availability and water quality are declining as a result of urbanization, climate change, and increased water demand for agricul- tural irrigation, power...

  9. International Counseling Trainees' Experiences and Perceptions of Their Multicultural Counseling Training in the United States: A Mixed Method Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Shannon D.; Ng, Kok-Mun

    2009-01-01

    This study examined international counseling students' (ICTs) experiences and perceptions of their multicultural counseling training (MCT) in the United States. The focus was on (a) relevance of the training, (b) effectiveness of the training methods, and (c) development of cross-cultural competence as trainees. Major findings indicated that ICTs…

  10. An indicator of tree migration in forests of the eastern United States

    Treesearch

    C.W. Woodall; C.M. Oswalt; J.A. Westfall; C.H. Perry; M.D. Nelson; A.O. Finley

    2009-01-01

    Changes in tree species distributions are a potential impact of climate change on forest ecosystems. The examination of tree species shifts in forests of the eastern United States largely has been limited to simulation activities due to a lack of consistent, long-term forest inventory datasets. The goal of this study was to compare current geographic distributions of...

  11. Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 45 Year Trend Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cahalan, Margaret; Perna, Laura

    2015-01-01

    The U.S. has a core constitutional and founding commitment to equality of opportunity for all citizens. Whether viewed as an end in itself or a means to fostering increased national achievement and competitiveness, the 21st century United States conversation about equity reflects a national consensus about the many benefits of and necessity for…

  12. Planning for people? An evaluation of objectives for managing visitors at wildlife refuges in the United States

    Treesearch

    Jeffrey J. Brooks; Robert Massengale

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluates the quality of planning objectives for visitor services as written in Comprehensive Conservation Plans for the National Wildlife Refuge System of the United States. Planners in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are predominantly writing public use objectives that address wildlife recreation and education. Results indicate that planners are writing...

  13. Lumber attributes, characteristics, and species preferences as indicated by secondary wood products firms in the continental United States.

    Treesearch

    David L. Nicholls; Joseph Roos

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to evaluate selected lumber attributes, species preferences, and lumber use properties among secondary wood manufacturers in the United States. Our sample included producers of kitchen cabinets, furniture, doors, windows, and molded products who attended regional and national wood manufacturing events. More than 51% of respondents had...

  14. Science Indicators, 1978: Report of the National Science Board.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buzzelli, Donald E.; And Others

    This eleventh annual report of the National Science Board presents the fourth assessment of the state of science in the United States. The assessment includes reports on the status of science, with the following indicators reviewed within the report: international science and technology, resources for research and development, resources for basic…

  15. Science Indicators, 1976: Report of the National Science Board.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. National Science Board.

    This ninth annual report of the National Science Board presents the third assessment of the state of science in the United States. The assessment includes reports on the status and health of science including national resources and manpower. Indicators reviewed in the report include: international science and technology, resources for research and…

  16. Time series analysis of travel trends in Vermont

    Treesearch

    Varna M. Ramaswamy; Walter F. Kuentzel

    1995-01-01

    Vermont's travel and tourism industry is not keeping pace with the nation-wide growth in the travel industry. While travel indicators such as domestic travel expenditures, tourism generated employment, payroll and tax receipts have been steadily increasing across the United States, these indicators in Vermont peaked in 1978 and have declined ever since. The state...

  17. Indicators of regenerative capacity for eastern hardwood forests

    Treesearch

    William H. McWilliams; Todd W. Bowersox; Patrick H. Brose; Daniel A. Devlin; James C. Finley; Steve Horsley; Kurt W. Gottschalk; Tonya W. Lister; Larry H. McCormick; Gary W. Miller; Kim C. Steiner; Susan L. Stout; James A. Westfall; Robert L. White

    2004-01-01

    Hardwood forests of the eastern United States are characterized by a complex mix of species associations that make it difficult to construct useful indicators of long-term sustainability, in terms of future forest composition and stocking levels. The Pennsylvania Regeneration Study examines regeneration adequacy in the state. The study uses the Forest Service's...

  18. Variation in strontium isotope ratios of archaeological fauna in the Midwestern United States: a preliminary study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hedman, Kristin M.; Curry, B. Brandon; Johnson, Thomas M.; Fullagar, Paul D.; Emerson, Thomas E.

    2009-01-01

    Strontium isotope values (87Sr/86Sr) in bone and tooth enamel have been used increasingly to identify non-local individuals within prehistoric human populations worldwide. Archaeological research in the Midwestern United States has increasingly highlighted the role of population movement in affecting interregional cultural change. However, the comparatively low level of geologic variation in the Midwestern United States might suggest a corresponding low level of strontium variation, and calls into question the sensitivity of strontium isotopes to identify non-local individuals in this region. Using strontium isotopes of archaeological fauna, we explore the degree of variability in strontium ratios across this region. Our results demonstrate measurable variation in strontium ratios and indicate the potential of strontium analysis for addressing questions of origin and population movement in the Midwestern United States.

  19. Fragmented patterns of flood change across the United States

    PubMed Central

    Hirsch, R. M.; Viglione, A.; Blöschl, G.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Trends in the peak magnitude, frequency, duration, and volume of frequent floods (floods occurring at an average of two events per year relative to a base period) across the United States show large changes; however, few trends are found to be statistically significant. The multidimensional behavior of flood change across the United States can be described by four distinct groups, with streamgages experiencing (1) minimal change, (2) increasing frequency, (3) decreasing frequency, or (4) increases in all flood properties. Yet group membership shows only weak geographic cohesion. Lack of geographic cohesion is further demonstrated by weak correlations between the temporal patterns of flood change and large‐scale climate indices. These findings reveal a complex, fragmented pattern of flood change that, therefore, clouds the ability to make meaningful generalizations about flood change across the United States. PMID:27917010

  20. Fragmented patterns of flood change across the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Archfield, Stacey A.; Hirsch, Robert M.; Viglione, A.; Blöschl, G.

    2016-01-01

    Trends in the peak magnitude, frequency, duration, and volume of frequent floods (floods occurring at an average of two events per year relative to a base period) across the United States show large changes; however, few trends are found to be statistically significant. The multidimensional behavior of flood change across the United States can be described by four distinct groups, with streamgages experiencing (1) minimal change, (2) increasing frequency, (3) decreasing frequency, or (4) increases in all flood properties. Yet group membership shows only weak geographic cohesion. Lack of geographic cohesion is further demonstrated by weak correlations between the temporal patterns of flood change and large-scale climate indices. These findings reveal a complex, fragmented pattern of flood change that, therefore, clouds the ability to make meaningful generalizations about flood change across the United States.

  1. The Health Care System Under French National Health Insurance: Lessons for Health Reform in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Rodwin, Victor G.

    2003-01-01

    The French health system combines universal coverage with a public–private mix of hospital and ambulatory care and a higher volume of service provision than in the United States. Although the system is far from perfect, its indicators of health status and consumer satisfaction are high; its expenditures, as a share of gross domestic product, are far lower than in the United States; and patients have an extraordinary degree of choice among providers. Lessons for the United States include the importance of government’s role in providing a statutory framework for universal health insurance; recognition that piecemeal reform can broaden a partial program (like Medicare) to cover, eventually, the entire population; and understanding that universal coverage can be achieved without excluding private insurers from the supplementary insurance market. PMID:12511380

  2. Mapping the radon potential of the united states: Examples from the Appalachians

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gundersen, L.C.S.; Schumann, R.R.; ,

    1997-01-01

    The geologic radon potential of the United States was recently assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Results indicate that approximately 33% of the U.S. population lives within geologic provinces where the average indoor radon levels have the potential to be greater than 4 pCi/L (147 Bq/m3). Rock types most commonly associated with high indoor radon include: 1) Uraniferous metamorphosed sediments, volcanics, and granite intrusives, especially those that are highly deformed or sheared. 2) Glacial deposits derived from uranium-bearing rocks and sediments. 3) Carboniferous, black shales. 4) Soils derived from carbonate rock, especially in karstic terrain. 5) Uraniferous fluvial, deltaic, marine, and lacustrine deposits. Different geologic terrains of the eastern United States illustrate some of the problems inherent in correlating indoor radon with geology. The Central and Southern Appalachian Highlands of the eastern United States have not been glaciated and most soils there are saprolitic, derived directly from the underlying bedrock. Regression analyses of bedrock geologic and radon parameters yield positive correlations (R > 0.5 to 0.9) and indicate that bedrock geology can account for a significant portion of the indoor radon variation. In glaciated areas of the United States such as the northern Appalachian Highlands and Appalachian Plateau, the correlation of bedrock geology to indoor radon is obscured or is positive only in certain cases. In these glaciated areas of the country, it is the type, composition, thickness, and permeability of glacial deposits, rather than the bedrock geology, that controls the radon source.

  3. Recent and projected future climatic suitability of North America for the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus.

    PubMed

    Ogden, Nicholas H; Milka, Radojević; Caminade, Cyril; Gachon, Philippe

    2014-12-02

    Since the 1980s, populations of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus have become established in south-eastern, eastern and central United States, extending to approximately 40°N. Ae. albopictus is a vector of a wide range of human pathogens including dengue and chikungunya viruses, which are currently emerging in the Caribbean and Central America and posing a threat to North America. The risk of Ae. albopictus expanding its geographic range in North America under current and future climate was assessed using three climatic indicators of Ae. albopictus survival: overwintering conditions (OW), OW combined with annual air temperature (OWAT), and a linear index of precipitation and air temperature suitability expressed through a sigmoidal function (SIG). The capacity of these indicators to predict Ae. albopictus occurrence was evaluated using surveillance data from the United States. Projected future climatic suitability for Ae. albopictus was obtained using output of nine Regional Climate Model experiments (RCMs). OW and OWAT showed >90% specificity and sensitivity in predicting observed Ae. albopictus occurrence and also predicted moderate to high risk of Ae. albopictus invasion in Pacific coastal areas of the Unites States and Canada under current climate. SIG also well predicted observed Ae. albopictus occurrence (ROC area under the curve was 0.92) but predicted wider current climatic suitability in the north-central and north-eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. RCM output projected modest (circa 500 km) future northward range expansion of Ae. albopictus by the 2050s when using OW and OWAT indicators, but greater (600-1000 km) range expansion, particularly in eastern and central Canada, when using the SIG indicator. Variation in future possible distributions of Ae. albopictus was greater amongst the climatic indicators used than amongst the RCM experiments. Current Ae. albopictus distributions were well predicted by simple climatic indicators and northward range expansion was predicted for the future with climate change. However, current and future predicted geographic distributions of Ae. albopictus varied amongst the climatic indicators used. Further field studies are needed to assess which climatic indicator is the most accurate in predicting regions suitable for Ae. albopictus survival in North America.

  4. An Exploration of the Impact of Family Background Factors on the Science Achievement of Afro-Caribbean and African American Students in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinder, Patrice J.

    2010-01-01

    Ogbu and Simons (1998) defined voluntary immigrants as individuals who chose to migrate to the United States (U.S.). Involuntary immigrants are defined as individuals whose ancestors were brought to the U.S. by force (Ogbu & Simons, 1998). There have been recent reports indicating that voluntary immigrants are outperforming involuntary…

  5. Wildlife resource trends in the United States: A technical document supporting the 2000 RPA Assessment

    Treesearch

    Curtis H. Flather; Stephen J. Brady; Michael S. Knowles

    1999-01-01

    This report documents trends in wildlife resources for the nation as required by the Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974. The report focuses on recent historical trends in wildlife as one indicator of ecosystem health across the United States and updates wildlife trends presented in previous RPA Assessments. The report also shows short- and long-term...

  6. User Guide for Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheets

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-07-25

    Department of Agriculture (USDA) PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov/index.html). The ADS use soil indicators from the National Resources Conservation...of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). 2006. Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States...the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296. Washington DC. United States Department of Agriculture - Natural

  7. The Future of the Book. Part III. New Technologies in Book Distribution: The United States Experience. Studies on Books and Reading No. 18.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paul, Sandra K.; Kranberg, Susan

    The third report from a comprehensive Unesco study, this document traces the history of the application of computer-based technology to the book distribution process in the United States and indicates functional areas currently showing the effects of using this technology. Ways in which computer use is altering book distribution management…

  8. Matching "The Carnival of the Animals" to Drawings with Children 6-9 Years Old in England, Japan, Korea, Spain, and the United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Randall; Cutler, Joan E.; Mito, Hiromichi; Auh, Myung-Sook; Brotons, Melissa

    1999-01-01

    Investigates how accurately children, ages 6-9 from England, Japan, Korea, Spain, and the United States, could match eight animal drawings to excerpts from the well-known concert music, "The Carnival of the Animals" by Charles Camille Saint-Saens. Indicates a mean correct response of 40% without instruction. Discusses two extension…

  9. Are We Facing a "Literacy Surplus" in the Workforces of the United States and Canada? Research Note.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sticht, Thomas G.

    In the United States and Canada alike, expressions of concern over the fact that the demand for skilled workers far exceeds the current supply have been heard repeatedly. However, several studies would seem to indicate that, as familiar as these claims about the supply and demand for skilled workers may be, they are very contentious. If a Hudson…

  10. The distribution of mercury in a forest floor transect across the central United States

    Treesearch

    Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Michael C. Amacher; William Cannon; Randall K. Kolka; Laurel Woodruff

    2009-01-01

    Mercury (Hg) stored in soil organic matter may be released when the forest floor is consumed by fire. Our objective is to document the spatial distribution of forest floor Hg for a transect crossing the central United States. Samples collected by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Inventory and Analysis Soil Quality Indicator were tested...

  11. Supreme Court of the United States. Southeastern Community College v. Davis. Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Supreme Court of the U. S., Washington, DC.

    A suit was brought by Frances B. Davis against Southeastern Community College, which had denied her admission to its nursing program because of her serious hearing disability. (An audiologist's report indicated that she cannot understand speech directed to her except by lipreading.) She alleged that this denial constituted a violation of section…

  12. The greenhouse gas and energy impacts of using wood instead of alternatives in residential construction in the United States

    Treesearch

    Brad Upton; Reid Miner; Mike Spinney; Linda S. Heath

    2008-01-01

    Data developed by the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials were used to estimate savings of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption associated with use of wood-based building materials in residential construction in the United States. Results indicate that houses with wood-based wall systems require 15-16% less total energy for non-heating/...

  13. Anthropogenic emissions of methane in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Scot M.; Wofsy, Steven C.; Michalak, Anna M.; Kort, Eric A.; Andrews, Arlyn E.; Biraud, Sebastien C.; Dlugokencky, Edward J.; Eluszkiewicz, Janusz; Fischer, Marc L.; Janssens-Maenhout, Greet; Miller, Ben R.; Miller, John B.; Montzka, Stephen A.; Nehrkorn, Thomas; Sweeney, Colm

    2013-01-01

    This study quantitatively estimates the spatial distribution of anthropogenic methane sources in the United States by combining comprehensive atmospheric methane observations, extensive spatial datasets, and a high-resolution atmospheric transport model. Results show that current inventories from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research underestimate methane emissions nationally by a factor of ∼1.5 and ∼1.7, respectively. Our study indicates that emissions due to ruminants and manure are up to twice the magnitude of existing inventories. In addition, the discrepancy in methane source estimates is particularly pronounced in the south-central United States, where we find total emissions are ∼2.7 times greater than in most inventories and account for 24 ± 3% of national emissions. The spatial patterns of our emission fluxes and observed methane–propane correlations indicate that fossil fuel extraction and refining are major contributors (45 ± 13%) in the south-central United States. This result suggests that regional methane emissions due to fossil fuel extraction and processing could be 4.9 ± 2.6 times larger than in EDGAR, the most comprehensive global methane inventory. These results cast doubt on the US EPA’s recent decision to downscale its estimate of national natural gas emissions by 25–30%. Overall, we conclude that methane emissions associated with both the animal husbandry and fossil fuel industries have larger greenhouse gas impacts than indicated by existing inventories. PMID:24277804

  14. Effects of self-construal and its relationship with subjective well-being across cultures.

    PubMed

    Yamaguchi, Ayano; Kim, Min-Sun

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to test cross-cultural predictions of the associations between goal pursuits and subjective well-being among 601 college students (200 in Japan and 401 in the United States). The results indicated that interdependence in all cultures was associated with socially oriented subjective well-being. In the United States, it was also correlated with social goal pursuit. However, independence in the United States correlated with individual-oriented subjective well-being, while in Hawaii, it also correlated with hedonic goal pursuit. Discussion of these results and their implications are provided. © The Author(s) 2013.

  15. Why Has the Health-Promoting Prison Concept Failed to Translate to the United States?

    PubMed

    Woodall, James

    2018-05-01

    Two decades since the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe published a report on health promotion in prison that stimulated further debate on the concept of the "health-promoting prison," this article discusses the extent to which the concept has translated to the United States. One predicted indicator of success for the health-promoting prison movement was the expansion of activity beyond European borders; yet 2 decades since the European model was put forward, there has been very limited activity in the United States. This "Critical Issues and Trends" article suggests reasons why this translation has failed to occur.

  16. Nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy preparation in rheumatology in the United States and Canada.

    PubMed

    Jette, A M; Becker, M C

    1980-11-01

    Directors of undergraduate programs in nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy in the United States and Canada were surveyed to determine the amount and perceived adequacy of the current degree of classroom and clinical exposure to the rheumatic diseases. One hundred ninety-one (73%) of the 262 mailed questionnaires were returned. Results indicate that regardless of the actual degree of rheumatologic classroom exposure, directors in all three disciplines view current amounts as adequate. A larger proportion views levels of clinical exposure as inadequate. In general, the Canadian programs had a greater emphasis on rheumatology than their United States counterparts.

  17. "Radical" Feminists and "Bickering" Women: Backlash in U.S. Media Coverage of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Danner, Lauren; Walsh, Susan

    1999-01-01

    Analyzes United States' newspaper coverage of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women for themes indicating backlash against feminism. Finds that several backlash themes, such as women in conflict and stereotypical portrayals of women, were present throughout the coverage. (CR)

  18. Average Temperatures in the Southwestern United States, 2000-2015 Versus Long-Term Average

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This indicator shows how the average air temperature from 2000 to 2015 has differed from the long-term average (1895??2015). To provide more detailed information, each state has been divided into climate divisions, which are zones that share similar climate features. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

  19. Crown-condition classification: a guide to data collection and analysis

    Treesearch

    Michael E. Schomaker; Stanley J. Zarnoch; William A. Bechtold; David J. Latelle; William G. Burkman; Susan M. Cox

    2007-01-01

    The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, conducts a national inventory of forests across the United States. A systematic subset of permanent inventory plots in 38 States is currently sampled every year for numerous forest health indicators. One of these indicators, crown-condition classification, is designed...

  20. Recent Trends in Survival of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer in Germany and the United States.

    PubMed

    Sirri, Eunice; Castro, Felipe Andres; Kieschke, Joachim; Jansen, Lina; Emrich, Katharina; Gondos, Adam; Holleczek, Bernd; Katalinic, Alexander; Urbschat, Iris; Vohmann, Claudia; Brenner, Hermann

    2016-07-01

    Survival improvement for pancreatic cancer has not been observed in the last 4 decades. We report the most up-to-date population-based relative survival (RS) estimates and recent trends in Germany and the United States. Data for patients diagnosed in 1997 to 2010 and followed up to 2010 were drawn from 12 population-based German cancer registries and the US SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) 13 registries database. Using period analysis, 5-year RS for 2007 to 2010 was derived. Model-based period analysis was used to assess 5-year RS time trends, 2002-2010. In total 28,977 (Germany) and 34,793 (United States) patients aged 15 to 74 years were analyzed. Five-year RS was 10.7% and 10.3% in Germany and the United States, respectively, and strongly decreased with age and tumor spread. Prognosis slightly improved from the period 2002-2004 to 2008-2010 (overall age-adjusted RS: +2.5% units in Germany and +3.4% units in the United States); improvement was particularly strong for regional stage and head and body subsites in Germany and for localized and regional stages and tail subsite in the United States. Although pancreatic cancer survival continues to be poor for advanced-stage patients, our study disclosed encouraging indications of first improvements in 5-year RS after decades of stagnation.

  1. Indian medical students' views on immigration for training and practice.

    PubMed

    Rao, Nyapati R; Rao, Uttam K; Cooper, Richard A

    2006-02-01

    To assess the attitudes of medical students in India about participating in graduate medical education in the United States and other countries and in subsequent clinical practice in those countries. A total of 240 students who were attending their final year at two medical schools in Bangalore, India, were surveyed during 2004. Surveys were completed by 166 (69%) of the students. Among the responding students, 98 (59%) thought of leaving India for further training abroad. Of those who wished to leave, 41 (42%) preferred the United States, 42 (43%) preferred the United Kingdom, and 9 (9%) preferred Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Only two students preferred the Middle East. Most who favored training in the United States indicated that they intended to remain after training, whereas fewer than 20% of those who favored training in the United Kingdom had such intentions. While more than 60% perceived greater professional opportunities in the United States than in India, approximately 75% were concerned that the United States had become less welcoming after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and similar numbers were concerned about the examination administered by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates. Conversely, the majority of respondents felt that opportunities for physicians in India were improving. While optimism about future medical careers in India is increasing, the interest of Indian medical students in training and subsequently practicing in the United States remains high.

  2. Profile surveys along Henrys Fork, Idaho, and Logan River and Blacksmith Fork, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Herron, William Harrison

    1916-01-01

    In order to determine the location of undeveloped water powers the United States Geological Survey has from time to time, alone and in cooperation with State organizations, made surveys and profiles of some of the rivers of the United States that are adapted to the development of power by low or medium heads of 20 to 100 feet.The surveys are made by means of plane table and stadia. Elevations are based on heights derived from primary or precise levels of the United States Geological Survey. The maps/are made in the field, and show not only the outlines of the river banks, the islands, the positions of rapids/falls, shoals, and existing dams, and the crossings of all ferries and roads, but the contours of banks to an elevation high enough to indicate the possibility of using the stream. The elevations of the various bench marks left are noted on the field sheets in their proper positions. The figures given with the gaging stations shown on the maps indicate the elevation of the zero of the gage.

  3. ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH INDICATORS AT UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has recently published two different indicators reports, America's Children and the Environment (ACE) and the Draft Report on the Environment (see: http://www.epa.gov/indicators/ and http://www.epa.gov/envirohealth/children/). ACE...

  4. The American Military and the Far East, Proceedings of the Ninth Military History Symposium, United States Air Force Academy, 1-3 October 1980,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-10-01

    balance could ever be restored. The answer was not a simple one . For one thing , the war indicated that the United States and its allies had the...experience in a broad sense, so that they are all heirs to the horrors of war. If there is one thing that unites Americans, Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, and...acted-upon than actors on the stage of international politics. But from Pearl Harbor onward things were very different. Americans were determined to

  5. Violated expectations and acculturative stress among U.S. Hispanic immigrants.

    PubMed

    Negy, Charles; Schwartz, Shari; Reig-Ferrer, Abilio

    2009-07-01

    Expectancy violation theory (EVT) was tested with 112 Hispanic immigrants living in the United States by determining whether discrepancies between their retrospectively recalled pre-migration expectations about life in the United States and their post-migration (actual) experiences in the United States would predict their levels of acculturative stress. Discrepancies were assessed in 4 domains (ability to communicate with English speakers, perceiving their communities and the United States as safe, obtaining adequate employment, and experiencing racism). Overall, the results indicated that discrepancies between pre-migration expectations and post-migration experiences were associated significantly with acculturative stress, although some of the findings were counter to EVT. Also, on the basis of a hierarchical regression analysis, the discrepancies significantly, albeit modestly, contributed to the prediction of acculturative stress beyond the predictive ability of general demographic variables and post-migration experiences. Implications for clinical interventions and research opportunities with EVT and Hispanic immigrants are discussed.

  6. Arthroplasty Utilization in the United States is Predicted by Age-Specific Population Groups.

    PubMed

    Bashinskaya, Bronislava; Zimmerman, Ryan M; Walcott, Brian P; Antoci, Valentin

    2012-01-01

    Osteoarthritis is a common indication for hip and knee arthroplasty. An accurate assessment of current trends in healthcare utilization as they relate to arthroplasty may predict the needs of a growing elderly population in the United States. First, incidence data was queried from the United States Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1993 to 2009. Patients undergoing total knee and hip arthroplasty were identified. Then, the United States Census Bureau was queried for population data from the same study period as well as to provide future projections. Arthroplasty followed linear regression models with the population group >64 years in both hip and knee groups. Projections for procedure incidence in the year 2050 based on these models were calculated to be 1,859,553 cases (hip) and 4,174,554 cases (knee). The need for hip and knee arthroplasty is expected to grow significantly in the upcoming years, given population growth predictions.

  7. Human Papillomavirus Prevalence in Oropharyngeal Cancer before Vaccine Introduction, United States

    PubMed Central

    Saraiya, Mona; Goodman, Marc T.; Peters, Edward S.; Watson, Meg; Cleveland, Jennifer L.; Lynch, Charles F.; Wilkinson, Edward J.; Hernandez, Brenda Y.; Copeland, Glen; Saber, Maria S.; Hopenhayn, Claudia; Huang, Youjie; Cozen, Wendy; Lyu, Christopher; Unger, Elizabeth R.

    2014-01-01

    We conducted a study to determine prevalence of HPV types in oropharyngeal cancers in the United States and establish a prevaccine baseline for monitoring the impact of vaccination. HPV DNA was extracted from tumor tissue samples from patients in whom cancer was diagnosed during 1995–2005. The samples were obtained from cancer registries and Residual Tissue Repository Program sites in the United States. HPV was detected and typed by using PCR reverse line blot assays. Among 557 invasive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, 72% were positive for HPV and 62% for vaccine types HPV16 or 18. Prevalence of HPV-16/18 was lower in women (53%) than in men (66%), and lower in non-Hispanic Black patients (31%) than in other racial/ethnic groups (68%–80%). Results indicate that vaccines could prevent most oropharyngeal cancers in the United States, but their effect may vary by demographic variables. PMID:24751181

  8. Tree and impervious cover change in U.S

    Treesearch

    David J. Nowak; Eric J. Greenfield

    2012-01-01

    Paired aerial photographs were interpreted to assess recent changes in tree, impervious and other cover types in 20 U.S. cities as well as urban land within the conterminous United States. National results indicate that tree cover in urban areas of the United States is on the decline at a rate of about 7900 ha/yr or 4.0 million trees per year. Tree cover in 17 of the...

  9. The influence of surface versus free-air decoupling on temperature trend patterns in the western United States

    Treesearch

    N.C. Pepin; C. Daly; J. Lundquist

    2011-01-01

    We analyzed temperature trends from 460 GHCNv2 weather stations in the western United States for 1948¨C2006 to determine whether the extent of decoupling of surface temperatures from the free atmosphere influences past change. At each location we derived monthly indices representative of anticyclonicity using NCEP/NCAR 700 hPa reanalysis pressure fields. The number of...

  10. School District of Philadelphia Student Achievement as Related to 2008-2009 K-8 Teachers' Perceptions of Major Academic Indicators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mason-Dorman, Cheryl

    2013-01-01

    The School District of Philadelphia (SDP), established in 1818, is the eighth largest school district in the United States, with a student enrollment of 184,560 K-12 students. Like most of the other large urban school districts in the United States, its student population consists of more minority students than non-minority students. As the white…

  11. A preliminary assessment of Montreal process indicators of forest fragmentation for the United States

    Treesearch

    Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham; John W. Coulston

    2004-01-01

    Abstract. As part of the U.S. 2003 National Report on Sustainable Forests, four metrics of forest fragmentation – patch size, edge amount, inter-patch distance, and patch contrast – were measured within 137 744 non-overlapping 5625 ha analysis units on land-cover maps derived from satellite imagery for the 48 conterminous States. The perimeter of a...

  12. Site productivity and forest carbon stocks in the United States: Analysis and implications for forest offset project planning

    Treesearch

    Coeli M. Hoover; James E. Smith

    2012-01-01

    The documented role of United States forests in sequestering carbon, the relatively low cost of forest-based mitigation, and the many co-benefits of increasing forest carbon stocks all contribute to the ongoing trend in the establishment of forest-based carbon offset projects. We present a broad analysis of forest inventory data using site quality indicators to provide...

  13. A Multi-Case Study of Student Interactions with Educational Robots and Impact on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Learning and Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmquist, Stephanie Kaye

    2014-01-01

    The demand for STEM trained workers continues to increase not only in the United States, but globally. Reports have indicated that the United States is not doing a good job encouraging students to pursue STEM oriented degrees. In particular, it has become increasingly important to emphasize STEM connections at an early level in order to encourage…

  14. The epidemiology of drug promotion.

    PubMed

    Silverman, M

    1977-01-01

    A survey was conducted on the promotion of 28 prescription drugs in the form of 40 different products marketed in the United States and Latin America by 23 multinational pharmaceutical companies. Striking differences were found in the manner in which the identical drug, marketed by the identical company or its foreign affiliate, was described to physicians in the United States and to physicians in Latin America. In the United States, the listed indications were usually few in number, while the contraindications, warnings, and potential adverse reactions were given in extensive detail. In Latin America, the listed indications were far more numerous, while the hazards were usually minimized, glossed over, or totally ignored. The differences were not simply between the United States on the one hand and all the Latin American countries on the other. There were substantial differences within Latin America, with the same global company telling one story in Mexico, another in Central America, a third in Ecuador and Colombia, and yet another in Brazil. The companies have sought to defend these practices by contending that they are not breaking any Latin American laws. In some countries, however, such promotion is in clear violation of the law. The corporate ethics and social responsibilities concerned here call for examination and action.

  15. Does Place of Education Matter? Contextualizing the Education and Health Status Association Among Asian Americans

    PubMed Central

    WALTON, EMILY; TAKEUCHI, DAVID T.; HERTING, JERALD R.; ALEGRÍA, MARGARITA

    2009-01-01

    The educational gradient in health is one of the most robust associations in social science research. Results of the current study indicate that, like the pattern observed among other racial and ethnic minority groups, the well-established educational gradient in health is attenuated among Asian Americans. We also show that the gradient association between educational attainment and self-rated health among Asian Americans depends on whether they receive the bulk of their education in the United States or abroad. Compared to the schooling received in the United States, being educated in a foreign country does not result in the same health payoffs for increasing educational attainment. Analysis of an extensive set of mediators indicates that a foreign education restricts economic opportunities, limits positive social interaction, and inhibits English language proficiency. We discuss the implications for Asian Americans, a group composed largely of immigrants who received their education outside the United States. PMID:19835099

  16. VAR and generalized impulse response analysis of manufacturing unit labor costs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ewing, Bradley T.; Thompson, Mark A.

    2008-04-01

    This paper examines the relationship among manufacturing unit labor costs in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The analysis is conducted within the context of an economic system utilizing the recently developed method of generalized impulse response analysis to simulate the responses of the cost series to disturbances. The results indicate that, while unit labor costs do not share a common stochastic trend, there are significant responses in the unit labor costs of each country to shocks in the costs of other countries that are not captured by standard interpretation of the multiple-equation model results. The findings indicate the presence of significant linkages among unit labor costs in the countries studied. The results are consistent with the economic environment of manufacturing operations being characterized by a competitive, integrated marketplace.

  17. Gender differences in intimate partner violence and alcohol use among Latino-migrant and seasonal farmworkers in rural southeastern North Carolina.

    PubMed

    Kim-Godwin, Yeoun Soo; Fox, Jane A

    2009-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess intimate partner violence (IPV) and alcohol use among Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The 291 Latino participants were interviewed in Spanish at migrant camps and residences in 3 counties located in southeastern North Carolina. The findings of this study indicate significant gender differences in IPV and alcohol use among the Latino population in the southeastern United States. The findings also indicate that there is a serious problem of IPV and alcohol use among Latinos in the southeastern United States, suggesting the need for routine screening in primary care settings.

  18. Unemployment in Nine Industrial Nations, 1973-75

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moy, J.; Sorrentino, C.

    1975-01-01

    The article compares unemployment, employment, and other labor market indicators in the United States with the available indicators of the eight nations of Canada, Australia, Japan, France, West Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, and Italy. (Author)

  19. The Curious Case of Cuba

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Gail A.

    2012-01-01

    As health professionals in the United States consider how to focus health care and coverage to ensure better, more equitable patient and population health outcomes, the experience of Cuba’s National Health System over the last 5 decades may provide useful insights. Although mutual awareness has been limited by long-term political hostilities between the United States and Cuban governments, the history and details of the Cuban health system indicate that their health system merits attention as an example of a national integrated approach resulting in improved health status. More extensive analysis of the principles, practices, and outcomes in Cuba is warranted to inform health system transformation in the United States, despite differences in political-social systems and available resources. PMID:22698011

  20. Needed: Reincarnation of National Defense Education Act of 1958

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, Mary M.; Miller, James R.

    2005-06-01

    This paper reviews the historical and current response of the United States to threats to its world leadership in scientific endeavors, with particular attention to the National Defense Education Act of 1958. The current status of the United States in mathematics, science, and engineering education is reviewed with respect to K-12 student achievement, K-12 teacher quality, numbers of degrees granted, and other indicators of international competitiveness. Concluding that we are a nation in peril, recommendations are made to enhance the likelihood that the United States will retain its preeminent position in science and technology and, therefore, provide for the national defense and economic wellbeing of citizens in an information age and global economy.

