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Objectives: The question of a declining non‐Hispanic white (NHW) population has sparked debate in the United States. In examining this question, three bodies of research have emerged. One group reports that the decline is real, a second argues that it is an illusion, and the third provides evidence that the decline is concentrated within socio‐economic segments of the NHW population. We use the third groups' insight as the starting point for our research objective. Methods: In conjunction with data from Census Bureau sources, we use a series of Regression Models in this inquiry. Results: Our results show that the decline of the NHW population is real and related to factors embedded in the institutional anomie theory (IAT) framework. Conclusions: We conclude that the IAT framework is a suitable approach for examining the question of NHW population decline. However, we suggest that future research consider refining our approach by: (1) using sub‐state areas as the units of analyses; (2) examining changes in the NHW population relative to lagged changes in the IAT framework at both the state and sub‐state levels; (3) placing our framework into an "algorithmic modeling approach" that employs machine learning; and (4) developing anomie predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In 2012, onetime hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening was recommended for all baby boomers (people born during 1945-1965) in the United States, but only 4.0%-12.9% of baby boomers have ever had a screening ordered by a health care provider. This study examined the HCV screening prevalence among adult patients in a large academic health care system and assessed factors associated with the completion of screening when ordered for baby boomers. Methods: We defined HCV screening completion as the completion of an HCV antibody test when it was ordered. We used electronic health records to examine HCV screening completion rates among adults (N = 106 630) from August 1, 2015, through July 31, 2020, by birth cohort. Among baby boomers whose health care provider ordered HCV screening, we examined frequency and percentages of HCV screening completion by sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. We conducted univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess factors associated with HCV screening completion among baby boomers. Results: During the study period, 73.0% of baby boomers completed HCV screening when it was ordered. HCV completion did not differ by sex or race and ethnicity among baby boomers. Baby boomers with Medicare supplemental health insurance compared with commercial health insurance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.87) and those seeing only advanced practice professionals compared with specialty care physicians (aOR = 2.24) were more likely to complete HCV screening when it was ordered. Conclusions: Noncompletion of HCV screening is one of many barriers along the HCV treatment continuum. Our findings suggest a need for interventions targeting systems, health care providers, and patients to increase HCV screening rates in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, greater attention has been given to developing water supplies and quantifying available waters than determining who uses water, how much they withdraw and consume, and how and where water use occurs. As water supplies are stressed due to an increasingly variable climate, changing land‐use, and growing water needs, greater consideration of the demand side of the water balance equation is essential. Data about the spatial and temporal aspects of water use for different purposes are now critical to long‐term water supply planning and resource management. We detail the current state of water‐use data, the major stakeholders involved in their collection and applications, and the challenges in obtaining high‐quality nationally consistent data applicable to a range of scales and purposes. Opportunities to improve access, use, and sharing of water‐use data are outlined. We cast a vision for a world‐class national water‐use data product that is accessible, timely, and spatially detailed. Our vision will leverage the strengths of existing local, state, and federal agencies to facilitate rapid and informed decision‐making, modeling, and science for water resources. To inform future decision‐making regarding water supplies and uses, we must coordinate efforts to substantially improve our capacity to collect, model, and disseminate water‐use data. Research Impact Statement: To inform future decision‐making regarding water supplies and uses, we must coordinate efforts to substantially improve our capacity to collect, model, and disseminate water‐use data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Self-Efficacy in the Moral Work of Teaching Scale (SMWTS) is designed to measure the self-efficacy of teachers in relation to the moral work of teaching. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the factor structure of the SMWTS in a sample of preservice teachers (n = 152) attending a teacher education program in the Western United States. The results of this initial study demonstrate that a bifactor ESEM (B-ESEM) model better accounted for the constructrelevant multidimensionality than alternative models and that the SMWTS can be used to produce scores with good reliability and factor analytic evidence of validity within a sample of preservice teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US community colleges are scrappy, agile, and adaptive. Some recent innovations have been workforce development and microcredentials; a diversification of cost-sharing arrangements for professional development; transition of traditional remedial education toward developmental education; a simplification of administrative hurdles to speed up graduation via guided pathways; and college credit to high school students who take college-level courses through dual and concurrent enrollment. These innovations have influenced the university sector to embrace similar changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Apheresis platelets (AP) may be contaminated by environmental bacteria via container defects acquired during processing, transport, storage, or transfusion, as highlighted by a recent series of septic reactions related to Acinetobacter spp. and other bacterial strains. Study design and methods: The frequency and nature of acquired container defect reports to one manufacturer were evaluated from January 2019 to July 2020. The published incidence of contamination and sepsis due to environmental bacteria with culture screened AP in the United States was reviewed for the period of 2010–2019. Results: Review of a manufacturers' records showed 23 US reports of leaks involving 24 containers attributed to postmanufacturing damage, at a rate of 44 per million distributed storage containers. Analysis of returned containers showed evidence of scratches, impressions, and/or piercings. Literature review of US hemovigilance data revealed that environmental bacteria comprised 7% of confirmed positive primary bacterial culture screens, were responsible for 14%–16% of reported septic, and 8 of 28 (29%) fatal reactions with bacterial‐culture screened AP. Sepsis cases have been reported with culture screened, point‐of‐issue (POI) tested, or pathogen‐reduced AP. Discussion: Environmental contamination of AP is rare but can cause sepsis. Container damage provides a pathway for contamination after culture screening, POI bacteria testing, or pathogen reduction. Blood collectors and transfusion services should have procedures to ensure proper inspection, handling, storage, and transport of AP to avoid damage and should enhance efforts to detect defects prior to release and to eliminate bacteria from all contacting surfaces to minimize the risk of contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) MOVE! weight management program is effective in helping patients lose weight and is available at every VHA medical center across the United States, reaching patients to engage them in treatment remains a challenge. Facility-based MOVE! programs vary in structures, processes of programming, and levels of reach, with no single factor explaining variation in reach. Configurational analysis, based on Boolean algebra and set theory, represents a mathematical approach to data analysis well-suited for discerning how conditions interact and identifying multiple pathways leading to the same outcome. We applied configurational analysis to identify facility-level obesity treatment program arrangements that directly linked to higher reach.Methods: A national survey was fielded in March 2017 to elicit information about more than 75 different components of obesity treatment programming in all VHA medical centers. This survey data was linked to reach scores available through administrative data. Reach scores were calculated by dividing the total number of Veterans who are candidates for obesity treatment by the number of "new" MOVE! visits in 2017 for each program and then multiplied by 1000. Programs with the top 40 % highest reach scores (n = 51) were compared to those in the lowest 40 % (n = 51). Configurational analysis was applied to identify specific combinations of conditions linked to reach rates.Results: One hundred twenty-seven MOVE! program representatives responded to the survey and had complete reach data. The final solution consisted of 5 distinct pathways comprising combinations of program components related to pharmacotherapy, bariatric surgery, and comprehensive lifestyle intervention; 3 of the 5 pathways depended on the size/complexity of medical center. The 5 pathways explained 78 % (40/51) of the facilities in the higher-reach group with 85 % consistency (40/47).Conclusions: Specific combinations of facility-level conditions identified through configurational analysis uniquely distinguished facilities with higher reach from those with lower reach. Solutions demonstrated the importance of how local context plus specific program components linked together to account for a key implementation outcome. These findings will guide system recommendations about optimal program structures to maximize reach to patients who would benefit from obesity treatment such as the MOVE!Program: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the pandemic in the spring of 2020 with no vaccine or treatment for SARS‐CoV‐2 and its associated disease, COVID‐19, convalescent plasma from recovered COVID‐19 (CCP) patients offered a potential therapy. In March 2020, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized CCP under emergency Investigational New Drug (eIND) exemption and an IRB‐approved Expanded Access Program (EAP) to treat severe COVID‐19. Hospital demand grew rapidly in the Southeastern U.S., resulting in backlogs of CCP orders. We describe a large U.S. blood center's (BC) rapid implementation of a CCP program in response to community needs. Study design and methods: From April 2 to May 17, 2020, CCP was collected by whole blood or apheresis. Initial manual approaches to donor intake, collection, and distribution were rapidly replaced with automated processes. All CCP donors and products underwent FDA‐required screening and testing. Results: A total of 619 CCP donors (299 females, 320 males) presented for CCP donation (161 [25.7%] whole blood, 466 [74.3%] plasmapheresis) resulting in 1219 CCP units. Production of CCP increased as processes were automated and streamlined, from a mean of 11 donors collected/day for the first month to a mean of 25 donors collected/day in the subsequent 2 weeks. Backlogged orders were cleared, and inventory began to accumulate 4 weeks after project initiation. Conclusion: The BC was able to implement an effective de novo CCP collection program within 6 weeks in response to a community need in a global pandemic. Documentation of the experience may inform preparedness for future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: A 2‐year‐old female with neuroblastoma needed In(b−), E− red blood cells (RBCs). No units were available at the blood centre (BC) nor in the rare donor programme member's