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This paper explores a period of advocacy on behalf of Spanish language education in the United States from 1914 to 1945. It interrogates claims made by policy actors about the centrality of Spanish language education to US geopolitical and economic interests in Latin America. I make two arguments: first, that realization of US economic and geopolitical interests across the hemisphere did not require significant capacity in the Spanish language among the US population; second, that linking Spanish language education to such interests contributed, paradoxically, to the closing of ideological and implementational space (Hornberger in Imagining multilingual schools: Languages in education and glocalization. Multilingual Matters, Clevedon, UK, pp. 223-237, 2006) for second language education overall, Spanish included. To support these claims, I begin by situating this specific case of Spanish language education advocacy within the context of contemporary language education policy research. Second, as background, I describe this advocacy as it occurred between 1914 and 1945, including key policy actors and venues for their advocacy. At the heart of this paper is an analysis of three specific rationales that policy actors employed in their advocacy. Here, I assess those rationales against the historical development of US economic and geopolitical interests in Latin America. Finally, I rely on both empirical and interpretative analysis to assess these three rationales on their own terms, that is, the extent to which they led to expanded Spanish language education between the two world wars.

This article presents an overview of the Arabic language in the United States. Drawing on archival research and statistical analysis, the article is divided into 4 major sections. The first discusses the history of immigration from the Arab world to the United States, as well as past efforts at Arabic language maintenance. The article continues with 2 sections that present a contemporary sketch of the Arab American community based on demographic analysis and of Arabic language practice and education in the United States, respectively. The article concludes with a discussion of the prospects for Arabic language maintenance and the sort of research that can aid in that project. This article is intended to provide a resource for educators, researchers, and others interested in maintaining Arabic as one piece of the rich linguistic heritage and contemporary life in the United States. If nothing else, this overview reveals the immense amount of research still needed to better understand the contemporary practice of Arabic in the United States. (Contains 4 footnotes and 6 tables.)