  1. Alcohol Misuse Among Recent Latino Immigrants: The Protective Role of Preimmigration Familismo

    PubMed Central

    Dillon, Frank R.; De La Rosa, Mario; Sastre, Francisco; Ibañez, Gladys

    2013-01-01

    Familismo in the Latino culture is a value hallmarked by close relations with nuclear and extended family members throughout the life span, with pronounced levels of loyalty, reciprocity, and solidarity. Familismo is posited as health protective against alcohol misuse among Latinos in the United States. This study examines the relative influence of pre- and postimmigration familismo on alcohol use behaviors among recent Latino immigrants while accounting for myriad sociocultural factors (gender, age, documentation status, education, income, marital status, presence of family members in the United States, primary language used in the community, English language proficiency, and time in the United States). Participants included 405 young adults, aged 18 to 34 years, who were primarily of Cuban (50%), Columbian (19%), and Central American (15%) descent. Retrospective assessment of preimmigration familismo occurred during participants’ first 12 months in the United States. Follow-up assessment of alcohol use behaviors occurred during participants’ second year in the United States. Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) path modeling was used to test study hypotheses. Inverse associations were determined between preimmigration familismo and alcohol use quantity and harmful/hazardous alcohol use. Men and participants who reported more proficiency in English, and those living in neighborhoods where English is predominantly spoken, indicated more alcohol use quantity and harmful/hazardous alcohol use. By considering both pre- and postimmigration determinants of alcohol use, findings offer a fuller contextual understanding of the lives of Latino young adult immigrants. Results support the importance of lifelong familismo as a buffer against alcohol misuse in young adulthood. PMID:23276317

  2. Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of Bluetongue virus serotype 2 strains isolated in the Americas including a novel strain from the western United States.

    PubMed

    Gaudreault, Natasha N; Mayo, Christie E; Jasperson, Dane C; Crossley, Beate M; Breitmeyer, Richard E; Johnson, Donna J; Ostlund, Eileen N; MacLachlan, N James; Wilson, William C

    2014-07-01

    Bluetongue is a potentially fatal arboviral disease of domestic and wild ruminants that is characterized by widespread edema and tissue necrosis. Bluetongue virus (BTV) serotypes 10, 11, 13, and 17 occur throughout much of the United States, whereas serotype 2 (BTV-2) was previously only detected in the southeastern United States. Since 1998, 10 other BTV serotypes have also been isolated from ruminants in the southeastern United States. In 2010, BTV-2 was identified in California for the first time, and preliminary sequence analysis indicated that the virus isolate was closely related to BTV strains circulating in the southeastern United States. In the current study, the whole genome sequence of the California strain of BTV-2 was compared with those of other BTV-2 strains in the Americas. The results of the analysis suggest co-circulation of genetically distinct viruses in the southeastern United States, and further suggest that the 2010 western isolate is closely related to southeastern strains of BTV. Although it remains uncertain as to how this novel virus was translocated to California, the findings of the current study underscore the need for ongoing surveillance of this economically important livestock disease.

  3. Roadway departure warning indicators : synthesis of noise and bicycle research

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-06-01

    The United States National Park Service has voiced concern about roadway departure : warning indicators (rumble strips) being installed in locations that affect the natural : sound environment inside the park. Rumble strips can effectively alert erra...

  4. Nevada Kids Count Data Book, 1998.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ford, Paula R.

    This Kids Count report provides information on statewide trends affecting children and families in Nevada. The report is comprised of eight sections: an overview; Nevada's demographic profile; key facts regarding children in the state; Nevada's comparison to the rest of the United States; trends in the state; indicators of child well-being;…

  5. Change in the Magnitude of River Flooding in the United States, 1965-2015

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This figure shows changes in the size and frequency of flooding events in rivers and streams in the United States between 1965 and 2015. Blue upward-pointing symbols show locations where floods have become larger; brown downward-pointing symbols show locations where floods have become smaller. Data were analyzed by Louise Slater and Gabriele Villarini at the University of Iowa. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

  6. The Future of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography.

    PubMed

    Covington, Matthew F; Pizzitola, Victor J; Lorans, Roxanne; Pockaj, Barbara A; Northfelt, Donald W; Appleton, Catherine M; Patel, Bhavika K

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of this article is to discuss facilitators of and barriers to future implementation of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) in the United States. CEM provides low-energy 2D mammographic images analogous to digital mammography and contrast-enhanced recombined images that allow assessment of neovascularity similar to that offered by MRI. The utilization of CEM in the United States is currently low but could increase rapidly given the many potential indications for its clinical use.

  7. Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-26

    large - scale former BW-related facilities so that they can perform peaceful research issues such as infectious diseases. The Global Threat Reduction...indicated that it may not pursue the MOX program to eliminate its plutonium, opting instead for the construction of fast breeder reactors that could...burn plutonium directly for energy production. The United States might not fund this effort, as many in the United States argue that breeder reactors

  8. Is more neonatal intensive care always better? Insights from a cross-national comparison of reproductive care.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Lindsay A; Goodman, David C; Little, George A

    2002-06-01

    Despite high per capita health care expenditure, the United States has crude infant survival rates that are lower than similarly developed nations. Although differences in vital recording and socioeconomic risk have been studied, a systematic, cross-national comparison of perinatal health care systems is lacking. To characterize systems of reproductive care for the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, including a detailed analysis of neonatal intensive care and mortality. Comparison of selected indicators of reproductive care and mortality from 1993-2000 through a systematic review of journal and government publications and structured interviews of leaders in perinatal and neonatal care. Compared with the other 3 countries, the United States has more neonatal intensive care resources yet provides proportionately less support for preconception and prenatal care. Unlike the United States, the other countries provided free family planning services and prenatal and perinatal physician care, and the United Kingdom and Australia paid for all contraception. The United States has high neonatal intensive care capacity, with 6.1 neonatologists per 10 000 live births; Australia, 3.7; Canada, 3.3; and the United Kingdom, 2.7. For intensive care beds, the United States has 3.3 per 10 000 live births; Australia and Canada, 2.6; and the United Kingdom, 0.67. Greater neonatal intensive care resources were not consistently associated with lower birth weight-specific mortality. The relative risk (United States as reference) of neonatal mortality for infants <1000 g was 0.84 for Australia, 1.12 for Canada, and 0.99 for the United Kingdom; for 1000 to 2499 g infants, the relative risk was 0.97 for Australia, 1.26 for Canada, and 0.95 for the United Kingdom. As reported elsewhere, low birth weight rates were notably higher in the United States, partially explaining the high crude mortality rates. The United States has significantly greater neonatal intensive care resources per capita, compared with 3 other developed countries, without having consistently better birth weight-specific mortality. Despite low birth weight rates that exceed other countries, the United States has proportionately more providers per low birth weight infant, but offers less extensive preconception and prenatal services. This study questions the effectiveness of the current distribution of US reproductive care resources and its emphasis on neonatal intensive care.

  9. 78 FR 22560 - Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-16

    ... relating to policy, rulemaking, congressional activities, and public relations. 8. Department of State... disposal or reduce the retention period of records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public..., this public notice lists the organizational unit(s) accumulating the records or indicates agency- wide...

  10. Assessing the needs of Delaware's older drivers.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-06-01

    In light of Delawares growing population age 60 and older (60+), it is important to plan for the : states projected increase in older drivers. Information from the United States Census Bureau : (2005) indicates that Delaware is projected to hav...

  11. CRSI (Climate Resilience Screening Index) - Development and Application

    EPA Science Inventory

    We developed a Climate Resilience Screening Index that is applicable at multiple scales for the United States. Those scales include national, state, county and community. In order to explicitly include domains, indicators and metrics addressing environmental, economic and soci...

  12. Closure Report (CR) for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 91: Area 3 U-3fi Injection Well with Errata Sheet and Certification, Revision 0

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

    Navarro Nevada Environmental Services

    The closure report for CAU 91 has no Use Restriction Form or drawing/map included in the document to describe the use restricted area, however, Section 3.3.3 states that the site will be fenced and signage placed indicating the area as a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Unit. The drawing that was placed in the FFACO indicating the use restricted area lists the coordinates for the RCRA Unit in Nevada State Plan Coordinates - North American Datum of 1983. In the ensuing years the reporting of coordinates has been standardized so that all coordinates are reported in the same manner,more » which is: NAD 27 UTM Zone 11 N, meters. This Errata Sheet updates the coordinate reporting to the currently accepted method and includes an aerial photo showing the RCRA Unit with the coordinates listed showing the use restricted area.« less

  13. Management of unstable angina pectoris and non-Q-wave acute myocardial infarction in the United States and Canada (the TIMI III Registry).

    PubMed

    Anderson, H V; Gibson, R S; Stone, P H; Cannon, C P; Aguirre, F; Thompson, B; Knatterud, G L; Braunwald, E

    1997-06-01

    Management of Q-wave acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been shown to differ between the United States and Canada, with more catheterization and revascularization procedures performed in the United States, but with little or no apparent difference in clinical outcomes. No previous studies have evaluated management differences for the acute coronary syndromes of unstable angina pectoris and non-Q-wave AMI. We therefore compared treatments and outcomes between 14 United States and 4 Canadian tertiary care centers participating in an observational registry of all consecutive admissions for unstable angina or non-Q-wave AMI between 1990 and 1993. A random, stratified sample was selected for detailed assessment and follow-up. There were 1,733 patients enrolled in United States centers and 642 in Canadian ones. In United States centers patients were less likely to receive intravenous nitroglycerin, heparin, beta blockers, calcium antagonists, or > or = 2 anti-ischemic agents. Coronary arteriography during index hospitalization was equally frequent in both countries (63.4% vs 66.9%, p = 0.781), but at 6 weeks and 1 year coronary arteriography was slightly less frequent in the United States patients. Revascularization by coronary angioplasty or bypass surgery was equivalent at 6 weeks and 1 year; however, there were trends toward less angioplasty and more bypass surgery in the United States than in Canada. Patients at United States centers stayed in the hospital fewer days than patients at Canadian centers (mean 8.2 vs 12.1 days, p <0.001). Death or AMI by 6 weeks was not different (4.8% vs 4.4%, p = 0.633), nor was it different at 1 year (10.0% vs 10.2%, p = 0.836). The combined outcome of death, AMI, or recurrent ischemia was more common in United States than in Canadian patients at 6 weeks (18.4% vs 13.9%, p = 0.004). Our findings indicate that United States physicians and hospitals did not consistently utilize more resources and were not more aggressive than their Canadian counterparts when treating acute coronary syndromes during this period.

  14. Trends in Residential Services for Mentally Retarded People: 1977-1982. Brief #23.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, B. K.; Lakin, K. C.

    In 1977 a survey was conducted of all state-licensed, state-contracted, and state-operated residential facilities serving mentally retarded people in the United States. The survey was replicated in 1982 and this report summarizes and compares the results of the two surveys. Results indicate that the overall size of the residential service system…

  15. Kids Count Data Book 1996: State Profiles of Child Well-Being.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD.

    This book provides a national and state-by-state (including the District of Columbia) compilation of benchmarks of the educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children in the United States. Ten indicators of children's well-being are taken from government sources: (1) percent low birth-weight babies; (2) infant mortality rate;…

  16. KIDS COUNT Data Book 1997: State Profiles of Child Well-Being.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD.

    This 1997 KIDS COUNT data book provides a national and state-by-state (including the District of Columbia) compilation of benchmarks of the educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children in the United States. Ten indicators of children's well-being are taken from government sources: (1) percent of low birth-weight babies; (2)…

  17. Considering disparities: How do nurse practitioner regulatory policies, access to care, and health outcomes vary across four states?

    PubMed

    Sonenberg, Andréa; Knepper, Hillary J

    Health disparities persist among morbidity and mortality rates in the United States. Contributing significantly to these disparities are the ability to pay for health care (largely, access to health insurance) and access to, and capacity of, the primary care health workforce. This article examines key determinants of health (DOH) including demographics, public and regulatory policies, health workforce capacity, and primary health outcomes of four states of the United States. The context of this study is the potential association among health care disparities and myriad DOH, among them, the restrictive nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice (SOP) regulatory environment, which are documented to influence access to care and health outcomes. This descriptive study explores current NP SOP regulations, access to primary care, and health outcomes of key chronic disease indicators-diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in Alabama, Colorado, Mississippi, and Utah. These states represent both the greatest disparity in chronic disease health outcomes (obesity, diabetes, and hypertension) and the greatest difference in modernization of their NP SOP laws. The Affordable Care Act has greatly expanded access to health care. However, it is estimated that 23 million Americans, 7% of its total population, will remain uninsured by 2019. Restrictive and inconsistent NP SOP policies may continue to contribute to health workforce capacity and population health disparities across the country, with particular concern for primary care indicators. The study findings bring into question whether states with more restrictive NP SOP regulations impact access to primary care, which may in turn influence population health outcomes. These findings suggest the need for further research. NPs are essential for meeting the increasing demands of primary care in the United States, and quality-of-care indicator research supports their use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Grid impacts of wind power: a summary of recent studies in the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parsons, Brian; Milligan, Michael; Zavadil, Bob; Brooks, Daniel; Kirby, Brendan; Dragoon, Ken; Caldwell, Jim

    2004-04-01

    Several detailed technical investigations of grid ancillary service impacts of wind power plants in the United States have recently been performed. These studies were applied to Xcel Energy (in Minnesota) and PacifiCorp and the Bonneville Power Administration (both in the northwestern United States). Although the approaches vary, three utility time frames appear to be most at issue: regulation, load following and unit commitment. This article describes and compares the analytic frameworks from recent analysis and discusses the implications and cost estimates of wind integration. The findings of these studies indicate that relatively large-scale wind generation will have an impact on power system operation and costs, but these impacts and costs are relatively low at penetration rates that are expected over the next several years. Published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Socioeconomic determinants of health: community marginalisation and the diffusion of disease and disorder in the United States.

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, R.; Wallace, D.

    1997-01-01

    This article describes the cascading diffusion of "inner city problems" of disease and disorder in the United States--from the huge marginalised inner city communities of the largest municipalities, first along national travel routes to smaller cities, and then from central cities into surrounding more affluent suburbs-following the pattern of the daily journey to work. Public policies and economic practices which increase marginalisation act to damage the "weak ties" of the community social networks which bind central city neighbourhoods into functioning units. Spreading disease and disorder can be interpreted as indices of the resulting social disintegration, which is driven by policy. This "failure of containment" in the United States should serve as a warning for cities in Europe against reducing the municipal and other services that they provide to "unpopular" subpopulations. PMID:9158474

  20. Asbestos in the United States, exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chidester, A.H.; Shride, A.F.

    1962-01-01

    The asbestos deposits in the United States (exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii) are shown on the accompanying map. The principal mineralogic types of asbestos (chrysotile and amphibole) are indicated by the shape of symbols, and the relative importance of the deposit is indicated by the size of symbols. The text lists localities by State by numbers that are keyed to the map. Localities are distinguished by name of mine, prospect, or geographic area; their coordinates are given to the nearest minute of latitude and longitude. Geologic relations of each occurrence, if known, are characterized briefly. The text and map were compiled from published and unpublished information, and at least one reference is given for each locality if reports on it have been published. Chrysotile asbestos, a variety of serpentine, occurs chiefly in serpentinized peridotite and is distributed in the United States in two principal belts, the eastern extending from Maine to Alabama, and the western extending from Washington to California, where numerous masses of ultramafic rocks were intruded in Paleozoic and Mesozoic time, respectively. Domestic production from deposits of this type has not been large compared with that of Canada from the extensively developed deposits in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia. The principal mine in the United States is located at Belvidere Mountain, Vt. Minor amounts of asbestos have been produced from other deposits in these belts and from scattered occurrences of chrysotile elsewhe,re in a number of States between them. Increased exploration and development activity for short-fiber chrysotile has recently been reported in California. Chrysotile also occurs in bedded limestone, metamorphosed close to intrusions of diabase. The principal occurrences of this type are in Arizona, where small quantities of long-fiber, low-iron chrysotile have been mined from numerous small deposits. Several species of amphibole occur in fibrous forms; in the United States only anthophyllite and tremolite are known to have commercial importance. As both the anthophyllite and tremolite occur in ultramafic rocks, associated greenstone, and amphibolite, the overall distribution of amphibole asbestos in the United States is like that of chrysotile. The deposits are generally small and erratic in distribution.

  1. Health Care Indicators for the United States

    PubMed Central

    Donham, Carolyn S.; Maple, Brenda T.; Levit, Katharine R.

    1992-01-01

    Contained in this regular feature of the journal is a section on each of the following four topics community hospital statistics; employment, hours, and earnings in the private health sector; health care prices; and national economic indicators. PMID:10122005

  2. On the Scaling Behavior of Reliability-Resilience-Vulnerability Indices in Agricultural Watersheds

    EPA Science Inventory

    Risk indices such as reliability-resilience-vulnerability (R-R-V) have been proposed to assess watershed health. In this study, the spatial scaling behavior of R-R-V indices has been explored for five agricultural watersheds in the midwestern United States. The study was conduc...

  3. Rapidly measured indicators of recreational water quality andswimming-associated illness at marine beaches: a prospective cohort study

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background: In the United States and elsewhere, recreational water is monitored for fecal indicator bacteria to prevent illness. Standard methods to measure fecal indicator bacteria take at least 24 hours to obtain results. Molecular approaches such as quantitative polymerase cha...

  4. SES Gradients Among Mexicans in the United States and in Mexico: A New Twist to the Hispanic Paradox?

    PubMed Central

    Palloni, Alberto; Riosmena, Fernando; Wong, Rebeca

    2016-01-01

    Recent empirical findings have suggested the existence of a twist in the Hispanic paradox, in which Mexican and other Hispanic foreign-born migrants living in the United States experience shallower socioeconomic status (SES) health disparities than those in the U.S. population. In this article, we seek to replicate this finding and test conjectures that could explain this new observed phenomenon using objective indicators of adult health by educational attainment in several groups: (1) Mexicanborn individuals living in Mexico and in the United States, (2) U.S.-born Mexican Americans, and (3) non-Hispanic American whites. Our analytical strategy improves upon previous research on three fronts. First, we derive four hypotheses from a general framework that has also been used to explain the standard Hispanic paradox. Second, we study biomarkers rather than self-reported health and related conditions. Third, we use a binational data platform that includes both Mexicans living in Mexico (Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006) and Mexican migrants to the United States (NHANES 1999–2010). We find steep education gradients among Mexicans living in Mexico’s urban areas in five of six biomarkers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and in the overall MetS score. Mexican migrants living in the United States experience similar patterns to Mexicans living in Mexico in glucose and obesity biomarkers. These results are inconsistent with previous findings, suggesting that Mexican migrants in the United States experience significantly attenuated health gradients relative to the non-Hispanic white U.S. population. Our empirical evidence also contradicts the idea that SES-health gradients in Mexico are shallower than those in the United States and could be invoked to explain shallower gradients among Mexicans living in the United States. PMID:27655408

  5. SES Gradients Among Mexicans in the United States and in Mexico: A New Twist to the Hispanic Paradox?

    PubMed

    Beltrán-Sánchez, Hiram; Palloni, Alberto; Riosmena, Fernando; Wong, Rebeca

    2016-10-01

    Recent empirical findings have suggested the existence of a twist in the Hispanic paradox, in which Mexican and other Hispanic foreign-born migrants living in the United States experience shallower socioeconomic status (SES) health disparities than those in the U.S. In this article, we seek to replicate this finding and test conjectures that could explain this new observed phenomenon using objective indicators of adult health by educational attainment in several groups: (1) Mexican-born individuals living in Mexico and in the United States, (2) U.S.-born Mexican Americans, and (3) non-Hispanic American whites. Our analytical strategy improves upon previous research on three fronts. First, we derive four hypotheses from a general framework that has also been used to explain the standard Hispanic paradox. Second, we study biomarkers rather than self-reported health and related conditions. Third, we use a binational data platform that includes both Mexicans living in Mexico (Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006) and Mexican migrants to the United States (NHANES 1999-2010). We find steep education gradients among Mexicans living in Mexico's urban areas in five of six biomarkers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and in the overall MetS score. Mexican migrants living in the United States experience similar patterns to Mexicans living in Mexico in glucose and obesity biomarkers. These results are inconsistent with previous findings, suggesting that Mexican migrants in the United States experience significantly attenuated health gradients relative to the non-Hispanic white U.S. Our empirical evidence also contradicts the idea that SES-health gradients in Mexico are shallower than those in the United States and could be invoked to explain shallower gradients among Mexicans living in the United States.

  6. Origin of Pest Lineages of the Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

    PubMed

    Izzo, Victor M; Chen, Yolanda H; Schoville, Sean D; Wang, Cong; Hawthorne, David J

    2018-04-02

    Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae]) is a pest of potato throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but little is known about the beetle's origins as a pest. We sampled the beetle from uncultivated Solanum host plants in Mexico, and from pest and non-pest populations in the United States and used mitochondrial DNA and nuclear loci to examine three hypotheses on the origin of the pest lineages: 1) the pest beetles originated from Mexican populations, 2) they descended from hybridization between previously divergent populations, or 3) they descended from populations that are native to the Plains states in the United States. Mitochondrial haplotypes of non-pest populations from Mexico and Arizona differed substantially from beetles collected from the southern plains and potato fields in the United States, indicating that beetles from Mexico and Arizona did not contribute to founding the pest lineages. Similar results were observed for AFLP and microsatellite data . In contrast, non-pest populations from the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas were genetically similar to U.S. pest populations, indicating that they contributed to the founding of the pest lineages. Most of the pest populations do not show a significant reduction in genetic diversity compared to the plains populations in the United States. We conclude that genetically heterogeneous beetle populations expanded onto potato from native Solanum hosts. This mode of host range expansion may have contributed to the abundant genetic diversity of contemporary populations, perhaps contributing to the rapid evolution of climate tolerance, host range, and insecticide resistance.

  7. Monitoring and understanding changes in heat waves, cold waves, floods, and droughts in the United States: State of knowledge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Peterson, Thomas C.; Heim, Richard R.; Hirsch, Robert M.; Kaiser, Dale P.; Brooks, Harold; Diffenbaugh, Noah S.; Dole, Randall M.; Giovannettone, Jason P.; Guirguis, Kristen; Karl, Thomas R.; Katz, Richard W.; Kunkel, Kenneth E.; Lettenmaier, Dennis P.; McCabe, Gregory J.; Paciorek, Christopher J.; Ryberg, Karen R.; K Wolter, BS Silva; Schubert, Siegfried; Silva, Viviane B. S.; Stewart, Brooke C.; Vecchia, Aldo V.; Villarini, Gabriele; Vose, Russell S.; Walsh, John; Wehner, Michael; Wolock, David; Wolter, Klaus; Woodhouse, Connie A.; Wuebbles, Donald

    2013-01-01

    Weather and climate extremes have been varying and changing on many different time scales. In recent decades, heat waves have generally become more frequent across the United States, while cold waves have been decreasing. While this is in keeping with expectations in a warming climate, it turns out that decadal variations in the number of U.S. heat and cold waves do not correlate well with the observed U.S. warming during the last century. Annual peak flow data reveal that river flooding trends on the century scale do not show uniform changes across the country. While flood magnitudes in the Southwest have been decreasing, flood magnitudes in the Northeast and north-central United States have been increasing. Confounding the analysis of trends in river flooding is multiyear and even multidecadal variability likely caused by both large-scale atmospheric circulation changes and basin-scale “memory” in the form of soil moisture. Droughts also have long-term trends as well as multiyear and decadal variability. Instrumental data indicate that the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and the drought in the 1950s were the most significant twentieth-century droughts in the United States, while tree ring data indicate that the megadroughts over the twelfth century exceeded anything in the twentieth century in both spatial extent and duration. The state of knowledge of the factors that cause heat waves, cold waves, floods, and drought to change is fairly good with heat waves being the best understood.

  8. Age at first marriage, education and divorce: the case of the U.S.A..

    PubMed

    Perreira, P T

    1991-01-01

    "This paper presents an analysis of the determinants of the age of marriage and the probability of divorce among women in the United States." The author hypothesizes that the possibility of divorce enters into women's decision to marry. "As expected, empirical results indicate that in the United States, where it is easier to obtain divorce, women tend to marry earlier. Furthermore, Catholic women tend to marry later....Results seem to indicate the age at marriage and education should not be considered to be exogenous in the study of the probability of divorce. Another important result is that women who marry earlier...show a lower probability of divorce...." excerpt

  9. Medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids containing products - Regulations in Europe and North America.

    PubMed

    Abuhasira, Ran; Shbiro, Liat; Landschaft, Yuval

    2018-03-01

    In 1937, the United States of America criminalized the use of cannabis and as a result its use decreased rapidly. In recent decades, there is a growing interest in the wide range of medical uses of cannabis and its constituents; however, the laws and regulations are substantially different between countries. Laws differentiate between raw herbal cannabis, cannabis extracts, and cannabinoid-based medicines. Both the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not approve the use of herbal cannabis or its extracts. The FDA approved several cannabinoid-based medicines, so did 23 European countries and Canada. However, only four of the reviewed countries have fully authorized the medical use of herbal cannabis - Canada, Germany, Israel and the Netherlands, together with more than 50% of the states in the United States. Most of the regulators allow the physicians to decide what specific indications they will prescribe cannabis for, but some regulators dictate only specific indications. The aim of this article is to review the current (as of November 2017) regulations of medical cannabis use in Europe and North America. Copyright © 2018 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Job Satisfaction Among Academic Staff: An International Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lacy, Fiona J.; Sheehan, Barry A.

    1997-01-01

    A study examined aspects of college faculty's satisfaction with their jobs across eight nations (Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States) and the implications for governance and administration. Results indicate that factors related to work environment (university atmosphere, morale, sense of community,…

  11. Structural racism and myocardial infarction in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Lukachko, Alicia; Hatzenbuehler, Mark L.; Keyes, Katherine M.

    2014-01-01

    There is a growing research literature suggesting that racism is an important risk factor undermining the health of Blacks in the United States. Racism can take many forms, ranging from interpersonal interactions to institutional/structural conditions and practices. Existing research, however, tends to focus on individual forms of racial discrimination using self-report measures. Far less attention has been paid to whether structural racism may disadvantage the health of Blacks in the United States. The current study addresses gaps in the existing research by using novel measures of structural racism and by explicitly testing the hypothesis that structural racism is a risk factor for myocardial infarction among Blacks in the United States. State-level indicators of structural racism included four domains: (1) political participation; (2) employment and job status; (3) educational attainment; and (4) judicial treatment. State-level racial disparities across these domains were proposed to represent the systematic exclusion of Blacks from resources and mobility in society. Data on past-year myocardial infarction were obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (non-Hispanic Black: N = 8245; non-Hispanic White: N = 24,507), a nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population aged 18 and older. Models were adjusted for individual-level confounders (age, sex, education, household income, medical insurance) as well as for state-level disparities in poverty. Results indicated that Blacks living in states with high levels of structural racism were generally more likely to report past-year myocardial infarction than Blacks living in low-structural racism states. Conversely, Whites living in high structural racism states experienced null or lower odds of myocardial infarction compared to Whites living in low-structural racism states. These results raise the provocative possibility that structural racism may not only harm the targets of stigma but also benefit those who wield the power to enact stigma and discrimination. PMID:24507909

  12. Structural racism and myocardial infarction in the United States.

    PubMed

    Lukachko, Alicia; Hatzenbuehler, Mark L; Keyes, Katherine M

    2014-02-01

    There is a growing research literature suggesting that racism is an important risk factor undermining the health of Blacks in the United States. Racism can take many forms, ranging from interpersonal interactions to institutional/structural conditions and practices. Existing research, however, tends to focus on individual forms of racial discrimination using self-report measures. Far less attention has been paid to whether structural racism may disadvantage the health of Blacks in the United States. The current study addresses gaps in the existing research by using novel measures of structural racism and by explicitly testing the hypothesis that structural racism is a risk factor for myocardial infarction among Blacks in the United States. State-level indicators of structural racism included four domains: (1) political participation; (2) employment and job status; (3) educational attainment; and (4) judicial treatment. State-level racial disparities across these domains were proposed to represent the systematic exclusion of Blacks from resources and mobility in society. Data on past-year myocardial infarction were obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (non-Hispanic Black: N = 8245; non-Hispanic White: N = 24,507), a nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population aged 18 and older. Models were adjusted for individual-level confounders (age, sex, education, household income, medical insurance) as well as for state-level disparities in poverty. Results indicated that Blacks living in states with high levels of structural racism were generally more likely to report past-year myocardial infarction than Blacks living in low-structural racism states. Conversely, Whites living in high structural racism states experienced null or lower odds of myocardial infarction compared to Whites living in low-structural racism states. These results raise the provocative possibility that structural racism may not only harm the targets of stigma but also benefit those who wield the power to enact stigma and discrimination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. West Coast, United States and Mexico

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1990-04-29

    This view shows the west coast of the United States and Mexico (32.5N, 118.0W) and gives an indication of the range of view from orbital altitude. The visual range of this particular scene is from Skammon's Lagoon on Baja to the northern tip of California's Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, a range of over 15 degrees of latitude. Coastal fog drapes over southern California and northern Baja California. White Sands, New Mexico is at far right center.

  14. Long-term economic impact of countervailing duties on coated free sheet paper imported by the United States from China, the Republic of Korea, and Indonesia

    Treesearch

    Shushuai Zhu; James A. Turner; Joseph Buongiorno

    2008-01-01

    The international effects of United States countervailing duties on imports of coated free sheet paper from China, the Republic of Korea, and Indonesia were predicted with the Global Forest Products Model, up to the year 2020. The results indicate that the production of printing and writing paper in China, Indonesia, and the Republic of Korea would be lower. The trade...

  15. Life-sustaining treatment decisions in Portuguese intensive care units: a national survey of intensive care physicians.

    PubMed

    Cardoso, Teresa; Fonseca, Teresa; Pereira, Sofia; Lencastre, Luís

    2003-12-01

    The objective of the present study was to evaluate the opinion of Portuguese intensive care physicians regarding 'do-not-resuscitate' (DNR) orders and decisions to withhold/withdraw treatment. A questionnaire was sent to all physicians working on a full-time basis in all intensive care units (ICUs) registered with the Portuguese Intensive Care Society. A total of 266 questionnaires were sent and 175 (66%) were returned. Physicians from 79% of the ICUs participated. All participants stated that DNR orders are applied in their units, and 98.3% stated that decisions to withhold treatment and 95.4% stated that decisions to withdraw treatment are also applied. About three quarters indicated that only the medical group makes these decisions. Fewer than 15% of the responders stated that they involve nurses, 9% involve patients and fewer than 11% involve patients' relatives in end-of-life decisions. Physicians with more than 10 years of clinical experience more frequently indicated that they involve nurses in these decisions (P < 0.05), and agnostic/atheist doctors more frequently involve patients' relatives in decisions to withhold/withdraw treatment (P < 0.05). When asked about who they thought should be involved, more than 26% indicated nurses, more than 35% indicated the patient and more than 25% indicated patients' relatives. More experienced doctors more frequently felt that nurses should be involved (P < 0.05), and male doctors more frequently stated that patients' relatives should be involved in DNR orders (P < 0.05). When a decision to withdraw treatment is made, 76.8% of 151 respondents indicated that they would initiate palliative care; no respondent indicated that they would administer drugs to accelerate the expected outcome. The probability of survival from the acute episode and patients' wishes were the most important criteria influencing end-of-life decisions. These decisions are made only by the medical group in most of the responding ICUs, with little input from nursing staff, patients, or patients' relatives, although many respondents expressed a wish to involve them more in this process. Sex, experience and religious beliefs of the respondents influences the way in which these decisions are made.

  16. Late proterozoic and paleozoic tides, retreat of the moon, and rotation of the earth

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sonett, C.P.; Kvale, E.P.; Zakharian, A.; Chan, M.A.; Demko, T.M.

    1996-01-01

    The tidal rhythmites in the Proterozoic Big Cottonwood Formation (Utah, United States), the Neoproterozoic Elatina Formation of the Flinders Range (southern Australia), and the Lower Pennsylvanian Pottsville Formation (Alabama, United States) and Mansfield Formation (Indiana, United States) indicate that the rate of retreat of the lunar orbit is d??/dt k2 sin(2??) (where ?? is the Earth-moon radius vector, k2 is the tidal Love number, and ?? is the tidal lag angle) and that this rate has been approximately constant since the late Precambrian. When the contribution to tidal friction from the sun is taken into account, these data imply that the length of the terrestrial day 900 million years ago was -18 hours.

  17. The south-central United States magnetic anomaly

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hinze, W. J.; Braile, L. W. (Principal Investigator); Starich, P. J.

    1984-01-01

    The South-Central United States Magnetic Anomaly is the most prominent positive feature in the MAGSAT scalar magnetic field over North America. The anomaly correlates with increased crustal thickness, above average crustal velocity, negative free air gravity anomalies and an extensive zone of Middle Proterozoic anorogenic felsic basement rocks. Spherical dipole source inversion of the MAGSAT scalar data and subsequent calculation of reduced to pole and derivative maps provide constraints for a crustal magnetic model which corresponds geographically to the extensive Middle Proterozoic felsic rocks trending northeasterly across the United States. These felsic rocks contain insufficient magnetization or volume to produce the anomaly, but are rather indicative of a crustal zone which was disturbed during a Middle Proterozoic thermal event which enriched magnetic material deep in the crust.

