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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 ( HHKA) required schools to make changes to meals provided to children. Rural school districts have limited resources, with increased obesity rates and local food insecurity. In this study we sought to understand the perceptions of rural food service directors and the barriers to implementing the changes. METHODS Food service directors from rural school districts were invited to complete a semistructured telephone interview and online survey. A total of 51 respondents completed both, 6 completed only the online survey, and 16 completed only the telephone interview. Qualitative interview data were analyzed through open thematic coding; descriptive statistics were calculated for the quantitative data. RESULTS Food service directors mostly perceived the changes as negative, challenging, and burdensome. They believed that the changes resulted from concern about childhood obesity, which they did not view as a problem for their students. Diverse challenges were reported related to cost, preparation, and student preference. CONCLUSIONS Food service directors in isolated, rural areas need support to enhance understanding of HHKA requirements, build professional networks to learn from one another, and communicate with students, families, and other stakeholders. Future efforts should focus on changing perceptions and supporting directors in order to make implementation a success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on several papers about hypertension from the U.S. "Major Outcomes in High-Risk Hypertensive Patients Randomized to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor or Calcium Channel Blocker vs. Diuretic. The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial," from the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial officers and coordinators; "Primary Prevention of Hypertension: Clinical and Public Health Advisory From the National High Blood Pressure Education Program," from the National High Blood Pressure Education Coordinating Committee; "Prophylactic Treatment of Migraine With an Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker," by E. Tronvik, L. Stovner and G. Helde.

Provides information on the state of intelligent systems research in Ukraine. Research groups listed by the National Academy of Sciences information center; Centers affiliated to the V.M. Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics; List of publications that universities and scientific institutes have throughout the country.

Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research sporadically leverages information science scholarship. Our qualitative study employs the "information grounds" (IG) lens to investigate the consequences of information exchanges by pregnant women on Facebook, who are vulnerable in the doctor‐centric birth culture in rural America. The thematic analysis of in‐depth interviews with members and administrators of the Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) group shows that positive consequences outweigh negative consequences of information exchanges and lead to the following progression of outcomes: (a) VBAC group as an information ground, (b) social capital (e.g., cognitive, structural, and relational capital) built on the information ground, (c) seven emergent properties of the information ground, and (d) value co‐created (e.g., local, affordable, timely, enduring, and reliable support) by VBAC group members. The IG lens reveals the following roles of Facebook, an ICT, in development: (a) a linker that lets people with similar needs and interests convene and shapes their interactions, (b) a prerequisite to building an online, "third place" for social interactions, and (c) an apparatus for ubiquitously seeking, searching, sharing, and storing information in multiple formats and controlling its flow on the VBAC group. This paper fills in six gaps in the ICT4D research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication comments on the three papers by the FDA CDER research team on the regulatory perspective of the missing data problem. The focus is on two topics: causal estimand and sensitivity analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on the issue on plant science in Korea. It reveals that the theory on country's scientific focus was not transparent to the people involved in the research. It presents an analysis with the participation of top ten countries including Northern America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. It succumbs that the countries in Asia are smaller than those mentioned above with respect to research publication other than Japan. It explains that Korea and China have increased the number of papers being published annually which out put is equaled with Brazil.

Background: This case study examined the consequences of a literacy initiative designed to improve writing instruction for a high school under pressure to increase standardised test scores or face government oversight. Realities of underperforming schools, such as interruptions to instructional time, a focus on formulaic essay writing and decontextualised grammar skills, high teacher turnover, and a disproportionately large percentage of students with low ability levels, impact the implementation and sustainability of research‐based practices. Thus, we embarked on a school‐university partnership designed to overcome these barriers. We co‐constructed research to determine the effectiveness of an instructional framework designed by the school's instructional coach (a teacher educator hired by the school district responsible for enacting literacy reform and providing professional development) and her work with four ninth‐grade and tenth‐grade English teachers (Years 10 and 11) in the United States. This engaged scholarship process empowered teachers and the instructional coach to make changes in their approach to writing instruction. Methods: Our case study used the following data sources: teacher and student interviews, professional development and classroom observations, student writing attitude surveys and analyses of student writing. We utilised grounded theory to determine changes in classroom practice and students' academic growth. Results: Our study revealed strengths of the professional development regarding classroom management and student writing dispositions. Yet it also illuminated problems such as continued emphasis on reading instruction, limited opportunities for student choice and lack of writing strategies that transferred to composing extended text. Conclusion: These results raised critical questions, which aided the instructional coach in refining professional development for writing instruction. Highlights: What is already known about this topicBest practices in writing instruction emphasise the need for varied, authentic, relevant and purposeful writing for adolescents. Yet pressures of high‐stakes testing often result in rudimentary writing practices. Teachers in struggling schools are more closely monitored than those in schools which achieve adequate yearly progress. Teachers feel pressure to teach formulaic essay writing and decontextualised grammar skills.Single‐subject and small‐group research designs measured the impact of professional development and instructional initiatives on the writing proficiency of adolescent writers in the short term. These designs are predicated on literacy programmes where researchers provide writing intervention services with the goal of transforming teacher practice.Researchers note that the pressures of testing affect the sustainability of interventions designed to transform teacher practice. In other words, upon conclusion of professional development, teachers revert back to practices they believe will directly affect their students' performance on standardised assessments. What this paper addsThis study adds to research investigating how literacy initiatives utilising elements of engaged scholarship can enable sustainable teacher transformation concerning adolescent writing instruction. Engaged scholarship is collaborative, change‐oriented research that address a community‐identified need. We argue that the shift towards engaged scholarship allowed for a balancing of power, as all stakeholders had a say in the design of the research. Posing critical questions based on the results of our data helped the instructional coach see that more authentic and process‐oriented approaches were needed to increase test scores. This shift towards engaged scholarship allowed the instructional coach to participate more in the design of the research and permitted us to provide input that infused writing instruction into classrooms. This case study speaks to the larger context of how high‐stakes testing has affected writing instruction in 'struggling' secondary English programmes.Our study demonstrates why collaboration of teachers and researchers for meaningful impact (student achievement) is critical for 'underperforming' schools contending with the pressures of testing. Implications for theory, policy and practiceOur work highlights elements of literacy initiatives that help underperforming schools improve adolescent writing achievement. This study provides insights into partnerships that close the theory‐research gap to transform adolescent writing instruction for culturally and linguistically