The United States spends well over $700 billion annually on defense, more than the next ten countries combined and roughly half of the discretionary budget. The Department of Defense budget supports critical national security objectives, but even defense stalwarts acknowledge excessive spending, including unneeded military facilities, exponential cost overruns, outmoded weapons systems, and duplicative investments across the military services. In the face of a congressional budget process distorted by special interest groups, this Note argues that the president possesses the constitutional authority to unilaterally curb some defense spending. In particular, the president may impound--refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress for government programs--in discrete areas of exclusive presidential authority and in three areas of shared responsibility with Congress: appropriations for weapons systems, military personnel, and military construction. To reach this conclusion, this Note analyzes historical practice dating back to President Thomas Jefferson to gloss the meaning of the Appropriations and Commanderin- Chief Clauses as well as a recent Supreme Court decision that implicitly recognizes this constitutional authority. Unlike prior impoundment scholarship, this Note does not argue for an unlimited national security impoundment power. In the past, government lawyers and scholars have invoked the Jefferson example to support a broad claim to constitutional impoundment. Departing from that claim, this Note uncovers a historical account involving President James Madison previously not considered in impoundment scholarship. In short, Madison, an architect of the Constitution, afforded deference to Congress by carrying out a wasteful national security appropriation. Impoundment may be a powerful tool for monitoring and cutting unnecessary defense spending, but the president's constitutional authority to use it is not unrestricted. This Note develops a framework for a legitimate but limited presidential impoundment by accounting for Madisonian deference and by employing modern gloss analysis to discern impoundment's boundaries. The Note concludes by applying this framework to unilateral actions taken by recent administrations and by assessing their constitutionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Muscle variants are common findings in dissection laboratories. These anomalous structures can be relevant in the diagnosis and management of certain conditions and therefore could be incorporated into anatomy curricula at chiropractic colleges. We aimed to create an online resource of muscle variants to facilitate student self-directed learning within this area of study. Methods: At the time of their discovery during routine educational dissection, muscle variants included in the catalog were documented and subsequent case reports written. All content created for this resource, including photographs and videos, was hosted on the institution's learning management system. Students enrolled in our doctor of chiropractic program were invited to view the catalog and encouraged to leave feedback by completing an online survey. Results: Student responses to Likert-style survey questions generally indicated high levels of satisfaction regarding the utility and features of the catalog. Open-ended and Likert-style survey questions were used to help guide the future directions of this developing resource. Concurrent anatomy students were not more likely to contribute to the catalog compared to students who had previously completed the university's anatomy course series (p = .75, 2-tailed Fisher exact test). Conclusion: An online supplement to graduate-level gross anatomy courses can aid in the instruction of muscle variants by providing an opportunity for student self-directed learning. This resource will be updated continually and will be expanded on to include neurovascular and visceral variants. Student participation will be sought in developing future content to be included in this catalog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a toxicological review of tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene, PCE) in February 2012 in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). OBJECTIVES: We reviewed key findings and scientific issues regarding the human health effects of PCE described in the U.S. EPA's Toxicological Review of Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene). METHODS: The updated assessment of PCE synthesized and characterized a substantial database of epidemiological, experimental animal, and mechanistic studies. Key scientific issues were addressed through modeling of PCE toxicokinetics, synthesis of evidence from neurological studies, and analyses of toxicokinetic, mechanistic, and other factors (tumor latency, severity, and background rate) in interpreting experimental animal cancer findings. Considerations in evaluating epidemiological studies included the quality (e.g., specificity) of the exposure assessment methods and other essential design features, and the potential for alternative explanations for observed associations (e.g., bias or confounding). DISCUSSION: Toxicokinetic modeling aided in characterizing the complex metabolism and multiple metabolites that contribute to PCE toxicity. The exposure assessment approach--a key evaluation factor for epidemiological studies of bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma--provided suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity. Bioassay data provided conclusive evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Neurotoxicity was identified as a sensitive noncancer health effect, occurring at low exposures: a conclusion supported by multiple studies. Evidence was integrated from human, experimental animal, and mechanistic data sets in assessing adverse health effects of PCE. CONCLUSIONS: PCE is likely to be carcinogenic to humans. Neurotoxicity is a sensitive adverse health effect of PCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses heritage language education in the U.S. in the service of "national interest." Topics discussed include major policies on foreign and/or heritage language education in the country, patterns of scholarly inquiry and analysis, and the analytical trends for heritage education such as technocratic approaches, pragmatic approaches, and critical approaches.

