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The Innovative Strategies for Observations in the Arctic Atmospheric Boundary Layer Program (ISOBAR) is a research project investigating stable atmospheric boundary layer (SBL) processes in the Arctic, to improve our [...]

INTRODUCTION Observational research is critical to inform guidelines, policy, and the practice of HIV service delivery [1]. The COVID?19 pandemic has profoundly affected healthcare systems and health behaviours world?wide, including [...]

Matching is widely used in the estimation of treatment effects in observational studies. However, the matching paradigm may be too restrictive in many cases because exact matches often do not [...]

INTRODUCTION Consumption of five portions of fruit and vegetables per day (400 g/day) is widely recommended as part of a healthy balanced diet. (1) This has been incorporated into health [...], BACKGROUND: Dietary recommendations for the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus include the message to consume 400 g fruit and vegetables per day. Measurement of habitual diet is inherently difficult, yet errors due to self-report can be eliminated by the use of nutritional biomarkers. The aim of this study was to determine plasma vitamin C concentrations as a biomarker for fruit and vegetable intake in individuals identified at high risk of diabetes. Fruit and vegetables may confer benefit via their antioxidant capacity, thus we also measured urinary F2-isoprostanes as a marker for oxidative stress. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Participants recruited from a high-risk population as part of a diabetes prevention trial provided fasting blood samples and a spot urine sample for the quantification of plasma vitamin C and F2-isoprostanes, respectively. We compared glycaemic parameters by the increments of the standard deviation of plasma vitamin C using multiple regression models. RESULTS: Mean plasma vitamin C of participants was 39.3 mmol/l (s.d. 21.8). In the unadjusted model, 1 s.d. plasma vitamin C was significantly and inversely associated with HbA1c, fasting and 2h blood glucose (PP0.0001). Relationships remained significant after adjustment for demographic variables and confounding factors. No significant association was observed between plasma vitamin C and urinary F2-isoprostanes. CONCLUSION: The data adds to the evidence that small lifestyle changes may influence glucose regulation. The role that fruit and vegetables independently have should be investigated further. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2013) 67, 12-17;doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2012.174; published online 7 November 2012 Keywords: type 2 diabetes; glucose; fruit; vegetables; vitamin C; nutrition therapy

Researchers of metacognitive development in adulthood have exclusively used extreme-age-groups designs. We used a full cross-sectional sample (N = 285, age range: 18-80) to evaluate how associative relatedness and encoding strategies influence judgments of learning (JOLs) in adulthood. Participants studied related and unrelated word pairs and made JOLs. After a cued-recall test, retrospective item strategy reports were collected. Results revealed developmental patterns not available from previous studies (e.g., a linear age-related increase in aggregate JOL resolution across the life span). They also demonstrated the value of investigating multiple cues' influences on JOLs. Multilevel regression models showed that both relatedness and effective strategy use positively and independently influenced JOLs. Furthermore, effective strategy use was responsible for higher resolution of JOLs for unrelated items (relative to related items). The effects of relatedness and strategy use with JOLs did not interact with age. The monitoring of learning is spared by adult development despite age differences in learning itself. Keywords: learning, metacognition, strategy use, judgments of learning, aging DOI: 10.1037/a0019812

Objective: To assess changes in the cost and availability of a standard basket of healthy food items (the Healthy Food Access Basket [HFAB]) in Queensland. Methods: Analysis of five cross-sectional surveys (1998, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2006) describes changes over time. Eighty-nine stores in five remoteness categories were surveyed during May 2006. For the first time a sampling framework based on randomisation of towns throughout the state was applied and the survey was conducted by Queensland Treasury. Results: Compared with the costs in major cities, in 2006 the mean cost of the HFAB was $107.81 (24.2%) higher in very remote stores in Queensland, but $145.57 (32.6%) higher in stores more than 2,000 kilometres from Brisbane. Over six years the cost of the HFAB has increased by around 50% ($148.87) across Queensland and, where data was available, by more than the cost of less healthy alternatives. The Consumer Price Index for food in Brisbane increased by 32.5% over the same period. Conclusions and Implications: Australians, no matter where they live, need access to affordable, healthy food. Issues of food security in the face of rising food costs are of concern particularly in the current global economic downturn. There is an urgent need to nationally monitor, but also sustainably address the factors affecting the price of healthy foods, particularly for vulnerable groups who suffer a disproportionate burden of poor health. Key words: food supply, inequalities, consumer price index, cost of living, economics, Australian Aborigines. Aust NZ J Public Health. 2010; 34:179-86 doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00504.x