inventories. BC's Immunohematology Reference Laboratory (IRL) and its marketing department concentrated on recruiting and testing those donors more likely to be antigen negative based on ethnicity. Materials and methods: The BC's communication plan utilized social and traditional media to assist in the search for In(b–) blood. Media strategies directed donors in the United States (US) and Canada to go to their nearest BC for collection, tagging and testing of units. Two segments from each donation were shipped overnight to the BC's IRL (associated with the patient) for testing. Diluted anti‐Inb sera was tested by microtechniques to conserve resources. Additionally, the American Rare Donor Program (ARDP) facilitated the international searches and acted as a liaison to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Results: More than 25 000 people responded to the appeal. Seventy‐seven BCs submitted segments from 4197 units. Two donors were In(b–) but E+ and thus not compatible with the patient but were submitted to ARDP for future needs. The prevalence of In(b–) units identified in the search was 0·048%. In total, five known In(b−) donors, two from the US and three from international sources, provided units for this patient. Conclusion: Social media sparked a viral response to the rare blood need. While a match was not found among the units tested, domestic and international searches were able to meet the patient's blood needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helminths currently affect over two billion people worldwide with a quarter of world's population having been infected at some time in their lives. Sobering statistics from WHO March 2008 report that 80% of the 'Bottom Billion' impoverished population of the world have ascaris, 60% have trichuris and 57% have hookworm. This would only be a problem of pharmacologic distribution if not for an additional report demonstrating that several new studies reported to World Health Organization claim a 50% failure rate clearing trichuris and 90% failure rate clearing hookworm. These parasitic infections pose a challenge to tropical physicians who have had confidence in mebendazole and albendazole to adequately treat children. This is even more of a challenge for physicians in temperate climates who may be less familiar with these medications. This article presents the recent data and the approach to treatment failure and new therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As we enter the 4th decade of a world-wide epidemic, it is clear that few diseases have so widely shaped our world's health, economy, and society in the modern age as the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This article will review the history, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of infection with HIV. It will also discuss the basics of prevention as well as treatment and provide the primary care doctor with a reference to care for HIV infected children, including immunization recommendations, and expectant management of comorbidities. Finally, this article contains a review of the most recent literature relating to pathogenesis, treatment options, medication side-effects, and progress toward halting disease progression and ultimately finding a cure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Buffy coat (BC) platelets (PLTs) have been used globally for many years. In 2004 Canadian Blood Services (CBS) made the decision to transition from PLT‐rich plasma (PRP) to BC PLTs. We reviewed the benefits and manufacture process of BC and the implementation challenges involved. Study Design and Methods: A literature review was performed in the following areas: BC efficacy, donor population shifts, production and good stewardship of PLTs, logistic considerations with overnight holds, advantages of the overnight hold, the CBS experience, licensure and standards, and changes needed to produce BC PLTs in the United States. The aim was to analyze current practice and identify possible actions for blood centers and hospitals. Results: Implementation of BC would offer an additional source of PLTs to address the growing elderly population and the declining apheresis donor base. Substantial logistic, operational, and financial benefits were seen when CBS transitioned to BC with overnight hold. Conclusions: Buffy coat blood products are widely used throughout the world. Recent conversion from PRP to BC by CBS showed that conversion can be accomplished with planning, communication, and partnership from all stakeholders. In conclusion, BC PLTs are worth serious consideration in the United States, but regulatory barriers in the United States will need to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tourism industry has long been concerned with gaining political influence to ensure supportive policies and governance. Tourism advocates are leaders who seek political influence by creating a unified industry voice and setting a prioritized legislative agenda. This requires tourism advocates to have strong relationships with members of the tourism industry. We use a political advocacy framework to explore how tourism advocates develop as leaders and the behaviors they utilize to build relationships within the tourism industry in the context of a state tourism advocacy association in the United States. The findings suggest that there are many paths to becoming a tourism advocate, but all require supportive organizational resources, industry knowledge, and social capital as these attributes are vital in efforts to build the relationships with tourism industry members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Chemical analysis of soil samples using handheld spectroscopic instruments was performed to investigate if classification accuracy is enhanced through multianalyzer data fusion. The ability to rapidly conduct in-situ chemical analysis of multiple samples of soil and other geological materials in the field offers many advantages over a traditional approach that involves collecting samples for subsequent examination in the laboratory. This study explores the application of complementary