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…

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....

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…

An Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Lyle V., Ed.; And Others

The quality of doctoral-level chemical engineering (N=79), civil engineering (N=74), electrical engineering (N=91), and mechanical engineering (N=82) programs at United States universities was assessed, using 16 measures. These measures focused on variables related to: (1) program size; (2) characteristics of graduates; (3) reputational factors…

An Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Mathematical & Physical Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Lyle V., Ed.; And Others

The quality of doctoral-level chemistry (N=145), computer science (N=58), geoscience (N=91), mathematics (N=115), physics (N=123), and statistics/biostatistics (N=64) programs at United States universities was assessed, using 16 measures. These measures focused on variables related to: program size; characteristics of graduates; reputational…

The Challenges in Measuring Local Immunization Coverage: A Statewide Case Study

PubMed Central

Rowhani-Rahbar, Ali; Duchin, Jeffrey; DeHart, M. Patricia; Opel, Douglas

2016-01-01

There are many forms of existing immunization surveillance in the United States and Washington state, but all are limited in their ability to provide timely identification of clusters of unimmunized individuals and assess the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. This article aims to: (1) describe challenges to measuring immunization coverage at a local level in the United States using Washington State as a case study; and (2) propose improvements to existing surveillance systems that address the challenges identified. PMID:27244807

Surface water supply of the United States, 1907-8, Part III. Ohio River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1910-01-01

This volume contains results of flow measurements made on certain streams in the United States. The work was performed by the water-resources branch of the United States Geological Survey, either independently or in cooperation with organizations mentioned herein. These investigations are authorized by the organic law of the Geological Survey (Stat. L., vol. 20, p. 394)...

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...

CARS Temperature and Species Measurements For Air Vehicle Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danehy, Paul M.; Gord, James R.; Grisch, Frederic; Klimenko, Dmitry; Clauss, Walter

2005-01-01

The coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) method has recently been used in the United States and Europe to probe several different types of propulsion systems for air vehicles. At NASA Langley Research Center in the United States, CARS has been used to simultaneously measure temperature and the mole fractions of N2, O2 and H2 in a supersonic combustor, representative of a scramjet engine. At Wright- Patterson Air Force Base in the United States, CARS has been used to simultaneously measure temperature and mole fractions of N2, O2 and CO2, in the exhaust stream of a liquid-fueled, gas-turbine combustor. At ONERA in France and the DLR in Germany researchers have used CARS to measure temperature and species concentrations in cryogenic LOX-H2 rocket combustion chambers. The primary aim of these measurements has been to provide detailed flowfield information for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code validation.

Behçet syndrome manifestations and activity in the United States versus Turkey -- a cross-sectional cohort comparison.

PubMed

Sibley, Cailin; Yazici, Yusuf; Tascilar, Koray; Khan, Nafiz; Bata, Yasmin; Yazici, Hasan; Goldbach-Mansky, Raphaela; Hatemi, Gulen

2014-07-01

To compare clinical manifestations and activity of Behçet syndrome (BS) in the United States versus Turkey using validated outcome measures. Consecutive patients with BS from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), New York University, and the University of Istanbul were evaluated. Disease activity was measured using the Behçet's Syndrome Activity Scale (BSAS) and the Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF) with quality of life measured by the Behçet Disease Quality of Life (BDQOL) form. One-way ANOVA, t-tests, and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Mean age did not differ between sites; however, more women were seen in the United States versus in Turkey (p < 0.001), and disease duration was longer in the United States (p = 0.02). Organ manifestations were similar for oral and genital ulcers, skin disease, arthralgia, eye disease, and thrombosis. However, more gastrointestinal (p < 0.001) and neurologic disease (p = 0.003) was seen in the United States. BSAS and BDCAF scores were worse in the United States compared to Turkey (p = 0.013 and < 0.001, respectively). Worse mean BDQOL scores were observed at the NIH compared to Istanbul (not significant). Multivariable regression models showed worse scores in ethnically atypical patients for BSAS and BDCAF (p = 0.04 and p = 0.001), American patients for BDCAF (p = 0.01), older age for BDCAF (p = 0.005), and women for BDQOL (p = 0.01). Demographic and clinical manifestations of BS differ between sites with higher disease activity in the United States compared to Turkey. Referral patterns, age, sex, ethnicity, and country of origin may be important in these differences. These observations raise the question of whether pathogenic mechanisms differ in Turkish and American patients.

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…

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…

Measuring Immigrant Assimilation in the United States. Civic Report No.53

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vigdor, Jacob L.

2008-01-01

This report introduces a quantitative index that measures the degree of similarity between native- and foreign-born adults in the United States: the ability to distinguish the latter group from the former is defined as "assimilation." The Index of Immigrant Assimilation relies on Census Bureau data available in some form since 1900 and…

United States History. Annotated Bibliography of Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. Test Collection.

The 33 tests in this bibliography cover United States History from the period of exploration of the continent through the Civil War to Post World War II. One test measures knowledge of African American history. Types of measures include credit by examination, item banks, and end-of-course tests. All ages are represented but the majority of tests…

Estimating aboveground live understory vegetation carbon in the United States

Treesearch

Kristofer D Johnson; Grant M Domke; Matthew B Russell; Brian Walters; John Hom; Alicia Peduzzi; Richard Birdsey; Katelyn Dolan; Wenli Huang

2017-01-01

Despite the key role that understory vegetation plays in ecosystems and the terrestrial carbon cycle, it is often overlooked and has few quantitative measurements, especially at national scales. To understand the contribution of understory carbon to the United States (US) carbon budget, we developed an approach that relies on field measurements of understory vegetation...

Surface water supply of the United States, 1907-8, Part IV. St. Lawrence River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1910-01-01

This volume contains results of flow measurements made on certain streams in the United States. The work was performed by the water-resources branch of the United States Geological Survey, either independently or in cooperation with organizations mentioned herein. These investigations are authorized by the organic law of the Geological Survey (Stat. L., vol. 20, p. 394)...

Applicability of predictive models of drought-induced tree mortality between the midwest and northeast United States

Treesearch

Eric J. Gustafson

2014-01-01

Regression models developed in the upper Midwest (United States) to predict drought-induced tree mortality from measures of drought (Palmer Drought Severity Index) were tested in the northeastern United States and found inadequate. The most likely cause of this result is that long drought events were rare in the Northeast during the period when inventory data were...

Development of a reference Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) for the monitoring and control of grid stability and quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ndilimabaka, Hervé; Blanc, Isabelle

2014-08-01

This paper discusses the details of the development of a Phasor Measurement Unit regarding the requirements of the IEEE C37.118-2005 synchrophasor standard relative to steady-state conditions on grid monitoring and control. This phasor measurement unit is intended to be used for field tests sooner.

From Policy to Practice: How Competency-Based Education Is Evolving in New Hampshire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeland, Julia

2014-01-01

In 2005, New Hampshire abolished the Carnegie unit--the core unit around which schools typically measure credit hours. In its place, the state mandated that all high schools measure credit according to students' mastery of material, rather than time spent in class. This policy shift created the first-ever state-wide effort to create a…

Agricultural Extension: Farm Extension Services in Australia, Britain and the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Donald B.

By analyzing the scope and structure of agricultural extension services in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States, this work attempts to set guidelines for measuring progress and guiding extension efforts. Extension training, agricultural policy, and activities of national, international, state, and provincial bodies are examined. The…

Participation in International Large-Scale Assessments from a US Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plisko, Valena White

2013-01-01

International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) play a distinct role in the United States' decentralized federal education system. Separate from national and state assessments, they offer an external, objective measure for the United States to assess student performance comparatively with other countries and over time. The US engagement in ILSAs…

Objective Versus Subjective Military Pilot Selection Methods in the United States of America

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-14

a computerized test designed to assess pilot skills by measuring spatial orientation and psychomotor skills and multitasking . The second is the...AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2015-0028 Objective Versus Subjective Military Pilot Selection Methods in the United States of America Joe...September 2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Objective Versus Subjective Military Pilot Selection Methods in the United States of America 5a. CONTRACT

Surface water supply of the United States, 1907-8, Part II. South Atlantic Coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1909-01-01

This volume contains results of flow measurements made on certain streams in the United States. The work was performed by the water-resources branch of the United States Geological Survey, either independently or in cooperation with organizations mentioned herein. These investigations are authorized by the organic law of the Geological Survey (Stat. L., vol. 20, p. 394)...

Carbon storage and sequestration by trees in urban and community areas of the United States

Treesearch

David J. Nowak; Eric J. Greenfield; Robert E. Hoehn; Elizabeth Lapoint

2013-01-01

Carbon storage and sequestration by urban trees in the United States was quantified to assess the magnitude and role of urban forests in relation to climate change. Urban tree field data from 28 cities and 6 states were used to determine the average carbon density per unit of tree cover. These data were applied to statewide urban tree cover measurements to determine...

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

Carr, F. Jr.; Mahaffey, J.A.

The purpose of the DOE/OHER Chernobyl Database project is to create and maintain an information system to provide usable information for research studies related to the nuclear accident. The system is the official United States repository for information about the Chernobyl accident and its consequences, and currently includes an extensive bibliography and diverse radiological measurements with supporting information. PNL has established two resources: original (not summarized) measurement data, currently about 80,000 measurements, with ancillary information; and about 2,200 bibliographic citations, some including abstracts. Major organizations that have contributed radiological measurement data include the Washington State Department of Social and Healthmore » Services; United States Environmental Protection Agency (domestic and foreign data); United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Stone Webster; Brookhaven National Laboratory; Commissariat A L'energie Atomique in France; Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food in the United Kingdom; Japan National Institute of Radiological Sciences; and the Finnish Centre For Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK). Scientists in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, England, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Wales, and Yugoslavia have made contributions. Bibliographic materials have been obtained from scientists in the above countries that have replied to requests. In addition, literature searches have been conducted, including a search of the DOE Energy Database. The last search was conducted in January, 1989. This document lists the bibliographic information in the DOE/OHER Chernobyl Database at the current time.« less

Climate change trade measures : estimating industry effects

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-06-01

Estimating the potential effects of domestic emissions pricing for industries in the United States is complex. If the United States were to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, production costs could rise for certain industries and could cause output, ...

State Derivation of a 12-Axis Gyroscope-Free Inertial Measurement Unit

PubMed Central

Lu, Jau-Ching; Lin, Pei-Chun

2011-01-01

The derivation of linear acceleration, angular acceleration, and angular velocity states from a 12-axis gyroscope-free inertial measurement unit that utilizes four 3-axis accelerometer measurements at four distinct locations is reported. Particularly, a new algorithm which derives the angular velocity from its quadratic form and derivative form based on the context-based interacting multiple model is demonstrated. The performance of the system was evaluated under arbitrary 3-dimensional motion. PMID:22163791

A population-based study of the association of medical manpower with county trauma death rates in the United States.

PubMed Central

Rutledge, R; Fakhry, S M; Baker, C C; Weaver, N; Ramenofsky, M; Sheldon, G F; Meyer, A A

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between measures of medical manpower available to treat trauma patients and county trauma death rates in the United States. The primary hypothesis was that greater availability of medical manpower to treat trauma injury would be associated with lower trauma death rates. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: When viewed from the standpoint of the number of productive years of life lost, trauma has a greater effect on health care and lost productivity in the United States than any disease. Allocation of health care manpower to treat injuries seems logical, but studies have not been done to determine its efficacy. The effect of medical manpower and hospital resource allocation on the outcome of injury in the United States has not been fully explored or adequately evaluated. METHODS: Data on trauma deaths in the United States were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. Data on the number of surgeons and emergency medicine physicians were obtained from the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association. Data on physicians who have participated in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Advanced Trauma Life Support Course (ATLS) were obtained from the ACS. Membership information for the American Association for Surgery of Trauma (AAST) was obtained from that organization. Demographic data were obtained from the United States Census Bureau. Multivariate stepwise linear regression and cluster analysis were used to model the county trauma death rates in the United States. The Statistical Analysis System (Cary, NC) for statistical analysis was used. RESULTS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that a variety of medical manpower measures and demographic factors were associated with county trauma death rates in the United States. As in other studies, measures of low population density and high levels of poverty were found to be strongly associated with increased trauma death rates. After accounting for these variables, using multivariate analysis and cluster analysis, an increase in the following medical manpower measures were associated with decreased county trauma death rates: number of board-certified general surgeons, number of board-certified emergency medicine physicians, number of AAST members, and number of ATLS-trained physicians. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms previous work that showed a strong relation among measures of poverty, rural setting, and increased county trauma death rates. It also found that counties with more board-certified surgeons per capita and with more surgeons with an increased interest (AAST membership) or increased training (ATLS) in trauma care have lower per-capita trauma death rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Images Figure 1. PMID:8185404

Measuring New-Voter Learning via Three Channels of Political Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinelli, Kathleen A.; Chaffee, Steven H.

1995-01-01

Reports on a cross-sectional survey of newly naturalized United States citizens before the 1988 United States presidential election. Finds that newspaper, television news, and television ads each made a separate, significant contribution to issue learning. (SR)

Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States: Implementation and Measurement Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keener, Dana; Goodman, Kenneth; Lowry, Amy; Zaro, Susan; Khan, Laura Kettel

2009-01-01

America has a serious weight problem. Two-thirds of adults and nearly one-fifth of children in the United States are overweight, placing them at greater risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases including cancer and arthritis. Furthermore, obesity and its related health problems are placing a major strain on the U.S. health care…

Bad data detection in two stage estimation using phasor measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarali, Aditya

The ability of the Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) to directly measure the system state, has led to steady increase in the use of PMU in the past decade. However, in spite of its high accuracy and the ability to measure the states directly, they cannot completely replace the conventional measurement units due to high cost. Hence it is necessary for the modern estimators to use both conventional and phasor measurements together. This thesis presents an alternative method to incorporate the new PMU measurements into the existing state estimator in a systematic manner such that no major modification is necessary to the existing algorithm. It is also shown that if PMUs are placed appropriately, the phasor measurements can be used to detect and identify the bad data associated with critical measurements by using this model, which cannot be detected by conventional state estimation algorithm. The developed model is tested on IEEE 14, IEEE 30 and IEEE 118 bus under various conditions.

Climate change vulnerability assessment in Georgia

Treesearch

Binita KC; J. Marshall Shepherd; Cassandra Johnson Gaither

2015-01-01

Climate change is occurring in the Southeastern United States, and one manifestation is changes in frequency and intensity of extreme events. A vulnerability assessment is performed in the state of Georgia (United States) at the county level from 1975 to 2012 in decadal increments. Climate change vulnerability is typically measured as a function of exposure to physical...

The Public Understanding of Assessment in Educational Reform in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brookhart, Susan M.

2013-01-01

The United States education system depends on legislation and funding at the federal, state and local levels. Public understanding of assessment therefore is important to educational reform in the USA. Educational reformers often invoke assessment information as a reason for reform, typically by citing unacceptable achievement on some measure or…

Fragmentation of Continental United States Forests

Treesearch

Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham; Robert V. O' Neill; K. Bruce Jones; Elizabeth R. Smith; John W. Coulston; Timothy G. Wade; Jonathan H. Smith

2002-01-01

We report a multiple-scale analysis of forest fragmentation based on 30-m (0.09 ha pixel-1) land- cover maps for the conterminous United States. Each 0.09-ha unit of forest was classified according to fragmentation indexes measured within the surrounding landscape, for five landscape sizes including 2.25, 7.29, 65.61, 590.49, and 5314.41 ha....

Research Methods to Develop Measures of Effectiveness of the United States Coast Guard’s Vessel Inspection and Boarding Program. Decision Support for Utilizing Measures of Effectiveness - Volume III

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-01

Eubank S.E. Albuquerque, NM 87123 Christopher Rodriguez Kevin Downer U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center 1082 Shennecossett Road Groton...standard, specifica )e n. ’OVVELOPj4 Commanding Officer United States Coast Guard Research & Development Center 1082 Shennecossett Road SGroton, CT...Work Unit No. (TRAIS) U.S. Coast Guard Sandia National Laboratories Research and Development Center 11. Contract or Grant No. 1515 Eubank SE 1082

Results from an absolute gravity survey in the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zumberge, M. A.; Faller, J. E.; Gschwind, J.

1983-01-01

Using the recently completed JTLA absolute gravity meter, we made a survey of twelve sites in the United States. Over a period of eight weeks, the instrument was driven a total distance of nearly 20,000 km to sites in California, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Maryland and Massachusetts. The time spent in carrying out a measurement at a single location was typically one day. We report the results of the measurements in this survey along with earlier measurements made with the instrument, discuss the measurement accuracy and compare our results with other measurements. Previously announced in STAR as N83-20480

Results from an absolute gravity survey in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zumberge, M. A.; Faller, J. E.; Gschwind, J.

1983-09-01

Using the recently completed JTLA absolute gravity meter, we made a survey of twelve sites in the United States. Over a period of eight weeks, the instrument was driven a total distance of nearly 20,000 km to sites in California, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Maryland and Massachusetts. The time spent in carrying out a measurement at a single location was typically one day. We report the results of the measurements in this survey along with earlier measurements made with the instrument, discuss the measurement accuracy and compare our results with other measurements. Previously announced in STAR as N83-20480

Association of cutaneous melanoma incidence with area-based socioeconomic indicators-United States, 2004-2006.

PubMed

Singh, Simple D; Ajani, Umed A; Johnson, Christopher J; Roland, Katherine B; Eide, Melody; Jemal, Ahmedin; Negoita, Serban; Bayakly, Rana A; Ekwueme, Donatus U

2011-11-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with melanoma incidence and outcomes. Examination of the relationship between melanoma and SES at the national level in the United States is limited. Expanding knowledge of this association is needed to improve early detection and eliminate disparities. We sought to provide a detailed description of cutaneous melanoma incidence and stage of disease in relationship to area-based socioeconomic measures including poverty level, education, income, and unemployment in the United States. Invasive cutaneous melanoma data reported by 44 population-based central cancer registries for 2004 to 2006 were merged with county-level SES estimates from the US Census Bureau. Age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated by gender, race/ethnicity, poverty, education, income, unemployment, and metro/urban/rural status using software. Poisson multilevel mixed models were fitted, and incidence density ratios were calculated by stage for area-based SES measures, controlling for age, gender, and state random effects. Counties with lower poverty, higher education, higher income, and lower unemployment had higher age-adjusted melanoma incidence rates for both early and late stage. In multivariate models, SES effects persisted for early-stage but not late-stage melanoma incidence. Individual-level measures of SES were unavailable, and estimates were based on county-level SES measures. Our findings show that melanoma incidence in the United States is associated with aggregate county-level measures of high SES. Analyses using finer-level SES measures, such as individual or census tract level, are needed to provide more precise estimates of these associations. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

78 FR 38970 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Within-the-Scope Determination for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... Control Measure for In-Use Diesel-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) and TRU Generator Sets and... Control Measure for In-Use Diesel-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) and TRU Generator Sets and...-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) and TRU Generator Sets and Facilities Where TRUs Operate Be...

Quality of Care for White and Hispanic Medicare Advantage Enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Rivera-Hernandez, Maricruz; Leyva, Bryan; Keohane, Laura M.; Trivedi, Amal N.

2016-01-01

IMPORTANCE Geographic, racial, and ethnic variations in quality of care and outcomes have been well documented among the Medicare population. Few data exist on beneficiaries living in Puerto Rico, three-quarters of whom enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA). OBJECTIVE To determine the quality of care provided to white and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional study of MA enrollees in 2011 was conducted, including white enrollees in the United States (n = 6 289 374), Hispanic enrollees in the United States (n = 795 039), and Hispanic enrollees in Puerto Rico (n = 267 016). The study was conducted from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011; data analysis took place from January 19, 2015, to January 2, 2016. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Seventeen performance measures related to diabetes mellitus (including hemoglobin A1c control, retinal eye examination, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control, nephropathy screening, and blood pressure control), cardiovascular disease (including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control, blood pressure control, and use of a β-blocker after myocardial infarction), cancer screening (colorectal and breast), and appropriate medications (including systemic corticosteroids and bronchodilators for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). RESULTS Of the 7.35 million MA enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico in our study, 1.06 million (14.4%) were Hispanic. Approximately 25.1% of all Hispanic MA enrollees resided in Puerto Rico, which was more than those residing in any state. For 15 of the 17 measures assessed, Hispanic MA enrollees in Puerto Rico received worse care compared with Hispanics in the United States, with absolute differences in performance rates ranging from 2.2 percentage points for blood pressure control in diabetes mellitus (P = .03) to 31.3 percentage points for use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy (P < .01). Adjusted performance differences between Hispanic MA enrollees in Puerto Rico and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States exceeded 20 percentage points for 3 measures: use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy (−23.8 percentage points [95% CI, −30.9 to −16.8]), use of systemic corticosteroid in COPD exacerbation (−21.3 percentage points [95% CI, −27.5 to −15.1]), and use of bronchodilator therapy in COPD exacerbation (−22.7 percentage points [95% CI, −27.7 to −17.6]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE We found modest differences in care between white and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States but substantially worse care for enrollees in Puerto Rico compared with their US counterparts. Major efforts are needed to improve care delivery on the island to a level equivalent to the United States. PMID:27111865

Behçet Syndrome Manifestations and Activity in the United States versus Turkey — A Cross-sectional Cohort Comparison

PubMed Central

Sibley, Cailin; Yazici, Yusuf; Tascilar, Koray; Khan, Nafiz; Bata, Yasmin; Yazici, Hasan; Goldbach-Mansky, Raphaela; Hatemi, Gulen

2015-01-01

Objective To compare clinical manifestations and activity of Behçet syndrome (BS) in the United States versus Turkey using validated outcome measures. Methods Consecutive patients with BS from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), New York University, and the University of Istanbul were evaluated. Disease activity was measured using the Behçet’s Syndrome Activity Scale (BSAS) and the Behçet’s Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF) with quality of life measured by the Behçet Disease Quality of Life (BDQOL) form. One-way ANOVA, t-tests, and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Results Mean age did not differ between sites; however, more women were seen in the United States versus in Turkey (p < 0.001), and disease duration was longer in the United States (p = 0.02). Organ manifestations were similar for oral and genital ulcers, skin disease, arthralgia, eye disease, and thrombosis. However, more gastrointestinal (p < 0.001) and neurologic disease (p = 0.003) was seen in the United States. BSAS and BDCAF scores were worse in the United States compared to Turkey (p = 0.013 and < 0.001, respectively). Worse mean BDQOL scores were observed at the NIH compared to Istanbul (not significant). Multivariable regression models showed worse scores in ethnically atypical patients for BSAS and BDCAF (p = 0.04 and p = 0.001), American patients for BDCAF (p = 0.01), older age for BDCAF (p = 0.005), and women for BDQOL (p = 0.01). Conclusion Demographic and clinical manifestations of BS differ between sites with higher disease activity in the United States compared to Turkey. Referral patterns, age, sex, ethnicity, and country of origin may be important in these differences. These observations raise the question of whether pathogenic mechanisms differ in Turkish and American patients. PMID:24931953

Estimating the impact of the 2004 Alaskan forest fires on episodic particulate matter pollution over the eastern United States through assimilation of satellite-derived aerosol optical depths in a regional air quality model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, Rohit

2008-09-01

During the summer of 2004, extensive wildfires burned in Alaska and western Canada; the fires were the largest on record for Alaska. Smoke from these fires was observed over the continental United States in satellite images, and a variety of chemical tracers associated with the fires were sampled by aircrafts deployed during the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation field experiment. Several recent studies have quantified the impacts of the long-range transport of pollution associated with these fires on tropospheric CO and O3 levels over the eastern United States. This study quantifies the episodic impact of this pollution transport event on surface-level fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations over the eastern United States during mid-July 2004, through the complementary use of remotely sensed, aloft, and surface measurements, in conjunction with a comprehensive regional atmospheric chemistry-transport model. A methodology is developed to assimilate MODIS aerosol optical depths in the model to represent the impacts of the fires. The resultant model predictions of CO and PM2.5 distributions are compared extensively with corresponding surface and aloft measurements. On the basis of the model calculations, a 0.12Tg enhancement in tropospheric PM2.5 mass loading over the eastern United States is estimated on 19 July 2004 due to the fires. This amount is significantly larger (approximately a factor of 8) than the total daily anthropogenic fine particulate matter emissions for the continental United States. Analysis of measured and modeled PM2.5 surface-level concentrations suggests that the transport of particulate matter pollution associated with the fires resulted in a 24-42 % enhancement in median surface-level PM2.5 concentrations across the eastern United States during 19-23 July 2004.

Bring out your dead!: A study of income inequality and life expectancy in the United States, 2000-2010.

PubMed

Hill, Terrence D; Jorgenson, Andrew

2018-01-01

We test whether income inequality undermines female and male life expectancy in the United States. We employ data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia and two-way fixed effects to model state-level average life expectancy as a function of multiple income inequality measures and time-varying characteristics. We find that state-level income inequality is inversely associated with female and male life expectancy. We observe this general pattern across four measures of income inequality and under the rigorous conditions of state-specific and year-specific fixed effects. If income inequality undermines life expectancy, redistribution policies could actually improve the health of states. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing Disaster in the Ionian Sea: Planning and Optimizing Logistics for Disaster Relief Operations for the Island of Kefalonia

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

surface directly (vertically) above the hypocenter (United States Geological Survey , 2009). A graphical depiction of epicenter and hypocenter appears...to their focal depth: shallow (70-300 km), intermediate (70-300 km), and deep (300-700 km) (United States Geological Survey , 1989a). The concepts of...magnitude (Mb), and moment magnitude (MW) scales (Papazachos & Papazachou, 2003, p. 39; United States Geological Survey , 2009c). All these measurement

Socioeconomic Segregation in Large Cities in France and the United States.

PubMed

Quillian, Lincoln; Lagrange, Hugues

2016-08-01

Past cross-national comparisons of socioeconomic segregation have been undercut by lack of comparability in measures, data, and concepts. Using IRIS data from the French Census of 2008 and the French Ministry of Finance as well as tract data from the American Community Survey (2006-2010) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Picture of Subsidized Households, and constructing measures to be as similar as possible, we compare socioeconomic segregation in metropolitan areas with a population of more than 1 million in France and the United States. We find much higher socioeconomic segregation in large metropolitan areas in the United States than in France. We also find (1) a strong pattern of low-income neighborhoods in central cities and high-income neighborhoods in suburbs in the United States, but varying patterns across metropolitan areas in France; (2) that high-income persons are the most segregated group in both countries; (3) that the shares of neighborhood income differences that can be explained by neighborhood racial/ethnic composition are similar in France and the United States; and (4) that government-assisted housing is disproportionately located in the poorest neighborhoods in the United States but is spread across many neighborhood income levels in France. We conclude that differences in government provision of housing assistance and levels of income inequality are likely important contributing factors to the Franco-U.S. difference in socioeconomic segregation.

The 2-MEV Scale in the United States: A Measure of Children's Environmental Attitudes Based on the Theory of Ecological Attitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Bruce; Manoli, Constantinos C.

2011-01-01

The Environmental (2-MEV) Scale questionnaire was developed in Europe to measure adolescents' attitudes and gauge the effectiveness of educational programs. It also formed the basis for the Theory of Ecological Attitudes. In the present four-year study, the 2-MEV Scale was modified for use with 9-12-year-old children in the United States. Initial…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Daniel A.

2012-01-01

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

Turbulent Structure Under Short Fetch Wind Waves

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

1970) developed the LFT utilizing the concurrent measurement of sea surface elevation (η) and the near surface velocities to isolate the wave...Layers and Air-Sea Transfer program by making very high spatial resolution profile measurements of the 3-D velocity field into the crest-trough...distribution is unlimited TURBULENT STRUCTURE UNDER SHORT FETCH WIND WAVES Michael J. Papa Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy B.S., United States Naval

Using fine-scale fuel measurements to assess wildland fuels, potential fire behavior and hazard mitigation treatments in the southeastern USA

Treesearch

Roger D. Ottmar; John I. Blake; William T. Crolly

2012-01-01

The inherent spatial and temporal heterogeneity of fuel beds in forests of the southeastern United States may require fine scale fuel measurements for providing reliable fire hazard and fuel treatment effectiveness estimates. In a series of five papers, an intensive, fine scale fuel inventory from the Savanna River Site in the southeastern United States is used for...

Body Dimensions and Proportions, White and Negro Children, 6-11 Years; United States. National Health Survey Series 11, No. 143

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malina, Robert M.; And Others

The fifth in a series of reports presenting analyses and discussions of data on height, weight, and 28 other body measurements taken from a probability sample of noninstitutionalized children in the United States aged 6-11 years, this document compares the growth patterns of white and Negro children for 20 body measurements. Emphasis is placed on…

Cohort changes in educational disparities in smoking: France, Germany and the United States

PubMed Central

Pampel, Fred; Legleye, Stephane; Goffette, Celine; Piontek, Daniela; Kraus, Ludwig; Khlat, Myriam

2017-01-01

This study investigates the evolution of educational disparities in smoking uptake across cohorts for men and women in three countries. Nationally representative surveys of adults in France, Germany and the United States in 2009–2010 include retrospective measures of age of uptake that are compared for three cohorts (born 1946–1960–1961–1975, and 1976–1992). Discrete logistic regressions and a relative measure of education are used to model smoking histories until age 34. The following patterns are found: a strengthening of educational disparities in the timing of uptake from older to younger cohorts; an earlier occurrence of the strengthening for men than women and for the United States than France or Germany; a faster pace of the epidemic in France than in the United States, and; a divide between the highest level of education and the others in the United States, as opposed to a gradient across categories in France. Those differences in smoking disparities across cohorts, genders and countries help identify the national and temporal circumstances that shape the size and direction of the relationship between education and health and the need for policies that target educational disparities. PMID:25037853

Cohort changes in educational disparities in smoking: France, Germany and the United States.

PubMed

Pampel, Fred; Legleye, Stephane; Goffette, Céline; Piontek, Daniela; Kraus, Ludwig; Khlat, Myriam

2015-02-01

This study investigates the evolution of educational disparities in smoking uptake across cohorts for men and women in three countries. Nationally representative surveys of adults in France, Germany and the United States in 2009-2010 include retrospective measures of age of uptake that are compared for three cohorts (born 1946-1960, 1961-1975, and 1976-1992). Discrete logistic regressions and a relative measure of education are used to model smoking histories until age 34. The following patterns are found: a strengthening of educational disparities in the timing of uptake from older to younger cohorts; an earlier occurrence of the strengthening for men than women and for the United States than France or Germany; a faster pace of the epidemic in France than in the United States, and; a divide between the highest level of education and the others in the United States, as opposed to a gradient across categories in France. Those differences in smoking disparities across cohorts, genders and countries help identify the national and temporal circumstances that shape the size and direction of the relationship between education and health and the need for policies that target educational disparities. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A review of pedestrian safety research in the United States and abroad

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-11-01

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of research studies on pedestrian safety in the United States; some foreign research also is included. Readers will find details of pedestrian crash characteristics, measures of pedestrian exposure...

The effect of social integration on outcomes after major lower extremity amputation.

PubMed

Hawkins, Alexander T; Pallangyo, Anthony J; Herman, Ayesiga M; Schaumeier, Maria J; Smith, Ann D; Hevelone, Nathanael D; Crandell, David M; Nguyen, Louis L

2016-01-01

Major lower extremity (MLE) amputation is a common procedure that results in a profound change in a patient's life. We sought to determine the association between social support and outcomes after amputation. We hypothesized that patients with greater social support will have better post amputation outcomes. From November 2011 to May 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study. Social integration was measured by the social integration subset of the Short Form Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique. Systemic social support was assessed by comparing a United States and Tanzanian population. Walking function was measured using the 6-minute walk test and quality of life (QoL) was measured using the EuroQol-5D. We recruited 102 MLE amputees. Sixty-three patients were enrolled in the United States with a mean age of 58.0. Forty-two (67%) were male. Patients with low social integration were more likely to be unable to ambulate (no walk 39% vs slow walk 23% vs fast walk 10%; P = .01) and those with high social integration were more likely to be fast walkers (no walk 10% vs slow walk 59% vs fast walk 74%; P = .01). This relationship persisted in a multivariable analysis. Increasing social integration scores were also positively associated with increasing QoL scores in a multivariable analysis (β, .002; standard error, 0.0008; P = .02). In comparing the United States population with the Tanzanian cohort (39 subjects), there were no differences between functional or QoL outcomes in the systemic social support analysis. In the United States population, increased social integration is associated with both improved function and QoL outcomes among MLE amputees. Systemic social support, as measured by comparing the United States population with a Tanzanian population, was not associated with improved function or QoL outcomes. In the United States, steps should be taken to identify and aid amputees with poor social integration. Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

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

2003-07-01

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

Threat of invasive pests from within national borders.

PubMed

Paini, Dean R; Worner, Susan P; Cook, David C; De Barro, Paul J; Thomas, Matthew B

2010-11-16

Predicting and ranking potential invasive species present significant challenges to researchers and biosecurity agencies. Here we analyse a worldwide database of pest species assemblages to generate lists of the top 100 insect pests most likely to establish in the United States and each of its 48 contiguous states. For the United States as a whole, all of the top 100 pest species have already established. Individual states however tend to have many more 'gaps' with most states having at least 20 species absent from their top 100 list. For all but one state, every exotic pest species currently absent from a state's top 100 can be found elsewhere in the contiguous United States. We conclude that the immediate threat from known invasive insect pests is greater from within the United States than without. Our findings have potentially significant implications for biosecurity policy, emphasizing the need to consider biosecurity measures beyond established national border interventions.

Performance of the Defense Acquisition System, 2015 Annual report

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-16

Planned Total (From Start to Completion) Quantity-Adjusted Unit -Procurement Recurring-Flyaway Funding (1999–2014) NOTE: This measures biennial...PAUC is a different funding measure define by statute (10 United States Code [U.S.C.], sections 2430a and 2432) consisting of the total acquisition... measures that (unlike PAUC and APUC) are fully adjusted for any changes in procurement quantity. These results help compare procurement unit costs

20 CFR 655.182 - Debarment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES Labor Certification Process for Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States (H-2A Workers) Integrity Measures § 655.182 Debarment. (a) Debarment of an employer. The... or condition of its temporary labor certification, with respect to H-2A workers, workers in...

76 FR 55619 - Performance Measurement for Special Postal Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

..., Corporate & Postal Business Law, United States Postal Service to Shoshana M. Grove, Secretary, Postal... & Postal Business Law, United States Postal Service. III. Background of Postal Service Proposals A...), Public Law 109-435, 120 Stat. 3198 (2006). The proposed rules described herein would establish reporting...

Determining the transfer length in prestressed concrete railroad ties produced in the United States.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-01

This paper presents results from transfer length measurements on prestressed concrete railroad ties. Results are shown from : the four main producers of concrete ties in the United States. Six prestressed concrete tie plants were visited by the : res...

A Comparison of the Health of Older Hispanics in the United States and Mexico

PubMed Central

Angel, Ronald J.; Angel, Jacqueline L.; Hill, Terrence D.

2014-01-01

Objectives This study compares various dimensions of physical and emotional health between older Mexican-origin individuals in the United States and in Mexico. Method The samples are drawn from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) and the Hispanic Established Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) and include 3,875 Mexican residents with no history of residence in the United States and 2,734 Mexican-origin individuals 65 and older who live in the southwestern United States. Results Both immigrant and native-born Mexican-origin elders in the United States report more chronic conditions than elderly Mexicans, but they report fewer symptoms of psychological distress. Longer residence in the United States is associated with higher body mass index scores. Discussion The discussion addresses the possibility that access to care influences reports of diagnosed conditions and touches on issues of comparability in cross-cultural research and the difficulty in clearly distinguishing cultural and system-level factors in the production and measurement of health. PMID:18252935

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.