Objective: To assess awareness of and intentions and self-reported participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) in Australia and the program's impact on knowledge of and beliefs about bowel cancer. Method: Cross-sectional, computer-assisted telephone surveys of Western Australians aged 55-74 years conducted in April 2007 (n = 505) and June 2008 (n = 500) measured beliefs about the prevalence of bowel cancer, its preventability, impact of early detection on life expectancy, knowledge of the symptoms and tests for bowel cancer, and awareness of and participation in the NBCSP. Results: In 2008, awareness of the Program was 58%. Seventy-seven per cent of those invited to participate in the program agreed to do so. The vast majority believed bowel cancer to be preventable (83%), with early treatment making 'a great deal of difference' to life expectancy (85%). Awareness of blood in faeces as a sign of bowel cancer increased from 64% in 2007 to 75% in 2008 (p Conclusions: The NBCSP appears to have increased knowledge of bowel cancer. Implications: Education and screening campaigns are required to further increase perceived prevalence of bowel cancer and to increase knowledge of symptoms and risk factors. Key words: bowel cancer, screening programs. Aust NZ J Public Health. 2010; 34:187-92 doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00505.x

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) on in-hospital major adverse cardiac events across the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) spectrum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 29, 2007, [...]

Background. Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may be especially vulnerable to the side effects of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), especially those that impair cognition. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of PIM use among 689 patients with MCI. We used the 2003 Beers Criteria for cognitive impairment to identify PIMs. We then determined if certain patients were more likely to use PIMs. Results. There were 143 (20.8%) patients with MCI taking a PIM: 108 (15.7%) patients were taking one PIM and 35 (5.1%) patients were taking two or more PIMs. The most common PIMs were anticholinergics (35.7%) and benzodiazepines (31.5%). Patients were more likely to be taking PIMs if they were women and were taking a greater number of medications and less likely if they had a history of myocardial infarction. Conclusions. Patients with MCI are frequently taking PIMs that may negatively affect cognition. Future research is needed to assess whether cognitive impairment symptoms are improved if PIM use is reduced. Key Words: Mild cognitive impairment--Potentially inappropriate medication--Epidemiology. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glp158

Background. This cohort of 'late middle-aged' African Americans has an excess of disability. We aimed to determine associations of circulating cytokine receptors (sTNFRI, sTNFR2, and sIL-6R) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with disability, physical function, and body composition. Methods. Stratified sampling of two socioeconomically diverse strata of St Louis, Missouri, occurred in 2000-2001. Inclusion criteria were self-reported black or African American race, born 1936-1950 inclusive, and Mini-Mental State Examination score of 16 or greater. In-home evaluations of handgrip strength, lean body mass percentage (LBM%), physical performance, upper and lower body functional limitations (UBFLs and LBFLs), and basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADLs and 1ADLs) were collected. Of the 998 participants, 368 had blood sampled at baseline. Serum was stored and assayed in 2006. Results. Absolute risks were LBFLs of 2 or more, 46%; UBFLs of 1 or more, 23.5%; BADLs of 2 or more, 20.6%; and IADLs of 2 or more, 22.5%. Independent of age, sex, and underlying comorbid conditions, higher CRP and sTNFR were associated with poorer physical performance ([beta] = -1.462, p < .001 and [beta] = -0.618, p = .003), UBFLs (odds ratio [OR] 2.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.64 and OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.96-2.02), LBFLs (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.19-4.45 and OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.26-2.91), BADLs (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.03-5.96 and OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.11-2.46), and IADLs (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.03-4.41 and OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.99-2.08). Higher CRP ([beta] = -3.251, p Conclusions. Higher CRP and sTNFR are independently associated with disability and physical dysfunction. Higher sIL-6R, CRP, and lower adiponectin associate with lower LBM%. Key Words: Cytokine receptors--Aging--Disability. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glp148