spectroscopic analyzers and a data fusion methodology for the classification/discrimination of >100 soil samples from sites across the United States. Commercially available, handheld analyzers for X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRFS), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) were used to collect data both in the laboratory and in the field. Following a common data pre-processing protocol, principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) were used to build classification models. The features generated by PLSDA were then used in a hierarchical classification approach to assess the relative advantage of information fusion, which increased classification accuracy over any of the individual sensors from 80-91% to 94% and 64-93% to 98% for the two largest sample suites. The results show that additional testing with data sets for which classification with individual analyzers is modest might provide greater insight into the limits of data fusion for improving classification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Administrative data are increasingly used in research and evaluation yet lack standardized guidelines for constructing measures using these data. Body weight measures from administrative data serve critical functions of monitoring patient health, evaluating interventions, and informing research. This study aimed to describe the algorithms used by researchers to construct and use weight measures.Methods: A structured, systematic literature review of studies that constructed body weight measures from the Veterans Health Administration was conducted. Key information regarding time frames and time windows of data collection, measure calculations, data cleaning, treatment of missing and outlier weight values, and validation processes was collected.Results: We identified 39 studies out of 492 nonduplicated records for inclusion. Studies parameterized weight outcomes as change in weight from baseline to follow-up (62%), weight trajectory over time (21%), proportion of participants meeting weight threshold (46%), or multiple methods (28%). Most (90%) reported total time in follow-up and number of time points. Fewer reported time windows (54%), outlier values (51%), missing values (34%), or validation strategies (15%).Conclusions: A high variability in the operationalization of weight measures was found. Improving methods to construct clinical measures will support transparency and replicability in approaches, guide interpretation of findings, and facilitate comparisons across studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online health care communities are commonplace on social media. This report investigates the engagement and use of breast cancer‐specific hashtags: #BCSM and #breastcancer. With over 5 million Twitter impressions weekly and increased engagement around academic meetings and news releases, these communities connect a global population. Most participants are based in the USA and work in health care; however, there is also significant engagement from the general population. Improved understanding of online hashtag communities and their output will allow us to innovate and improve the utility of this popular medium for communication in breast cancer and other disease‐specific populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a collaborative model between a freestanding birth center and a tertiary care medical center.Methods: An interdisciplinary team developed a freestanding accredited birth center in collaboration with a tertiary care medical center in the southeast United States. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all women obtaining care at the birth center and assessed the rate (and 95% CIs) of cesarean delivery, patient transfers, and adverse maternal and neonatal events.Results: Between January 2017 and December 2018, 1,394 women initiated prenatal care at the birth center. The study cohort consisted of 1,061 women who continued their prenatal care and planned to deliver at the birth center, of whom 358 (34%) were subsequently transferred before admission and 703 (66%) presented to the birth center in labor. Of those, 573 (82%) were subsequently delivered vaginally in the birth center, and 130 (18%) were transferred for hospital birth. Of those admitted to the birth center in labor, 41 ultimately underwent cesarean delivery for an overall cesarean delivery rate of 6% (95% CI 4-8%). Maternal transfers for postpartum hemorrhage occurred in eight patients (1%; 95% CI 1-2%). There were 39 neonatal intensive care admissions (6%; 95% CI 4-8%), eight cases (1%; 95% CI 0.5-2%) of 5-minute Apgar scores less than 7, and two previable neonatal deaths (0.3%; 95% CI 0-1%).Conclusion: We describe a collaborative model between a freestanding birth center and a tertiary care medical center, which provided women with access to a traditional birth center experience while maintaining access to the specialized care provided by a tertiary care medical center. We believe that the model may facilitate options for maternity care in regional perinatal systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traces the European tradition of teaching elementary school students about their home and its immediate community, with particular attention to German practices. Emphasizes the value of homelife education in reducing personal anxiety and antisocial behavior, and its unique opportunities for Americans. (FMW)