How Soon Will We Measure in Metric?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Kenneth F.

1977-01-01

A brief history of measurement systems beginning with the Egyptians and Babylonians is given, ending with a discussion of the metric system and its adoption by the United States. Tables of metric prefixes, metric units, and common metric conversions are included. (MN)

Preliminary Analyses of the Measure of Congressional Action Describing the Effects of Conservatism and Presidential Support on the 97th United States Congress as Defined by Selected Demographers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuVall, Suzanne Carroll

Voting patterns in the 97th United States Congress (1981), in which the Senate was under Republican control for the first time in 30 years, are analyzed. The study measured conservatism from congressional voting analyses made by the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), Americans for Constitutional Action (ACA), and the Conservative Coalition…

Relationship Between State Malpractice Environment and Quality of Health Care in the United States.

PubMed

Bilimoria, Karl Y; Chung, Jeanette W; Minami, Christina A; Sohn, Min-Woong; Pavey, Emily S; Holl, Jane L; Mello, Michelle M

2017-05-01

One major intent of the medical malpractice system in the United States is to deter negligent care and to create incentives for delivering high-quality health care. A study was conducted to assess whether state-level measures of malpractice risk were associated with hospital quality and patient safety. In an observational study of short-term, acute-care general hospitals in the United States that publicly reported in the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services Hospital Compare in 2011, hierarchical regression models were used to estimate associations between state-specific malpractice environment measures (rates of paid claims, average Medicare Malpractice Geographic Practice Cost Index [MGPCI], absence of tort reform laws, and a composite measure) and measures of hospital quality (processes of care, imaging utilization, 30-day mortality and readmission, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety Indicators, and patient experience from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems [HCAHPS]). No consistent association between malpractice environment and hospital process-of-care measures was found. Hospitals in areas with a higher MGPCI were associated with lower adjusted odds of magnetic resonance imaging overutilization for lower back pain but greater adjusted odds of overutilization of cardiac stress testing and brain/sinus computed tomography (CT) scans. The MGPCI was negatively associated with 30-day mortality measures but positively associated with 30-day readmission measures. Measures of malpractice risk were also negatively associated with HCAHPS measures of patient experience. Overall, little evidence was found that greater malpractice risk improves adherence to recommended clinical standards of care, but some evidence was found that malpractice risk may encourage defensive medicine. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Position sensitive solid-state photomultipliers, systems and methods

DOEpatents

Shah, Kanai S; Christian, James; Stapels, Christopher; Dokhale, Purushottam; McClish, Mickel

2014-11-11

An integrated silicon solid state photomultiplier (SSPM) device includes a pixel unit including an array of more than 2.times.2 p-n photodiodes on a common substrate, a signal division network electrically connected to each photodiode, where the signal division network includes four output connections, a signal output measurement unit, a processing unit configured to identify the photodiode generating a signal or a center of mass of photodiodes generating a signal, and a global receiving unit.

Teleporting an unknown quantum state with unit fidelity and unit probability via a non-maximally entangled channel and an auxiliary system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashvand, Taghi

2016-11-01

We present a new scheme for quantum teleportation that one can teleport an unknown state via a non-maximally entangled channel with certainly, using an auxiliary system. In this scheme depending on the state of the auxiliary system, one can find a class of orthogonal vectors set as a basis which by performing von Neumann measurement in each element of this class Alice can teleport an unknown state with unit fidelity and unit probability. A comparison of our scheme with some previous schemes is given and we will see that our scheme has advantages that the others do not.

STATISTICAL ISSUES FOR MONITORING ECOLOGICAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

The United States funds a number of national monitoring programs to measure the status and trends of ecological and natural resources. Each of these programs has a unique focus: the scientific objectives are different as are the sample designs. However, individuals and committees...

75 FR 20550 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Specifications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

.... 0907301205-91207-01] RIN 0648-AY14 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Specifications AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration... specifications for the Atlantic herring (herring) fishery. These proposed specifications and management measures...

49 CFR 1554.101 - Security Measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... certificated repair stations located— (1) On airport. On an air operations area or security identification display area of an airport covered by an airport security program under 49 CFR part 1542 in the United States, or on the security restricted area of any commensurate airport outside the United States...

LINKING REGIONAL AEROSOL EMISSION CHANGES WITH MULTIPLE IMPACT MEASURES THROUGH DIRECT AND CLOUD-RELATED FORCING ESTIMATES

EPA Science Inventory

Outputs expected from this project include improved confidence in direct radiative forcing and cloud radiative forcing, particularly over the United States and with regard to United States emissions publicly available, documented data sets including emission inventories of siz...

Delays and Uncertain Energy Savings in Program to Promote State Energy Conservation. Report to the Congress by the Comptroller General of the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.

Presented is a study and assessment of the United States Department of Energy State Energy Conservation Program (SECP). The goal of the SECP is to reduce energy consumption in each state by 5% by 1980. However, it is unlikely that this goal will be attained or that the savings reported for 1978 are a valid measure of the program's impact on energy…

United States' arms control obligations under the NonProliferation Treaty

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

Not Available

1986-06-27

Article VI of the 1986 Non-Proliferation Treaty obligates the nuclear weapon states party to the Treaty ''to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race, ...to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.'' The preamble to the NPT refers to the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty ''determination...to achieve the discontinuance of...explosions.'' These provisions are interpreted by many non-nuclear weapon states party to the NPT as an obligation of the nuclear weapon states party to the treaty to pursue a comprehensive test banmore » (CTB). However, a review of the history of the NPT negotiations and US ratification proceedings makes clear that Article VI imposes no legal obligation on the US to pursue a CTB. The United States did not make a one-to-one correspondence between Article VI and any specific arms control measure; to the contrary, the United States argued successfully that such a connection (to any specific measure) would be pernicious to the attempt to achieve agreement on the NPT. This interpretation held through the negotiations and ratification proceedings. However, a majority of NPT signatories assert that Article VI does indeed imply a commitment to a CTB. In the absence of progress on other arms control measures, which would relieve the pressure for a CTB, this interpretation creates a political problem for the US and could threaten the NPT regime in the future. These problems emphasize the need for the United States to more clearly explain its compliance with Article VI and to develop a long-term strategy that will permit necessary testing while assuring the survival of the NPT regime in effective form.« less

Effective Measures of Continuing Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

with increased participation in charitable or public service activities. The percentage of people who donate their time to organizations and the... Effective Measures of Continuing Education by Colonel Morris A. Turner United States Army United...STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT .33 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Effective Measures of Continuing Education 5a. CONTRACT

40 CFR 62.15320 - What are the appropriate units of measurement for reporting my data?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... measurement for reporting my data? 62.15320 Section 62.15320 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF STATE PLANS FOR... Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Reporting § 62.15320 What are the appropriate units of measurement...

Companion piece: Convention on the Rights of the Child special protection measures: overview of implications and value for children in the United States.

PubMed

Svevo-Cianci, Kimberly; Velazquez, Sonia C

2010-01-01

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international treaty that commits ratifying states parties to uphold the rights of all children under the age of 18. This article discusses the issues of highest relevance to the United States and reviews the pros and cons of ratifying, from the perspective of the convention's intent and potential, sovereignty of states, and national public policies, and regarding the special protection recommended for particularly vulnerable children. Specific implementation issues discussed include training, accountability, and monitoring.

Source-receptor reconciliation of fine-particulate emissions from residential wood combustion in the southeastern United States

EPA Science Inventory

An extensive collection of speciated PM2.5 measurements including organic tracers permitted a detailed examination of the emissions from residential wood combustion (RWC) in the southeastern United States over an entire year (2007). The Community Multiscale Air Quality model-base...

Perinatal Mortality in the United States, 1950-81.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell-Griner, Eve

1986-01-01

This report describes long-term trends in perinatal mortality in the United States in three basic parts: development of perinatal mortality measures, components of fetal and infant mortality, and trends and differentials in perinatal mortality. Perinatal deaths refer to the sum of spontaneous fetal deaths occurring after 20 weeks gestation plus…

ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES CONTROLLING NITRIC OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURAL SOILS IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Fluxes of nitric oxide (NO) were measured during the summer of 1994 (12 July to 11 August) in the Upper Coastal Plain of North Carolina in a continuing effort to characterize NO emissions from intensively managed agricultural soils in the southeastern United States. Previous work...

Evaluating the Wildfire Emission estimates in an Air Quality Simulation of the 2016 Southeastern United States Wildfires

EPA Science Inventory

Extreme drought occurred over the southern Appalachian region of the southeastern United States (SE U.S.) during the fall of 2016. Tuscaloosa and Birmingham recorded their longest streak of 71 and 61 days, respectively, with no measurable precipitation; and, Montgomery, Atlanta, ...

19 CFR 10.431 - Failure to comply with requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... United States fails to comply with any requirement of this part. Such measures may include the imposition... Section 10.431 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ARTICLES CONDITIONALLY FREE, SUBJECT TO A REDUCED RATE, ETC. United States-Chile...

Creating Attractiveness: The Competitive Challenge for U.S. Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morita, Akio

1989-01-01

Comments on some fundamentals of trade, suggesting that the world economy has become essentially one transnational unit. Discusses the extent to which Japan and the United States are economically linked. States that protective measures against goods produced abroad are not a solution to any nation's economic problems. (KO)

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…

ESTIMATING GROUND LEVEL PM 2.5 IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES USING SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING

EPA Science Inventory

An empirical model based on the regression between daily average final particle (PM2.5) concentrations and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) measurements from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) was developed and tested using data from the eastern United States during ...

An equivalent layer magnetization model for the United States derived from MAGSAT data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayhew, M. A.; Galliher, S. C. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Long wavelength anomalies in the total magnetic field measured field measured by MAGSAT over the United States and adjacent areas are inverted to an equivalent layer crustal magnetization distribution. The model is based on an equal area dipole grid at the Earth's surface. Model resolution having physical significance, is about 220 km for MAGSAT data in the elevation range 300-500 km. The magnetization contours correlate well with large-scale tectonic provinces.

Self-selection and earnings assimilation: immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Israel and the United States.

PubMed

Cohen, Yinon; Haberfeld, Yitchak

2007-08-01

Drawing on U.S. decennial census data and on Israeli census and longitudinal data, we compare the educational levels and earnings assimilation of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in the United States and Israel during 1968-2000. Because the doors to both countries were practically open to FSU immigrants between 1968 and 1989, when FSU immigrants were entitled to refugee visas in the United States, the comparison can be viewed as a natural experiment in immigrants' destination choices. The results suggest that FSU immigrants to the United States are of significantly higher educational level and experience significantly faster rates of earnings assimilation in their new destination than their counterparts who immigrated to Israel. We present evidence that patterns of self-selection in immigration to Israel and the United States--on both measured and unmeasured productivity-related traits--is the main reason for these results. When the immigration regulations in the United States changed in 1989, and FSU Jewish immigrants to the United States had to rely on family reunification for obtaining immigrant visas, the adverse effects of the policy change on the type of FSU immigrants coming to the United States were minor and short-lived As early as 1992, the gaps in the educational levels between FSU immigrants coming to Israel and to the United States returned to their pre-1989 levels, and the differences in earnings assimilation of post-1989 immigrants in the United States and Israel are similar to the differences detected in the 1980s.

78 FR 721 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Transport Refrigeration Units...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-04

...; Transport Refrigeration Units; Request for Authorization; Opportunity for Public Hearing and Comment AGENCY... Diesel-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) and TRU Generator Sets and Facilities Where TRUs...''), regarding its ``Airborne Toxic Control Measure for In-Use Diesel-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU...

Livability performance measures to transportation plans and projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-01-01

From July to September of 2014, teams from the Georgia Institute of Technology and North : Carolina State University hosted five workshops in the southeastern United States to assist : localities in developing performance measures to be used in trans...

Legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States

PubMed Central

Yörük, Barış K.

2013-01-01

Aims To investigate the relationship between legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States. Design State-level per capita consumption of beer, wine, and spirits was analyzed using difference-in-differences econometric methods. Setting United States. Participants 5 treatment states that repealed their laws restricting Sunday alcohol sales during 1990–2007 and 12 control states that retained their Sunday alcohol laws during the same period. Measurements Outcome measures are state-level per capita consumption of overall alcohol, beer, wine, and spirits. Findings Among the states that legalized Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico experienced significant increases in overall alcohol consumption (P<0.05). However, the effect of the legalization of Sunday alcohol sales in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on per capita alcohol consumption was insignificant (P=0.964 and P=0.367). Conclusions Three out of five states in the USA that repealed their laws restricting Sunday sale of alcoholic beverages during 1990–2007, experienced significant increases in per capita alcohol consumption. This finding implies that increased alcohol availability leads to an increase in alcohol consumption. PMID:24103041

The effect of child support enforcement on abortion in the United States.

PubMed

Crowley, Jocelyn E; Jagannathan, Radha; Falchettore, Galo

2012-01-01

This project aims to answer a critically important question of public policy: Does effective child support enforcement lead to a change in the incidence of abortion across the United States? Using state-level data collected from 1978–2003 from a variety of sources, we employ fixed effects regression analysis to examine whether financial security as measured by five types of child support enforcement effectiveness impacts abortion outcomes. We find that child support enforcement effectiveness decreases the incidence of abortion as measured by the abortion rate, but not the abortion ratio. Income transfer policies such as child support enforcement can affect certain fertility outcomes such as abortion rates across the states.

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.

The Impact of Advanced Geometry and Measurement Curriculum Units on the Mathematics Achievement of First-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gavin, M. Katherine; Casa, Tutita M.; Firmender, Janine M.; Carroll, Susan R.

2013-01-01

The goal of Project M2 was to develop and field-test challenging geometry and measurement units for K-2 students. The units were developed using recommendations from gifted, mathematics, and early childhood education. This article reports on achievement results for students in Grade 1 at 12 diverse sites in four states using the Iowa Tests of…

CHARACTERIZATION OF A SPATIAL GRADIENT OF NITROGEN DIOXIDE ACROSS A UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER CITY DURING WINTER

EPA Science Inventory

A gradient of ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration is demonstrated across metropolitan El Paso, Texas (USA), a city located on the international border between the United States and Mexico. Integrated measurements of NO2 were collected over seven days at 20 elementary sc...

Meeting Children's Needs: How Does the United States Measure up?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heymann, S. Jody; Penrose, Kate; Earle, Alison

2006-01-01

The majority of parents in the United States today must balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Workplace policies and community supports markedly influence the ability of parents to care for their children's health and education while obtaining, retaining, and advancing in their jobs. The goal of this article is to analyze the dilemmas…

Sensitivity of Inverse Estimation of 2004 Elemental Carbon Emissions Inventory in the United States to the Choice of Observational Networks

EPA Science Inventory

Choice of observational networks used for inverse re-estimation of elemental (or black) carbon (EC) emissions in the United States impacts results. We convert the Thermal Optical Transmittance (TOT) EC measurements to the Thermal Optical Reflectance (TOR) equivalent to make full...

Worldwide Report, Arms Control.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-19

on measures of substantially reducing medium -range nuclear arms to agreed-upon levels on the basis of reciprocity and in strict conformity with the ...to the United States to reach agreement on the immediate discontinua- tion by the United States of the deployment of medium -range missiles in Europe... by unilaterally imposing a moratorium on the

Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States, 1940-99.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ventura, Stephanie J.; Bachrach, Christine A.

2000-01-01

This report presents information on trends and variations in nonmarital childbearing in the United States and includes information on the factors that have contributed to the recent changes. Data are presented for 1940-1999 with emphasis on the trends in the 1990s. Data are presented on a variety of measures of nonmarital childbearing, including…

75 FR 27614 - WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding United States-Measures Affecting the Production and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-17

... the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Pub. L. 111-31) that prohibits the production... consultations regarding a provision of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Pub. L. 111-31... Act bans the production or sale in the United States of cigarettes containing certain additives...

Navigating Local Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing Policy Adoption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satterlund, Travis D.; Treiber, Jeanette; Cassady, Diana

2013-01-01

California state-funded local tobacco control projects have instituted smoke-free multi-unit housing (MUH) policy adoption campaigns in order to secure voluntary policy throughout the state. While landlords can legally prohibit smoking at MUH complexes in California, they often oppose such measures. The objective of this study was to analyze…

Particulate matter and black carbon optical properties and emission factors from prescribed fires in the southeastern United States

EPA Science Inventory

The aerosol emissions from prescribed fires in the Southeastern United States were measured and compared to emissions from laboratory burns with fuels collected from the site. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, and aerosol light scattering and absorption were characte...

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

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…

Student Perceptions of a Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics Camp Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binns, Ian C.; Polly, Drew; Conrad, James; Algozzine, Bob

2016-01-01

"As the world becomes increasingly technological, the value of (the ideas and skills of its population) will be determined in no small measure by the effectiveness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States" and "STEM education will determine whether the United States will remain a…

76 FR 53897 - EPA Seeking Input Materials Measurement; Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Recycling, and Source...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-30

... stakeholder input regarding the efficacy and scope of the MSW Characterization Report called ``Municipal Solid Waste in the United States'' as part of a broader discussion about sustainable materials management... efficacy and scope of the MSW Characterization Report called ``Municipal Solid Waste in the United States...

7 CFR 28.601 - Official cotton standards for fiber fineness and maturity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Cotton Standards of the United States for Fiber Fineness and Maturity § 28.601 Official cotton standards for fiber fineness and maturity. The official cotton standards of the United States for fiber fineness and maturity shall be the measure of such qualities, in combination, provided by air flow instrument...

Forest Resources of the United States, 1997, METRIC UNITS.

Treesearch

W. Brad Smith; John S. Vissage; Davie R. Darr; Raymond M. Sheffield

2002-01-01

Forest resource statistics from the 1987 Forest Resources Planning Act (RPA) Asessment were updated to 1997 to provide current information on the Nation's forests. Resource tables present estimates in metric measure of forest area, volume, mortality, growth, removals, and timber products output in various ways, such as by ownership, region, or State.

Quality of Care for White and Hispanic Medicare Advantage Enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Rivera-Hernandez, Maricruz; Leyva, Bryan; Keohane, Laura M; Trivedi, Amal N

2016-06-01

Geographic, racial, and ethnic variations in quality of care and outcomes have been well documented among the Medicare population. Few data exist on beneficiaries living in Puerto Rico, three-quarters of whom enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA). To determine the quality of care provided to white and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico. A cross-sectional study of MA enrollees in 2011 was conducted, including white enrollees in the United States (n = 6 289 374), Hispanic enrollees in the United States (n = 795 039), and Hispanic enrollees in Puerto Rico (n = 267 016). The study was conducted from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011; data analysis took place from January 19, 2015, to January 2, 2016. Seventeen performance measures related to diabetes mellitus (including hemoglobin A1c control, retinal eye examination, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control, nephropathy screening, and blood pressure control), cardiovascular disease (including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control, blood pressure control, and use of a β-blocker after myocardial infarction), cancer screening (colorectal and breast), and appropriate medications (including systemic corticosteroids and bronchodilators for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). Of the 7.35 million MA enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico in our study, 1.06 million (14.4%) were Hispanic. Approximately 25.1% of all Hispanic MA enrollees resided in Puerto Rico, which was more than those residing in any state. For 15 of the 17 measures assessed, Hispanic MA enrollees in Puerto Rico received worse care compared with Hispanics in the United States, with absolute differences in performance rates ranging from 2.2 percentage points for blood pressure control in diabetes mellitus (P = .03) to 31.3 percentage points for use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy (P < .01). Adjusted performance differences between Hispanic MA enrollees in Puerto Rico and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States exceeded 20 percentage points for 3 measures: use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy (-23.8 percentage points [95% CI, -30.9 to -16.8]), use of systemic corticosteroid in COPD exacerbation (-21.3 percentage points [95% CI, -27.5 to -15.1]), and use of bronchodilator therapy in COPD exacerbation (-22.7 percentage points [95% CI, -27.7 to -17.6]). We found modest differences in care between white and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States but substantially worse care for enrollees in Puerto Rico compared with their US counterparts. Major efforts are needed to improve care delivery on the island to a level equivalent to the United States.

Corima: A Bilingual Experiment in the Tarahumara Region in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. How Does It Measure against Transitional Bilingual Programs in the United States?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunez, Mario A.

This report explores two bilingual educational approaches currently in use in Mexico and the United States. The study pursues a limited comparison between two modalities of bilingual instruction, as observed and reported in the consulted literature. The U.S. model featured is known as the two-way bilingual model, an additive approach to…

Trends in lumber processing in the Western United States. Part II: Overrun and lumber recovery factors.

Treesearch

Charles E. Keegan; Todd A. Morgan; Keith A. Blatner; Jean M. Daniels

2010-01-01

This article describes trends in three measures of lumber recovery for sawmills in the western United States: lumber overrun (LO), lumber recovery factor (LRF), and cubic lumber recovery (CLR). All states and regions showed increased LO during the last three decades. Oregon and Montana had the highest LO at 107 and 100 percent, respectively. Alaska had the lowest LO at...

Severe red spruce winter injury in 2003 creates unusual ecological event in the northeastern United States

Treesearch

Brynne E. Lazarus; Paul G. Schaberg; Donald H. DeHayes; Gary J. Hawley

2004-01-01

Abundant winter injury to the current-year (2002) foliage of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) became apparent in the northeastern United States in late winter of 2003. To assess the severity and extent of this damage, we measured foliar winter injury at 28 locations in Vermont and surrounding states and bud mortality at a subset of these sites. Ninety percent of all...

Bigheaded carps : a biological synopsis and environmental risk assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolar, Cindy S.; Chapman, Duane C.; Courtenay, Walter R.; Housel, Christine M.; Williams, James D.; Jennings, Dawn P.

2007-01-01

Includes information on taxonomy and distinguishing characteristics, hybrids, native and introduced ranges, temperature and salinity tolerances, fecundity, sexual maturity and mating behavior, spawning, early development, feeding habits, growth rate and longevity, response to physical stimuli, associated diseases and parasites, human uses, environmental effects, potential range, population control measures. Summarizes United States federal and state regulations, and assesses the risk posed by these species in the United States.

Nuchal translucency and first trimester risk assessment: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sheppard, Celeste; Platt, Lawrence D

2007-06-01

First-trimester risk assessment for fetal aneuploidy using nuchal translucency (NT) measurement is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. In combination with maternal serum markers in the first trimester, the screening performance is exceptionally good, with detection rates of more than 80% at a screen positive rate of 5%. Recently, the method has been validated for screening for Down syndrome and other aneuploidies in multicenter trials in the United States and elsewhere. Compliance with established criteria for measurement of the NT is essential to achieve uniform reliability and high screening test sensitivity. There is an international consensus about the importance of specific training in the NT examination, conformity to standards of NT measurement, and regular audit for quality assurance. In the United States, the Nuchal Translucency Quality Review program has been developed to administer credentialing and quality review for registered practitioners. The Nuchal Translucency Quality Review credentials signify the proficiency of the sonographer or sonologist in NT measurement and participation in a regular quality assurance audit. We encourage accreditation of clinical sites offering first-trimester risk assessment to ensure the highest quality care.

Utility of the Static-99 and Static-99R With Latino Sex Offenders.

PubMed

Leguízamo, Alejandro; Lee, Seung C; Jeglic, Elizabeth L; Calkins, Cynthia

2017-12-01

The predictive validity of the Static-99 measures with ethnic minorities in the United States has only recently been assessed with mixed results. We assessed the predictive validity of the Static-99 and Static-99R with a sample of Latino sex offenders ( N = 483) as well as with two subsamples (U.S.-born, including Puerto Rico, and non-U.S.-born). The overall sexual recidivism rate was very low (1.9%). Both the Static-99 measures were able to predict sexual recidivism for offenders born in the United States and Puerto Rico, but neither was effective in doing so for other Latino immigrants. Calibration analyses ( N = 303) of the Static-99R were consistent with the literature and provided support for the potential use of the measure with Latinos born in the United States and Puerto Rico. These findings and their implications are discussed as they pertain to the assessment of Latino sex offenders.

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.

Comparison of Plastic Surgery Residency Training in United States and China.

PubMed

Zheng, Jianmin; Zhang, Boheng; Yin, Yiqing; Fang, Taolin; Wei, Ning; Lineaweaver, William C; Zhang, Feng

2015-12-01

Residency training is internationally recognized as the only way for the physicians to be qualified to practice independently. China has instituted a new residency training program for the specialty of plastic surgery. Meanwhile, plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States are presently in a transition because of restricted work hours. The purpose of this study is to compare the current characteristics of plastic surgery residency training in 2 countries. Flow path, structure, curriculum, operative experience, research, and evaluation of training in 2 countries were measured. The number of required cases was compared quantitatively whereas other aspects were compared qualitatively. Plastic surgery residency training programs in 2 countries differ regarding specific characteristics. Requirements to become a plastic surgery resident in the United States are more rigorous. Ownership structure of the regulatory agency for residency training in 2 countries is diverse. Training duration in the United States is more flexible. Clinical and research training is more practical and the method of evaluation of residency training is more reasonable in the United States. The job opportunities after residency differ substantially between 2 countries. Not every resident has a chance to be an independent surgeon and would require much more training time in China than it does in the United States. Plastic surgery residency training programs in the United States and China have their unique characteristics. The training programs in the United States are more standardized. Both the United States and China may complement each other to create training programs that will ultimately provide high-quality care for all people.

Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in United States Government Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Champney, Leonard; Edleman, Paul

2010-01-01

This study employs the Solomon Four-Group Design to measure student knowledge of the United States government and student knowledge of current events at the beginning of a U.S. government course and at the end. In both areas, knowledge improves significantly. Regarding knowledge of the U.S. government, both males and females improve at similar…

77 FR 20728 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Framework Adjustment 23

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

.... 111011616-2102-02] RIN 0648-BB51 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery... Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (Framework 23) and implements its measures. Framework 23 was... impacts on sea turtles through the requirement of a turtle deflector dredge; improve the effectiveness of...

Educational Inequality in the United States: Can We Reverse the Tide?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamoran, Adam; Bruch, Sarah K.

2017-01-01

Educational inequality is a pressing problem in much of the English-speaking world and especially in the United States, as the last three decades have witnessed rising inequality on several measures. This is an appropriate subject for a special issue commemorating the contributions of David Raffe, whose career of scholarship greatly enhanced our…

Hydrogen ion speciation in the acid precipitation of the northeastern United States

Treesearch

James N. Galloway; Gene E. Likens; Eric S. Edgerton

1976-01-01

The acidity of precipitation in rural, forested areas of the northeastern United States is dominated by the strong mineral acids, sulfuric and nitric. Weak acids have a negligible effect on the measured acidity (pH) of precipitation. These conclusions are based on total acidity titrations and detailed analysis of organic and inorganic components in precipitation.

49 CFR 575.104 - Uniform tire quality grading standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... on a pavement surface. (B) Mount each tire on a rim of design or measuring rim width specified for... importation into the United States by the tire's manufacturer of tires of the same design and size as the tire... domestic purchase or importation into the United States by a brand name owner of tires of the same design...

49 CFR 575.104 - Uniform tire quality grading standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... on a pavement surface. (B) Mount each tire on a rim of design or measuring rim width specified for... importation into the United States by the tire's manufacturer of tires of the same design and size as the tire... domestic purchase or importation into the United States by a brand name owner of tires of the same design...

49 CFR 575.104 - Uniform tire quality grading standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... on a pavement surface. (B) Mount each tire on a rim of design or measuring rim width specified for... importation into the United States by the tire's manufacturer of tires of the same design and size as the tire... domestic purchase or importation into the United States by a brand name owner of tires of the same design...

49 CFR 575.104 - Uniform tire quality grading standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... on a pavement surface. (B) Mount each tire on a rim of design or measuring rim width specified for... importation into the United States by the tire's manufacturer of tires of the same design and size as the tire... domestic purchase or importation into the United States by a brand name owner of tires of the same design...

49 CFR 575.104 - Uniform tire quality grading standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... on a pavement surface. (B) Mount each tire on a rim of design or measuring rim width specified for... importation into the United States by the tire's manufacturer of tires of the same design and size as the tire... domestic purchase or importation into the United States by a brand name owner of tires of the same design...

Children's Exposure to Pyrethroid Insecticides at Home: A Review of Data Collected in Published Exposure Measurement Studies Conducted in the United States

EPA Science Inventory

Pyrethroid insecticides are frequently used to control insects in residential and agriculture settings in the United States and worldwide. As a result, children can be potentially exposed to pyrethroid residues in food and at home. This review summarizes data reported in 15 publi...

The Cultural Influence in Accounting Standard Setting: A Comparative Analysis of the United States, Canada, and England.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Robert; And Others

A study of the processes for establishing the principles and policies of measurement and disclosure in preparing financial reports examines differences in these processes in the United States, Canada, and England. Information was drawn from international accounting literature on standard setting. The differences and similarities in the…

Effort to test, evaluate and deploy technologies to automate the measurement of real-time border wait times at United States-Canada land border crossings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

The United States and Canada share the largest bi-national trading relationship in the world. An efficient and cost-effective border crossing system for both freight and passenger vehicle traffic is thus vital to the economic well-being and security ...

Forest Inventory and Analysis Database of the United States of America (FIA)

Treesearch

Andrew N. Gray; Thomas J. Brandeis; John D. Shaw; William H. McWilliams; Patrick Miles

2012-01-01

Extensive vegetation inventories established with a probabilistic design are an indispensable tool in describing distributions of species and community types and detecting changes in composition in response to climate or other drivers. The Forest Inventory and Analysis Program measures vegetation in permanent plots on forested lands across the United States of America...

The Emerging Paradigm in Probation and Parole in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimora

2008-01-01

There is an emerging paradigm in probation and parole in the United States. That new outlook encompasses a realization that these forms of supervision of offenders must meet the challenges of an increasing number of parolees and probationers. Recidivism continues to be the primary outcome measure for probation, as it is for all corrections…

Investing in High Quality Preschool: Lessons from an Urban Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorman, Rebekah L.; Anthony, Elizabeth; Osborne-Fears, Billie; Fischer, Robert L.

2017-01-01

Large numbers of children of low income families in the United States arrive at kindergarten already far behind their more affluent peers on measures of school readiness. In the absence of any federal preschool policy and amidst alarm about this growing divide, universal prekindergarten (UPK) programs have been launched around the United States,…

Growing season variability in carbon dioxide exchange of irrigated and rainfed soybean in the southern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Measurement of carbon dynamics of soybean (Glycine max L.) ecosystems outside Corn Belt of the United States (U.S.) is lacking. This study reports carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes from a rainfed soybean field in El Reno, Oklahoma and an irrigated soybean field in Stoneville, Mississippi during the 2016 g...

A REVIEW OF HOUSEHOLD DRINKING WATER INTERVENTION TRIALS AND AN APPROACH TO THE ESTIMATION OF ENDEMIC WATERBORNE GASTROENTERITIS IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

The incidence of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) attributable to public drinking water systems in the United States cannot be directly measured but must be estimated based on epidemiologic studies and other information. The randomized trial is one study design used to evalua...

Assessment, Accountability, and Educational Quality in the United States and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culver, Steven M.; Warfvinge, Per

2013-01-01

In both Europe and the United States, accountability pressures have continued to increase, spurred by the higher-level policy groups represented by the EC in Europe and by the federal government in the US, forcing institutions to measure their effectiveness in ways that are more transparent to governmental bodies and the general public. These ways…

Preservice Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Policy in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajuwon, Paul M.; Laman, Effie; Earle, John Christopher

2014-01-01

The attitudes of 224 preservice teachers from eight universities in the United States were measured to determine if participants' sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusion can be positively affected through a single course, i.e., using pre and post data gathered with one instrument. There were significant differences between a number of…

A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Leadership in the United States and Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Charles L.; Boone, Mike; Price, Larry; Martinez, Dyanna; Alvarez, Isaias; Topete, Carlos; Olea, Elia

2002-01-01

Comparative study of leadership practices in Mexico and the United States as measured by Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) administered to 28 graduate students in educational administration at a Mexican university and similar set of students at a U.S. university. Finds that U.S. students scored significantly higher on LPI…

A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Leadership in the United States and Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Charles L.; Boone, Mike; Price, Larry; Martinez, Dyanna; Alvarez, Isaias; Topete, Carlos; Olea, Elia

This study reports the administration of the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) (J. Kouzes and B. Posner, 1995) to 28 graduate students in educational administration at a university in the Southwest of the United States and 28 students at a university in Mexico. The limitations of this quantitative measure are examined, and comparisons of…

The Moral Reasoning of Sports Management Students in the United States and Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forte, Almerinda

2013-01-01

The researcher analyzed the moral reasoning ability of Sports Management students in the United States and Italy. The researcher statistically analyzed data collected through a survey questionnaire designed to measure moral reasoning. The Defining Issues Test (DIT) developed by James Rest using Kohlberg's six stages of moral judgment was used in…

A 16-year time series of 1 km AVHRR satellite data of the conterminous United States and Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eidenshink, Jeff

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a 16-year time series of vegetation condition information for the conterminous United States and Alaska using 1 km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data. The AVHRR data have been processed using consistent methods that account for radiometric variability due to calibration uncertainty, the effects of the atmosphere on surface radiometric measurements obtained from wide field-of-view observations, and the geometric registration accuracy. The conterminous United States and Alaska data sets have an atmospheric correction for water vapor, ozone, and Rayleigh scattering and include a cloud mask derived using the Clouds from AVHRR (CLAVR) algorithm. In comparison with other AVHRR time series data sets, the conterminous United States and Alaska data are processed using similar techniques. The primary difference is that the conterminous United States and Alaska data are at 1 km resolution, while others are at 8 km resolution. The time series consists of weekly and biweekly maximum normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) composites.

Angular motion estimation using dynamic models in a gyro-free inertial measurement unit.

PubMed

Edwan, Ezzaldeen; Knedlik, Stefan; Loffeld, Otmar

2012-01-01

In this paper, we summarize the results of using dynamic models borrowed from tracking theory in describing the time evolution of the state vector to have an estimate of the angular motion in a gyro-free inertial measurement unit (GF-IMU). The GF-IMU is a special type inertial measurement unit (IMU) that uses only a set of accelerometers in inferring the angular motion. Using distributed accelerometers, we get an angular information vector (AIV) composed of angular acceleration and quadratic angular velocity terms. We use a Kalman filter approach to estimate the angular velocity vector since it is not expressed explicitly within the AIV. The bias parameters inherent in the accelerometers measurements' produce a biased AIV and hence the AIV bias parameters are estimated within an augmented state vector. Using dynamic models, the appended bias parameters of the AIV become observable and hence we can have unbiased angular motion estimate. Moreover, a good model is required to extract the maximum amount of information from the observation. Observability analysis is done to determine the conditions for having an observable state space model. For higher grades of accelerometers and under relatively higher sampling frequency, the error of accelerometer measurements is dominated by the noise error. Consequently, simulations are conducted on two models, one has bias parameters appended in the state space model and the other is a reduced model without bias parameters.