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a toxicological review of trichloroethylene (TCE) in September 2011, which was the result of an effort spanning > 20 years. Objectives: We summarized the key findings and scientific issues regarding the human health effects of TCE in the U.S. EPA's toxicological review. Methods: In this assessment we synthesized and characterized thousands of epidemiologic, experimental animal, and mechanistic studies, and addressed several key scientific issues through modeling of TCE toxicokinetics, meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies, and analyses of mechanistic data. Discussion: Toxicokinetic modeling aided in characterizing the toxicological role of the complex metabolism and multiple metabolites of TCE. Meta-analyses of the epidemiologic data strongly supported the conclusions that TCE causes kidney cancer in humans and that TCE may also cause liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Mechanistic analyses support a key role for mutagenicity in TCE-induced kidney carcinogenicity. Recent evidence from studies in both humans and experimental animals point to the involvement of TCE exposure in autoimmune disease and hypersensitivity. Recent avian and in vitro mechanistic studies provided biological plausibility that TCE plays a role in developmental cardiac toxicity, the subject of substantial debate due to mixed results from epidemiologic and rodent studies. Conclusions: TCE is carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure and poses a potential human health hazard for noncancer toxicity to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, immune system, male reproductive system, and the developing embryo/fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cost of medical education and student indebtedness has increased dramatically. This study surveyed medical students on educational debt, educational costs, and whether indebtedness influenced career choice. Responses should impact (1) Department of Defense (DoD) recruitment of physicians and (2) future of primary care. Method: The authors surveyed 188 incoming medical students (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School, Class of 2012) concerning educational indebtedness, perceptions about educational costs, and plans regarding loan repayment. Data were analyzed and expressed as mean ± standard error. Results: Students with loans anticipated their medical educational costs to be $155,993.62% felt costs were "exorbitant," and 28% "appropriate." 64% planned to specialize, whereas only 9% chose primary care. 28% of students planning specialization said income potential influenced their decision. 70% of students said cost was a factor in choosing New Jersey Medical School over a more expensive school. Students anticipated taking about 10 years to repay loans. Conclusions: As medical educational costs and student indebtedness rise, students are choosing less costly education and career paths with higher potential future earnings. These trends will negatively impact health care availability, accessibility, and cost. DoD programs to provide financial assistance in exchange for military service are not well publicized. These findings should increase DoD recruitment opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Holoprosencephaly (HPE), the most common malformation of the human forebrain, may result from mutations in over 12 genes. Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) was the first such gene discovered; mutations in SHH remain the most common cause of nonchromosomal HPE. The severity spectrum is wide, ranging from incompatibility with extrauterine life to isolated midline facial differences. Objective To characterise genetic and clinical findings in individuals with SHH mutations. Methods Through the National Institutes of Health and collaborating centres, DNA from approximately 2000 individuals with HPE spectrum disorders were analysed for SHH variations. Clinical details were examined and combined with published cases. Results This study describes 396 individuals, representing 157 unrelated kindreds, with SHH mutations; 141 (36%) have not been previously reported. SHH mutations more commonly resulted in non-HPE (64%) than frank HPE (36%), and non-HPE was significantly more common in patients with SHH than in those with mutations in the other common HPE related genes (p<0.0001 compared to ZIC2 or SIX3). Individuals with truncating mutations were significantly more likely to have frank HPE than those with non-truncating mutations (49% vs 35%, respectively; p=0.012). While mutations were significantly more common in the N-terminus than in the C-terminus (including accounting for the relative size of the coding regions, p=0.00010), no specific genotype-phenotype correlations could be established regarding mutation location. Conclusions SHH mutations overall result in milder disease than mutations in other common HPE related genes. HPE is more frequent in individuals with truncating mutations, but clinical predictions at the individual level remain elusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article responds to a conspicuous blind spot in scholarship and commentary on language education policy in the United States. This oversight obtains as much in theoretical terms as in errant readings of the historical record of language education policy and practice. To illuminate this blind spot, I structure the article in four parts. I begin by reviewing the resource debate over language education policy. Second, I contribute to that debate by way of the classical Marxist theory of imperialism and elaborate its social, ideological and linguistic dynamics. Third, I explore this theoretical position by contrasting two key moments in the history of U.S. second language policy and practice. Finally, I maintain that despite the focus on historical contexts, this analysis implicates a fundamental re-orientation of contemporary language education policy scholarship and advocacy if either is to contribute in deed to a more multilingual and just society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Ponzi schemes and financial frauds in the U.S. It cites several studies which report Ponzi schemes and losses caused by them. It offers information on methodology of Ponzi schemes, and states that claims related to financial frauds have significant impact on insurers. It discusses claims used by victims of Ponzi schemes for fund recovery, including directors and officers policies (D&O policies), Professional liability insurance (E&O policies), and Homeowners insurance.

This article presents key findings from an interpretive policy analysis of the role that national security ideologies have played in the implementation of federal language education policies in the United States. To better understand this relationship, the study focuses on the case of Arabic language programs supported by Title VI between 1958 and 1991. Specifically, I argue that assessing how policy-relevant actors have enacted past language education policies explicitly linked to national security contributes to meeting three goals: adding to recent theoretical work on Marxism and language to reclaim territory otherwise ceded to postmodernism within critical applied linguistics; using such Marxist perspectives to better understand contemporary language education policies forged in the name of national security; thereby clarifying current debates about the most effective basis on which to advocate for language education, indeed for a more multilingual and just society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several court cases concerning the liability of professionals, officers and directors in the U.S. It highlights the "Krier v. Vilione" case which focuses on the duties of an accountant to third parties. It stresses the "Armstrong v. American Pallet Leasing Inc." case which concentrates on the violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. It underlines the "Leder v. Shenfeld" case regarding the fiduciary duty between an accountant and a client.