  18. Impact of hospital care on incidence of bloodstream infection: the evaluation of processes and indicators in infection control study.

    PubMed Central

    Kritchevsky, S. B.; Braun, B. I.; Wong, E. S.; Solomon, S. L.; Steele, L.; Richards, C.; Simmons, B. P.

    2001-01-01

    The Evaluation of Processes and Indicators in Infection Control (EPIC) study assesses the relationship between hospital care and rates of central venous catheter-associated primary bacteremia in 54 intensive-care units (ICUs) in the United States and 14 other countries. Using ICU rather than the patient as the primary unit of statistical analysis permits evaluation of factors that vary at the ICU level. The design of EPIC can serve as a template for studies investigating the relationship between process and event rates across health-care institutions. PMID:11294704

  19. Analysis of Acceleration, Airspeed, and Gust-Velocity Data From a Four-Engine Transport Airplane Operating Over a Northwestern United States Alaska Route

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engel, Jerome N.; Copp, Martin R.

    1959-01-01

    Acceleration, airspeed, and altitude data obtained with an NACA VGH recorder from a four-engine commercial transport airplane operating over a northwestern United States-Alaska route were evaluated to determine the magnitude and frequency of occurrence of gust and maneuver accelerations., operating airspeeds, and gust velocities. The results obtained were then compared with the results previously reported in NACA Technical Note 3475 for two similar airplanes operating over transcontinental routes in the United States. No large variations in the gust experience for the three operations were noted. The results indicate that the gust-load experience of the present operation closely approximated that of the central transcontinental route in the United States with which it is compared and showed differences of about 4 to 1 when compared with that of the southern transcontinental route in the United States. In general, accelerations due to gusts occurred much more frequently than those due to operational maneuvers. At a measured normal-acceleration increment of 0.5g, accelerations due to gusts occurred roughly 35 times more frequently than those due to operational maneuvers.

  20. Selection of USSR foreign similarity regions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Disler, J. M. (Principal Investigator)

    1982-01-01

    The similarity regions in the United States and Canada were selected to parallel the conditions that affect labeling and classification accuracies in the U.S.S.R. indicator regions. In addition to climate, a significant condition that affects labeling and classification accuracies in the U.S.S.R. is the proportion of barley and wheat grown in a given region (based on sown areas). The following regions in the United States and Canada were determined to be similar to the U.S.S.R. indicator regions: (1) Montana agrophysical unit (APU) 104 corresponds to the Belorussia high barley region; (2) North Dakota and Minnesota APU 20 and secondary region southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan correspond to the Ural RSFSR barley and spring wheat region; (3) Montana APU 23 corresponds to he North Caucasus barley and winter wheat region. Selection criteria included climates, crop type, crop distribution, growth cycles, field sizes, and field shapes.

  1. New spatially continuous indices of redlining and racial bias in mortgage lending: links to survival after breast cancer diagnosis and implications for health disparities research.

    PubMed

    Beyer, Kirsten M M; Zhou, Yuhong; Matthews, Kevin; Bemanian, Amin; Laud, Purushottam W; Nattinger, Ann B

    2016-07-01

    Racial health disparities continue to be a serious problem in the United States and have been linked to contextual factors, including racial segregation. In some cases, including breast cancer survival, racial disparities appear to be worsening. Using the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) database, we extend current spatial analysis methodology to derive new, spatially continuous indices of (1) racial bias in mortgage lending and (2) redlining. We then examine spatial patterns of these indices and the association between these new measures and breast cancer survival among Black/African American women in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area. These new measures can be used to examine relationships between mortgage discrimination and patterns of disease throughout the United States. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Ethnic Differences in Autism Eligibility in the United States Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morrier, Michael J.; Hess, Kristen L.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates ethnic differences for 295,945 children and youth with an autism eligibility reported to the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) by 49 states plus the District of Columbia. Data analyses used relative difference, risk index, and risk ratio (RR). Results indicate that 80% of states report underrepresentation across…

  3. Distribution and abundance of snowy plovers in eastern North America, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gorman, Leah; Haig, Susan M.

    2002-01-01

    Snowy Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) are small, partially migrant shorebirds that are broadly distributed across North America. Snowy Plover distribution west of the Rocky Mountains has been well described. However, distribution and abundance east of the Rocky Mountains has not received much attention despite current status and ESA listing concerns for Snowy Plovers in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. Thus, a first step in developing a monitoring program for Snowy Plovers is to understand the species' distribution. We summarize information on distribution and abundance of Snowy Plovers in the eastern United States, Caribbean, and Bahamas. Breeding and winter distribution maps for the continental United States were generated from a database of 3563 records from 388 sites in continental North America constructed from International Shorebird Survey (ISS), Christmas Bird Count (CBC), unpublished field data, and published accounts. Comparison of maximum counts per site (1980–present) indicated the number of breeding Snowy Plovers was greatest in Kansas and Oklahoma, while the greatest number of wintering birds occurred in the Laguna Madre of Texas and Mexico. Snowy Plovers concentrate at sites in Oklahoma and Texas during migration, with higher concentrations on the upper Texas coast in spring compared to fall migration. Data regarding historic abundance and trends are limited but suggest that Snowy Plovers in the eastern United States may have experienced regional population declines and may have suffered a range contraction in Texas. Serious concerns about the conservation status of Snowy Plovers in the eastern United States, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas indicate an immediate need for systematic surveys and up-to-date population estimates.

  4. Addressing Uncertainty in Fecal Indicator Bacteria Dark Inactivation Rates

    EPA Science Inventory

    Fecal contamination is a leading cause of surface water quality degradation. Roughly 20% of all total maximum daily load assessments approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency since 1995, for example, address water bodies with unacceptably high fecal indicator...

  5. Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2016

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA partners with over 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to compile and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change, the significance of these changes, and their possible conseq...

  6. Evidence for increasingly variable Palmer Drought Severity Index in the United States since 1895.

    PubMed

    Rayne, Sierra; Forest, Kaya

    2016-02-15

    Annual and summertime trends towards increasingly variable values of the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) over a sub-decadal period (five years) were investigated within the contiguous United States between 1895 and the present. For the contiguous United States as a whole, there is a significant increasing trend in the five-year running minimum-maximum ranges for the annual PDSI (aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range)). During this time frame, the average aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range) has increased by about one full unit, indicating a substantial increase in drought variability over short time scales across the United States. The end members of the running aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range) highlight even more rapid changes in the drought index variability within the past 120 years. This increasing variability in the aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range) is driven primarily by changes taking place in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean coastal climate regions, climate regions which collectively comprise one-third the area of the contiguous United States. Similar trends were found for the annual and summertime Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI), the Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI), and the Palmer Z Index (PZI). Overall, interannual drought patterns in the contiguous United States are becoming more extreme and difficult to predict, posing a challenge to agricultural and other water-resource related planning efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Social processes underlying acculturation: a study of drinking behavior among immigrant Latinos in the Northeast United States

    PubMed Central

    LEE, CHRISTINA S.; LÓPEZ, STEVEN REGESER; COBLY, SUZANNE M.; TEJADA, MONICA; GARCÍA-COLL, CYNTHIA; SMITH, MARCIA

    2010-01-01

    Study Goals To identify social processes that underlie the relationship of acculturation and heavy drinking behavior among Latinos who have immigrated to the Northeast United States of America (USA). Method Community-based recruitment strategies were used to identify 36 Latinos who reported heavy drinking. Participants were 48% female, 23 to 56 years of age, and were from South or Central America (39%) and the Caribbean (24%). Six focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed. Results Content analyses indicated that the social context of drinking is different in the participants’ countries of origin and in the United States. In Latin America, alcohol consumption was part of everyday living (being with friends and family). Nostalgia and isolation reflected some of the reasons for drinking in the USA. Results suggest that drinking in the Northeastern United States (US) is related to Latinos’ adaptation to a new sociocultural environment. Knowledge of the shifting social contexts of drinking can inform health interventions. PMID:20376331

  8. A Multiyear Model of Influenza Vaccination in the United States.

    PubMed

    Kamis, Arnold; Zhang, Yuji; Kamis, Tamara

    2017-07-28

    Vaccinating adults against influenza remains a challenge in the United States. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we present a model for predicting who receives influenza vaccination in the United States between 2012 and 2014, inclusive. The logistic regression model contains nine predictors: age, pneumococcal vaccination, time since last checkup, highest education level attained, employment, health care coverage, number of personal doctors, smoker status, and annual household income. The model, which classifies correctly 67 percent of the data in 2013, is consistent with models tested on the 2012 and 2014 datasets. Thus, we have a multiyear model to explain and predict influenza vaccination in the United States. The results indicate room for improvement in vaccination rates. We discuss how cognitive biases may underlie reluctance to obtain vaccination. We argue that targeted communications addressing cognitive biases could be useful for effective framing of vaccination messages, thus increasing the vaccination rate. Finally, we discuss limitations of the current study and questions for future research.

  9. Twentieth Century Regional Climate Change During the Summer in the Central United States Attributed to Agricultural Intensification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alter, Ross E.; Douglas, Hunter C.; Winter, Jonathan M.; Eltahir, Elfatih A. B.

    2018-02-01

    Both land use changes and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have significantly modified regional climate over the last century. In the central United States, for example, observational data indicate that rainfall increased, surface air temperature decreased, and surface humidity increased during the summer over the course of the twentieth century concurrently with increases in both agricultural production and global GHG emissions. However, the relative contributions of each of these forcings to the observed regional changes remain unclear. Results of both regional climate model simulations and observational analyses suggest that much of the observed rainfall increase—as well as the decrease in temperature and increase in humidity—is attributable to agricultural intensification in the central United States, with natural variability and GHG emissions playing secondary roles. Thus, we conclude that twentieth century land use changes contributed more to forcing observed regional climate change during the summer in the central United States than increasing GHG emissions.

  10. International High Level Nuclear Waste Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dreschhoff, Gisela; And Others

    1974-01-01

    Discusses the radioactive waste management in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the USSR. Indicates that scientists and statesmen should look beyond their own lifetimes into future centuries and millennia to conduct long-range plans essential to protection of future generations. (CC)

  11. An Analysis of Unemployment and Other Labor Market Indicators in 10 Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moy, Joyanna

    1988-01-01

    Compares unemployment, employment, and related labor market statistics in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Introduces employment-to-population ratios by sex and discusses unemployment rates published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and…

  12. 75 FR 51468 - Published Privacy Impact Assessments on the Web

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-20

    ... research and development effort funded by DHS Science and Technology (S&T) Office of Small Business... Immigration Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program of DHS published this PIA to cover a new..., between the countries of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States. The FCC...

  13. Teaching about Japan in Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richardson, Helen W.

    1981-01-01

    Suggests that a good starting point for social studies curriculum units on Japan at the secondary school level is an analysis of the interrelationships between Japan and the United States. Information is presented on population figures, industrialization, standard of living indicators, consumer price indexes, and crude birth and death rates for…

  14. General Mechanical Trades: A Curriculum Guide. Revised Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, W. Charles; And Others

    The guide contains six sections, each consisting of one or more units of general mechanical trades instruction. The sections cover: safety and tools, measuring and blueprint reading, gas welding, arc welding, small engines, and metal work. Each unit includes performance objectives stated as terminal objectives, indicating the subject matter to be…

  15. Indicators of wetland condition for the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Guntenspergen, Glenn R.; Peterson, S.A.; Leibowitz, S.G.; Cowardin, L.M.

    2002-01-01

    We describe a study designed to evaluate the performance ofwetland condition indicators of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR)of the north central United States. Basin and landscape scaleindicators were tested in 1992 and 1993 to determine theirability to discriminate between the influences of grasslanddominated and cropland dominated landscapes in the PPR. Pairedplots were selected from each of the major regions of the PPR.Among the landscape scale indicators tested, those most capableof distinguishing between the two landscapes were: 1) frequencyof drained wetland basins, 2) total length of drainage ditch perplot, 3) amount of exposed soil in the upland subject to erosion,4) indices of change in area of wetland covered by water, and5) number of breeding duck pairs. Basin scale indicators includingsoil phosphorus concentrations and invertebrate taxa richnessshowed some promise; however, plant species richness was the onlystatistically significant basin scale indicator distinguishinggrassland dominated from cropland dominated landscapes. Althoughour study found a number of promising candidate indicators, oneof our conclusions is that basin scale indicators present anumber of implementation problems, including: skill levelrequirements, site access denials, and recession of site accessby landowners. Alternatively, we suggest that the use oflandscape indicators based on remote sensing can be an effectivemeans of assessing wetland integrity.

  16. The process of implementation of emergency care units in Brazil.

    PubMed

    O'Dwyer, Gisele; Konder, Mariana Teixeira; Reciputti, Luciano Pereira; Lopes, Mônica Guimarães Macau; Agostinho, Danielle Fernandes; Alves, Gabriel Farias

    2017-12-11

    To analyze the process of implementation of emergency care units in Brazil. We have carried out a documentary analysis, with interviews with twenty-four state urgency coordinators and a panel of experts. We have analyzed issues related to policy background and trajectory, players involved in the implementation, expansion process, advances, limits, and implementation difficulties, and state coordination capacity. We have used the theoretical framework of the analysis of the strategic conduct of the Giddens theory of structuration. Emergency care units have been implemented after 2007, initially in the Southeast region, and 446 emergency care units were present in all Brazilian regions in 2016. Currently, 620 emergency care units are under construction, which indicates expectation of expansion. Federal funding was a strong driver for the implementation. The states have planned their emergency care units, but the existence of direct negotiation between municipalities and the Union has contributed with the significant number of emergency care units that have been built but that do not work. In relation to the urgency network, there is tension with the hospital because of the lack of beds in the country, which generates hospitalizations in the emergency care unit. The management of emergency care units is predominantly municipal, and most of the emergency care units are located outside the capitals and classified as Size III. The main challenges identified were: under-funding and difficulty in recruiting physicians. The emergency care unit has the merit of having technological resources and being architecturally differentiated, but it will only succeed within an urgency network. Federal induction has generated contradictory responses, since not all states consider the emergency care unit a priority. The strengthening of the state management has been identified as a challenge for the implementation of the urgency network.

  17. The process of implementation of emergency care units in Brazil

    PubMed Central

    O'Dwyer, Gisele; Konder, Mariana Teixeira; Reciputti, Luciano Pereira; Lopes, Mônica Guimarães Macau; Agostinho, Danielle Fernandes; Alves, Gabriel Farias

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the process of implementation of emergency care units in Brazil. METHODS We have carried out a documentary analysis, with interviews with twenty-four state urgency coordinators and a panel of experts. We have analyzed issues related to policy background and trajectory, players involved in the implementation, expansion process, advances, limits, and implementation difficulties, and state coordination capacity. We have used the theoretical framework of the analysis of the strategic conduct of the Giddens theory of structuration. RESULTS Emergency care units have been implemented after 2007, initially in the Southeast region, and 446 emergency care units were present in all Brazilian regions in 2016. Currently, 620 emergency care units are under construction, which indicates expectation of expansion. Federal funding was a strong driver for the implementation. The states have planned their emergency care units, but the existence of direct negotiation between municipalities and the Union has contributed with the significant number of emergency care units that have been built but that do not work. In relation to the urgency network, there is tension with the hospital because of the lack of beds in the country, which generates hospitalizations in the emergency care unit. The management of emergency care units is predominantly municipal, and most of the emergency care units are located outside the capitals and classified as Size III. The main challenges identified were: under-funding and difficulty in recruiting physicians. CONCLUSIONS The emergency care unit has the merit of having technological resources and being architecturally differentiated, but it will only succeed within an urgency network. Federal induction has generated contradictory responses, since not all states consider the emergency care unit a priority. The strengthening of the state management has been identified as a challenge for the implementation of the urgency network. PMID:29236876

  18. Difficulties in detecting behavioral symptoms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration across cultures.

    PubMed

    Papatriantafyllou, John D; Viskontas, Indre V; Papageorgiou, Sokratis G; Miller, Bruce L; Pavlic, Danijela; Bingol, Ayse; Yener, Gorsev

    2009-01-01

    Cross-cultural studies of neurodegenerative disorders are especially important when the disease in question is difficult to diagnose, particularly if symptoms of the illness include behavioral disturbances that may be interpreted differently in different cultures. One such disease is frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), an early-age-of-onset dementia that disproportionately affects social behavior. We report the demographic and neuropsychologic characteristics of more than 300 patients diagnosed with FTLD in the United States, Greece, and Turkey. We find that patients with the frontal variant of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are diagnosed at an earlier age and report earlier symptom onset in the United States than in Greece or Turkey. Furthermore, neuropsychologic measures indicate that at diagnosis, FTD patients in the United States are less impaired than patients in Greece and Turkey. Patients with FTD in Greece and Turkey are diagnosed later in the disease, presumably because their behavioral symptoms are not easily detected by the medical system in these countries. Our study underscores the need to create culturally appropriate indices of the behavioral symptoms of FTLD, so that patients may be diagnosed and treated at an earlier stage.

  19. Country report: Broiler industry and broiler litter-related problems in the southeastern United States.

    PubMed

    Paudel, Krishna P; McIntosh, Christopher S

    2005-01-01

    This report describes the development of the broiler litter problem in the southeastern United States, including the economic opportunity and environmental challenges brought to the region by the industry. Through an analysis applied to the State of Georgia, land application of litter as a disposal alternative is examined along with its associated benefits. The analysis indicates that litter could be transported economically up to 256 km for cropland application. Excessive broiler litter production in a few concentrated regions is expected to stimulate the development of alternative approaches to broiler litter management, such as electricity generation.

  20. Coalification of organic matter in coal balls of the Pennsylvanian (upper Carboniferous) of the Illinois Basin, United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lyons, P.C.; Thompson, C.L.; Hatcher, P.G.; Brown, F.W.; Millay, M.A.; Szeverenyi, N.; Maciel, G.E.

    1984-01-01

    An evaluation was made of the degree of coalification of two coal balls from the Illinois Basin of the Pennsylvanian (upper Carboniferous) of the United States. Previous interpretations are mainly misleading and contradictory, primarily because of the assumption that the brown color and exceptional cellular and subcellular preservation typical of American coal balls imply chemical preservation of cellulose and lignin, the primary components of peat. Xylem tissue from a medullosan seed fern contained in a coal ball and the coal attached to the coal ball from the Calhoun coal bed, Mattoon Formation, Illinois, was analyzed by elemental, petrographic, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to determine the degree of coalification. The NMR and elemental data indicate the lack of cellulose and lignin and a probable rank of high-volatile C bituminous coal. These data corroborate data for a coal ball from the Herrin (No. 6) coal bed (Carbondale Formation, Middle Pennsylvanian) and support our hypothesis that the organic matter in coal balls of the Pennsylvanian strata of the United States is coalified to about the same degree as the surrounding coal. Data presented show a range of lower reflectances for xylem tissue and vitrinite in the analyzed coal balls compared with vitrinite in the attached coal. The data reported indicate that physical preservation of organic matter in coal balls does not imply chemical preservation. Also our study supports the hypothesis that compactional (static load) pressure is not a prerequisite for coalification up to a rank of high-volatile C bituminous coal. A whole-rock analysis of the Calhoun coal ball indicates a similarity to other carbonate coal balls from the United States. It consists primarily of calcium carbonate and 1-2% organic matter; silica and alumina together make up less than 0.5%, indicating the lack of minerals such as quartz and clays. ?? 1984.

  1. The discovery and character of Pleistocene calcrete uranium deposits in the Southern High Plains of west Texas, United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Hall, Susan M.

    2017-12-18

    This report describes the discovery and geology of two near-surface uranium deposits within calcareous lacustrine strata of Pleistocene age in west Texas, United States. Calcrete uranium deposits have not been previously reported in the United States. The west Texas uranium deposits share characteristics with some calcrete uranium deposits in Western Australia—uranium-vanadium minerals hosted by nonpedogenic calcretes deposited in saline lacustrine environments.In the mid-1970s, Kerr-McGee Corporation conducted a regional uranium exploration program in the Southern High Plains province of the United States, which led to the discovery of two shallow uranium deposits (that were not publicly reported). With extensive drilling, Kerr-McGee delineated one deposit of about 2.1 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.037 percent U3O8 and another deposit of about 0.93 million metric tons of ore averaging 0.047 percent U3O8.The west-Texas calcrete uranium-vanadium deposits occur in calcareous, fine-grained sediments interpreted to be deposited in saline lakes formed during dry interglacial periods of the Pleistocene. The lakes were associated with drainages upstream of a large Pleistocene lake. Age determinations of tephra in strata adjacent to one deposit indicate the host strata is middle Pleistocene in age.Examination of the uranium-vanadium mineralization by scanning-electron microscopy indicated at least two generations of uranium-vanadium deposition in the lacustrine strata identified as carnotite and a strontium-uranium-vanadium mineral. Preliminary uranium-series results indicate a two-component system in the host calcrete, with early lacustrine carbonate that was deposited (or recrystallized) about 190 kilo-annum, followed much later by carnotite-rich crusts and strontium-uranium-vanadium mineralization in the Holocene (about 5 kilo-annum). Differences in initial 234U/238U activity ratios indicate two separate, distinct fluid sources.

  2. Coal resources, reserves and peak coal production in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Milici, Robert C.; Flores, Romeo M.; Stricker, Gary D.

    2013-01-01

    In spite of its large endowment of coal resources, recent studies have indicated that United States coal production is destined to reach a maximum and begin an irreversible decline sometime during the middle of the current century. However, studies and assessments illustrating coal reserve data essential for making accurate forecasts of United States coal production have not been compiled on a national basis. As a result, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the accuracy of the production forecasts. A very large percentage of the coal mined in the United States comes from a few large-scale mines (mega-mines) in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. Reported reserves at these mines do not account for future potential reserves or for future development of technology that may make coal classified currently as resources into reserves in the future. In order to maintain United States coal production at or near current levels for an extended period of time, existing mines will eventually have to increase their recoverable reserves and/or new large-scale mines will have to be opened elsewhere. Accordingly, in order to facilitate energy planning for the United States, this paper suggests that probabilistic assessments of the remaining coal reserves in the country would improve long range forecasts of coal production. As it is in United States coal assessment projects currently being conducted, a major priority of probabilistic assessments would be to identify the numbers and sizes of remaining large blocks of coal capable of supporting large-scale mining operations for extended periods of time and to conduct economic evaluations of those resources.

  3. America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being. 2009

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blachman, Dara; Laughlin, Lynda; Lukacs, Susan; Pastor, Patricia; Howie, LaJeana; Sonnenberg, William; Axelrad, Daniel; Steffen, Barry; Baum, Katrina; Lopez, Marsha; Jekielek, Susan; Nord, Mark; Morisi, Teri; Avenevoli, Shelli; Singleton, James; Colpe, Lisa; Fungwe, Thomas; Ghandour, Reem

    2009-01-01

    "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being" provides annual updates on the well-being of children and families in the United States across a range of domains. A more detailed report alternates every other year with a condensed version that highlights selected indicators. This year, the Forum is publishing the full report…

  4. Ten Indicators of Vitality in Smaller Academic Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pappas, David

    2009-01-01

    This paper provides a means of quickly ascertaining the relative health of smaller academic libraries by presenting a top ten list of vitality indicators. The list is based on an observational convenience sampling of thirty smaller academic libraries across the United States. The indicators making the list were those which appeared most often in…

  5. GENETIC DIVERSITY AS AN INDICATOR OF ECOSYSTEM CONDITION AND SUSTAINABILITY: UTILITY FOR REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS OF STREAM CONDITION IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report documents research undertaken to determine if the theoretical promise of genetic diversity as an ecological indicator is realized in real-world applications. Results of two case studies confirm that genetic diversity is a useful indicator of environmental condition. ...

  6. Use of physical restraints in adult critical care: a bicultural study.

    PubMed

    Martin, Beth; Mathisen, Lars

    2005-03-01

    Although controversial, physical restraints are commonly used in adult critical care units in the United States to prevent treatment interference and self-inflicted harm. Use of physical restraints in Norwegian hospitals is very limited. In the United States, an experimental design for research on use of restraints has not seemed feasible. However, international research provides an opportunity to compare and contrast practices. To describe the relationship between patients' characteristics, environment, and use of physical restraints in the United States and Norway. Observations of patients and chart data were collected from 2 intensive care units (n = 50 patients) in Norway and 3 (n = 50 patients) in the United States. Sedation was measured by using the Sedation-Agitation Scale. The Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score was used to indicate patients' acuity level. Restraints were in use in 39 of 100 observations in the United States and not at all in Norway (P = .001). Categories of patients were balanced. In the Norwegian sample, the median Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Use Score was higher (37 vs 27 points, P < .001), patients were more sedated (P < .001), and nurse-to-patient ratios were higher (1.05:1 vs 0.65:1, P < .001). Seven incidents of unplanned device removal were reported in the US sample. Critical care units with similar technology and characteristics of patients vary between nations in restraint practices, levels of sedation, and nurse-to-patient ratios. Restraint-free care was, in this sample, safe in terms of treatment interference.

  7. Does Contraceptive Use in the United States Meet Global Goals?

    PubMed

    Frederiksen, Brittni N; Ahrens, Katherine A; Moskosky, Susan; Gavin, Loretta

    2017-12-01

    The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seek to achieve health equity, and they apply to all countries. SDG contraceptive use estimates for the United States are needed to contextualize U.S. performance in relation to that of other countries. Data from the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 waves of the National Survey of Family Growth were used to calculate three SDG indicators of contraceptive use for U.S. women aged 15-44: contraceptive prevalence, unmet need for family planning and demand for family planning satisfied by modern methods. These measures were calculated separately for married or cohabiting women and for unmarried, sexually active women; differences by sociodemographic characteristics were assessed using t tests from logistic regression analysis. Estimates for married women were compared with 2010-2015 estimates from 94 other countries, most of which were low- or middle-income. For married or cohabiting women, U.S. estimates for contraceptive prevalence, unmet need and demand satisfied by modern methods were 74%, 9% and 80%, respectively; for unmarried, sexually active women, they were 85%, 11% and 82%, respectively. Estimates varied by sociodemographic characteristics, particularly among married or cohabiting women. Five countries performed better than the United States on contraceptive prevalence, 12 on unmet need and four on both measures; seven performed better on demand satisfied by modern methods. There is a need to continue efforts to expand access to contraceptive care in the United States, and to monitor the SDG indicators so that improvement can be tracked over time. Copyright © 2017 by the Guttmacher Institute.

  8. Indicators of Future School Enrollments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Research Service, Arlington, VA.

    Data collected by United States government agencies, plus private health and demographic organizations, are assembled to provide reliable information regarding trends and projections of births, migration, and other indicators of school enrollment. The report, intended for educational planners, provides an overview of future school enrollment…

  9. COLIPHAGES AS POTENTIAL VIRAL INDICATORS OF FECAL POLLUTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Friedman, Stephanie D. In press. Coliphages as Potential Viral Indicators of Fecal Pollution (Abstract). To be presented at the SWS/GERS Fall Joint Society Meeting: Communication and Collaboration: Coastal Systems of the Gulf of Mexico and Southeastern United States, 6-9 October ...

  10. Novel indicators of recreational water quality and swimming-associated illness

    EPA Science Inventory

    In the United States and elsewhere, recreational water quality is monitored for fecal indicator bacteria to help prevent swimming-associated illnesses. Standard methods to measure these bacteria take at least 24 hours to obtain results. Molecular approaches such as quantitative p...

  11. Estimating canopy bulk density and canopy base height for conifer stands in the interior Western United States using the Forest Vegetation Simulator Fire and Fuels Extension.

    Treesearch

    Seth Ex; Frederick Smith; Tara Keyser; Stephanie Rebain

    2017-01-01

    The Forest Vegetation Simulator Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE-FVS) is often used to estimate canopy bulk density (CBD) and canopy base height (CBH), which are key indicators of crown fire hazard for conifer stands in the Western United States. Estimated CBD from FFE-FVS is calculated as the maximum 4 m running mean bulk density of predefined 0.3 m thick canopy layers (...

  12. Monitoring of health care personnel employee and occupational health immunization program practices in the United States.

    PubMed

    Carrico, Ruth M; Sorrells, Nikka; Westhusing, Kelly; Wiemken, Timothy

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies have identified concerns with various elements of health care personnel immunization programs, including the handling and management of the vaccine. The purpose of this study was to assess monitoring processes that support evaluation of the care of vaccines in health care settings. An 11-question survey instrument was developed for use in scripted telephone surveys. State health departments in all 50 states in the United States and the District of Columbia were the target audience for the surveys. Data from a total of 47 states were obtained and analyzed. No states reported an existing monitoring process for evaluation of health care personnel immunization programs in their states. Our assessment indicates that vaccine evaluation processes for health care facilities are rare to nonexistent in the United States. Identifying existing practice gaps and resultant opportunities for improvements may be an important safety initiative that protects patients and health care personnel. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Quantifying tolerance indicator values for common stream fish species of the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Meador, M.R.; Carlisle, D.M.

    2007-01-01

    The classification of fish species tolerance to environmental disturbance is often used as a means to assess ecosystem conditions. Its use, however, may be problematic because the approach to tolerance classification is based on subjective judgment. We analyzed fish and physicochemical data from 773 stream sites collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program to calculate tolerance indicator values for 10 physicochemical variables using weighted averaging. Tolerance indicator values (TIVs) for ammonia, chloride, dissolved oxygen, nitrite plus nitrate, pH, phosphorus, specific conductance, sulfate, suspended sediment, and water temperature were calculated for 105 common fish species of the United States. Tolerance indicator values for specific conductance and sulfate were correlated (rho = 0.87), and thus, fish species may be co-tolerant to these water-quality variables. We integrated TIVs for each species into an overall tolerance classification for comparisons with judgment-based tolerance classifications. Principal components analysis indicated that the distinction between tolerant and intolerant classifications was determined largely by tolerance to suspended sediment, specific conductance, chloride, and total phosphorus. Factors such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH may not be as important in distinguishing between tolerant and intolerant classifications, but may help to segregate species classified as moderate. Empirically derived tolerance classifications were 58.8% in agreement with judgment-derived tolerance classifications. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed that few TIVs, primarily chloride, could discriminate among judgment-derived tolerance classifications of tolerant, moderate, and intolerant. To our knowledge, this is the first empirically based understanding of fish species tolerance for stream fishes in the United States.

  14. Indicators of climate impacts for forests: recommendations for the US National Climate Assessment indicators system

    Treesearch

    Linda S. Heath; Sarah M. Anderson; Marla R. Emery; Jeffrey A. Hicke; Jeremy Littell; Alan Lucier; Jeffrey G. Masek; David L. Peterson; Richard Pouyat; Kevin M. Potter; Guy Robertson; Jinelle Sperry; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Sarah Jovan; Miranda H. Mockrin; Robert Musselman; Bethany K. Schulz; Robert J. Smith; Susan I. Stewart

    2015-01-01

    The Third National Climate Assessment (NCA) process for the United States focused in part on developing a system of indicators to communicate key aspects of the physical climate, climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and preparedness to inform decisionmakers and the public. Initially, 13 active teams were formed to recommend indicators in a range of categories, including...

  15. Global Properties of X-Ray Flashes and X-Ray-Rich Gamma-Ray Bursts Observed by Swift

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamoto, Takanori; Yamazaki, Ryo; Barthelmy, Scott; Gehrels, Neil; Osborne, Julian; Hullinger, Derek; Sato, Goro; Barbier, Louis; Cummings, Jay; Fenimore, Ed; Krimm, Hans; Lamb, Don; Markwardt, Craig; Palmer, David; Parsons, Ann; Stamatikos, Michael; Tueller, Jack

    Takanori Sakamoto, Taka.Sakamoto@nasa.gov NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Ryo Yamazaki, ryo@theo.phys.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan Scott Barthelmy, scott@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Neil Gehrels, gehrels@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Julian Osborne, julo@star.le.ac.uk University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom Derek Hullinger, derek.hullinger@gmail.com Moxtek, Inc, Orem, Utah, United States Goro Sato, Goro.Sato@nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Louis Barbier, lmb@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Jay Cummings, jayc@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Ed Fenimore, efenimore@lanl.gov Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, California, United States Hans Krimm, hans.krimm@nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Don Lamb, d-lamb@uchicago.edu University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States Craig Markwardt, Craig.Markwardt@nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States David Palmer, palmer@lanl.gov Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, California, United States Ann Parsons, Ann.M.Parsons@nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Michael Stamatikos, michael@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States Jack Tueller, jack.tueller@nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, United States We present the spectral and temporal characteristics of the prompt emission and X-ray afterglow emission of X-ray flashes (XRFs) and X-ray-rich gamma-ray bursts (XRRs) detected and observed by Swift between December 2004 and September 2006. We compare these characteristics to a sample of conventional classical gamma-ray bursts (C-GRBs) observed during the same period. We confirm the correlation between Epeak and fluence noted by others and find further evidence that XRFs, XRRs and C-GRBs form a continuum. We also confirm that our known redshift sample is consistent with the correlation between the peak energy in the GRB rest frame (Epeak) and the isotropic radiated energy (Eiso), so called the Epeak-Eiso relation. The spectral properties of X-ray afterglows of XRFs and C-GRBs are similar, but the temporal properties of XRFs and C-GRBs are quite different. We found that the light curves of C-GRB afterglows show a break to steeper indices (shallow-to-steep break) at much earlier times than do XRF afterglows. Moreover, the overall luminosity of XRF X-ray afterglows is systematically smaller by a factor of two or more compared to that of C-GRBs. These distinct differences between the X-ray afterglows of XRFs and C-GRBs may be the key to understanding not only the mysterious shallow-to-steep break in X-ray afterglow light curves, but also the unique nature of XRFs.