STUDIES OF THE RELATIONSHIP between alcohol outlets and alcohol-related crashes have shown that greater numbers of alcohol outlets are related to higher motor vehicle crash rates across large geographic units [...], Objective: This study examined the influence of on-premise alcohol-outlet densities and of drinking-driver densities on rates of alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. A traffic-flow model is developed to represent geographic relationships between residential locations of drinking drivers, alcohol outlets, and alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. Method: Cross-sectional and time-series cross-sectional spatial analyses were performed using data collected from 144 geographic units over 4 years. Data were obtained from archival and survey sources in six communities. Archival data were obtained within community areas and measured activities of either the resident population or persons visiting these communities. These data included local and highway traffic flow, locations of alcohol outlets, population density, network density of the local roadway system, and single-vehicle nighttime (SVN) crashes. Telephone-survey data obtained from residents of the communities were used to estimate the size of the resident drinking and driving population. Results: Cross-sectional analyses showed that effects relating on-premise densities to alcohol-related crashes were moderated by highway traffic flow. Depending on levels of highway traffic flow, 10% greater densities were related to 0% to 150% greater rates of SVN crashes. Time-series cross-sectional analyses showed that changes in the population pool of drinking drivers and on-premise densities interacted to increase SVN crash rates. Conclusions: A simple traffic-flow model can assess the effects of on-premise alcohol-outlet densities and of drinking-driver densities as they vary across communities to produce alcohol-related crashes. Analyses based on these models can usefully guide policy decisions on the siting of on-premise alcohol outlets.

Herbert Blumer sought to develop 'naturalistic inquiry' to provide sociologists, especially those who subscribe to the perspective known as 'symbolic interactionism,' with an alternative methodology to positivism for them to use in their research. Since Blumer died before he could complete the job, an attempt is made to finish the work that he left undone on the method of naturalistic inquiry along the lines originally envisioned by him. Among other things, more details are provided to help researchers to carry out the two stages of naturalistic inquiry that he identified: 'exploration' and 'inspection.' A third stage, confirmation, is also added to the method. Although Blumer described naturalistic inquiry only in theory, it is described here both in theory and actual practice, which is essential to make the method more understandable to others. In addition to providing a more complete statement of naturalistic inquiry, the ideas that he drew on to develop the method are revealed. Several myths surrounding the method and the grounded theories that can be potentially developed from using it are also exposed. Finally, the case is made that naturalistic inquiry occupies a relatively unique position in the social sciences.

Method equivalence assessments should be considered when analytical methods are either modified or substituted. The TOST (two one sided tests) approach provides a sounder data driven method for testing equivalence than a simple comparative intermediate precision study which is typically performed as part of method validation. Prior to designing an equivalency study, an acceptance criterion (an acceptable bias between original and modified/ changed method) must be chosen. The choice of acceptance criteria requires the identification of the smallest mean difference or bias between methods that is practically important. Equivalence testing in this manner is used to prove that the new method can generate data which continues to support previously established specifications. Once the acceptance criterion is decided, other aspects of the study can be designed following a set of design principles. When the design and acceptance criteria have been established, the collection of the data can commence. Demonstration of equivalence should not start until the validity of the observations has been confirmed such as assessment for outliers, normality, and comparison of variances. Once the suitability of the data is confirmed, the mean difference between the two data sets can be calculated along with a [+ or -] 90% confidence interval using the TOST approach. It can then be established whether equivalence of the two methods has been demonstrated. 10.1021/ac901945f

The possibility of interactions between oceanic and atmospheric oscillations with different temporal and spatial scales is examined with analytical solutions to idealized linear governing equations. With a reasonable choice for relevant parameters, the mesoscale oceanic features and the large-scale atmospheric oscillations can interact with each other and lead to unstable waves in the intraseasonal band in the specific coupled model presented in this study. This mechanism is different from the resonance mechanism, which requires similar temporal or spatial scales in the two media. Instead, this mechanism indicates that even in the cases in which the temporal and spatial scales are different but the dispersion relations (i.e., functions of frequency and wavenumber) of the oceanic and atmospheric oscillations are proximal, instabilities can still be generated due to the ocean-atmosphere coupling.