In this paper, we develop a solar exergy map concept and conduct a comprehensive case study to show how it is utilized and how it is significant for practical solar applications. Based on the exergy content of the solar radiation, the performance of a photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system is evaluated for different Indian cities, namely Bangalore (latitude 12°58′N, longitude 77°38′E), Jodhpur (latitude 26°18′N, longitude 73°04′E), Mumbai (latitude 18°55′N, longitude 72°54′E), New Delhi (latitude 28°35′N, longitude 77°12′E) and Srinagar (latitude 34°08′N, longitude 74°51′E) for a year and for different cities of U.S.A., namely Chicago (latitude 41°50′N, longitude 87°37′W), Las Vegas (latitude 36°10′N, longitude 115°12′W), Miami (latitude 25°46′N, longitude 80°12′W), New York (latitude 40°47′N, longitude 73°58′E), Portland (latitude 43°40′N, longitude 70°15′W), San Antonio (latitude 29°23′N, longitude 98°33′W), San Francisco (latitude 37°47′N, longitude 122°26′W), Tucson (latitude 32°7′N, longitude 110°56′W) and Tulsa (latitude 36°09′N, longitude 95°59′W) for different months of January, April, June and October. For the first time, the development of exergy maps for the exergy of solar radiation as well as the exergy efficiency of PV/T system is done for the above-mentioned Indian and American climatic conditions. It is found that the predicted exergy efficiency is in good agreement with the experimental results for the climatic conditions of New Delhi, India. It is observed that the average exergy efficiency is highest in Bangalore from January (28%) to April (32.6%) and from September (32.5%) to December (32.4%) and it is highest in Srinagar from May (29.5%) to August (26.8%) for Indian climatic conditions and for American climatic conditions, the PV/T system gives the best performance in terms of exergy efficiency in Las Vegas (32%) and Tucson (32.5–31.5%) in April and June. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study re-evaluates the awareness and attitudes of medical students concerning military programs, which can provide financial support for medical student education. An original study, 10 years ago, demonstrated a minimal awareness of these programs. With medical school tuitions rising dramatically in the intervening years, as well as the resultant student indebtedness increasing significantly, it is appropriate to readdress this knowledge of attitude toward financial options through military programs for medical students. Reassessment was undertaken using the same evaluation instrument. In the decade in which these lour assessments were made, attitudes toward amelioration of medical student tuitional indebtedness, through programs sponsored by the Department of Defense, have worsened. This phenomenon jeopardizes military medicine and, in so doing, negatively impacts readiness of our Armed Forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States and many other developed countries, active immunization of children has virtually eliminated poliomyelitis, measles, rubella, tetanus, and other diseases, such as disease due to Haemophilus influenzae type b. Individual vaccines can produce systemic or neurologic reactions ranging from minor events, such as pain and erythema at the injection site, to major complications, such as seizures, shock, encephalopathy, or death. Immunization programs have also generated considerable controversy, as witnessed by recent concerns regarding the relationship between vaccines or their constituents and autism or multiple sclerosis. This review summarizes current information regarding vaccines, the diseases that they prevent, and the potential relationships between vaccines and neurologic disease. (J Child Neurol 2004;19:405-412). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the construction and application of a numerical model representing mercury transformations and bioavailability in the aquatic environment of Clear Lake, California. Factors in determining potential mercury exposure; Components of the aquatic mercury pool; Role of the sediment bed in the mercury model.

Investigates cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission in child care homes in the United States. Low prevalence of CMV excretion among children attending child care homes; Results of serologic and virologic studies for CMV; Molecular analysis of CMV strains.