  16. Children in the States Data Book, 1998.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Children's Defense Fund, Washington, DC.

    This data book from the Children's Defense Fund includes statistics on a range of indicators that measure critical aspects of children's lives in each of the states and the United States as a whole. Statistics are provided in the following categories: (1) population and family characteristics (number of children under age 18 and age 6, number of…

  17. Popular but Unstable: Explaining Why State Performance Funding Systems in the United States Often Do Not Persist

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dougherty, Kevin J.; Natow, Rebecca S.; Vega, Blanca E.

    2012-01-01

    Background/Context: Performance funding in higher education ties government funding to institutional performance on indicators such as retention, graduation, and job placement. Performance funding can also be found in state K-12 funding policies and higher education quality assurance programs abroad. One of the puzzles about higher education…

  18. Racial Insurgency, the State, and Welfare Expansion: Local and National Level Evidence from the Postwar United States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isaac, Larry; Kelly, William R.

    1981-01-01

    This article addresses the relationship between insurgent political action and state-supported social services, with particular emphasis on the relationship between urban riots and welfare. Findings from analysis of activism and welfare since the Second World War indicate that urban riots played an important role nationally in short-term expansion…

  19. Atmospheric bioaerosols transported via dust storms in the western United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hallar, A. Gannet; Chirokova, Galina; McCubbin, Ian; Painter, Thomas H.; Wiedinmyer, Christine; Dodson, Craig

    2011-09-01

    Measurements are presented showing the presence of biological material within frequent dust storms in the western United States. Previous work has indicated that biological particles were enhancing the impact of dust storms on the formation of clouds. This paper presents multiple case studies, between April and May 2010, showing the presence of and quantifying the amount of biological material via an Ultraviolet Aerodynamic Particle Sizer during dust events. All dust storms originated in the Four Corners region in the western Untied States and were measured at Storm Peak Laboratory, a high elevation facility in northwestern Colorado. From an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer, the mean dust particle size during these events was approximately 1 μm, with number concentrations between 6 cm-3 and 12 cm-3. Approximately 0.2% of these dust particles had fluorescence signatures, indicating the presence of biological material.

  20. State infant mortality: an ecologic study to determine modifiable risks and adjusted infant mortality rates.

    PubMed

    Paul, David A; Mackley, Amy; Locke, Robert G; Stefano, John L; Kroelinger, Charlan

    2009-05-01

    To determine factors contributing to state infant mortality rates (IMR) and develop an adjusted IMR in the United States for 2001 and 2002. Ecologic study of factors contributing to state IMR. State IMR for 2001 and 2002 were obtained from the United States linked death and birth certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Factors investigated using multivariable linear regression included state racial demographics, ethnicity, state population, median income, education, teen birth rate, proportion of obesity, smoking during pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension, cesarean delivery, prenatal care, health insurance, self-report of mental illness, and number of in-vitro fertilization procedures. Final risk adjusted IMR's were standardized and states were compared with the United States adjusted rates. Models for IMR in individual states in 2001 (r2 = 0.66, P < 0.01) and 2002 (r2 = 0.81, P < 0.01) were tested. African-American race, teen birth rate, and smoking during pregnancy remained independently associated with state infant mortality rates for 2001 and 2002. Ninety five percent confidence intervals (CI) were calculated around the regression lines to model the expected IMR. After adjustment, some states maintained a consistent IMR; for instance, Vermont and New Hampshire remained low, while Delaware and Louisiana remained high. However, other states such as Mississippi, which have traditionally high infant mortality rates, remained within the expected 95% CI for IMR after adjustment indicating confounding affected the initial unadjusted rates. Non-modifiable demographic variables, including the percentage of non-Hispanic African-American and Hispanic populations of the state are major factors contributing to individual variation in state IMR. Race and ethnicity may confound or modify the IMR in states that shifted inside or outside the 95% CI following adjustment. Other factors including smoking during pregnancy and teen birth rate, which are potentially modifiable, significantly contributed to differences in state IMR. State risk adjusted IMR indicate that other factors impact infant mortality after adjustment by race/ethnicity and other risk factors.

  1. Computer-aided boundary delineation of agricultural lands

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cheng, Thomas D.; Angelici, Gary L.; Slye, Robert E.; Ma, Matt

    1989-01-01

    The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) presently uses labor-intensive aerial photographic interpretation techniques to divide large geographical areas into manageable-sized units for estimating domestic crop and livestock production. Prototype software, the computer-aided stratification (CAS) system, was developed to automate the procedure, and currently runs on a Sun-based image processing system. With a background display of LANDSAT Thematic Mapper and United States Geological Survey Digital Line Graph data, the operator uses a cursor to delineate agricultural areas, called sampling units, which are assigned to strata of land-use and land-cover types. The resultant stratified sampling units are used as input into subsequent USDA sampling procedures. As a test, three counties in Missouri were chosen for application of the CAS procedures. Subsequent analysis indicates that CAS was five times faster in creating sampling units than the manual techniques were.

  2. Source of firearms used by students in school-associated violent deaths--United States, 1992-1999.

    PubMed

    2003-03-07

    During July 1, 1992-June 30, 1999, a total of 323 school-associated violent death events occurred in the United States, resulting in 358 deaths. To guide prevention efforts, CDC examined school-associated firearm violent death events committed by students in elementary and secondary schools in the United States and determined the sources of the firearms used in these events. The findings indicate that, among the incidents for which data are available, the majority of the firearms used in these events were obtained from perpetrators' homes or from friends or relatives. The safe storage of firearms is critically important and should be continued. In addition, other strategies that might prevent firearm-related injuries and deaths among students, such as safety and design changes for firearms, should be evaluated.

  3. Event sequence detector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hanna, M. F. (Inventor)

    1973-01-01

    An event sequence detector is described with input units, each associated with a row of bistable elements arranged in an array of rows and columns. The detector also includes a shift register which is responsive to clock pulses from any of the units to sequentially provide signals on its output lines each of which is connected to the bistable elements in a corresponding column. When the event-indicating signal is received by an input unit it provides a clock pulse to the shift register to provide the signal on one of its output lines. The input unit also enables all its bistable elements so that the particular element in the column supplied with the signal from the register is driven to an event-indicating state.

  4. A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE MONTREAL PROCESS INDICATORS OF FOREST FRAGMENTATION FOR THE UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    As part of the 2003 U.S. Report on Sustainable Forests, four metrics of forest fragmentation patch size, edge amount, inter-patch contrast - were measured within 142,602 non overlapping 56.25 km2 analysis units on land-cover maps derived from satellite imagery for the 48 contermi...

  5. Aerobic Digestion. Biological Treatment Process Control. Instructor's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klopping, Paul H.

    This unit on aerobic sludge digestion covers the theory of the process, system components, factors that affect the process performance, standard operational concerns, indicators of steady-state operations, and operational problems. The instructor's guide includes: (1) an overview of the unit; (2) lesson plan; (3) lecture outline (keyed to a set of…

  6. Evaluating ecoregions for sampling and mapping land-cover patterns

    Treesearch

    Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham; Timothy G. Wade

    2006-01-01

    Ecoregional stratification has been proposed for sampling and mapping land-cover composition and pattern over time. Using a wall-to-wall land-cover map of the United States, we evaluated geographic scales of variance for nine landscapelevel and eight forest pattern indices, and compared stratification by ecoregions, administrative units, and watersheds. Ecoregions...

  7. Forest statistics for New Hampshire

    Treesearch

    Thomas S. Frieswyk; Anne M. Malley

    1985-01-01

    This is a statistical report on the fourth forest survey of New Hampshire conducted in 1982-83 by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. Statistics for forest area, numbers of trees, timber volume, tree biomass, and timber products output are displayed at the state, unit, and county levels. The current inventory indicates that...

  8. LACIE: Wheat yield models for the United States, revision A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1977-01-01

    For abstract, see volume 1 N77-30577. The enclosed maps indicate the areal coverage of the various models for spring (durum and other spring) and winter wheat. The given regions are the combination of several climatic divisions and many times comprise an entire state.

  9. Insights: The Right Way to Strengthen U.S. Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stata, Ray

    1983-01-01

    Discusses issues and problems related to strengthening and maintaining United States leadership in high technology. Among the areas considered are industry/university cooperatives, graduate study, financial support, and state/federal government roles. Indicates that prospects for maintaining leadership are high provided issues related to human…

  10. The Changing Role of Librarian.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cummins, Thompson R.

    This paper explores the political responsiblity of the library administrator, particularly in regard to government funding of public libraries and state library agencies. The history of library development in the United States is outlined, revealing the original political base of the library movement and indicating the necessity for political…

  11. FIADB vegetation diversity and structure indicator (VEG)

    Treesearch

    Bethany K. Schulz; Kevin Dobelbower

    2012-01-01

    The Vegetation Diversity and Structure (VEG) Indicator is a suite of measurements including an inventory of vascular plants on an extensive systematic network of forest plots across the United States. This network is a subset of the standard forest inventory plots established by the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program. The VEG indicator provides...

  12. Sampling and estimation procedures for the vegetation diversity and structure indicator

    Treesearch

    Bethany K. Schulz; William A. Bechtold; Stanley J. Zarnoch

    2009-01-01

    The Vegetation Diversity and Structure Indicator (VEG) is an extensive inventory of vascular plants in the forests of the United States. The VEG indicator provides baseline data to assess trends in forest vascular plant species richness and composition, and the relative abundance and spatial distribution of those species, including invasive and introduced species. The...

  13. Community Prevention Coalition Context and Capacity Assessment: Comparing the United States and Mexico.

    PubMed

    Brown, Louis D; Chilenski, Sarah M; Ramos, Rebeca; Gallegos, Nora; Feinberg, Mark E

    2016-04-01

    Effective planning for community health partnerships requires understanding how initial readiness-that is, contextual factors and capacity-influences implementation of activities and programs. This study compares the context and capacity of drug and violence prevention coalitions in Mexico to those in the United States. Measures of coalition context include community problems, community leadership style, and sense of community. Measures of coalition capacity include the existence of collaborative partnerships and coalition champions. The assessment was completed by 195 members of 9 coalitions in Mexico and 139 members of 7 coalitions in the United States. Psychometric analyses indicate the measures have moderate to strong internal consistency, along with good convergent and discriminant validity in both settings. Results indicate that members of Mexican coalitions perceive substantially more serious community problems, especially with respect to education, law enforcement, and access to alcohol and drugs. Compared to respondents in the United States, Mexican respondents perceive sense of community to be weaker and that prevention efforts are not as valued by the population where the coalitions are located. The Mexican coalitions appear to be operating in a substantially more challenging environment for the prevention of violence and substance use. Their ability to manage these challenges will likely play a large role in determining whether they are successful in their prevention efforts. The context and capacity assessment is a valuable tool that coalitions can use in order to identify and address initial barriers to success. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

  14. Mental health surveillance among children--United States, 2005-2011.

    PubMed

    Perou, Ruth; Bitsko, Rebecca H; Blumberg, Stephen J; Pastor, Patricia; Ghandour, Reem M; Gfroerer, Joseph C; Hedden, Sarra L; Crosby, Alex E; Visser, Susanna N; Schieve, Laura A; Parks, Sharyn E; Hall, Jeffery E; Brody, Debra; Simile, Catherine M; Thompson, William W; Baio, Jon; Avenevoli, Shelli; Kogan, Michael D; Huang, Larke N

    2013-05-17

    Mental disorders among children are described as "serious deviations from expected cognitive, social, and emotional development" (US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, and National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health; 1999). These disorders are an important public health issue in the United States because of their prevalence, early onset, and impact on the child, family, and community, with an estimated total annual cost of $247 billion. A total of 13%-20% of children living in the United States experience a mental disorder in a given year, and surveillance during 1994-2011 has shown the prevalence of these conditions to be increasing. Suicide, which can result from the interaction of mental disorders and other factors, was the second leading cause of death among children aged 12-17 years in 2010. Surveillance efforts are critical for documenting the impact of mental disorders and for informing policy, prevention, and resource allocation. This report summarizes information about ongoing federal surveillance systems that can provide estimates of the prevalence of mental disorders and indicators of mental health among children living in the United States, presents estimates of childhood mental disorders and indicators from these systems during 2005-2011, explains limitations, and identifies gaps in information while presenting strategies to bridge those gaps.

  15. Breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support in the United States: a time to nudge, a time to measure.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael; Chapman, Donna J

    2012-05-01

    Strong evidence-based advocacy efforts have now translated into high level political support and concrete goals for improving breastfeeding outcomes among women in the United States. In spite of this, major challenge remain for promoting, supporting and especially for protecting breastfeeding in the country. The goals of this commentary are to argue in favor of: A) Changes in the default social and environmental systems, that would allow women to implement their right to breastfeed their infants, B) A multi-level and comprehensive monitoring system to measure process and outcomes indicators in the country. Evidence-based commentary. Breastfeeding rates in the United States can improve based on a well coordinated social marketing framework. This approach calls for innovative promotion through mass media, appropriate facility based and community based support (e.g., Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, WIC-coordinated community based peer counseling), and adequate protection for working women (e.g., longer paid maternity leave, breastfeeding or breast milk extraction breaks during the working day) and women at large by adhering and enforcing the WHO ethics Code for the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. Sound infant feeding practices monitoring systems, which include WIC administrative food package data, are needed. Given the current high level of political support to improve breastfeeding in the United States, a window of opportunity has been opened. Establishing breastfeeding as the social norm in the USA will take time, but the global experience indicates that it can be done.

  16. Perceived ethnic discrimination versus acculturation stress: influences on substance use among Latino youth in the Southwest.

    PubMed

    Kulis, Stephen; Marsiglia, Flavio Francisco; Nieri, Tanya

    2009-12-01

    Using a predominately Mexican-origin Latino sample of 5th grade students from the Southwestern United States, this study examined the relative effects of perceived discrimination and acculturation stress on substance use, and it assessed whether these effects were moderated by linguistic acculturation or time in the United States. Although rates of substance use were generally low in the sample, given the young age of the participants, over half (59%) of the sample perceived some discrimination, and almost half (47%) experienced some acculturation stress. Spanish-dominant and bilingual youth perceived more discrimination than English-dominant youth, whereas youth who have been in the United States five or fewer years perceived more discrimination than youth with more time in the United States. Youth who were Spanish-dominant or were recent arrivals experienced the most acculturation stress, with levels declining as linguistic acculturation and time in the United States increased. Multiple regression estimates indicated that perceived discrimination was associated with larger amounts and higher frequency of recent substance use and an array of substance use attitudes, such as stronger intentions to use substances, espousal of pro-drug norms, more positive substance use expectancies, and peer approval of substance use. Although acculturation stress was not associated with substance use, it was positively associated with several substance use attitudes, which are known antecedents of actual use. With a few exceptions, linguistic acculturation and time in the United States did not moderate the effects of perceived discrimination or acculturation stress.

  17. Becoming Overweight Without Gaining a Pound: Weight Evaluations and the Social Integration of Mexicans in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Altman, Claire E.; Van Hook, Jennifer; Gonzalez, Jonathan

    2017-01-01

    Mexican women gain weight with increasing duration in the United States. In the United States, body dissatisfaction tends to be associated with depression, disordered eating, and incongruent weight evaluations, particularly among white women and women of higher socioeconomic status. However, it remains unclear how overweight and obesity is interpreted by Mexican women. Using comparable data of women ages 20–64 from both Mexico (the 2006 Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion; N=17,012) and the United States (the 1999–2009 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys; N=8,487), we compare weight status evaluations among Mexican nationals, Mexican immigrants, U.S.-born Mexicans, U.S.-born non-Hispanic Whites, and U.S.-born non-Hispanic blacks. Logistic regression analyses, which control for demographic and social-economic variables and measured body mass index and adjust for the likelihood of migration for Mexican nationals, indicate that the tendency to self-evaluate as overweight among Mexicans converges with levels among non-Hispanic whites and diverges from blacks over time in the United States. Overall, the results suggest a U.S. integration process in which Mexican-American women’s less critical self-evaluations originate in Mexico but fade with time in the United States as they gradually adopt U.S. white norms for thinner body sizes. These results are discussed in light of social comparison and negative health assimilation. PMID:28845074

  18. Divergence of Lutzomyia (Psathyromyia) shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) is indicated by morphometric and molecular analyses when examined between taxa from the southeastern United States and southern Mexico.

    PubMed

    Florin, David A; Rebollar-Téllez, Eduardo A

    2013-11-01

    The medically important sand fly Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar 1929) was collected at eight different sites: seven within the southeastern United States and one in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. A canonical discriminant analysis was conducted on 40 female L. shannoni specimens from each of the eight collection sites (n = 320) using 49 morphological characters. Four L. shannoni specimens from each of the eight collection sites (n = 32) were sent to the Barcode of Life Data systems where a 654-base pair segment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) genetic marker was sequenced from each sand fly. Phylogeny estimation based on the COI segments, in addition to genetic distance, divergence, and differentiation values were calculated. Results of both the morphometric and molecular analyses indicate that the species has undergone divergence when examined between the taxa of the United States and Quintana Roo, Mexico. Although purely speculative, the arid or semiarid expanse from southern Texas to Mexico City could be an allopatric barrier that has impeded migration and hence gene flow, resulting in different morphology and genetic makeup between the two purported populations. A high degree of intragroup variability was noted in the Quintana Roo sand flies.

  19. Low colony counts of asymptomatic group B streptococcus bacteriuria: a survey of practice patterns.

    PubMed

    Aungst, Matthew; King, Jeremy; Steele, Andrew; Gordon, Michael

    2004-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to survey expert opinion on the management of low colony counts (< 100,000 colony forming units/mL) of asymptomatic group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteriuria discovered in the first trimester. A survey was sent to the 241 senior obstetricians affiliated with each of the Obstetrics and Gynecology training programs in the United States on July 10, 2002. Surveys received by the deadline (September 1, 2002) were included in the dataset. Eighty-five completed surveys were returned for a response rate of 35%. Seventy-seven percent reported treating low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria in the first trimester at the time of diagnosis, whereas 23% stated they did not treat prior to labor (margin of error 7.5% with 95% confidence). Nine percent stated that their institution had a written protocol for the treatment of low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria. Two physicians indicated that they screened for asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria at 28 weeks. Currently, no generally accepted protocol for the management of low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria exists. This survey indicates that most of the responding senior obstetricians at United States training programs treat low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria in the first trimester.

  20. Phomopsis Stem Canker: A Reemerging Threat to Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in the United States.

    PubMed

    Mathew, Febina M; Alananbeh, Kholoud M; Jordahl, James G; Meyer, Scott M; Castlebury, Lisa A; Gulya, Thomas J; Markell, Samuel G

    2015-07-01

    Phomopsis stem canker causes yield reductions on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) on several continents, including Australia, Europe, and North America. In the United States, Phomopsis stem canker incidence has increased 16-fold in the Northern Great Plains between 2001 and 2012. Although Diaporthe helianthi was assumed to be the sole causal agent in the United States, a newly described species, D. gulyae, was found to be the primary cause of Phomopsis stem canker in Australia. To determine the identity of Diaporthe spp. causing Phomopsis stem canker in the Northern Great Plains, 275 infected stems were collected between 2010 and 2012. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region, elongation factor subunit 1-α, and actin gene regions of representative isolates, in comparison with those of type specimens, confirmed two species (D. helianthi and D. gulyae) in the United States. Differences in aggressiveness between the two species were determined using the stem-wound method in the greenhouse; overall, D. helianthi and D. gulyae did not vary significantly (P≤0.05) in their aggressiveness at 10 and 14 days after inoculation. These findings indicate that both Diaporthe spp. have emerged as sunflower pathogens in the United States, and have implications on the management of this disease.

  1. Effects of increasing forest plantation area and management practices on carbon storage and water use in the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, G.; Hayes, D. J.; Tian, H.

    2013-12-01

    Planted forest area in the United States gradually increased during the last half century, and by 2007 accounted for about 20% of the total forest area in the southern United States and about 13% in the entire country. Intensive plantation management activities - such as slash burning, thinning, weed control, fertilization and the use of genetically improved seedlings - are routinely applied during the forest rotation. However, no comprehensive assessments have been made to examine the impacts of this increased forest plantation area and associated management practices on ecosystem function. In this study, we integrated field measurement data and process-based modeling to quantitatively estimate the changes in carbon storage, nitrogen cycling and water use as influenced by forest plantations in the United States from 1925 to 2007. The results indicated that forest plantations and management practices greatly increased forest productivity, vegetation carbon, and wood product carbon storage in the United States, but slightly reduce soil carbon storage at some areas; however, the carbon sink induced by forest plantations was at the expense of more water use as represented by higher evapotranspiration. Stronger nitrogen and water limitations were found for forest plantations as compared to natural or naturally-regenerated forests.

  2. Examining forest governance in the United States through the Montréal Process Criteria and Indicators Framework

    Treesearch

    K.A. Mcginley; F.W. Cubbage

    2017-01-01

    This paper examines laws, policies, organizations and other governance elements and arrangements that influence forest conservation and sustainable resource management in the U.S. through a set of 10 Indicators associated with Criterion Seven of the Montréal Process Criteria and Indicators Framework. The applicability and utility of these indicators as a measure of...

  3. An indicator of forest dynamics using a shifting landscape mosaic

    Treesearch

    Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham; Timothy G. Wade

    2009-01-01

    The composition of a landscape is a fundamental indicator in land-cover pattern assessments. The objective of this paper was to evaluate a landscape composition indicator called ‘landscape mosaic’ as a framework for interpreting land-cover dynamics over a 9-year period in a 360,000 km2 study area in the southern United States. The indicator...

  4. Science & Engineering Indicators--1989.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. National Science Board.

    This volume is the ninth in the biennial "Science Indicators" series initiated by the National Science Board. The series provides a broad base of quantitative information about the structure and function of United States science and technology and comparisons with other advanced industrial countries. An overview of science and technology…

  5. 7 CFR 51.311 - Marking requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Marking Requirements § 51.311 Marking requirements... minimum diameter of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the container. For apple... varieties, the minimum diameter and minimum weight of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated...

  6. 7 CFR 51.311 - Marking requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Marking Requirements § 51.311 Marking requirements... minimum diameter of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the container. For apple... varieties, the minimum diameter and minimum weight of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated...

  7. 7 CFR 51.311 - Marking requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Marking Requirements § 51.311 Marking requirements... minimum diameter of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the container. For apple... varieties, the minimum diameter and minimum weight of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated...

  8. Southern phosphorus indices, water quality data, and modeling (APEX, APLE, and TBET) results: A comparison

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phosphorus (P) indices in the southern United States frequently produce different recommendations for similar conditions. After assembling data from benchmark southern sites (Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas), land treatment information was used in the 12 southern...

  9. The contribution of brown vegetation to vegetation dynamics

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Indices of vegetation dynamics that include both green vegetation (GV) and non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), that is, brown vegetation, were applied to MODIS surface reflectance data from 2000 to 2006 for the southwestern United States. These indices reveal that the cover of NPV, a measure of veg...

  10. Losses of Ammonia and Nitrate from Agriculture and Their Effect on Nitrogen Recovery in the European Union and the United States between 1900 and 2050.

    PubMed

    van Grinsven, Hans J M; Bouwman, Lex; Cassman, Kenneth G; van Es, Harold M; McCrackin, Michelle L; Beusen, Arthur H W

    2015-03-01

    Historical trends and levels of nitrogen (N) budgets and emissions to air and water in the European Union and the United States are markedly different. Agro-environmental policy approaches also differ, with emphasis on voluntary or incentive-based schemes in the United States versus a more regulatory approach in the European Union. This paper explores the implications of these differences for attaining long-term policy targets for air and water quality. Nutrient surplus problems were more severe in the European Union than in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. The EU Nitrates and National Emission Ceilings directives contributed to decreases in fertilizer use, N surplus, and ammonia (NH) emissions, whereas in the United States they stabilized, although NH emissions are still increasing. These differences were analyzed using statistical data for 1900-2005 and the global IMAGE model. IMAGE could reproduce NH emissions and soil N surpluses at different scales (European Union and United States, country and state) and N loads in the Rhine and Mississippi. The regulation-driven changes during the past 25 yr in the European Union have reduced public concerns and have brought agricultural N loads to the aquatic environment closer to US levels. Despite differences in agro-environmental policies and agricultural structure (more N-fixing soybean and more spatially separated feed and livestock production in the United States than in the European Union), current N use efficiency in US and EU crop production is similar. IMAGE projections for the IAASTD-baseline scenario indicate that N loading to the environment in 2050 will be similar to current levels. In the United States, environmental N loads will remain substantially smaller than in the European Union, whereas agricultural production in 2050 in the United States will increase by 30% relative to 2005, as compared with an increase of 8% in the European Union. However, in the United States, even rigorous mitigation with maximum recycling of manure N and a 25% reduction in fertilizer use will not achieve the policy target to halve the N export to the Gulf of Mexico. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  11. Ready, Willing, and Able? Impediments to the Onset of Marital Fertility Decline in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Hacker, J. David

    2016-01-01

    This study relies on IPUMS samples of the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses, aggregate census data, and the timing of state laws criminalizing abortion to construct regional estimates of marital fertility in the United States and estimate correlates of marital fertility. The results show a significant lag between the onset of marital fertility decline in the nation’s northeastern census divisions and its onset in western and southern census divisions. Empirical models indicate the presence of cultural, economic, and legal impediments to the diffusion of marital fertility control and illustrate the need for more inclusive models of fertility decline. PMID:27757800

  12. Geology-based planning and the aggregate industry - Perspectives from opposite sides of the globe

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stephens, A.W.; Langer, W.H.

    2006-01-01

    In Australia and in the United States, encroachment by conflicting land uses, zoning restrictions and the "not-in-my-backyard" syndrome make it increasingly difficult to access high-quality aggregate resources located near their market areas. Attempts by government agencies in the United States to protect aggregate resources for future development have met with varying degrees of success. The State of Queensland, Australia, designates aggregate resource areas as Key Resource Areas. These protect the resource and the routes to transport the resource, provide a separation area from incompatible land uses and indicate the likelihood that the area is free from conflicting social or environmental issues.

  13. Ready, Willing, and Able? Impediments to the Onset of Marital Fertility Decline in the United States.

    PubMed

    Hacker, J David

    2016-12-01

    This study relies on IPUMS samples of the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses, aggregate census data, and the timing of state laws criminalizing abortion to construct regional estimates of marital fertility in the United States and estimate correlates of marital fertility. The results show a significant lag between the onset of marital fertility decline in the nation's northeastern census divisions and its onset in western and southern census divisions. Empirical models indicate the presence of cultural, economic, and legal impediments to the diffusion of marital fertility control and illustrate the need for more inclusive models of fertility decline.

  14. Energy Markets in the United States: The Influence of Politics, Regulations, and Markets on Energy Development in the Oil and Gas and Wind Industries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maguire, Karen Kay

    2011-12-01

    My dissertation focuses on the influence of politics, policies, and markets in determining oil and natural gas and wind energy development. In the first chapter, I examine the role of federal elected political influence and market factors in determining the acres of oil and natural gas leases issued on Bureau of Management (BLM) lands in the western United States between 1978 and 2008. I seek to determine if the political party and ideology of the federal political environment influence the number of acres that are leased and if there is disparate federal political influence in states that have a large amount of federal lands. Using a random effects Tobit model for a 17-state sample of the westernmost states in the contiguous United States, I find that more conservative federal political influence leads to additional leasing. The results are consistent across Senate committee leaders, Senate majority leadership, and the President's office. The further found that the influence of politics on leasing is not stronger in states with more federal lands. In the second chapter, I analyze the influence of state and federal political party changes and market factors on state oil and natural gas permitting. My findings, using a first-differenced empirical model for two samples, a 19-state sample, from 1990--2007, and a 14-state sample, from 1977--2007, indicate that the influence of state political party changes are trumped by economic factors. Oil and gas prices are the main drivers of permitting changes, while the state political party changes for the state legislatures and Governor's office are consistently not significant. In the third chapter I focus on the role of electricity markets and renewable energy regulation in wind development across the United States. My findings, using a random effects Tobit model with a 25-state sample, from 1994--2008, indicate that the implementation of state Renewables Portfolio Standards (RPS), the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC), and Green Power Purchase Programs (GPP) positively influence a state's wind capacity. The influence of green power purchase programs continues to increase in the years after implementation, while for RPS it diminishes. The role of market factors is less significant.

  15. Household Food Insecurity Is a Stronger Marker of Adequacy of Nutrient Intakes among Canadian Compared to American Youth and Adults.

    PubMed

    Kirkpatrick, Sharon I; Dodd, Kevin W; Parsons, Ruth; Ng, Carmina; Garriguet, Didier; Tarasuk, Valerie

    2015-07-01

    The most recent statistics indicate that the prevalence of food insecurity in the United States is double that in Canada, but the extent to which the nutrition implications of this problem differ between the countries is not known. This study was undertaken to compare adequacy of nutrient intakes in relation to household food insecurity among youth and adults in Canada and the United States. Data from comparable nationally representative surveys, the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey and the 2003-2006 NHANES, were used to estimate prevalences of inadequate intakes of vitamins A and C, folate, calcium, magnesium, and zinc among youth and adults in food-secure and food-insecure households. Potential differences in the composition of the populations between the 2 countries were addressed by using standardization, and analyses also accounted for participation in food and nutrition assistance programs in the United States. Larger gaps in the prevalences of inadequate intakes between those in food-secure and food-insecure households were observed in Canada than in the United States for calcium and magnesium. For calcium, the prevalences of inadequate intakes among those in food-secure and food-insecure households in Canada were 50% and 66%, respectively, compared with 50% and 51%, respectively, in the United States. For magnesium, the prevalences of inadequate intakes in Canada were 39% and 60% among those in food-secure and food-insecure households, respectively, compared with 60% and 61%, respectively, in the United States. These findings were largely unchanged after we accounted for participation in food and nutrition assistance programs in the United States. This study suggests that household food insecurity is a stronger marker of nutritional vulnerability in Canada than in the United States. The results highlight the need for research to elucidate the effects of domestic policies affecting factors such as food prices and fortification on the nutritional manifestations of food insecurity. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

  16. Plight of Arts and Education in America.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richmond, Fred

    Despite an upsurge of public interest in the arts, cultural organizations in the United States are experiencing a grave financial crisis. This paper cites facts and figures that indicate traditional funding sources are inadequate to withstand the pressures of spiraling costs and dwindling resources, state arts appropriations are discouragingly…

  17. Crop identification using Landsat temporal-spectral profiles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Odenweller, J. B.; Johnson, K. I.

    1982-01-01

    The temporal-spectral profile is a detailed indicator of the physical state of a field through time. Characteristic profiles have been observed for a variety of crops and other cover classes from Landsat data in the United States Corn Belt. These profiles contain information to support crop identification at various levels.

  18. Credentialism: Why We Have Diploma Mills.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnstein, George

    1982-01-01

    The demand for credentials and college degrees in the United States has spawned the establishment of many degree-granting institutions that are nothing more than diploma mills. Despite some indicators of institutional quality, such as accreditation and state licensing, the identification of substandard colleges is not always an easy task. (WD)

  19. 75 FR 22087 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Recreational Management Measures for the Summer...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-27

    ...) Waves 1-4 (January- August) unless otherwise indicated. Summer Flounder Recreational landings for 2009... wholly a function of the Commission and its individual member states. Inclusion of such descriptions may... Wave 4 Massachusetts party vessel sector estimate. The analysis conducted by this working group...

  20. Multi-scale Landscape Factors Influencing Stream Water Quality in the State of Oregon

    EPA Science Inventory

    Enterococci bacteria are used to indicate the presence of human and/or animal fecal materials in surface water. In addition to human influences on the quality of surface water, a cattle grazing is a widespread and persistent ecological stressor in the Western United States. Cattl...

  1. Educational Evaluation and Assessment in the United States. Position Paper and Recommendations for Action.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington, DC.

    The lack of high quality data to describe and monitor U.S. educational systems hampers reform decisions and will impair reform evaluation. This paper sets forth the Council of Chief State School Officers' (CCSSO) recommendations for the Council and federal, state, and local education agencies to help improve the quality of educational indicators.…

  2. Estimated economic losses associated with the destruction of plants owing to Phytophthora ramorum quarantine efforts in Washington state

    Treesearch

    N.L. Dart; G.A. Chastagner

    2008-01-01

    The number and retail value of plants destroyed in Washington state nurseries due to Phytophthora ramorum quarantine efforts was estimated using Emergency Action Notification forms (EANs) issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service between 2004 and 2005. Data collected from EANs indicate that...