Angular Motion Estimation Using Dynamic Models in a Gyro-Free Inertial Measurement Unit

PubMed Central

Edwan, Ezzaldeen; Knedlik, Stefan; Loffeld, Otmar

2012-01-01

In this paper, we summarize the results of using dynamic models borrowed from tracking theory in describing the time evolution of the state vector to have an estimate of the angular motion in a gyro-free inertial measurement unit (GF-IMU). The GF-IMU is a special type inertial measurement unit (IMU) that uses only a set of accelerometers in inferring the angular motion. Using distributed accelerometers, we get an angular information vector (AIV) composed of angular acceleration and quadratic angular velocity terms. We use a Kalman filter approach to estimate the angular velocity vector since it is not expressed explicitly within the AIV. The bias parameters inherent in the accelerometers measurements' produce a biased AIV and hence the AIV bias parameters are estimated within an augmented state vector. Using dynamic models, the appended bias parameters of the AIV become observable and hence we can have unbiased angular motion estimate. Moreover, a good model is required to extract the maximum amount of information from the observation. Observability analysis is done to determine the conditions for having an observable state space model. For higher grades of accelerometers and under relatively higher sampling frequency, the error of accelerometer measurements is dominated by the noise error. Consequently, simulations are conducted on two models, one has bias parameters appended in the state space model and the other is a reduced model without bias parameters. PMID:22778586

Refining estimates of public health spending as measured in national health expenditures accounts: the United States experience.

PubMed

Sensenig, Arthur L

2007-01-01

Providing for the delivery of public health services and understanding the funding mechanisms for these services are topics of great currency in the United States. In 2002, the Department of Homeland Security was created and the responsibility for providing public health services was realigned among federal agencies. State and local public health agencies are under increased financial pressures even as they shoulder more responsibilities as the vital first link in the provision of public health services. Recent events, such as hurricanes Katrina and Rita, served to highlight the need to accurately access the public health delivery system at all levels of government. The National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA), prepared by the National Health Statistics Group, measure expenditures on healthcare goods and services in the United States. Government public health activity constitutes an important service category in the NHEA. In the most recent set of estimates, Government Public Health Activity expenditures totaled $56.1 billion in 2004, or 3.0 percent of total US health spending. Accurately measuring expenditures for public health services in the United States presents many challenges. Among these challenges is the difficult task of defining what types of government activity constitute public health services. There is no clear-cut, universally accepted definition of government public health care services, and the definitions in the proposed International Classification for Health Accounts are difficult to apply to an individual country's unique delivery systems. Other challenges include the definitional issues associated with the boundaries of healthcare as well as the requirement that census and survey data collected from government(s) be compliant with the Classification of Functions of Government (COFOG), an internationally recognized classification system developed by the United Nations.

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.

The reliability analysis of a separated, dual fail operational redundant strapdown IMU. [inertial measurement unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motyka, P.

1983-01-01

A methodology for quantitatively analyzing the reliability of redundant avionics systems, in general, and the dual, separated Redundant Strapdown Inertial Measurement Unit (RSDIMU), in particular, is presented. The RSDIMU is described and a candidate failure detection and isolation system presented. A Markov reliability model is employed. The operational states of the system are defined and the single-step state transition diagrams discussed. Graphical results, showing the impact of major system parameters on the reliability of the RSDIMU system, are presented and discussed.

A Method for Determining Pseudo-measurement State Values for Topology Observability of State Estimation in Power Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urano, Shoichi; Mori, Hiroyuki

This paper proposes a new technique for determining of state values in power systems. Recently, it is useful for carrying out state estimation with data of PMU (Phasor Measurement Unit). The authors have developed a method for determining state values with artificial neural network (ANN) considering topology observability in power systems. ANN has advantage to approximate nonlinear functions with high precision. The method evaluates pseudo-measurement state values of the data which are lost in power systems. The method is successfully applied to the IEEE 14-bus system.

The aging self in a cultural context: the relation of conceptions of aging to identity processes and self-esteem in the United States and the Netherlands.

PubMed

Westerhof, Gerben J; Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; Freeman, Gillian P

2012-01-01

To study the aging self, that is, conceptions of one's own aging process, in relation to identity processes and self-esteem in the United States and the Netherlands. As the liberal American system has a stronger emphasis on individual responsibility and youthfulness than the social-democratic Dutch system, we expect that youthful and positive perceptions of one's own aging process are more important in the United States than in the Netherlands. Three hundred and nineteen American and 235 Dutch persons between 40 and 85 years participated in the study. A single question on age identity and the Personal Experience of Aging Scale measured aspects of the aging self. The Identity and Experiences Scale measured identity processes and Rosenberg's scale measured self-esteem. A youthful age identity and more positive personal experiences of aging were related to identity processes and self-esteem. These conceptions of one's own aging process also mediate the relation between identity processes and self-esteem. This mediating effect is stronger in the United States than in the Netherlands. As expected, the self-enhancing function of youthful and positive aging perceptions is stronger in the liberal American system than in the social-democratic Dutch welfare system. The aging self should therefore be studied in its cultural context.

Acculturation and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms among Hispanic Women in the United States: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alhasanat, Dalia; Giurgescu, Carmen

The purpose of this review was to evaluate studies that examined the relationship between acculturation and postpartum depression (PPD) among immigrant and/or refugee women in the United States. A systematic, computer-assisted search of quantitative, English-language, peer-reviewed, published research articles was conducted in the Scopus, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Maternity and Infant Care databases using the keyword terms of "postpartum depression" and "perinatal depression" in combination with "acculturation." Studies were included if they were conducted in the United States. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Three studies used longitudinal designs and four used cross-sectional designs. All were conducted with Hispanic women. Only one study used a diagnostic tool to measure PPD; the remaining studies used screening tools to measure postpartum depressive symptoms. Most studies used country of birth, country of residence, and language preferences to measure acculturation. Five studies reported acculturation was positively related to risk of postpartum depressive symptoms, and two studies reported no relationship. Higher levels of acculturation were related to higher risk of postpartum depressive symptoms in Hispanic women living in the United States. Nurses should have an understanding of stressors of immigrant women to guide their assessment and screening for postpartum depressive symptoms and make appropriate referrals. More research is needed to confirm the relationship between acculturation and PPD among immigrant women from different cultural backgrounds.

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…

Measuring the performance of livability programs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

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

Magnetic susceptibility data for some exposed bedrock in the western conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gettings, Mark E.; Bultman, Mark W.

2014-01-01

In-place rock magnetic susceptibility measurements for 746 sites in the western conterminous United States are reported in a database. Of these 746 sites, 408 sites are in the Silverton Caldera area of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Of the 408 sites in the Silverton Caldera area, 106 sites are underground. The remaining 338 sites outside the Silverton Caldera area were on outcropping rock, are distributed from southern Arizona to northwestern Wyoming, and include data from California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Rock-density measurements are included for some sites. These data have been collected by various U.S. Geological Survey studies from 1991 through 2012 and are intended to help improve geophysical modeling of the Earth’s crust in the Western United States. A map-based graphical user interface is included to facilitate use of the data.

Fulfilling Our Promises: The United States and the Helsinki Final Act. A Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Washington, DC.

This report examines compliance by the United States with agreements made in the Helsinki Final Act. The Act was signed in 1975 by leaders of 33 East and West European nations, Canada, and the U.S. It contains numerous cooperative measures aimed at improving East-West relations. This report was prepared by the Commission on Security and…

Sectoral contributions to surface water stress in the coterminous United States

Treesearch

K. Averyt; J. Meldrum; P. Caldwell; G. Sun; S. McNulty; A. Huber-Lee; N. Madden

2013-01-01

Here, we assess current stress in the freshwater system based on the best available data in order to understand possible risks and vulnerabilities to regional water resources and the sectors dependent on freshwater. We present watershed-scale measures of surface water supply stress for the coterminous United States (US) using the water supply stress index (WaSSI) model...

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…

Disparities in Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened and Other Beverages by Race/Ethnicity and Obesity Status among United States Schoolchildren

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodd, Allison Hedley; Briefel, Ronette; Cabili, Charlotte; Wilson, Ander; Crepinsek, Mary Kay

2013-01-01

Objective: Identify disparities by race/ethnicity and obesity status in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and other beverages among United States schoolchildren to help tailor interventions to reduce childhood obesity. Design: Secondary data analysis using beverage intake data from 24-hour dietary recalls and measured height and…

Changes in LASSI Scores Among Reading and Study Skills Students at the United States Military Academy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ince, Elizabeth J.; Priest, Robert

1998-01-01

Describes administration of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) to three groups of United States Military Academy students in order to evaluate changes in student performance as a result of taking a student-success course (RS101). LASSI measures students' affective growth upon completion of the RS101 course and their growth in…

Iraq: Recent Developments in Reconstruction Assistance

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-23

Developments in Reconstruction Assistance Summary Large-scale reconstruction assistance programs are being undertaken by the United States following the war...currently the case. The House approved the measure on March 16. On June 28, 2004, the entity implementing assistance programs , the Coalition Provisional...Large-scale reconstruction assistance programs are being undertaken by the United States in Iraq. This report describes recent developments in this

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.

Atlas of relations between climatic parameters and distributions of important trees and shrubs in North America: Revisions for all taxa from the United States and Canada and new taxa from the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Robert S.; Anderson, Katherine H.; Pelltier, Richard T.; Strickland, Laura E.; Shafer, Sarah L.; Bartlein, Patrick J.; McFadden, Andrew K.

2015-01-01

This volume of the atlas provides numerous changes, updates, and enhancements from previous volumes. Its geographic coverage is now restricted to Canada and the continental United States, and the source and time period of the climatic data have changed. New variables were added, including monthly values for temperature and precipitation, and measures of interannual variability. The distribution maps for all previously published species were redigitized, some distribution maps were revised, and 148 new species were added from the arid and semiarid western United States. The graphical displays were expanded to illustrate the new climatic variables, and the data tables were modified to provide more detail on the population distributions of plant taxa relative to climatic variables.

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.

Nuclear Enterprise Performance Measurement

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

xi I. Introduction ...WSA: Weapons Storage Area 1 I. Introduction Overview This paper discusses United States Air Force nuclear enterprise...sustainment systems. Keywords Performance measurement, process measurement, strategy, multicriteria decision- making, aggregation 1. Introduction Nuclear

The Dissemination of Mass in the United States: Results and Implications of Recent BIPM Calibrations of US National Prototype Kilograms

PubMed Central

Kubarych, Zeina J; Abbott, Patrick J

2014-01-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is responsible for the dissemination of the unit of mass within the United States of America through the national prototype kilogram K20 and its check standard K4. These platinum-iridium artifacts have been in use since 1889 and are periodically sent to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) for recalibration. The following is a brief description of the roles of the national prototype kilograms in the dissemination of mass in the United States of America, and the implications for NIST mass calibration customers of the most recent recalibrations of K20 and K4. PMID:26601023

Research output on primary care in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States: bibliometric analysis

PubMed Central

Glanville, Julie; Kendrick, Tony; McNally, Rosalind; Campbell, John

2011-01-01

Objective To compare the volume and quality of original research in primary care published by researchers from primary care in the United Kingdom against five countries with well established academic primary care. Design Bibliometric analysis. Setting United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. Studies reviewed Research publications relevant to comprehensive primary care and authored by researchers from primary care, recorded in Medline and Embase, with publication dates 2001-7 inclusive. Main outcome measures Volume of published activity of generalist primary care researchers and the quality of the research output by those publishing the most using citation metrics: numbers of cited papers, proportion of cited papers, and mean citation scores. Results 82 169 papers published between 2001 and 2007 in the six countries were classified as research on primary care. In a 15% pragmatic random sample of these records, 40% of research on primary care from the United Kingdom and 46% from the Netherlands was authored by researchers employed in a primary care setting or employed in academic departments of primary care. The 141 researchers with the highest volume of publications reporting research findings published between 2001 and 2007 (inclusive) authored or part authored 8.3% of the total sample of papers. For authors with the highest proportion of publications cited at least five times, the best performers came from the United States (n=5), United Kingdom (n=4), and the Netherlands (n=2). In the top 10 of authors with the highest proportions of publications achieving 20 or more citations, six were from the United Kingdom and four from the United States. The mean Hirsch index (measure of a researcher’s productivity and impact of the published work) was 14 for the Netherlands, 13 for the United Kingdom, 12 for the United States, 7 for Canada, 4 for Australia, and 3 for Germany. Conclusion This international comparison of the volume and citation rates of papers by researchers from primary care consistently placed UK researchers among the best performers internationally. PMID:21385804

Comprehensive Educational Assessment for the States: The Duplex Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bock, R. Darrell; Mislevy, Robert J.

1988-01-01

The duplex design is proposed for educational assessment within a state school system. For individual students, scaled proficiency measures that are suitable for guidance and certification at various levels of attainment are provided. For classrooms or larger units, the design can supply group level measures for evaluation and research. (SLD)

Health-related quality-of-life assessments in diverse population groups in the United States.

PubMed

Stewart, A L; Nápoles-Springer, A

2000-09-01

Effectiveness research needs to represent the increasing diversity of the United States. Health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) measures are often included as secondary treatment outcomes. Because most HRQOL measures were developed in nonminority, well-educated samples, we must determine whether such measures are conceptually and psychometrically equivalent in diverse subgroups. Without equivalence, overall findings and observed group differences may contain measurement bias. The objectives of this work were to discuss the nature of diversity, importance of ensuring the adequacy of HRQOL measures in diverse groups, methods for assessing comparability of HRQOL measures across groups, and methodological and analytical challenges. Integration of qualitative and quantitative methods is needed to achieve measurement adequacy in diverse groups. Little research explores conceptual equivalence across US subgroups; of the few studies of psychometric comparability, findings are inconsistent. Evidence is needed regarding whether current measures are comparable or need modifications to meet universality assumptions, and we need to determine the best methods for evaluating this. We recommend coordinated efforts to develop guidelines for assessing measurement adequacy across diverse subgroups, allocate resources for measurement studies in diverse populations, improve reporting of and access to measurement results by subgroups, and develop strategies for optimizing the universality of HRQOL measures and resolving inadequacies. We advocate culturally sensitive research that involves cultural subgroups throughout the research process. Because examining the cultural equivalence of HRQOL measures within the United States is somewhat new, we have a unique opportunity to shape the direction of this work through development and dissemination of appropriate methods.

Increasing prevalence of diagnosed diabetes--United States and Puerto Rico, 1995-2010.

PubMed

2012-11-16

In 2010, an estimated 18.8 million persons in the United States had diagnosed diabetes mellitus and another 7.0 million had undiagnosed diabetes. Since 1990, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in the United States has risen sharply among all age groups, both sexes, and all racial/ethnic groups for which data are available. To learn whether the increase has been greater in some regions of the United States than in others, data on self-reported diabetes in adults collected during 1995-2010 by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed. The analysis showed that the age-adjusted prevalence of diagnosed diabetes increased during the interval in every state, the District of Columbia (DC), and Puerto Rico. In 1995, age-adjusted prevalence was ≥6% in only three states, DC, and Puerto Rico, but by 2010 it was ≥6% in every state, DC, and Puerto Rico, and ≥10.0% in six states and Puerto Rico. Strategies to prevent diabetes and its preventable risk factors are needed, especially for those at highest risk for diabetes, to slow the rise in diabetes prevalence across the United States. Continued surveillance of diabetes prevalence and incidence, its risk factors, and prevention efforts is important to measure progress of prevention efforts.

Math for Marines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marine Corps Inst., Washington, DC.

This course is designed to review the arithmetic skills used by many Marines in the daily pursuance of their duties. It consists of six study units: (1) number systems and operations; (2) fractions and percents; (3) introduction to algebra; (4) units of measurement (considering both the metric and United States systems); (5) geometric forms; and…

Blood Cholesterol Measurement in Clinical Laboratories in the United States. Current Status. A Report from the Laboratory Standardization Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Inst. (DHHS/NIH), Bethesda, MD.

Precise and accurate cholesterol measurements are required to identify and treat individuals with high blood cholesterol levels. However, the current state of reliability of blood cholesterol measurements suggests that considerable inaccuracy in cholesterol testing exists. This report describes the Laboratory Standardization Panel findings on the…

Use of tobacco tax stamps to prevent and reduce illicit tobacco trade--United States, 2014.

PubMed

Chriqui, Jamie; DeLong, Hillary; Gourdet, Camille; Chaloupka, Frank; Edwards, Sarah Matthes; Xu, Xin; Promoff, Gabbi

2015-05-29

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Increasing the unit price on tobacco products is the most effective tobacco prevention and control measure. Illicit tobacco trade (illicit trade) undermines high tobacco prices by providing tobacco users with cheaper-priced alternatives. In the United States, illicit trade primarily occurs when cigarettes are bought from states, jurisdictions, and federal reservation land with lower or no excise taxes, and sold in jurisdictions with higher taxes. Applying tax stamps to tobacco products, which provides documentation that taxes have been paid, is an important tool to combat illicit trade. Comprehensive tax stamping policy, which includes using digital, encrypted ("high-tech") stamps, applying stamps to all tobacco products, and working with tribes on stamping agreements, can further prevent and reduce illicit trade. This report describes state laws governing tax stamps on cigarettes, little cigars (cigarette-sized cigars), roll-your-own tobacco (RYOT), and tribal tobacco sales across the United States as of January 1, 2014, and assesses the extent of comprehensive tobacco tax stamping in the United States. Forty-four states (including the District of Columbia [DC]) applied traditional paper ("low-tech") tax stamps to cigarettes, whereas four authorized more effective high-tech stamps. Six states explicitly required stamps on other tobacco products (i.e., tobacco products other than cigarettes), and in approximately one third of states with tribal lands, tribes required tax stamping to address illicit purchases by nonmembers. No U.S. state had a comprehensive approach to tobacco tax stamping. Enhancing tobacco tax stamping across the country might further prevent and reduce illicit trade in the United States.

China's international trade and air pollution in the United States.

PubMed

Lin, Jintai; Pan, Da; Davis, Steven J; Zhang, Qiang; He, Kebin; Wang, Can; Streets, David G; Wuebbles, Donald J; Guan, Dabo

2014-02-04

China is the world's largest emitter of anthropogenic air pollutants, and measurable amounts of Chinese pollution are transported via the atmosphere to other countries, including the United States. However, a large fraction of Chinese emissions is due to manufacture of goods for foreign consumption. Here, we analyze the impacts of trade-related Chinese air pollutant emissions on the global atmospheric environment, linking an economic-emission analysis and atmospheric chemical transport modeling. We find that in 2006, 36% of anthropogenic sulfur dioxide, 27% of nitrogen oxides, 22% of carbon monoxide, and 17% of black carbon emitted in China were associated with production of goods for export. For each of these pollutants, about 21% of export-related Chinese emissions were attributed to China-to-US export. Atmospheric modeling shows that transport of the export-related Chinese pollution contributed 3-10% of annual mean surface sulfate concentrations and 0.5-1.5% of ozone over the western United States in 2006. This Chinese pollution also resulted in one extra day or more of noncompliance with the US ozone standard in 2006 over the Los Angeles area and many regions in the eastern United States. On a daily basis, the export-related Chinese pollution contributed, at a maximum, 12-24% of sulfate concentrations over the western United States. As the United States outsourced manufacturing to China, sulfate pollution in 2006 increased in the western United States but decreased in the eastern United States, reflecting the competing effect between enhanced transport of Chinese pollution and reduced US emissions. Our findings are relevant to international efforts to reduce transboundary air pollution.

Legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States.

PubMed

Yörük, Barış K

2014-01-01

To investigate the relationship between legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States. State-level per capita consumption of beer, wine and spirits was analyzed using difference-in-differences econometric methods. United States. Five treatment states that repealed their laws restricting Sunday alcohol sales during 1990-2007 and 12 control states that retained their Sunday alcohol laws during the same period. Outcome measures are state-level per capita consumption of overall alcohol, beer, wine and spirits. Among the states that legalized Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Mexico experienced significant increases in overall alcohol consumption (P < 0.05). However, the effect of the legalization of Sunday alcohol sales in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on per capita alcohol consumption was insignificant (P = 0.964 and P = 0.367). Three out of five states in the United States that repealed their laws restricting Sunday sale of alcoholic beverages during 1990-2007 experienced significant increases in per capita alcohol consumption. This finding implies that increased alcohol availability leads to an increase in alcohol consumption. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Cost-Effectiveness of Screening and Treating Foreign-Born Students for Tuberculosis before Entering the United States

PubMed Central

Wingate, La’Marcus T.; Posey, Drew L.; Zhou, Weigong; Olson, Christine K.; Maskery, Brian

2015-01-01

Introduction The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering implementation of overseas medical screening of student-visa applicants to reduce the numbers of active tuberculosis cases entering the United States. Objective To evaluate the costs, cases averted, and cost-effectiveness of screening for, and treating, tuberculosis in United States-bound students from countries with varying tuberculosis prevalence. Methods Costs and benefits were evaluated from two perspectives, combined and United States only. The combined perspective totaled overseas and United States costs and benefits from a societal perspective. The United States only perspective was a domestic measure of costs and benefits. A decision tree was developed to determine the cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis screening and treatment from the combined perspective. Results From the United States only perspective, overseas screening programs of Chinese and Indian students would prevent the importation of 157 tuberculosis cases annually, and result in $2.7 million in savings. From the combined perspective, screening programs for Chinese students would cost more than $2.8 million annually and screening programs for Indian students nearly $440,000 annually. From the combined perspective, the incremental cost for each tuberculosis case averted by screening Chinese and Indian students was $22,187 and $15,063, respectively. Implementing screening programs for German students would prevent no cases in most years, and would result in increased costs both overseas and in the United States. The domestic costs would occur because public health departments would need to follow up on students identified overseas as having an elevated risk of tuberculosis. Conclusions Tuberculosis screening and treatment programs for students seeking long term visas to attend United States schools would reduce the number of tuberculosis cases imported. Implementing screening in high-incidence countries could save the United States millions of dollars annually; however there would be increased costs incurred overseas for students and their families. PMID:25924009

Hand hygiene compliance rates in the United States--a one-year multicenter collaboration using product/volume usage measurement and feedback.

PubMed

McGuckin, Maryanne; Waterman, Richard; Govednik, John

2009-01-01

Hand hygiene (HH) is the single most important factor in the prevention of health care-acquired infections. The 3 most frequently reported methods of measuring HH compliance are: (1) direct observation, (2) self-reporting by health care workers (HCWs), and (3) indirect calculation based on HH product usage. This article presents the results of a 12-month multicenter collaboration assessing HH compliance rates at US health care facilities by measuring product usage and providing feedback about HH compliance. Our results show that HH compliance at baseline was 26% for intensive care units (ICUs) and 36% for non-ICUs. After 12 months of measuring product usage and providing feedback, compliance increased to 37% for ICUs and 51% for non-ICUs. (ICU, P = .0119; non-ICU, P < .001). HH compliance in the United States can increase when monitoring is combined with feedback. However, HH still occurs at or below 50% compli- ance for both ICUs and non-ICUs.

Educational Funding and Student Outcomes: The Relationship as Evidenced by State-Level Data. Research Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Ted

2014-01-01

This report shows the impact of various school funding measures on student outcomes measured by NAEP, ACT, and SAT scores, the four-year cohort graduation rate, and percent of the population ages 18-24 with at least a high school diploma. State-level data for the United States from 2005 through 2014 as available is utilized to establish the nature…

Adjusted Poverty Measures and the Distribution of Title I Aid: Does Title I Really Make the Rich States Richer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bruce D.; Taylor, Lori; Levin, Jesse; Chambers, Jay; Blankenship, Charles

2013-01-01

Federal and state governments in the United States make extensive use of student poverty rates in compensatory aid programs like Title I. Unfortunately, the measures of student poverty that drive funding allocations under such programs are biased because they fail to reflect geographic differences in the cost of living. In this study, we construct…

Monitoring Method and Apparatus Using Asynchronous, One-Way Transmission from Sensor to Base Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drouant, George J. (Inventor); Jensen, Scott L. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A monitoring system is disclosed, which includes a base station and at least one sensor unit that is separate from the base station. The at least one sensor unit resides in a dormant state until it is awakened by the triggering of a vibration-sensitive switch. Once awakened, the sensor may take a measurement, and then transmit to the base station the measurement. Once data is transmitted from the sensor to the base station, the sensor may return to its dormant state. There may be various sensors for each base station and the various sensors may optionally measure different quantities, such as current, voltage, single-axis and/or three-axis magnetic fields.

Veterans Justice Outreach Program: VA Could Improve Management by Establishing Performance Measures and Fully Assessing Risks

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

Assessing Risks Report to Congressional Requesters April 2016 GAO-16-393 United States Government Accountability Office United States...Government Accountability Office Highlights of GAO-16-393, a report to congressional requesters April 2016 VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH PROGRAM...quality, timeliness, efficiency, cost of service, and outcome. GAO, Tax Administration: IRS Needs to Further Refine Its Tax Filing Season

A Framework for the Dual Language Assessment of Young Dual Language Learners in the United States. Research Report. ETS RR-17-37

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzman-Orth, Danielle; Lopez, Alexis A.; Tolentino, Florencia

2017-01-01

Dual language learners (DLLs) and the various educational programs that serve them are increasing in number across the country. This framework lays out a conceptual approach for dual language assessment tasks designed to measure the language and literacy skills of young DLLs entering kindergarten in the United States. Although our examples focus…

The Lack of a Long-Term Growth Effect of Annosus Control in Southeastern United States

Treesearch

F. H. Tainter; J. G. Williams; N. J. Hess; S. W. Oak; D. A. Starkey

1989-01-01

An evaluation of basal area increment was made in 1988 of six pine plantations located across the southeastern United States. These plantations had been thinned in 1969-1970 and stumps treated with borax to measure long-term efficacy of annosus root rot control. In the present study, no long-term growth effects were identified. There were neither negative growth...

El Estado de la Educacion para los Hispanos en los Estados Unidos (The Condition of Education for Hispanics in the United States).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, George H.; And Others

Organized into 4 chapters, the report provides tabular data portraying the educational condition for about 12 million Hispanic Americans in the United States, and shows how Hispanics compare with the majority population on various measures of educational participation and achievement. Providing an overview of Hispanic Americans in the U.S.,…

Analysis of potential impacts of climate change on forests of the United States Pacific Northwest

Treesearch

Gregory Latta; Hailemariam Temesgen; Darius Adams; Tara Barrett

2010-01-01

As global climate changes over the next century, forest productivity is expected to change as well. Using PRISM climate and productivity data measured on a grid of 3356 plots, we developed a simultaneous autoregressive model to estimate the impacts of climate change on potential productivity of Pacific Northwest forests of the United States. The model, coupled with...

Task Value Profiles across Subjects and Aspirations to Physical and IT-Related Sciences in the United States and Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chow, Angela; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.; Salmela-Aro, Katariina

2012-01-01

Two independent studies were conducted to extend previous research by examining the associations between task value priority patterns across school subjects and aspirations toward the physical and information technology- (IT-) related sciences. Study 1 measured task values of a sample of 10th graders in the United States (N = 249) across (a)…

A National Study of Spanish/English Bilingualism in Young Hispanic Children of the United States. Bilingual Education Paper Series, Vol. 4, No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Eugene E.; And Others

Six hundred, 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old bilingual, rural, and urban children from southwestern, midwestern, eastern, and southern United States participated in a national study of Spanish/English bilingual development. Half of these children completed the English version of CIRCO (1980) sub-test 10-C, a productive language measure that requires…

Channel water balance and exchange with subsurface flow along a mountain headwater stream in Montana, United States

Treesearch

R.A. Payn; M.N. Gooseff; B.L. McGlynn; K.E. Bencala; S.M. Wondzell

2009-01-01

Channel water balances of contiguous reaches along streams represent a poorly understood scale of stream-subsurface interaction. We measured reach water balances along a headwater stream in Montana, United States, during summer base flow recessions. Reach water balances were estimated from series of tracer tests in 13 consecutive reaches delineated evenly along a 2.6-...

Integration of strategic inventory and monitoring programs for the forest lands, wood lands, range lands and agricultural lands of the United States

Treesearch

Raymond L. Czaplewski

1999-01-01

The United States Department of Agriculture uses the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program to monitor the nation's forests and wood lands, and the National Resources Inventory (NRI) program to monitor the nation's agricultural and range lands. Although their measurement methods and sampling frames are very different, both programs are developing annual...

More than Clocks and Calendars: The Construction of Timekeepers by Eleven Kindergarten Children in Mexico and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardin, Belinda J.; Jones, M. Gail; Figueras, Olimpia

2005-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate timekeeping constructs of 4- and 5-year-old children in Campeche, Mexico, and North Carolina, United States, as well as the sociocultural conditions that shaped changes in their ideas about timekeeping (methods to mark and measure time) before, during, and after their kindergarten year.…

Differential Solutions Using Long-Range Dual-Frequency GPS Correction Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

coordinates the network of CORS sites to provide range measurement data to users in the United States. The data is available, via the Internet , to...of 3-dimensional positioning activities throughout the United States (NGS, 2002). CORS data is posted daily on the Internet from which the user may...KING AZ Scottsdale COSA 1998/258 -------- 5 sec H CofS AZ Tolleson

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2009-01-01

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

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Effective Leadership in Schools for Children with Blindness or Low Vision in the United States and Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajuwon, Paul M.; Oyinlade, A. Olu

2016-01-01

In this project, the authors used the Essential Behavioral Leadership Qualities (EBLQ) method of measuring leadership effectiveness to assess and compare the effectiveness of principals (leaders) of residential schools for children with blindness or low vision in the United States (U.S.) and Nigeria. A total of 248 teachers (subordinates) in 25…

Nonnative forest insects and pathogens in the United States: Impacts and policy options.

PubMed

Lovett, Gary M; Weiss, Marissa; Liebhold, Andrew M; Holmes, Thomas P; Leung, Brian; Lambert, Kathy Fallon; Orwig, David A; Campbell, Faith T; Rosenthal, Jonathan; McCullough, Deborah G; Wildova, Radka; Ayres, Matthew P; Canham, Charles D; Foster, David R; LaDeau, Shannon L; Weldy, Troy

2016-07-01

We review and synthesize information on invasions of nonnative forest insects and diseases in the United States, including their ecological and economic impacts, pathways of arrival, distribution within the United States, and policy options for reducing future invasions. Nonnative insects have accumulated in United States forests at a rate of ~2.5 per yr over the last 150 yr. Currently the two major pathways of introduction are importation of live plants and wood packing material such as pallets and crates. Introduced insects and diseases occur in forests and cities throughout the United States, and the problem is particularly severe in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. Nonnative forest pests are the only disturbance agent that has effectively eliminated entire tree species or genera from United States forests within decades. The resulting shift in forest structure and species composition alters ecosystem functions such as productivity, nutrient cycling, and wildlife habitat. In urban and suburban areas, loss of trees from streets, yards, and parks affects aesthetics, property values, shading, stormwater runoff, and human health. The economic damage from nonnative pests is not yet fully known, but is likely in the billions of dollars per year, with the majority of this economic burden borne by municipalities and residential property owners. Current policies for preventing introductions are having positive effects but are insufficient to reduce the influx of pests in the face of burgeoning global trade. Options are available to strengthen the defenses against pest arrival and establishment, including measures taken in the exporting country prior to shipment, measures to ensure clean shipments of plants and wood products, inspections at ports of entry, and post-entry measures such as quarantines, surveillance, and eradication programs. Improved data collection procedures for inspections, greater data accessibility, and better reporting would support better evaluation of policy effectiveness. Lack of additional action places the nation, local municipalities, and property owners at high risk of further damaging and costly invasions. Adopting stronger policies to reduce establishments of new forest insects and diseases would shift the major costs of control to the source and alleviate the economic burden now borne by homeowners and municipalities. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Living Outside the Gender Box in Mexico: Testimony of Transgender Mexican Asylum Seekers.

PubMed

Cheney, Marshall K; Gowin, Mary J; Taylor, E Laurette; Frey, Melissa; Dunnington, Jamie; Alshuwaiyer, Ghadah; Huber, J Kathleen; Garcia, Mary Camero; Wray, Grady C

2017-10-01

To explore preimmigration experiences of violence and postimmigration health status in male-to-female transgender individuals (n = 45) from Mexico applying for asylum in the United States. We used a document review process to examine asylum declarations and psychological evaluations of transgender Mexican asylum seekers in the United States from 2012. We coded documents in 2013 and 2014 using NVivo, a multidisciplinary team reviewed them, and then we analyzed them for themes. Mexican transgender asylum applicants experienced pervasive verbal, physical, and sexual abuse from multiple sources, including family, school, community, and police. Applicants also experienced discrimination in school and in the workplace. Applicants immigrated to the United States to escape persistent assaults and threats to their life. Applicants suffered health and psychological effects from their experiences in Mexico that affected opportunities in the United States for employment, education, and social inclusion. Additional social protections for transgender individuals and antidiscrimination measures in Mexican schools and workplaces are warranted as are increased mental health assessment and treatment, job training, and education services for asylum seekers in the United States.

Evaluating State Principal Evaluation Plans across the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Edward J.; Hollingworth, Liz; Liu, Jing

2015-01-01

Recent federal legislation has created strong incentives for states to adopt principal evaluation systems, many of which include new measures of principal effectiveness such as estimates of student growth and changes in school climate. Yet, there has been little research on principal evaluation systems and no state-by-state analysis of the…

Toxicity of car exhausts and opportunity for suicide: comparison between Britain and the United States.

PubMed Central

Clarke, R V; Lester, D

1987-01-01

The rate of car exhaust suicides in the United States has declined following the introduction of emission controls in the mid-1960s, though not as much as the decline in CO emitted by cars. In Britain, where emission controls have not been introduced, the rate of these suicides, initially much lower than in the United States, has greatly increased since the beginning of the 1970s and is now about double that of the United States. This rise cannot be explained simply on the basis of an increase in the opportunities for suicide as represented by an increase in the number of cars but may be due to increased knowledge of the method. While these results are interpreted as generally supporting the potential for opportunity-reducing preventive measures, they also demonstrate that much more research is needed into the complex nature of the opportunity structure for suicide. PMID:2443595

Stress drops of induced and tectonic earthquakes in the central United States are indistinguishable.

PubMed

Huang, Yihe; Ellsworth, William L; Beroza, Gregory C

2017-08-01

Induced earthquakes currently pose a significant hazard in the central United States, but there is considerable uncertainty about the severity of their ground motions. We measure stress drops of 39 moderate-magnitude induced and tectonic earthquakes in the central United States and eastern North America. Induced earthquakes, more than half of which are shallower than 5 km, show a comparable median stress drop to tectonic earthquakes in the central United States that are dominantly strike-slip but a lower median stress drop than that of tectonic earthquakes in the eastern North America that are dominantly reverse-faulting. This suggests that ground motion prediction equations developed for tectonic earthquakes can be applied to induced earthquakes if the effects of depth and faulting style are properly considered. Our observation leads to the notion that, similar to tectonic earthquakes, induced earthquakes are driven by tectonic stresses.

Stress drops of induced and tectonic earthquakes in the central United States are indistinguishable

PubMed Central

Huang, Yihe; Ellsworth, William L.; Beroza, Gregory C.

2017-01-01

Induced earthquakes currently pose a significant hazard in the central United States, but there is considerable uncertainty about the severity of their ground motions. We measure stress drops of 39 moderate-magnitude induced and tectonic earthquakes in the central United States and eastern North America. Induced earthquakes, more than half of which are shallower than 5 km, show a comparable median stress drop to tectonic earthquakes in the central United States that are dominantly strike-slip but a lower median stress drop than that of tectonic earthquakes in the eastern North America that are dominantly reverse-faulting. This suggests that ground motion prediction equations developed for tectonic earthquakes can be applied to induced earthquakes if the effects of depth and faulting style are properly considered. Our observation leads to the notion that, similar to tectonic earthquakes, induced earthquakes are driven by tectonic stresses. PMID:28782040

Air Quality System (AQS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Air Quality System (AQS) database contains measurements of air pollutant concentrations from throughout the United States and its territories. The measurements include both criteria air pollutants and hazardous air pollutants.

