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We investigated the technical characteristics of a brief early numeracy screening battery for both English learners (ELs) and English proficient students (EPs). Results indicated there were differences in performance of ELs and EPs. Further, we found reasonable overall accuracy of the screener predicting student outcomes. Similar overall accuracy results were found for ELs and EPs, as well as for predicting academic performance. We discuss study results related to sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive power as they relate to implications for practice, including screening for risk for ELs and the challenge of false positives in screening systems. We conclude by proposing future avenues of research.

Municipal annexation is the most common form of local government boundary change and can have profound impacts on the annexing municipality as well as the area being annexed. While urban scholars have often touted the economic benefits of annexation for municipalities, little research has been conducted on the effect of annexation type on the economic well-being of a municipality. Do voluntary annexations result in a larger economic windfall for annexing municipalities? Do involuntary annexations cost more? This study examined more than 6,000 annexations conducted by North Carolina municipalities between 1990 and 2000 in order to explore the impact annexation methodology had on municipal fiscal health. The results reveal that during the study period annexation resulted in a decrease in municipal fiscal health for North Carolina municipalities and that involuntary annexation had a particularly detrimental effect. This finding contradicts much of the previous research on the economic benefits of annexation for municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to assess the current impact of natural gas appliances on air quality in California homes. Data were collected via telephone interviews and measurements inside and outside of 352 homes. Passive samplers measured time-resolved CO and time-integrated NOX, NO2, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde over ~6-day periods in November 2011 - April 2012 and October 2012 - March 2013. The fraction of indoor NOX and NO2 attributable to indoor sources was estimated. NOX, NO2, and highest 1-h CO were higher in homes that cooked with gas and increased with amount of gas cooking. NOX and NO2 were higher in homes with cooktop pilot burners, relative to gas cooking without pilots. Homes with a pilot burner on a floor or wall furnace had higher kitchen and bedroom NOX and NO2 compared to homes without a furnace pilot. When scaled to account for varying home size and mixing volume, indoor-attributed bedroom and kitchen NOX and kitchen NO2 were not higher in homes with wall or floor furnace pilot burners, although bedroom NO2 was higher. In homes that cooked 4 h or more with gas, self-reported use of kitchen exhaust was associated with lower NOX, NO2, and highest 1-h CO. Gas appliances were not associated with higher concentrations of formaldehyde or acetaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the isolation of Campylobacter species from the same population of feral swine that was investigated in San Benito County, California, during the 2006 spinach-related Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak. This is the first survey of Campylobacter in a free-ranging feral swine population in the United States. Campylobacter species were cultured from buccal and rectal-anal swabs, colonic faeces and tonsils using a combination of selective enrichment and antibiotic-free membrane filtration methods. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS, Bruker Daltonics, Inc., Billerica, MA, USA) was used to identify species followed by confirmatory multiplex PCR or 16S rRNA sequencing. Genetic relatedness of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains was determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and porA allele sequencing. Altogether, 12 (40%) of 30 feral swine gastrointestinal and oral cavity specimens were positive, and six species were isolated: Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter fetus, Campylobacter hyointestinalsis, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter lanienae and Campylobacter sputorum. Campylobacter jejuni subtypes were closely related to MLST sequence type 21 (ST-21) and had identical porA sequences. Campylobacter coli subtypes were unrelated to isolates in the pubMLST/ porA database. This feral swine population lived in close association with a 'grassfed' beef cattle herd adjacent to spinach and other leafy green row crop fields. The findings underscore the importance of protecting raw vegetable crops from faecal contamination by wild or feral animals. The study also illustrates a potential risk of Campylobacter exposure for hunters during handling and processing of wild swine meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies by urban scholars have revealed that new cities (those incorporated in the second half of the 20th century) are often created to provide public services, have social and/or economic exclusionary ambitions, or are developed as tax havens for the wealthy. Likewise, many of these same studies also suggest that cities incorporate to protect themselves from the threat of annexation. However, very little quantitative research has been conducted on understanding the relationship between annexation and municipal incorporation. In fact, Feiock and Carr (2001) state that scholars have tended to ''intellectually divorce'' one form of local government boundary change from another. One study that has attempted to examine this relationship was Rigos and Spindler's (1991) study. Their state level analysis of municipal incorporation determined that ''the fear of impending annexation is one of the most powerful stimuli for the creation of new cities'' (Rigos and Spindler 1991, p 80). This study will build upon their previous work by examining the relationship between annexation and municipal incorporation in North Carolina at the county level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current California agricultural practices strive to comanage food safety and habitat conservation on farmland. However, the ecology of foodborne pathogens in wild bird populations, especially those avian species residing in proximity to fresh produce production fields, is not fully understood. In this repeated crosssectional study, avifauna within agricultural lands in California were sampled over 1 year. Feces, oral swabs, and foot/feather swabs were cultured for zoonotic Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and characterized by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Of 60 avian species sampled, 8 species (13.3%, bird groups of sparrows, icterids, geese, wrens, and kinglets) were positive for at least one of these foodborne pathogens. At the individual bird level, the detection of foodborne pathogens was infrequent in feces (n=583; 0.5% Salmonella, 0.34% E. coli O157:H7, and 0.5% non-O157 STEC) and in feet/feathers (n=401; 0.5% non-O157 STEC), and it was absent from oral swabs (n=353). Several subtypes of public health importance were identified, including Salmonella enterica serotype Newport, E. coli O157:H7, and STEC serogroups O103 and O26. In late summer and autumn, the same STEC subtype was episodically found in several individuals of the same and different avian species, suggesting a common source of contamination in the environment. Sympatric free-range cattle shared subtypes of STEC O26 and O163 with wild geese. A limited rate of positive detection in wild birds provides insights into broad risk profile for contamination considerations but cannot preclude or predict risk on an individual farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over a 2-year period, drag swabs of orchard soil surface and air, soil, and almond leaf samples were collected in an almond orchard adjacent to (35 m from the first row of trees) and downwind from a poultry operation and in two almond orchards (controls) that were surrounded by other orchards. Samples were evaluated for aerobic plate count, generic Escherichia coli , other coliforms, the presence of Salmonella , bacterial community structure (analyzed through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene), and amounts of dry solids (dust) on leaf surfaces on trees 0, 60, and 120 m into each orchard. E. coli was isolated from 41 of 206 (20%) and 1 of 207 (0.48%) air samples in the almond-poultry and control orchards, respectively. Salmonella was not isolated from any of the 529 samples evaluated. On average, the amount of dry solids on leaves collected from trees closest to the poultry operation was more than 2-fold greater than from trees 120 m into the orchard or from any of the trees in the control orchards. Members of the family Staphylococcaceae -often associated with poultry-were, on average, significantly ( P <  0.001) more abundant in the phyllosphere of trees closest to the poultry operation (10% of relative abundance) than in trees 120 m into the orchard (1.7% relative abundance) or from any of the trees in control orchards (0.41% relative abundance). Poultry-associated microorganisms from a commercial operation transferred a short distance into an adjacent downwind almond orchard. IMPORTANCE The movement of microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens, from animal operations into adjacent plant crop-growing environments is not well characterized. This study provides evidence that dust and bioaerosols moved from a commercial poultry operation a short distance downwind into an almond orchard and altered the microbiome recovered from the leaves. These data provide growers with information they can use to assess food safety risks on their property., (Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology.)