  3. Federal Government Funds for Education, 1948-49 and 1949-50. Bulletin, 1950, No. 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchins, Clayton D.; Keels, Myrtis

    1951-01-01

    Public education in the United States is supported by Federal, State, and local governments. Substantial amounts of money are provided by all three. The latest figures available indicate that expenditures for education account for about 35 percent of the total cost of local governments, 26 percent of State disbursements, and almost 9 percent of…

  4. Language Ideologies in a U.S. State-Funded International School: The Invisible Linguistic Repertoires of Bilingual Refugee Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solano-Campos, Ana

    2017-01-01

    In this study, I investigated language ideologies in a state-funded International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme school in the United States. I conducted ethnographic observations, focus groups, and interviews in a fourth grade classroom in one of the largest refugee resettlement areas in the country. Findings indicate that although the…

  5. Identifying Factors that Influence State-Specific Hunger Rates in the U.S.: A Simple Analytic Method for Understanding a Persistent Problem

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Mark Evan; Weber, Bruce; Bernell, Stephanie

    2007-01-01

    An existing measure of food insecurity with hunger in the United States may serve as an effective indicator of quality of life. State level differences in that measure can reveal important differences in quality of life across places. In this study, we advocate and demonstrate two simple methods by which analysts can explore state-specific…

  6. Drought in Southwestern United States

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2007-01-01

    The southwestern United States pined for water in late March and early April 2007. This image is based on data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite from March 22 through April 6, 2007, and it shows the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, or NDVI, for the period. In this NDVI color scale, green indicates areas of healthier-than-usual vegetation, and only small patches of green appear in this image, near the California-Nevada border and in Utah. Larger areas of below-normal vegetation are more common, especially throughout California. Pale yellow indicates areas with generally average vegetation. Gray areas appear where no data were available, likely due to persistent clouds or snow cover. According to the April 10, 2007, update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of the southwestern United Sates, including Utah, Nevada, California, and Arizona, experienced moderate to extreme drought. The hardest hit areas were southeastern California and southwestern Arizona. Writing for the Drought Monitor, David Miskus of the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility reported that March 2007 had been unusually dry for the southwestern United States. While California's and Utah's reservoir storage was only slightly below normal, reservoir storage was well below normal for New Mexico and Arizona. In early April, an international research team published an online paper in Science noting that droughts could become more common for the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, as these areas were already showing signs of drying. Relying on the same computer models used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released in early 2007, the researchers who published in Science concluded that global warming could make droughts more common, not just in the American Southwest, but also in semiarid regions of southern Europe, Mediterranean northern Africa, and the Middle East.

  7. Bypass apparatus and method for series connected energy storage devices

    DOEpatents

    Rouillard, Jean; Comte, Christophe; Daigle, Dominik

    2000-01-01

    A bypass apparatus and method for series connected energy storage devices. Each of the energy storage devices coupled to a common series connection has an associated bypass unit connected thereto in parallel. A current bypass unit includes a sensor which is coupled in parallel with an associated energy storage device or cell and senses an energy parameter indicative of an energy state of the cell, such as cell voltage. A bypass switch is coupled in parallel with the energy storage cell and operable between a non-activated state and an activated state. The bypass switch, when in the non-activated state, is substantially non-conductive with respect to current passing through the energy storage cell and, when in the activated state, provides a bypass current path for passing current to the series connection so as to bypass the associated cell. A controller controls activation of the bypass switch in response to the voltage of the cell deviating from a pre-established voltage setpoint. The controller may be included within the bypass unit or be disposed on a control platform external to the bypass unit. The bypass switch may, when activated, establish a permanent or a temporary bypass current path.

  8. Across Six Nations: Stressful Events in the Lives of Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yamamoto, Kaoru; And Others

    1996-01-01

    A study asked 1,729 children and adolescents (second to ninth grades) in South Africa, Iceland, Poland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States to rate the unpleasantness of 20 stressful life events. Results indicated that the loss of a parent was most upsetting and a new sibling was least upsetting for subjects in all countries…

  9. 77 FR 16591 - Implementation of the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty Between the United States and the United...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-21

    ... data for purposes of the exemption. DDTC does not believe this change is necessary as the definition in Sec. 120.6 clearly identifies technical data as within the scope of the ``defense article'' definition. Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the use of the term ``defense article'' includes technical data...

  10. Human Resources Competitiveness Profile.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council on Competitiveness, Washington, DC.

    This report distills hundreds of indicators from both domestic and international sources to determine how the United States compares to other countries and to its own past performance in competitiveness. It attempts to establish a baseline of some key education and training indicators that, taken together, show where the nation stands and where it…

  11. Predicting synoptic water quality indicators of wadeable streams in the U.S. using National Soil Database

    EPA Science Inventory

    Nationwide assessment of water quality is a goal of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the EPA’s Wadeable Stream Assessment (WSA) was developed in response to that goal. The observed chemical, physical, and biological water quality indicators (WQI) fro...

  12. A simple nonnative plant indicator (NNPI) for describing ecological stress: Application to wetlands of the conterminous United States

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background/Question/Methods: Nonnative plants (NNP) are recognized indicators of disturbance to wetlands and other ecosystems, and often are direct stressors competing with native plant species and communities, or altering ecosystem processes. NNP species frequently co-occur and ...

  13. Predicting synoptic water quality indicators of wadeable streams in the U.S. using national soil database - Shirazi

    EPA Science Inventory

    Nationwide assessment of water quality is a goal of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the EPA’s Wadeable Stream Assessment (WSA) was developed in response to that goal. The observed chemical, physical, and biological water quality indicators (WQI) fro...

  14. Leadership Coaching for Principals: A National Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wise, Donald; Cavazos, Blanca

    2017-01-01

    Surveys were sent to a large representative sample of public school principals in the United States asking if they had received leadership coaching. Comparison of responses to actual numbers of principals indicates that the sample represents the first national study of principal leadership coaching. Results indicate that approximately 50% of all…

  15. The Condition of Education 2016. NCES 2016-144

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kena, Grace; Hussar, William; McFarland, Joel; de Brey, Cristobal; Musu-Gillette, Lauren; Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Jijun; Rathbun, Amy; Wilkinson-Flicker, Sidney; Diliberti, Melissa; Barmer, Amy; Bullock Mann, Farrah; Dunlop Velez, Erin

    2016-01-01

    Congress has required that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report to policymakers about the progress of education in the United States. "The Condition of Education 2016" presents 43 key indicators on important topics and trends in U.S. education. These indicators focus on population characteristics,…

  16. The Power of Student Empowerment: Measuring Classroom Predictors and Individual Indicators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirk, Chris Michael; Lewis, Rhonda K.; Brown, Kyrah; Karibo, Brittany; Park, Elle

    2016-01-01

    Despite spending more money per student than almost all developed nations, the United States lags behind in educational indicators with persistent disparities between privileged and marginalized students. Most approaches have ignored the role of power dynamics in predicting student performance. Building on the existing literature in school climate…

  17. International Comparisons of Educational Attainment. Indicator of the Month.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Washington, DC.

    Information from the International Indicators Project of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Center for Educational Research and Innovation is used to compare completion rates of secondary and higher education in the United States with those of other highly industrialized countries, namely, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,…

  18. Use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis and preimplantation genetic screening in the United States: a Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Writing Group paper.

    PubMed

    Ginsburg, Elizabeth S; Baker, Valerie L; Racowsky, Catherine; Wantman, Ethan; Goldfarb, James; Stern, Judy E

    2011-10-01

    To comprehensively report Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) member program usage of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for diagnosis of specific conditions, and preimplantation genetic screening for aneuploidy (PGS). Retrospective study. United States SART cohort data. Women undergoing a PGT cycle in which at least one embryo underwent biopsy. PGT. PGT use, indications, and delivery rates. Of 190,260 fresh, nondonor assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles reported to SART CORS in 2007-2008, 8,337 included PGT. Of 6,971 cycles with a defined indication, 1,382 cycles were for genetic diagnosis, 3,645 for aneuploidy screening (PGS), 527 for translocation, and 1,417 for elective sex election. Although the total number of fresh, autologous cycles increased by 3.6% from 2007 to 2008, the percentage of cycles with PGT decreased by 5.8% (4,293 in 2007 and 4,044 in 2008). As a percentage of fresh, nondonor ART cycles, use dropped from 4.6% (4,293/93,433) in 2007 to 4.2% (4,044/96,827) in 2008. The primary indication for PGT was PGS: cycles performed for this indication decreased (-8.0%). PGD use for single-gene defects (+3.2%), elective sex selection (+5.3%), and translocation analysis (+0.5%) increased. PGT usage varied significantly by geographical region. PGT usage in the United States decreased between 2007 and 2008 owing to a decrease in PGS. Use of elective sex selection increased. High transfer cancellation rates correlated with reduced live-birth rates for some PGT indications. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Trends in preterm birth and perinatal mortality among singletons: United States, 1989 through 2000.

    PubMed

    Ananth, Cande V; Joseph, K S; Oyelese, Yinka; Demissie, Kitaw; Vintzileos, Anthony M

    2005-05-01

    Despite the recent increase in preterm birth in the United States, trends in preterm birth subtypes have not been adequately examined. We examined trends in preterm birth among singletons following ruptured membranes, medical indications, and spontaneous preterm birth and evaluated the impact of these trends on perinatal mortality. A population-based, retrospective cohort study comprising 46,375,578 women (16% blacks) who delivered singleton births in the United States, 1989 through 2000, was performed. Rates of preterm birth (< 37 weeks), their subtypes, and associated perinatal mortality (stillbirths at >/= 22 weeks plus neonatal deaths within 28 days), before and after adjustment for potential confounders, were derived from ecological logistic regression models. Preterm birth rates increased by 14% (95% confidence interval 13-15%) among whites from 8.3% to 9.4% and decreased by 15% (95% confidence interval 14-16%) among blacks from 18.5% to 16.2% between 1989 and 2000. Among whites, preterm birth following ruptured membranes declined by 23%, medically indicated preterm birth increased by 55%, and spontaneous preterm birth increased by 3%. Among blacks, preterm birth following ruptured membranes declined by 37%, medically indicated preterm birth increased by 32%, and spontaneous preterm birth decreased by 27%. The largest decline in perinatal mortality among whites was associated with increases in medically indicated preterm birth, whereas the largest decline in perinatal mortality among blacks was associated with declines in preterm birth following ruptured membranes and spontaneous preterm birth. Temporal trends in preterm birth varied substantially based on underlying subtype and maternal race. The recent increase in medically indicated preterm birth was associated with a favorable reduction in perinatal mortality.

  20. Genetic Analysis of Israel Acute Paralysis Virus: Distinct Clusters Are Circulating in the United States▿

    PubMed Central

    Palacios, G.; Hui, J.; Quan, P. L.; Kalkstein, A.; Honkavuori, K. S.; Bussetti, A. V.; Conlan, S.; Evans, J.; Chen, Y. P.; vanEngelsdorp, D.; Efrat, H.; Pettis, J.; Cox-Foster, D.; Holmes, E. C.; Briese, T.; Lipkin, W. I.

    2008-01-01

    Israel acute paralysis virus (IAPV) is associated with colony collapse disorder of honey bees. Nonetheless, its role in the pathogenesis of the disorder and its geographic distribution are unclear. Here, we report phylogenetic analysis of IAPV obtained from bees in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Israel and the establishment of diagnostic real-time PCR assays for IAPV detection. Our data indicate the existence of at least three distinct IAPV lineages, two of them circulating in the United States. Analysis of representatives from each proposed lineage suggested the possibility of recombination events and revealed differences in coding sequences that may have implications for virulence. PMID:18434396

  1. Is the United States a good model for reducing social exclusion in Europe?

    PubMed

    Schmitt, John; Zipperer, Ben

    2007-01-01

    Advocates of U.S.-style labor market flexibility have long argued that Europe could generate jobs and lower unemployment if the continent's economies followed the example of the United States. More recently, proponents of the U.S. model have suggested that labor market deregulation also holds out the possibility of reducing the problem of "social exclusion" in Europe, primarily because unemployment is one of the worst forms of social exclusion and contributes to other forms of social marginalization. The authors review a broad range of social and economic indicators and conclude that the United States fares poorly compared with much of Europe on social measures. Meanwhile, U.S.-style flexibility has had only mixed success in improving employment outcomes, and the U.S. economy consistently provides lower levels of economic mobility than economies in Europe.

  2. Streamflow trends in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lins, H.F.; Slack, J.R.

    1999-01-01

    Secular trends in streamflow are evaluated for 395 climate-sensitive streamgaging stations in the conterminous United States using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test. Trends are calculated for selected quantiles of discharge, from the 0th to the 100th percentile, to evaluate differences between low-, medium-, and high-flow regimes during the twentieth century. Two general patterns emerge; trends are most prevalent in the annual minimum (Q0) to median (Q50) flow categories and least prevalent in the annual maximum (Q100) category; and, at all but the highest quantiles, streamflow has increased across broad sections of the United States. Decreases appear only in parts of the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Systematic patterns are less apparent in the Q100 flow. Hydrologically, these results indicate that the conterminous U.S. is getting wetter, but less extreme.

  3. The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Background Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. Objective The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses’ quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Methods Using publications from 2004–2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses’ QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Results Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses’ quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. Conclusions This review’s findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses’ broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system. PMID:27734769

  4. Economic and environmental impacts of the corn grain ethanol industry on the United States agricultural sector

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

    Larson, J.A.; English, B.C.; De La Torre Ugarte, D. G.

    2010-09-10

    This study evaluated the impacts of increased ethanol production from corn starch on agricultural land use and the environment in the United States. The Policy Analysis System simulation model was used to simulate alternative ethanol production scenarios for 2007 through 2016. Results indicate that increased corn ethanol production had a positive effect on net farm income and economic wellbeing of the US agricultural sector. In addition, government payments to farmers were reduced because of higher commodity prices and enhanced net farm income. Results also indicate that if Conservation Reserve Program land was converted to crop production in response to highermore » demand for ethanol in the simulation, individual farmers planted more land in crops, including corn. With a larger total US land area in crops due to individual farmer cropping choices, total US crop output rose, which decreased crop prices and aggregate net farm income relative to the scenario where increased ethanol production happened without Conservation Reserve Program land. Substantial shifts in land use occurred with corn area expanding throughout the United States, especially in the traditional corn-growing area of the midcontinent region.« less

  5. Use of multivariate analysis for determining sources of solutes found in wet atmospheric deposition in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hooper, R.P.; Peters, N.E.

    1989-01-01

    A principal-components analysis was performed on the major solutes in wet deposition collected from 194 stations in the United States and its territories. Approximately 90% of the components derived could be interpreted as falling into one of three categories - acid, salt, or an agricultural/soil association. The total mass, or the mass of any one solute, was apportioned among these components by multiple linear regression techniques. The use of multisolute components for determining trends or spatial distribution represents a substantial improvement over single-solute analysis in that these components are more directly related to the sources of the deposition. The geographic patterns displayed by the components in this analysis indicate a far more important role for acid deposition in the Southeast and intermountain regions of the United States than would be indicated by maps of sulfate or nitrate deposition alone. In the Northeast and Midwest, the acid component is not declining at most stations, as would be expected from trends in sulfate deposition, but is holding constant or increasing. This is due, in part, to a decline in the agriculture/soil factor throughout this region, which would help to neutralize the acidity.

  6. The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review.

    PubMed

    Nowrouzi, Behdin; Giddens, Emilia; Gohar, Basem; Schoenenberger, Sandrine; Bautista, Mary Christine; Casole, Jennifer

    2016-10-01

    Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses' quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Using publications from 2004-2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses' QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses' quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. This review's findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses' broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system.

  7. Selected Oral Health Indicators in the United States, 2005-2008

    MedlinePlus

    ... errors of the percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, to take into account the complex sampling design. The statistical significance of differences between estimates were ...

  8. Home Environments of Infants From Immigrant Families in the United States: Findings From the New Immigrant Survey

    PubMed Central

    Bradley, Robert H.; Pennar, Amy; Glick, Jennifer

    2014-01-01

    Data from the New Immigrant Survey were used to describe the home environments of 638 children ages birth to 3 years whose parents legally immigrated to the United States. Thirty-two indicators of home conditions were clustered into four domains: discipline and socioemotional in support, learning materials, enriching experiences, and family activities. Results revealed variation in how frequently infants from every country (Mexico, El Salvador, India, Philippines) and region (East Asia, Europe, Caribbean, Africa) studied experienced each home environmental condition. There were differences between countries and regions on many indicators as well as differences based on parents' level of education. The experiences documented for children of recent legal immigrants were similar to those documented for children of native-born families in other studies. PMID:25798506

  9. Assessing the viability and adaptability of forest-dependent communities in the United States.

    Treesearch

    Richard W. Haynes

    2003-01-01

    The work responds to the need to assess progress toward sustainable forest management as established by the Montréal Process of Criteria and Indicators. The focus is on a single indicator (commonly referred to as Indicator 46), which addresses the “viability and adaptability to changing economic conditions, of forest-dependent communities, including indigenous...

  10. Dimensions of patient safety culture in family practice.

    PubMed

    Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; O'Beirne, Maeve; Sterling, Pam; Zwicker, Karen; Harding, Brianne K; Casebeer, Ann

    2010-01-01

    Safety culture has been shown to affect patient safety in healthcare. While the United States and United Kingdom have studied the dimensions that reflect patient safety culture in family practice settings, to date, this has not been done in Canada. Differences in the healthcare systems between these countries and Canada may affect the dimensions found to be relevant here. Thus, it is important to identify and compare the dimensions from the United States and the United Kingdom in a Canadian context. The objectives of this study were to explore the dimensions of patient safety culture that relate to family practice in Canada and to determine if differences and similarities exist between dimensions found in Canada and those found in previous studies undertaken in the United States and the United Kingdom. A qualitative study was undertaken applying thematic analysis using focus groups with family practice offices and supplementary key stakeholders. Analysis of the data indicated that most of the dimensions from the United States and United Kingdom are appropriate in our Canadian context. Exceptions included owner/managing partner/leadership support for patient safety, job satisfaction and overall perceptions of patient safety and quality. Two unique dimensions were identified in the Canadian context: disclosure and accepting responsibility for errors. Based on this early work, it is important to consider differences in care settings when understanding dimensions of patient safety culture. We suggest that additional research in family practice settings is critical to further understand the influence of context on patient safety culture.

  11. Impact of income and income inequality on infant health outcomes in the United States.

    PubMed

    Olson, Maren E; Diekema, Douglas; Elliott, Barbara A; Renier, Colleen M

    2010-12-01

    The goal was to investigate the relationships of income and income inequality with neonatal and infant health outcomes in the United States. The 2000-2004 state data were extracted from the Kids Count Data Center. Health indicators included proportion of preterm births (PTBs), proportion of infants with low birth weight (LBW), proportion of infants with very low birth weight (VLBW), and infant mortality rate (IMR). Income was evaluated on the basis of median family income and proportion of federal poverty levels; income inequality was measured by using the Gini coefficient. Pearson correlations evaluated associations between the proportion of children living in poverty and the health indicators. Linear regression evaluated predictive relationships between median household income, proportion of children living in poverty, and income inequality for the 4 health indicators. Median family income was negatively correlated with all birth outcomes (PTB, r = -0.481; LBW, r = -0.295; VLBW, r = -0.133; IMR, r = -0.432), and the Gini coefficient was positively correlated (PTB, r = 0.339; LBW, r = 0.398; VLBW, r = 0.460; IMR, r = 0.114). The Gini coefficient explained a significant proportion of the variance in rate for each outcome in linear regression models with median family income. Among children living in poverty, the role of income decreased as the degree of poverty decreased, whereas the role of income inequality increased. Both income and income inequality affect infant health outcomes in the United States. The health of the poorest infants was affected more by absolute wealth than relative wealth.

  12. Bidis and Kreteks

    MedlinePlus

    ... referred to as clove cigarettes—are imported from Indonesia and typically contain a mixture of tobacco, cloves, ... in the United States. However, research studies from Indonesia indicate that kretek smoking is associated with lung ...

  13. Botulinum Neurotoxin Injections

    MedlinePlus

    ... Myobloc in the United States, and as Neurobloc abroad. Botulinum neurotoxin type A is approved by the ... indications. This is called "off-label" use. No studies have been done to examine the effects of ...

  14. Current Status and Prospects for Cannabidiol Preparations as New Therapeutic Agents.

    PubMed

    Fasinu, Pius S; Phillips, Sarah; ElSohly, Mahmoud A; Walker, Larry A

    2016-07-01

    States and the federal government are under growing pressure to legalize the use of cannabis products for medical purposes in the United States. Sixteen states have legalized (or decriminalized possession of) products high in cannabidiol (CBD) and with restricted ∆(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (∆(9) -THC) content. In most of these states, the intent is for use in refractory epileptic seizures in children, but in a few states, the indications are broader. This review provides an overview of the pharmacology and toxicology of CBD; summarizes some of the regulatory, safety, and cultural issues relevant to the further exploitation of its antiepileptic or other pharmacologic activities; and assesses the current status and prospects for clinical development of CBD and CBD-rich preparations for medical use in the United States. Unlike Δ(9) -THC, CBD elicits its pharmacologic effects without exerting any significant intrinsic activity on the cannabinoid receptors, whose activation results in the psychotropic effects characteristic of Δ(9) -THC, and CBD possesses several pharmacologic activities that give it a high potential for therapeutic use. CBD exhibits neuroprotective, antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and antiinflammatory properties. In combination with Δ(9) -THC, CBD has received regulatory approvals in several European countries and is currently under study in trials registered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States. A number of states have passed legislation to allow for the use of CBD-rich, limited Δ(9) -THC-content preparations of cannabis for certain pathologic conditions. CBD is currently being studied in several clinical trials and is at different stages of clinical development for various medical indications. Judging from clinical findings reported so far, CBD and CBD-enriched preparations have great potential utility, but uncertainties regarding sourcing, long-term safety, abuse potential, and regulatory dilemmas remain. © 2016 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  15. Is that dog a pit bull? A cross-country comparison of perceptions of shelter workers regarding breed identification.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Christy L; Harrison, Natalie; Wolff, London; Westgarth, Carri

    2014-01-01

    Bull breeds are commonly kept as companion animals, but the pit bull terrier is restricted by breed-specific legislation (BSL) in parts of the United States and throughout the United Kingdom. Shelter workers must decide which breed(s) a dog is. This decision may influence the dog's fate, particularly in places with BSL. In this study, shelter workers in the United States and United Kingdom were shown pictures of 20 dogs and were asked what breed each dog was, how they determined each dog's breed, whether each dog was a pit bull, and what they expected the fate of each dog to be. There was much variation in responses both between and within the United States and United Kingdom. UK participants frequently labeled dogs commonly considered by U.S. participants to be pit bulls as Staffordshire bull terriers. UK participants were more likely to say their shelters would euthanize dogs deemed to be pit bulls. Most participants noted using dogs' physical features to determine breed, and 41% affected by BSL indicated they would knowingly mislabel a dog of a restricted breed, presumably to increase the dog's adoption chances.

  16. Is That Dog a Pit Bull? A Cross-Country Comparison of Perceptions of Shelter Workers Regarding Breed Identification

    PubMed Central

    Hoffman, Christy L.; Harrison, Natalie; Wolff, London; Westgarth, Carri

    2014-01-01

    Bull breeds are commonly kept as companion animals, but the pit bull terrier is restricted by breed-specific legislation (BSL) in parts of the United States and throughout the United Kingdom. Shelter workers must decide which breed(s) a dog is. This decision may influence the dog's fate, particularly in places with BSL. In this study, shelter workers in the United States and United Kingdom were shown pictures of 20 dogs and were asked what breed each dog was, how they determined each dog's breed, whether each dog was a pit bull, and what they expected the fate of each dog to be. There was much variation in responses both between and within the United States and United Kingdom. UK participants frequently labeled dogs commonly considered by U.S. participants to be pit bulls as Staffordshire bull terriers. UK participants were more likely to say their shelters would euthanize dogs deemed to be pit bulls. Most participants noted using dogs' physical features to determine breed, and 41% affected by BSL indicated they would knowingly mislabel a dog of a restricted breed, presumably to increase the dog's adoption chances. PMID:24673506

  17. Distance to nearest road in the conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Watts, Raymond D.

    2005-01-01

    The new dataset is the first member of the National Overview Road Metrics (NORM) family of road related indicators.  This indicator measures straight-line or Euclidean distance (ED) to the nearest road, and is given the compound name NORM ED.  NORM ED data can be viewed and downloaded from the transportation section of the web viewer for The National Map, http://nationalmap.usgs.gov.  The full-resolution dataset for the conterminous states is made of 8.7 billion values.

  18. 10 CFR 8.2 - Interpretation of Price-Anderson Act, section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... activity abroad which causes further injury in the United States the situation will require further... States the situation will require further investigation by the Congress at that time * * * Read literally... Representative Cole and Mr. Charles Haugh in which Representative Cole indicated that the Joint Committee...

  19. Development and Validation of a Scale for Measuring E-Government User Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obi, Marcel C.

    2009-01-01

    As the number of electronic services provided by governments to their citizens has increased, so has the need for understanding whether citizens are satisfied with these services. A literature review indicated that, in the United States alone, several government entities, including federal, state, and local governments, have invested large amounts…

  20. 24 CFR 970.13 - Environmental review requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... indicate that the future site reuse can reasonably be considered to be known include the following: (1) Private, Federal, state, or local funding for the site reuse has been committed; (2) A grant application involving the site has been filed with the Federal government or a state or local unit of government; (3...

  1. Child Neglect: A Guide for Intervention. The User Manual Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaudin, James M., Jr.

    This manual provides a state-of-the art review of child neglect in the United States, its nature, causes, and the implications of that knowledge for preventive and remedial intervention. After an introduction, the first chapter considers the definition of neglect including types of neglect, the withholding of medically indicated treatment from…

  2. USA: German in the Changing Landscape of Postsecondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatlock, Lynne

    2010-01-01

    This article identifies recent indicators of the state of German Studies in the United States with special attention to postsecondary enrollments in German. It additionally reviews challenges to the postsecondary teaching of German as they manifest themselves both locally and nationally, including the positioning of German Studies in the life of…

  3. Rise and Decline of Education Systems: A Contribution to the History of the Modern State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitter, Wolfgang

    2004-01-01

    If by 'education systems' we understand institutional units, constituted by common legal provisions, organizational structures, curricular goals and value foundations, the current period signals their decline. This indicates the decline of the modern nation state, which has characterized the political map of Europe for 300 years and gradually…

  4. Mapping the future: U.S. exposure to multiple landscape stressors

    Treesearch

    Marie Oliver; Becky Kerns; John Kim; Jeff Kline

    2017-01-01

    Landscape exposure to multiple stressors can pose risks to human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Attempts to study, control, or mitigate these stressors can strain public and private budgets. An interdisciplinary team of Pacific Northwest Research Station and Oregon State University scientists created maps of the conterminous United States that indicate...

  5. An expert system for diagnostics and estimation of steam turbine components condition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murmansky, B. E.; Aronson, K. E.; Brodov, Yu. M.

    2017-11-01

    The report describes an expert system of probability type for diagnostics and state estimation of steam turbine technological subsystems components. The expert system is based on Bayes’ theorem and permits to troubleshoot the equipment components, using expert experience, when there is a lack of baseline information on the indicators of turbine operation. Within a unified approach the expert system solves the problems of diagnosing the flow steam path of the turbine, bearings, thermal expansion system, regulatory system, condensing unit, the systems of regenerative feed-water and hot water heating. The knowledge base of the expert system for turbine unit rotors and bearings contains a description of 34 defects and of 104 related diagnostic features that cause a change in its vibration state. The knowledge base for the condensing unit contains 12 hypotheses and 15 evidence (indications); the procedures are also designated for 20 state parameters estimation. Similar knowledge base containing the diagnostic features and faults hypotheses are formulated for other technological subsystems of turbine unit. With the necessary initial information available a number of problems can be solved within the expert system for various technological subsystems of steam turbine unit: for steam flow path it is the correlation and regression analysis of multifactor relationship between the vibration parameters variations and the regime parameters; for system of thermal expansions it is the evaluation of force acting on the longitudinal keys depending on the temperature state of the turbine cylinder; for condensing unit it is the evaluation of separate effect of the heat exchange surface contamination and of the presence of air in condenser steam space on condenser thermal efficiency performance, as well as the evaluation of term for condenser cleaning and for tube system replacement and so forth. With a lack of initial information the expert system enables to formulate a diagnosis, calculating the probability of faults hypotheses, given the degree of the expert confidence in estimation of turbine components operation parameters.

  6. Temporal Processing in the Visual Cortex of the Awake and Anesthetized Rat.

    PubMed

    Aasebø, Ida E J; Lepperød, Mikkel E; Stavrinou, Maria; Nøkkevangen, Sandra; Einevoll, Gaute; Hafting, Torkel; Fyhn, Marianne

    2017-01-01

    The activity pattern and temporal dynamics within and between neuron ensembles are essential features of information processing and believed to be profoundly affected by anesthesia. Much of our general understanding of sensory information processing, including computational models aimed at mathematically simulating sensory information processing, rely on parameters derived from recordings conducted on animals under anesthesia. Due to the high variety of neuronal subtypes in the brain, population-based estimates of the impact of anesthesia may conceal unit- or ensemble-specific effects of the transition between states. Using chronically implanted tetrodes into primary visual cortex (V1) of rats, we conducted extracellular recordings of single units and followed the same cell ensembles in the awake and anesthetized states. We found that the transition from wakefulness to anesthesia involves unpredictable changes in temporal response characteristics. The latency of single-unit responses to visual stimulation was delayed in anesthesia, with large individual variations between units. Pair-wise correlations between units increased under anesthesia, indicating more synchronized activity. Further, the units within an ensemble show reproducible temporal activity patterns in response to visual stimuli that is changed between states, suggesting state-dependent sequences of activity. The current dataset, with recordings from the same neural ensembles across states, is well suited for validating and testing computational network models. This can lead to testable predictions, bring a deeper understanding of the experimental findings and improve models of neural information processing. Here, we exemplify such a workflow using a Brunel network model.

  7. Temporal Processing in the Visual Cortex of the Awake and Anesthetized Rat

    PubMed Central

    Aasebø, Ida E. J.; Stavrinou, Maria; Nøkkevangen, Sandra; Einevoll, Gaute

    2017-01-01

    Abstract The activity pattern and temporal dynamics within and between neuron ensembles are essential features of information processing and believed to be profoundly affected by anesthesia. Much of our general understanding of sensory information processing, including computational models aimed at mathematically simulating sensory information processing, rely on parameters derived from recordings conducted on animals under anesthesia. Due to the high variety of neuronal subtypes in the brain, population-based estimates of the impact of anesthesia may conceal unit- or ensemble-specific effects of the transition between states. Using chronically implanted tetrodes into primary visual cortex (V1) of rats, we conducted extracellular recordings of single units and followed the same cell ensembles in the awake and anesthetized states. We found that the transition from wakefulness to anesthesia involves unpredictable changes in temporal response characteristics. The latency of single-unit responses to visual stimulation was delayed in anesthesia, with large individual variations between units. Pair-wise correlations between units increased under anesthesia, indicating more synchronized activity. Further, the units within an ensemble show reproducible temporal activity patterns in response to visual stimuli that is changed between states, suggesting state-dependent sequences of activity. The current dataset, with recordings from the same neural ensembles across states, is well suited for validating and testing computational network models. This can lead to testable predictions, bring a deeper understanding of the experimental findings and improve models of neural information processing. Here, we exemplify such a workflow using a Brunel network model. PMID:28791331

  8. Fecal immunochemical test (FIT)

    MedlinePlus

    ... the toilet water. Touch the brush on the space indicated on the test card. Add the brush ... DA, Levin TR; United States Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. Guidelines for colonoscopy surveillance after ...

  9. 7 CFR 51.2842 - Dormant.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND OTHER PRODUCTS 1,2 (INSPECTION, CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States... indicated by distinct elongation of the growing point or distinct yellow or green color in the tip of the...

  10. An assessment of the cyber security legislation and its impact on the United States electrical sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Born, Joshua

    The purpose of this research was to examine the cyber-security posture for the United States' electrical grid, which comprises a major component of critical infrastructure for the country. The United States electrical sector is so vast, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates, it contains more than 6,413 power plants (this includes 3,273 traditional electric utilities and 1,738 nonutility power producers) with approximately 1,075 gigawatts of energy produced on a daily basis. A targeted cyber-security attack against the electric grid would likely have catastrophic results and could even serve as a precursor to a physical attack against the United States. A recent report by the consulting firm Black and Veatch found that one of the top five greatest concerns for United States electric utilities is the risk that cybersecurity poses to their industry and yet, only one-third state they are currently prepared to meet the increasingly likely threat. The report goes on to state, "only 32% of electric utilities surveyed had integrated security systems with the proper segmentation, monitoring and redundancies needed for cyber threat protection. Another 48 % said they did not" Recent estimates indicate that a large-scale cyber-attack against this sector could cost the United States economy as much as a trillion dollars within a weeks' time. Legislative efforts in the past have primarily been focused on creating mandates that encourage public and private partnership, which have been not been adopted as quickly as desired. With 85 % of all electric utilities being privately owned, it is key that the public and private sector partner in order to mitigate risks and respond as a cohesive unit in the event of a major attack. Keywords: Cybersecurity, Professor Riddell, cyber security, energy, intelligence, outlook, electrical, compliance, legislation, partnerships, critical infrastructure.