Background: Nonexercise models were developed to predict maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). While these models are accurate, they don't consider smoking, which negatively impacts measured VO2max. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on both measured and predicted VO2max. Methods: Indirect calorimetry was used to measure VO2max in 2,749 men and women. Physical activity using the NASA Physical Activity Status Scale (PASS), body mass index (BMI), and smoking (pack-y = packs·day * y of smoking) also were assessed. Pack-y groupings were Never (0 pack-y), Light (1-10), Moderate (11-20), and Heavy (>20). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the effect of smoking on VO2max predicted by PASS, age, BMI, and gender. Results: Measured VO2max was significantly lower in the heavy smoking group compared with the other pack-y groups. The combined effects of PASS, age, BMI, and gender on measured VO2max were significant. With smoking in the model, the estimated effects on measured VO2max from Light, Moderate, and Heavy smoking were -0.83, -0.85, and -2.56 ml·kg-1min-1, respectively (P < .05). Conclusions: Given that 21% of American adults smoke and 12% of them are heavy smokers, it is recommended that smoking be considered when using nonexercise models to predict VO2max. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize rates of co-morbidity among prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy and to examine the association between co-morbidity status and race, clinical factors, and health behaviors for cancer control.Design/study Participants: Retrospective cohort study among prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy.Setting: Academic medical center located in the southeastern region of the United States.Main Outcome Measure: Patients with at least one of five co-morbid conditions considered were categorized as having a co-morbidity, and those without any were categorized as not having a co-morbid condition. Co-morbid conditions considered were hypertension, diabetes, heart problems, stroke, and high cholesterol, which had been recorded in the electronic medical record as part of their past medical history.Results: Fifty-one percent of participants had a co-morbidity, with hypertension being the most common. The average number of co-morbidities among study participants was .87. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, being diagnosed with prostate cancer within the past four years was associated with an increased likelihood of having a co-morbidity (OR=4.71, 95% CI=2.69, 8.25, P=.0001) compared with diagnosis five or more years ago. Age was also associated with an increased likelihood of having a co-morbidity (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.005, 1.68, P=.05). In this study cohort, race, stage at diagnosis, and PSA level were not statistically associated with co-morbidity status.Conclusion: Better chronic disease management is needed among prostate cancer survivors through more effective survivorship care planning and interventions that promote health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There are no nationally representative studies using a probability sample that have been published examining whether physicians recommend complementary health approaches (CHAs) to their patients, as previous research has focused only on selected medical specialties or a particular U.S. region. This article fills a void in the current literature for robust data on recommendations for CHAs by office-based physicians in the United States. Design: Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses of physician-level data were from the 2012 Physician Induction Interview of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS PII), a nationally representative survey of office-based physicians. Weighted response rate among eligible physicians sampled for the 2012 NAMCS PII was 59.7%. Setting/Location: United States. Outcome measures: Recommendations by physicians to their patients for any CHA, and individual CHAs: massage therapy, herbs/nonvitamin supplements, chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, yoga, acupuncture, and mind–body therapies. Differences in recommendations by physician demographic characteristics were identified. Results: Massage therapy was the most commonly recommended CHA (30.4%), followed by chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation (27.1%), herbs/nonvitamin supplements (26.5%), yoga (25.6%), and acupuncture (22.4%). The most commonly recommended CHAs by general/family practice physicians were chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation (54.0%) and massage therapy (52.6%). Of all U.S. physicians, 53.1% recommended at least one CHA to patients during the previous 12 months. Multivariable analyses found physician's sex, race, specialty, and U.S. region to be significant predictors of CHA recommendations. Female physicians were more likely than male physicians to recommend massage therapy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.40–2.20), herbs/nonvitamin supplements (aOR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.46–2.35), yoga (aOR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.70–2.75), acupuncture (aOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.27–2.13), and mind–body therapies (aOR = 2.63, 95% CI = 2.02–3.41) to patients. Psychiatrists (aOR = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.07–0.23), OB/GYNs (aOR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.24–0.60), and pediatricians (aOR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.18–0.38) were all less likely to recommend chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation than general and family practitioners. Conclusions: Overall, more than half of office-based physicians recommended at least one CHA to their patients. Female physicians recommended every individual CHA at a higher rate than male physicians except for chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation. These findings may enable consumers, physicians, and medical schools to better understand potential differences in use of CHAs with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General political knowledge is a central variable in American politics research. Individuals with high political knowledge exhibit behaviors that are consequential to a well-functioning democracy, including holding more stable political opinions, exhibiting greater ideological constraint, knowing more about political candidates, and being more likely to vote correctly. In this paper, we examine whether the internet revolution, enabling citizens to look up anything at any time, has changed the relative importance of political knowledge in American