marginalised adolescents, students who have been traditionally disenfranchised by public education.This study also rejects the role of literacy researchers in school‐university partnerships as 'external' experts by inviting school partners to be researchers themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The involvement of speech and language therapists (SLTs) within paediatric palliative care (PPC) settings has been recognized within the extant literature. However, there is little understanding of SLT's specific roles and practices when working with this vulnerable cohort of children and their families. As part of a larger body of work to develop consensus‐based recommendations for SLTs working in PPC, it is important to investigate demographic and caseload characteristics. Aims: This exploratory study aimed to gather previously undocumented international demographic data pertaining to SLT service provision, caseload and training in PPC. Additionally, it sought to ascertain the current treatment and assessment approaches of SLTs, and if variations exist in beliefs and practices. Methods & Procedures: An anonymous cross‐sectional survey was designed and reported according to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E‐Surveys (CHERRIES). The online survey consisted of 40 items spanning four domains: (1) demographic information, (2) caseload information, (3) service provision and (4) training and education. SLTs from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and the United States were recruited using a purposive snowball sampling approach. Descriptive analysis of closed‐ended survey responses and content analysis of open‐ended responses are presented. Outcomes & Results: A total of 52 respondents completed the survey. SLTs worked in a variety of PPC settings, with patients of varying age and disease groups. Over 50% of participants reported working in PPC for ≤ 4 years. Genetic disorders (34%), oncology (27%) and neurological conditions (21%) made up a significant portion of respondents' caseloads. Reported treatments and assessment approaches used by SLTs are not unique to a PPC population. Barriers and enablers for practice were identified. A portion of participants did not feel trained and prepared to assess (19.2%) or treat (15.4%) PPC clients. Conclusions & Implications: This study confirms that SLTs internationally have a role in the management of communication and swallowing impairments in a PPC context. However, whether current training and resources adequately support SLTs in this role remains questionable. This paper helps to provide SLTs, administrators, professional associations and tertiary institutions with foundational data to help inform workforce planning, advocacy efforts and training priorities. What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subjectThe published multidisciplinary literature has identified that SLTs have a role in PPC. However, there has been no targeted research investigating the professional characteristics of clinicians in this context, nor any detailed information regarding associated clinician beliefs or management approaches.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeThis study is a snapshot of attributes, practice patterns and beliefs of SLTs who work with a PPC population. It highlights SLT perspectives of education and training, as well as meta‐perceptions of themselves within the multidisciplinary team.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?Data presented in this paper will help to enable SLTs, organizations and associations to augment service provision and determine future professional development priorities within the field of PPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The need for mentorship in aging research among postdoctoral trainees and junior faculty across medical disciplines and subspecialties is increasing, yet senior personnel with expertise in aging are lacking to fulfill the traditional dyadic mentorship role. Facilitated peer mentorship is grounded in collaborative work among peers with the guidance of a senior mentor. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated the Columbia University Mentor Peer Aging Research (CoMPAdRE) program, an interprofessional facilitated peer mentorship program for early stage investigators, using the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation and Maintenance framework (RE‐AIM). Reach: A total of 15 participants, of which 20% were women, from five states and across six medical specialties participated. Effectiveness: Participants published 183 papers, of which more than 20% were collaborative papers between CoMPAdRE mentees or mentees‐mentor. Participants reported developing skills in negotiation, navigating the academic role, organizing a seminar, management, and leadership over the course of the program. According to the qualitative findings, the most important components of the program included alignment around the aging, learning from national leaders, developing leadership skills and career networking. Adoption: Individual‐level factors included selecting participants with a research track record, willingness to sign a compact of commitment and involvement in shaping the program. An institutional‐level factor that facilitated program adoption included strong commitment from department leaders. Implementation: The program cost $3,259 per participant. Maintenance: CoMPAdRE is being maintained and currently incorporating a second cohort of mentees. CONCLUSION: This RE‐AIM evaluation provides lessons learned and strategies for future adoption, implementation, and maintenance of an aging‐focused facilitated peer mentorship program. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:804–810, 2019. See related editorial by High et al. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diagnosis and treatment for individuals with brain tumors during childhood involves sequelae, including abnormal weight gain. This symptom is commonly clustered with fatigue and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Children's Oncology Group recommendations include annual surveillance of body mass index (BMI) and cardiometabolic comorbidities; however, there has been little emphasis on individualized screening early in survivorship. Purpose: The primary purpose of this paper is to describe the findings of abnormal weight gain and its correlates in a sample of young childhood brain tumor survivors during early survivorship. Design and Methods: This cross‐sectional multi‐site study included brain tumor survivors of ages 8–12 years who were less than 6 years posttreatment. Convenience sampling from two pediatric cancer centers in the southern United States was utilized. Data collected included BMI, parent report of sleep, and child report of fatigue and stress. Results: The sample (N = 21) consisted of children who had received chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and surgery for childhood brain tumor. BMI in overweight and obese categories exceeded normative samples with 38% at or above the 85th percentile. There were clinically significant relationships with fatigue, stress about weight, tumor location, cranial radiation, chemotherapy, and recurrence Practice Implications: Screening for abnormal weight gain and related factors, such as fatigue should begin early in survivorship after childhood brain tumor treatment completion with the aim of health promotion and disease prevention. Adiposity measurement techniques should be utilized in future clinical and research settings to improve assessment of cardiometabolic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few prior studies have examined the extent to which the behavior and characteristics of political extremists are related to their position within radical groups. In this paper we concentrate on one of the most fundamental distinctions in groups: That between leaders and followers. Our main goal is to investigate the comparative propensity of leaders and followers to engage in political violence. In a sample of individuals who have committed ideologically motivated political crimes in the United States (N = 1,331). we found that even though leaders were more ideologically committed to the group's goals and ideologies, they were at the same time less likely to engage in violent acts. Moreover, we found that leaders in radical criminal organizations shared many characteristics with leaders in noncriminal organizations. Specifically, in comparison to followers, they were more often male, older, and they were more likely to belong to an ethnic majority. We consider implications for future research and policy of the fundamental conclusion that compared to leaders, followers in terrorist organizations are more likely to engage in violent acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on all the papers submitted at the Third International Fructan Symposium held at the Utah State University Campus in Logan, USA, from July 21 to July 24, 1996. As for the previous symposium, all aspects of the physiology, biochemistry, chemistry and molecular biology of fructans in plants and micro-organisms were covered in a series of reviews and research presentations. On this occasion, however, only research papers were considered for publication by "The New Phytologist," resulting in a volume, which gives a comprehensive and detailed account of current research in this area.