  11. Morphometric and molecular analyses of the sand fly species Lutzomyia shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) collected from seven different geographical areas in the southeastern United States.

    PubMed

    Florin, David A; Davies, Stephen J; Olsen, Cara; Lawyer, Phillip; Lipnick, Robert; Schultz, George; Rowton, Edgar; Wilkerson, Richard; Keep, Lisa

    2011-03-01

    A morphometric and molecular study of adult male and female Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar 1929) collected at seven different locations within the southeastern United States was conducted to assess the degree of divergence between the grouped specimens from each location. The collection locations were as follows: Fort Bragg, NC; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Rucker, AL; Ossabaw Island, GA; Patuxent National Wildlife Research Refuge, MD; Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, FL; and Baton Rouge, LA. Forty males and forty females from each location were analyzed morphometrically from 54 and 49 character measurements, respectively. In addition, the molecular markers consisting of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (from 105 sand flies: 15 specimens/collection site) and the partial internal transcribed spacer 2 (from 42 sand flies: six specimens/collection site) were compared. Multivariate analyses indicate that the low degree of variation between the grouped specimens from each collection site prevents the separation of any collection site into an entity that could be interpreted as a distinct population. The molecular analyses were in concordance with the morphometric study as no collection location grouped into a separate population based on the two partial markers. The grouped specimens from each collection site appear to be within the normal variance of the species, indicating a single population in the southeast United States. It is recommended that additional character analyses of L. shannoni based on more molecular markers, behavioral, ecological, and physiological characteristics, be conducted before ruling out the possibility of populations or a cryptic species complex within the southeastern United States.

  12. HIV Infection and Linkage to HIV-Related Medical Care in Large Urban Areas in the United States, 2009.

    PubMed

    Laffoon, Benjamin T; Hall, H Irene; Surendera Babu, Aruna; Benbow, Nanette; Hsu, Ling C; Hu, Yunyin W

    2015-08-01

    Residents of urban areas have accounted for the majority of persons diagnosed with HIV disease in the United States. Linking persons recently diagnosed with HIV to primary medical care is an important indicator in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. We analyzed data reported to the HIV Surveillance System in 18 urban areas in the United States. Standardized executable SAS programs were distributed to determine the number of HIV cases living through 2008, number of HIV cases diagnosed in 2009, and the percentage of those diagnosed in 2009 who had reported CD4 lymphocyte or HIV viral load test results within 3 months of HIV diagnosis. Data were presented by jurisdiction, age group at diagnosis, race/ethnicity, sex at birth, birth country, disease stage, and transmission category. By jurisdiction, the percentage of persons diagnosed in 2009 with at least 1 CD4 or HIV viral load test within 3 months of diagnosis ranged from 48.5% to 92.5% (median: 70.9). The percentage of persons linked to care varied by age group and by racial/ethnic groups. Fourteen of the 18 areas reported that the percentage of persons linked to care was greater than 65%, the baseline measure indicated in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. A wide range in percent linked to HIV medical care was observed between residents of 18 urban areas in the United States with noted age and racial disparities. Routine testing and linkage efforts and intensified prevention efforts should be considered to increase access to primary HIV-related medical care.

  13. Assimilation of Gridded GRACE Terrestrial Water Storage Estimates in the North American Land Data Assimilation System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kumar, Sujay V.; Zaitchik, Benjamin F.; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Rodell, Matthew; Reichle, Rolf; Li, Bailing; Jasinski, Michael; Mocko, David; Getirana, Augusto; De Lannoy, Gabrielle; hide

    2016-01-01

    The objective of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) is to provide best available estimates of near-surface meteorological conditions and soil hydrological status for the continental United States. To support the ongoing efforts to develop data assimilation (DA) capabilities for NLDAS, the results of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) DA implemented in a manner consistent with NLDAS development are presented. Following previous work, GRACE terrestrial water storage (TWS) anomaly estimates are assimilated into the NASA Catchment land surface model using an ensemble smoother. In contrast to many earlier GRACE DA studies, a gridded GRACE TWS product is assimilated, spatially distributed GRACE error estimates are accounted for, and the impact that GRACE scaling factors have on assimilation is evaluated. Comparisons with quality-controlled in situ observations indicate that GRACE DA has a positive impact on the simulation of unconfined groundwater variability across the majority of the eastern United States and on the simulation of surface and root zone soil moisture across the country. Smaller improvements are seen in the simulation of snow depth, and the impact of GRACE DA on simulated river discharge and evapotranspiration is regionally variable. The use of GRACE scaling factors during assimilation improved DA results in the western United States but led to small degradations in the eastern United States. The study also found comparable performance between the use of gridded and basin averaged GRACE observations in assimilation. Finally, the evaluations presented in the paper indicate that GRACE DA can be helpful in improving the representation of droughts.

  14. Indicators of wetland condition for the prairie pothole region of the United States.

    PubMed

    Guntenspergen, G R; Peterson, S A; Leibowitz, S G; Cowardin, L M

    2002-09-01

    We describe a study designed to evaluate the performance of wetland condition indicators of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the north central United States. Basin and landscape scale indicators were tested in 1992 and 1993 to determine their ability to discriminate between the influences of grassland dominated and cropland dominated landscapes in the PPR. Paired plots were selected from each of the major regions of the PPR. Among the landscape scale indicators tested, those most capable of distinguishing between the two landscapes were: 1) frequency of drained wetland basins. 2) total length of drainage ditch per plot, 3) amount of exposed soil in the upland subject to erosion, 4) indices of change in area of wetland covered by water, and 5) number of breeding duck pairs. Basin scale indicators including soil phosphorus concentrations and invertebrate taxa richness showed some promise: however, plant species richness was the only statistically significant basin scale indicator distinguishing grassland dominated from cropland dominated landscapes. Although our study found a number of promising candidate indicators, one of our conclusions is that basin scale indicators present a number of implementation problems. including: skill level requirements, site access denials, and recession of site access by landowners. Alternatively, we suggest that the use of landscape indicators based on remote sensing can be an effective means of assessing wetland integrity.

  15. Transoceanic transport of metals and deposition in the Southeastern United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, C. W.

    2003-12-01

    Saharan dust is persistently being transported and deposited in ecosystems of the western Atlantic Ocean. Satellite photos reveal that this dust is transported in tropospheric low-pressure waves that cross the central Atlantic Ocean. This dust is an aggregate of clay and quartz particles cemented with iron oxides. Analysis of dust samples collected from Mali (central Africa), the Azores, the Caribbean and the Eastern United States show that metal concentrations are significantly higher than average crustal rocks. Over the past decade, there has been a significant effort to understand the cycling of mercury in south Florida, but other metals has received very little attention. Trace metal measurements on the ombrogeneous sediment formed during the last decade in south Florida indicates that metals can be correlated with aluminum, which is considered a proxy for dust. The largest available aerosol data set is provided by the IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) program. Focusing on arsenic as an example, the average concentration in aerosols collected during this program range from 17 mg/kg in the Virgin Islands to 79 mg/kg at Chassahowitzka, Florida. At Chassahowitzka, most of the arsenic appears to be associated with organic carbon. If it is assumed that the concentrations in Mali dust and in the aerosols in the Virgin Islands are indicative of soil dust, then the higher values at Chassahowitzka are most likely derived from local or regional sources. A simple calculation indicates that African dust supplies about 25 % of the arsenic deposited from aerosols in the southeastern United States. Comparison of the average yearly arsenic concentrations measured in the Virgin Islands and Everglades shows a negative relationship with the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAO). This relationship demonstrates the influence of climate on the transport and deposition of aerosols with associated metals to the southeastern United States.

  16. Liberty and Law: The Nature of Individual Rights. Teacher and Student Manuals.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casey, Dayle A.

    This social studies unit considers the nature and sources of the individual rights of American citizenship as well as the complexity of the federal system as it operates on the liberties of the individual and relates to state government. The unit is structured chronologically to indicate that the history of liberty is largely the history of legal…

  17. Staffing of Teaching and Learning Centers in the United States: Indicators of Institutional Support for Faculty Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herman, Jennifer H.

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative study reports data from nearly 200 teaching and learning development units (TLDUs), regarding their current staffing levels compared to the number of FTE faculty and FTE student enrollment. The study found that these staffing ratios at primary TLDUs vary by both institutional control and by Carnegie classification: in general,…

  18. Economic Indicators of the Farm Sector. Costs of Production, 1986.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Economic Research Service (USDA), Washington, DC.

    This report contains 121 tables that estimate the costs of production of various commodities on United States farms in 1986. The report first assesses costs and returns on a per-unit basis, such as one acre or one animal, under three sections of a budget: cash receipts, cash expenses, and economic costs. The budgets are based on national…

  19. Estimated use of water in the United States in 1970

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Murray, Charles Richard; Reeves, E. Bodette

    1972-01-01

    The average annual streamflow--simplified measure of the total available water supply--is approximately 1,200 bgd in the conterminous United States. Total water withdrawn in 1970 for off-channel uses (withdrawals other than for hydroelectric power) amounted to about 30 percent of the average annual streamflow: 7 percent of the 1,200 bgd basic supply was consumed. However, comparisons of Water Resources Council regions indicate that the rate of withdrawal was higher than the locally dependable supply in the Middle Atlantic, Texas-Gulf, Rio Grande, Lower Colorado, and California-South Pacific regions. Consumption amounted to nearly 25 percent of withdrawals in the conterminous United States; however, fresh-water consumption amounted to only 14 percent of off-channel withdrawals in the 31 Eastern States and ranged from 30 percent to nearly 70 percent of off-channel withdrawals in the Water Resources Council regions in the West. In the Rio Grande and Lower Colorado regions, fresh-water consumption in 1970 exceeded the estimated dependable supply of fresh water.

  20. Leading Indicators: Increasing Statewide Bachelor's Degree Completion Rates at 4-Year Public Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Jeffrey Cody

    2014-01-01

    For the United States to maintain national and global economic stability, colleges must graduate more students. Four-year completion rates have declined and less than one-third of full-time, degree-seeking students graduate in 4 years. Some researchers and policymakers have suggested "leading indicators" to track postsecondary…

  1. Index of Hispanic Economic Indicators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC.

    One in 10 Americans is of Hispanic origin, and Census projections show that in about 10 years, Hispanics will constitute the largest minority group in the United States and, by 2035, 1 in 5 Americans will be Hispanic. This survey of leading and lagging indicators of economic well-being shows that on several measures, Hispanics have demonstrated…

  2. Social and Economic Indicators of the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable

    Treesearch

    John E. Mitchell; Daniel W. McCallum; Lewis E. Swanson; John Tanaka; Mark Brunson; Aaron Harp; L. Allen Torell; H. Theodore Heintz

    2006-01-01

    Social and economic systems provide a context and rationale for rangeland management. Sustaining rangeland ecosystems requires attention to the social and economic conditions that accompany the functioning of those systems. We present and discuss economic and social indicators for rangeland sustainability that have possible relevance in the United States. A brief...

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ott, Wayne R.; Thom, Gary C.

    1976-01-01

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

  4. How Do Primary Grade Teachers Teach Handwriting? A National Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Steve; Harris, Karen R.; Mason, Linda; Fink-Chorzempa, Barbara; Moran, Susan; Saddler, Bruce

    2008-01-01

    A random sample of primary grade teachers from across the United States was surveyed about their instructional practices in handwriting. Nine out of every ten teachers indicated that they taught handwriting, averaging 70 minutes of instruction per week. Only 12% of teachers, however, indicated that the education courses taken in college adequately…

  5. Efforts to Define College Readiness in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patelis, Thanos; Camara, Wayne; Wiley, Andrew

    2009-01-01

    Presented at the 11th International Conference on Education (ICE) in 2009. This presentation provides an overview of the College Board and its efforts to develop college readiness indicators. The information provided includes a conceptual overview of the indicators and the research and development components in the development and validation of…

  6. Educational Trends Shaping School Planning, Design, Construction, Funding and Operation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevenson, Kenneth R.

    2010-01-01

    What does the future hold for educators and facilities professionals when it comes to planning, building, funding, and operating school facilities? No one can absolutely know beforehand. However, there are many, many indicators of where public education in the United States may well be destined. These indicators take the form of already occurring…

  7. Finding Farms: Comparing Indicators of Farming Dependence and Agricultural Importance in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson-Smith, Douglas B.; Jensen, Eric

    2009-01-01

    Many scholars have commented on the changing significance of farming for understanding the dynamics of social and economic change in contemporary rural America. Quantitative analyses of relationships between farming, local socioeconomic conditions, demographic trends, and policy have often relied on an indicator of "farm-dependent" (FD) counties…

  8. 33 CFR 331.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... absence of waters of the United States on a parcel or a written statement and map identifying the limits... include, but are not limited to: indicators of wetland hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plant...

  9. 33 CFR 331.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... absence of waters of the United States on a parcel or a written statement and map identifying the limits... include, but are not limited to: indicators of wetland hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plant...

  10. 33 CFR 331.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... absence of waters of the United States on a parcel or a written statement and map identifying the limits... include, but are not limited to: indicators of wetland hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plant...

  11. Testing the main hypotheses of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior in a large diverse sample of United States military personnel.

    PubMed

    Anestis, Michael D; Khazem, Lauren R; Mohn, Richard S; Green, Bradley A

    2015-07-01

    Preliminary data indicate the suicide rate in the United States military decreased in 2013, but the National Guard saw a continued increase. We examined the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS) in a sample of US military personnel drawn largely from the National Guard (n=934; 77.7% male; 59.5% white). Results indicated the interaction of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness predicted suicidal ideation and resolved plans and preparations for suicide. In each case, risk was greatest at higher levels of both predictors. Furthermore, results indicated the interaction of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability for suicide predicted prior suicide attempts. In this interaction term, the relationship between suicidal desire (thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) and suicide attempts was significant and positive only at high levels of acquired capability. All analyses were cross-sectional. Results indicate the IPTS may be useful for conceptualizing suicide risk in the National Guard. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Sampling protocol, estimation, and analysis procedures for the down woody materials indicator of the FIA program

    Treesearch

    Christopher Woodall

    2005-01-01

    The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the USDA Forest Service conducts a national inventory of forests of the United States. A subset of FIA permanent inventory plots are sampled every year for numerous indicators of forest health ranging from soils to understory vegetation. Down woody material (DWM) is an FIA indicator that provides estimates of forest...

  13. Geographic distribution of trauma centers and injury-related mortality in the United States.

    PubMed

    Brown, Joshua B; Rosengart, Matthew R; Billiar, Timothy R; Peitzman, Andrew B; Sperry, Jason L

    2016-01-01

    Regionalized trauma care improves outcomes; however, access to care is not uniform across the United States. The objective was to evaluate whether geographic distribution of trauma centers correlates with injury mortality across state trauma systems. Level I or II trauma centers in the contiguous United States were mapped. State-level age-adjusted injury fatality rates per 100,000 people were obtained and evaluated for spatial autocorrelation. Nearest neighbor ratios (NNRs) were generated for each state. A NNR less than 1 indicates clustering, while a NNR greater than 1 indicates dispersion. NNRs were tested for difference from random geographic distribution. Fatality rates and NNRs were examined for correlation. Fatality rates were compared between states with trauma center clustering versus dispersion. Trauma center distribution and population density were evaluated. Spatial-lag regression determined the association between fatality rate and NNR, controlling for state-level demographics, population density, injury severity, trauma system resources, and socioeconomic factors. Fatality rates were spatially autocorrelated (Moran's I = 0.35, p < 0.01). Nine states had a clustered pattern (median NNR, 0.55; interquartile range [IQR], 0.48-0.60), 22 had a dispersed pattern (median NNR, 2.00; IQR, 1.68-3.99), and 10 had a random pattern (median NNR, 0.90; IQR, 0.85-1.00) of trauma center distribution. Fatality rate and NNR were correlated (ρ = 0.34, p = 0.03). Clustered states had a lower median injury fatality rate compared with dispersed states (56.9 [IQR, 46.5-58.9] vs. 64.9 [IQR, 52.5-77.1]; p = 0.04). Dispersed compared with clustered states had more counties without a trauma center that had higher population density than counties with a trauma center (5.7% vs. 1.2%, p < 0.01). Spatial-lag regression demonstrated that fatality rates increased by 0.02 per 100,000 persons for each unit increase in NNR (p < 0.01). Geographic distribution of trauma centers correlates with injury mortality, with more clustered state trauma centers associated with lower fatality rates. This may be a result of access relative to population density. These results may have implications for trauma system planning and require further study to investigate underlying mechanisms. Therapeutic/care management study, level IV.

  14. Understanding the competitive advantage of TPP-related nations from an econophysics perspective: Influence caused by China and the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xing, Lizhi; Guan, Jun; Dong, Xianlei; Wu, Shan

    2018-07-01

    A new analytical framework of relatively competitive advantages of economies is established in this paper, which involves distinguishing functions of industrial sectors on the global value chain with bipartite graph theory and extracting inter-sector competitive relations through resource allocation process. Furthermore, it introduces network-based quantitative indices to measure the competitive advantage on the level of industrial sector and country respectively, taking scarcity of industrial resources into consideration. Finally, it carries out scenario simulation to analyze impacts on 13 TPP-related countries' competitiveness under four kinds of scenarios. Results show that a TPP without both the United States and China will undermine the two countries' competitiveness, and China's impact on GVC will be truly weaken if a TPP agreement led by the United States is reached and vice versa. Anyway, A TPP including both these two countries would serve the mutual interests

  15. Renewable Electricity Futures for the United States

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

    Mai, Trieu; Hand, Maureen; Baldwin, Sam F.

    2014-04-14

    This paper highlights the key results from the Renewable Electricity (RE) Futures Study. It is a detailed consideration of renewable electricity in the United States. The paper focuses on technical issues related to the operability of the U. S. electricity grid and provides initial answers to important questions about the integration of high penetrations of renewable electricity technologies from a national perspective. The results indicate that the future U. S. electricity system that is largely powered by renewable sources is possible and the further work is warranted to investigate this clean generation pathway. The central conclusion of the analysis ismore » that renewable electricity generation from technologies that are commercially available today, in combination with a more flexible electric system, is more than adequate to supply 80% of the total U. S. electricity generation in 2050 while meeting electricity demand on an hourly basis in every region of the United States.« less

  16. Self-esteem and academic achievement: a comparative study of adolescent students in England and the United States

    PubMed Central

    Booth, Margaret Zoller; Gerard, Jean M.

    2012-01-01

    Utilizing mixed methodology, this paper investigates the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement for young adolescents within two Western cultural contexts: the United States and England. Quantitative and qualitative data from 86 North American and 86 British adolescents were utilized to examine the links between self-esteem and academic achievement from the beginning to the end of their academic year during their 11th–12th year of age. For both samples, quantitative results demonstrated that fall self-esteem was related to multiple indicators of later year academic achievement. While country differences emerge by the end of the year, math appears to have a consistent relationship with self-esteem in both country contexts. Qualitative analyses found some support for British students’ self-perceptions as more accurately reflecting their academic experience than the students from the United States. PMID:24068853

  17. Preliminary map of temperature gradients in the conterminous United States

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

    Guffanti, M.; Nathenson, M.

    1980-09-01

    Temperature gradients have been determined from temperature/depth measurements made in drill holes deeper than 600 m and used in the construction of a temperature-gradient map of the conterminous United States. The map displays temperature gradients (in /sup 0/C/km) that can be expected to exist regionally in a conductive thermal regime to a depth of 2 km. The major difference between this map and the AAPG-USGS temperature-gradient map is in the midcontinental region where the AAPG-USGS map does not demarcate a division between colder eastern and warmer western thermal regimes. A comparison with the heat-flow map of Sass et al. (1980)more » indicates that temperature gradients commonly reflect regional heat flow, and the gross east-west division of the United States on the basis of heat flow is also expressed by temperature gradient.« less

  18. Treating morning sickness in the United States--changes in prescribing are needed.

    PubMed

    Koren, Gideon

    2014-12-01

    Presently, 97.7% of prescriptions for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy in the United States are with medications not labeled for use in pregnancy, not indicated for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, and not classified as safe in pregnancy by the Food and Drug Administration. The use of ondansetron for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy has increased from 50,000 monthly prescriptions in 2008 to 110,000 at the end of 2013, despite unresolved issues regarding fetal safety and Food and Drug Administration warnings about serious dysrhythmias. In April 2013, the Food and Drug Administration approved the combination of doxylamine and pyridoxine, specifically for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy symptoms. Now that a safe and effective drug is available in the United States, there is no reason for women to be exposed to a drug of unproven maternal and fetal safety. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. WIC's promotion of infant formula in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Kent, George

    2006-01-01

    Background The United States' Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) distributes about half the infant formula used in the United States at no cost to the families. This is a matter of concern because it is known that feeding with infant formula results in worse health outcomes for infants than breastfeeding. Discussion The evidence that is available indicates that the WIC program has the effect of promoting the use of infant formula, thus placing infants at higher risk. Moreover, the program violates the widely accepted principles that have been set out in the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and in the human right to adequate food. Summary There is no good reason for an agency of government to distribute large quantities of free infant formula. It is recommended that the large-scale distribution of free infant formula by the WIC program should be phased out. PMID:16722534

  20. Meningococcal disease. Secondary attack rate and chemoprophylaxis in the United States, 1974.

    PubMed

    1976-01-19

    Three hundred twenty-six reported cases of meningococcal disease in the United States from November 1973 through March 1974 were investigated. Three household members became ill with meningococcal disease following onset of the initial case in their household. The secondary attack rate was approximately 3/1,000 household members. In 60% of the households, members were given an antimicrobial drug as chemoprophylaxis for meningococcal disease, but only 35% received minocycline hydrochloride or rifampin, the two drugs now available for the eradication of sulfonamide-resistant meningococci from the nasopharynx. Only 26% given chemoprophylaxis received the drug within 24 hours after the patient's hospital admission. Survey results indicate that the secondary attack rate of meningococcal disease may justify the use of chemoprophylaxis, but that frequently in the United States, the drugs given are likely to be ineffective, give too late, or administered to persons who are not at high risk to meningococcal disease.

  1. Support for Restorative Justice in a Sample of U.S. University Students.

    PubMed

    Ahlin, Eileen M; Gibbs, Jennifer C; Kavanaugh, Philip R; Lee, Joongyeup

    2017-02-01

    Theories of restorative justice suggest that the practice works best when offenders are enmeshed in multiple interdependencies or attachments to others and belong to a culture that facilitates communitarianism instead of individualism. Restorative justice principles and practices are thus believed to be incongruent with the individualistic culture and legal system of the United States, especially compared with that of nations like Australia and Japan. Using a nonprobability convenience sample of students enrolled in a large public university in the United States, our study examines attitudes toward restorative justice as a fair and just process for reintegrating offenders and meeting the needs of victims. Results indicate that our sample holds less punitive attitudes than citizens in either Australia or Japan. Our findings are discussed in light of recent policy shifts in the United States that suggest a concerted move toward decarceration following the 2008 recession.

  2. Variability common to first leaf dates and snowpack in the western conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCabe, Gregory J.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Pederson, Gregory T.; Schwartz, Mark D.

    2013-01-01

    Singular value decomposition is used to identify the common variability in first leaf dates (FLDs) and 1 April snow water equivalent (SWE) for the western United States during the period 1900–2012. Results indicate two modes of joint variability that explain 57% of the variability in FLD and 69% of the variability in SWE. The first mode of joint variability is related to widespread late winter–spring warming or cooling across the entire west. The second mode can be described as a north–south dipole in temperature for FLD, as well as in cool season temperature and precipitation for SWE, that is closely correlated to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Additionally, both modes of variability indicate a relation with the Pacific–North American atmospheric pattern. These results indicate that there is a substantial amount of common variance in FLD and SWE that is related to large-scale modes of climate variability.

  3. Are cultures becoming individualistic? A cross-temporal comparison of individualism-collectivism in the United States and Japan.

    PubMed

    Hamamura, Takeshi

    2012-02-01

    Individualism-collectivism is one of the best researched dimensions of culture in psychology. One frequently asked but underexamined question regards its cross-temporal changes: Are cultures becoming individualistic? One influential theory of cultural change, modernization theory, predicts the rise of individualism as a consequence of economic growth. Findings from past research are generally consistent with this theory, but there is also a body of evidence suggesting its limitations. To examine these issues, cross-temporal analyses of individualism-collectivism in the United States and Japan were conducted. Diverging patterns of cultural changes were found across indices: In both countries, some of the obtained indices showed rising individualism over the past several decades, supporting the modernization theory. However, other indices showed patterns that are best understood within the frameworks of a shifting focus of social relationships and a persisting cultural heritage. A comprehensive theory of cultural change requires considerations of these factors in addition to the modernization effect.

  4. Clean Energy in City Codes: A Baseline Analysis of Municipal Codification across the United States

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

    Cook, Jeffrey J.; Aznar, Alexandra; Dane, Alexander

    Municipal governments in the United States are well positioned to influence clean energy (energy efficiency and alternative energy) and transportation technology and strategy implementation within their jurisdictions through planning, programs, and codification. Municipal governments are leveraging planning processes and programs to shape their energy futures. There is limited understanding in the literature related to codification, the primary way that municipal governments enact enforceable policies. The authors fill the gap in the literature by documenting the status of municipal codification of clean energy and transportation across the United States. More directly, we leverage online databases of municipal codes to develop nationalmore » and state-specific representative samples of municipal governments by population size. Our analysis finds that municipal governments with the authority to set residential building energy codes within their jurisdictions frequently do so. In some cases, communities set codes higher than their respective state governments. Examination of codes across the nation indicates that municipal governments are employing their code as a policy mechanism to address clean energy and transportation.« less

  5. Pay-for-performance: too much of a good thing? A conversation with Martin Roland. Interview by Robert Galvin.

    PubMed

    Roland, Martin

    2006-01-01

    As the United States moves down the road of pay-for-performance (P4P), concerns about unintended consequences are foremost in the minds of policymakers. Initial results from the world's most ambitious P4P program, the United Kingdom's Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), indicate that while quality improvements exceeded expectations, so too did the amount of funds paid out, straining the National Health Service (NHS) budget. Martin Roland, one of the leading U.K. health services researchers and an adviser to the QOF, gives his views on what went right and what went wrong, and he offers his advice to the United States about using financial incentives to improve quality.

  6. 21 CFR Appendix C to Subpart A of... - Indicative List of Products Covered by Subpart A

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... vaccines, and immunologicals; —veterinary pharmaceuticals, including prescription and nonprescription drugs...); —intermediate products and active pharmaceutical ingredients or bulk pharmaceuticals (United States)/starting...

  7. 47 CFR 73.601 - Scope of subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... broadcast stations and, where indicated, low power TV and TV translator stations in the United States, its Territories and possessions. TV broadcast, low power TV, and TV translator stations are assigned channels 6...

  8. Isotope evidence of paleo - El Nino - Southern Oscillation cycles in loess-paleosol record in the central United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wang, Hongfang; Follmer, L.R.; Chao-li, Liu

    2000-01-01

    The ??13C of soil carbonate in rhizoconcretions collected from a loess-paleosol sequence in the central United States indicates that growing-season C3/C4 plant ratio oscillated by 35% on a 900 ?? 200 yr time scale during the late Wisconsinan glaciation. The pattern appears in phase with advance and retreat of the southern margin of the Laurentide ice sheet, suggesting influence by paleo-El Nin??o-Southern Oscillation cycles. The ??13C of soil organic matter indicates that the annual average C3/C4 plant ratio oscillated only by 18%, with a periodicity of 450 ?? 100 yr, and closely matched the cyclic pattern of loess-paleosol layers. It suggests a periodic enhancement of the penetration of the Gulf of Mexico air over the region during this time.

  9. DISCRIMINATION OF ALTERED BASALTIC ROCKS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES BY ANALYSIS OF LANDSAT THEMATIC MAPPER DATA.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, Philip A.; Berlin, Graydon L.; Chavez, Pat S.

    1987-01-01

    Landsat Thematic Mapper image data were analyzed to determine their ability to discriminate red cone basalts from gray flow basalts and sedimentary country rocks for three volcanic fields in the southwestern United States. Analyses of all of the possible three-band combinations of the six nonthermal bands indicate that the combination of bands 1, 4, and 5 best discriminates among these materials. The color-composite image of these three bands unambiguously discriminates 89 percent of the mapped red volcanic cones in the three volcanic fields. Mineralogic and chemical analyses of collected samples indicate that discrimination is facilitated by the presence of hematite as a major mineral phase in the red cone basalts (hematite is only a minor mineral phase in the gray flow basalts and red sedimentary rocks).

  10. Perceptions of children with HIV/AIDS from the USA and Kenya: self-concept and emotional indicators.

    PubMed

    Waweru, Sylvia M; Reynolds, Annette; Buckner, Ellen B

    2008-01-01

    Perceptions of children's self-concept and associated emotional indicators were assessed in two populations, United States and Kenya, in children living with HIV/AIDS. Assessment of the self-concept mode of the Roy Adaptation Model used both verbal and nonverbal strategies. The sample of children (N = 48), ages 7 to 12 years who were HIV-positive, was recruited from a family clinic that cares for children with chronic illness in the United States (n = 6) and an orphanage that provides for HIV-positive children in Kenya (n = 42). Self-concept was measured using a modification of Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale. Emotional indicators were measured from Human Figure Drawings (HFD) described by Koppitz (1968). All U.S. children were found to have an average self-concept and one-third demonstrated significant emotional indicators. In Kenya, 93% of the participants had an average self-concept and half were found to have significant emotional indicators. HFD can be used with other screening tools to perform a psychosocial assessment and screening for referral. This study contributes to nursing science by introducing a model-based assessment with cross-cultural applicability.

  11. A Model for the Management of Supplemental Care Expenditures for Computed Tomography (CT) Scans at Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley, Kansas

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-07-24

    NUMBER ORGANIZATION (If applicable) Bc. ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) 10 SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM IPROJECT ITASK IWORK UNIT ELEMENT NO NO...A mobile CT scanner with transporter vehicle has been purchased for IACH by Defense Personnel Support Center as part of a multiple unit purchase...lag time inherent in the procurement of high-cost, high technology medical equipment. Current indications are that the unit will be 1 installed some

  12. Occurrence and Distribution of Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) Indicators in Non-Perennial Streams in the Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast Region of the United States

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-08-01

    1 Common hydrogeomorphic units that form in stream systems in response to spatially and temporally varying hydrologic and geomorphic processes... geomorphic , and vegetative indica- tors for use in OHWM delineations in arid streams and categorized their typical landscape positions with respect...the presence of a bed and banks. Hydrogeomorphic units are distinct macro- scale geomorphic features formed within stream systems in response to

  13. Korean American parents’ reconstruction of immigrant parenting in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Eunjung; Im, Haesang; Nahm, Eunyoung; Hong, Seunghye

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this qualitative study was to explore 28 Korean American parents’ perceptions of parenting. Interview data were audio taped, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis. Themes that emerged were: Korean parenting constructed in Korea, European American parenting observed in the United States, and resulting reconstruction of Korean American parenting. The findings indicate that Korean American parents’ perceptions of parenting are deeply rooted in the social contexts of where parents were brought up and where parents raise their children. These findings could be used to develop a culturally and linguistically competent parenting program for Korean American parents. PMID:23362693

  14. Substance Use Attitudes, Behaviors, Education and Prevention in Colleges of Pharmacy in the United States.

    PubMed

    Al-Shatnawi, Samah F; Perri, Matthew; Young, Henry N; Norton, Merrill

    2016-11-25

    This review describes and summarizes student pharmacists' substance use behavior in the United States. Current literature indicates that there are problems with alcohol and other drug use among student pharmacists. Although researchers have found variations in the type and rate of reported substance use, significant proportions of student pharmacists were identified as being at high risk for substance use disorders (SUDs). Findings from this review suggest that pharmacy schools should encourage and stimulate more research in order to implement effective screening and early intervention programs in an effort to address this important student health issue.

  15. Exploring the Case for Eminent Domain of Hepatitis C Virus Treatment Patents.

    PubMed

    Mattingly Ii, T Joseph; Heil, Emily L; Hoke, Kathleen S

    2017-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a silent epidemic affecting millions of patients and represents the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States and worldwide. New direct-acting antiviral agents offer the potential to cure patients infected with HCV but it comes at a staggering cost. Given the recent attention to these high-priced HCV therapies and the impact treating individuals with HCV is having on drug expenditures in the United States, there may be a need to revisit drug patent laws and the options the federal government has to ensure patient access to care.

  16. An Analysis of United States Prisoner of War-Missing In Action Accounting Operations and their Correlation to the Normalization of Relations Between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-01-01

    Willbanks, Abandoning Vietnam (Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press, 2004), 287. 3Bui Thi Huong, Tran Quan, and Truong Minh Dao, approved by John H...as a result of the agreement. Le Duc Tho responded by saying: “. . . if you satisfactorily resolve the political question and the question of...reparations, then we can find an understanding.”25 As Le Duc Tho’s statement indicates, the Vietnamese party linked reparations to the POW/MIA accounting

  17. Beliefs about women's vibrator use: results from a nationally representative probability survey in the United States.