politics. We show that important generational differences exist between Americans raised during the broadcast era and Americans raised with the presence and accessibility of the internet. Internet access can be a substitute for political knowledge stored in long-term memory, particularly among this younger generation, who may be relying on the internet to store knowledge for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As bat (Chiroptera) populations continue to decline in the eastern United States due to threats such as white-nose syndrome and interactions with wind facilities, capturing already rare species such as the federally endangered Indiana bat Myotis sodalis to assess health and demographics has become increasingly difficult. Mist-nets are a standard method for capturing and studying bats, but bats have the ability to escape from or avoid mist-nets. Past research has shown that the use of acoustic lures may increase mist-net capture success. Using prerecorded Indiana bat social calls, we tested the effectiveness of acoustic lures on capture rates across 24 nights at 37 sites in summers 2013 and 2014 in north-central Kentucky. Each site consisted of two nets (treatment and control) placed >35 m apart: we placed an acoustic lure set 1 m in front of the treatment net, whereas the control net received no lure. At the species level, we recorded significantly more captures in treatment nets (n = 262) than in control nets [n = 128; t(36) = 5.08, P < 0.001]. However, although we found a trend toward higher Indiana bat captures, the only species' with significant positive responses were evening bats Nycticeius humeralis [t(15) = 6.25, P < 0.001] and eastern red bats Lasiurus borealis [t(36) = 3.60, P < 0.001]. Further study is required to determine whether modifications to lure settings or call types result in increased Indiana bat captures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Governance Committee (GC) is responsible for overseeing the effective functioning of the board of directors, but no previous research has been done on the GC process. Through in-depth interviews with 20 GC Chairs and members in U.S. publicly traded firms, we find that the GC undertakes a wide spectrum of processes as it fulfills its responsibilities in the areas of board, committee, and peer evaluation; governance principles, policies, and processes; board committee membership and leadership; director education; and Chief Executive Officer and executive management succession planning. We identify four potential threats to the GC being truly focused on improving board effectiveness. We conclude with questions for GC members to consider as they evaluate their GC, as well as specific research questions for further examination by academic researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses bioethics developments and a potential reboot of "The Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research" which was released by the U.S. National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research in 1979. America's Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), a right to privacy in the U.S., and oversight of research involving human subjects are assessed.

Introduction: There is debate over whether Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene risk variants contribute to African American (AA) live donors' (LD) increased risk of kidney failure. Little is known about factors influencing physicians' integration of APOL1 genetic testing of AA LDs into donor evaluation. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional survey, informed by Roger's Diffusion of Innovations theory, among nephrology and surgeon members of the American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Transplantation, and American Society of Transplant Surgeons about their practices of and attitudes about APOL1 genetic testing of AA potential LDs. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were performed. Results: Of 383 completed surveys, most physicians believed that APOL1 testing can help AA LDs make more informed donation decisions (87%), and the addition of APOL1 testing offers better clinical information about AA LD's eligibility for donation than existing evaluation approaches (74%). Among respondents who evaluate LDs (n = 345), 63% would definitely or probably begin or continue using APOL1 testing in the next year, however, few use APOL1 testing routinely (4%) or on a case-by-case basis (14%). Most did not know the right clinical scenario to order APOL1 testing (59%), but would use educational materials to counsel AA LDs about APOL1 testing (97%). Discussion: Although physicians were highly supportive of APOL1 genetic testing for AA LDs, few physicians use APOL1 testing. As more physicians intend to use APOL1 testing, an ethical framework and clinical decision support are needed presently to assist clinicians in clarifying the proper indication of APOL1 genetic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reexamines the issue of common stock market risk stationarity by applying a newly available exact test for random-walk regression coefficients. For each eight-year subperiod tested in the 1951-1974 interval, betas for individual New York Stock Exchange-listed stocks appeared to be nonstationary. The statistical powers of the exact test and of locally most powerful tests are compared to the power of the test employed previously by Sunder. These power considerations are cited to explain the differences between test results obtained here and those reported by Sunder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at negotiated underwritings versus competitive underwritings of public utility bonds. The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission instituted a rule in 1940 called Rule U-50 which requires the competitive bidding on specific classes of utility bonds but it was suspended due to chaotic conditions in the market for those securities. The comparison of negotiated and competitive underwritings focuses mostly upon the behavior of the underwriters' spreads and the levels of their yields.