Mediation analysis allows the examination of effects of a third variable in the pathway between an exposure and an outcome. The general multiple mediation analysis method, proposed by Yu et al, improves traditional methods (eg, estimation of natural and controlled direct effects) to enable consideration of multiple mediators/confounders simultaneously and the use of linear and nonlinear predictive models for estimating mediation/confounding effects. In this paper, we extend the method for time-to-event outcomes and apply the method to explore the racial disparity in breast cancer survivals. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women of all races. Despite improvement of survival rates of breast cancer in the US, a significant difference between white and black women remains. Previous studies have found that more advanced and aggressive tumors and less than optimal treatment may explain the lower survival rates for black women as compared to white women. Due to limitations of current analytic methods and the lack of comprehensive data sets, researchers have not been able to differentiate the relative effect each factor contributes to the overall racial disparity. We use the CDC-funded Patterns of Care study to examine the determinants of racial disparities in breast cancer survival using a novel multiple mediation analysis. Using the proposed method, we applied the Cox hazard model and multiple additive regression trees as predictive models and found that all racial disparity in survival among Louisiana breast cancer patients were explained by factors included in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents longitudinal data representing federal funding for health services research and discusses the observed trends in the larger context of overall funding for research and development in the United States. By putting into context public and private funding trends, the authors examine how these trends effect the supply and demand of the health services research workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore (1) differences in validity and feasibility ratings for geriatric surgical standards across a diverse stakeholder group (surgeons vs. nonsurgeons, health care providers vs. nonproviders, including patient-family, advocacy, and regulatory agencies); (2) whether three multidisciplinary discussion subgroups would reach similar conclusions.Data Source/study Setting: Primary data (ratings) were reported from 58 stakeholder organizations.Study Design: An adaptation of the RAND-UCLA Appropriateness Methodology (RAM) process was conducted in May 2016.Data Collection/extraction Methods: Stakeholders self-administered ratings on paper, returned via mail (Round 1) and in-person (Round 2).Principal Findings: In Round 1, surgeons rated standards more critically (91.2 percent valid; 64.9 percent feasible) than nonsurgeons (100 percent valid; 87.0 percent feasible) but increased ratings in Round 2 (98.7 percent valid; 90.6 percent feasible), aligning with nonsurgeons (99.7 percent valid; 96.1 percent feasible). Three parallel subgroups rated validity at 96.8 percent (group 1), 100 percent (group 2), and 97.4 percent (group 3). Feasibility ratings were 76.9 percent (group 1), 96.1 percent (group 2), and 92.2 percent (group 3).Conclusions: There are differences in validity and feasibility ratings by health professions, with surgeons rating standards more critically than nonsurgeons. However, three separate discussion subgroups rated a high proportion (96-100 percent) of standards as valid, indicating the RAM can be successfully applied to a large stakeholder group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are a common cause of adverse drug events (ADEs). The electronic medical record (EMR) database and the FDA's adverse event reporting system (FAERS) database are the major data sources for mining and testing the ADE associated DDI signals. Most DDI data mining methods focus on pair-wise drug interactions, and methods to detect high-dimensional DDIs in medical databases are lacking. In this paper, we propose 2 novel mixture drug-count response models for detecting high-dimensional drug combinations that induce myopathy. The "count" indicates the number of drugs in a combination. One model is called fixed probability mixture drug-count response model with a maximum risk threshold (FMDRM-MRT). The other model is called count-dependent probability mixture drug-count response model with a maximum risk threshold (CMDRM-MRT), in which the mixture probability is count dependent. Compared with the previous mixture drug-count response model (MDRM) developed by our group, these 2 new models show a better likelihood in detecting high-dimensional drug combinatory effects on myopathy. CMDRM-MRT identified and validated (54; 374; 637; 442; 131) 2-way to 6-way drug interactions, respectively, which induce myopathy in both EMR and FAERS databases. We further demonstrate FAERS data capture much higher maximum myopathy risk than EMR data do. The consistency of 2 mixture models' parameters and local false discovery rate estimates are evaluated through statistical simulation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Collabo RATE is a brief patient survey focused on shared decision making. This paper aims to (i) provide insight on facilitators and challenges to implementing a real-time patient survey and (ii) evaluate Collabo RATE scores and response rates across multiple clinical settings with varied patient populations. Method All adult patients at three United States primary care practices were eligible to complete Collabo RATE post-visit. To inform key learnings, we aggregated all mentions of unanticipated decisions, problems and administration errors from field notes and email communications. Mixed-effects logistic regression evaluated the impact of site, clinician, patient age and patient gender on the Collabo RATE score. Results While Collabo RATE score increased only slightly with increasing patient age ( OR 1.018, 95% CI 1.014-1.021), female patient gender was associated with significantly higher Collabo RATE scores ( OR 1.224, 95% CI 1.073-1.397). Clinician also predicts Collabo RATE score (random effect variance 0.146). Site-specific factors such as clinical workflow and checkout procedures play a key role in successful in-clinic implementation and are significantly related to Collabo RATE scores, with Site 3 scoring significantly higher than Site 1 ( OR 1.759, 95% CI 1.216 to 2.545) or Site 2 (z=−2.71, 95% CI −1.114 to −0.178). Discussion This study demonstrates that Collabo RATE can be used in diverse primary care settings. A clinic's workflow plays a crucial role in implementation. Patient experience measurement risks becoming a burden to both patients and administrators. Episodic use of short measurement tools could reduce this burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Behavioral