Investigates the differences in somatotype, zero percent fat, and strength in relation to body mass of two groups of American football players. Measurement of strength from one-repetition maximum (1-RM) lifts in the bench press and deadlift; Weight as a greater factor dictating strength in either lift in the high school player than in the college player.

Examines the effectiveness of the U.S. adjustment assistance programs on the rehabilitation of workers disadvantaged by import competition. Duration of frictional unemployment; Cost of market adjustment; Statutory criteria for adjustment assistance; Factors influencing the rate of wages; Educational level of trade displaced workers.

Presented in the article is the experience of a sample of displaced workers, some of who received benefits and others who did not, to indicate the magnitude of personal losses they incurred and the amount of government compensation provided. Adjustment assistance for trade-displaced workers and trade-injured firms was first introduced in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. There was no precedent either in the U.S. or abroad for a program that compensated domestic interests injured specifically by international merchandise movements. Thus, in 1962 the program was indeed a radical departure from accepted trade policy. Partly because of the uncertain budgetary demands of the adjustment program and partly because of its novel structure, the eligibility criteria for adjustment assistance were made very restrictive. Because of this, few petitioners actually received adjustment-assistance benefits. One cause of a worker's loss is a period of transitional unemployment in moving from one job to another. The duration of unemployment tends to be longer for a worker who is older, comes from a low-skill industry, and has a longer attachment to the firm from which he is displaced. A second cause of the displaced worker's loss is that the value of his skill (human capital) falls. When demand for final goods declines, the demand for labor inputs will decline as well. In competitive labor markets, when demand falls we expect wages to fall, and all those workers remaining in the industry experience a pecuniary loss.

Focuses on the trade adjustment of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 in the U.S. Causes of the increased imports; Effect of competition on firms and workers; Association of capital and labor with production process.

Comparability ratios based on 42,229 deaths of Metropolitan policyholders in 1979 were computed by age between the 8th and 9th revision ICD codes for 72 selected causes of death Comparability ratios by age are not available elsewhere. Except for accidents and adverse effects, the comparability ratios for the major causes of death at all ages combined were in close agreement with those computed by the National Center for Health Statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the relationship between different wheat protein premiums and price differentials in the United States. Details on the price differential of high protein wheat; Dependent function pricing for the wheat estimations; Estimation methods for the crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on a study published within the issue which described efforts to validate universal screening methods for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in newborns in the U.S. A brief information on the epidemiology of congenital CMV is offered. The author highlights the public health benefits of universal newborn screening. The author also explains that the study addressed the issue of the availability of a highly sensitive and specific screening method.

The article discusses the evaluation and ranking made by some publications in the U.S. Concerns were raised by political scientists regarding the truthfulness of the evaluations made. It notes that the publication was accorded an overall ranking of 104, a grade considered to be higher than impact rating received by other publications and several comparisons are made regarding their respective ratings. Some political scientists questioned the validity of some survey conducted in some publications because it found to contain flaws.