The horizontal structure of processes causing increases in ozone in the Antarctic polar vortex was examined using data measured in 2003 from an ozonesonde observation campaign at Syowa Station (39.6[degrees]E, 69.0[degrees]S) and from the Improved Limb Atmospheric Spectrometer II (ILAS-II) onboard the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite II. The ILAS-II data are daily and distributed uniformly at 14 points in the zonal direction, mostly at polar latitudes. The Antarctic ozone hole that developed in 2003 was one of the largest recorded. The period of focus in this study is 26 September through 24 October, when a strong polar vortex was situated in the stratosphere. An ozone mixing ratio contour (1.0 ppmv) moved downward near a height of 20 km during the period of focus. This increase in ozone is likely to result from downward transport of ozone-rich air originating from lower latitudes by Brewer-Dobson circulation. First, the descent rate of the mixing ratio contour was estimated by taking the geometric height as the vertical coordinate for the deep vortex interior around 20 km. A significant longitudinal dependence was observed. An analysis using ECMWF operational data shows that this dependence can be approximately explained by longitudinally dependent vertical movements of the isentropes caused by a zonal wavenumber-1 quasi-stationary planetary wave with amplitude and phases varying on a seasonal time scale. Next, the descent rate was calculated around 500 K (around 20 km) by taking the potential temperature (isentrope) as the vertical coordinate. The longitudinal dependence was still present using this coordinate, meaning that the ozone mixing ratio and its increase are not constant on the isentropic layer even in the interior of the polar vortex. A backward trajectory analysis showed that air parcels with large ozone mixing ratios were mostly transported from the polar vortex boundary region. This result suggests that lateral transport/mixing is important even before the breakup of the polar vortex. Results from a tracer-tracer correlation analysis of [O.sub.3] and long-lived constituent [N.sub.2]O were also consistent with this inference. The contribution of lateral mixing to the increase in ozone was estimated at about 17% [+ or -] 4% that of the Brewer-Dobson circulation around 20 km, using the calculated descent rates. The results of this study also imply that Lagrangian downward motions in the vortex interior are not correctly estimated without accounting for lateral mixing, even if the polar vortex is dynamically stable.

Both cross-sectional and longitudinal research depict a decline in the fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) of children and youths with age, but identifying developmental changes and their influences with regard to FVC cannot be fully explained with application of only one of these research designs. Reviewed here are results from longitudinal and cross-sectional research, and a proposal is presented for a lifespan development methodology that uses a sequential design strategy to illuminate the multilevel processes that determine FVC. Conclusions from the review were similar for both cross-sectional and longitudinal research, with fruit and vegetable (FV) preferences and FV accessibility/availability being the most consistent influences on FVC Furthermore, this review illuminates several methodological issues, offering suggestions to strengthen comparisons between studies. Research designs that incorporate longitudinal, cross-sectional, and time-lag data are warranted.

Byline: Marley W. Watkins (1) Keywords: interobserver agreement; kappa; interrater reliability; observer agreement Abstract: Behavioral researchers have developed a sophisticated methodology to evaluate behavioral change which is dependent upon accurate measurement of behavior. Direct observation of behavior has traditionally been the mainstay of behavioral measurement. Consequently, researchers must attend to the psychometric properties, such as interobserver agreement, of observational measures to ensure reliable and valid measurement. Of the many indices of interobserver agreement, percentage of agreement is the most popular. Its use persists despite repeated admonitions and empirical evidence indicating that it is not the most psychometrically sound statistic to determine interobserver agreement due to its inability to take chance into account. Cohen's (1960) kappa has long been proposed as the more psychometrically sound statistic for assessing interobserver agreement. Kappa is described and computational methods are presented. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Educational and School Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Article History: Registration Date: 06/10/2004