    PubMed

    Herbenick, Debra; Reece, Michael; Schick, Vanessa; Jozkowski, Kristen N; Middelstadt, Susan E; Sanders, Stephanie A; Dodge, Brian S; Ghassemi, Annahita; Fortenberry, J Dennis

    2011-01-01

    Women's vibrator use is common in the United States, although little is known about beliefs about its use. Elicitation surveys and interviews informed the development of a 10-item scale, the Beliefs About Women's Vibrator Use Scale, which was administered to a nationally representative probability sample of adults ages 18 to 60 years. Most women and men held high positive and low negative beliefs about women's vibrator use. Women with positive beliefs reported higher Female Sexual Function Index scores related to arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain (indicating less pain).

  18. Political Gender Inequality and Infant Mortality in the United States, 1990–2012

    PubMed Central

    Homan, Patricia

    2017-01-01

    Although gender inequality has been recognized as a crucial factor influencing population health in the developing world, research has not yet thoroughly documented the role it may play in shaping U.S. infant mortality rates (IMRs). This study uses administrative data with fixed-effects and random-effects models to (1) investigate the relationship between political gender inequality in state legislatures and state infant mortality rates in the United States from 1990 to 2012, and (2) project the population level costs associated with women’s underrepresentation in 2012. Results indicate that higher percentages of women in state legislatures are associated with reduced IMRs, both between states and within-states over time. According to model predictions, if women were at parity with men in state legislatures, the expected number of infant deaths in the U.S. in 2012 would have been lower by approximately 14.6% (3,478 infant deaths). These findings underscore the importance of women’s political representation for population health. PMID:28458098

  19. Political gender inequality and infant mortality in the United States, 1990-2012.

    PubMed

    Homan, Patricia

    2017-06-01

    Although gender inequality has been recognized as a crucial factor influencing population health in the developing world, research has not yet thoroughly documented the role it may play in shaping U.S. infant mortality rates (IMRs). This study uses administrative data with fixed-effects and random-effects models to (1) investigate the relationship between political gender inequality in state legislatures and state infant mortality rates in the United States from 1990 to 2012, and (2) project the population level costs associated with women's underrepresentation in 2012. Results indicate that higher percentages of women in state legislatures are associated with reduced IMRs, both between states and within-states over time. According to model predictions, if women were at parity with men in state legislatures, the expected number of infant deaths in the U.S. in 2012 would have been lower by approximately 14.6% (3,478 infant deaths). These findings underscore the importance of women's political representation for population health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Science Indicators 1982. An Analysis of the State of U.S. Science, Engineering, and Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. National Science Board.

    This document analyzes science and technology activities in the United States and their relationships to the efforts of other major industrialized countries. Major areas addressed in the seven chapters are: (1) international science and technology (considering national investments in research and development--R&D, outputs of R&D,…

  1. Pine growth reductions in the Southeast

    Treesearch

    Raymond M. Sheffield; Noel D. Cost; William A. Bechtold; Joe P. McClure

    1985-01-01

    Periodic timber inventories in the Southeastern United States indicate that net annual growth of softwood timber there has peaked and turned downward after a long upward trend. The most pronounced declines have been measured in the growth of the yellow pines on nonindustrial private forest land, which accounts for about 69 percent of the timberland in this five-state...

  2. Trends in Disparities in School District Level Expenditures per Pupil.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hussar, William; Sonnenberg, William

    2000-01-01

    Examines trends in disparities between districts in education expenditures from 1979-1980 to 1993-1994. Uses seven measures of educational disparity to present a cross-section of the different methods available. A majority of disparity measures indicate a decline in disparity in most states, but an increase in disparity for the United States as a…

  3. Summary Report: Forest Health Monitoring in the South, 1991

    Treesearch

    William A. Bechtold; William H. Hoffard; Robert L. Anderson

    1992-01-01

    The USDA Forest Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have launched a joint program to monitor the health of forests iu the United States. The program is still in the initial phases of implementation, but several indicators of forest health are undergoiug development and permanent plots have been established in 12 States. This report contains...

  4. Reflect, "Refract" or Reveal: Sociocultural Explorations of the Place of Teacher Subjectivity in Infant Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brennan, Margaret

    2017-01-01

    Research indicates that adult sensitivity to psychological states (both the adult's and the infant's) will affect the security of attachment yet the teacher's internal state has received little attention in infant care. "Perezhivanie" is a sociocultural concept that presents affect and intellect as a unit rather than separate elements.…

  5. The New Hispanic Majority: How Texas Public Schools Are Foreshadowing National Trends

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Tod Allen

    2011-01-01

    Texas and other states that border with Mexico have been leading indicators of public school system trends that may manifest themselves in other areas of the United States in the decade to come. Such manifestations of these trends are likely to have both policy and practice implications. Descriptive statistics and longitudinal data from the…

  6. STEM Enrichment Programs and Graduate School Matriculation: The Role of Science Identity Salience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merolla, David M.; Serpe, Richard T.

    2013-01-01

    Improving the state of science education in the United States has become a national priority. One response to this problem has been the implementation of STEM enrichment programs designed to increase the number of students that enter graduate programs in science. Current research indicates enrichment programs have positive effects for student…

  7. Tracing the Flow of Human Resources across Organizational Units and Secondary School Subject Areas.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roellke, Christopher F.

    Although New York State introduced its standards-based reform over a decade ago, it remains unclear as to how local education agencies (LEAs) have reconfigured their human resources in response to these initiatives. This paper demonstrates how state-collected personnel data can be used to generate longitudinal indicators of the kinds of…

  8. A Survey of Theatre in American Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillespie, Patti; And Others

    In a survey of the status of theatre in high schools throughout the United States, questionnaires were sent to a random sample of high schools stratified by state and by school size. Analysis of the responses obtained from 606 schools (20.2% return) indicated that most secondary-school drama programs operate on the cocurricular level and emphasize…

  9. Geotechnical Assessment of United States and Foreign Test Sites and Material Properties of Geologic Media

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-06-01

    kilometers. Hydraulic fracturing data in crystalline rock and indicates that the stress state-varies depending on the tectonic environment (Figure 17). The...S. CAROLINA 0 -A GRANITE. WISCONSIN SO 10 * GRANITE. CALIFORNIA 0 NTS TUFF. NEVADA A 10 t0 50 40 Figure 17. Hydraulic fracturing data in Crystalline

  10. Real Men Do Not Read Labels: The Effects of Masculinity and Involvement on College Students' Food Decisions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levi, Annette; Chan, Kenny K.; Pence, Dan

    2006-01-01

    Consumer literature shows that a decision's degree of personal importance and relevance--one's level of involvement in the decision--indicates which type of intervention strategy will be effective in influencing consumers' choices. The authors surveyed 358 college students at a state university in the western United States to test the…

  11. Multiple constraint analysis of regional land-surface carbon flux

    Treesearch

    D.P. Turner; M. Göckede; B.E. Law; W.D. Ritts; W.B. Cohen; Z. Yang; T. Hudiburg; R. Kennedy; M. Duane

    2011-01-01

    We applied and compared bottom-up (process model-based) and top-down (atmospheric inversion-based) scaling approaches to evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of net ecosystem production (NEP) over a 2.5 × 105 km2 area (the state of Oregon) in the western United States. Both approaches indicated a carbon sink over this...

  12. AQUATIC STREAM INDICATOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR ARIZONA, NEVADA, AND UTAH

    EPA Science Inventory

    Beginning in 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiated a 5-year study of streams and rivers in 12 western States (AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, and V;Y) as a component of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). The objective of EMA...

  13. Uterine fibroid treatment patterns in a population of insured women.

    PubMed

    Lee, David W; Gibson, Teresa B; Carls, Ginger S; Ozminkowski, Ronald J; Wang, Shaohung; Stewart, Elizabeth A

    2009-02-01

    To profile women treated for uterine leiomyomas who are covered by commercial insurance from large, self-insured employers in the United States. Retrospective, observational study. Inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drug experience of women with employer-sponsored insurance in the United States. Data were obtained from the MarketScan insurance databases for 1999 through 2004 and weighted to represent the population of women with employer-sponsored health insurance in the United States. None. The proportion of women with clinically significant leiomyomas was determined in each year, based on inpatient and outpatient medical claims with diagnostic codes indicating leiomyoma. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, prescription drug treatments, and surgical interventions were profiled in 2004. Approximately 1% of women had clinically significant leiomyomas. Comorbid genital or menstrual conditions were common and much more prevalent for women with leiomyomas. Of women with leiomyomas, 18.4% received no surgical or prescription drug treatment, whereas 16.8% received only surgical treatment, 22.4% received only prescription drug treatment, and 42.4% received both. Hysterectomy was the most common surgical treatment. Generalizing from this sample, we estimate that 443,445 women with employer-sponsored insurance in the United States had clinically significant leiomyomas in 2004.

  14. Honoring our donors: a survey of memorial ceremonies in United States anatomy programs.

    PubMed

    Jones, Trahern W; Lachman, Nirusha; Pawlina, Wojciech

    2014-01-01

    Many anatomy programs that incorporate dissection of donated human bodies hold memorial ceremonies of gratitude towards body donors. The content of these ceremonies may include learners' reflections on mortality, respect, altruism, and personal growth told through various humanities modalities. The task of planning is usually student- and faculty-led with participation from other health care students. Objective information on current memorial ceremonies for body donors in anatomy programs in the United States appears to be lacking. The number of programs in the United States that currently plan these memorial ceremonies and information on trends in programs undertaking such ceremonies remain unknown. Gross anatomy program directors throughout the United States were contacted and asked to respond to a voluntary questionnaire on memorial ceremonies held at their institution. The results (response rate 68.2%) indicated that a majority of human anatomy programs (95.5%) hold memorial ceremonies. These ceremonies are, for the most part, student-driven and nondenominational or secular in nature. Participants heavily rely upon speech, music, poetry, and written essays, with a small inclusion of other humanities modalities, such as dance or visual art, to explore a variety of themes during these ceremonies. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.

  15. Which Fecal Immunochemical Test Should I Choose?

    PubMed Central

    Daly, Jeanette M.; Xu, Yinghui; Levy, Barcey T.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To summarize the fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) available in the United States, the 2014 pathology proficiency testing (PT) program FIT results, and the literature related to the test characteristics of FITs available in the United States to detect advanced adenomatous polyps (AAP) and/or colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Detailed review of the Food and Drug Administration’s Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) database of fecal occult blood tests, the 2014 FIT PT program results, and the literature related to FIT accuracy. Results: A search of the CLIA database identified 65 FITs, with 26 FITs available for purchase in the United States. Thirteen of these FITs were evaluated on a regular basis by PT programs, with an overall sensitivity of 99.1% and specificity of 99.2% for samples spiked with hemoglobin. Automated FITs had better sensitivity and specificity than CLIA-waived FITs for detection of AAP and CRC in human studies using colonoscopy as the gold standard. Conclusion: Although many FITs are available in the United States, few have been tested in proficiency testing programs. Even fewer have data in humans on sensitivity and specificity for AAP or CRC. Our review indicates that automated FITs have the best test characteristics for AAP and CRC. PMID:28447866

  16. Waterpipe Smoking and Regulation in the United States: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

    PubMed

    Haddad, Linda; El-Shahawy, Omar; Ghadban, Roula; Barnett, Tracey E; Johnson, Emily

    2015-05-29

    Researchers in tobacco control are concerned about the increasing prevalence of waterpipe smoking in the United States, which may pose similar risks as cigarette smoking. This review explores the prevalence of waterpipe smoking in the United States as well as the shortcomings of current U.S. policy for waterpipe control and regulation. Researchers conducted a literature review for waterpipe articles dated between 2004 and 2015 using five online databases: MEDLINE, CINHAHL, ScienceDirect, PMC, and Cochrane Library. To date, few studies have explored the marketing and regulation of waterpipe smoking in the U.S., which has increased in the last ten years, especially among women, adolescents, and young adults. Data indicate that the majority of waterpipe smokers are unaware of the potential risks of use. In addition, current tobacco control policies do not address waterpipe smoking, enabling tobacco companies to readily market and sell waterpipe products to young adults, who are at risk for becoming lifelong smokers. Policy makers in the area of public health need to update existing tobacco regulations to include waterpipe smoking. Similarly, public health researchers should develop public health campaigns and interventions to address the increasing rates of waterpipe smoking in the United States.

  17. Work–Family Trajectories and the Higher Cardiovascular Risk of American Women Relative to Women in 13 European Countries

    PubMed Central

    van Hedel, Karen; Mejía-Guevara, Iván; Avendaño, Mauricio; Sabbath, Erika L.; Berkman, Lisa F.; Mackenbach, Johan P.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives. To investigate whether less-healthy work–family life histories contribute to the higher cardiovascular disease prevalence in older American compared with European women. Methods. We used sequence analysis to identify distinct work–family typologies for women born between 1935 and 1956 in the United States and 13 European countries. Data came from the US Health and Retirement Study (1992–2006) and the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (2004–2009). Results. Work–family typologies were similarly distributed in the United States and Europe. Being a lone working mother predicted a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and smoking among American women, and smoking for European women. Lone working motherhood was more common and had a marginally stronger association with stroke in the United States than in Europe. Simulations indicated that the higher stroke risk among American women would only be marginally reduced if American women had experienced the same work–family trajectories as European women. Conclusions. Combining work and lone motherhood was more common in the United States, but differences in work–family trajectories explained only a small fraction of the higher cardiovascular risk of American relative to European women. PMID:27310346

  18. Work-Family Trajectories and the Higher Cardiovascular Risk of American Women Relative to Women in 13 European Countries.

    PubMed

    van Hedel, Karen; Mejía-Guevara, Iván; Avendaño, Mauricio; Sabbath, Erika L; Berkman, Lisa F; Mackenbach, Johan P; van Lenthe, Frank J

    2016-08-01

    To investigate whether less-healthy work-family life histories contribute to the higher cardiovascular disease prevalence in older American compared with European women. We used sequence analysis to identify distinct work-family typologies for women born between 1935 and 1956 in the United States and 13 European countries. Data came from the US Health and Retirement Study (1992-2006) and the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (2004-2009). Work-family typologies were similarly distributed in the United States and Europe. Being a lone working mother predicted a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and smoking among American women, and smoking for European women. Lone working motherhood was more common and had a marginally stronger association with stroke in the United States than in Europe. Simulations indicated that the higher stroke risk among American women would only be marginally reduced if American women had experienced the same work-family trajectories as European women. Combining work and lone motherhood was more common in the United States, but differences in work-family trajectories explained only a small fraction of the higher cardiovascular risk of American relative to European women.

  19. 2015 TRI National Analysis: Toxics Release Inventory Releases at Various Summary Levels

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The TRI National Analysis is EPA's annual interpretation of TRI data at various summary levels. It highlights how toxic chemical wastes were managed, where toxic chemicals were released and how the 2015 TRI data compare to data from previous years. This dataset reports US state, county, large aquatic ecosystem, metro/micropolitan statistical area, and facility level statistics from 2015 TRI releases, including information on: number of 2015 TRI facilities in the geographic area and their releases (total, water, air, land); population information, including populations living within 1 mile of TRI facilities (total, minority, in poverty); and Risk Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) model related pounds, toxicity-weighted pounds, and RSEI score. The source of administrative boundary data is the 2013 cartographic boundary shapefiles. Location of facilities is provided by EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS). Large Aquatic Ecosystems boundaries were dissolved from the hydrologic unit boundaries and codes for the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was revised for inclusion in the National Atlas of the United States of America (November 2002), and updated to match the streams file created by the USGS National Mapping Division (NMD) for the National Atlas of the United States of America.

  20. Development of A Dust Climate Indicator for the US National Climate Assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tong, D.; Wang, J. X. L.; Gill, T. E.; Van Pelt, S.; Kim, D.

    2016-12-01

    Dust activity is a relatively simple but practical indicator to document the response of dryland ecosystems to climate change, making it an integral part of the National Climate Assessment (NCA). We present here a multi-agency collaboration that aims at developing a suite of dust climate indicators to document and monitor the long-term variability and trend of dust storm activity in the western United States. Recent dust observations have revealed rapid intensification of dust storm activity in the western United States. This trend is also closely correlated with a rapid increase in dust deposition in rainwater and "valley fever" hospitalization in southwestern states. It remains unclear, however, if such a trend, when enhanced by predicted warming and rainfall oscillation in the Southwest, will result in irreversible environmental development such as desertification or even another "Dust Bowl". Based on continuous ground aerosol monitoring, we have reconstructed a long-term dust storm climatology in the western United States. We report here direct evidence of rapid intensification of dust storm activity over US deserts in the past decades (1990 to 2013), in contrast to the decreasing trends in Asia and Africa. The US trend is spatially and temporally correlated with incidences of valley fever, an infectious disease caused by soil-dwelling fungus that has increased eight-fold in the past decade. We further investigate the linkage between dust variations and possible climate drivers and find that the regional dust trends are likely driven by large-scale variations of sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean, with the strongest correlation with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Future study will explore the link between the temporal and spatial trends of increase in dustiness and vegetation change in southwestern semi-arid and arid ecosystems.

  1. Preceding muscle activity influences motor unit discharge and rate of torque development during ballistic contractions in humans

    PubMed Central

    Van Cutsem, Michaël; Duchateau, Jacques

    2005-01-01

    To investigate the effect of initial conditions on the modulation of motor unit discharge during fast voluntary contractions, we compared ballistic isometric contractions of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles that were produced from either a resting state or superimposed on a sustained contraction. The torque of the dorsiflexors and the surface and intramuscular EMGs from the tibialis anterior were recorded. The results showed that the performance of a ballistic contraction from a sustained contraction (∼25% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)) had a negative effect on the maximal rate of torque development. Although the electromechanical delay was shortened, the EMG activity during the ballistic contraction was less synchronized. These observations were associated with a significant decline in the average discharge rate of single motor units (89.8 ± 3.8 versus 115 ± 5.8 Hz) and in the percentage of units (6.2 versus 15.5% of the whole sample) that exhibited double discharges at brief intervals (= 5 ms). High-threshold units that were not recruited during the sustained contraction displayed the same activation pattern, which indicates that the mechanisms responsible for the decline in discharge rate were not restricted to previously activated units, but appear to influence the entire motor unit pool. When a premotor silent period (SP) was observed at the transition from the sustained muscular activity to the ballistic contraction (19% of the trials), these adjustments in motor unit activity were not present, and the ballistic contractions were similar to those performed from a resting state. Together, these results indicate that initial conditions can influence the capacity for motor unit discharge rate and hence the performance of a fast voluntary contraction. PMID:15539402

  2. Characterizing the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the United States and China

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Ming-Bo; Ye, Li; Liang, Bing-Yu; Ning, Chuan-Yi; Roth, William W.; Jiang, Jun-Jun; Huang, Jie-Gang; Zhou, Bo; Zang, Ning; Powell, Michael D.; Liang, Hao; Bond, Vincent C.

    2015-01-01

    The HIV/AIDS data from the national surveillance systems of China and the United States from 1985 to 2014 were compared to characterize the HIV/AIDS epidemic in both countries. The current estimated national HIV prevalence rate in China and the United States are 0.0598% and 0.348%, respectively. In the United States, the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable (~50,000 each year) and has shown a downward trend in recent years. The Chinese national HIV prevalence is still low, and new HIV infections have been contained at a low level (50,000–100,000 each year). However, the epidemic has showed an increasing trend since 2012. By risk group, in both countries, men who have sex with men (MSM), heterosexual sex, and injection drug use (IDU) are the most common modes of transmission of new HIV infections. However, in the United States, MSM is the dominant transmission route, accounting for >60% of new infections; whereas in China, heterosexual sex has now become the dominant route, also accounting for >60% of new infections. A rapid increase in the proportion of HIV cases that were attributed to MSM and an obvious decrease in the proportion of HIV cases attributed to IDU in China in recent years imply that the China’s epidemic is still evolving, to some extent, copying what was experienced in the United States. By age group, the proportions of HIV cases that were attributed to the age group 25–59 were comparable between the two countries. However, the United States had a higher proportion of cases that were attributed to age groups 15–19 and 20–24 than China, indicating that youth account for more infections in the United States. One other fact worth noting: in China there is a significant increase in the number of HIV new infections in individuals over 50 years of age, which results in much higher proportion of cases that were attributed to age groups 60–64 and over 65 in China than those in the United States. By race/ethnicity, in the United States, Blacks/African Americans continue to experience the most severe HIV burden, followed by Hispanics/Latinos. In China, no official data on race/ethnicity disparities are currently available. Thus, region, risk group, age are important factors in the HIV epidemics in both countries. PMID:26703667

  3. Spring onset variations and trends in the continental United States: past and regional assessment using temperature-based indices

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schwartz, Mark D.; Ault, Toby R.; Betancourt, Julio L.

    2012-01-01

    Phenological data are simple yet sensitive indicators of climate change impacts on ecosystems, but observations have not been made routinely or extensively enough to evaluate spatial and temporal patterns across most continents, including North America. As an alternative, many studies use weather-based algorithms to simulate specific phenological responses. Spring Indices (SI) are a set of complex phenological models that have been successfully applied to evaluate variations and trends in the onset of spring across the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate regions. To date, SI models have been limited by only producing output in locations where both the plants’ chilling and warmth requirements are met. Here, we develop an extended form of the SI (abbreviated SI-x) that expands their application into the subtropics by ignoring chilling requirements while still retaining the utility and accuracy of the original SI (now abbreviated SI-o). The validity of the new indices is tested, and regional SI anomalies are explored across the data-rich continental United States. SI-x variations from 1900 to 2010 show an abrupt and sustained delay in spring onset of about 4–8 d (around 1958) in parts of the Southeast and southern Great Plains, and a comparable advance of 4–8 d (around 1984) in parts of the northern Great Plains and the West. Atmospheric circulation anomalies, linked to large-scale modes of variability, exert modest but significant roles in the timing of spring onset across the United States on interannual and longer timescales. The SI-x are promising metrics for tracking spring onset variations and trends in mid-latitudes, relating them to relevant ecological, hydrological, and socioeconomic phenomena, and exploring connections between atmospheric drivers and seasonal timing.

  4. Do Girls and Boys Perceive Themselves as Equally Engaged in School? The Results of an International Study from 12 Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Shui-fong; Jimerson, Shane; Kikas, Eve; Cefai, Carmel; Veiga, Feliciano H.; Nelson, Brett; Hatzichristou, Chryse; Polychroni, Fotini; Basnett, Julie; Duck, Robert; Farrell, Peter; Liu, Yi; Negovan, Valeria; Shin, Hyeonsook; Stanculescu, Elena; Wong, Bernard P. H.; Yang, Hongfei; Zollneritsch, Josef

    2012-01-01

    This study examined gender differences in student engagement and academic performance in school. Participants included 3420 students (7th, 8th, and 9th graders) from Austria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The results indicated that, compared to boys, girls…

  5. Children, Youth and Developmental Science in the 2015-2030 Global Sustainable Development Goals. Social Policy Report. Volume 30, Number 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raikes, Abbie; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Britto, Pia Rebello; Iruka, Iheoma

    2017-01-01

    In September 2016, the member states of the United Nations completed the process of adopting and defining indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; United Nations, 2015). Developed through a three-year, worldwide participatory process, these 17 goals and 169 targets represent a global consensus on the part of U.N. member nations…

  6. Air quality and human health impacts of grasslands and shrublands in the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gopalakrishnan, Varsha; Hirabayashi, Satoshi; Ziv, Guy; Bakshi, Bhavik R.

    2018-06-01

    Vegetation including canopy, grasslands, and shrublands can directly sequester pollutants onto the plant surface, resulting in an improvement in air quality. Until now, several studies have estimated the pollution removal capacity of canopy cover at the level of a county, but no such work exists for grasslands and shrublands. This work quantifies the air pollution removal capacity of grasslands and shrublands at the county-level in the United States and estimates the human health benefits associated with pollution removal using the i-Tree Eco model. Sequestration of pollutants is estimated based on the Leaf Area Index (LAI) obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived dataset estimates of LAI and the percentage land cover obtained from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) for the year 2010. Calculation of pollution removal capacity using local environmental data indicates that grasslands and shrublands remove a total of 6.42 million tonnes of air pollutants in the United States and the associated monetary benefits total 268 million. Human health impacts and associated monetary value due to pollution removal was observed to be significantly high in urban areas indicating that grasslands and shrublands are equally critical as canopy in improving air quality and human health in urban regions.

  7. Genotype by environment interaction for stayability of Red Angus in the United States.

    PubMed

    Fennewald, Dennis J; Weaber, Robert L; Lamberson, William R

    2018-03-06

    Bulls are used across a wide variety of environments through the use of artificial insemination. However, not all bulls rank the same for genetic merit in all environments. Sire selection could be more accurate via improved methods of characterization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of genotype by environment (GxE) interaction for stayability in Red Angus in the United States. Environments were defined as nine regions within the continental United States with similar temperature-humidity indices. Stayability was defined as having a calf at age 4 given that the cow had a calf at age 2. A probit sire model was used to determine the heritability on the underlying scale. The percentage of females that calved at age 2 that also calved at age 4 ranged from 32.9 to 58.5% across regions and was 55.0% for the national data set. The heritability of stayability ranged from 0.10 to 0.57 across regions and was 0.12 for the national data set. Genetic correlations were estimated for stayability between all pairs of regions. An estimate of less than 0.80 indicates GxE at a level for concern. Genetic correlations between regions ranged from 0.32 to 0.87 and were <0.80 for 29 of 36 region pairs.

  8. Firm size distribution and mobility of the top 500 firms in China, the United States and the world

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Jinzhong; Xu, Qi; Chen, Qinghua; Wang, Yougui

    2013-07-01

    This paper considers the macroscopic and microscopic statistical features of the top 500 firms in China, the United States and the world, denoted as China 500 (CH500), Fortune 500 (US500) and Fortune Global 500 (FG500). From a macroscopic perspective, the firm size distribution of each category, when measured by revenue, is steadily distributed over the observed period, even during periods of financial crises. As is evidenced by the Gini coefficient, divergences between firm scales are most significant for the CH500. From a microscopic perspective, the underlying micro-dynamics are volatile and often turbulent due to the exit and entry of firms as well as shifts in their revenues and ranks. Such fluctuations, or mobility, are visualized in rank/revenue/share clocks. We also propose a revenue/rank/share mobility index that is a quantitative measurement of mobility. Among these, we find that the share mobility acts as an effective indicator of economic status; where there is a share mobility spike, there is an ailing economy. The share mobility indexes indicate that the 2008 Financial Crisis had little impact on the Chinese economy, while it triggered violent changes in the top 500 firms in the United States and the world.

  9. Alcohol Use among Recent Latino Immigrants Before and After Immigration to the United States

    PubMed Central

    De La Rosa, Mario; Dillon, Frank R.; Sastre, Francisco; Babino, Rosa

    2013-01-01

    Background US-born Latinos have higher rates of alcohol use than Latinos who have immigrated to the United States. However, little is known about the pre-immigration drinking patterns of Latino immigrants or about the changes in their drinking behaviors in the 2 years post-immigration. Objectives This article reports findings of a longitudinal study that compared rates of regular, binge, and heavy drinking among a cohort of recent Latino immigrants, ages 18–34, prior to immigration to the United States and in the 2 years post-immigration. Methods Baseline data were collected on the drinking patterns of 405 Latino immigrants living in the United States for 12 months or less. A follow-up assessment occurred during their second year in the United States. Results Findings indicate that number of days of drinking declined significantly post-immigration. Binge alcohol use (five or more drinks on the same occasion during the past 90 days) significantly declined during the post-immigration period. Heavy alcohol use (five or more drinks on the same occasion on five or more days during the past 90 days) also significantly decreased. Conclusions Results suggest a need for continued exploration of pre-immigration drinking patterns and research to uncover underlying factors associated with declines in rates of problematic alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants. Scientific Significance The results of this study can aid in furthering our understanding of the alcohol use of Latino immigrants ages 18–34 prior to and post immigration to the United States to guide future research and the development of culturally tailored clinical interventions. (Am J Addict 2013;22:162–168) PMID:23414503

  10. Optimal tracking and testing of U.S. and Canadian herds for BSE: a value-of-information (VOI) approach.

    PubMed

    Cox, Louis Anthony; Popken, Douglas A; VanSickle, John J; Sahu, Ranajit

    2005-08-01

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tests a subset of cattle slaughtered in the United States for bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE). Knowing the origin of cattle (U.S. vs. Canadian) at testing could enable new testing or surveillance policies based on the origin of cattle testing positive. For example, if a Canadian cow tests positive for BSE, while no U.S. origin cattle do, the United States could subject Canadian cattle to more stringent testing. This article illustrates the application of a value-of-information (VOI) framework to quantify and compare potential economic costs to the United States of implementing tracking cattle origins to the costs of not doing so. The potential economic value of information from a tracking program is estimated to exceed its costs by more than five-fold if such information can reduce future losses in export and domestic markets and reduce future testing costs required to reassure or win back customers. Sensitivity analyses indicate that this conclusion is somewhat robust to many technical, scientific, and market uncertainties, including the current prevalence of BSE in the United States and/or Canada and the likely reactions of consumers to possible future discoveries of BSE in the United States and/or Canada. Indeed, the potential value of tracking information is great enough to justify locating and tracking Canadian cattle already in the United States when this can be done for a reasonable cost. If aggressive tracking and testing can win back lost exports, then the VOI of a tracking program may increase to over half a billion dollars per year.

  11. Social Security and Social Welfare Indicators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merriam, Ida C.

    1978-01-01

    Examines the resources devoted by the United States to public social welfare programs. Compares these expenditures with those by other industrial nations and notes possible future trends. For journal availability, see SO 506 144. (Author/DB)

  12. Climate Change Indicators: Health and Society

    MedlinePlus

    ... of the ways that climate change is affecting human health and society, including changes in Lyme disease, West ... season across the United States. Because impacts on human health are complex, often indirect, and dependent on multiple ...

  13. Financial Indicators in Strategic Decision Making: Recommended Practices for Financial Officers at Small Private Colleges and Universities in the Midwestern United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reissenweber, Beth

    2012-01-01

    This study explored whether financial leaders and institutional governing boards use financial indicators as a tool to inform decision making, solely as a compliance measurement tool, or not at all. The purpose of this qualitative study was two-fold to: (a) identify the use of financial indicators in strategic decision making, and (b) investigate…

  14. ASCCP Colposcopy Standards: Colposcopy Quality Improvement Recommendations for the United States.

    PubMed

    Mayeaux, Edward J; Novetsky, Akiva P; Chelmow, David; Garcia, Francisco; Choma, Kim; Liu, Angela H; Papasozomenos, Theognosia; Einstein, Mark H; Massad, L Stewart; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Waxman, Alan G; Conageski, Christine; Khan, Michelle J; Huh, Warner K

    2017-10-01

    The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) Colposcopy Standards recommendations address the role of and approach to colposcopy and biopsy for cervical cancer prevention in the United States. The recommendations were developed by an expert working group appointed by ASCCP's Board of Directors. The ASCCP Quality Improvement Working Group developed evidence-based guidelines to promote best practices and reduce errors in colposcopy and recommended indicators to measure colposcopy quality. The working group performed a systematic review of existing major society and national guidelines and quality indicators. An initial list of potential quality indicators was developed and refined through successive iterative discussions, and draft quality indicators were proposed. The draft recommendations were then reviewed and commented on by the entire Colposcopy Standards Committee, posted online for public comment, and presented at the International Federation for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy 2017 World Congress for further comment. All comments were considered, additional adjustments made, and the final recommendations approved by the entire Task Force. Eleven quality indicators were selected spanning documentation, biopsy protocols, and time intervals between index screening tests and completion of diagnostic evaluation. The proposed quality indicators are intended to serve as a starting point for quality improvement in colposcopy at a time when colposcopy volume is decreasing and individual procedures are becoming technically more difficult to perform.

  15. Relationship between Engagement Indicators and the Persistence of First Time, Full-Time Post-Secondary Hispanic Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luciano-Wong, Shaila

    2016-01-01

    Hispanic students have long been an underrepresented group in post-secondary institutions. With the current and upcoming demographic changes in the United States, more Hispanic students are likely to enroll in college. Understanding if a relationship exists between engagement indicators and students' decision to persist or withdraw from college…

  16. Cosmetology. FasTrak Specialization Integrated Technical and Academic Competency (ITAC). 2002 Revision.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

    This publication provides the competencies and key indicators for a cosmetology program that prepares students to become licensed in the State of Ohio to work in the area of hair, skin, and/or nail care. Competencies and the related key indicators are presented for these 14 units: orientation to the cosmetology profession; dispensary operations…

  17. 33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section... UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate...

  18. Pathogens and Indicators in United States Class B Biosolids: National and Historic Distributions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This paper reports on the first major study of the incidence of indicator organisms and pathogens found within Class B biosolids across the U.S. since the promulgation of the EPA Part 503 Rule in 1993. National distributions collected between 2005 and 2008, show that the incidence of bacterial and v...