support may be effective in increasing physical activity (PA) in school settings. However, there are no data collection systems to concurrently record PA and behavioral support. This paper describes the development and validation of the System for Observing Behavioral Ecology for Youth in Schools (SOBEYS)-an instrument used with existing observation systems to record PA within a behavioral ecological context. METHODS In 2013, experts created a set of behavioral categories to record prompting and reinforcement of PA during a recreational school activity program. The school provided supervision and equipment for lunchtime PA, making it possible to assess both PA and behavioral support. The system was implemented in spring semester 2014 at 1 suburban junior high school (N = 1452; 48% girls, 74% Caucasian) in the western Unites States. RESULTS Following multiple field trials, the SOBEYS instrument recorded behavioral categories of visual and verbal prompting, verbal, and nonreinforcement by adults and peers, and token reinforcement. Construct validity and acceptable interobserver agreement (>90%; kappa between 0.22 and 0.94) resulted. CONCLUSION Trained SOBEYS users can accurately and reliably record the presence of behavioral support aimed at prompting and reinforcing PA in conjunction with established systematic observation instruments to record PA context and quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are computer science papers extended after they are published? We have surveyed 200 computer science publications, 100 journal articles, and 100 conference papers, using self-citations to identify potential and actual continuations. We are interested in determining the proportion of papers that do indeed continue, how and when the continuation takes place, and whether any distinctions are found between the journal and conference populations. Despite the implicit assumption of a research line behind each paper, manifest in the ubiquitous 'future research' notes that close many of them, we find that more than 70% of the papers are never continued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a world-wide recovery mutual-help organization that continues to arouse controversy. In large part, concerns persist because of AA's ostensibly quasi-religious/spiritual orientation and emphasis. In 1990 the United States' Institute of Medicine called for more studies on AA's effectiveness and its mechanisms of behavior change (MOBC) stimulating a flurry of federally funded research. This paper reviews the religious/spiritual origins of AA and its program and contrasts its theory with findings from this latest research. Method Literature review, summary and synthesis of studies examining AA's MOBC. Results While AA's original main text ('the Big Book', 1939) purports that recovery is achieved through quasi-religious/spiritual means ('spiritual awakening'), findings from studies on MOBC suggest this may be true only for a minority of participants with high addiction severity. AA's beneficial effects seem to be carried predominantly by social, cognitive and affective mechanisms. These mechanisms are more aligned with the experiences reported by AA's own larger and more diverse membership as detailed in its later social, cognitive and behaviorally oriented publications (e.g. Living Sober, 1975) written when AA membership numbered more than a million men and women. Conclusions Alcoholics Anonymous appears to be an effective clinical and public health ally that aids addiction recovery through its ability to mobilize therapeutic mechanisms similar to those mobilized in formal treatment, but is able to do this for free over the long term in the communities in which people live. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home hemodialysis (HD) was first introduced in the 1960s with a rapid increase in its use due to inability of dialysis units to accommodate patient demand. A sharp decline was subsequently seen with expanding outpatient dialysis facilities and changes in reimbursement policies. In the last decade, with emerging reports of benefits with home HD and more user-friendly equipment, there has been resurgence in home HD. However, home HD remains underutilized with considerable variations between and within countries. This paper will review the history of home HD, elaborate on its established benefits, identify some of the barriers in uptake of this modality and expand on potential strategies to overcome these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim The successful development and maintenance of professional identity is associated with professional development and retention in the health workforce. This paper explores students' perspectives on the ways pre-entry experiences and curricula content shape professional identity. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was sent to students enrolled in the final year of entry-level programmes in five countries. Descriptive statistical analyses of data were completed. Results The results reflect the perceptions of 319 respondents from five countries. Respondents identified professional education (98%) and professional socialisation during placement (92%) as curricula components with the greatest influence on professional identity formation. Discipline-specific knowledge such as, occupation-focussed models and occupational science were ranked lower than these aspects of practice. The students' length of programme and level of entry-level programme did not impact on these results. Conclusion When designing curricula educators need to be mindful that students perceive practice education and professional socialisation have the greatest affect on professional identity formation. The findings reinforce the need for curricula to provide students with a range of practice experiences, which allow the observation and application of occupation-based practices. It highlights a need for educators to provide university-based curricula activities, which better prepare students for a potential dissonance between explicit occupation-based curricula and observed practice education experiences. The study indicates the need for further research into the role curricula content, and in particular practice education, plays in the multidimensional formation of professional development within entry-level programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented which addresses the author's views about the public health aspects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and it mentions the National Academies of Sciences' review of research papers on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), as well as the need for additional research and government regulatory action in the U.S. According to the article, ENDS may be harm-reducing for smokers who are seeking to quit and harm-creating for ex-smokers and young people.