Introduction Access to treatments for mental disorders is inadequate in a large majority of low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). The percentage of individuals who have severe disorders such as schizophrenia, [...], Background: Neuropsychiatric conditions comprise 14% of the global burden of disease and 30% of all noncommunicable disease. Despite the existence of cost-effective interventions, including administration of psychotropic medicines, the number of persons who remain untreated is as high as 85% in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). While access to psychotropic medicines varies substantially across countries, no studies to date have empirically investigated potential health systems factors underlying this issue. Methods and Findings: This study uses a cross-sectional sample of 63 LAMICs and country regions to identify key health systems components associated with access to psychotropic medicines. Data from countries that completed the World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS) were included in multiple regression analyses to investigate the role of five major mental health systems domains in shaping medicine availability and affordability. These domains are: mental health legislation, human rights implementations, mental health care financing, human resources, and the role of advocacy groups. Availability of psychotropic medicines was associated with features of all five mental health systems domains. Most notably, within the domain of mental health legislation, a comprehensive national mental health plan was associated with 15% greater availability; and in terms of advocacy groups, the participation of family-based organizations in the development of mental health legislation was associated with 17% greater availability. Only three measures were related with affordability of medicines to consumers: level of human resources, percentage of countries' health budget dedicated to mental health, and availability of mental health care in prisons. Controlling for country development, as measured by the Human Development Index, health systems features were associated with medicine availability but not affordability. Conclusions: Results suggest that strengthening particular facets of mental health systems might improve availability of psychotropic medicines and that overall country development is associated with affordability. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Introduction Neurological impairment (NI) comprises a heterogeneous group of static and progressive health conditions that involve the central and peripheral nervous systems and result in functional and/or intellectual impairment. This [...], Background: Care advances in the United States (US) have led to improved survival of children with neurological impairment (NI). Children with NI may account for an increasing proportion of hospital resources. However, this assumption has not been tested at a national level. Methods and Findings: We conducted a study of 25,747,016 US hospitalizations of children recorded in the Kids' Inpatient Database (years 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006). Children with NI were identified with International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnoses resulting in functional and/or intellectual impairment. We assessed trends in inpatient resource utilization for children with NI with a Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test using all 4 y of data combined. Across the 4 y combined, children with NI accounted for 5.2% (1,338,590) of all hospitalizations. Epilepsy (52.2% [n = 538,978]) and cerebral palsy (15.9% [n = 164,665]) were the most prevalent NI diagnoses. The proportion of hospitalizations attributable to children with NI did not change significantly (p = 0.32) over time. In 2006, children with NI accounted for 5.3% (n = 345,621) of all hospitalizations, 13.9% (n = 3.4 million) of bed days, and 21.6% (US$17.7 billion) of all hospital charges within all hospitals. Over time, the proportion of hospitalizations attributable to children with NI decreased within non-children's hospitals (3.0% [n = 146,324] in 1997 to 2.5% [n = 113,097] in 2006, p < .001) and increased within children's hospitals (11.7% [n = 179,324] in 1997 to 13.5% [n = 209,708] in 2006, p < 0.001). In 2006, children with NI accounted for 24.7% (2.1 million) of bed days and 29.0% (US$12.0 billion) of hospital charges within children's hospitals. Conclusions: Children with NI account for a substantial proportion of inpatient resources utilized in the US. Their impact is growing within children's hospitals. We must ensure that the current health care system is staffed, educated, and equipped to serve this growing segment of vulnerable children. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Voir page 991 le resume en francais. En la pagina 992 figura un resumen en espanol. Introduction Summary measures of population health combine information on mortality and non-fatal health outcomes [...], In the past decade, interest has been rising in the development, calculation and use of summary measures of population health, which combine information on mortality and non-fatal health outcomes. This paper reviews the issues and challenges in the design and application of summary measures and presents a framework for evaluating different alternatives. Summary measures have a variety of uses, including comparisons of health in different populations and assessments of the relative contributions of different diseases, injuries and risk factors to the total disease burden in a population. Summary measures may be divided into two broad families: health expectancies and health gaps. Within each family, there are many different possible measures, but they share a number of inputs, including information on mortality, non-fatal health outcomes, and health state valuations. Other critical points include calculation methods and a range of conceptual and methodological issues regarding the definition, measurement and valuation of health states. This paper considers a set of basic criteria and desirable properties that may lead to rejection of certain summary measures and the development of new ones. Despite the extensive developmental agenda that remains, applications of summary measures cannot await the final resolution of all methodological issues, so they should focus on those measures that satisfy as many basic criteria and desirable properties as possible. Keywords: health status indicators; cost of illness; epidemiologic studies; evaluation studies.

If true neighborhood clusters--that is, local clusters arising from a common environmental cause--are so rare, why do we see so many? In a sense, we're programmed to: nearly all of [...]

7‐11 November 2010, Tenth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection, Glasgow, UK, Purpose of the study To determine groups in HIV living people cohort in the aspect of further HAART. Methods The data on 2271 patients was investigated in a cross‐sectional study. [...]

High levels of phthalates have been measured in people and the environment and have been shown to be toxic in animal studies. Limited data from various countries indicate that phthalates [...]