IMPROVING CHEMICAL TRANSPORT MODEL PREDICTIONS OF ORGANIC AEROSOL: MEASUREMENT AND SIMULATION OF SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC EMISSIONS FROM MOBILE AND NON-MOBILE SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

Organic material contributes a significant fraction of PM_2.5 mass across all regions of the United States, but state-of-the-art chemical transport models often substantially underpredict measured organic aerosol concentrations. Recent revisions to these models that...

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.

Upper and Lower Limits of the Rate of SO2 Oxidation In Wintertime Atmosphere Over The Eastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, J. R.; Fiddler, M. N.; Brown, S. S.; Bililign, S.; Jaegle, L.; Thornton, J. A.; Shah, V.; Lopez-Hilfiker, F.; Haskins, J.; Fibiger, D. L.; McDuffie, E. E.; Sparks, T.; Ebben, C. J.; Wooldridge, P. J.; Veres, P. R.; Weinheimer, A. J.; Dibb, J. E.; Schroder, J. C.; Campuzano-Jost, P.; Day, D.; Jimenez, J. L.; Sullivan, A.; DiGangi, J. P.

2017-12-01

A set of constraints on the rate of oxidation of SO2 during wintertime conditions over the Eastern United States is presented, based on measurements taken during a series of night and day flights on a C-130 aircraft from Feb 3 to Mar 13, 2015 over the Eastern coastal region of the United States during the Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emission and Reactivity (WINTER) campaign. In the Eastern United States, there are fewer reactant sinks for gaseous SO2 during the winter, and as a result the atmospheric lifetime is measurably longer. Photochemical oxidation of SO2 is extremely slow during winter due to significantly reduced OH concentrations compared to summer. The long photochemical lifetime enables analysis of rates of proposed alternative sulfur oxidation mechanisms, such as heterogeneous uptake. An examination of the SO4/SO2 ratio and the mixing ratio will be used to determine the upper and lower limits of the rate of SO2 oxidation, along with the branching ratios of the gas-phase and heterogeneous removal. A correlation of SO2 to the co-emitted compounds measured in the region will allow for the accurate assignment of intercepted plumes to individual power plants and urban areas. A combination of HYSPLIT trajectory modeling, use of several chemical clocks, and analysis of the wind speed along the path of the plume is used to constrain the travel time from the source to the intercepted plume.

Development of a solid-state sodium Doppler lidar using an all-fiber-coupled injection seeding unit for simultaneous temperature and wind measurements in the mesopause region.

PubMed

Xia, Yuan; Du, LiFang; Cheng, XueWu; Li, FaQuan; Wang, JiHong; Wang, ZeLong; Yang, Yong; Lin, Xin; Xun, YuChang; Gong, ShunSheng; Yang, GuoTao

2017-03-06

A solid-state sodium (Na) Doppler lidar developed at YanQing Station, Beijing, China (40°N, 116°E) aiming to simultaneous wind and temperature measurement of mesopause region was reported. The 589 nm pulse laser was produced by two injection seeded 1064 nm and 1319 nm Nd:YAG pulse lasers using the sum-frequency generation (SFG) technique. A fiber amplifier is implemented to boost the seed power at 1064 nm, enabling a robust, all-fiber-coupled design for seeding laser unit, absolute laser frequency locking, and cyclic three-frequency switching necessary for simultaneous temperature and wind measurements. The all-fiber-coupled injection seeding configuration together with the solid-state Nd:YAG lasers make the Na Doppler lidar more compact and greatly reduce the system maintenance, which is conducive to transportable and unattended operation. A preliminary observational result obtained with this solid-state sodium Doppler lidar was also reported in this paper.

The American Experience in the Transition from Vocational Schools to Work: A Report to the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. International Symposium on Problems of Transition from Technical and Vocational Schools to Work (Berlin, German Democratic Republic, 14-18 April, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunham, Daniel B.

This paper discusses the central problems and issues of the transition from school to worklife in the United States. Developed from a framework which outlines the structure of the education system and the place of vocational-technical education within it, the paper addresses measures the United States has taken to facilitate the transition from…

1995 National assessment of United States oil and gas resources; results, methodology, and supporting data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.; Dolton, G.L.; Takahashi, K.I.; Varnes, K.L.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a 3-year study of the oil and gas resources of the onshore and state waters of the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey. A parallel study of the Federal offshore is being conducted by the Minerals Management Service. Estimates are made of technically recoverable oil, including measured (proved) reserves, future additions to reserves in existing fields, and undiscovered resources. Estimates are also made of the technically recoverable conventional resources of natural gas in measured reserves, in anticipated growth of reserves in existing fields, and in undiscovered resources. Additionally, an assessment is made of recoverable resources in continuous-type (largely unconventional) accumulations in sandstones, shales, chalks, and coal beds.

On the Outskirts of National Health Reform: A Comparative Assessment of Health Insurance and Access to Care in Puerto Rico and the United States.

PubMed

Portela, Maria; Sommers, Benjamin D

2015-09-01

Puerto Rico is the United States' largest territory, home to nearly 4 million American citizens, yet it has remained largely on the outskirts of US health policy, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We analyzed national survey data from 2011 to 2012 and found that despite its far poorer population, Puerto Rico outperforms the mainland United States on several measures of health care coverage and access to care. While the ACA significantly increases federal resources in Puerto Rico, ongoing federal restrictions on Medicaid funding and premium tax credits in Puerto Rico pose substantial health policy challenges in the territory. Puerto Rico is the United States' largest territory, home to nearly 4 million American citizens. Yet it has remained largely on the outskirts of US health policy, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This article presents an overview of Puerto Rico's health care system and a comparative analysis of coverage and access to care in Puerto Rico and the mainland United States. We analyzed 2011-2012 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and 2012 data from the American Community Survey and its counterpart, the Puerto Rico Community Survey. Among adults 18 and older, we examined health insurance coverage; access measures, such as having a usual source of care and cost-related delays in care; self-reported health; and the receipt of recommended preventive services, such as cancer screening and glucose testing. We used multivariate regression models to compare Puerto Rico and the mainland United States, adjusted for age, income, race/ethnicity, and other demographic variables. Uninsured rates were significantly lower in Puerto Rico (unadjusted 7.4% versus 15.0%, adjusted difference: -12.0%, p < 0.001). Medicaid was far more common in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican residents were more likely than those in the mainland United States to have a usual source of care and to have had a checkup within the past year, and fewer experienced cost-related delays in care. Screening rates for diabetes, mammograms, and Pap smears were comparable or better in Puerto Rico, while colonoscopy rates were lower. Self-reported health was slightly worse, but obesity and smoking rates were lower. Despite its far poorer population, Puerto Rico outperforms the mainland United States on several measures of coverage and access. Congressional policies capping federal Medicaid funds to the territory, however, have contributed to major budgetary challenges. While the ACA has significantly increased federal resources in Puerto Rico, ongoing restrictions on Medicaid funding and premium tax credits are posing substantial health policy challenges in the territory. © 2015 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Big five personality factors and suicide rates in the United States: a state-level analysis.

PubMed

Voracek, Martin

2009-08-01

Partly replicating findings from several cross-national studies (of Lester and of Voracek) on possible aggregate-level associations between personality and suicide prevalence, state-level analysis within the United States yielded significantly negative associations between the Big Five factor of Neuroticism and suicide rates. This effect was observed for historical as well as contemporary suicide rates of the total or the elderly population and was preserved with controls for the four other Big Five factors and measures of state wealth. Also conforming to cross-national findings, the Big Five factors of Agreeableness and Extraversion were negatively, albeit not reliably, associated with suicide rates.

From Concrete to Abstract in the Measurement of Length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephanou, Andreas; Fisher, William P., Jr.

2013-09-01

The concatenation of units of length is widely viewed as the paradigmatic expression of fundamental measurement. Survey, assessment, and test scores in educational and psychological measurement are often interpreted in ways that assume a concatenation of units to have been established, even though these assumptions are rarely stated or tested. A concatenation model for measurement is shown to be equivalent to a Rasch model: any two units of measurement placed end to end must together be of the same length as either one of them added to itself. This additive principle and a concatenation model of measurement together serve as a heuristic guide for organizing two experimental approaches to calibrating instruments for measuring length. The capacity to reproduce the unit of measurement from theory with no need for repeated empirical calibration experiments, as in the geometrical bisection of the line and the resultant halving of the length measure, is highlighted as essential to demonstrating a thorough understanding of the construct.

Uses and biases of volunteer water quality data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loperfido, J.V.; Beyer, P.; Just, C.L.; Schnoor, J.L.

2010-01-01

State water quality monitoring has been augmented by volunteer monitoring programs throughout the United States. Although a significant effort has been put forth by volunteers, questions remain as to whether volunteer data are accurate and can be used by regulators. In this study, typical volunteer water quality measurements from laboratory and environmental samples in Iowa were analyzed for error and bias. Volunteer measurements of nitrate+nitrite were significantly lower (about 2-fold) than concentrations determined via standard methods in both laboratory-prepared and environmental samples. Total reactive phosphorus concentrations analyzed by volunteers were similar to measurements determined via standard methods in laboratory-prepared samples and environmental samples, but were statistically lower than the actual concentration in four of the five laboratory-prepared samples. Volunteer water quality measurements were successful in identifying and classifying most of the waters which violate United States Environmental Protection Agency recommended water quality criteria for total nitrogen (66%) and for total phosphorus (52%) with the accuracy improving when accounting for error and biases in the volunteer data. An understanding of the error and bias in volunteer water quality measurements can allow regulators to incorporate volunteer water quality data into total maximum daily load planning or state water quality reporting. ?? 2010 American Chemical Society.

Modeling the longitudinal variation in wood specific gravity of planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in the United States

Treesearch

F. Antony; L. R. Schimleck; R. F. Daniels; Alexander Clark; D. B. Hall

2010-01-01

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is a major plantation species grown in the southern United States, producing wood having a multitude of uses including pulp and lumber production. Specific gravity (SG) is an important property used to measure the quality of wood produced, and it varies regionally and within the tree with height and radius. SG at different height levels...

Military Intervention to Stop Mass Atrocities

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-04

the circumstances where the United States should respond militarily. Early warning and prevention strategies are vital since these approaches allow...34genocide." As early as 1933, Lemkin addressed the issue of genocide in a paper he sent to a League of Nations conference in Madrid, Spain. He...2017, https://www.ushmm.org/confront- genocide/speakers-and-events/all-speakers-and-events/ early -warning-and-prevention/the-united-states- measures-to

The Mexico-United States Border: Public Policy and Chicano Economic Welfare. Studies in Human Resources Development No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briggs, Vernon M., Jr.

In 1970, the gross national product for the United States was over $974 billion; for Mexico, it was $33 billion. The U.S. per capita national income was approximately $4,300, while Mexico's was slightly above $500. Living as neighbors with the reality of these vast differences has led to the implementation of various policy measures by both…

Climate change and future land use in the United States: an economic approach

Treesearch

David Haim; Ralph J. Alig; Andrew J. Plantinga; Brent Sohngen

2011-01-01

An econometric land-use model is used to project regional and national land-use changes in the United States under two IPCC emissions scenarios. The key driver of land-use change in the model is county-level measures of net returns to five major land uses. The net returns are modified for the IPCC scenarios according to assumed trends in population and income and...

Use of Curricular and Extracurricular Assessments to Predict Performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1: A Multi-Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandy, Robyn A.; Herial, Nabeel A.; Khuder, Sadik A.; Metting, Patricia J.

2008-01-01

This paper studies student performance predictions based on the United States Medical Licensure Exam (USMLE) Step 1. Subjects were second-year medical students from academic years of 2002 through 2006 (n = 711). Three measures of basic science knowledge (two curricular and one extracurricular) were evaluated as predictors of USMLE Step 1 scores.…

Modeling browse impacts on sapling and tree recruitment across forests in the northern United States

Treesearch

Matthew B. Russell; James A. Westfall; Christopher W. Woodall

2017-01-01

Understanding the patterns of tree recruitment is essential to quantifying the future health and productivity of forest ecosystems. Using national forest inventory information, we incorporated browse impact measurements into models of sapling (2.5–12.7 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)) and overstory tree (≥12.7 cm DBH) ingrowth across the northern United States....

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...

Culture and Continuing Bonds: A Prospective Comparison of Bereavement in the United States and the People's Republic of China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lalande, Kathleen M.; Bonanno, George A.

2006-01-01

There has been an increased interest and debate regarding the adaptiveness of continuing bonds with the deceased. The authors used data from a cross-cultural study of 61 participants from the United States (US) and 58 participants from the People's Republic of China (PRC) who completed measures of continuing bonds and adjustment at 4 and 18 months…

Invasion Dynamics and Genotypic Diversity of Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) at the Point of Introduction in the Southeastern United States

Treesearch

Ludovic J. A. Capo-chichi; Wilson H. Faircloth; A. G. Williamson; Michael G. Patterson; James H. Miller; Edzard van Santen

2008-01-01

Nine sites of cogongrass were included in a study of genotypic dimity and spread dynamics at the point of introduction and its adjacent areas in the southern United States. Clones evaluated with two primer pairs yielded a total of 137 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) hi of which 102 (74.4%) were polymorphic. Genetic diversity was measured as the percentage...

Current Trends in Metric Conversion in the United States: Potential Trouble for National Defense.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

measures in the United States appears inevitable, but is being prolonged due to present legisla- *tion which allows each industrial sector to convert...centralized government planning and leadership toward metrication in the shortest possible time. II. Problem: Spurred by the automotive industry , voluntary...conversion among major U.S. industries is snowballing while public resistance to met- rication is stiffening. This confrontation threatens to

National Security and Immigration Policy: Reclaiming Terms, Measuring Success, and Setting Priorities

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-31

Catholic Bishops. + Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York and Lieutenant Colonel...detailed form explaining their affiliations and travel history, and undergo consular interviews. In addition, the United States instituted new ...completed, but the task assumed a new life following the September 11th attacks. By the end of 2005, DHS had instituted “entry” (check-in

Basal area growth for aspen suckers under simulated browsing on Cedar Mountain, southern Utah, western United States of America

Treesearch

K. Tshireletso; J. C. Malechek; D. L. Bartos

2010-01-01

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of season and intensity of clipping using simulated browsing on suckers' (Populus tremulaides Michx.) basal area growth on Cedar Mountain, Southern Utah, Western United States of America. Three randomly selected stands measuring 70 m x 70 m were clear-felled in mid-July, 2005, and fenced. Simulated browsing...

Differences in Academic Achievement of Students Involved in Extracurricular Activities in Seventh-Day Adventist Schools in the United States and Bermuda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandiford, Anderson P.

2013-01-01

This study examined differences in the academic performance of students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 in Seventh-day Adventist schools in the United States and Bermuda based on their level of involvement in school music organizations--band or choir--and school sports--varsity or intramural--as measured by standardized achievement and ability tests.…

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish the electoral college and to provide for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President of the United States.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL

2009-01-08

Senate - 01/08/2009 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S234-235) (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Site response in the eastern United States: A comparison of Vs30 measurements with estimates from horizontal:vertical spectral ratios

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNamara, Daniel E.; Stephenson, William J.; Odum, Jackson K.; Williams, Robert; Gee, Lind

2014-01-01

Earthquake damage is often increased due to local ground-motion amplification caused by soft soils, thick basin sediments, topographic effects, and liquefaction. A critical factor contributing to the assessment of seismic hazard is detailed information on local site response. In order to address and quantify the site response at seismograph stations in the eastern United States, we investigate the regional spatial variation of horizontal:vertical spectral ratios (HVSR) using ambient noise recorded at permanent regional and national network stations as well as temporary seismic stations deployed in order to record aftershocks of the 2011 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake. We compare the HVSR peak frequency to surface measurements of the shear-wave seismic velocity to 30 m depth (Vs30) at 21 seismograph stations in the eastern United States and find that HVSR peak frequency increases with increasing Vs30. We use this relationship to estimate the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program soil class at 218 ANSS (Advanced National Seismic System), GSN (Global Seismographic Network), and RSN (Regional Seismograph Networks) locations in the eastern United States, and suggest that this seismic station–based HVSR proxy could potentially be used to calibrate other site response characterization methods commonly used to estimate shaking hazard.

Changes in the chemistry of precipitation in the United States, 1981-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nilles, M.A.; Conley, B.E.

2001-01-01

Regulatory measures in the United States, such as Title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, have primarily restricted sulfur dioxide emissions as a way to control acidic deposition. These restrictions, coupled with increasing concentrations of NH4+ in wet deposition in some regions of the U.S. and continued high emissions of nitrogen oxides have generated a significant shift in the chemistry of precipitation as measured at National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network sites. Trends in precipitation chemistry at NADP/NTN sites were evaluated for statistical significance for the period 1981-1998 using a Seasonal Mann-Kendall Test, a robust non-parametric test for detection of monotonic trends. SO42- declines were detected at 100 of the 147 sites examined while no sites exhibited increasing SO42- trends. On average, SO42- declined 35% over the period 1981-1998 with downward SO42- trends being most pronounced in the northeastern United States. In contrast, no consistent trends in NO3- concentrations were observed in precipitation in any major region of the United States. Although the majority of sites did not exhibit significant trends in NH4+ concentration, 30 sites exhibited upward trends. For Ca2+ concentration in precipitation, 64 sites exhibited a significant decreasing trend and no sites exhibited an upward trend.

Coronary heart disease in South Asian immigrants: synthesis of research and implications for health promotion and prevention in nursing practice.

PubMed

Mathews, Rahel; Zachariah, Rachel

2008-07-01

Although the literature reflects that Asian Indians in the United States and globally have the highest rates of morbidity and mortality because of coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes, few studies have described the clinical implications in the United States. Traditional risk factors dictate practice, yet these risk factors do not fully explain the rates. Central obesity, lipoprotein (a), and insulin resistance may have a strong role. The literature suggests that proactive nursing using culturally specific clinical measures are necessary to reduce risk factors for CHD and diabetes in South Asians. Additional research and prevention strategies focused on immigrant South Asians in the United States are recommended.

Suicide, guns, and public policy.

PubMed

Lewiecki, E Michael; Miller, Sara A

2013-01-01

Suicide is a serious public health concern that is responsible for almost 1 million deaths each year worldwide. It is commonly an impulsive act by a vulnerable individual. The impulsivity of suicide provides opportunities to reduce the risk of suicide by restricting access to lethal means. In the United States, firearms, particularly handguns, are the most common means of suicide. Despite strong empirical evidence that restriction of access to firearms reduces suicides, access to firearms in the United States is generally subject to few restrictions. Implementation and evaluation of measures such as waiting periods and permit requirements that restrict access to handguns should be a top priority for reducing deaths from impulsive suicide in the United States.

Suicide, Guns, and Public Policy

PubMed Central

Miller, Sara A.

2013-01-01

Suicide is a serious public health concern that is responsible for almost 1 million deaths each year worldwide. It is commonly an impulsive act by a vulnerable individual. The impulsivity of suicide provides opportunities to reduce the risk of suicide by restricting access to lethal means. In the United States, firearms, particularly handguns, are the most common means of suicide. Despite strong empirical evidence that restriction of access to firearms reduces suicides, access to firearms in the United States is generally subject to few restrictions. Implementation and evaluation of measures such as waiting periods and permit requirements that restrict access to handguns should be a top priority for reducing deaths from impulsive suicide in the United States. PMID:23153127

International prices and availability of pharmaceuticals in 2005.

PubMed

Danzon, Patricia M; Furukawa, Michael F

2008-01-01

This paper compares pharmaceutical spending, availability, use, and prices in twelve countries in 2005. Drug spending per capita was higher in the United States than in other countries. The United States had relatively high use of new drugs and high-strength formulations; other countries used more of older drugs and weaker formulations. Thus, whether U.S. overall volume of use is lower or higher depends on the measure of volume and type of product. Comprehensive price indexes show foreign prices to be 20-40 percent lower than U.S. manufacturer prices, but only 10-30 percent lower than U.S. public prices. Generics are cheaper in the United States than in other countries.

Small-business employment in 22 rich economies.

PubMed

Schmitt, John; Lane, Nathan

2010-01-01

Opponents of health care reform in the United States have often argued that such reform will be detrimental to small and medium-sized enterprises. The authors review the most recent data from a sample of 22 rich countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), all of which, except the United States, have universal health care systems. By every measure of small-business employment, the United States has among the world's smallest small-business sectors (as a proportion of total national employment). These findings hold for self-employed workers and across all industry groups for which the Paris-based OECD publishes internationally comparable data, including manufacturing, computer-related services, and research and development.

China’s international trade and air pollution in the United States

PubMed Central

Lin, Jintai; Pan, Da; Davis, Steven J.; Zhang, Qiang; He, Kebin; Wang, Can; Streets, David G.; Wuebbles, Donald J.; Guan, Dabo

2014-01-01

China is the world’s largest emitter of anthropogenic air pollutants, and measurable amounts of Chinese pollution are transported via the atmosphere to other countries, including the United States. However, a large fraction of Chinese emissions is due to manufacture of goods for foreign consumption. Here, we analyze the impacts of trade-related Chinese air pollutant emissions on the global atmospheric environment, linking an economic-emission analysis and atmospheric chemical transport modeling. We find that in 2006, 36% of anthropogenic sulfur dioxide, 27% of nitrogen oxides, 22% of carbon monoxide, and 17% of black carbon emitted in China were associated with production of goods for export. For each of these pollutants, about 21% of export-related Chinese emissions were attributed to China-to-US export. Atmospheric modeling shows that transport of the export-related Chinese pollution contributed 3–10% of annual mean surface sulfate concentrations and 0.5–1.5% of ozone over the western United States in 2006. This Chinese pollution also resulted in one extra day or more of noncompliance with the US ozone standard in 2006 over the Los Angeles area and many regions in the eastern United States. On a daily basis, the export-related Chinese pollution contributed, at a maximum, 12–24% of sulfate concentrations over the western United States. As the United States outsourced manufacturing to China, sulfate pollution in 2006 increased in the western United States but decreased in the eastern United States, reflecting the competing effect between enhanced transport of Chinese pollution and reduced US emissions. Our findings are relevant to international efforts to reduce transboundary air pollution. PMID:24449863

A Community Intervention to Decrease Antibiotics Used for Self-Medication Among Latino Adults

PubMed Central

Mainous, Arch G.; Diaz, Vanessa A.; Carnemolla, Mark

2009-01-01

PURPOSE Recent evidence in Latino communities indicates substantial self-medication with antibiotics obtained without a prescription (WORx). We implemented and evaluated a culturally sensitive educational intervention to decrease antibiotic self-medication. METHODS We conducted a community-based intervention with preintervention and postintervention measures in the intervention community (Charleston, South Carolina) as well as a postintervention measure in a control community (Greenville, South Carolina) 200 miles away. The 9-month culturally sensitive intervention included multiple media sources (pamphlets, radio, newspapers). We evaluated the use of antibiotics WORx in the United States, as well as the likelihood of importing antibiotics, by surveying Latino adults in the intervention (n = 250) and in the control community (n = 250). RESULTS Most adults in the intervention community (69%) and the control community (60%) reported some exposure to messages about the inappropriate use of antibiotics, and 25.9% in the intervention community and 8.6% in the control community reported seeing our patient education pamphlets. A substantial proportion of Latino adults in both the intervention (31%) and control communities (20%) have obtained antibiotics WORx in the United States. In multivariate analyses, exposure to an educational message was not a significant predictor of having acquired antibiotics WORx in the United States in past 12 months. The primary predictor of respondents’ having acquired antibiotics WORx in the United States was whether they had bought antibiotics WORx outside the United States. CONCLUSIONS Novel approaches are needed to decrease the use of antibiotics WORx in Latino communities, as focusing only on education may not be sufficient to change behaviors common in their home countries. PMID:19901311

50 CFR 648.101 - Closures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer... fishing for summer flounder by commercial vessels for the remainder of the calendar year by publishing... available for landing summer flounder in that state. ...

Track Geometry Measurement System Software Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-04-01

The Track Geometry Measurement System (TGMS) was developed through the United States Department of Transportation's, Urban Mass Transportation Administration by the Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts under its Test and Evaluati...

The healthy migrant effect: new findings from the Mexican Family Life Survey.

PubMed

Rubalcava, Luis N; Teruel, Graciela M; Thomas, Duncan; Goldman, Noreen

2008-01-01

We used nationally representative longitudinal data from the Mexican Family Life Survey to determine whether recent migrants from Mexico to the United States are healthier than other Mexicans. Previous research has provided little scientific evidence that tests the "healthy migrant" hypothesis. Estimates were derived from logistic regressions of whether respondents moved to the United States between surveys in 2002 and 2005, by gender and urban versus rural residence. Covariates included physical health measurements, self-reported health, and education measured in 2002. Our primary sample comprised 6446 respondents aged 15 to 29 years. Health significantly predicted subsequent migration among females and rural males. However, the associations were weak, few health indicators were statistically significant, and there was substantial variation in the estimates between males and females and between urban and rural dwellers. On the basis of recent data for Mexico, the largest source of migrants to the United States, we found generally weak support for the healthy migrant hypothesis.

Where Money Mattered: Organizational and Economic Consequences of State Public School Expenditures in the United States: 1880-1940.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balfanz, Robert

1997-01-01

Uses historical, state-level schooling data, manufacturing productivity measures, and quantitative research to examine relationships between changes in rate and distribution of public school expenditures, public schooling organization, and state-level economic growth from 1880-1940. Significant effects for per-student spending on school…

Gait-force model and inertial measurement unit-based measurements: A new approach for gait analysis and balance monitoring.

PubMed

Li, Xinan; Xu, Hongyuan; Cheung, Jeffrey T

2016-12-01

This work describes a new approach for gait analysis and balance measurement. It uses an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that can either be embedded inside a dynamically unstable platform for balance measurement or mounted on the lower back of a human participant for gait analysis. The acceleration data along three Cartesian coordinates is analyzed by the gait-force model to extract bio-mechanics information in both the dynamic state as in the gait analyzer and the steady state as in the balance scale. For the gait analyzer, the simple, noninvasive and versatile approach makes it appealing to a broad range of applications in clinical diagnosis, rehabilitation monitoring, athletic training, sport-apparel design, and many other areas. For the balance scale, it provides a portable platform to measure the postural deviation and the balance index under visual or vestibular sensory input conditions. Despite its simple construction and operation, excellent agreement has been demonstrated between its performance and the high-cost commercial balance unit over a wide dynamic range. The portable balance scale is an ideal tool for routine monitoring of balance index, fall-risk assessment, and other balance-related health issues for both clinical and household use.

A comparison of foetal and infant mortality in the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Ananth, Cande V; Liu, Shiliang; Joseph, K S; Kramer, Michael S

2009-04-01

Infant mortality rates are higher in the United States than in Canada. We explored this difference by comparing gestational age distributions and gestational age-specific mortality rates in the two countries. Stillbirth and infant mortality rates were compared for singleton births at >or=22 weeks and newborns weighing>or=500 g in the United States and Canada (1996-2000). Since menstrual-based gestational age appears to misclassify gestational duration and overestimate both preterm and postterm birth rates, and because a clinical estimate of gestation is the only available measure of gestational age in Canada, all comparisons were based on the clinical estimate. Data for California were excluded because they lacked a clinical estimate. Gestational age-specific comparisons were based on the foetuses-at-risk approach. The overall stillbirth rate in the United States (37.9 per 10,000 births) was similar to that in Canada (38.2 per 10,000 births), while the overall infant mortality rate was 23% (95% CI 19-26%) higher (50.8 vs 41.4 per 10,000 births, respectively). The gestational age distribution was left-shifted in the United States relative to Canada; consequently, preterm birth rates were 8.0 and 6.0%, respectively. Stillbirth and early neonatal mortality rates in the United States were lower at term gestation only. However, gestational age-specific late neonatal, post-neonatal and infant mortality rates were higher in the United States at virtually every gestation. The overall stillbirth rates (per 10,000 foetuses at risk) among Blacks and Whites in the United States, and in Canada were 59.6, 35.0 and 38.3, respectively, whereas the corresponding infant mortality rates were 85.6, 49.7 and 42.2, respectively. Differences in gestational age distributions and in gestational age-specific stillbirth and infant mortality in the United States and Canada underscore substantial differences in healthcare services, population health status and health policy between the two neighbouring countries.

Index of Property Tax Non-Uniformity Among School Districts in New York State.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Div. of the Budget, Albany. Education Study Unit.

This report measures the inequities in school taxes on New York State residential property that result from assessment nonuniformity. The index of nonuniformity is a measure of the average percentage difference in school tax bills paid by owners of like residential properties in the same school district but in separate assessing units. Using this…

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…

43 CFR 9239.0-8 - Measure of damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.0-8 Measure of damage... other trespass in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of... by the laws of the State in which the trespass is committed, unless by Federal law a different rule...

43 CFR 9239.0-8 - Measure of damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.0-8 Measure of damage... other trespass in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of... by the laws of the State in which the trespass is committed, unless by Federal law a different rule...

43 CFR 9239.0-8 - Measure of damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.0-8 Measure of damage... other trespass in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of... by the laws of the State in which the trespass is committed, unless by Federal law a different rule...

43 CFR 9239.0-8 - Measure of damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.0-8 Measure of damage... other trespass in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of... by the laws of the State in which the trespass is committed, unless by Federal law a different rule...

Educator Evaluation Policy That Incorporates EVAAS Value-Added Measures: Undermined Intentions and Exacerbated Inequities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Kimberly Kappler

2015-01-01

In the United States, policies in forty states and D.C. incorporate student growth measures--estimates of student progress attributed to educators--into educator evaluation. The federal government positions such policies as levers for ensuring that more students are taught by effective teachers and that effective educators are more equitably…

The Impact of Challenging Geometry and Measurement Units on the Achievement of Grade 2 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gavin, M. Katherine; Casa, Tutita M.; Adelson, Jill L.; Firmender, Janine M.

2013-01-01

The primary goal of Project M[superscript 2] was to develop and field-test challenging geometry and measurement units for all K-2 students. This article reports on the achievement results for students in Grade 2 at 12 urban and suburban sites in 4 states using the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) mathematics concepts subtest and an open-response…

Compilation of VS30 Data for the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yong, Alan; Thompson, Eric M.; Wald, David J.; Knudsen, Keith L.; Odum, Jack K.; Stephenson, William J.; Haefner, Scott

2016-01-01

VS30, the time-averaged shear-wave velocity (VS) to a depth of 30 meters, is a key index adopted by the earthquake engineering community to account for seismic site conditions. VS30 is typically based on geophysical measurements of VS derived from invasive and noninvasive techniques at sites of interest. Owing to cost considerations, as well as logistical and environmental concerns, VS30 data are sparse or not readily available for most areas. Where data are available, VS30 values are often assembled in assorted formats that are accessible from disparate and (or) impermanent Web sites. To help remedy this situation, we compiled VS30 measurements obtained by studies funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other governmental agencies. Thus far, we have compiled VS30 values for 2,997 sites in the United States, along with metadata for each measurement from government-sponsored reports, Web sites, and scientific and engineering journals. Most of the data in our VS30 compilation originated from publications directly reporting the work of field investigators. A small subset (less than 20 percent) of VS30 values was previously compiled by the USGS and other research institutions. Whenever possible, VS30 originating from these earlier compilations were crosschecked against published reports. Both downhole and surface-based VS30 estimates are represented in our VS30 compilation. Most of the VS30 data are for sites in the western contiguous United States (2,141 sites), whereas 786 VS30 values are for sites in the Central and Eastern United States; 70 values are for sites in other parts of the United States, including Alaska (15 sites), Hawaii (30 sites), and Puerto Rico (25 sites). An interactive map is hosted on the primary USGS Web site for accessing VS30 data (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/vs30/).

CCD Astrometric Measurements of WDS 08167+4053 Using the iTelescope Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, Bill; Li, Dewei; Li, Junyao; Dennis, Aren; Boyce, Grady; Boyce, Pat

2016-10-01

Separations and position angle astrometric measurements were made of the multiple star system WDS 08167+4053 AB, AC, and BC components. Our measurements compared favorably with historical measurements from the United States Naval Observatory Washington Double Star Catalog, confirming the trend.

A nationwide survey of state-mandated evaluation practices for domestic violence agencies.

PubMed

Riger, Stephanie; Staggs, Susan L

2011-01-01

Many agencies serving survivors of domestic violence are required to evaluate their services. Three possible evaluation strategies include: a) process measurement, which typically involves a frequency count of agency activities, such as the number of counseling hours given; b) outcome evaluation, which measures the impact of agency activities on clients, such as increased understanding of the dynamics of abuse; or c) performance measurement, which assesses the extent to which agencies achieve their stated goals. Findings of a telephone survey of state funders of domestic violence agencies in the United States revealed that most states (67%) require only process measurement, while fewer than 10% require performance measurement. Most (69%) funders reported satisfaction with their evaluation strategy and emphasized the need for involvement of all stakeholders, especially grantees, in developing an evaluation.

Comparison of Site of Death, Health Care Utilization, and Hospital Expenditures for Patients Dying With Cancer in 7 Developed Countries.

PubMed

Bekelman, Justin E; Halpern, Scott D; Blankart, Carl Rudolf; Bynum, Julie P; Cohen, Joachim; Fowler, Robert; Kaasa, Stein; Kwietniewski, Lukas; Melberg, Hans Olav; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje; Oosterveld-Vlug, Mariska; Pring, Andrew; Schreyögg, Jonas; Ulrich, Connie M; Verne, Julia; Wunsch, Hannah; Emanuel, Ezekiel J

2016-01-19

Differences in utilization and costs of end-of-life care among developed countries are of considerable policy interest. To compare site of death, health care utilization, and hospital expenditures in 7 countries: Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States. Retrospective cohort study using administrative and registry data from 2010. Participants were decedents older than 65 years who died with cancer. Secondary analyses included decedents of any age, decedents older than 65 years with lung cancer, and decedents older than 65 years in the United States and Germany from 2012. Deaths in acute care hospitals, 3 inpatient measures (hospitalizations in acute care hospitals, admissions to intensive care units, and emergency department visits), 1 outpatient measure (chemotherapy episodes), and hospital expenditures paid by insurers (commercial or governmental) during the 180-day and 30-day periods before death. Expenditures were derived from country-specific methods for costing inpatient services. The United States (cohort of decedents aged >65 years, N = 211,816) and the Netherlands (N = 7216) had the lowest proportion of decedents die in acute care hospitals (22.2.% and 29.4%, respectively). A higher proportion of decedents died in acute care hospitals in Belgium (N = 21,054; 51.2%), Canada (N = 20,818; 52.1%), England (N = 97,099; 41.7%), Germany (N = 24,434; 38.3%), and Norway (N = 6636; 44.7%). In the last 180 days of life, 40.3% of US decedents had an intensive care unit admission compared with less than 18% in other reporting nations. In the last 180 days of life, mean per capita hospital expenditures were higher in Canada (US $21,840), Norway (US $19,783), and the United States (US $18,500), intermediate in Germany (US $16,221) and Belgium (US $15,699), and lower in the Netherlands (US $10,936) and England (US $9342). Secondary analyses showed similar results. Among patients older than 65 years who died with cancer in 7 developed countries in 2010, end-of-life care was more hospital-centric in Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, and Norway than in the Netherlands or the United States. Hospital expenditures near the end of life were higher in the United States, Norway, and Canada, intermediate in Germany and Belgium, and lower in the Netherlands and England. However, intensive care unit admissions were more than twice as common in the United States as in other countries.