In December 2008, the Institute of Medicine published new recommendations regarding duty hours and supervision of residents' training in the United States. These recommendations evoked immediate concerns from program directors and leadership in all surgical and medical disciplines, including pediatrics. To address these concerns, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education convened a Duty Hours Congress in Chicago, Illinois, on June 11 and 12,2009. This report summarizes the opinions and testimony of the organizations (American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of Pediatric Program Directors, and Council of Pediatric Specialties) that were invited to represent pediatrics at the Duty Hours Congress. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Association of Pediatric Program Directors, and the Council of Pediatric Specialties supported the basic principles of the Institute of Medicine report regarding patient safety, resident supervision, resident safety, and the importance of effective "hand-offs"; however, the organizations opposed additional reductions in resident duty hours given the potential unintended adverse effects on the competency of trainees, the costs of graduate medical education, and the future pediatric workforce. These organizations agreed that additional changes in graduate medical education must be data driven and consider residents within the broader system of health care. The costs and benefits must be carefully analyzed before implementing the Institute of Medicine recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Overweight and obesity in the United States continues to grow at epidemic rates in large part due to the overconsumption of calorically-dense palatable foods. Identification of factors influencing long-term macronutrient preferences may elucidate points of prevention and behavioral modification. In our current study, we examined the adult macronutrient preferences of mice acutely exposed to a high fat diet during the third postnatal week. We hypothesized that the consumption of a high fat diet during early life would alter the programming of central pathways important in adult dietary preferences. As adults, the early-exposed mice displayed a significant preference for a diet high in fat compared to controls. This effect was not due to diet familiarity as mice exposed to a novel high carbohydrate diet during this same early period failed to show differences in macronutrient preferences as adults. The increased intake of high fat diet in early exposed mice was specific to dietary preferences as no changes were detected for total caloric intake or caloric efficiency. Mechanistically, mice exposed to a high fat diet during early life exhibited significant alterations in biochemical markers of dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens, including changes in levels of phospho–dopamine and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein, molecular weight 32 kDa (DARPP-32) threonine-75, ΔFosB, and cyclin-dependent kinase 5. These results support our hypothesis that even brief early life exposure to calorically-dense palatable diets alters long-term programming of central mechanisms important in dietary preferences and reward. These changes may underlie the passive overconsumption of high fat foods contributing to the increasing body mass in the western world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The study sought to ascertain whether referring veterans of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf conflict with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to specialized centers with a knowledge of military culture and the impact of conflict resulted in successful psychotherapeutic outcomes at 1-year follow-up times. A total of 120 referrals to specialist centers were made by general physicians. Of these, 19 were non-PTSD referrals, and 80 patients were confirmed by a psychiatrist as having PTSD. A degree of success in psychotherapeutic interventions for PTSD at 1 year, determined from general practitioner follow-up correspondence, was obtained for 95% of referrals. There were no distinguishing features between successful and unsuccessful outcomes. This study shows that early attention, i.e., diagnosis and treatment by psychiatrists knowledgeable regarding the service environment, can be beneficial for this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To assess and compare resident and practicing child neurologists' attitudes regarding recruitment and residency training in child neurology.Methods: A joint task force of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Child Neurology Society conducted an electronic survey of child neurology residents (n = 305), practicing child neurologists (n = 1290), and neurodevelopmental disabilities specialists (n = 30) in 2015. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed.Results: Response rates were 32% for residents (n = 97; 36% male; 65% Caucasian) and 40% for practitioners (n = 523; 63% male; 80% Caucasian; 30% lifetime certification). Regarding recruitment, 70% (n = 372) attributed difficulties recruiting medical students to insufficient early exposure. Although 68% (n = 364) reported that their medical school required a neurology clerkship, just 28% (n = 152) reported a child neurology component. Regarding residency curriculum, respondents supported increased training emphasis for genetics, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and multiple other subspecialty areas. Major changes in board certification requirements were supported, with 73% (n = 363) favoring reduced adult neurology training (strongest predictors: fewer years since medical school P = 0.003; and among practicing child neurologists, working more half-day clinics per week P = 0.005). Furthermore, 58% (n = 289) favored an option to reduce total training to 4 years, with 1 year of general pediatrics. Eighty-two percent (n = 448) would definitely or probably choose child neurology again.Conclusions: These findings provide support for recruitment efforts