Aims This paper has as its focus a study tour made by the author in 1961. Diary notes are used to capture a historical moment in the evolution of alcohol studies. The paper will argue for the continuing value today of such experiences in support of career development and the building of ‘the field’. Data sources Diary notes and personal recollection. Findings The United States was at the time more active than the United Kingdom in its response to alcohol problems. There was, however, a disjunction between the elite American research world and the world of action, which was not informed greatly by research. For the most part, treatment services and prevention strategies seemed driven by opinion rather than by evidence. But at the level of serious scientific endeavour there was opportunity to meet influential figures including Seldon Bacon, Morris Chafetz, Milton Gross, Ebbe Curtis Hoff, Harris Isbell, E. M. Jellinek, Mark Keller, Benjamin Kissen, Robert Strauss, Wolf Schmidt and Abraham Wikler, who generously made their time available. Conclusions These diary notes provide a snapshot of a field of endeavour at a critical stage of transition from uninformed assumptions towards establishment of a research base which can inform public action. The visit was of tangible value to the visitor in several different identified ways. Such an experience is inevitably time-bound and personal, but there are general conclusions to be drawn as to the benefits which will be derived from early travel opportunities in a field such as alcohol studies, which is all too easily culture-bound in its horizons and assumptions. Alcohol science needs to be more reflective on its history and the mechanisms that help to make it happen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, Japanese researchers conducting social surveys encounter several difficulties such as restricted access to official registers and a decrease in current response rates. These researchers may expect these difficulties to be solved by the survey techniques or methods developed outside Japan, such as computer-assisted interviews (CAI) and Internet surveys. It is unclear whether the numerous technical differences between survey methodologies developed in Japan and elsewhere imply the backward-ness of Japan or cultural differences. This paper discusses the potential of various recent survey methods, focusing on the culture and paradigms in Japan and the UnitedStates. First, this paper presents an overview of survey techniques, such as computer-assisted personal interviewing, Internet surveys, and mixed modes. Second, it points out the fact that the existence of the registers and different survey concepts might have created the different survey paradigms. In addition, reference is made to the linguisticdifferences between the US and Japan. The results indicate that survey research is more dispersed in Japan than in the US and that survey research adapted to the uniqueness of Japanese culture is not accumulated sufficiently, although such an accumulation is required. Finally, it is stated that not only surveys, but also the concept of methodology, is not very popular in Japan. Furthermore, the development of survey research in the US is likely to be related to pragmatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study investigated the value of citation counts as an index of quality in the field of addiction and examined factors that contribute to papers being cited more or less frequently. Design The number of times papers published by the journal Addiction in 1995–98 that had been cited up to May 2000 were counted using the Science and the Social Science Citation Indexes. Articles in nine of the monthly issues from 1997 were rated by two independent expert raters for quality. Factors related to citation counts were also examined including: country of origin of the paper, substance type, solicited versus unsolicited papers and methodology used. Findings A total of 417 unsolicited research reports were included in the citation analysis, of which 79 were also subjected to quality ratings. The experts showed a moderate level of agreement in their ratings (intraclass correlation = 0.39, p < 0.001). However, there was no correlation between number of citations and expert ratings of article quality (R < 0.1). Papers from developing countries received significantly fewer citations than papers from other countries but substance type (e.g. nicotine, opiate, alcohol) and methodology (e.g. survey, treatment trial) were not related to number of citations. Conclusions This study involved just one journal but raised an important issue: the number of citations received by papers on addiction appears to reflect the geographical region of study rather than what experts would consider as 'quality'. If these findings are found to generalize they call into question the use of citation‐related indices as measures of quality in this field and perhaps in others as well. To our knowledge our methodology has not been used before and could be adapted to study the value of citations more widely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Alcohol-related blackouts are periods of amnesia that reflect the failure of the brain to record memories of what transpires while drinking. This paper examined the incidence, predictors, and behavioral correlates of blackouts among emerging adults and examined whether questions about blackouts could serve as better markers of risk for other alcohol related harms than questions about levels of consumption. Methods In 2012 to 2013, 1,463 (68%) of 2,140 respondents 1-year past high school reported having consumed alcohol. They were asked whether, in the past 6 months because of drinking, they forgot where they were or what they did. The survey also explored demographics, substance use behaviors, and other alcohol-related problems in the past 6 months. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses explored bivariate and multivariate predictors of blackouts and other alcohol-related problems. Results Twenty percent of respondents who ever drank alcohol reported a blackout in the past 6 months. Blackouts were more prevalent among females and those who, in the past 30 days, used multiple drugs, more frequently binged, were drunk, smoked, had lower body weight, and lived in college dorms. After controlling for drinking levels, having a blackout was the strongest independent predictor of most other alcohol problems examined, including in the past 6 months because of drinking, missing class or work, getting behind in work or school, doing something respondents later regretted, arguing with friends, experiencing an overdose, and total number of alcohol problems reported. It was also an independent predictor of hangovers, damaging property, getting hurt, and trouble with police. Conclusions Because blackouts indicate drinking at levels that result in significant cognitive and behavioral impairment, questions about blackouts could serve as important, simple screeners for the risk of experiencing other alcohol related harms. Additional work on this subject is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the research paper prepared by researcher A.G. Plint, regarding the concept of sediment intrusion and rheoplasis, in Pennsylvanian fluvial strata of eastern Canada, as of February 1989. Criticism of Plint's description of occurrences of slump blocks of Alma, Michigan, in the paper; Omission of the fluted mangled mass of twisted mudstone and sandstone in the paper; Demonstration regarding the formation of mudblocks and flute moulds in this area.