The article focuses on line-of-business (LOB) reporting for multisegment firms and tests the impact of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure policy on market risk. The discussion includes diagnostic and statistical procedures for identifying a shift in market beta, three design issues in testing risk information effects, four determinants of risk in the mathematical models, the predictive power of statistical procedures such as analysis of covariance, characteristics of the three sample groups, data from "Moody's Handbook of Common Stocks" and "Value Line" investment surveys showing the frequency of revenue and profit estimates, the use of ordinary least squares to estimate market risk parameters, and the SEC study "Wheat Report."

The paper analyzes bid-ask spreads on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) and compares them to those of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Pricing data were compiled for a total of 177 TSE stocks from December 1 to December 13, 1971. Comparisons with NYSE pricing data from previous studies reveal spreads to be wider and marketability services as a whole more costly on the TSE. Possible explanations include structural differences between the two markets, as well as the differing roles of NYSE specialists and TSE registered traders.

The visual presentation of a set of data facilitates its understanding and explanation. This paper describes how hidden surface routines can be used to construct two-dimensional portrayals of three-dimensional data. Data from a study on consumer preferences is used to illustrate the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's comments on the effects of arms reduction to the research and development field and the scientists and engineers working behind these activities in the U.S. The author holds that achieving general economic flexibility are well within capabilities for solution, however, the main problem springs out from political ineptitude. Though the fiscal and monetary policy measures, are taken to assure that arms reduction does not result in overall economic slack, political aspects remain uncertainly positive to this objective. Thus, the author suggests that if there will only be political wisdom and strength to deal with this problem, the freeing of research and development resources could be one of the most important economic benefits of disarmament.

This article presents information on competition and the pricing of dealer service in the over-the-counter stock market. The authors note that one of the major issues under debate about the stock market is to what degree competition in providing dealer services improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the common stock market. The authors note that this is an important question because it relates to the performance of stock exchange specialties, the relationship between the major stock exchanges and third markets and the impact third markets have on the exchange market. Their findings indicate that increases in the amount of interdealer competition in the common stock market act to reduce the price of dealer services.

The article focuses on a simulation in studying securities markets operations. It states that as of 1970, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is concerned about what impact institutional trading has on the securities market, and suggests part of the SEC's difficulties is due to the involvement of vested interests, as well as an insufficient understanding of the basic operations of securities markets. It suggests that traditional price theory models are among the most powerful tools that economists have to analyse markets. It mentions that the simulation can avoid being bogged down in lengthy descriptions of institutional details for specific markets by focusing on functions and operations that all securities markets have in common.