Diversified farms are operations that raise a variety of crops and/or multiple species of livestock, with the goal of utilising the products of one for the growth of the other, thus fostering a sustainable cycle. This type of farming reflects consumers' increasing demand for sustainably produced, naturally raised or pasture-raised animal products that are commonly produced on diversified farms. The specific objectives of this study were to characterise diversified small-scale farms (DSSF) in California, estimate the prevalence of Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter spp. in livestock and poultry, and evaluate the association between farm- and sample-level risk factors and the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. on DSSF in California using a multilevel logistic model. Most participating farms were organic and raised more than one animal species. Overall Salmonella prevalence was 1.19% (95% confidence interval (CI95) 0.6-2), and overall Campylobacter spp. prevalence was 10.8% (CI95 = 9-12.9). Significant risk factors associated with Campylobacter spp. were farm size (odds ratio (OR)10-50 acres: less than 10 acres = 6, CI95 = 2.11-29.8), ownership of swine (OR = 9.3, CI95 = 3.4-38.8) and season (ORSpring: Coastal summer = 3.5, CI95 = 1.1-10.9; ORWinter: Coastal summer = 3.23, CI95 = 1.4-7.4). As the number of DSSF continues to grow, evaluating risk factors and management practices that are unique to these operations will help identify risk mitigation strategies and develop outreach materials to improve the food safety of animal and vegetable products produced on DSSF.