Reversals of national fortune, and social science methodologies.

PubMed

Diamond, Jared

2014-12-16

Among non-European regions colonized by Europeans, regions that were relatively richer five centuries ago (like Mexico, Peru, and India) tend to be poorer today, while regions that originally were relatively poorer (like the United States, Chile, and Australia) tend now to be richer. Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson (abbreviated AJR) established the generality of this reversal of fortune. Chanda, Cook, and Putterman (abbreviated CCP) have now reanalyzed it, taking as a unit of analysis populations rather than geographic regions. That is, India's population was Indian 500 y ago and is still overwhelmingly Indian today, whereas the United States' population was Native American 500 years ago but is overwhelmingly Old World (especially European) today. Reversals of fortune disappeared when CCP analyzed populations rather than geographic regions: for instance, the geographic region of the modern United States has become relatively richer since AD 1500, but the predominantly European population now occupying the United States was already relatively rich in AD 1500. Evidently, European colonists carried ingredients of wealth with them. I discuss the biological and cultural baggage transported by European immigrants and associated with wealth. Among that baggage, AJR emphasize institutions, CCP emphasize social capital, and I identify many different elements only loosely coupled to each other. This paper discusses the problem, especially acute in the social sciences, of "operationalizing" intuitive concepts (such as mass, temperature, wealth, and innovation) so that they can be measured. Basic concepts tend to be harder to define, operationalize, and measure in the social sciences than in the laboratory sciences.

Evaluating the Community Land Model (CLM4.5) at a coniferous forest site in northwestern United States using flux and carbon-isotope measurements

Treesearch

Henrique F. Duarte; Brett M. Raczka; Daniel M. Ricciuto; John C. Lin; Charles D. Koven; Peter E. Thornton; David R. Bowling; Chun-Ta Lai; Kenneth J. Bible; James R. Ehleringer

2017-01-01

Droughts in the western United States are expected to intensify with climate change. Thus, an adequate representation of ecosystem response to water stress in land models is critical for predicting carbon dynamics. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Community Land Model (CLM) version 4.5 against observations at an old-growth coniferous forest...

Forest products research and development organizations in a worldwide setting: A review of structure, governance, and measures of performance of organizations outside the United States

Treesearch

Paul V. Ellefson; Michael A. Kilgore; Kenneth E. Skog; Christopher D. Risbrudt

2007-01-01

Located in 23 countries, 40 forest-products research and development organizations outside the United States were reviewed in 2004 and 2005. The intent was to obtain a better understanding of how such organizations are structured and administered and their performance judged. Investing over $600 million annually, the 40 organizations employed 7,000 to 7,500 scientists...

Metric Conversion. Hearing Before the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate, 92 Congress, Second Session on S.2483 and S.J.Res. 219.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Commerce.

Presented in this bulletin is the text of the hearing before the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate, ninety-second Congress, concerning coversion of the Nation to a metric system of weights and measures. Bill S. 2483 calls for providing a national program in order to make the international metric system the official and standard system of…

DETERMINATION OF 2,3,7,8 CHLORINE-SUBSTITUTED DIBENZO-P-DIOXINS AND FURANS AT THE PART PER TRILLION LEVEL IN UNITED STATES BEEF FAT USING HIGH-RESOLUTION GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/HIGH-RESOLUTION MASS SPECTROMETRY

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the U.S. EPA Dioxin Reassessment Program, the 2,3,7,8-chlorine-substituted dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans were measured at part per trillion (ppt) levels in beef fat collected from slaughter facilities in the United States. This is the first statistically designed natio...

Measurements of Neglected Double Stars: February 2018 Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carro, Joseph M.

2018-07-01

This article presents measurements of 53 neglected double stars. The stars were selected from the Washington Double Star Catalog published by the United States Naval Observatory. The photographs were taken by remote telescopes. The measurements were done by the author.

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.

The Definition and Measurement of Evaluation Quality as a Management Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chelimsky, Eleanor

1983-01-01

Evaluation management requires a system for measuring, improving, and accounting for quality. The Institute for Program Evaluation in the United States General Accounting Office is developing such a system. (Author)

Efficient scalable solid-state neutron detector.

PubMed

Moses, Daniel

2015-06-01

We report on scalable solid-state neutron detector system that is specifically designed to yield high thermal neutron detection sensitivity. The basic detector unit in this system is made of a (6)Li foil coupled to two crystalline silicon diodes. The theoretical intrinsic efficiency of a detector-unit is 23.8% and that of detector element comprising a stack of five detector-units is 60%. Based on the measured performance of this detector-unit, the performance of a detector system comprising a planar array of detector elements, scaled to encompass effective area of 0.43 m(2), is estimated to yield the minimum absolute efficiency required of radiological portal monitors used in homeland security.

A Consistent Wave Impact Load Model for Studying Structure, Equipment Ruggedness, Shock Isolation Seats, and Human Comfort in Small High Speed Craft

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

acceleration at a cross-section was used as a measure of the wave impact load in units of g. Later developments included publication of the envelope...Republic, 4 – 7 October 2004. PICKFORD, E.V., MAHONE, R.R., WOLK, H.L. (1975). Slam/Shock Isolation Pedestal, United States Patent Number, 3,912,248, 14...accelerations. The rigid body peak acceleration is a measure of the impact load in units of g. In the following plots the data corresponds to head-sea

Anticipating and Incorporating Stakeholder Feedback When Developing Value-Added Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balch, Ryan; Koedel, Cory

2014-01-01

State and local education agencies across the United States are increasingly adopting rigorous teacher evaluation systems. Most systems formally incorporate teacher performance as measured by student test-score growth, sometimes by state mandate. An important consideration that will influence the long-term persistence and efficacy of these systems…

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

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.

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.

46 CFR 67.33 - Individual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Individual. 67.33 Section 67.33 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) DOCUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT OF VESSELS DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS...-born, naturalized, or a derivative citizen of the United States, or otherwise qualifies as a United...

Summary of the Spring Quarter 1971: Faculty Time Use Study at Humboldt State College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Donald F.

Due to public misunderstanding of the unit-load measurement versus the hours per week standard of work measurement, a study was conducted at Humboldt State College to determine the average number of hours a full-time instructional faculty member spends in performing his job. Faculty activity data was collected by means of a daily-diary form of…

They Say We Suck: The Failure of IPEDS Graduation Rates to Fully Measure Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Jennifer Kathryn

2017-01-01

IPEDS graduation rates have become de facto means for higher education accountability in the United States, used by the federal government, state and local agencies, non-profits and media to compare and rank institutions. IPEDS uses a limited subset of students, as well as an institutional perspective to measure graduation rate. Under this model,…

Statistical Properties of Generalized Gini Coefficient with Application to Health Inequality Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Dejian; Huang, Jin; Risser, Jan M.; Kapadia, Asha S.

2008-01-01

In this article, we report statistical properties of two classes of generalized Gini coefficients (G1 and G2). The theoretical results were assessed via Monte Carlo simulations. Further, we used G1 and G2 on life expectancy to measure health inequalities among the provinces of China and the states of the United States. For China, the results…

77 FR 16649 - Delegation of Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1045 of the National Defense Authorization...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... United States of America and the Russian Federation on the Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the ``New Start Treaty'') Memorandum for the Secretary of State...

The Association of State Legal Mandates for Data Submission of Central Line-associated Blood Stream Infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Units with Process and Outcome Measures

PubMed Central

Zachariah, Philip; Reagan, Julie; Furuya, E. Yoko; Dick, Andrew; Liu, Hangsheng; Herzig, Carolyn T.A; Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Monika; Stone, Patricia W.; Saiman, Lisa

2014-01-01

Objective To determine the association between state legal mandates for data submission of central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) with process/outcome measures. Design Cross-sectional study. Participants National sample of level II/III and III NICUs participating in National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance. Methods State mandates for data submission of CLABSIs in NICUs in place by 2011 were compiled and verified with state healthcare-associated infection coordinators. A web-based survey of infection control departments in October 2011 assessed CLABSI prevention practices i.e. compliance with checklist and bundle components (process measures) in ICUs including NICUs. Corresponding 2011 NHSN NICU CLABSI rates (outcome measures) were used to calculate Standardized Infection Ratios (SIR). The association between mandates and process/outcome measures was assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Results Among 190 study NICUs, 107 (56.3%) NICUs were located in states with mandates, with mandates in place for 3 or more years for half. More NICUs in states with mandates reported ≥95% compliance to at least one CLABSI prevention practice (52.3% – 66.4%) than NICUs in states without mandates (28.9% – 48.2%). Mandates were predictors of ≥95% compliance with all practices (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.4–6.1). NICUs in states with mandates reported lower mean CLABSI rates in the <750gm birth-weight group (2.4 vs. 5.7 CLABSIs/1000 CL-days) but not in others. Mandates were not associated with SIR <1. Conclusions State mandates for NICU CLABSI data submission were significantly associated with ≥95% compliance with CLABSI prevention practices but not with lower CLABSI rates. PMID:25111921

SU-D-209-01: Can Fluoroscopic Air-Kerma Rates Be Reliably Measured with Solid-State Meters?

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

Feng, C; Thai, L; Wagner, L

Purpose: Ionization chambers remain the standard for calibration of air-kerma rate measuring devices. Despite their strong energy-dependent response, solid state radiation detectors are increasingly used, primarily due to their efficiency in making standardized measurements. To test the reliability of these devices in measuring air-kerma rates, we compared ion chambers measurements with solid-state measurements for various mobile fluoroscopes operated at different beam qualities and air-kerma rates. Methods: Six mobile fluoroscopes (GE OEC models 9800 and 9900) were used to generate test beams. Using various field sizes and dose rate controls, copper attenuators and a lead attenuator were placed at the imagemore » receptor in varying combinations to generate a range of air-kerma rates. Air-kerma rates at 30 centimeters from the image receptors were measured using two 6-cm{sup 3} ion chambers with electrometers (Radcal, models 1015 and 9015) and two with solid state detectors (Unfors Xi and Raysafe X2). No error messages occurred during measurements. However, about two months later, one solid-state device stopped working and was replaced by the manufacturer. Two out of six mobile fluoroscopic units were retested with the replacement unit. Results: Generally, solid state and ionization chambers agreed favorably well, with two exceptions. Before replacement of the detector, the Xi meter when set in the “RF High” mode deviated from ion chamber readings by factors of 2 and 10 with no message indicating error in measurement. When set in the “RF Low” mode, readings were within −4% to +3%. The replacement Xi detector displayed messages alerting the user when settings were not compatible with air-kerma rates. Conclusion: Air-kerma rates can be measured favorably well using solid-state devices, but users must be aware of the possibility that readings can be grossly in error with no discernible indication for the deviation.« less

77 FR 30427 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Recreational Management Measures for the Summer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-23

... Measures for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Fishing Year 2012 AGENCY: National...: Final rule. SUMMARY: NMFS implements management measures for the 2012 summer flounder, scup, and black... Act). Recreational management measures are intended to prevent overfishing the summer flounder, scup...

Changes in the Transnational Family Structures of Mexican Farm Workers in the Era of Border Militarization.

PubMed

Hamilton, Erin R; Hale, Jo Mhairi

2016-10-01

Historically, undocumented Mexican farm workers migrated circularly, leaving family behind in Mexico on short trips to the United States. Scholars have argued that border militarization has disrupted circular migration as the costs of crossing the border lead to longer stays, increased settlement, and changing transnational family practices. Yet, no study has explored changes in the transnational family structures of Mexico-U.S. migrants that span the era of border militarization. Using data from the National Agricultural Workers Survey, we document a dramatic shift away from transnational family life (as measured by location of residence of dependent children) among undocumented Mexican farm workers and a less dramatic shift among documented Mexican farm workers in the United States between 1993 and 2012. These trends are not explained by changes in the sociodemographic characteristics of farm workers or by changing demographic conditions or rising violence in Mexico. One-half of the trend can be accounted for by lengthened duration of stay and increased connections to the United States among the undocumented, but none of the trend is explained by these measures of settlement among the documented, suggesting that some Mexican farm workers adopt new family migration strategies at first migration. Increases in border control are associated with lower likelihood that children reside in Mexico-a finding that holds up to instrumental variable techniques. Our findings confirm the argument that U.S. border militarization-a policy designed to deter undocumented migration-is instead disrupting transnational family life between Mexico and the United States and, in doing so, is creating a permanent population of undocumented migrants and their children in the United States.

US acculturation, food intake, and obesity among Asian-Pacific hotel workers.

PubMed

Novotny, Rachel; Williams, Andrew E; Vinoya, Aleli C; Oshiro, Caryn E S; Vogt, Thomas M

2009-10-01

Both obesity and immigration continue to increase in the United States. Studies suggest that a transition in lifestyle patterns, such as food intake, may mediate the relationship between immigration and obesity. We examine obesity among hotel workers in relation to age, sex, race/ethnicity, and indicators of food intake, immigration, and acculturation. Four thousand five hundred thirty hotel workers in 30 hotels were studied from the first year of the Work, Weight and Wellness program, before intervention (during 2005-2006). Weight and height were measured, whereas race/ethnicity, language, education, immigration, acculturation, and food intake variables were assessed by questionnaire. The study included 43% male and 57% female hotel workers (mean age 44.4+/-11.3 years; 42% Filipino, 32% other Asian, 13% Pacific Islander, 9% white, 1% black/African American, and 3% other race/ethnicity). On average (mean value), 55% of participants were born outside the United States; 57% were overweight or obese (body mass index [BMI] >25). The BMI of those born in the United States was 1.3 higher than that of those born in another country, adjusting for sex and race/ethnicity. Intake of sweet drinks and meat was positively associated with BMI while intake of fruit was negatively associated with BMI. Age at arrival in United States ("generation") was negatively associated with BMI, whereas greater acculturation was positively associated with BMI. Food intake behaviors are probably related to place of birth, generation of migration to the United States, and acculturation. Direct measures of food intake added explanatory power to models, suggesting the importance of food intake to obesity. Further study of the influence of immigration, acculturation, and food intake on obesity using longitudinal study designs is warranted.

Evapotranspiration Controls Imposed by Soil Moisture: A Spatial Analysis across the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigden, A. J.; Tuttle, S. E.; Salvucci, G.

2014-12-01

We spatially analyze the control over evapotranspiration (ET) imposed by soil moisture across the United States using daily estimates of satellite-derived soil moisture and data-driven ET over a nine-year period (June 2002-June 2011) at 305 locations. The soil moisture data are developed using 0.25-degree resolution satellite observations from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), where the 9-year time series for each 0.25-degree pixel was selected from three potential algorithms (VUA-NASA, U. Montana, & NASA) based on the maximum mutual information between soil moisture and precipitation (Tuttle & Salvucci (2014), Remote Sens Environ, 114: 207-222). The ET data are developed independent of soil moisture using an emergent relationship between the diurnal cycle of the relative humidity profile and ET. The emergent relation is that the vertical variance of the relative humidity profile is less than what would occur for increased or decreased ET rates, suggesting that land-atmosphere feedback processes minimize this variance (Salvucci and Gentine (2013), PNAS, 110(16): 6287-6291). The key advantage of using this approach to estimate ET is that no measurements of surface limiting factors (soil moisture, leaf area, canopy conductance) are required; instead, ET is estimated from meteorological data measured at 305 common weather stations that are approximately uniformly distributed across the United States. The combination of these two independent datasets allows for a unique spatial analysis of the control on ET imposed by the availability of soil moisture. We fit evaporation efficiency curves across the United States at each of the 305 sites during the summertime (May-June-July-August-September). Spatial patterns are visualized by mapping optimal curve fitting coefficients across the Unites States. An analysis of efficiency curves and their spatial patterns will be presented.

Elevated hypertension risk for African-origin populations in biracial societies: modeling the Epidemiologic Transition Study.

PubMed

Cooper, Richard S; Forrester, Terrence E; Plange-Rhule, Jacob; Bovet, Pascal; Lambert, Estelle V; Dugas, Lara R; Cargill, Kathryn E; Durazo-Arvizu, Ramon A; Shoham, David A; Tong, Liping; Cao, Guichan; Luke, Amy

2015-03-01

Blood pressures in persons of African descent exceed those of other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Whether this trait is attributable to the genetic factors in African-origin populations, or a result of inadequately measured environmental exposures, such as racial discrimination, is not known. To study this question, we conducted a multisite comparative study of communities in the African diaspora, drawn from metropolitan Chicago, Kingston, Jamaica, rural Ghana, Cape Town, South Africa, and the Seychelles. At each site, 500 participants between the age of 25 and 49 years, with approximately equal sex balance, were enrolled for a longitudinal study of energy expenditure and weight gain. In this study, we describe the patterns of blood pressure and hypertension observed at baseline among the sites. Mean SBP and DBP were very similar in the United States and South Africa in both men and women, although among women, the prevalence of hypertension was higher in the United States (24 vs. 17%, respectively). After adjustment for multiple covariates, relative to participants in the United States, SBP was significantly higher among the South Africans by 9.7 mmHg (P < 0.05) and significantly lower for each of the other sites: for example, Jamaica: -7.9 mmHg (P = 0.06), Ghana: -12.8 mmHg (P < 0.01) and Seychelles: -11.1 mmHg (P = 0.01). These data are consistent with prior findings of a blood pressure gradient in societies of the African diaspora and confirm that African-origin populations with lower social status in multiracial societies, such as the United States and South Africa, experience more hypertension than anticipated based on anthropometric and measurable socioeconomic risk factors.

A cross-cultural comparison of clinical supervision in South Korea and the United States.

PubMed

Son, Eunjung; Ellis, Michael V

2013-06-01

We investigated similarities and differences in clinical supervision in two cultures: South Korea and the United States The study had two parts: (1) a test of the cross-cultural equivalence of four supervision measures; and (2) a test of two competing models of cultural differences in the relations among supervisory style, role difficulties, supervisory working alliance, and satisfaction with supervision. Participants were 191 South Korean and 187 U.S. supervisees currently engaged in clinical supervision. The U.S. measures demonstrated sufficient measurement equivalence for use in South Korea. Cultural differences moderated the relations among supervisory styles, role difficulties, supervisory working alliance, and supervision satisfaction. Specifically, the relations among these variables were significantly stronger for U.S. than for South Korean supervisees. Implications for theory, research, and practice were discussed.

United States Metric Board. A Study of Metric Measurement and Legislation. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-10

LEGAL ADVISORY PANEL A. Panel Membership VIII.I B. Role of the Panel VIII.2 IX. DATA COLLECTION METHODOLOGY A. Basic Research IX.I B. Computer...First, the Panel was involved in a review of the overall study design . Second, the Panel reviewed the various change mechanisms which were identified...collection methodology . • X summarizes the relevant experiences of Canada and Australia. MIOOLEBNX *NEARC CRNTE 1.3 II. THE UNITED STATES METRIC

Sonic Booms Produced by United States Air Force and United States Navy Aircraft: Measured Data

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

29791 . 0.1 -. 0097 259. 12:03:41 1.268 68028. 37. 29793. 0.1 -. 0276 259. 12:03:42 1.268 66713. 85 29794. 0.1 -. 0129 259. 12:03:43 1.268 65400. 134...3811. 29793. -0.1 0.1585 253. 10:49:25 1.270 62762. -3896. 29791 , -0.1 0.1404 253. 10:49:26 1.273 61452. -3981. 29788. -0.1 0.0582 253. 10:49:27

Special mobile rescue unit can speed recovery

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

Not Available

1977-04-01

Since time is often a matter of life and death in a mine disaster, Mine Emergency Operations (MEO) personnel are prepared to begin rescue work at any mining site in the eastern part of the United States within six hours of notification, and within no more than nine hours in the western United States. The entire MEO force, including vans, trucks, bulldozers to clear and level the drilling site, seismic equipment, and the big drilling rig can be on any site within less than 20 hours of a disaster. The speed of deployment is made possible in some measure bymore » a special agreement between MESA and the United States Air Force, which stands ready 24 hours a day to dispatch giant C-130 cargo aircraft to airlift the tons of bulky MEO equipment. While the big drilling rig is usually taken to disaster sites by highway, it can also be airlifted when necessary.« less

Fault tolerant system with imperfect coverage, reboot and server vacation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Madhu; Meena, Rakesh Kumar

2017-06-01

This study is concerned with the performance modeling of a fault tolerant system consisting of operating units supported by a combination of warm and cold spares. The on-line as well as warm standby units are subject to failures and are send for the repair to a repair facility having single repairman which is prone to failure. If the failed unit is not detected, the system enters into an unsafe state from which it is cleared by the reboot and recovery action. The server is allowed to go for vacation if there is no failed unit present in the system. Markov model is developed to obtain the transient probabilities associated with the system states. Runge-Kutta method is used to evaluate the system state probabilities and queueing measures. To explore the sensitivity and cost associated with the system, numerical simulation is conducted.

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

[Dispensing prescriptions to persons affiliated with the Seguro Popular de Salud de México].

PubMed

Garrido-Latorre, Francisco; Hernández-Llamas, Héctor; Gómez-Dantés, Octavio

2008-01-01

Measure and compare the percentage of prescriptions fully dispensed to persons with and without Popular Health Insurance (SPS in Spanish) who use ambulatory and general hospital services associated with the Mexico State Health Services (SESA in Spanish), and taking into account insurance status. SESA user satisfaction was also measured with respect to access to medication. Information for the study was taken from four surveys of SESA ambulatory and hospital units that included probabilistic samples with state representativity. Samples of ambulatory units were selected by stratification according to level of care and association to the SPS service network. The findings indicate that the percentage of prescriptions fully dispensed in SESA ambulatory units has improved, reaching approximately 90%, especially among those units offering services to persons affiliated with SPS. Nevertheless, these percentages continue to be lower than those of ambulatory units associated with social security institutions. Percentages of prescriptions fully dispensed have also improved in SESA hospital units, but continue to be relatively low. In nearly all states, as the percentage of prescriptions fully dispensed has increased, user satisfaction with access to medication has also improved. In 2006 more than 50% of the states had high levels of fully dispensed prescriptions among persons with SPS (> or =90%). The more significant problem exists among hospitals, since only 44% of users who received a prescription in SESA hospitals in 2006 had their prescriptions fully dispensed. This finding requires a review of SPS medication policies, which have favored highly prescribed low-cost medications at ambulatory services at the expense of higher cost and more therapeutically effective medications for hospital care, the latter having a greater impact on household budgets.

Field Evaluation of the Performance of the RTU Challenge Unit: Daikin Rebel

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

Katipamula, Srinivas; Wang, W.; Ngo, Hung

2017-05-31

Packaged rooftop air-conditioning units (RTUs) are used in 44% (2.5 million) of all commercial buildings, serving over 57% (46 billion square feet) of the commercial building floor space in the United States (EIA 2012). The primary energy consumption associated with RTUs is over 2.2 quads annually. Therefore, even a small improvement in efficiency or part-load operation of these units can lead to significant reductions in energy use and carbon emissions. Starting in 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Office funded a series of projects related to RTUs. Some projects were intended to improve the operating efficiency ofmore » the existing RTUs, while others were focused on improving the operating efficiency of new units. This report documents the field-testing and comparison of the seasonal efficiency of a state-of-art RTU Challenge unit and a standard unit. Section II provides the background for the work. Section III describes the measurement and verification plan for the field tests. Section IV describes the measurement and verification evaluation plan. The results are described in Section V. The lessons learned and recommendations for future work are presented in Section VI. A list of references is provided in Section VII.« less

Measuring pleural fluid pH: high correlation of a handheld unit to a traditional tabletop blood gas analyzer.

PubMed

Kohn, G L; Hardie, W D

2000-12-01

STUDY PURPOSES: To survey hospital laboratories in the United States to determine methods used for measuring pleural fluid pH, and to compare pleural fluid pH values obtained with a traditional tabletop blood gas analyzer (BGA) to those obtained with a handheld analyzer. Hospital laboratories nationwide were contacted by telephone to survey the methods used to measure pleural fluid pH. In a second phase, pleural fluid was prospectively collected from 19 pediatric and adult patients with pleural effusions, and pleural fluid pH was measured simultaneously with a traditional tabletop BGA and with a handheld unit. A total of 220 hospital laboratories were contacted by telephone, and 166 responded (75%). The methods for determining pleural fluid pH for all hospital laboratories were pH meter (35%; n = 59), BGA (32%; n = 53), and litmus paper (31%: n = 51); 2% (n = 3) did not perform the test. University hospitals were more likely to use a BGA, compared to community hospitals (p < 0.014) or children's hospitals (p < 0.001). In the comparison of pleural fluid measurements, the mean pH for the traditional BGA was 7.358 +/- 0.189, and the mean pH for the handheld unit was 7.382 +/- 0.203. The absolute difference between the two machines was 0.024 U, and the two methods were correlated (p < 0.01; r = 0.993; degrees of freedom = 36). Most hospital laboratories in the United States do not measure pleural fluid pH using a traditional BGA and use alternative methods that have previously been shown to be inaccurate. Pleural fluid pH obtained by a handheld unit has a high degree of correlation to that of a traditional tabletop BGA, and it offers a satisfactory alternative for laboratories reluctant to measure pleural fluid pH with a BGA.

Comparison of Measures of Organizational Effectiveness in U.K. Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lysons, Art; Hatherly, David; Mitchell, David A.

1998-01-01

Research on the organizational effectiveness of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and Australia is compared with research on United States higher education. Focus is on identification of and statistical discrimination between institution types, based on faculty and administrator perceptions and values. (MSE)

Status of state forestry best management practices for the southeastern United States

Treesearch

R. Cristan; W.M. Aust; M.C. Bolding; S.M. Barrett; J.F. Munsell

2016-01-01

Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) are important measures for protecting the waters of the U.S., but few studies have compared monitoring strategies and implementation success of forestry BMPs across states. In order to assess the status of state forestry BMPs, a survey was sent to the state forestry agency in each U.S. state regarding their forestry BMP program...

78 FR 54442 - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-04

... United States; Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service...-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted the Recreational Accountability Measures Omnibus... requesting comments from the public on the Recreational Accountability Measures Omnibus Amendment, which was...

Evaluation of global horizontal irradiance to plane-of-array irradiance models at locations across the United States

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

Lave, Matthew; Hayes, William; Pohl, Andrew

2015-02-02

We report an evaluation of the accuracy of combinations of models that estimate plane-of-array (POA) irradiance from measured global horizontal irradiance (GHI). This estimation involves two steps: 1) decomposition of GHI into direct and diffuse horizontal components and 2) transposition of direct and diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI) to POA irradiance. Measured GHI and coincident measured POA irradiance from a variety of climates within the United States were used to evaluate combinations of decomposition and transposition models. A few locations also had DHI measurements, allowing for decoupled analysis of either the decomposition or the transposition models alone. Results suggest that decompositionmore » models had mean bias differences (modeled versus measured) that vary with climate. Transposition model mean bias differences depended more on the model than the location. Lastly, when only GHI measurements were available and combinations of decomposition and transposition models were considered, the smallest mean bias differences were typically found for combinations which included the Hay/Davies transposition model.« less

Risk management in air protection in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Peternel, Renata; Toth, Ivan; Hercog, Predrag

2014-03-01

In the Republic of Croatia, according to the Air Protection Act, air pollution assessment is obligatory on the whole State territory. For individual regions and populated areas in the State a network has been established for permanent air quality monitoring. The State network consists of stations for measuring background pollution, regional and cross-border remote transfer and measurements as part of international government liabilities, then stations for measuring air quality in areas of cultural and natural heritage, and stations for measuring air pollution in towns and industrial zones. The exceeding of alert and information threshold levels of air pollutants are related to emissions from industrial plants, and accidents. Each excess represents a threat to human health in case of short-time exposure. Monitoring of alert and information threshold levels is carried out at stations from the state and local networks for permanent air quality monitoring according to the Air Quality Measurement Program in the State network for permanent monitoring of air quality and air quality measurement programs in local networks for permanent air quality monitoring. The State network for permanent air quality monitoring has a developed automatic system for reporting on alert and information threshold levels, whereas many local networks under the competence of regional and local self-governments still lack any fully installed systems of this type. In case of accidents, prompt action at all responsibility levels is necessary in order to prevent crisis and this requires developed and coordinated competent units of State Administration as well as self-government units. It is also necessary to be continuously active in improving the implementation of legislative regulations in the field of crises related to critical and alert levels of air pollutants, especially at local levels.

76 FR 1136 - Electroshock Weapons Test and Measurement Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-07

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology Electroshock Weapons Test and Measurement Workshop AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United States..., law enforcement, corrections, academia, military, test instrument manufacturers, etc.) of electroshock...

The development and certification of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) to assess and ensure accurate measurement of Pb in the environment.

PubMed

Fassett, J D; MacDonald, B S

2001-08-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has had a major quality-assurance role in the federal effort to reduce lead poisoning of children in the United States through its mission of ensuring the accuracy of chemical measurements. NIST certifies reference materials (standard reference materials--SRMs) that are used to benchmark measurements by secondary and field methods of analysis--to ensure that decisions of great health and economic impact are soundly based on good measurement science. Over the past 10 years, in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), NIST has prepared and certified SRMs for lead content in soil, indoor dust, and paint. The role of these materials in meeting regulatory and abatement needs is described and their certified values are summarized.

Measurement of solar radiation at the Earth's surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartman, F. L.

1982-01-01

The characteristics of solar energy arriving at the surface of the Earth are defined and the history of solar measurements in the United States presented. Radiation and meteorological measurements being made at solar energy meteorological research and training sites and calibration procedures used there are outlined. Data illustrating the annual variation in daily solar radiation at Ann Arbor, Michigan and the diurnal variation in radiation at Albuquerque, New Mexico are presented. Direct normal solar radiation received at Albuquerque is contrasted with that received at Maynard, Massachusetts. Average measured global radiation for a period of one year for four locations under clear skies, 50% cloud cover, and 100% cloud cover is given and compared with the solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere. The May distribution of mean daily direct solar radiation and mean daily global solar radiation over the United States is presented. The effects of turbidity on the direct and circumsolar radiation are shown.

Reading Attitudes of Middle School Students: Results of a U.S. Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenna, Michael C.; Conradi, Kristin; Lawrence, Camille; Jang, Bong Gee; Meyer, J. Patrick

2012-01-01

To examine the current state of reading attitudes among middle school students in the United States, a survey was developed and administered to 4,491 students in 23 states plus the District of Columbia. The instrument comprised four subscales measuring attitudes toward: recreational reading in print settings, recreational reading in digital…

Influence of Ohio River Valley Emissions on Fine Particle Sulfate Measured from Aircraft over Large Regions of the Eastern United States and Canada during INTEX-NA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hennigan, Christopher J.; Sandholm, Scott; Kim, Saewung; Stickel, Robert E.; Huey, L. Gregory; Weber, Rodney J.

2006-01-01

Aircraft measurements of fine inorganic aerosol composition were made with a particle-into-liquid sampler coupled to dual ion chromatographs (PILS-IC) as part of the NASA INTEX-NA study. The sampling campaign, which lasted from 1 July to 14 August 2004, centered over the eastern United States and Canada and showed that sulfate was the dominant inorganic species measured. The highest sulfate concentrations were observed at altitudes below 2 km, and back trajectory analyses showed a distinct difference between air masses that had or had not intercepted the Ohio River valley (ORV) region. Air masses encountered below 2 km with a history over the ORV had sulfate concentrations that were higher by a factor of 3.2 and total sulfur (S) concentrations higher by 2.5. The study's highest sulfate concentrations were found in these air masses. The sulfur of the ORV air masses was also more processed with a mean sulfate to total sulfur molar ratio of 0.5 compared to 0.3 in non-ORV measurements. Results from a second, independent trajectory model agreed well with those from the primary analysis. These ORV-influenced air masses were encountered on multiple days and were widely spread across the eastern United States and western Atlantic region.

1995 National Assessment of United States Oil and Gas Resources: Results, Methodology, and Supporting Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.; Dolton, Gordon L.; Takahashi, Kenneth I.; Varnes, Katharine L.

1996-01-01

This revised CD-ROM summarizes the results, released in 1995, of the 3-year study of the oil and gas resources of the onshore and state waters of the United States. Minor errors in the original DDS-30 (listed in DDS-35 and DDS-36) are corrected in this revised version and in the data files now released in DDS-35 and DDS-36. Estimates are made of technically recoverable oil, including measured (proved) reserves, future additions to reserves in existing fields, and undiscovered resources. Estimates are also made of the technically recoverable conventional resources of natural gas in measured reserves, in anticipated growth of reserves in existing fields, and in undiscovered resources. Additionally, an assessment is made of recoverable resources in continuous-type (largely unconventional) accumulations in sandstones, shales, chalks, and coal beds.

Aging in the Americas: Disability-free Life Expectancy Among Adults Aged 65 and Older in the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Payne, Collin F

2018-01-11

To estimate and compare disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and current age patterns of disability onset and recovery from disability between the United States and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Disability is measured using the activities of daily living scale. Data come from longitudinal surveys of older adult populations in Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Age patterns of transitions in and out of disability are modeled with a discrete-time logistic hazard model, and a microsimulation approach is used to estimate DFLE. Overall life expectancy for women aged 65 is 20.11 years in Costa Rica, 19.2 years in Mexico, 20.4 years in Puerto Rico, and 20.5 years in the United States. For men, these figures are 19.0 years in Costa Rica, 18.4 years in Mexico, 18.1 years in Puerto Rico, and 18.1 years in the United States. Proportion of remaining life spent free of disability for women at age 65 is comparable between Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States, with Costa Rica trailing slightly. Male estimates of DFLE are similar across the four populations. Though the older adult population of Latin America and the Caribbean lived many years exposed to poor epidemiological and public health conditions, their functional health in later life is comparable with the older adult population of the United States. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationship Between Labor and Delivery Unit Management Practices and Maternal Outcomes.

PubMed

Plough, Avery C; Galvin, Grace; Li, Zhonghe; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Alidina, Shehnaz; Henrich, Natalie J; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Berry, William R; Gawande, Atul A; Peter, Doris; McDonald, Rory; Caldwell, Donna L; Muri, Janet H; Bingham, Debra; Caughey, Aaron B; Declercq, Eugene R; Shah, Neel T

2017-08-01

To define, measure, and characterize key competencies of managing labor and delivery units in the United States and assess the associations between unit management and maternal outcomes. We developed and administered a management measurement instrument using structured telephone interviews with both the primary nurse and physician managers at 53 diverse hospitals across the United States. A trained interviewer scored the managers' interview responses based on management practices that ranged from most reactive (lowest scores) to most proactive (highest scores). We established instrument validity by conducting site visits among a subsample of 11 hospitals and established reliability using interrater comparison. Using a factor analysis, we identified three themes of management competencies: management of unit culture, patient flow, and nursing. We constructed patient-level regressions to assess the independent association between these management themes and maternal outcomes. Proactive management of unit culture and nursing was associated with a significantly higher risk of primary cesarean delivery in low-risk patients (relative risk [RR] 1.30, 95% CI 1.02-1.66 and RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.13-1.92, respectively). Proactive management of unit culture was also associated with a significantly higher risk of prolonged length of stay (RR 4.13, 95% CI 1.98-8.64), postpartum hemorrhage (RR 2.57, 95% CI 1.58-4.18), and blood transfusion (RR 1.87, 95% CI 1.12-3.13). Proactive management of patient flow and nursing was associated with a significantly lower risk of prolonged length of stay (RR 0.23, 95% CI 0.12-0.46 and RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11-0.62, respectively). Labor and delivery unit management varies dramatically across and within hospitals in the United States. Some proactive management practices may be associated with increased risk of primary cesarean delivery and maternal morbidity. Other proactive management practices may be associated with decreased risk of prolonged length of stay, indicating a potential opportunity to safely improve labor and delivery unit efficiency.