emphasizing early exposure of medical students to child neurology. Increased subspecialty exposure and an option for major changes in board certification requirements are favored by a significant number of respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ability to conduct weight-of-evidence assessments to inform the evaluation of potential environmental neurotoxicants is limited by lack of comparability of study methods, data analysis, and reporting. There is a need to establish consensus guidelines for conducting, analyzing, and reporting neurodevelopmental environmental epidemiologic studies, while recognizing that consistency is likewise needed for epidemiology studies examining other health outcomes. This paper proposes a set of considerations to be used by the scientific community at-large as a tool for systematically evaluating the quality of proposed and/or published studies in terms of their value for weight-of-evidence assessments. Particular emphasis is placed on evaluating factors influencing the risk of incorrect conclusions at the level of study findings. The proposed considerations are the first step in what must be a larger consensus-based process and can serve to catalyze such a discussion. Achieving consensus in these types of endeavors is difficult; however, opportunities exist for further interdisciplinary discussion, collaboration, and research that will help realize this goal. Broad acceptance and application of such an approach can facilitate the expanded use of environmental epidemiology studies of potential neurodevelopmental toxicants in the protection of public health, and specifically children''s health. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective. Our objective was to confirm an observed temporal association of increased numbers of rheumatic fever cases concomitant with the appearance of an increased prevalence of mucoid strains of Streptococcus pyogenes. During the resurgence of rheumatic fever (RF) that has occurred in the Intermountain area surrounding Salt Lake City, Utah, since 1985, the largest number of cases occurred in 1985 and 1986 and 12 years later in 1997 and 1998. During the initial outbreak and the later exacerbation of the resurgence, an increased number of mucoid strains of S pyogenes were present in the community. Methods. The referred cases of RF that fulfilled Jones criteria have been systematically reviewed by the medical staff at Primary Children's Medical Center yearly since 1985. Before the resurgence of RF, a program was initiated by the microbiology laboratory at Primary Children's Medical Center to store frozen isolates of S pyogenes. All frozen specimens were randomly selected and entered into a log; the coded entry allowed for comments regarding the origin of the isolate and whether the isolate had a mucoid appearance on the blood agar culture plate. This log was reviewed in October 2002 to determine whether the percentage of frozen mucoid isolates stored during the resurgence of RF would support the clinical and epidemiologic suspicion that mucoid isolates seemed to be present with a higher frequency during the 2 periods of high incidence of RF. The percentage of mucoid isolates was compared with the yearly number of cases of RF. A Pearson r correlation analysis was completed to determine whether there was a significant association between the percentage of mucoid isolates and the number of cases of RF. Results. The highest number of cases of RF was temporally associated with the highest percentage of mucoid isolates. There was statistically significant... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author defines the occupational safety and health domain, characterizes the distinct compensation phenomenon in the United States, and briefly reviews important developments in the last decade involving Karen Silkwood, intentional torts, and asbestos litigation. He examines the class conflict over the value and meaning of work-related injuries and illnesses involved in the practical activity of making claims and turning them into money through compensation inquiries. Juries, attributions of fault, and medicolegal discourse play key roles in the compensation phenomenon. This article demonstrates the extensive, probing inquiry through workers' bodies constituted by the American compensation phenomenon into the moral basis of elements of the system of production.

This article examines compensation for work-related illness among women in the first sixty years of the twentieth century. Its first part (Vol. 15, No. 1) discussed women's experience in the employers' liability system and their workers' compensation claims for poisonings. Part II in this issue examines compensation for infectious diseases, principally tuberculosis; litigation involving lung disease produced by beryllium and asbestos; and women's workers' compensation claims for illnesses involving a mental component.

This article examines the changing role of medicine in the early workers' compensation system by using an approach derived in part from Marx's work. It looks at the increasing importance of medicine in mediating class conflict over transforming work-related injuries into money, meaning, and medical care under the new system. The concept of 'medico-legalization' is developed to help explain some of these changes.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, new knowledge of work-related illness became part of discourses in several institutional spheres on the relationship between aspects of the economy and workers' health. Appeals courts and state legislatures invoked this knowledge in their deliberations on legislation to ease the coercive aspects of the employment relationship. Insurers used the knowledge to help determine what types of coverage would be available to different occupational groups. In the courts, a narrow compensation remedy evolved for illness caused by employers' failure to warn of latent risks. This small, legal zone of protection of workers' health was separated out from the massive amount of uncompensated, preventable work-related illness.