The paper presents comparison between the associations of British and American voluntary associations. The development of postwar research on the structure and functioning of voluntary associations has been uneven, and there have been marked differences between British and American research in this field. This paper offers a narrow definition of voluntary associations. It defines voluntary associations as groups in which membership is in no sense obligatory, which have a formal constitution, but which do not have paid officials at the local level. The next section of this paper places the subsequent analysis in context by pointing briefly to the very substantial similarities between research in Great Britain and the U.S. The third section discusses differences in the research environments of the two countries, and suggests their relevance to the main problem. The fourth section assesses the differences in research orientations between the two countries, as it has influenced the study of voluntary associations. The final section considers the effect of these differences upon the functional analyses that have been made.

What is already known about this subject High rates of childhood obesity and overweight have promoted interest in school-based interventions., Procter's Value Added Index ( VAI) identifies schools with higher-than-predicted rates of obesity., What this study adds The VAI can be calculated with much simpler techniques than those proposed by Procter and associates., VAI data from a span of 4 years indicated that rank orderings of schools vary widely over time., This casts doubt on the utility of the VAI measure for targeting policy interventions, and we suggest that using a simpler method would be more effective, especially when obesity rates are high., Background High rates of childhood obesity and overweight have promoted interest in school-based interventions. As a way to identify schools with high unexpected prevalence of obesity and the greatest need, Procter and associates developed a 'Value Added Index' ( VAI). It compares rates of obesity in entry level and advanced students in elementary schools, quantifying the extent to which rates for advanced students are higher than what would be expected given entry level rates and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods This paper replicates their analysis using data over a 4 year time span from 17 schools in the western United States. Our analysis compared results obtained with the relatively complicated mixed-model approach, which was used by Procter and associates, and a more simple linear regression, which could be easily used by local school officials. Results were also compared across the 4 years for which data were available. Results Identical results were found when the two methods were compared. There was little stability in the rank ordering of schools, based on the VAI, from 1 year to another. Conclusions Our results cast doubts on the utility of the VAI for policy makers and suggest policy makers consider a universalistic, rather than targeted, approach to interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SIG/USE celebrated members' work and achievements in research methods at the 2012 ASIS&T Annual Meeting through a keynote speech, brief talks and awards. In her opening talk, professor Lisa Given challenged attendees to expand research methods to engage participants more fully, include qualitative findings and explore information behavior in nontraditional media. The topics of two-minute lightning talks ranged from research techniques for exploring young people's information behavior to imaging brain activity related to relevance decisions. Others addressed incorporating mobile technologies in research, collaborative search, direct interaction with participants in contrast with background server log checks and working with data collections from social Q&A sites. Following the talks, small group discussions further explored topics such as cognitive approaches, content analysis and text analytics and usability. The symposium wound to a close with the 2011 Elfreda A. Chatman Research Award presentation on information strategies of the homeless and a preview of the 2012 proposed study on refugees' information seeking. Additional awards were presented for best paper and poster to support travel and further presentations. Pertti Vakkari was recognized for outstanding contributions to information behavior research and was inducted into the SIG/USE Academy of Fellows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Both human research and animal research operate within established standards and procedures. Although the human research environment has been criticized for its sometimes inefficient and imperfect process, reported abuses of human subjects in research served as the impetus for the establishment of the Nuremberg Code, Declaration of Helsinki, and the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research and the resulting Belmont Report. No similar, comprehensive and principled effort has addressed the use of animals in research. Although published policies regarding animal research provide relevant regulatory guidance, these policies have not emerged from the process of specifying consistent and reasoned ethical principles. The lack of a fundamental effort to explore the ethical issues and principles regarding the use of animals in research has led to unclear and disparate policies. Recent studies have increased our understanding of animal cognition and emotion, suggesting that animals' potential for experiencing a wide variety of harms, such as pain and fear, is greater than has been previously appreciated. Furthermore, relationships between methods of captivity and certain laboratory procedures and the resulting adverse physical, social and psychological effects have been established. In light of this information, current protections may need to be reconsidered and modified. This paper explores the historical convergence and divergence in the creation of human and animal research guidelines, as well as opportunities to align ethical frameworks with new scientific discoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) have been employed internationally since 1992 for the study of temporomandibular muscle and joint disorders (TMD). This diagnostic protocol incorporates a dual system for assessment of TMD for Axis I physical diagnoses as well as Axis II psychological status and pain-related disability. Because the reliability and criterion validity of RDC/TMD had not yet been comprehensively characterised, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research funded in 2001 the most definitive research to date on the RDC/TMD as a U01 project entitled, ‘Research Diagnostic Criteria: Reliability and Validity’. The results of this multi-site collaboration involving the University of Minnesota, the University of Washington, and the University at Buffalo were first reported at a pre-session workshop of the Toronto general session of the International Association of Dental Research on 2 July 2008. Summaries of five reports from this meeting are presented in this paper including: (i) reliability of RDC/TMD Axis I diagnoses based on clinical signs and symptoms; (ii) reliability of radiographic interpretations used for RDC/TMD Axis I diagnoses; (iii) reliability of self-report data used for RDC/TMD Axis I diagnoses; (iv) validity of RDC/TMD Axis I diagnoses based on clinical signs and symptoms; and (v) proposed revisions of the RDC/TMD Axis I diagnostic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we rank agricultural economics departments in Canada on the basis of research output as measured by citations, publications, and publications weighted by journal impact factors. The data we employ are from