Entering the Dragon’s Lair: Chinese Antiaccess Strategies and Their Implications for the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

possible expansion of electronic warfare into outer space in future conflicts (Peng and Yao, 2001, p. 363): As a result of the continuous development of...information warfare units to develop viruses to attack enemy computer systems and networks .” Potential Effects of Chinese Antiaccess Measures 87...computers, enhanced user identi- fication measures, and monitoring of network activity. Given the possibility that China could nonetheless succeed in

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

Reversals of national fortune, and social science methodologies

PubMed Central

Diamond, Jared

2014-01-01

Among non-European regions colonized by Europeans, regions that were relatively richer five centuries ago (like Mexico, Peru, and India) tend to be poorer today, while regions that originally were relatively poorer (like the United States, Chile, and Australia) tend now to be richer. Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson (abbreviated AJR) established the generality of this reversal of fortune. Chanda, Cook, and Putterman (abbreviated CCP) have now reanalyzed it, taking as a unit of analysis populations rather than geographic regions. That is, India's population was Indian 500 y ago and is still overwhelmingly Indian today, whereas the United States' population was Native American 500 years ago but is overwhelmingly Old World (especially European) today. Reversals of fortune disappeared when CCP analyzed populations rather than geographic regions: for instance, the geographic region of the modern United States has become relatively richer since AD 1500, but the predominantly European population now occupying the United States was already relatively rich in AD 1500. Evidently, European colonists carried ingredients of wealth with them. I discuss the biological and cultural baggage transported by European immigrants and associated with wealth. Among that baggage, AJR emphasize institutions, CCP emphasize social capital, and I identify many different elements only loosely coupled to each other. This paper discusses the problem, especially acute in the social sciences, of “operationalizing” intuitive concepts (such as mass, temperature, wealth, and innovation) so that they can be measured. Basic concepts tend to be harder to define, operationalize, and measure in the social sciences than in the laboratory sciences. PMID:25385597

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.

Performance on the PPVT?III and the EVT: Applicability of the Measures with African American and European American Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Restrepo, Maria Adelaida; Schwanenflugel, Paula J.; Blake, Jamilia; Neuharth-Pritchett, Stacey; Cramer, Stephen E.; Ruston, Hilary P.

2006-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether two vocabulary measures were appropriate for the evaluation of African American children and children whose mothers have low education levels, regardless of gender. Method: Data were collected for 210 high-risk, preschool children from a southeastern state in the United States on the…

Laboratory measurements of trace gas emissions from biomass burning of fuel types from the southeastern and southwestern United States

Treesearch

I. R. Burling; R. J. Yokelson; D. W. T. Griffith; T. J. Johnson; P. Veres; J. M. Roberts; C. Warneke; S. P. Urbanski; J. Reardon; D. R. Weise; W. M. Hao; J. de Gouw

2010-01-01

Vegetation commonly managed by prescribed burning was collected from five southeastern and southwestern US military bases and burned under controlled conditions at the US Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana. The smoke emissions were measured with a large suite of state-of-the-art instrumentation including an open-path Fourier transform infrared...

Criminal Justice in America. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Bill, Ed.

This book, a comprehensive and interactive introductory text on criminal justice, consists of six units: (1) Crime: covers victims' rights, gangs, violent crime, white-collar crime, elements of crimes, legal defenses, methods for measuring crime, hate crime, computer crime, and a history of crime in the United States; (2) Police: explores local…

Changing to the Metric System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Donald L.; Dowling, Kenneth W.

This report examines educational aspects of the conversion to the metric system of measurement in the United States. Statements of positions on metrication and basic mathematical skills are given from various groups. Base units, symbols, prefixes, and style of the metric system are outlined. Guidelines for teaching metric concepts are given,…

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…

Nitric oxide measurements at a nonurban eastern United States site - Wallops instrument results from July 1983 GTE/CITE mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, A. L.

1985-01-01

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Wallops Flight Facility nitric oxide detector used in the July 1983 GTE/CITE 1 instrument intercomparison is a chemiluminescence system which, at that time, had a detection limit of about 2 pptv (S/N = 1) for 60-s integrations. A substantial amount of NO concentration data was taken with this system at Wallops Island, VA, a site that should be typical of numerous nonurban coastal areas of the eastern United States and for which little other data are available. Midday concentrations under conditions of northwest winds averaged about 200 pptv, a value low enough to imply lower NO(x) amounts than are generally thought to exist in the eastern United States. During a 2-day period when the sampled air had spent 1-2 days over the Atlantic Ocean, average NO concentrations of 70 and 33 ptv were observed. Measurements at night indicated an average NO concentration of 16 pptv under wind conditions making contamination of the sampled air by local anthropogenic sources unlikely.

50 CFR 648.107 - Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... summer flounder fishery. 648.107 Section 648.107 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND... NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.107 Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery. (a) The Regional Administrator has determined that the...

50 CFR 648.107 - Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... summer flounder fishery. 648.107 Section 648.107 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND... NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.107 Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery. (a) The Regional Administrator has determined that the...

50 CFR 648.107 - Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... summer flounder fishery. 648.107 Section 648.107 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND... NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.107 Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery. (a) The Regional Administrator has determined that the...

50 CFR 648.167 - Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery § 648.167 Bluefish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures. 648.167 Section 648.167 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.167 - Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery § 648.167 Bluefish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures. 648.167 Section 648.167 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.167 - Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery § 648.167 Bluefish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures. 648.167 Section 648.167 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.167 - Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery § 648.167 Bluefish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Bluefish framework adjustment to management measures. 648.167 Section 648.167 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

Safety in numbers: the development of Leapfrog's composite patient safety score for U.S. hospitals.

PubMed

Austin, J Matthew; D'Andrea, Guy; Birkmeyer, John D; Leape, Lucian L; Milstein, Arnold; Pronovost, Peter J; Romano, Patrick S; Singer, Sara J; Vogus, Timothy J; Wachter, Robert M

2014-03-01

To develop a composite patient safety score that provides patients, health-care providers, and health-care purchasers with a standardized method to evaluate patient safety in general acute care hospitals in the United States. The Leapfrog Group sought guidance from a panel of national patient safety experts to develop the composite score. Candidate patient safety performance measures for inclusion in the score were identified from publicly reported national sources. Hospital performance on each measure was converted into a "z-score" and then aggregated using measure-specific weights. A reference mean score was set at 3, with scores interpreted in terms of standard deviations above or below the mean, with above reflecting better than average performance. Twenty-six measures were included in the score. The mean composite score for 2652 general acute care hospitals in the United States was 2.97 (range by hospital, 0.46-3.94). Safety scores were slightly lower for hospitals that were publicly owned, rural in location, or had a larger percentage of patients with Medicaid as their primary insurance. The Leapfrog patient safety composite provides a standardized method to evaluate patient safety in general acute care hospitals in the United States. While constrained by available data and publicly reported scores on patient safety measures, the composite score reflects the best available evidence regarding a hospital's efforts and outcomes in patient safety. Additional analyses are needed, but the score did not seem to have a strong bias against hospitals with specific characteristics. The composite score will continue to be refined over time as measures of patient safety evolve.

The First United States Microgravity Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, C. Blake (Editor); Shea, Charlotte; Mcmahan, Tracy; Accardi, Denise; Mikatarian, Jeff

1991-01-01

The United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) is one part of a science and technology program that will open NASA's next great era of discovery and establish the United States' leadership in space. A key component in the preparation for this new age of exploration, the USML-1 will fly in orbit for extended periods, providing greater opportunities for research in materials science, fluid dynamics, biotechnology, and combustion science. The major components of the USML-1 are the Crystal Growth Furnace, the Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment (STDCE) Apparatus, and the Drop Physics Module. Other components of USML-1 include Astroculture, Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus, Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project, Protein Crystal Growth, Space Acceleration Measurement System, Solid Surface Combustion Experiment, Zeolite Crystal Growth and Spacelab Glovebox provided by the European Space Agency.

United States benefits of improved worldwide wheat crop information from a LANDSAT system overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The value of improvements in worldwide information on wheat crops provided by LANDSAT was measured in the context of world wheat markets. These benefits were based on exiting LANDSAT technical goals and assumed that information would be made available to the United States and other countries at the same time. The benefits to the United States of such public LANDSAT information on wheat crops were found to be 174 million dollars a year on the average. The benefits from improved wheat crop information compare favorably with the annual system's cost of about $62 million. A detailed empirical sample demonstration of the effect of improved information was developed. The history of wheat commodity prices for 1971-72 was reconstructed and the price changes from improved vs. historical information were compared.

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.

Estimating Renewable Energy Economic Potential in the United States: Methodology and Initial Results

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

Brown, Austin; Beiter, Philipp; Heimiller, Donna

The report describes a geospatial analysis method to estimate the economic potential of several renewable resources available for electricity generation in the United States. Economic potential, one measure of renewable generation potential, is defined in this report as the subset of the available resource technical potential where the cost required to generate the electricity (which determines the minimum revenue requirements for development of the resource) is below the revenue available in terms of displaced energy and displaced capacity.

Journal of the United States Artillery. Volume 56, Number 1, January 1922

DTIC Science & Technology

1922-01-01

its develop- ment and recognitio ,n as a real component of the Army of the United States. At the same time, many of us, believing the National Guard...exist in the Ninth Corps Area it is believed that similar conditions and problems are being faced in other Corps Areas. DECEXTRALIZATIO~ SUGGESTIOX1.-It...Guard organizations should be measured by the same standard. On the face of it, if the standard as to instant readiness and variety and complexity in

Deterrence and the United States Coast Guard: Enhancing Current Practice with Performance Measures

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Talley,  Jin , Kite Powell,  The US Coast Guard Vessel Inspection Programme (2005)  Deterrence and the United States Coast Guard: Enhancing Current...practical problem-solving, not from theory or strategy. As a result, the activities are fractured and may not even be recognized as related to...of Sun Tzu’s admonition: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” The US

Wars and Rumors of Wars: Likely Conflicts for the United States in the Early 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-02

the horizon may include Argentina, Chile, Venezuela , Nigeria, and South Africa. The rest of the world, including Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union...foreign owned assets in the world. The astounding trade imbalance is likely to continue in terms of production imports exceeding exports . This common...but somewhat misleading, measure does not credit the United States with its vast exportation of services, not to mention the profits and produc’ion of

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.

Metric Measurement. A Course to Reduce Math Anxiety and Sex-Role Stereotyping in Elementary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

City Univ. of New York, Flushing, NY. Queens Coll.

This Teacher Education and Mathematics (TEAM) content module focuses on metric measurement. Topics addressed include decimal structure and prefixes, precision in measurement, reference measures, United States customary and metric systems, volume, area, and conversion. The module consists of: (1) an instructor's text; (2) an instructor's guide and…

50 CFR 648.262 - Accountability measures for red crab limited access vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Accountability measures for red crab... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery § 648.262 Accountability measures for red crab limited access vessels. (a) Closure authority. NMFS shall close the EEZ to fishing...

Race/Ethnicity and Family Contact: Toward a Behavioral Measure of Familialism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comeau, Joseph A.

2012-01-01

Research from several disciplines has found that Latinos in the United States tend to score higher than other groups on measures of familialism. While most studies of Latino familialism use attitudinal measures rather than behavioral ones, I argue that examining behavioral measures of familialism can offer additional insights. This article…

Motorcycle helmet laws in the United States from 1990 to 2005: politics and public health.

PubMed

Homer, Jenny; French, Michael

2009-03-01

The passage of universal helmet legislation requiring motorcycle riders of all ages to wear helmets is a timely and controversial issue with far-reaching public health implications, especially as the number of motorcycle fatalities continues to rise. In 2008, only 20 states had a universal helmet policy, an effective safety measure for reducing motorcycle fatalities and serious injuries. We used state-specific longitudinal data for the continental United States from 1990 through 2005 to determine which industry, political, economic, and demographic factors had a significant influence on the enactment of universal helmet policies. Our findings suggest that political climate and ideology are important predictors of helmet policies.

Motorcycle Helmet Laws in the United States From 1990 to 2005: Politics and Public Health

PubMed Central

Homer, Jenny

2009-01-01

The passage of universal helmet legislation requiring motorcycle riders of all ages to wear helmets is a timely and controversial issue with far-reaching public health implications, especially as the number of motorcycle fatalities continues to rise. In 2008, only 20 states had a universal helmet policy, an effective safety measure for reducing motorcycle fatalities and serious injuries. We used state-specific longitudinal data for the continental United States from 1990 through 2005 to determine which industry, political, economic, and demographic factors had a significant influence on the enactment of universal helmet policies. Our findings suggest that political climate and ideology are important predictors of helmet policies. PMID:19106423

Longitudinal Comparison of the Speech and Language Performance of United States-Born and Internationally Adopted Toddlers with Cleft Lip and Palate: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Scherer, Nancy J; Baker, Shauna; Kaiser, Ann; Frey, Jennifer R

2018-01-01

Objective This study compares the early speech and language development of children with cleft palate with or without cleft lip who were adopted internationally with children born in the United States. Design Prospective longitudinal description of early speech and language development between 18 and 36 months of age. Participants This study compares four children (age range = 19 to 38 months) with cleft palate with or without cleft lip who were adopted internationally with four children (age range = 19 to 38 months) with cleft palate with or without cleft lip who were born in the United States, matched for age, gender, and cleft type across three time points over 10 to 12 months. Main Outcome Measures Children's speech-language skills were analyzed using standardized tests, parent surveys, language samples, and single-word phonological assessments to determine differences between the groups. Results The mean scores for the children in the internationally adopted group were lower than the group born in the United States at all three time points for expressive language and speech sound production measures. Examination of matched pairs demonstrated observable differences for two of the four pairs. No differences were observed in cognitive performance and receptive language measures. Conclusions The results suggest a cumulative effect of later palate repair and/or a variety of health and environmental factors associated with their early circumstances that persist to age 3 years. Early intervention to address the trajectory of speech and language is warranted. Given the findings from this small pilot study, a larger study of the long-term speech and language development of children who are internationally adopted and have cleft palate with or without cleft lip is recommended.

Health effects of acid aerosols on North American children: air pollution exposures.

PubMed

Spengler, J D; Koutrakis, P; Dockery, D W; Raizenne, M; Speizer, F E

1996-05-01

Air pollution measurements were conducted over a 1-year period in 24 North American communities participating in a respiratory health study. Ozone, particle strong acidity, sulfate, and mass (PM10 and PM2.1) were measured in all communities. In 20 of the communities, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, nitric acid, nitrous acid, and particulate nitrate were measured. The sampler was located centrally in the community whenever possible and samples were collected every other day. Concentrations of particle strong acidity, mass, sulfate, and ozone were highly correlated both in the region of the country defined as a high-sulfur source area and in the downwind transport regions. These regions of the eastern United States and southern Canada experienced the greatest particle strong acidity, sulfate, and particle mass concentrations during the spring and summer months (May-September). The particle strong acidity concentrations were highest in regions close to the high sulfur emission areas of the United States; that is, in the area immediately to the west of the Appalachian Plateau and west of the Allegheny Mountains (western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia) up through southern Ontario. The frequency of particle strong acidity events decreased with transport distance from the region of highest sulfur emissions. Low particle strong acidity and sulfates were found at the western and midwestern sites of both the United States and Canada. Substantial concentrations of nitric acid were found in two of the California sites as well as many sites in the northeastern portion of the United States. Sites selected for the epidemiologic study provide a range of annual mean particle strong acidity exposures from below the limit of detection to more than 50 nmol/m3.

Health effects of acid aerosols on North American children: air pollution exposures.

PubMed Central

Spengler, J D; Koutrakis, P; Dockery, D W; Raizenne, M; Speizer, F E

1996-01-01

Air pollution measurements were conducted over a 1-year period in 24 North American communities participating in a respiratory health study. Ozone, particle strong acidity, sulfate, and mass (PM10 and PM2.1) were measured in all communities. In 20 of the communities, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, nitric acid, nitrous acid, and particulate nitrate were measured. The sampler was located centrally in the community whenever possible and samples were collected every other day. Concentrations of particle strong acidity, mass, sulfate, and ozone were highly correlated both in the region of the country defined as a high-sulfur source area and in the downwind transport regions. These regions of the eastern United States and southern Canada experienced the greatest particle strong acidity, sulfate, and particle mass concentrations during the spring and summer months (May-September). The particle strong acidity concentrations were highest in regions close to the high sulfur emission areas of the United States; that is, in the area immediately to the west of the Appalachian Plateau and west of the Allegheny Mountains (western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia) up through southern Ontario. The frequency of particle strong acidity events decreased with transport distance from the region of highest sulfur emissions. Low particle strong acidity and sulfates were found at the western and midwestern sites of both the United States and Canada. Substantial concentrations of nitric acid were found in two of the California sites as well as many sites in the northeastern portion of the United States. Sites selected for the epidemiologic study provide a range of annual mean particle strong acidity exposures from below the limit of detection to more than 50 nmol/m3. Images p492-a Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. Figure 4. Figure 4. PMID:8743436

Say "Yes" to Metric Measure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monroe, Eula Ewing; Nelson, Marvin N.

2000-01-01

Provides a brief history of the metric system. Discusses the infrequent use of the metric measurement system in the United States, why conversion from the customary system to the metric system is difficult, and the need for change. (Contains 14 resources.) (ASK)

BIOLOGICALLY-BASED RAPID SCREENING METHODS FOR DIOXINS IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Because of the extensive cost, in personnel, time, equipment, and money to measure dioxin-like chemicals analytically, alternative technologies have been developed to measure the integrated sum of the activity of the dioxin-like chemicals.

50 CFR 648.25 - Possession restrictions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Mackerel, squid, and butterfish framework adjustments to management measures. (a) Within season management... 648.25 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the...

Public opinion about laws to prohibit weight discrimination in the United States.

PubMed

Puhl, Rebecca M; Heuer, Chelsea A

2011-01-01

Weight discrimination is pervasive in American society and impairs quality of life for obese persons. With approximately two-thirds of Americans now overweight or obese, vast numbers of people are vulnerable to weight prejudice and its consequences. Currently, no laws exist to prohibit weight discrimination. This study conducted an online survey with a national sample of 1,001 adults (representing demographics of the United States) to examine public support for six potential legislative measures to prohibit weight discrimination in the United States. Results indicated substantial support (65% of men, 81% of women) for laws to prohibit weight discrimination in the workplace, especially for legal measures that would prohibit employers from refusing to hire, terminate, or deny promotion based on a person's body weight. Laws that proposed extending the same protections to obese persons as people with physical disabilities received the least support, suggesting that Americans may not be in favor of considering obesity as a disability. Findings also highlight specific predictors of support (related to sex, age, education, income, body weight, and political ideology). These findings can be used to inform policy makers in efforts to develop antidiscrimination laws. Such measures will rectify health disparities for overweight Americans and facilitate public health efforts to address obesity.

The Role of Overshooting Convection in Elevated Stratospheric Water Vapor over the Summertime Continental United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, R. L.; Ray, E. A.; Rosenlof, K. H.; Bedka, K. M.; Schwartz, M. J.; Read, W. G.; Troy, R. F.

2016-12-01

The NASA ER-2 aircraft sampled the UTLS region over North America during the NASA Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) field mission. On four flights targeting convectively-influenced air parcels, in situ measurements of enhanced water vapor in the lower stratosphere over the summertime continental United States were made using the JPL Laser Hygrometer (JLH Mark2). Water vapor mixing ratios greater than 10 ppmv, twice the stratospheric background levels, were measured at pressure levels between 80 and 160 hPa. Through satellite observations and analysis, we make the connection between these in situ water measurements and overshooting cloud tops. The overshooting tops (OT) are identified from a SEAC4RS OT detection product based on satellite infrared window channel brightness temperature gradients. Back-trajectory analysis ties enhanced water to OT one to seven days prior to the intercept by the aircraft. The trajectory paths are dominated by the North American Monsoon (NAM) anticyclonic circulation. This connection suggests that ice is convectively transported to the overworld stratosphere in OT events and subsequently sublimated; such events may irreversibly enhance stratospheric water vapor in the summer over Mexico and the United States. Regional context is provided by water observations from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS).

Global inorganic nitrogen dry deposition inferred from ground- and space-based measurements.

PubMed

Jia, Yanlong; Yu, Guirui; Gao, Yanni; He, Nianpeng; Wang, Qiufeng; Jiao, Cuicui; Zuo, Yao

2016-01-27

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) dry deposition is an important component in total N deposition. However, uncertainty exists in the assessment of global dry deposition. Here, we develop empirical models for estimating ground N concentrations using NO2 satellite measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground measurements from 555 monitoring sites. Global patterns and trends in the fluxes of NO2, HNO3, NH4(+), and NO3(-) were assessed for 2005-2014. Moreover, we estimated global NH3 dry deposition directly using data from 267 monitoring sites. Our results showed that East Asia, the United States, and Europe were important regions of N deposition, and the total annual amount of global inorganic N deposition was 34.26 Tg N. The dry deposition fluxes were low in Africa and South America, but because of their large area, the total amounts in these regions were comparable to those in Europe and North America. In the past decade, the western United States and Eurasia, particularly eastern China, experienced the largest increases in dry deposition, whereas the eastern United States, Western Europe, and Japan experienced clear decreases through control of NOx and NH3 emissions. These findings provide a scientific background for policy-makers and future research into global changes.

Global inorganic nitrogen dry deposition inferred from ground- and space-based measurements

PubMed Central

Jia, Yanlong; Yu, Guirui; Gao, Yanni; He, Nianpeng; Wang, Qiufeng; Jiao, Cuicui; Zuo, Yao

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) dry deposition is an important component in total N deposition. However, uncertainty exists in the assessment of global dry deposition. Here, we develop empirical models for estimating ground N concentrations using NO2 satellite measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground measurements from 555 monitoring sites. Global patterns and trends in the fluxes of NO2, HNO3, NH4+, and NO3− were assessed for 2005–2014. Moreover, we estimated global NH3 dry deposition directly using data from 267 monitoring sites. Our results showed that East Asia, the United States, and Europe were important regions of N deposition, and the total annual amount of global inorganic N deposition was 34.26 Tg N. The dry deposition fluxes were low in Africa and South America, but because of their large area, the total amounts in these regions were comparable to those in Europe and North America. In the past decade, the western United States and Eurasia, particularly eastern China, experienced the largest increases in dry deposition, whereas the eastern United States, Western Europe, and Japan experienced clear decreases through control of NOx and NH3 emissions. These findings provide a scientific background for policy-makers and future research into global changes. PMID:26813440

Deterministic Joint Remote Preparation of a Four-Qubit Cluster-Type State via GHZ States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hai-bin; Zhou, Xiao-Yan; An, Xing-xing; Cui, Meng-Meng; Fu, De-sheng

2016-08-01

A scheme for the deterministic joint remote preparation of a four-qubit cluster-type state using only two Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states as quantum channels is presented. In this scheme, the first sender performs a two-qubit projective measurement according to the real coefficient of the desired state. Then, the other sender utilizes the measurement result and the complex coefficient to perform another projective measurement. To obtain the desired state, the receiver applies appropriate unitary operations to his/her own two qubits and two CNOT operations to the two ancillary ones. Most interestingly, our scheme can achieve unit success probability, i.e., P s u c =1. Furthermore, comparison reveals that the efficiency is higher than that of most other analogous schemes.

Childhood vaccination requirements: Lessons from history, Mississippi, and a path forward.

PubMed

Cawkwell, Philip B; Oshinsky, David

2015-10-26

Mississippi consistently leads the United States in childhood vaccination with a greater than 99% measles-mumps-rubella vaccination rate for children entering kindergarten. The story of how this came to pass in a state that lags behind on nearly every other public health measure is pertinent given the recent outbreaks of measles in the United States, especially in pockets of the country where there is strong resistance to vaccination. The fight against compulsory vaccination law is centuries old and the enduring success of Mississippi at repelling challenges to their vaccination requirements is a testament to the public health infrastructure and legal framework established in the state. Herein we trace the anti-vaccination movement from its origins in England up until the present time in the United States and explore how Mississippi has established a model vaccination system. Seminal court cases and legislation are evaluated for their impact. Finally, contemporary battles over vaccination legislation are examined and the feasibility of national-level change is considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial distribution of the largest rainfall-runoff floods from basins between 2.6 and 26,000 km2 in the United States and Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, Jim E.; Costa, John E.

2004-01-01

We assess the spatial distribution of the largest rainfall-generated streamflows from a database of 35,663 flow records composed of the largest 10% of annual peak flows from each of 14,815 U.S. Geological Survey stream gaging stations in the United States and Puerto Rico. High unit discharges (peak discharge per unit contributing area) from basins with areas of 2.6 to 26,000 km2 (1-10,000 mi2) are widespread, but streams in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Texas together account for more than 50% of the highest unit discharges. The Appalachians and western flanks of Pacific coastal mountain systems are also regions of high unit discharges, as are several areas in the southern Midwest. By contrast, few exceptional discharges have been recorded in the interior West, northern Midwest, and Atlantic Coastal Plain. Most areas of high unit discharges result from the combination of (1) regional atmospheric conditions that produce large precipitation volumes and (2) steep topography, which enhances precipitation by convective and orographic processes and allows flow to be quickly concentrated into stream channels. Within the conterminous United States, the greatest concentration of exceptional unit discharges is at the Balcones Escarpment of central Texas, where maximum U.S. rainfall amounts apparently coincide with appropriate basin physiography to produce many of the largest measured U.S. floods. Flood-related fatalities broadly correspond to the spatial distribution of high unit discharges, with Texas having nearly twice the average annual flood-related fatalities of any other state.

Determination of the Solar Energy Microclimate of the United States Using Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonderharr, T. H.; Ellis, J. S.

1978-01-01

The determination of total solar energy reaching the ground over the United States using measurements from meteorological satellites as the basic data set is examined. The methods of satellite data processing are described. Uncertainty analysis and comparison of results with well calibrated surface pyranometers are used to estimate the probable error in the satellite-based determination of ground insolation. It is 10 to 15 percent for daily information, and about 5 percent for monthly values. However, the natural space and time variability of insolation is much greater than the uncertainty in the method. The most important aspect of the satellite-based technique is the ability to determine the solar energy reaching the ground over small areas where no other measurements are available. Thus, it complements the widely spaced solar radiation measurement network of ground stations.

48 CFR 11.002 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... seq.), designates the metric system of measurement as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce, and it requires that each agency use the metric system of measurement... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Policy. 11.002 Section 11...

48 CFR 11.002 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... seq.), designates the metric system of measurement as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce, and it requires that each agency use the metric system of measurement... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Policy. 11.002 Section 11...

48 CFR 11.002 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... seq.), designates the metric system of measurement as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce, and it requires that each agency use the metric system of measurement... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Policy. 11.002 Section 11...

50 CFR 648.107 - Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder party/charter and recreational fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... summer flounder party/charter and recreational fishery. 648.107 Section 648.107 Wildlife and Fisheries... COMMERCE FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.107 Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder party/charter and recreational...

50 CFR 648.107 - Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... summer flounder fishery. 648.107 Section 648.107 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND... NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.107 Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder fishery. Link to an amendment published at 76 FR 60629, Sept. 29...

METHODS AND MICROBES FOR MEASURING THE QUALITY OF RECREATIONAL WATERS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

EPA Science Inventory

The methods and microbes used to measure the quality of recreational waters have changed very little over the last sixty years. The use of microbial indicators used to measure the quality of water under various conditions across the United States, and the serious shortcomings th...

Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (CEAI): Systematic Validation of a Measure

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (CEAI): SYSTEMATIC VALIDATION OF A MEASURE THESIS...the United States Government. AFIT/GIR/ENV/06M-05 CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (CEAI): SYSTEMATIC VALIDATION...DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT/GIR/ENV/06M-05 CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (CEAI): SYSTEMATIC VALIDATION OF A MEASURE

Measures of Hindu Pathways: Development and Preliminary Evidence of Reliability and Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarakeshwar, Nalini; Pargament, Kenneth I.; Mahoney, Annette

2003-01-01

Examines religious practices of Hindus in the United States and develops measures of their religious pathways. Four religious pathways were identified: devotion, ethical action, knowledge, and physical restraint/yoga. Results indicate that the measures of the religious pathways possessed adequate psychometric properties and were predictive of…

50 CFR 648.239 - Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Spiny Dogfish Fishery § 648.239 Spiny dogfish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures. 648.239 Section 648.239 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.110 - Summer flounder framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.110 Summer flounder framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Summer flounder framework adjustments to management measures. 648.110 Section 648.110 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.239 - Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Spiny Dogfish Fishery § 648.239 Spiny dogfish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures. 648.239 Section 648.239 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.110 - Summer flounder framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.110 Summer flounder framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Summer flounder framework adjustments to management measures. 648.110 Section 648.110 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.239 - Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Spiny Dogfish Fishery § 648.239 Spiny dogfish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures. 648.239 Section 648.239 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.110 - Summer flounder framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Summer Flounder Fisheries § 648.110 Summer flounder framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Summer flounder framework adjustments to management measures. 648.110 Section 648.110 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

50 CFR 648.239 - Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... UNITED STATES Management Measures for the Spiny Dogfish Fishery § 648.239 Spiny dogfish framework... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Spiny dogfish framework adjustments to management measures. 648.239 Section 648.239 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT...

76 FR 82197 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Recreational...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-30

... the recreational fishing begins to not only increase the effectiveness of such measures at achieving... implementation may undermine compliance with such measures and reduce the effectiveness of the AMs and their...; Recreational Accountability Measures AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and...

77 FR 23633 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Recreational...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

...; Recreational Accountability Measures AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and... accountability measures that were implemented in January 2012 to address an overage of the fishing year 2010 Gulf.... ADDRESSES: An analysis of the impacts of the accountability measures that are being removed by this action...

Decline in tuberculosis among Mexico-born persons in the United States, 2000-2010.

PubMed

Baker, Brian J; Jeffries, Carla D; Moonan, Patrick K

2014-05-01

In 2010, Mexico was the most common (22.9%) country of origin for foreign-born persons with tuberculosis in the United States, and overall trends in tuberculosis morbidity are substantially influenced by the Mexico-born population. To determine the risk of tuberculosis disease among Mexico-born persons living in the United States. Using data from the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and the American Community Survey, we examined tuberculosis case counts and case rates stratified by years since entry into the United States and geographic proximity to the United States-Mexico border. We calculated trends in case rates over time measured by average annual percent change. The total tuberculosis case count (-14.5%) and annual tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change -5.1%) declined among Mexico-born persons. Among those diagnosed with tuberculosis less than 1 year since entry into the United States (newly arrived persons), there was a decrease in tuberculosis cases (-60.4%), no change in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of 0.0%), and a decrease in population (-60.7%). Among those living in the United States for more than 5 years (non-recently arrived persons), there was an increase in tuberculosis cases (+3.4%), a decrease in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of -4.9%), and an increase in population (+62.7%). In 2010, 66.7% of Mexico-born cases were among non-recently arrived persons, compared with 51.1% in 2000. Although border states reported the highest proportions (>15%) of tuberculosis cases that were Mexico-born, the highest Mexico-born-specific tuberculosis case rates (>20/100,000 population) were in states in the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. The decline in tuberculosis morbidity among Mexico-born persons may be attributed to fewer newly arrived persons from Mexico and lower tuberculosis case rates among non-recently arrived Mexico-born persons. The extent of the decline was dampened by an unchanged tuberculosis case rate among newly arrived persons from Mexico and a large increase in the non-recently arrived Mexico-born population. If current trends continue, tuberculosis morbidity among Mexico-born persons will be increasingly driven by those who have been living in the United States for more than 5 years.

Physical Principles of Development of the State Standard of Biological Cell Polarizability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuvalov, G. V.; Generalov, K. V.; Generalov, V. M.; Kruchinina, M. V.; Koptev, E. S.; Minin, O. V.; Minin, I. V.

2018-03-01

A new state standard of biological cell polarizability based on micron-size latex particles has been developed. As a standard material, it is suggested to use polystyrene. Values of the polarizability calculated for erythrocytes and values of the polarizability of micron-size spherical latex particles measured with measuring-computing complexes agree within the limits of satisfactory relative error. The Standard allows one the unit of polarizability measurements [m3] to be assigned to cells and erythrocytes for the needs of medicine.

Regional Lg attenuation for the continental United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benz, H.M.; Frankel, A.; Boore, D.M.

1997-01-01

Measurements of the Fourier amplitude spectra of Lg phases recorded at high frequency (0.5 to 14.0 Hz) by broadband seismic stations are used to determine regional attenuation relationships for southern California, the Basin and Range Province, the central United States, and the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Fourier spectral amplitudes were measured every quarter octave from Lg phases windowed between 3.0 and 3.7 km sec-1 and recorded in the distance range of 150 to 1000 km. Attenuation at each frequency is determined by assuming a geometrical spreading exponent of 0.5 and inverting for Q and source and receiver terms. Both southern California and the Basin and Range Province are well described by low Lg Q and frequency-dependent attenuation. Lg spectral amplitudes in southern California are fit at low frequencies (0.625 to 0.875 Hz) by a constant Lg Q of 224 and by a frequency-dependent Lg Q function Q = 187-7+7 f0.55(??0.03) in the frequency band 1.0 to 7.0 Hz. The Basin and Range Province is characterized by a constant Lg Q of 192 for frequencies of 0.5 to 0.875 Hz and by the frequency-dependent Lg Q function Q = 235-11+11 f0.56(??0.04) in the frequency band 1.0 to 5.0 Hz. A change in frequency dependence above 5.0 Hz is possible due to contamination of the Lg window by Pn and Sn phases. Lg spectral amplitudes in the central United States are fit by a mean frequency-independent Lg Q of 1291 for frequencies of 1.5 to 7.0 Hz, while a frequency-dependent Lg Q of Q = 1052-83+91(f/1.5)0.22(??0.06) fits the Lg spectral amplitudes for the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada over the passband 1.5 to 14.0 Hz. Attenuation measurements for these areas were restricted to frequencies >1.5 Hz due to larger microseismic noise levels at the lower frequencies.

Global Warming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hileman, Bette

1989-01-01

States the foundations of the theory of global warming. Describes methodologies used to measure the changes in the atmosphere. Discusses steps currently being taken in the United States and the world to slow the warming trend. Recognizes many sources for the warming and the possible effects on the earth. (MVL)

46 CFR 67.119 - Hailing port designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) DOCUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT OF VESSELS... port must be a place in the United States included in the U.S. Department of Commerce's Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 55DC. (c) The hailing port must include the State, territory, or...

North Dakota Statewide Traffic Safety Survey, 2012 : Traffic Safety Performance Measures for State and Federal Agencies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

The United States trails other industrialized nations in several safety categories on public roadways. Traffic fatality risk, for example, is substantially higher than in other countries as found in Figure 1.1 (World Health Organization, 2009). Altho...

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…

Measuring Science Instructional Practice: A Survey Tool for the Age of NGSS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Kathryn N.; Lee, Christine S.; DiStefano, Rachelle; O'Connor, Dawn; Seitz, Jeffery C.