The occurrence of Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in solid bovine manure was investigated through a multi-county survey in California. Solid bovine manure samples (n = 91) were collected from 13 dairy farms located in multiple counties in California between June 2016 and August 2017. To quantify pathogens, DNA was extracted from bacteria in manure samples. Afterwards, the prevalence and levels of E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in solid bovine manure were determined by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The prevalence of E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in solid bovine manure was 15·4 and 6·6% respectively. Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp. levels in positive samples ranged from 3·1 to 5·3 log CFU per g and from positive (the population was <3 log CFU per g) to 5·2 log CFU per g respectively. Surface samples of manure piles had higher prevalence and levels of E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. than subsurface samples, while no seasonal effects on pathogen occurrence were observed. Our results indicated that solid bovine manure is a source of E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. and the application of untreated manure as biological soil amendments may pose potential risks to public health. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our findings suggested that the presence of Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in solid bovine manure may pose potential risks if untreated manure is applied as biological soil amendments. Considering the large-scale sampling used in this study, the observations provide a holistic assessment in terms of pathogen prevalence in solid bovine manure., (© 2019 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Our goal was to identify climate variables and management practices associated with the presence of E. coli O157 in rangeland cow-calf operations located in a major leafy green production region in the California Central Coast. E. coli O157 was present in 2·6% (68/2654) of faecal, 1·5% (3/204) of water and 1·1% (1/93) of sediment samples collected on eight ranches over 2.5 years. Five (62·5%) ranches were positive at least once during the study. The odds of detecting E. coli O157 in faecal samples was higher during periods of higher maximum soil temperature, higher maximum relative humidity, and larger herd sizes, but decreased as wind speed increased. Molecular subtyping of isolates from cattle faeces and streams/sediments suggested minimal movement of strains between ranches. The findings suggest that E. coli O157 prevalence is relatively low on cow-calf ranches in this region, spatially constrained, but may vary by weather conditions and herd size.

In July 2010, a horse from a rural farm (Farm A) in coastal Northern California was diagnosed with Salmonella Oranienburg infection following referral to a veterinary hospital for colic surgery. Environmental sampling to identify potential sources and persistence of Salmonella on the farm was conducted from August 2010 to March 2011. Salmonella was cultured using standard enrichment and selective plating. Pure colonies were confirmed by biochemical analysis, serotyped and compared by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. A total of 204 clinical and environmental samples at Farm A were analysed, and Salmonella spp. was isolated from six of eight (75%) horses, an asymptomatic pet dog, two of seven (28.6%) water samples from horse troughs, nine of 20 (45%) manure storage pile composites, 16 of 71 (22.5%) wild turkey faeces and four of 39 (10.3%) soil samples from the family's edible home garden. Well water and garden vegetable samples and horse faecal samples from a neighbouring ranch were negative. S. Oranienburg with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the horse clinical strain was found in all positive sample types on Farm A. The investigation illustrates the potential for widespread dissemination of Salmonella in a farm environment following equine infections. We speculate that a recent surge in the wild turkey population on the property could have introduced S. Oranienburg into the herd, although we cannot rule out the possibility wild turkeys were exposed on the farm or to other potential sources of Salmonella. Findings from the investigation indicated that raw horse manure applied as fertilizer was the most likely source of garden soil contamination. Viable S. Oranienburg persisted in garden soil for an estimated 210 days, which exceeds the 120-day standard between application and harvest currently required by the National Organic Program. The study underscores the need to educate the public about potential food safety hazards associated with using raw animal manure to fertilize edible home gardens., (© 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

The three anterior temporobasal (aTB) sulci, which are the collateral, rhinal, and occipitotemporal sulci, contribute to the morphology of memory-related structures and are important landmarks for neuroimaging. Prevalence of inter-connections among these sulci may distinguish healthy adults and individuals with memory-related disorders (Kim et al. Neurology 70:2159-2165, 2008; Zhan et al. Hum Brain Mapp 30:874-882, 2009). However, methods for quantifying the existence and nature of such connections are vague and varied, and normative frequencies are inconsistent across studies. Therefore, the goals of the current study are twofold: (1) to develop a reliable method of identifying aTB sulci and their interconnections based on surface renderings generated from serial magnetic resonance images (MRIs). This protocol includes training materials and a rating log (see supplementary materials) that can be disseminated and applied by other researchers. (2) To determine the prevalence of interconnections among the three aTB sulci in a large sample of healthy adults (200 undergraduate students), which can be used as normative data for future comparison with clinical samples. Notably, the resulting protocol, called the Sulcal Classification Rating Protocol for anterior Temporobasal sulci, distinguishes "clear" from "ambiguous" connections. When only clear connections are included, our prevalence rates are consistent with post-mortem findings of Ono et al. (Atlas of the Cerebral Sulci. Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., New York, 1990); when both clear and ambiguous connections are counted as a connection, our results largely replicate MRI-based findings (e.g., Kim et al. Neurology 70:2159-2165, 2008). We propose that systematic variations in rater classification of ambiguous connections could explain discrepancies in the literature.