the ISI Web of Science and cover the period 2000–07. In this ranking we include three departments from the United States to assess the performance of Canadian institutions relative to U.S. departments. We also investigate how publication output is affected by academic rank. Several Canadian departments compare favorably to some of the U.S. departments. Dans cet article, nous classant les départements d’économie agricole au Canada sur la base du nombre de citations, de publications et de publications pondéré par les coefficients d’impact des revues scientifiques. Les données sont disponibles à partir de ISI Web of Science® et couvrent la période 2000–07. Dans ce classement, nous incluant trois départements des Etats-Unis pour évaluer la performance des départements Canadiens par rapport à ceux-ci. Nous examinons aussi l’effet du rang académique sur les publications. Plusieurs départements Canadiens sont très comparables à quelques départements des Etats-Unis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aims for this paper are to summarize the current state of disparities in clinical research participation, discuss regulatory and interpersonal causes for these disparities, and to suggest an approach to address this problem by standardized training for consent administrators. Organizing Construct: A program based on the Precede-Proceed model for training consent administrators is proposed and described. Conclusions: The current process for informed consent for research is unstandardized and inadequate, and may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities. Researchers are urged to consider a formal training program for members of their research teams who will be obtaining participants' consent. Clinical Relevance: An educational program for consent administrators may help to reduce disparities in research participation by improving communication between research staff and potential participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social scientists have expressed strong views on corporate influences over science, but most attention has been devoted to broad, Black/White arguments, rather than to actual mechanisms of influence. This paper summarizes an experience where involvement in a lawsuit led to the discovery of an unexpected mechanism: A large corporation facing a multibillion-dollar court judgment quietly provided generous funding to well-known scientists (including at least one Nobel prize winner) who would submit articles to “open,” peer-reviewed journals, so that their “unbiased science” could be cited in an appeal to the Supreme Court. On balance, the corporation’s most effective techniques of influence may have been provided not by overt pressure, but by encouraging scientists to continue thinking of themselves as independent and impartial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need for research on quality of life and healthcare delivery for older adults living in community-based care settings, yet implementing current federalwide assurance (FWA) requirements can be a challenge in these settings. This paper discusses FWA requirements for engagement in federally funded research as the requirements pertain to community-based care settings. Factors that impede community facilities in achieving FWA approval include lack of organizational structure to provide oversight for the ethical conduct of research, administrator concerns regarding potential liability associated with obtaining the FWA, lack of resources to complete required paperwork, and lack of staff knowledge about human subjects protection and federal requirements for participating in research. Effects of the FWA process on investigators include the burden of extra time needed to support community-based facilities to acquire a FWA and concerns that studies may be limited to only those community facilities with the resources to complete the FWA process. Investigator-initiated strategies for conducting research in community-based settings include considering study designs that are exempt from the FWA process and proactively assisting community-based facilities to acquire FWA status. Investigators need to work with potential research sites and the office for human research protections to ensure that subjects are protected without shifting the burden of protection to ill-prepared community administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative research has been the dominant methodological approach used to study voting behaviour. There is an emerging recognition, however, that there are alternative ways of attempting to understand how voters decide. The academic preoccupation with measurement, reliability, validity and generalisability may obscure some of the findings that are uncovered by practitioners using qualitative research. Practitioners of politics, both in the USA and the UK, tend to utilise both methods when formulating policy and exploring voter attitudes towards these policies. This paper will review the arguments for each tradition and examine the apparent divergence of practitioner and academic political research. Finally, it will look at how both positivist and interpretivist methods tan be utilised to complement each other when attempting to build a picture of voting behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare needs of an aging population of “baby boomers” (persons born between 1946 and 1964) will disproportionately affect ophthalmology. To meet this emerging need, the American Geriatrics Society and the John A. Hartford Foundation developed a research agenda-setting process for geriatric ophthalmology. A systematic literature search was performed using Medline from the years 1990 to 2000. The literature review (168 papers) was performed to determine the current state of information regarding selected issues in geriatric ophthalmology. A needs assessment for each of the identified topics was performed, gaps in the existing knowledge base were identified, and key questions for future research were proposed. A research agenda-setting process for geriatric ophthalmology might provide a structural framework for future research efforts in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: This paper examines the incidence of and interrelationships between shelter use and reincarceration among a cohort of 48,424 persons who were released from New York State prisons to New York City in 1995-1998. Results show that, within two years of release, 11.4% of the study group entered a New York City homeless shelter and 32.8% of this group was again imprisoned. Using survival analysis methods, time since prison release and history of residential instability were the most salient risk factors related to shelter use, and shelter use increased the risk of subsequent reincarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we sought to evaluate a modification of the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test designed to include problems associated with other drug abuse/dependence besides alcohol. Scores of the lifetime Michigan Assessment-Screening Test/Alcohol-Drug (MAST/AD) were compared to other lifetime measures of substance abuse and dependence and to psychiatric scales reflecting current or recent symptoms. Two university medical centers with alcohol-drug programs located within departments of psychiatry hosted 520 patients with alcohol-drug-related diagnoses. Patients completed their own MAST/AD using a paper-and-pencil format. Based on interviews with the patient, a research associate rated the patients' substance-related problems on the Minnesota Substance Abuse Problem Scale (M-SAPS) and obtained information on lifetime treatment for substance abuse. An addictions psychiatrist determined abuse or dependence and made a current diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence only, drug abuse/dependence only, and alcohol plus drug abuse/dependence. The MAST/AD was highly correlated with the M-SAPS and several other measures of substance abuse morbidity. Patients with alcohol-only and drug-only diagnoses did not differ from one another on the MAST/AD, although both groups had lower scores than those with alcohol plus drug diagnoses. Current psychosocial morbidity as assessed by the patient and the psychiatrist was associated with the MAST/AD, although less strongly than with lifetime substance abuse measures. The lifetime MAST/AD demonstrates reliability as a severity measure for alcohol and/or drug abuse. With minor modification, this standard measure can be expanded from alcohol diagnoses to all substance diagnoses. This study in a clinical population did not demonstrate its utility as a screening instrument; additional work is needed to reveal its utility for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on the relationship between type of neighborhood socioeconomic context, individual characteristics (individuals are classified by a set of selected key measures of individual dispositions and social situation) and serious male juvenile offending (prevalence and early and late onsets) in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania. The analytical strategy may best be described as holistic and epidemiological. The key research question is whether onset and prevalence of juvenile serious offending is invariant by neighborhood socioeconomic context when controlling for individual sets of risk and protective characteristics. The results do not support the notion that neighborhood socioeconomic context has any greater direct impact on the early onset of serious offending. However, neighborhood socioeconomic context appears to have a direct impact on the late onset of offending for those juveniles who score high on protective factors, or who have a balanced mix of risk and protective factors. No support was found for the notion that individual risk characteristics and neighborhood risk are additive. Children and adolescents with high scores on risk characteristics offend in serious crime at a similar high rate regardless of the socioeconomic context of their neighborhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several abstracts of research papers on medical primatology submitted at the16th Annual Symposium on Nonhuman Primate Models for AIDS held in Atlanta, Georgia on October 7-10, 2004. "Natural infection of chimpanzees with new primate lentiviruses related to HIV-1/SIVCPZ," by J. Takehisa; "Natural infection of a homozygous deleted CCR5 red-capped mangabey with CCRB2-tropic SIV," Z. Chen and colleagues; "Two distinct groups of KSHV-related gamma herpes viruses in macaques," by K. Strand and colleagues.

The article focuses on the Phycological Society of America. The society was founded in 1946 to promote research and teaching in all fields of phycology and to facilitate cooperation among phycologists, both in the U.S. and in other countries. The society publishes two journals, the quarterly research "Journal of Phycology" and the "Phycological Newsletter." The society sponsors an annual distinguished lecture by a person of outstanding achievement and an annual award for outstanding paper presented by a student in the field of phycology.

The article presents the program for the annual meeting of the Phycological Society of America at the Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. The meeting will be held from June 16-22, 1974. The chairman of the program is Norma J. Lang. A field trip is scheduled on June 15, 1974. Researchers Dean W. Blinn and Gerald W. Prescott will lead the field trip. All sessions of the program at which contributed papers are presented are joint sessions of the Phycological Society of America and the Phycological Section of the Botanical Society of America.

This case study of an inter-university controversy over the publication of research from an interdisciplinary social science project on the forced migration and long- term internment of West Coast Japanese-Americans during World War II shows some of the difficulties of maintaining ownership of research materials. In this particular instance the junior employee was able to override his seniors' demand for control of the dissemination of research results by playing on the concerns about even appearing to suppress work for political reasons. The paper discusses conflicting norms of science and rhetorics of justification ranging from proprietary self-interest through "good science" to "the national interest" and onto "the needs of a free society." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data citation panel of the March 2012 Research Data Access and Preservation (RDAP) Summit targeted an issue that has eluded agreement. The practice of data citation has ranged from general acknowledgements to citing papers describing data to specifically citing the original data. A task group on data citation standards and practices, under the aegis of the International Council for Science, organized a workshop and report and will deliver the results of a survey on current practices. The group's forthcoming white paper will examine emerging proposals for standardization and best practices, tools and infrastructure to support data citation, challenges and opportunities.While panelists and attendees acknowledged the difficulty of standardization at an international level, the emergence of DataCite and ORCID for citing data and authors, respectively, are positive signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's views about a research done by researcher D.A. Dawson and his colleagues on alcoholism. The author says the good news is that if he had to point a student to a single large epidemiological study that was representative of the course of alcoholism in the United States, he could not point to a paper superior to that of Dawson's. The bad news is that Dawson and his colleagues are correct to warn us that their "cross-sectional data do not necessarily reflect the course of recovery across time for any individual." This acknowledgement makes many of their findings suspect. What comes out of computers, even if you add decimals, is only as good as what goes in. At the heart of the difficulties raised by their paper is a paradox. If you wish to predict an election, a large representative sample of the population, interviewed by a trained staff, is a necessity. If you wish to study secrets of which the owner does not wish to be aware, for example incest or not being in control of one's drinking over the past year, a small intensively studied, but often unrepresentative, sample whom the investigator has actually met, is a necessity. In some facets of alcohol abuse the first strategy is preferable, but if one wishes to study return to controlled drinking one needs to include other informants and to conduct observations over time until the "secret" emerges or can be ruled out on a case-by-case basis.

The article presents information on the recommendation of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) according to which any manuscript acknowledging research support from the NIH should be uploaded to PubMed Central (PMC) within 12 months of the manuscript's publication. It has been reported that the requirement encompasses peer-reviewed research and review papers with effective from April 7, 2008.

Editorial. Comments on papers presented at the conference on Teaching and Learning held in Jacksonville, Florida in April 2001. Rosalind Pickard's presentation on affective computing; IntelliMedia team's creation of knowledge-based multimedia learning environments that are populated by intelligent animated agents; Lessons from talk by author and neurologist Oliver Sacks.