2016-01-01

Ambitious efforts are taking place to implement a new vision for science education in the United States, in both Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-adopted states and those states creating their own, often related, standards. In-service and pre-service teacher educators are involved in supporting teacher shifts in practice toward the new…

Two Models for Evaluating Alignment of State Standards and Assessments: Competing or Complementary Perspectives?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, Jill A.; Kasten, Sarah E.

2013-01-01

The release of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and their adoption across the United States calls for careful attention to the alignment between mathematics standards and assessments. This study investigates 2 models that measure alignment between standards and assessments, the Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC) and the Webb…

Active-Reserve Force Cost Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

structure to be maintained for a given level of expenditure. We have developed this methodology and set of associated computer-based tools to...rotational, and deployed units or systems • Attain acceptable steady state operational or presence levels , as measured by the number of units a...at the community level . By community, we mean the set of units of a given type: mission, platform, or capability. We do this because AC-RC force-mix

Development of Mobile Measurement Method Series OTM 33

EPA Science Inventory

Starting in 2006, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has explored use of mobile instrumented vehicles for a variety of air quality assessment applications under its Geospatial Measurement of Air Pollution (GMAP) program. GMAP systems utilize next generation, fast-r...

75 FR 28762 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

...\\ inches (48 mm), during Trimester II (May-Aug), diamond mesh, inside stretch measure. ``Top of the... cm) diamond mesh, inside stretch measure. For the purposes of this requirement, head ropes are not to...

Quantifying the hurricane risk to offshore wind turbines.

PubMed

Rose, Stephen; Jaramillo, Paulina; Small, Mitchell J; Grossmann, Iris; Apt, Jay

2012-02-28

The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that if the United States is to generate 20% of its electricity from wind, over 50 GW will be required from shallow offshore turbines. Hurricanes are a potential risk to these turbines. Turbine tower buckling has been observed in typhoons, but no offshore wind turbines have yet been built in the United States. We present a probabilistic model to estimate the number of turbines that would be destroyed by hurricanes in an offshore wind farm. We apply this model to estimate the risk to offshore wind farms in four representative locations in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal waters of the United States. In the most vulnerable areas now being actively considered by developers, nearly half the turbines in a farm are likely to be destroyed in a 20-y period. Reasonable mitigation measures--increasing the design reference wind load, ensuring that the nacelle can be turned into rapidly changing winds, and building most wind plants in the areas with lower risk--can greatly enhance the probability that offshore wind can help to meet the United States' electricity needs.

Uber and Metropolitan Traffic Fatalities in the United States.

PubMed

Brazil, Noli; Kirk, David S

2016-08-01

Uber and similar rideshare services are rapidly dispersing in cities across the United States and beyond. Given the convenience and low cost, Uber has been characterized as a potential countermeasure for reducing the estimated 121 million episodes of drunk driving and the 10,000 resulting traffic fatalities that occur annually in the United States. We exploited differences in the timing of the deployment of Uber in US metropolitan counties from 2005 to 2014 to test the association between the availability of Uber's rideshare services and total, drunk driving-related, and weekend- and holiday-specific traffic fatalities in the 100 most populated metropolitan areas in the United States using negative binomial and Poisson regression models. We found that the deployment of Uber services in a given metropolitan county had no association with the number of subsequent traffic fatalities, whether measured in aggregate or specific to drunk-driving fatalities or fatalities during weekends and holidays. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Recent trends in the variability of halogenated trace gases over the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurst, Dale F.; Bakwin, Peter S.; Elkins, James W.

1998-10-01

Recent trends in the atmospheric variability of seven halogenated trace gases are determined from three years (November 1994 through October 1997) of hourly gas chromatographic measurements at a 610 m tower in North Carolina and 17 months (June 1996 through October 1997) of similar measurements at a 450 m tower in Wisconsin. Production of five of these gases, CCl3F (CFC-11), CCl2F2 (CFC-12), CCl2FCClF2 (CFC-113), CH3CCl3 (methyl chloroform), and CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride), is now strictly regulated in the United States and other developed countries under international legislation. C2Cl4 (tetrachloroethene) and SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) are currently produced without restriction, but requests for voluntary cutbacks in C2Cl4 emissions have been made, at least in the United States. Atmospheric variability of these gases is examined at several sampling heights on the towers, but trends are deduced using only nighttime data at the top sampling level of each tower to minimize variability driven by local emissions and the diurnal cycle of the planetary boundary layer, leaving regional emissions as the main source of day-to-day variability. Significant downward trends are determined for CFC-12, CFC-113, CH3CCl3, and C2Cl4 variability at both towers, reflecting decreased emissions of these gases in two regions of the United States. Trends in CFC-11, CCl4, and SF6 variability at both towers are not significantly different from zero.

Children's mental health and collective violence: a binational study on the United States-Mexico border.

PubMed

Leiner, Marie; Puertas, Hector; Caratachea, Raúl; Avila, Carmen; Atluru, Aparna; Briones, David; Vargas, Cecilia de

2012-05-01

To investigate the risk effects of poverty and exposure to collective violence attributed to organized crime on the mental health of children living on the United States-Mexico border. A repeated, cross-sectional study measured risk effects by comparing scores of psychosocial and behavioral problems among children and adolescents living on the border in the United States or Mexico in 2007 and 2010. Patients living in poverty who responded once to the Pictorial Child Behavior Checklist (P+CBCL) in Spanish were randomly selected from clinics in El Paso, Texas, United States (poverty alone group), and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico (poverty plus violence group). Only children of Hispanic origin (Mexican-American or Mexican) living below the poverty level and presenting at the clinic for nonemergency visits with no history of diagnosed mental, neurological, or life-threatening disease or disability were included. Exposure to collective violence and poverty seemed to have an additive effect on children's mental health. Children exposed to both poverty and collective violence had higher problem scores, as measured by the P+CBCL, than those exposed to poverty alone. It is important to consider that children and adolescents exposed to collective violence and poverty also have fewer chances to receive treatment. Untreated mental health problems predict violence, antisocial behaviors, and delinquency and affect families, communities, and individuals. It is crucial to address the mental health of children on the border to counteract the devastating effects this setting will have in the short term and the near future.

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.

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.

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...

75 FR 28672 - Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation; Lifting of Nonproliferation Measures...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

...: Effective Date: May 21, 2010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela K. Durham, Office of Missile Threat... in the foreign policy or national security interests of the United States to remove the restrictions..., their sub-units and successors: 1. D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia 2. Moscow...

Ethics and Corporal Punishment within the Schools across the Globe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajdev, Usha

2012-01-01

This paper contains cultural anthropological research on various discipline measures used within the classrooms in India, United Kingdom, China, Africa, and the United States. My recent visit to schools in India on study abroad programs prompted my desire to research across the globe different methods of classroom management discipline conducted…

Differences in liquor prices between control state-operated and license-state retail outlets in the U.S.

PubMed Central

Siegel, Michael; DeJong, William; Albers, Alison B.; Naimi, Timothy S.; Jernigan, David H.

2012-01-01

Aims This study aims to compare the average price of liquor in the United States between retail alcohol outlets in states that have a monopoly ('control' states) with those that do not ('licence' states). Design A cross-sectional study of brand-specific alcohol prices in the United States. Setting We determined the average prices in February 2012 of 74 brands of liquor among the 13 control states that maintain a monopoly on liquor sales at the retail level and among a sample of 50 license-state liquor stores, using their online-available prices. Measurements We calculated average prices for 74 brands of liquor by control vs. license state. We used a random effects regression model to estimate differences between control and license state prices – overall and by alcoholic beverage type. We also compared prices between the 13 control states. Findings The overall mean price for the 74 brands was $27.79 in the license states (95% confidence interval [CI], $25.26–$30.32) and $29.82 in the control states (95% CI, $26.98–$32.66). Based on the random effects linear regression model, the average liquor price was approximately two dollars lower (6.9% lower) in license states. Conclusions In the United States monopoly of alcohol retail outlets appears to be associated with slightly higher liquor prices. PMID:22934914

[Portable multi-purpose device for monitoring of physiological informations].

PubMed

Tamura, T; Togawa, T

1983-05-01

Unconstrained system that measures physiological information as skin temperatures and heart rate per unit time of a human subject was developed. The system contained portable device included memory control unit, instrumentation unit, timer and batteries, read-out unit, test unit and verify unit. Total number of data and channels, and interval were selected by switches in the memory control unit. The data from the instrumentation unit were transferred to memory control unit and stored in the Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM). After measurement, EPROM chip was taken off the memory control unit and put on the read-out unit which transferred the data to the microcomputer. The data were directly calculated and analyzed by microcomputer. In application of the instrumentation unit, 8-channel skin thermometer was developed and tested. After amplification, 8 analog signals were multiplexed and converted into the binary codes. The digital signals were sequentially transferred to memory control unit and stored in the EPROM under controlled signal. The accuracy of the system is determined primarily by the accuracy of the sensor of instrumentation unit. The overall accuracy of 8-channel skin thermometer is conservatively stated within 0.1 degree C. This may prove to be useful in providing an objective measurement of human subjects, and can be used in studying environmental effect for human body and sport activities in a large population setting.

Econometric models for predicting confusion crop ratios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Umberger, D. E.; Proctor, M. H.; Clark, J. E.; Eisgruber, L. M.; Braschler, C. B. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

Results for both the United States and Canada show that econometric models can provide estimates of confusion crop ratios that are more accurate than historical ratios. Whether these models can support the LACIE 90/90 accuracy criterion is uncertain. In the United States, experimenting with additional model formulations could provide improved methods models in some CRD's, particularly in winter wheat. Improved models may also be possible for the Canadian CD's. The more aggressive province/state models outperformed individual CD/CRD models. This result was expected partly because acreage statistics are based on sampling procedures, and the sampling precision declines from the province/state to the CD/CRD level. Declining sampling precision and the need to substitute province/state data for the CD/CRD data introduced measurement error into the CD/CRD models.

Development of the Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Questionnaire in the United States.

PubMed

Wormley, Michelle E; Romney, Wendy; Greer, Anna E

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid measure for assessing clinical teaching effectiveness within the field of physical therapy. The Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Questionnaire (CTEQ) was developed via a 4-stage process, including (1) initial content development, (2) content analysis with 8 clinical instructors with over 5 years of clinical teaching experience, (3) pilot testing with 205 clinical instructors from 2 universities in the Northeast of the United States, and (4) psychometric evaluation, including principal component analysis. The scale development process resulted in a 30-item questionnaire with 4 sections that relate to clinical teaching: learning experiences, learning environment, communication, and evaluation. The CTEQ provides a preliminary valid measure for assessing clinical teaching effectiveness in physical therapy practice.

77 FR 43045 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

...: PPQ Form 816; Contract Pilot and Aircraft Acceptance. OMB Control Number: 0579-0298. Summary of... Agriculture, either independently or in cooperation with States, to carry out operations or measures to detect... or not widely distributed within the United States. This authority has been delegated to the...

Decline in Tuberculosis among Mexico-Born Persons in the United States, 2000–2010

PubMed Central

Baker, Brian J.; Jeffries, Carla D.; Moonan, Patrick K.

2016-01-01

Background In 2010, Mexico was the most common (22.9%) country of origin for foreign-born persons with tuberculosis in the United States, and overall trends in tuberculosis morbidity are substantially influenced by the Mexico-born population. Objectives To determine the risk of tuberculosis disease among Mexico-born persons living in the United States. Methods Using data from the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and the American Community Survey, we examined tuberculosis case counts and case rates stratified by years since entry into the United States and geographic proximity to the United States–Mexico border. We calculated trends in case rates over time measured by average annual percent change. Results The total tuberculosis case count (−14.5%) and annual tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change −5.1%) declined among Mexico-born persons. Among those diagnosed with tuberculosis less than 1 year since entry into the United States (newly arrived persons), there was a decrease in tuberculosis cases (−60.4%), no change in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of 0.0%), and a decrease in population (−60.7%). Among those living in the United States for more than 5 years (non-recently arrived persons), there was an increase in tuberculosis cases (+3.4%), a decrease in tuberculosis case rate (average annual percent change of −4.9%), and an increase in population (+62.7%). In 2010, 66.7% of Mexico-born cases were among non–recently arrived persons, compared with 51.1% in 2000. Although border states reported the highest proportions (>15%) of tuberculosis cases that were Mexico-born, the highest Mexico-born–specific tuberculosis case rates (>20/100,000 population) were in states in the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Conclusions The decline in tuberculosis morbidity among Mexico-born persons may be attributed to fewer newly arrived persons from Mexico and lower tuberculosis case rates among non–recently arrived Mexico-born persons. The extent of the decline was dampened by an unchanged tuberculosis case rate among newly arrived persons from Mexico and a large increase in the non–recently arrived Mexico-born population. If current trends continue, tuberculosis morbidity among Mexico-born persons will be increasingly driven by those who have been living in the United States for more than 5 years. PMID:24708206

Differences in cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among American Indian and Alaska Native people living in Alaska and the Southwest United States.

PubMed

Redwood, Diana; Lanier, Anne P; Renner, Caroline; Smith, Julia; Tom-Orme, Lillian; Slattery, Martha L

2010-07-01

This study analyzed self-reported tobacco use among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people enrolled in the Education and Research Towards Health Study in Alaska (n = 3,821) and the Southwest United States (n = 7,505) from 2004 to 2006. Participants (7,060 women and 4,266 men) completed a computer-assisted self-administered questionnaire on cigarette and smokeless tobacco (ST) use. Current use of cigarettes was considerably higher in Alaska than in the Southwest United States (32% vs. 8%). Current ST use was also more common in Alaska than in the Southwest United States (18% vs. 8%). Additionally, smoking was more common among men, younger age, those who were not married, and who only spoke English at home, while ST use was more common among men, those with lower educational attainment and those who spoke an AI/AN language at home (p < .01). Compared with the U.S. general population, AI/AN people living in Alaska were more likely and those living in the Southwest United States were less likely to be current smokers. Rates of ST use, including homemade ST, in both regions were much higher than the U.S. general population. Tobacco use among AI/AN people in the Southwest United States, who have a tradition of ceremonial tobacco use, was far lower than among Alaska Native people, who do not have a tribal tradition. Tobacco use is a key risk factor for multiple diseases. Reduction of tobacco use is a critical prevention measure to improve the health of AI/AN people.

Spatial variation in hyperthermia emergency department visits among those with employer-based insurance in the United States - a case-crossover analysis.

PubMed

Saha, Shubhayu; Brock, John W; Vaidyanathan, Ambarish; Easterling, David R; Luber, George

2015-03-04

Predictions of intense heat waves across the United States will lead to localized health impacts, most of which are preventable. There is a need to better understand the spatial variation in the morbidity impacts associated with extreme heat across the country to prevent such adverse health outcomes. Hyperthermia-related emergency department (ED) visits were obtained from the Truven Health MarketScan(®) Research dataset for 2000-2010. Three measures of daily ambient heat were constructed using meteorological observations from the National Climatic Data Center (maximum temperature, heat index) and the Spatial Synoptic Classification. Using a time-stratified case crossover approach, odds ratio of hyperthermia-related ED visit were estimated for the three different heat measures. Random effects meta-analysis was used to combine the odds ratios for 94 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) to examine the spatial variation by eight latitude categories and nine U.S. climate regions. Examination of lags for all three temperature measures showed that the odds ratio of ED visit was statistically significant and highest on the day of the ED visit. For heat waves lasting two or more days, additional statistically significant association was observed when heat index and synoptic classification was used as the temperature measure. These results were insensitive to the inclusion of air pollution measures. On average, the maximum temperature on the day of an ED visit was 93.4°F in 'South' and 81.9°F in the 'Northwest' climatic regions of United States. The meta-analysis showed higher odds ratios of hyperthermia ED visit in the central and the northern parts of the country compared to the south and southwest. The results showed spatial variation in average temperature on days of ED visit and odds ratio for hyperthermia ED visits associated with extreme heat across United States. This suggests that heat response plans need to be customized for different regions and the potential role of hyperthermia ED visits in syndromic surveillance for extreme heat.

Further emissions cuts needed for speedier acid rain recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

Some people may have thought that the problem of acid deposition, commonly referred to as acid rain, had been solved in the United States with the passage of the Acid Deposition Control Program under Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA).Although that legislation has helped to dramatically limit emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide—gases that can react in the atmosphere and form acidic compounds, including fine particles of sulfates and nitrates— much steeper cuts are needed for a quicker recovery from acid rain in the north-eastern United States, according to a new scientific appraisal of the effectiveness of measures called for in that law. The appraisal was issued on March 26 and is entitled “Acidic Deposition in the Northeastern United States: Sources and Inputs, Ecosystem Effects, and Management Strategies.”

Sex role ideology among East Asian immigrants in the United States.

PubMed

Barry, Declan T; Beitel, Mark

2006-10-01

Although sex role ideology (i.e., beliefs about the proper roles for men and women) is linked with self-definition and male-female interactions, researchers have rarely examined such beliefs among U.S. immigrants. This study examined the cultural (ethnic identity, self-construal) and demographic (gender, age, years in United States) correlates of sex role ideology among 170 (88 male, 82 female) East Asian immigrants using psychometrically established measures. Male participants who endorsed ethnic identity and interdependent self-construal were more likely to report traditional sex roles; female participants who lived for a longer period of time in the United States and who endorsed independent self-construal were more likely to report sex role equality. Clinicians should consider assessing sex role ideology to reduce the likelihood of stereotyping their immigrant clients. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved

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.

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.

Update on Performance in Tobacco Control: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Impact of Tobacco Control Policy and the US Adult Smoking Rate, 2011-2013.

PubMed

Mader, Emily M; Lapin, Brittany; Cameron, Brianna J; Carr, Thomas A; Morley, Christopher P

2016-01-01

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. States and municipalities have instituted a variety of tobacco control measures (TCMs) to address the significant impact tobacco use has on population health. The American Lung Association annually grades state performance of tobacco control using the State of Tobacco Control grading framework. To gain an updated understanding of how recent efforts in tobacco control have impacted tobacco use across the United States, using yearly State of Tobacco Control TCM assessments. The independent TCM variables of smoke-free air score, cessation score, excise tax, and percentage of recommended funding were selected from the American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control reports. Predictors of adult smoking rates were determined by a mixed-effects model. The 50 US states and District of Columbia. Adult smoking rate in each state from 2011 to 2013. The average adult smoking rate decreased significantly from 2011 to 2013 (21.3% [SD: 3.5] to 19.3% [SD: 3.5], P = .016). All forms of TCMs varied widely in implementation levels across states. Excise taxes (β = -.812, P = .006) and smoke-free air regulations (β = -.057, P = .008) were significant, negative predictors of adult smoking. Cessation services (β = .015, P = .46) did not have a measurable effect on adult smoking. Tobacco control measures with the strongest influence on adult smoking include the state excise tax and state smoke-free air regulations. The lack of robust funding for tobacco cessation services across the majority of US states highlights an important shortfall in current tobacco control policy.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NEAR-BOTTOM DISSOLVED OXYGEN AND SEDIMENT PROFILE CAMERA MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and other environmental authorities regulate concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) as a measure of nutrient-related eutrophication in estuarine and coastal waters. However, in situ DO concentrations are extremely var...

South Philadelphia Passive Sampler and Sensor Study

EPA Science Inventory

Starting in June 2013, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the City of Philadelphia Air Measurements Services began collaborative research on the use of passive samplers (PSs) and stand-alone air measurement (SAM) systems to improve information on the...

The Self-perception of Text-message Dependency Scale (STDS): Psychometric update based on a United States sample.

PubMed

Liese, Bruce S; Benau, Erik M; Atchley, Paul; Reed, Derek; Becirevic, Amel; Kaplan, Brent

2018-05-14

Some have suggested that text messaging is an addictive behavior. However, this characterization is uncertain, partly due to lack of well-validated measures of text messaging attitudes and behaviors. One standard instrument for measuring text messaging attitudes and behaviors is the Self-perception of Text-message Dependency Scale (STDS), though the psychometric properties of this scale have only been examined with a sample of Japanese youth. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the STDS in the United States to determine its utility as a measure of text messaging dependence. We were interested in examining the factor structure and determining the extent to which this scale would correlate with two important outcome measures: motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and moving violations. We analyzed data from 468 adults (age 18-74; 274 women) recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk (mTurk) service. Participants completed the STDS and provided information about their driving-related incidents in the past year. First we performed a confirmatory factor analysis, which supported the instrument's original factor structure. Then we tested the relationship between scores on the STDS and two important variables, MVAs and moving violations. We found that the STDS significantly correlated with both MVAs and moving violations. The present study confirms that the STDS is a potentially useful instrument for studying texting dependence in the United States and with adults of all ages. The instrument may be particularly useful in predicting motor vehicle outcomes.

Existence of an information unit as a postulate of quantum theory.

PubMed

Masanes, Lluís; Müller, Markus P; Augusiak, Remigiusz; Pérez-García, David

2013-10-08

Does information play a significant role in the foundations of physics? Information is the abstraction that allows us to refer to the states of systems when we choose to ignore the systems themselves. This is only possible in very particular frameworks, like in classical or quantum theory, or more generally, whenever there exists an information unit such that the state of any system can be reversibly encoded in a sufficient number of such units. In this work, we show how the abstract formalism of quantum theory can be deduced solely from the existence of an information unit with suitable properties, together with two further natural assumptions: the continuity and reversibility of dynamics, and the possibility of characterizing the state of a composite system by local measurements. This constitutes a set of postulates for quantum theory with a simple and direct physical meaning, like the ones of special relativity or thermodynamics, and it articulates a strong connection between physics and information.

Existence of an information unit as a postulate of quantum theory

PubMed Central

Masanes, Lluís; Müller, Markus P.; Augusiak, Remigiusz; Pérez-García, David

2013-01-01

Does information play a significant role in the foundations of physics? Information is the abstraction that allows us to refer to the states of systems when we choose to ignore the systems themselves. This is only possible in very particular frameworks, like in classical or quantum theory, or more generally, whenever there exists an information unit such that the state of any system can be reversibly encoded in a sufficient number of such units. In this work, we show how the abstract formalism of quantum theory can be deduced solely from the existence of an information unit with suitable properties, together with two further natural assumptions: the continuity and reversibility of dynamics, and the possibility of characterizing the state of a composite system by local measurements. This constitutes a set of postulates for quantum theory with a simple and direct physical meaning, like the ones of special relativity or thermodynamics, and it articulates a strong connection between physics and information. PMID:24062431

United States Army Annual Financial Statement FY00. The Army in Transformation Responsive to the Needs of the Nation

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

continuing cost-cutting measures. Improvements have included establishing clearer customer-provider relationships, adopting private market mechanisms...measured by dividing these costs by gross wholesale sales. In FY 2000, the wholesale division achieved a $1.007 unit cost goal ( UCG ). Target UCG was...0.99. The over-execution of the UCG was due to higher than expected credit. Credit was over plan as a result of the Retail activities turning in more

Fire effects on soils in Lake States forests: A compilation of published research to facilitate long-term investigations

Treesearch

Jessica Miesel; P. Goebel; R. Corace; David Hix; Randall Kolka; Brian Palik; David Mladenoff

2012-01-01

Fire-adapted forests of the Lake States region are poorly studied relative to those of the western and southeastern United States and our knowledge base of regional short- and long-term fire effects on soils is limited. We compiled and assessed the body of literature addressing fire effects on soils in Lake States forests to facilitate the re-measurement of previous...

A Model and Measure of Mobile Communication Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakke, Emil

2010-01-01

This article deals with two studies that develop a measure and model of mobile communication competence (MCC). The first study examines the dimensionality of the measure by conducting an exploratory factor analysis on 350 students at a large university in the midwestern United States. Results identified six constructs across 24 items: willingness…

District-Level Black--White Funding Disparities in the United States, 1987?2002

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bifulco, Robert

2005-01-01

A large body of literature examines disparities in school funding across districts. Berne and Stiefel (1984) developed the standard framework for measuring school finance equity, and the measures catalogued there have been applied extensively to assess funding disparities across districts. Much of this literature has focused on measures of…

Participant adherence indicatiors predict changes in blood pressure, anthropometric measures, and self-reported physical activity in a lifestyle intervention: HUB City Steps

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Purpose. To evaluate several adherence indicators, created using 2 measures, separately and in combination, for predicting health outcome changes. Design. Non-experimental with pre-post measures. Setting. Mid-sized city in southern region of United States. Subjects. 269 primarily African-America...

College Measures Economic Success Metrics Project. Fact Sheet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Higher Education Policy, 2016

2016-01-01

College Measures was established in 2010 as a partnership between the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Matrix Knowledge Group (now Optimity Advisors). In 2016, College Measures became fully owned by AIR. It remains focused on using data to drive improvement in higher education outcomes in the United States. Through its Economic Success…

Parental Involvement in School and the Role of School Security Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowen, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

Over the past three decades, the United States has experienced a significant increase in the use of security measures in public and private secondary schools. Measures including police officers, metal detectors, and security cameras are becoming more common in the hallways of American schools. Following this surge, a number of academics have…

Standards-Based Accountability under No Child Left Behind: Experiences of Teachers and Administrators in Three States. MG-589-NSF

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Laura S.; Stecher, Brian M.; Marsh, Julie A.; McCombs, Jennifer Sloan; Robyn, Abby; Russell, Jennifer; Naftel, Scott; Barney, Heather

2007-01-01

Since 2001-2002, standards-based accountability (SBA) provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) have shaped the work of public school teachers and administrators in the United States. NCLB requires each state to develop content and achievement standards in several subjects, administer tests to measure students' progress toward…

The Relationship between Test Preparation and State Test Performance: Evidence from the Measure of Effective Teaching (MET) Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hongli; Xiong, Yao

2018-01-01

The passage of the NCLB Act enhanced accountability policies in the United States, and standardized testing became prevalent as a policy tool to ensure accountability in K-12 education. Given the high stakes of state administered accountability tests, more school teachers have adopted test-preparation strategies to ensure satisfactory student…

Stream measurement work: Chapter 8 in Seventeenth biennial report of the State Engineer to the governor of Utah: 1929-1930

USGS Publications Warehouse

Purton, A.B.

1930-01-01

General stream measurement work looking toward a comprehensive inventory of the water resources of the state has been continued during the biennium by the United States Geological Survey under the usual cooperative agreement with the State Engineer.Since 1909 Utah in company with many other states has made regular legislative appropriations for the purpose of assisting and hastening the determination of the water supply of the United States by the Geographical Survey. Because of the comparatively small Federal appropriations the scope of this wok in the individual states has been largely influenced by the amount of the state cooperation. The funds contributed by each state have all been expended within that state and matched as far as possible by funds of the Geographical Survey. Up to the present, however, the Federal funds have been insufficient to match the state contributions beyond a very limited amount and in many localities the large amount of work done has been made possible only by correspondingly large unmatched state appropriations.During this period the regular stream gaging work in Utah has been practically limited to that possible with approximately ten thousand dollars annually divided about equally between the state and Geological Survey with the government’s share including the cost at Washington of general supervision, and the review, editing, and publication of the records. This has been the maximum amount that it has been possible to allot any one state to meet state cooperation.

Improving Simulations of Fine Dust Surface Concentrations over the Western United States by Optimizing the Particle Size Distribution

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

Zhang, Li; Kok, Jasper F.; Henze, Daven

2013-06-28

To improve estimates of remote contributions of dust to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the western United States, new dust particle size distributions (PSDs) based upon scale-invariant fragmentation theory (Kok_PSD) with constraints from in situ measurements (IMP_PSD) are implemented in a chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). Compared to initial simulations, this leads to reductions in the mass of emitted dust particles with radii <1.8 mm by 40%-60%. Consequently, the root-mean-square error in simulated fine dust concentrations compared to springtime surface observations in the western United States is reduced by 67%-81%. The ratio of simulated fine to coarse PM mass is alsomore » improved, which is not achievable by reductions in total dust emissions. The IMP_PSD best represents the PSD of dust transported from remote sources and reduces modeled PM2.5 concentrations up to 5 mg/m3 over the western United States, which is important when considering sources contributing to nonattainment of air quality standards. Citation: Zhang, L., J. F. Kok, D. K. Henze, Q. Li, and C. Zhao (2013), Improving simulations of fine dust surface concentrations over the western United States by optimizing the particle size distribution, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 3270-3275, doi:10.1002/grl.50591.« less

Streamflow from the United States into the Atlantic Ocean during 1931-1960

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bue, Conrad D.

1970-01-01

Streamflow from the United States into the Atlantic Ocean, between the international stream St. Croix River, inclusive, and Cape Sable, Fla., averaged about 355,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) during the 30-year period 1931-60, or roughly 20 percent of the water that, on the average flows out of the conterminous United States. The area drained by streams flowing into the Atlantic Ocean is about 288,000 square miles, including the Canadian part of the St. Croix and Connecticut River basins, or a little less than 10 percent of the area of the conterminous United States. Hence, the average streamflow into the Atlantic Ocean, in terms of cubic feet per second per square mile, is about twice the national average of the flow that leaves the conterminous United States. Flow from about three-fourths of the area draining into the Atlantic Ocean is gaged at streamflow measuring stations of the U.S. Geological Survey. The remaining one-fourth of the drainage area consists mostly of low-lying coastal areas from which the flow was estimated, largely on the basis of nearby gaging stations. Streamflow, in terms of cubic feet per second per square mile, decreases rather progressively from north to south. It averages nearly 2 cfs along the Maine coast, about 1 cfs along the North Carolina coast, and about 0.9 cfs along the Florida coast.

Who administers? Who cares? Medical administrative and clinical employment in the United States and Canada.

PubMed Central

Himmelstein, D U; Lewontin, J P; Woolhandler, S

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES. We compared US and Canadian health administration costs using national medical care employment data for both countries. METHODS. Data from census surveys on hospital, nursing home, and outpatient employment in the United States (1968 to 1993) and Canada (1971 and 1986) were analyzed. RESULTS. Between 1968 and 1993, US medical care employment grew from 3.976 to 10.308 million full-time equivalents. Administration grew from 0.719 to 2.792 million full-time equivalents, or from 18.1% to 27.1% of the total employment. In 1986, the United States deployed 33,666 health care full-time equivalent personnel per million population, and Canada deployed 31,529. The US excess was all administrative; Canada employed more clinical personnel, especially registered nurses. Between 1971 and 1986, hospital employment per capita grew 29% in the United States (mostly because of administrative growth) and fell 14% in Canada. In 1986, Canadian hospitals still employed more clinical staff per million. Outpatient employment was larger and grew faster in the United States. Per capita nursing home employment was substantially higher in Canada. CONCLUSIONS. If US hospitals and outpatient facilities adopted Canada's staffing patterns, 1,407,000 fewer managers and clerks would be necessary. Despite lower medical spending, Canadians receive slightly more nursing and other clinical care than Americans, as measured by labor inputs. PMID:8633732

Animal health economics: an aid to decisionmaking on animal health interventions - case studies in the United States of America.

PubMed

Marsh, T L; Pendell, D; Knippenberg, R

2017-04-01

For animal disease events the outcomes and consequences often remain unclear or uncertain, including the expected changes in benefits (e.g. profit to firms, prices to consumers) and in costs (e.g. response, clean-up). Moreover, the measurement of changes in benefits and costs across alternative interventions used to control animal disease events may be inexact. For instance, the economic consequences of alternative vaccination strategies to mitigate a disease can vary in magnitude due to trade embargoes and other factors. The authors discuss the economic measurement of animal disease outbreaks and interventions and how measurement is used in private and public decision-making. Two illustrative case studies in the United States of America are provided: a hypothetical outbreak of foot and mouth disease in cattle, and the 2014-2015 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry.

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.

Miscellaneous streamflow measurements in the State of Washington, January 1961 to September 1985

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, John R.; Riis, S.A.

1989-01-01

This report is a compilation of previously published miscellaneous streamflow measurements made in Washington State by the U.S. Geological Survey between January 1961 and September 1985. It is a supplement to a volume of similar data for the period 1890 to January 1961. The data include stream name and stream to which it is tributary, latitude and longitude, county code, hydrologic unit code, land-line location, drainage area, and measurement dates and discharges. In general, the data sites are not at gaging stations; however, some data are given for gaging station sites during periods when the stations were not in operation. All data in this report have been entered into a computerized data base that includes the data for the period 1890 to January 1961. The data can be retrieved in a variety of ways, such as by county, by hydrologic unit code, by river basin , or by size of drainage area. (USGS)

Americanization as a War Measure: Report of a Conference Called by the Secretary of the Interior, and Held in Washington, April 3, 1918. Bulletin, 1918, No. 18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Education, Department of the Interior, 1918

1918-01-01

At the suggestion of the National Committee of One Hundred, the Advisory Council on Americanization to the United States Bureau of Education, the Secretary of the Interior called a conference on Americanization as a War Measure, which was held on April 3, 1918. Among those in attendance were governors, State officers, officials of commercial and…

SEE Action Guide for States: Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification Frameworks$-$Guidance for Energy Efficiency Portfolios Funded by Utility Customers

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

Li, Michael; Dietsch, Niko

2018-01-01

This guide describes frameworks for evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM&V) of utility customer–funded energy efficiency programs. The authors reviewed multiple frameworks across the United States and gathered input from experts to prepare this guide. This guide provides the reader with both the contents of an EM&V framework, along with the processes used to develop and update these frameworks.

National health accounts: Lessons from the U.S. experience

PubMed Central

Lazenby, Helen C.; Levit, Katharine R.; Waldo, Daniel R.; Adler, Gerald S.; Letsch, Suzanne W.; Cowan, Cathy A.

1992-01-01

The national health accounts (NHA) are the framework within which type of services and sources of funding for health care expenditures are measured. NHA, devised to portray the structure of health care delivery and financing in the United States, provide essential information necessary for the formulation of public health policy and for international comparison. In this article, the authors describe the importance of the NHA nationally and internationally, and provide a blueprint of the definitions, sources, and methods used to create this system of NHA in the United States. PMID:10122006

Selective Security Cooperation: A Proposed Index to Measure the Value of Partners and Focus International Engagement

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-13

United States Air Force Academy in 1993. As an Air Force pilot, he has flown the T-37C Tweet, the T-38A Talon and the U - 2S Dragon Lady. He served as... property of the United States government. iii Biography Lieutenant Colonel A.J. Werner is a student at the Air War College at Maxwell Air...speaks Bulgarian and German. Colonel Werner has flown over 100 combat missions and 4,200 hours in US and Bulgarian Air Force aircraft . In addition

Fidelity criterion for quantum-domain transmission and storage of coherent states beyond the unit-gain constraint.

PubMed

Namiki, Ryo; Koashi, Masato; Imoto, Nobuyuki

2008-09-05

We generalize the experimental success criterion for quantum teleportation (memory) in continuous-variable quantum systems to be suitable for a non-unit-gain condition by considering attenuation (amplification) of the coherent-state amplitude. The new criterion can be used for a nonideal quantum memory and long distance quantum communication as well as quantum devices with amplification process. It is also shown that the framework to measure the average fidelity is capable of detecting all Gaussian channels in the quantum domain.

Exploratory Cluster Analysis to Identify Patterns of Chronic Kidney Disease in the 500 Cities Project.

PubMed

Liu, Shelley H; Li, Yan; Liu, Bian

2018-05-17

Chronic kidney disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. We used cluster analysis to explore patterns of chronic kidney disease in 500 of the largest US cities. After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, we found that unhealthy behaviors, prevention measures, and health outcomes related to chronic kidney disease differ between cities in Utah and those in the rest of the United States. Cluster analysis can be useful for identifying geographic regions that may have important policy implications for preventing chronic kidney disease.