One cardinal way to speed up America's economic growth is for government to underwrite scientific research and education, particularly in the realm of pure science where corporation-supported R & D often cannot afford to venture resources because of time lag and the chancy nature of a payoff. Government support, this article claims, could free science and many scientists from the bread and butter demands of technology so that they can make the big discoveries upon which tomorrow's productivity must inevitably be based. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the U.S. employment-based medical insurance system. Topics include ways to make private insurance widely available by providing incentives to employers, the reasons why Americans remain uninsured like high insurance costs, how the lack of insurance can help spread COVID-19, and the number of U.S. workers who lost their employer-sponsored insurance during the pandemic.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: School lunches must meet National School Lunch Program (NSLP) requirements to receive reimbursement. In this study, we sought to determine whether there are significant differences in nutrient content and nutritional quality between 2 menus meeting NSLP requirements. METHODS: A cross‐sectional content analysis compared 6 weeks of a typical school lunch menu (TM) from an actual school district to a best practice school lunch menu (BPM) created by a registered dietitian based on Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) best practices and Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) healthy meal pattern recommendations. Daily nutrient content was determined using nutrient analysis software. Nutritional quality was computed using Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010. RESULTS: For nutrients required for analysis, the BPM was lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium and higher in protein, carbohydrate, and fiber (ps < .01). For other nutrients of concern, the BPM was higher in vitamin A, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium (ps < .01). The BPM had higher HEI scores for nutritional quality (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate the possibility for significant variation in nutritional quality of NSLP‐qualifying lunches. Using CACFP best practices and DGA recommendations may significantly impact school lunch dietary quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventable adverse events (AEs) lead to poorer patient outcomes, added patient suffering and dissatisfaction, longer hospital stays, and billions in additional annual health care spending. Patients facing barriers to communication are 3 times more likely to experience a preventable AE than patients who faced no communication barriers. National data on hospital admissions, incidence and cost of preventable AEs, and the odds ratio regarding the risk of preventable AEs in people facing communication barriers were used to estimate potential benefits of improving patient communication. Reducing communication barriers could lead to an estimated reduction of 671,440 preventable AE cases and a cost savings of $6.8 billion annually. Facilitating patient--provider communication is an ethical and financial imperative. A multipronged approach, including increased awareness of and support for speech-language pathology services, is essential to creating a communicationfriendly hospital culture, reducing patient suffering, and decreasing the financial cost of preventable AEs. Speech-language pathologists and allied health care professionals play a critical role in facilitating patient--provider communication and improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the historiography of the U.S. state and federal government during the early republic period, including the U.S. historian John Murrin's perspective on state power during this period. Topics discussed include government institutions, the political scientist Stephen Skowronek's perspective on the state and American historiography from the 1980s through the early 21st century.

The article presents a study on drought in the U.S in the year 2012. Topics discussed include comparisons to the expansive droughts of the Dust Bowl and 1950s decades; need to consider plans that can respond to increasing moisture extremes by the water resource managers and decision-makers; and 1930s and 1950s drought episodes were characterized relatively more by intense long-duration dryness than short duration dryness.

The source material that records the history of the Third Crusade gives the impression that Richard was a king who found it easy to interact with people from different backgrounds. Though he was one of the greatest warrior-kings of the medieval era, he was comfortable with churchmen and knights, with Frenchmen and Anglo-Normans, with lords and clerks, with his men and his father’s men. No doubt every royal court was a bustling, perhaps nearly chaotic, environment, but the individuals found in this study indicate that the court of Richard I was not an ivory tower to which only his barons had access. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Longitudinal analyses of large, detailed adult critical care datasets provide insights into practice trends and generate useful outcome and process benchmarks.Methods: Data representing 991,571 consecutive critical care visits to 160 US adult ICUs from 2009 to 2013 from the eICU Research Institute clinical practice database were used to quantitate patient characteristics, APACHE IV-based acuity predictions, treatments, and outcomes. Analyses for changes over time were performed for patient characteristics, entry and discharge locations, primary admission diagnosis, treatments, adherence to consensus ICU best practices, length of stay (LOS), and inpatient mortality.Results: We detected significant trends for increasing age, BMI, and risk of mortality, higher frequency of admission from an ED and stepdown unit, and more frequent hospital discharge to substance abuse centers and skilled nursing facilities. Significantly more patients were admitted for sepsis, emphysema, coma, congestive heart failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, and fewer were admitted for asthma, unspecified chest pain, coronary artery bypass graft, and stroke care. The frequency of noninvasive mechanical ventilation and adherence to critical care best practices significantly increased, whereas the duration of renal replacement therapies, frequency of transfusions, antimicrobial use, critical care complications, LOS, and inpatient mortality decreased.Conclusions: Analyses of patients, practices, and outcomes from a large geographically dispersed sample of adult ICUs revealed trends of increasing age and acuity, higher rates of adherence to best practice, use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation, and decreased use of antimicrobials, transfusions, and duration of renal replacement therapies. Acuity-adjusted LOS and in hospital mortality decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]