  19. Potential climate change impacts on four biophysical indicators of cattle production from western US rangelands

    Treesearch

    Matthew Clark Reeves; Karen E. Bagne; John Tanaka

    2017-01-01

    We examined multiple environmental factors related to climate change that affect cattle production on rangelands to identify sources of vulnerability among seven regions of the western United States. Climate change effects were projected to 2100 using published spatially explicit model output for four indicators of vulnerability: forage quantity, vegetation type...

  20. America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Each year since 1997, the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has published a report on the well-being of children and families. The Forum's signature report, "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being," provides annual updates on the well-being of children and families in the United States across…

  1. 33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section... UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate...

  2. 33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section... UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate...

  3. Early Literacy Individual Growth and Development Indicators (EL-IGDIs): Growth Trajectories Using a Large, Internet-Based Sample

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roseth, Cary J.; Missall, Kristen N.; McConnell, Scott R.

    2012-01-01

    Early literacy individual growth and development indicators (EL-IGDIs) assess preschoolers' expressive vocabulary development and phonological awareness. This study investigated longitudinal change in EL-IGDIs using a large (N=7355), internet-based sample of 36- to 60-month-old United States preschoolers without identified risks for later…

  4. Key Science and Engineering Indicators: 2010 Digest. NSB 10-02

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roesel, Cheryl, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    The National Science Board (Board) is required under the National Science Foundation (NSF) Act, 42 U.S.C. (United States Code) Section 1863 (j) (1) to prepare and transmit the biennial "Science and Engineering Indicators" ("SEI") report to the President and to the Congress by January 15 of every even-numbered year. The report…

  5. MS-BWME: A Wireless Real-Time Monitoring System for Brine Well Mining Equipment

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Xinqing; Zhu, Tianyu; Qi, Lin; Moga, Liliana Mihaela; Zhang, Xiaoshuan

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes a wireless real-time monitoring system (MS-BWME) to monitor the running state of pumps equipment in brine well mining and prevent potential failures that may produce unexpected interruptions with severe consequences. MS-BWME consists of two units: the ZigBee Wireless Sensors Network (WSN) unit and the real-time remote monitoring unit. MS-BWME was implemented and tested in sampled brine wells mining in Qinghai Province and four kinds of indicators were selected to evaluate the performance of the MS-BWME, i.e., sensor calibration, the system's real-time data reception, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and sensor node lifetime. The results show that MS-BWME can accurately judge the running state of the pump equipment by acquiring and transmitting the real-time voltage and electric current data of the equipment from the spot and provide real-time decision support aid to help workers overhaul the equipment in a timely manner and resolve failures that might produce unexpected production down-time. The MS-BWME can also be extended to a wide range of equipment monitoring applications. PMID:25340455

  6. NASA Nice Climate Change Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frink, K.; Crocker, S.; Jones, W., III; Marshall, S. S.; Anuradha, D.; Stewart-Gurley, K.; Howard, E. M.; Hill, E.; Merriweather, E.

    2013-12-01

    Authors: 1 Kaiem Frink, 4 Sherry Crocker, 5 Willie Jones, III, 7 Sophia S.L. Marshall, 6 Anuadha Dujari 3 Ervin Howard 1 Kalota Stewart-Gurley 8 Edwinta Merriweathe Affiliation: 1. Mathematics & Computer Science, Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA, United States. 2. Mathematics & Computer Science, Elizabeth City State Univ, Elizabeth City, NC, United States. 3. Education, Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC, United States. 4. College of Education, Fort Valley State University , Fort Valley, GA, United States. 5. Education, Tougaloo College, Jackson, MS, United States. 6. Mathematics, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States. 7. Education, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS, United States. 8. Education, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Huntsville, AL, United States. ABSTRACT: In this research initiative, the 2013-2014 NASA NICE workshop participants will present best educational practices for incorporating climate change pedagogy. The presentation will identify strategies to enhance instruction of pre-service teachers to aligned with K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) standards. The presentation of best practices should serve as a direct indicator to address pedagogical needs to include climate education within a K-12 curriculum Some of the strategies will include inquiry, direct instructions, and cooperative learning . At this particular workshop, we have learned about global climate change in regards to how this is going to impact our life. Participants have been charged to increase the scientific understanding of pre-service teachers education programs nationally to incorporate climate education lessons. These recommended practices will provide feasible instructional strategies that can be easily implemented and used to clarify possible misconceptions and ambiguities in scientific knowledge. Additionally, the presentation will promote an awareness to the many facets in which climate change education can be beneficial to future learners and general public. The main scope is to increase the amount of STEM knowledge throughout the nations scientific literacy as we are using the platform of climate change. Federal entities which may include but not limited to National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security and Management will serve as resources partners for this common goal of having a more knowledgeable technological savvy and scientific literate society. The presentation will show that incorporating these best practices into elementary and early childhood education undergraduate programs will assist with increasing a enhance scientific literate society. As a measurable outcome have a positive impact on instructional effectiveness of future teachers. Their successfully preparing students in meeting the standards of the Common Core Initiative will attempt to measure across the curriculum uniformly.

  7. Stemless shoulder arthroplasty: current status.

    PubMed

    Churchill, R Sean

    2014-09-01

    Since the original Neer humeral replacement in the 1950s, the standard primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty design has slowly evolved. Most recently, the humeral stem has become progressively shorter to help combat stem-related complications. Currently, there are several companies who have developed and marketed a stemless humeral arthroplasty component. Manufacturers' data for 5 stemless shoulder arthroplasty components currently on the market were analyzed and reviewed. A literature review of short-term results for stemless shoulder arthroplasty was completed. Of the stemless shoulder arthroplasty systems available on the market, 3 are currently undergoing clinical trials in the United States. The Tornier Simpliciti (Tornier, Edina, MN, USA) clinical trial began in 2011. The study with 2-year minimum follow-up results is scheduled for completion in November 2014. The Arthrex Eclipse (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA) clinical trial was started in January 2013. The tentative study completion date is 2017. The Biomet Nano (Biomet, Warsaw, IN, USA) clinical trial began in October 2013 and also has a tentative completion date of 2017. No other clinical trial is currently under way in the United States. Early results for stemless shoulder arthroplasty indicate clinical results similar to standard stemmed shoulder arthroplasty. Radiographic analysis indicates implant stability without migration or subsidence at 2- to 3-year minimum follow-up.. Several stemless shoulder arthroplasty implants are available outside the United States. Early clinical and radiographic results are promising, but well-designed clinical studies and midterm results are lacking. Three clinical trials are currently under way in the United States with initial availability for use anticipated in 2015. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Classification of Meteorological Influences Surrounding Extreme Precipitation Events in the United States using the MERRA-2 Reanalysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Collow, Allie Marquardt; Bosilovich, Mike; Ullrich, Paul; Hoeck, Ian

    2017-01-01

    Extreme precipitation events can have a large impact on society through flooding that can result in property destruction, crop losses, economic losses, the spread of water-borne diseases, and fatalities. Observations indicate there has been a statistically significant increase in extreme precipitation events over the past 15 years in the Northeastern United States and other localized regions of the country have become crippled with record flooding events, for example, the flooding that occurred in the Southeast United States associated with Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Extreme precipitation events in the United States can be caused by various meteorological influences such as extratropical cyclones, tropical cyclones, mesoscale convective complexes, general air mass thunderstorms, upslope flow, fronts, and the North American Monsoon. Reanalyses, such as the Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2), have become a pivotal tool to study the meteorology surrounding extreme precipitation events. Using days classified as an extreme precipitation events based on a combination of observational gauge and radar data, two techniques for the classification of these events are used to gather additional information that can be used to determine how events have changed over time using atmospheric data from MERRA-2. The first is self organizing maps, which is an artificial neural network that uses unsupervised learning to cluster like patterns and the second is an automated detection technique that searches for characteristics in the atmosphere that define a meteorological phenomena. For example, the automated detection for tropical cycles searches for a defined area of suppressed sea level pressure, alongside thickness anomalies aloft, indicating the presence of a warm core. These techniques are employed for extreme precipitation events in preselected regions that were chosen based an analysis of the climatology of precipitation.

  9. Food Crops Response to Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Butler, E.; Huybers, P.

    2009-12-01

    Projections of future climate show a warming world and heterogeneous changes in precipitation. Generally, warming temperatures indicate a decrease in crop yields where they are currently grown. However, warmer climate will also open up new areas at high latitudes for crop production. Thus, there is a question whether the warmer climate with decreased yields but potentially increased growing area will produce a net increase or decrease of overall food crop production. We explore this question through a multiple linear regression model linking temperature and precipitation to crop yield. Prior studies have emphasised temporal regression which indicate uniformly decreased yields, but neglect the potentially increased area opened up for crop production. This study provides a compliment to the prior work by exploring this spatial variation. We explore this subject with a multiple linear regression model from temperature, precipitation and crop yield data over the United States. The United States was chosen as the training region for the model because there are good crop data available over the same time frame as climate data and presumably the yield from crops in the United States is optimized with respect to potential yield. We study corn, soybeans, sorghum, hard red winter wheat and soft red winter wheat using monthly averages of temperature and precipitation from NCEP reanalysis and yearly yield data from the National Agriculture Statistics Service for 1948-2008. The use of monthly averaged temperature and precipitation, which neglect extreme events that can have a significant impact on crops limits this study as does the exclusive use of United States agricultural data. The GFDL 2.1 model under a 720ppm CO2 scenario provides temperature and precipitation fields for 2040-2100 which are used to explore how the spatial regions available for crop production will change under these new conditions.

  10. Firearm-associated Fractures in Children and Adolescents: Trends in the United States 2003-2012.

    PubMed

    Blumberg, Todd J; DeFrancesco, Christopher J; Miller, Daniel J; Pandya, Nirav K; Flynn, John M; Baldwin, Keith D

    2018-05-02

    Firearm-associated injuries are the second leading cause of death in children in the United States. Fractures are common comorbid injuries in young patients with firearm-associated injuries. The purpose of this study was to define the burden of firearm-associated fractures (FAFs) in children and adolescents in the United States. We analyzed the 2003-2012 Kids' Inpatient Database. Patients were grouped into 4 age groups: 0 to 4, 5 to 9, 10 to 14, and 15 to 20 years old. Sample observations with both an external cause of injury code indicating gunshot injury and a diagnosis code indicating orthopaedic fracture (extremity, pelvis, or spine) were identified as cases of FAF. Sex, age, race, cause of injury, and fracture-related operating room procedures were catalogued. Population-level incidence was calculated for each year studied. From 2003 to 2012, the incidence of FAF in patients 20 years and below of age increased from 73 to 96 cases per 100,000 admissions (P=0.009). The 0 to 4 age group saw the largest increase in injury frequency (141%, P=0.08). There was a 4-fold increase in the rate of unintentional injury in this subgroup. The most common age group affected by FAFs was 15 to 20 year olds. Minorities and male individuals were disproportionately affected. Assault and unintentional causes were the most common reasons for injury. The frequency of FAF in patients 20 years and below of age increased over the study period, with almost 1 case per 1000 admissions in 2012. The finding that certain subpopulations are disproportionately affected reflects the complex sociologic factors influencing gun violence in the United States. Level III-retrospective cohort study.

  11. A two millennium-long hot drought in the southwestern United States driven by Arctic sea-ice retreat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lachniet, M. S.; Asmerom, Y.; Polyak, V. J.; Denniston, R. F.

    2017-12-01

    The Great Basin and lower Colorado River Basin are susceptible to sustained droughts that impact water resources and economic activity for millions of residents of the southwestern United States. The causes of past droughts in the basin remain debated. Herein, we document a strong Arctic to mid-latitude teleconnection during the Holocene that resulted in an extreme `hot drought' persisting for more than two millennia in the southwestern United States, based on a continuous growth rate and new high-resolution carbon and oxygen isotopic time series from a precisely-dated stalagmite from Leviathan Cave, Nevada. Between 9850-7670 yr B2k, highest Holocene oxygen isotope values indicate warm temperatures and moisture-sensitive proxies of high carbon isotope values and low stalagmite growth rate and minimal soil productivity and aquifer recharge. We refer to this period as the Altithermal Hot Drought. A second interval (6770 to 5310 yr B2k) indicates a warm drought. The two Altithermal droughts exceed in severity and duration any droughts observed in the modern and tree-ring records. Further, we show that Altithermal hot droughts were widespread in the southwestern United States, at a time when human populations in the Great Basin were low. The droughts show strong similarities to proxies for Arctic paleoclimate and we suggest that insolation-driven changes in sea ice and snow cover extent in the high latitudes drove atmospheric circulation anomalies in the Great Basin. Because rising greenhouse gas concentrations are projected to increase global and Arctic temperatures with a possible loss of summer sea by the end of the 21st century, our record suggests that a return to prolonged hotter and drier conditions in the southern Great Basin and lower Colorado River Basin is possible within coming centuries.

  12. Recent changes in ecologically-relevant streamflows in North America

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ficklin, D. L.; Abatzoglou, J. T.; Knouft, J.; Robeson, S. M.

    2017-12-01

    The streamflow regime is a primary regulator of the composition and functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Growth, behavior, and/or reproduction of most freshwater organisms are influenced in some way by the amount of water, including high and low flows, and seasonal fluctuations in water availability in a particular habitat. This work examines trends in ecologically-relevant measures of streamflows from 1980-2015 for over 3,000 streamflow gauges located throughout Canada and United States. Specifically, we examine trends in water year mean flow and variability, as well as trends in high (95th and 99th percentile), low (1st and 5th percentile), and 7- and 3-day maximum and minimum streamflows. The results indicate a clear regional delineation of significant increases of ecologically-relevant streamflows in the northern Central Plains/south-central Canada, upper Midwest (except Michigan and Wisconsin) and northeastern United States/southeastern Canada, while significant decreases are found throughout the southeastern and southwestern United States. The regional agreement between streamflow trends in regulated and unregulated watersheds indicate a widespread climatic influence that is not masked by human alteration of streamflows. We explore the degree to which climate factors explain both interannual variability and observed trends in streamflow to better elucidate the role of top-down climate drivers versus bottom-up land surface drivers on recent trends in ecologically-relevant streamflow. We also explore how these changes in streamflow are affecting water quality such as water temperature and sediment concentration. This type of analysis will aid in highlighting streamflow regions in the United States that are currently sensitive to changes in climate, but may also aid in understanding which regions may be sensitive to future climatic changes.

  13. Atmospherically transported elements and deposition in the Southeastern United States: Local or transoceanic?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Holmes, C.W.; Miller, R.

    2004-01-01

    Saharan dust is persistently transported and deposited in ecosystems of the western Atlantic Ocean. This dust is an aggregate of clay and quartz particles cemented with Fe oxides. Samples collected and analyzed from Mali (central Africa), the Azores, the Caribbean and the Eastern United States document the levels of minor and trace metals in the dust. Metal loadings, particularly the toxic elements - Hg and As, are significantly higher than average crustal rocks. Over the past decade, the focus has been to understand the cycling of Hg in south Florida, but As has received very little attention. Arsenic in the sediment deposited in the past decade in south Florida averages 14 mg/kg and appears to be correlated with Al, a proxy for dust. The largest available aerosol data set containing As is the IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) data set. The average concentrations in aerosols collected during this program range from 17 mg/kg in the Virgin Islands to 79 mg/kg at Chassahowitzka, Florida. At Chassahowitzka, most of the As appears to be associated with organic C. If it is assumed that the concentrations in Mali dust and in the aerosols in the Virgin Islands are indicative of soil dust, then the higher values at Chassahowitzka may be derived from local or regional sources. A simple calculation indicates that African dust supplies about 25% of the As deposited from aerosols in the southeastern United States. Comparison of the average yearly As concentrations measured in the Virgin Islands and Everglades shows a negative relationship with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). This relationship demonstrates the influence of climate on the transport and deposition of aerosols to the southeastern United States.

  14. When landscaping goes bad: The incipient invasion of Mahonia bealei in the southeastern United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Allen, Craig R.; Garmestani, A.S.; LaBram, J.A.; Peck, A.E.; Prevost, L.B.

    2006-01-01

    Woodlots are forest islands embedded within an urban matrix, and often represent the only natural areas remaining in suburban areas. Woodlots represent critical conservation areas for native plants, and are important habitat for wildlife in urban areas. Invasion by non-indigenous (NIS) plants can alter ecological structure and function, and may be especially severe in remnant forests where NIS propagule pressure is high. Woody shrubs in the Family Berberidaceae have been well documented as invaders of the forest-urban matrix in North America. Mahonia bealei (Berberidaceae) is a clonal shrub native to China, and is a popular ornamental in the Southeastern United States. Mahoni bealei is listed as "present" on some local and state floras, but almost nothing is known regarding its invasion potential in the United States. We sampled 15 woodlots in Clemson, South Carolina, to assess the invasion of M. bealei and other woody non-indigenous species (NIS). M. bealei invaded 87% of the woodlots surveyed and species richness of NIS on these woodlots varied from 5 to 14. Stepwise-multiple regression indicated that less canopy cover and older M. bealei predicted greater abundance of M. bealei , and that not all subdivisions were equally invaded (P < 0.0001; r 2 = 0.88). The impact of M. bealei on native flora and fauna may be considerable, and it is likely to continue to spread in the Southeastern United States. M. bealei should be recognized as an aggressive invader in the Southeastern United States, with the potential for negative impacts on native flora and fauna. ?? Springer 2006.

  15. Impact of interactive online units on learning science among students with learning disabilities and English learners

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Gallard M., Alejandro J.; Strycker, Lisa A.; Walden, Emily D.

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to document the design, classroom implementation, and effectiveness of interactive online units to enhance science learning over 3 years among students with learning disabilities, English learners, and general education students. Results of a randomised controlled trial with 2,303 middle school students and 71 teachers across 13 schools in two states indicated that online units effectively deepened science knowledge across all three student groups. Comparing all treatment and control students on pretest-to-posttest improvement on standards-based content-specific assessments, there were statistically significant mean differences (17% improvement treatment vs. 6% control; p < .001); no significant interactions were found between treatment condition and learning disability or English learner status, indicating that these two groups performed similarly to their peers; students with learning disabilities had significantly lower assessment scores overall. Teachers and students were moderately satisfied with the units.

  16. SEWER PIPELINE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Wastewater collection systems are an extensive part of the nation's infrastructure. In the United States, approximately 150 million people are served by about 19,000 municipal wastewater collection systems representing about 500,000 miles of sewer pipe (not including privately o...

  17. 49 CFR 178.703 - Marking of IBCs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may be applied instead of the symbol. (ii) The.... The letters ‘USA’ indicate that the IBC is manufactured and marked in the United States in compliance...

  18. 49 CFR 178.703 - Marking of IBCs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may be applied instead of the symbol. (ii) The.... The letters ‘USA’ indicate that the IBC is manufactured and marked in the United States in compliance...

  19. 49 CFR 178.910 - Marking of Large Packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...). For metal Large Packagings on which the marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may.... The letters “USA” indicate that the Large Packaging is manufactured and marked in the United States in...

  20. 49 CFR 178.910 - Marking of Large Packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... metal Large Packagings on which the marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may be.... The letters “USA” indicate that the Large Packaging is manufactured and marked in the United States in...

  1. 49 CFR 178.703 - Marking of IBCs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may be applied instead of the symbol. (ii) The.... The letters ‘USA’ indicate that the IBC is manufactured and marked in the United States in compliance...

  2. 49 CFR 178.910 - Marking of Large Packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... metal Large Packagings on which the marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may be.... The letters “USA” indicate that the Large Packaging is manufactured and marked in the United States in...

  3. 49 CFR 178.703 - Marking of IBCs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... marking is stamped or embossed, the capital letters “UN” may be applied instead of the symbol. (ii) The.... The letters ‘USA’ indicate that the IBC is manufactured and marked in the United States in compliance...

  4. ASSESSMENT FOR FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS - AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This assessment was undertaken to determine whether agricultural burning constitutes an environmental problem in the United States. Preliminary indications are that agricultural burning is not likely to become a national problem. The report summarizes available information on loc...

  5. Tests on ticks from wild birds collected in the eastern United States for rickettsiae and viruses

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clifford, C.M.; Sonenshine, D.E.; Atwood, E.L.; Robbins, C.S.; Hughes, L.E.

    1969-01-01

    Results of tests for rickettsiae and viruses on 4,266 ticks taken from more than 10,000 birds, comprising 150 species, in the eastern United States indicated the presence of two agents: Rickettsia rickettsii and an agent of the typhus group. Infection with R. rickettsii was indicated in 24 pools of Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, five pools of Ixodes dentatus, one pool of Ixodes brunneus, and two pools that contained both I. dentatus and H. leporispalustris. The pools positive for R. rickettsii were from a variety of locations in the eastern U. S. The typhus-group agent was demonstrated only once, in a single pool of H. leporispalustris taken at Kent Point, Maryland. A strain of R. rickettsii was isolated from a pool of 21 larval H. leporispalustris collected at Ocean City, Maryland. This agent possessed several characteristics of other strains of low virulence isolated previously in this region by various authors.

  6. Occurrence of MTBE and other gasoline oxygenates in CWS source waters

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Carter, Janet M.; Grady, Stephen J.; Delzer, Gregory C.; Koch, Bart; Zogorski, John S.

    2006-01-01

    Results from two national surveys indicate that the gasoline oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is one of the most frequently detected volatile organic compounds in source waters used by community water systems in the United States. Three other ether oxygenates were detected infrequently but almost always co-occurred with MTBE. A random sampling of source waters across the United States found MTBE in almost 9% of samples. In geographic areas with high MTBE use, the compound was detected in 23% of source water samples. Although MTBE concentrations were low (<1 µg/L) in most samples, some concentrations equaled or exceeded the drinking water advisory of 20 µg/L set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The frequent detection of even low concentrations of MTBE demonstrates the vulnerability of US source waters to anthropogenic compounds, indicating a need to include MTBE in monitoring programs to track the trend of contamination.

  7. Mathematics beliefs and achievement of a national sample of Native American students: results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 United States assessment.

    PubMed

    House, J Daniel

    2009-04-01

    Recent mathematics assessment findings indicate that Native American students tend to score below students of the ethnic majority. Findings suggest that students' beliefs about mathematics are significantly related to achievement outcomes. This study examined relations between self-beliefs and mathematics achievement for a national sample of 130 Grade 8 Native American students from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 United States sample of (M age = 14.2 yr., SD = 0.5). Multiple regression indicated several significant relations of mathematics beliefs with achievement and accounted for 26.7% of the variance in test scores. Students who earned high test scores tended to hold more positive beliefs about their ability to learn mathematics quickly, while students who earned low scores expressed negative beliefs about their ability to learn new mathematics topics.

  8. Trajectories of Ethnic-Racial Identity and Autonomy Among Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers in the United States.

    PubMed

    Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Jahromi, Laudan B; Zeiders, Katharine H

    2015-01-01

    This study examined trajectories of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) and autonomy development among Mexican-origin adolescent females in the United States (N = 181; M(age) at Wave 1 = 16.80 years, SD = 1.00) as they transitioned through the first 5 years of parenthood. Trajectories of ERI and autonomy also were examined in relation to psychosocial functioning. Unconditional latent growth models indicated significant growth in autonomy, ERI resolution, and ERI affirmation from middle to late adolescence. Conditional latent growth models indicated that autonomy and ERI exploration growth trajectories were positively associated with psychosocial adjustment. Although adolescent mothers are experiencing transitions that are not normative during adolescence, they also engage in normative developmental processes, and their engagement in such processes is linked with better adjustment. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

  9. A comparison of email versus letter threat contacts toward members of the United States Congress.

    PubMed

    Schoeneman-Morris, Katherine A; Scalora, Mario J; Chang, Grace H; Zimmerman, William J; Garner, Yancey

    2007-09-01

    To better understand inappropriate correspondence sent to public officials, 301 letter cases and 99 email cases were randomly selected from the United States Capitol Police investigative case files and compared. Results indicate that letter writers were significantly more likely than emailers to exhibit indicators of serious mental illness (SMI), engage in target dispersion, use multiple methods of contact, and make a problematic approach toward their target. Emailers were significantly more likely than letter writers to focus on government concerns, use obscene language, and display disorganization in their writing. Also, letter writers tended to be significantly older, have more criminal history, and write longer communications. A multivariate model found that disorganization, SMI symptoms, problematic physical approach, and target dispersion significantly differentiated between the correspondence groups. The group differences illuminated by this study reveal that letter writers are engaging in behavior that is higher risk for problematic approach than are emailers.

  10. The impact of sexual harassment on job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and absenteeism: findings from Pakistan compared to the United States.

    PubMed

    Merkin, Rebecca S; Shah, Muhammad Kamal

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast how differences in perceptions of sexual harassment impact productive work environments for employees in Pakistan as compared to the US; in particular, how it affects job satisfaction, turnover, and/or absenteeism. This study analyzed employee responses in Pakistan (n = 146) and the United States (n = 102, 76) using questionnaire data. Significant results indicated that employees who were sexually harassed reported (a) a decrease in job satisfaction (b) greater turnover intentions and (c) a higher rate of absenteeism. Cross-cultural comparisons indicated that (a) Pakistani employees who were sexually harassed had greater job dissatisfaction and higher overall absenteeism than did their US counterparts and (b) Pakistani women were more likely to use indirect strategies to manage sexual harassment than were US targets.

  11. Emissions of coalbed and natural gas methane from abandoned oil and gas wells in the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Townsend-Small, Amy; Ferrara, Thomas W.; Lyon, David R.; Fries, Anastasia E.; Lamb, Brian K.

    2016-03-01

    Recent work indicates that oil and gas methane (CH4) inventories for the United States are underestimated. Here we present results from direct measurements of CH4 emissions from 138 abandoned oil and gas wells, a source currently missing from inventories. Most abandoned wells do not emit CH4, but 6.5% of wells had measurable CH4 emissions. Twenty-five percent of wells we visited that had not been plugged emitted > 5 g CH4 h-1. Stable isotopes indicate that wells emit natural gas and/or coalbed CH4. We estimate that abandoned wells make a small contribution (<1%) to regional CH4 emissions in our study areas. Additional data are needed to accurately determine the contribution of abandoned wells to national CH4 budgets, particularly measurements in other basins and better characterization of the abundance and regional distribution of high emitters.

  12. Derivation of Nationally Consistent Indices Representing Urban Intensity Within and Across Nine Metropolitan Areas of the Conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cuffney, Thomas F.; Falcone, James A.

    2009-01-01

    Two nationally consistent multimetric indices of urban intensity were developed to support studies of the effects of urbanization on streams in nine metropolitan areas of the conterminous United States: Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Milwaukee-Green Bay, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Salt Lake City, Utah. These studies were conducted as a part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. These urban intensity indices were used to define gradients of urbanization and to interpret biological, physical, and chemical changes along these gradients. Ninety census, land-cover, and infrastructure variables obtained from nationally available databases were evaluated. Only variables that exhibited a strong and consistent linear relation with 2000 population density were considered for use in the indices. Housing-unit density (HUDEN), percentage of basin area in developed land (P_NLCD1_2), and road density (ROADDEN) were selected as the best representatives of census, land-cover, and infrastructure variables. The metropolitan area national urban intensity index (MA-NUII) was scaled to represent urban intensity within each metropolitan area and ranged from 0 (little or no urban) to 100 (maximum urban) for sites within each metropolitan area. The national urban intensity index (NUII) was scaled to represent urban intensity across all nine metropolitan areas and ranged from 0 to 100 for all sites. The rates at which HUDEN, P_NLCD1_2, and ROADDEN changed with changes in population density varied among metropolitan areas. Therefore, these variables were adjusted to obtain a more uniform rate of response across metropolitan areas in the derivation of the NUII. The NUII indicated that maximum levels of urban intensity occurred in the West and Midwest rather than in the East primarily because small inner-city streams in eastern metropolitan areas are buried and converted to storm drains or sewers and because of higher density development in the Western and Central United States. The national indices (MA-NUII, NUII) were compared to indices that were derived independently for each metropolitan area (MA-UII) based on variables that were of local interest. The MA-UIIs, which were based on 5 to 40 variables, tended to overestimate urban intensity relative to the national indices particularly when the MA-UII was composed of large numbers of variables that were not linearly related to population density as in Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Milwaukee-Green Bay.

  13. Academic Readiness Indicators: Implications for State Policy. Policy Brief 2013-1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Di Giacomo, F. Tony; Linn, Dane; Monthey, Wanda; Pack, Catherine; Wyatt, Jeffrey

    2013-01-01

    In recent decades, the United States economy has undergone a dramatic shift to a knowledge-based economy that, when coupled with simultaneous, rapid globalization, has created a greater demand for a more educated and skilled workforce. The share of U.S. jobs requiring some level of postsecondary education is expected to grow to 63% in the next…

  14. Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Perceptions of Self-Determination for Their Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sebald, Ann

    2013-01-01

    Seventy-six teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing within a western state of the United States were surveyed to explore their perceptions of the (a) importance of self-determination, (b) skills taught to students, (c) skills used by students, and (d) benefits associated with teaching self-determination. Results indicated that teachers believed…

  15. A Proposal for a Policy on the Ethical Care and Use of Cadavers and Their Tissues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Champney, Thomas H.

    2011-01-01

    Recent events have occurred that indicate the need for policies on the ethical care and use of cadavers and their tissues in the United States. At present, there are policies that address the procurement, handling and disposition of cadavers, but there are no national or society sponsored policies that clearly state the ethically appropriate use…

  16. Hunter Ethics: A Look at Hunter Behavior and Hunter Education in the U.S. and Canada.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elliott, Denis S.

    This study examines issues of unethical hunting practices and promotion of ethical hunter behavior in the United States and Canada. Hunter education coordinators (HECs) in all states and provinces were surveyed, with a response rate of 66 percent. Results indicate: (1) there has been little change in the types of hunter ethics problems in recent…

  17. An Examination of Family Communication within the Core and Balance Model of Family Leisure Functioning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Kevin M.; Freeman, Patti A.; Zabriskie, Ramon B.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine family communication within the core and balance model of family leisure functioning. The study was conducted from a youth perspective of family leisure and family functioning. The sample consisted of youth (N= 95) aged 11 - 17 from 25 different states in the United States. Path analyses indicated that…

  18. Elementary School Teachers' Experiences in a Professional Learning Community Addressing the Gender Gap

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyles, Glenda F.

    2011-01-01

    International research and academic performance measures indicate that boys are scoring lower on standardized tests than girls in reading and writing. At the time of this study, boys had lower standardized test scores than girls in an elementary school in a southeastern state in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to…

  19. Biomass Burning Smoke Climatology of the United States: Implications for Particulate Matter Air Quality.

    PubMed

    Kaulfus, Aaron S; Nair, Udaysankar; Jaffe, Daniel; Christopher, Sundar A; Goodrick, Scott

    2017-10-17

    We utilize the NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke product for the period of 2005 to 2016 to develop climatology of smoke occurrence over the Continental United States (CONUS) region and to study the impact of wildland fires on particulate matter air quality at the surface. Our results indicate that smoke is most frequently found over the Great Plains and western states during the summer months. Other hotspots of smoke occurrence are found over state and national parks in the southeast during winter and spring, in the Gulf of Mexico southwards of the Texas and Louisiana coastline during spring season and along the Mississippi River Delta during the fall season. A substantial portion (20%) of the 24 h federal standard for particulate pollution exceedance events in the CONUS region occur when smoke is present. If the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations continue to reduce anthropogenic emissions, wildland fire emissions will become the major contributor to particulate pollution and exceedance events. In this context, we show that HMS smoke product is a valuable tool for analysis of exceptional events caused by wildland fires and our results indicate that these tools can be valuable for policy and decision makers.

  20. Association Between Infant Mortality Attributable to Birth Defects and Payment Source for Delivery - United States, 2011-2013.

    PubMed

    Almli, Lynn M; Alter, Caroline C; Russell, Rebecca B; Tinker, Sarah C; Howards, Penelope P; Cragan, Janet; Petersen, Emily; Carrino, Gerard E; Reefhuis, Jennita

    2017-01-27

    Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States (1), accounting for approximately 20% of infant deaths. The rate of infant mortality attributable to birth defects (IMBD) in the United States in 2014 was 11.9 per 10,000 live births (1). Rates of IMBD differ by race/ethnicity (2), age group at death (2), and gestational age at birth (3). Insurance type is associated with survival among infants with congenital heart defects (CHD) (4). In 2003, a checkbox indicating principal payment source for delivery was added to the U.S. standard birth certificate (5). To assess IMBD by payment source for delivery, CDC analyzed linked U.S. birth/infant death data for 2011-2013 from states that adopted the 2003 revision of the birth certificate. The results indicated that IMBD rates for preterm (<37 weeks of gestation) and term (≥37 weeks) infants whose deliveries were covered by Medicaid were higher during the neonatal (<28 days) and postneonatal (≥28 days to <1 year) periods compared with infants whose deliveries were covered by private insurance. Similar differences in postneonatal mortality were observed for the three most common categories of birth defects listed as a cause of death: central nervous system (CNS) defects, CHD, and chromosomal abnormalities. Strategies to ensure quality of care and access to care might reduce the difference between deliveries covered by Medicaid and those covered by private insurance.

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