7 CFR 2.65 - Administrator, Agricultural Research Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... States population and special high-risk groups; and (iii) Design and carry out methodological research... designed to reduce the cost of producing upland cotton in the United States (7 U.S.C. 1441 note). (16...: (i) Design and carry out periodic nationwide food consumption surveys to measure household food...

75 FR 5836 - Lifting of Nonproliferation Measures Against One Russian Entity

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-04

... Entity AGENCY: Department of State. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: A determination has been made, pursuant to... on one Russian entity. DATES: Effective Date: February 4, 2010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT... Executive Order on the following Russian entity, its sub-units and successors: 1. Baltic State Technical...

Measuring the Benefits of Clean Air and Water.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kneese, Allen V.

This book examines the current state of the art regarding benefits assessment, including such tools as bidding games, surveys, property-value studies, wage differentials, risk reduction evaluation, and mortality and morbidity cost estimation. It is based on research, sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, related to the…

World Language Teacher Candidate Performance on Edtpa: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrandt, Susan A.; Swanson, Pete

2014-01-01

Federal and state legislation continues to promote teacher accountability in the United States. The new edTPA, a subject-specific teacher performance assessment, is purported to measure beginning teacher readiness and is being pilot tested and implemented for licensure and certification decisions across the country. In this exploratory…

78 FR 69374 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-19

...-managed forest lands in the state of Washington. The purpose of the research is to conduct surveys to... Snohomish River estuary. The purpose of the study is to measure restored habitat functionality in the wake... of Natural Resources, Snohomish County, and United States Forest Service stream classifications and...

Teacher Evaluation and Music Education: Joining the National Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overland, Corin T.

2014-01-01

Between 2009 and 2014, thirty-seven states in the United States have adopted or significantly amended their teacher evaluation laws, mostly shifting toward using measurements of student growth on achievement tests. Yet, the processes to evaluate core subjects have not always transitioned smoothly to nontested or artistic content, causing some…

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...

North Dakota Statewide Traffic Safety Survey, 2011 : Traffic Safety Performance Measures for State and Federal Agencies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-08-01

The United States lags behind many other industrialized nations in its ability to ensure safety on public roadways as illustrated in Figure 1.1 (World Health Organization 2009). While progress has been made in reducing traffic deaths, the continued e...

North Dakota Statewide Traffic Safety Survey, 2010 : Traffic Safety Performance Measures for State and Federal Agencies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-10-01

The United States lags behind many other industrialized nations in its ability to ensure safety on public roadways as illustrated in Figure 1.1 (World Health Organization 2009). While progress has been made in reducing traffic deaths, the continued e...

77 FR 15374 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-15

... the secondary migration of refugees within the United States after arrival. Further, INA 412(c)(1)(B... secondary migration. In order to meet the statutory requirements, ORR requires each state to submit... ranges. ORR used the information on the ORR-11 to measure secondary migration for the purposes of formula...

Integrating BalloonSAT and Atmospheric Dynamic Concepts into the Secondary Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fong, B. N.; Kennon, J. T.; Roberts, E.

2016-05-01

Arkansas BalloonSAT is an educational outreach and scientific research program that is part of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR. The following is a unit of instruction to incorporate BalloonSAT measurements into secondary science classes. Students interpret graphs and identify several atmospheric trends and properties of a typical balloon flight. Students engage critical thinking skills in developing and answering their own questions relevant to the BalloonSAT program. Prerequisite concepts students should know are how to interpret graphs and unit conversions. Students should have a basic understanding of gravity, units of temperature and distance, and error in measurements. The unit is designed for one week after end-of-course exams and before the end of school. The unit may take two to five 50-minute periods, depending on how many activities are completed.

A Multi-Functional Microelectrode Array Featuring 59760 Electrodes, 2048 Electrophysiology Channels, Stimulation, Impedance Measurement and Neurotransmitter Detection Channels.

PubMed

Dragas, Jelena; Viswam, Vijay; Shadmani, Amir; Chen, Yihui; Bounik, Raziyeh; Stettler, Alexander; Radivojevic, Milos; Geissler, Sydney; Obien, Marie; Müller, Jan; Hierlemann, Andreas

2017-06-01

Biological cells are characterized by highly complex phenomena and processes that are, to a great extent, interdependent. To gain detailed insights, devices designed to study cellular phenomena need to enable tracking and manipulation of multiple cell parameters in parallel; they have to provide high signal quality and high spatiotemporal resolution. To this end, we have developed a CMOS-based microelectrode array system that integrates six measurement and stimulation functions, the largest number to date. Moreover, the system features the largest active electrode array area to date (4.48×2.43 mm 2 ) to accommodate 59,760 electrodes, while its power consumption, noise characteristics, and spatial resolution (13.5 μm electrode pitch) are comparable to the best state-of-the-art devices. The system includes: 2,048 action-potential (AP, bandwidth: 300 Hz to 10 kHz) recording units, 32 local-field-potential (LFP, bandwidth: 1 Hz to 300 Hz) recording units, 32 current recording units, 32 impedance measurement units, and 28 neurotransmitter detection units, in addition to the 16 dual-mode voltage-only or current/voltage-controlled stimulation units. The electrode array architecture is based on a switch matrix, which allows for connecting any measurement/stimulation unit to any electrode in the array and for performing different measurement/stimulation functions in parallel.

7 CFR 1160.104 - United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false United States. 1160.104 Section 1160.104 Agriculture... Definitions § 1160.104 United States. United States means the 48 contiguous states in the continental United States and the District of Columbia, except that United States means the 50 states of the United States...

7 CFR 1160.104 - United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false United States. 1160.104 Section 1160.104 Agriculture... Definitions § 1160.104 United States. United States means the 48 contiguous states in the continental United States and the District of Columbia, except that United States means the 50 states of the United States...

7 CFR 1160.104 - United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true United States. 1160.104 Section 1160.104 Agriculture... Definitions § 1160.104 United States. United States means the 48 contiguous states in the continental United States and the District of Columbia, except that United States means the 50 states of the United States...

7 CFR 1160.104 - United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false United States. 1160.104 Section 1160.104 Agriculture... Definitions § 1160.104 United States. United States means the 48 contiguous states in the continental United States and the District of Columbia, except that United States means the 50 states of the United States...

7 CFR 1160.104 - United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true United States. 1160.104 Section 1160.104 Agriculture... Definitions § 1160.104 United States. United States means the 48 contiguous states in the continental United States and the District of Columbia, except that United States means the 50 states of the United States...

50 CFR 648.127 - Framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Framework adjustments to management measures. 648.127 Section 648.127 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES...

19 CFR 207.106 - Interim measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Interim measures. 207.106 Section 207.106 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF WHETHER INJURY TO DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES RESULTS FROM IMPORTS SOLD AT LESS THAN FAIR VALUE OR FROM SUBSIDIZED...

An Analysis of Attitudes toward Statistics: Gender Differences among Advertising Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullerton, Jami A.; Umphrey, Don

This study measures advertising students' attitudes toward statistics. Subjects, 275 undergraduate advertising students from two southwestern United States universities, completed a questionnaire used to gauge students' attitudes toward statistics by measuring 6 underlying factors: (1) students' interest and future applicability; (2) relationship…

The development of optimal on-premise Electronic Message Center (EMC) lighting levels and sign lighting measurement techniques.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

Research conducted recently for the United States Sign Council Foundation found no consensus in the research : literature or the practices of the commercial electronic message center (EMC) industry on lighting measurement : or appropriate lighting le...

South Philadelphia Passive Sampler and Sensor Study: Interim Report

EPA Science Inventory

Starting in June 2013, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the City of Philadelphia Air Measurements Services began collaborative research on the use of passive samplers (PSs) and stand-alone air measurement (SAM) systems to improve information on the...

Performance measures to characterize directional corridor travel time delay based on probe vehicle data : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-10-01

Anonymous probe vehicle data are currently being collected on roadways throughout the United States. These data are being incorporated into local and statewide mobility reports to measure the performance of freeways and arterial systems. Predefined s...

DRY DEPOSITION OF POLLUTANTS TO FORESTS

EPA Science Inventory

We report on the results of an extensive field campaign to measure dry deposition of ozone and sulfur dioxide to a sample of forest types in the United States. Measurements were made for full growing seasons over a deciduous forest in Pennsylvania and a mixed deciduous-conifer...

American Healthy Homes Survey: A National Study of Residential Pesticides Measured from Floor Wipes.

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with the United States Environmental Protection Agency conducted a survey measuring lead, allergens, and insecticides in a randomly selected nationally representative sample of resodential homes. Multistage sa...

Fighting Violence without Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowicki, Mark A.; Martin, William C.

Violence is becoming the number one problem in United States schools. Approximately 20 percent of high school students regularly carry guns and other weapons. Several nonviolent measures are appropriate to reduce violence in schools; but only the implementation of multiple ideas and measures, not "quick fix" solutions, will curb…

Development of a solid-state sodium Doppler lidar using an all-fiber-coupled injection seeding unit for simultaneous temperature and wind measurements in the mesopause region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Guotao; Xia, Yuan; Cheng, Xuewu; Du, Lifang; Wang, Jihong; Xun, Yuchang

2017-04-01

We present a solid-state sodium (Na) Doppler lidar developed at YanQing Station, Beijing, China (40°N, 116°E) to achieve simultaneous wind and temperature measurements of mesopause region. The 589nm pulse laser is produced by two injection seeded 1064nm and 1319nm Nd:YAG pulse lasers using the sum-frequency generation (SFG) technique. An all-fiber-coupled seeding laser unit was designed to enable absolute laser frequency locking and cycling the measurements among three different operating frequencies. Experimental observations were carried out using this Na lidar system and the preliminary results were described and compared with the temperature of the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) and the horizontal wind of the meteor Radar, demonstrating the reliability and good performance of this lidar system. The all-fiber-coupled injection seeding configuration together with the solid-state Nd:YAG lasers make the Na Doppler lidar more compact and greatly reduce the system maintenance, which is conducive to transportable and unattended operation.

Impacts of prescribed fires on air quality over the Southeastern United States in spring based on modeling and ground/satellite measurements.

PubMed

Zeng, Tao; Wang, Yuhang; Yoshida, Yasuko; Tian, Di; Russell, Amistead G; Barnard, William R

2008-11-15

Prescribed burning is a large aerosol source in the southeastern United States. Its air quality impact is investigated using 3-D model simulations and analysis of ground and satellite observations. Fire emissions for 2002 are calculated based on a recently developed VISTAS emission inventory. March was selected for the investigation because it is the most active prescribed fire month. Inclusion of fire emissions significantly improved model performance. Model results show that prescribed fire emissions lead to approximately 50% enhancements of mean OC and EC concentrations in the Southeast and a daily increase of PM2.5 up to 25 microg m(-3), indicating that fire emissions can lead to PM2.5 nonattainment in affected regions. Surface enhancements of CO up to 200 ppbv are found. Fire count measurements from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the NASA Terra satellite show large springtime burning in most states, which is consistent with the emission inventory. These measurements also indicate that the inventory may underestimate fire emissions in the summer.

Geographic access to high capability severe acute respiratory failure centers in the United States.

PubMed

Wallace, David J; Angus, Derek C; Seymour, Christopher W; Yealy, Donald M; Carr, Brendan G; Kurland, Kristen; Boujoukos, Arthur; Kahn, Jeremy M

2014-01-01

Optimal care of adults with severe acute respiratory failure requires specific resources and expertise. We sought to measure geographic access to these centers in the United States. Cross-sectional analysis of geographic access to high capability severe acute respiratory failure centers in the United States. We defined high capability centers using two criteria: (1) provision of adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), based on either 2008-2013 Extracorporeal Life Support Organization reporting or provision of ECMO to 2010 Medicare beneficiaries; or (2) high annual hospital mechanical ventilation volume, based 2010 Medicare claims. Nonfederal acute care hospitals in the United States. We defined geographic access as the percentage of the state, region and national population with either direct or hospital-transferred access within one or two hours by air or ground transport. Of 4,822 acute care hospitals, 148 hospitals met our ECMO criteria and 447 hospitals met our mechanical ventilation criteria. Geographic access varied substantially across states and regions in the United States, depending on center criteria. Without interhospital transfer, an estimated 58.5% of the national adult population had geographic access to hospitals performing ECMO and 79.0% had geographic access to hospitals performing a high annual volume of mechanical ventilation. With interhospital transfer and under ideal circumstances, an estimated 96.4% of the national adult population had geographic access to hospitals performing ECMO and 98.6% had geographic access to hospitals performing a high annual volume of mechanical ventilation. However, this degree of geographic access required substantial interhospital transfer of patients, including up to two hours by air. Geographic access to high capability severe acute respiratory failure centers varies widely across states and regions in the United States. Adequate referral center access in the case of disasters and pandemics will depend highly on local and regional care coordination across political boundaries.

Dynamic State Estimation of Power Systems With Quantization Effects: A Recursive Filter Approach.

PubMed

Hu, Liang; Wang, Zidong; Liu, Xiaohui

2016-08-01

In this paper, a recursive filter algorithm is developed to deal with the state estimation problem for power systems with quantized nonlinear measurements. The measurements from both the remote terminal units and the phasor measurement unit are subject to quantizations described by a logarithmic quantizer. Attention is focused on the design of a recursive filter such that, in the simultaneous presence of nonlinear measurements and quantization effects, an upper bound for the estimation error covariance is guaranteed and subsequently minimized. Instead of using the traditional approximation methods in nonlinear estimation that simply ignore the linearization errors, we treat both the linearization and quantization errors as norm-bounded uncertainties in the algorithm development so as to improve the performance of the estimator. For the power system with such kind of introduced uncertainties, a filter is designed in the framework of robust recursive estimation, and the developed filter algorithm is tested on the IEEE benchmark power system to demonstrate its effectiveness.

An Exchange-Only Qubit in Isotopically Enriched 28Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyure, Mark

2015-03-01

We demonstrate coherent manipulation and universal control of a qubit composed of a triple quantum dot implemented in an isotopically enhanced Si/SiGe heterostructure, which requires no local AC or DC magnetic fields for operation. Strong control over tunnel rates is enabled by a dopantless, accumulation-only device design, and an integrated measurement dot enables single-shot measurement. Reduction of magnetic noise is achieved via isotopic purification of the silicon quantum well. We demonstrate universal control using composite pulses and employ these pulses for spin-echo-type sequences to measure both magnetic noise and charge noise. The noise measured is sufficiently low to enable the long pulse sequences required for exchange-only quantum information processing. Sponsored by United States Department of Defense. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressly or implied, of the United States Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

Comparing the characteristics of homeless adults in Poland and the United States.

PubMed

Toro, Paul A; Hobden, Karen L; Wyszacki Durham, Kathleen; Oko-Riebau, Marta; Bokszczanin, Anna

2014-03-01

This study compared the characteristics of probability samples of homeless adults in Poland (N = 200 from two cities) and the United States (N = 219 from one city), using measures with established reliability and validity in homeless populations. The same measures were used across nations and a systemic translation procedure assured comparability of measurement. The two samples were similar on some measures: In both nations, most homeless adults were male, many reported having dependent children and experiencing out-of-home placements when they themselves were children, and high levels of physical health problems were observed. Significant national differences were also found: Those in Poland were older, had been homeless for longer, showed lower rates on all psychiatric diagnoses assessed (including severe mental and substance abuse disorders), reported less contact with family and supportive network members, were less satisfied when they sought support from their networks, and reported fewer recent stressful life events and fewer risky sexual behaviors. Culturally-informed interpretations of these findings and their implications are presented.

Counterfactual statements and weak measurements: an experimental proposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mølmer, Klaus

2001-12-01

A recent analysis suggests that weak measurements can be used to give observational meaning to counterfactual reasoning in quantum physics. A weak measurement is predicted to assign a negative unit population to a specific state in an interferometric Gedankenexperiment proposed by Hardy. We propose an experimental implementation with trapped ions of the Gedankenexperiment and of the weak measurement. In our standard quantum mechanical analysis of the proposal no states have negative population, but we identify the registration of a negative population by particles being displaced on average in the direction opposite to a force acting upon them.

LiDAR and Image Point Cloud Comparison

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

UAV unmanned aerial vehicle USGS United States Geological Survey UTM Universal Transverse Mercator WGS 84 World Geodetic System 1984 WSI...19  1.  Physics of LiDAR Systems ................................................................20  III.  DATA AND SOFTWARE...ground control point GPS Global Positioning System IMU inertial measurements unit LiDAR light detection and ranging MI mutual information MVS

Investigation of excited state, reductive quenching, and intramolecular electron transfer of Ru(II)–Re(I) supramolecular photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction using time-resolved IR measurements

DOE PAGES

Koike, Kazuhide; Grills, David C.; Tamaki, Yusuke; ...

2018-02-14

Supramolecular photocatalysts in which Ru(II) photosensitizer and Re(I) catalyst units are connected to each other by an ethylene linker are among the best known, most effective and durable photocatalytic systems for CO 2 reduction. In this paper we report, for the first time, time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectra of three of these binuclear complexes to uncover why the catalysts function so efficiently. Selective excitation of the Ru unit with a 532 nm laser pulse induces slow intramolecular electron transfer from the 3MLCT excited state of the Ru unit to the Re unit, with rate constants of (1.0–1.1) × 10 4 smore » -1 as a major component and (3.5–4.3) × 10 6 s -1 as a minor component, in acetonitrile. The produced charge-separated state has a long lifetime, with charge recombination rate constants of only (6.5–8.4) × 10 4 s -1. Thus, although it has a large driving force (-ΔG 0 CR ~ 2.6 eV), this process is in the Marcus inverted region. On the other hand, in the presence of 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (BNAH), reductive quenching of the excited Ru unit proceeds much faster (k q[BNAH (0.2 M)] = (3.5–3.8) × 10 6 s -1) than the abovementioned intramolecular oxidative quenching, producing the one-electron-reduced species (OERS) of the Ru unit. Nanosecond TRIR data clearly show that intramolecular electron transfer from the OERS of the Ru unit to the Re unit (k ET > 2 × 10 7 s -1) is much faster than from the excited state of the Ru unit, and that it is also faster than the reductive quenching process of the excited Ru unit by BNAH. To measure the exact value of k ET, picosecond TRIR spectroscopy and a stronger reductant were used. Thus, in the case of the binuclear complex with tri(p-fluorophenyl)phosphine ligands (RuRe(FPh)), for which intramolecular electron transfer is expected to be the fastest among the three binuclear complexes, in the presence of 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (BIH), k ET was measured as k ET = (1.4 ± 0.1) × 10 9 s -1. This clearly shows that intramolecular electron transfer in these RuRe binuclear supramolecular photocatalysts is not the rate-determining process in the photocatalytic reduction of CO 2, which is one of the main reasons why they work so efficiently.« less

Investigation of excited state, reductive quenching, and intramolecular electron transfer of Ru(II)–Re(I) supramolecular photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction using time-resolved IR measurements

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

Koike, Kazuhide; Grills, David C.; Tamaki, Yusuke

Supramolecular photocatalysts in which Ru(II) photosensitizer and Re(I) catalyst units are connected to each other by an ethylene linker are among the best known, most effective and durable photocatalytic systems for CO 2 reduction. In this paper we report, for the first time, time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectra of three of these binuclear complexes to uncover why the catalysts function so efficiently. Selective excitation of the Ru unit with a 532 nm laser pulse induces slow intramolecular electron transfer from the 3MLCT excited state of the Ru unit to the Re unit, with rate constants of (1.0–1.1) × 10 4 smore » -1 as a major component and (3.5–4.3) × 10 6 s -1 as a minor component, in acetonitrile. The produced charge-separated state has a long lifetime, with charge recombination rate constants of only (6.5–8.4) × 10 4 s -1. Thus, although it has a large driving force (-ΔG 0 CR ~ 2.6 eV), this process is in the Marcus inverted region. On the other hand, in the presence of 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (BNAH), reductive quenching of the excited Ru unit proceeds much faster (k q[BNAH (0.2 M)] = (3.5–3.8) × 10 6 s -1) than the abovementioned intramolecular oxidative quenching, producing the one-electron-reduced species (OERS) of the Ru unit. Nanosecond TRIR data clearly show that intramolecular electron transfer from the OERS of the Ru unit to the Re unit (k ET > 2 × 10 7 s -1) is much faster than from the excited state of the Ru unit, and that it is also faster than the reductive quenching process of the excited Ru unit by BNAH. To measure the exact value of k ET, picosecond TRIR spectroscopy and a stronger reductant were used. Thus, in the case of the binuclear complex with tri(p-fluorophenyl)phosphine ligands (RuRe(FPh)), for which intramolecular electron transfer is expected to be the fastest among the three binuclear complexes, in the presence of 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (BIH), k ET was measured as k ET = (1.4 ± 0.1) × 10 9 s -1. This clearly shows that intramolecular electron transfer in these RuRe binuclear supramolecular photocatalysts is not the rate-determining process in the photocatalytic reduction of CO 2, which is one of the main reasons why they work so efficiently.« less

31 CFR 515.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 515.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 535.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 535.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 535.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 535.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 535.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 535.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 515.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 515.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 515.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 515.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 500.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 500.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including U.S. trust territories...

31 CFR 515.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 515.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 535.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 535.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 535.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 535.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of...

31 CFR 515.321 - United States; continental United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 515.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including the Trust Territory of...

Measuring the stringency of states' indoor tanning regulations: instrument development and outcomes.

PubMed

Woodruff, Susan I; Pichon, Latrice C; Hoerster, Katherine D; Forster, Jean L; Gilmer, Todd; Mayer, Joni A

2007-05-01

We sought to describe the development of an instrument to quantify the stringency of state indoor tanning legislation in the United States, and the instrument's psychometric properties. The instrument was then used to rate the stringency of state laws. A 35-item instrument was developed. An overall stringency measure and 9 stringency subscales were developed, including one measuring minors' access to indoor tanning. Stringency measures showed good internal consistency and interrater reliability. In all, 55% of the 50 states and the District of Columbia had any indoor tanning law, and 41% had any law addressing minors' access. Oregon, Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, and Rhode Island had high overall stringency scores, and Texas and New Hampshire were the most restrictive with regard to minors' access. Measurement of actual enforcement of the laws was not included in this study. The instrument appears to be an easy-to-use, reliable, and valid methodology. Application of the instrument to actual laws showed that, in general, state laws are relatively weak, although there was considerable variability by state.

Surveillance and monitoring of white-tailed deer for chronic wasting disease in the northeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, Tyler S.; Schuler, Krysten L.; Walter, W. David

2014-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease that affects both wild and captive cervid populations. In the past 45 y, CWD has spread from northern Colorado to all bordering states, as well as the midwestern United States (Midwest) and northeastern United States (Northeast), Canada, and South Korea. Because CWD is a relatively new issue for wildlife management agencies in the Northeast, we surveyed a representative (e.g., cervid biologist, wildlife veterinarian) from 14 states to gain a better understanding of state-specific surveillance measures. Between 2002 and 2012, New York (37,093) and Pennsylvania (35,324) tested the greatest number of harvested white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus in the Northeast. Additionally, the 14 states surveyed have tested 121,730 harvested deer, or approximately 15,216/y, since CWD was first detected in 2005. The most common tissues used by agencies in the Northeast for testing were retropharyngeal lymph nodes, which have been determined to be the most reliable in detecting CWD in cervids. Understanding CWD surveillance efforts at a regional scale can help to provide guidance for the development of new surveillance plans or the improvement of existing ones. Furthermore, collaborations among state and regional agencies in the Northeast may attempt to identify deficiencies in surveillance by state or subregion.

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.

Effectiveness of Emission Controls to Reduce the Atmospheric Concentrations of Mercury.

PubMed

Castro, Mark S; Sherwell, John

2015-12-15

Coal-fired power plants in the United States are required to reduce their emissions of mercury (Hg) into the atmosphere to lower the exposure of Hg to humans. The effectiveness of power-plant emission controls on the atmospheric concentrations of Hg in the United States is largely unknown because there are few long-term high-quality atmospheric Hg data sets. Here, we present the atmospheric concentrations of Hg and sulfur dioxide (SO2) measured from 2006 to 2015 at a relatively pristine location in western Maryland that is several (>50 km) kilometers downwind of power plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Annual average atmospheric concentrations of gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), SO2, fine particulate mercury (PBM2.5), and gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) declined by 75%, 75%, 43%, and 13%, respectively, and were strongly correlated with power-plant Hg emissions from the upwind states. These results provide compelling evidence that reductions in Hg emissions from power plants in the United States had their intended impact to reduce regional Hg pollution.

Hospital-level changes in adult ICU bed supply in the United States

PubMed Central

Wallace, David J.; Seymour, Christopher W.; Kahn, Jeremy M.

2017-01-01

Objective Although the number of intensive care beds in the United States is increasing, little is known about the hospitals responsible for this growth. We sought to better characterize national growth in intensive care beds by identifying hospital-level factors associated with increasing numbers of intensive care beds over time. Design We performed a repeated-measures time series analysis of hospital-level intensive care bed supply using data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Setting All United States acute care hospitals with adult intensive care beds over the years 1996 to 2011. Measurements & Main Results We described the number of beds, teaching status, ownership, intensive care occupancy and urbanicity for each hospital in each year of the study. We then examined the relationship between increasing intensive care beds and these characteristics, controlling for other factors. The study included 4,457 hospitals and 55,865 hospital-years. Overall, the majority of intensive care bed growth occurred in teaching hospitals (net +13,471 beds, 72.1% of total growth), hospitals with 250 or more beds (net +18,327 beds, 91.8% of total growth) and hospitals in the highest quartile of occupancy (net +10,157 beds, 54.0% of total growth). In a longitudinal multivariable model, larger hospital size, teaching status, and high intensive care occupancy were associated with subsequent-year growth. Furthermore, the effects of hospital size and teaching status were modified by occupancy: the greatest odds of increasing intensive care unit beds were in hospitals with 500 or more beds in the highest quartile of occupancy (adjusted OR: 18.9; 95% CI: 14.0 – 25.5; p<0.01) and large teaching hospitals in the highest quartile of occupancy (adjusted OR: 7.3; 95% CI: 5.3 – 9.9; p<0.01). Conclusions Increasingly, intensive care bed expansion in the United States is occurring in larger hospitals and teaching centers, particularly following a year with high intensive care unit occupancy. PMID:27661861

Defining and Measuring the Success of Services Contracts in the United States Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-06

mlpqdo^ar^qb=p`elli= Table of Contents I.  Introduction ...7  A.  Introduction ... Introduction .................................................................................... 29  B.  Overview

Parameter regionalization of a monthly water balance model for the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bock, Andrew R.; Hay, Lauren E.; McCabe, Gregory J.; Markstrom, Steven L.; Atkinson, R. Dwight

2016-01-01

A parameter regionalization scheme to transfer parameter values from gaged to ungaged areas for a monthly water balance model (MWBM) was developed and tested for the conterminous United States (CONUS). The Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test, a global-sensitivity algorithm, was implemented on a MWBM to generate parameter sensitivities on a set of 109 951 hydrologic response units (HRUs) across the CONUS. The HRUs were grouped into 110 calibration regions based on similar parameter sensitivities. Subsequently, measured runoff from 1575 streamgages within the calibration regions were used to calibrate the MWBM parameters to produce parameter sets for each calibration region. Measured and simulated runoff at the 1575 streamgages showed good correspondence for the majority of the CONUS, with a median computed Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.76 over all streamgages. These methods maximize the use of available runoff information, resulting in a calibrated CONUS-wide application of the MWBM suitable for providing estimates of water availability at the HRU resolution for both gaged and ungaged areas of the CONUS.

Parameter regionalization of a monthly water balance model for the conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bock, Andrew R.; Hay, Lauren E.; McCabe, Gregory J.; Markstrom, Steven L.; Atkinson, R. Dwight

2016-07-01

A parameter regionalization scheme to transfer parameter values from gaged to ungaged areas for a monthly water balance model (MWBM) was developed and tested for the conterminous United States (CONUS). The Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test, a global-sensitivity algorithm, was implemented on a MWBM to generate parameter sensitivities on a set of 109 951 hydrologic response units (HRUs) across the CONUS. The HRUs were grouped into 110 calibration regions based on similar parameter sensitivities. Subsequently, measured runoff from 1575 streamgages within the calibration regions were used to calibrate the MWBM parameters to produce parameter sets for each calibration region. Measured and simulated runoff at the 1575 streamgages showed good correspondence for the majority of the CONUS, with a median computed Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.76 over all streamgages. These methods maximize the use of available runoff information, resulting in a calibrated CONUS-wide application of the MWBM suitable for providing estimates of water availability at the HRU resolution for both gaged and ungaged areas of the CONUS.

Selenium, fluorine, and arsenic in surficial materials of the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shacklette, Hansford T.; Boerngen, Josephine G.; Keith, John R.

1974-01-01

Concentrations of selenium, fluorine, and arsenic in 912, 911, and 910 samples, respectively, of soils and other regoliths from sites approximately 50 miles (80 km) apart throughout the United States are represented on maps by symbols showing five ranges of values. Histograms of the concentrations of these elements are also given. The geometric-mean concentrations (ppm) in the samples, grouped by area, are as follows: Selenium-- Entire United States, 0.31; Western United States, 0.25; and Eastern United States, 0.39. Fluorine-- Entire United States, 180; Western United States, 250; and Eastern United States, 115. Arsenic-- Entire United States, 5.8; Western United States, 6.1; and Eastern United States, 5.4.

Judicial Review: State Supreme Judicial Views on Balancing Civil Liberties and Public Safety/Security Measures during the Global War on Terror

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

and state constitutions designed to maintain freedom from coercive governmental actions .3 Research shows that when a government constrains liberties... actions including all habeas corpus petitions made pursuant to the United States Constitution. Author unknown, “Comparing Federal and State Court...Terrorist Information (Master’s Thesis, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, March 2006), 12. 5 enforcement and intelligence actions taken

On the Outskirts of National Health Reform: A Comparative Assessment of Health Insurance and Access to Care in Puerto Rico and the United States

PubMed Central

Portela, Maria; Sommers, Benjamin D

2015-01-01

Context Puerto Rico is the United States’ largest territory, home to nearly 4 million American citizens. Yet it has remained largely on the outskirts of US health policy, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This article presents an overview of Puerto Rico’s health care system and a comparative analysis of coverage and access to care in Puerto Rico and the mainland United States. Methods We analyzed 2011-2012 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and 2012 data from the American Community Survey and its counterpart, the Puerto Rico Community Survey. Among adults 18 and older, we examined health insurance coverage; access measures, such as having a usual source of care and cost-related delays in care; self-reported health; and the receipt of recommended preventive services, such as cancer screening and glucose testing. We used multivariate regression models to compare Puerto Rico and the mainland United States, adjusted for age, income, race/ethnicity, and other demographic variables. Findings Uninsured rates were significantly lower in Puerto Rico (unadjusted 7.4% versus 15.0%, adjusted difference: −12.0%, p < 0.001). Medicaid was far more common in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican residents were more likely than those in the mainland United States to have a usual source of care and to have had a checkup within the past year, and fewer experienced cost-related delays in care. Screening rates for diabetes, mammograms, and Pap smears were comparable or better in Puerto Rico, while colonoscopy rates were lower. Self-reported health was slightly worse, but obesity and smoking rates were lower. Conclusions Despite its far poorer population, Puerto Rico outperforms the mainland United States on several measures of coverage and access. Congressional policies capping federal Medicaid funds to the territory, however, have contributed to major budgetary challenges. While the ACA has significantly increased federal resources in Puerto Rico, ongoing restrictions on Medicaid funding and premium tax credits are posing substantial health policy challenges in the territory. PMID:26350931

The perplexing links between contraceptive sterilization and (dis)advantage in ten low-fertility countries.

PubMed

Eeckhaut, Mieke C W; Sweeney, Megan M

2016-01-01

This study investigated the association between contraceptive sterilization and socio-economic status (measured by educational attainment) in ten countries, using data from the 2006-10 National Survey of Family Growth and the 2004-10 Generations and Gender Surveys. The findings confirm that a long-standing association between socio-economic status and sterilization persists in the contemporary United States: female sterilization is associated with economic disadvantage, whereas male sterilization is associated with economic advantage. The latter association is found to be unique to the United States, but female sterilization is associated with disadvantage in most of the other countries studied. While basic demographic background factors such as early childbearing and parity can explain the observed associations in most of the countries, a strong gendered association between sterilization and socio-economic status remains in the United States and Belgium even after adjusting for these factors.

The changing suicide pattern in Canadian adolescents and youth, compared to their American counterparts.

PubMed

Leenaars, A A; Lester, D

1995-01-01

Canada has a high rate of suicide among adolescents and youth--higher than the rate in the United States. The study of variation in societal suicide rates is still guided primarily by Durkheim's (1897) theory which proposed a primarily social integration/regulation theory of suicide. There is evidence that social and economic predictors of suicide vary depending upon the particular subgroup--women or men, and young or old. Rates of birth, divorce, marriage, and unemployment were analyzed and compared to rates of suicide from 1965-1985 in Canada and the United States for particular subgroups. In Canada, measures of domestic integration (divorce and birth rates) and the economy (unemployment rate) predicted youth suicide rates more successfully than they did adult suicide rates. In the United States for the same period, there was less variation in the predictors of suicide by age. Further research as well as caution about overgeneralizing the results are warranted.

Development and validation of the Acculturative Stress Scale for Chinese College Students in the United States (ASSCS).

PubMed

Bai, Jieru

2016-04-01

Chinese students are the biggest ethnic group of international students in the United States. This study aims to develop a reliable and valid scale to accurately measure their acculturative stress. A 72-item pool was sent online to Chinese students and a five-factor scale of 32 items was generated by exploratory factor analysis. The five factors included language insufficiency, social isolation, perceived discrimination, academic pressure, and guilt toward family. The Acculturative Stress Scale for Chinese Students demonstrated high reliability and initial validity by predicting depression and life satisfaction. It was the first Chinese scale of acculturative stress developed and validated among a Chinese student sample in the United States. In the future, the scale can be used as a diagnostic tool by mental health professionals and a self-assessment tool by Chinese students. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Mobility and volatility: What is behind the rising income inequality in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Huixuan; Li, Yao

2018-02-01

Inequality of family incomes in the United States has increased significantly in the past four decades. This is largely interpreted as a result of unequal mobility, e.g., the rich can get richer at a faster pace than the rest of the population. However, using nationally representative data and the Fokker-Planck equation, our study shows that income mobility in the United States has remained stable. Instead, we find another factor - income volatility, which measures the instability of incomes - has increased considerably and caused the surge of income inequality. In addition, the rising volatility is associated with the plummeting of income-growth opportunity, creating the feeling that the American Dream is in decline. Volatility has often been overlooked in previous studies on inequality, partially because mobility and volatility are usually studied separately. By contrast, the Fokker-Planck equation takes both mobility and volatility into consideration, making it a more comprehensive model.

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

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

Space Commercialization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Gary L.

2011-01-01

A robust and competitive commercial space sector is vital to continued progress in space. The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of a U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. Energize competitive domestic industries to participate in global markets and advance the development of: satellite manufacturing; satellite-based services; space launch; terrestrial applications; and increased entrepreneurship. Purchase and use commercial space capabilities and services to the maximum practical extent Actively explore the use of inventive, nontraditional arrangements for acquiring commercial space goods and services to meet United States Government requirements, including measures such as public-private partnerships, . Refrain from conducting United States Government space activities that preclude, discourage, or compete with U.S. commercial space activities. Pursue potential opportunities for transferring routine, operational space functions to the commercial space sector where beneficial and cost-effective.