Irrigation with water of poor microbiological quality can elevate levels of bacteria on produce. This study aimed to identify climate and management variables associated with generic Escherichia coli in irrigation water on leafy green produce farms and to measure the prevalence of E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. in irrigation and non-irrigation water sources on these farms. Water and sediment samples collected from various points along irrigation systems, as well as from streams and ponds on farms on the Central California coast between May 27th, 2008 and October 26th, 2010 were cultured for generic E. coli (MPN/100 mL or cfu 100 g) (n=436), E. coli O157 (n=437), and (n=163) Salmonella. Variables were based on grower's management practices, landscape features in proximity to samples (e.g., distance to roads and ranches/livestock), and climate data accessed from an online database. Negative binomial regression models were constructed to test associations between generic E. coli (MPN/100 mL) in water from farms and variables. Arithmetic mean concentration of E. coli for water, not including those from Moore swabs, and sediment samples, was 7.1×10(2) MPN/100 mL and 1.0×10(4) cfu/100 g, respectively. Matched by collection day, E. coli concentration in sediment (cfu/100 g) was typically 10- to 1000-fold higher than the overlying water (MPN/100 mL) for these irrigation systems. Generic E. coli concentration (MPN/100 mL) increased by 60.1% for each 1m/s increase in wind speed and decreased by 3% for each 10 m increase in the distance between the sample location and rangeland. Moore swabs detected a higher proportion of E. coli O157 (13.8%) positive water samples compared to grab samples (1.8%); 1.7% of sediment samples had detectable levels of this pathogen. Interestingly, season was not significantly associated with E. coli O157 presence in water or sediments from produce farms or water sources with public access. Salmonella was detected in 6% (6/96) water and 4.3% (3/67) sediment samples. Generic E. coli concentration was not significantly associated with the presence of either E. coli O157 or Salmonella in water or sediment samples, suggesting that, for this 2.5-year period and geographical location, generic E. coli would likely be an unreliable indicator bacteria for predicting the presence of these food- and waterborne pathogens in a key produce production environment., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During a 2.5-year survey of 33 farms and ranches in a major leafy greens production region in California, 13,650 produce, soil, livestock, wildlife, and water samples were tested for Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Overall, 357 and 1,912 samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7 (2.6%) or non-O157 STEC (14.0%), respectively. Isolates differentiated by O-typing ELISA and multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) resulted in 697 O157:H7 and 3,256 non-O157 STEC isolates saved for further analysis. Cattle (7.1%), feral swine (4.7%), sediment (4.4%), and water (3.3%) samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7; 7/32 birds, 2/145 coyotes, 3/88 samples from elk also were positive. Non-O157 STEC were at approximately 5-fold higher incidence compared to O157 STEC: cattle (37.9%), feral swine (21.4%), birds (2.4%), small mammals (3.5%), deer or elk (8.3%), water (14.0%), sediment (12.3%), produce (0.3%) and soil adjacent to produce (0.6%). stx1, stx2 and stx1/stx2 genes were detected in 63%, 74% and 35% of STEC isolates, respectively. Subtilase, intimin and hemolysin genes were present in 28%, 25% and 79% of non-O157 STEC, respectively; 23% were of the "Top 6″ O-types. The initial method was modified twice during the study revealing evidence of culture bias based on differences in virulence and O-antigen profiles. MLVA typing revealed a diverse collection of O157 and non-O157 STEC strains isolated from multiple locations and sources and O157 STEC strains matching outbreak strains. These results emphasize the importance of multiple approaches for isolation of non-O157 STEC, that livestock and wildlife are common sources of potentially virulent STEC, and evidence of STEC persistence and movement in a leafy greens production environment.

This paper presents guidelines for teachers who wish to design competency-based instructional activities in psychiatry. Developed over a 3 year period, these guidelines outline the methods used by teachers to construct competency-based seminars and clinical rotations. The guidelines describe the process of stating knowledge objectives, performance objectives and experiential objectives for psychiatric trainees to attain prior to completion of training in a given area. Selection of appropriate teaching strategies as well as criteria and conditions for assessment of the residents' abilities are also reviewed. Comments regarding the authors' experience using these guidelines with teachers are offered.